A Self‐consistent Optical, Ultraviolet, and Extreme‐Ultraviolet Model for the Spectrum of the Hot White Dwarf G191‐B2B

The star G191-B2B is one of a number of hot DA white dwarfs whose atmospheres have been found to contain significant quantities of heavy elements, including C, N, O, Si, Fe, and Ni. Several earlier studies have measured their abundances using IUE echelle data in conjunction with synthetic spectra derived from theoretical model atmosphere calculations of varying degrees of sophistication. However, predictions of the EUV spectrum based on these observations failed completely to match either its shape or absolute flux level. We present here the results of new non-LTE model calculations including the effects of line blanketing from more than 9 million (mainly Fe and Ni) transitions. For the first time, we are able to find an effective temperature and composition that can consistently match the optical, FUV and EUV data. However, to maintain this agreement below the He ii Λ228 Lyman limit, it is necessary to incorporate additional He ii opacity in the form of photospheric, circumstellar or interstellar material.