In order to know how the magnetic field increases with density in interstellar clouds, we have analyzed observations of extinction and polarization for stars in the ρ Oph molecular cloud complex. The size of grains in dense parts of the complex is estimated to be larger than the ones in diffuse interstellar clouds by about 15 percent in radii. Employing the Davis-Greenstein mechanism for grain alignment with this estimated grain size, we have put constraints on the exponent in the field-density relation B ∝ n x : 1 / 5 ≤ x ≤ 1 / 3 . It is concluded that magnetic field in gravitationally contracting clouds increases less steeply than the classical expectation based on the approximation of isotropic contraction with complete frozen-in flux.

The abundances of simple molecules are examined in terms of the time-dependent cloud evolution. The formation and destruction mechanisms of H 2 C O are reviewed. The average value of the fractional abundance of H 2 C O is derived to be in the range of 10 − 10 t o 5 × 10 − 9 . This is comparable to the observed values. The expected variations of the molecules formed from or destroyed by CO, CI, and C + whose abundances depend on the evolutionary state of the cloud are discussed.

Temperature history of very small interstellar dust particles is followed under diffuse interstellar radiation. Because of extremely small thermal capacities of these grains with sizes ranging from a few tens to hundred Angstroms in radii, they are to experience strong fluctuations in temperature whenever they are hit by interstellar ultraviolet photons. Fluctuating temperature can inhibit these smaller component of interstellar dust from growing into core-mantle particles of submicron sizes by continuously evaporating atoms and molecules adsorbed on their surface. This is interpreted as a possible physical reason for the bimodal nature in grain size distribution. A brief discussion is also given to the far infrared emission properties of such small grains in diffuse interstellar dust clouds.

Although Serkowski used a single value K=1.15 in representing all the observed interstellar linear polarization curves by his empirical relation p ( λ ) / P m a x =exp (-K 1 n 2 ( λ m a x / λ ) ), where p m a x is the maximum polarization at wavelength λ m a x , we have noticed a meaningful variation in K from observations of 72 stars. By comparing K's with P m a x / E B − V a n d w i t h λ m a x , we have examined how the shape of the polarization curve is related with the degree of grain alignment on one hand, and with grain sizes on the other. We have shown that correlations between K, P m a x / E B − V a n d w i t h λ m a x , are consistent with the idea of Davis-Greenstein mechanism for grain alignment.

We investigated the chemical composition of the planetary host halo star HD47536 via high-resolution spectral observations recorded using a 1.5 meter Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) telescope (Chile). Furthermore, we determined the abundances of 38 chemical elements. Both light and heavy elements were overabundant compared to the iron group elements. The abundance pattern of HD47536 was similar to that of halo-type stars, with an enrichment of heavy elements. We analyzed the relationships between the relative abundances of chemical elements and their second ionization potentials and condensation temperatures. We demonstrated that the interplay of charge-exchange reactions owing to the accretion of interstellar matter and the gas-dust separation mechanism can influence the initial abundances and can be used to qualitatively explain the abundance patterns in the atmosphere of HD47536.

The dependencies of the chemical element abundances in stellar atmospheres with respect to solar abundances on the second ionization potentials of the same elements were investigated using the published stellar abundance patterns for 1,149 G and K giants in the Local Region of the Galaxy. The correlations between the relative abundances of chemical elements and their second ionization potentials were calculated for groups of stars with effective temperatures between 3,764 and 7,725 K. Correlations were identified for chemical elements with second ionization potentials of 12.5 eV to 20 eV and for elements with second ionization potentials higher than 20 eV. For the first group of elements, the correlation coefficients were positive for stars with effective temperatures lower than 5,300 K and negative for stars with effective temperatures from 5,300 K to 7,725 K. The results of this study and the comparison with earlier results for hotter stars confirm the variations in these correlations with the effective temperature. A possible explanation for the observed effects is the accretion of hydrogen and helium atoms from the interstellar medium.

High resolution spectroscopic observation of V1719 Cyg were made at 1.8 meter telescope of Bohyunsan Optical Astronomy observatory in Korea. Spectral resolving power was R=45,000, signal to noise ratio S/N>100. The abundances of 28 chemical elements from carbon to dysprosium were found with the spectrum synthesis method. The abundances of oxygen, titanium, vanadium and elements with Z>30 are overabundant by 0.2–0.9 dex with respect to the solar values. Correlations of derived abundances with condensation temperatures and second ionization potentials of these elements are discussed. The possible influence of accretion from interstellar environment is not so strong as for ρ Pup and other stars with similar temperatures. The signs of accretion are absent. The comparison of chemical composition with solar system r- & s-process abundance patterns shows the enhancement of the photosphere by s-process elements.

The reanalysis of the previously published abundance pattern of mild barium star HD202109 (ζ Cyg) and the chemical compositions of 129 thin disk barium stars facilitated the search for possible correlations of different stellar parameters with second ionization potentials of chemical elements. Results show that three valuable correlations exist in the atmospheres of barium stars. The first is the relationship between relative abundances and second ionization potentials. The second is the age dependence of mean correlation coefficients of relative abundances vs. second ionization potentials, and the third one is the changes in correlation coefficients of relative abundances vs. second ionization potentials as a function of stellar spatial velocities and overabundances of s-process elements. These findings demonstrate the possibility of hydrogen and helium accretion from the interstellar medium on the atmospheres of barium stars.