2001 Articles

Interstellar X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy of Oxygen, Neon, and Iron with the Chandra LETGS Spectrum of X0614+091

Savin, Daniel Wolf; Kahn, S. M.; Paerels, Frederik B.; Brinkman, A. C.; Van der Meer, R. L. J; Kaastra, J. S.; Kuulkers, E.; Den Boggende, A. J. F.; Predehl, P.; Drake, Jeremy J.; Mclaughlin, Brendan M.

We find resolved interstellar O K, Ne K, and Fe L absorption spectra in the Chandra X-Ray Observatory Low-Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer (LETGS) spectrum of the low-mass X-ray binary X0614+091. We measure the column densities in O and Ne and find direct spectroscopic constraints on the chemical state of the interstellar O. These measurements probably probe a low-density line of sight through the Galaxy, and we discuss the results in the context of our knowledge of the properties of interstellar matter in regions between the spiral arms.