The Analysis of Emission Lines

What can emission lines tell us about an astrophysical object? This book answers that question for a host of objects, including supernovae and active galactic nuclei, across a broad range of wavelengths. The editors present sixteen review articles from internationally renowned experts in a coherent overview of the latest data, techniques and applications of the study of emission lines. Subjects include the theory of radiative transfer, shocks, photoionization, and expanding atmospheres, as well as Doppler tomography, X-ray plasmas, IR and UV spectroscopy, molecular diagnostics, spectropolarimetry and gamma-ray lines. Together these review articles provide a unique and up-to-date overview of the analysis of emission lines. In this way, they provide an excellent introduction and reference for graduate students and professionals in astronomy and physics.

What can emission lines tell us about an astrophysical object? A workshop at the Space Telescope Science Institute was dedicated to address just this question - for a host objects (including planetary nebulae and active galactic nuclei) across a broad range of wavelengths (from the infrared through to gamma-rays). Thirteen review articles from internationally renowned experts are presented in this volume. They provide an edited and coherent overview of the latest technical data, techniques in and applications of the study of emission lines from a variety of objects. Chapters include the theory of radiative transfer, photoionising shocks, and emission lines from stellar winds, as well as useful summaries of abundance determinations, atomic data, and diagnostic for IR, UV, gamma-ray and molecular lines. Together these review articles provide a unique and up-to-date overview of the analysis of emission lines. They summarise current knowledge, highlight outstanding problems and provide focus for fruitful future research. In this way they provide an excellent introduction for graduate students and an invaluable reference for professionals.