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ABSTRACT The depletion of elements onto dust grains is characterized using a generalized depletion strength F* for any sightline, and trend-line parameters AX, BX, and zX. The parameters AX, BX, and zX define the relative depletion pattern, for which values are published in previous works. The present study uses these parameters to calculate post-depleted gas-phase abundances of 15 different elements while varying F* from 0 to 1. An analysis of emergent strong spectral line intensities, obtained by inputting the calculated abundances into a cloudy model, shows that the depletion strength has a non-trivial effect on predicted emission lines and the thermal balance of the ionized cloud. The amount by which elements deplete also affects the coolant abundances in the gas. Furthermore, it was found that each of the parameters – metallicity, ionization parameter U, and depletion strength F* have degenerate effects on the emission-line strengths, and thermal balance of the interstellar medium (ISM). Finally, comparing our results to a sample of H ii regions using data obtained from the Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory survey (MaNGA) revealed that the best-fit F* was approximately 0.5. However, this best-fitting value does not work well for all metallicities. Removing the sulfur depletion and changing the nitrogen abundance pattern can improve the fit. As a result, extra observational evidence is required to verify the choices of parameters and better constrain the typical depletion strength in galaxies.
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Self-consistent grain depletions and abundances I: the Orion Nebula as a test case
ABSTRACT Atomic species in the interstellar medium transition out of their gas phase mainly by depletion on to dust. In this study, we examine if there is any change to the spectral-line ratio predictions from a photoionization model of the Orion H ii region when the degree of dust depletions is altered according to the most recently published model. We use equations and parameters published by previous works, in order to streamline the calculation of depleted abundances within cloudy. Our aim is for cloudy users to be able to vary the level of depletion using a single parameter in the input file. This makes it possible to explore predictions for a large range of depletions more efficiently. Finally, we discuss the results obtained for a model of the Orion Nebula when the degree of depletions are manipulated in this way. We found that the intensity of line ratios are significantly affected by depletions on to dust grains. Further, we found that adjusting dust abundances along with depletion affects the structure and the overall temperature of the H+ layer across the H ii region.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1910687
- PAR ID:
- 10364521
- Publisher / Repository:
- Oxford University Press
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Volume:
- 512
- Issue:
- 2
- ISSN:
- 0035-8711
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- p. 2310-2317
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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