Sd. Friedman et al., Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer observations of interstellar gas toward the large magellanic cloud star Sk-67 degrees 05, ASTROPHYS J, 538(1), 2000, pp. L39-L42
We report on measurements of interstellar O VI, H-2, P II, Si II, Ar I, and
Fe II absorption along the line of sight to Sk -67 degrees 05, a B0 Ia sta
r in a diffuse H II region in the western edge of the Large Magellanic Clou
d (LMC). We find log N(O VI) = 14.40 +/- 0.04 in the Milky Way component an
d, using the C Iv column density from previous IUE observations, N(C IV)/N(
O VI) = 1.00 +/- 0.16, a value similar to other halo measurements made with
the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer. In the LMC component, log N(O
VI) = 13.89 +/- 0.05 and N(C IV)/N(O VI) < 0.4 (3 a), since only an upper l
imit on N(C Iv) is available. Along this sight line, the LMC is rich in mol
ecular hydrogen [log N(H-2) = 19.50 +/- 0.08]; in the Milky Way, log N(H-2)
= 14.95 +/- 0.08. A two-component fit for the excitation temperature of th
e molecular gas in the LMC gives T-01 = 59 +/- 5 K for J = 0, 1 and T-ex =
800 +/- 330 K for J = 3, 4, 5. For the Milky Way, T-01 = 99(-20)(+30) K; no
excitation temperature could be determined for the higher rotational state
s. The Milky Way and LMC gas-phase [Fe/P] abundances are similar to 0.6 and
similar to 0.7 dex lower, respectively, than solar system abundances. Thes
e values are similar to [Fe/Zn] measurements for the Milky Way and LMC towa
rd SN 1987 A.