[Previous] | [Session 7] | [Next]
P. Richter (Dept. of Astronomy, Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison), K.R. Sembach (Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore), B.D. Savage (Dept. of Astronomy, Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison), E.B. Murphy (Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore), B.P. Wakker (Dept. of Astronomy, Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison)
FUSE far ultraviolet absorption line data is used to study atomic and molecular abundances in the Galactic high-velocity cloud Complex C and the Intermediate Velocity Arch (IV Arch) toward the quasar PG\,1259+593 (l=120\fdg6, b=58\fdg1). Absorption lines from C\,{\sc ii}, N\,{\sc i}, O\,{\sc i}, Si\,{\sc ii}, Ar\,{\sc i}, Fe\,{\sc ii}, as well as from molecular hydrogen (H2), are studied. For Complex C, we find an O\,{\sc i} abundance of ~0.1 solar, suggesting the infall of low-metallicity gas into the Galactic halo. In contrast, the O\,{\sc i} abundance in the IV Arch is ~0.8 solar, pointing to a Galactic origin as part of a Galactic fountain. The results indicate that diverse processes must be responsible for the phenomena of Galactic intermediate- and high-velocity clouds. The abundance pattern found for Complex C suggests a slight enhancement of \alpha elements in comparison to the iron-peak species. Complex C thus might represent an analogue to the damped Ly\,\alpha absorbers seen toward quasars.