Cas
Cas (B0IVe)
is the best known and most studied member of the Be star category.
In December 1990 we obtained the first high resolution spectrum
ever made in the range 994-1015 nm (Fig. 2 (click here)).
Three emissions are clearly present: Fe II 
999.757,
P 
1004.938,
and a broad shallow emission for which the only
identification we found is N I 1011.34 nm. Other emission
or absorption features, such as the photospheric P and
He I absorption lines can also be present, but are difficult to identify.
As noted by Viotti et al. (1992)
the high excitation Fe II line and P display broad and strong
emissions with similar strengths and profiles.
The NIR spectrum of Cas was observed again in
January 1995 with the same instrumental set up to look for spectral
variability. In fact variations were detected in shape, intensity and
radial velocity, as can be seen in the figure and in Table 1.
In January 1995 we also observed the H
region.
This line was present as a very prominent emission with a profile
very different from that of P,
with only one maximum and three emission humps (Fig. 1).
Aqr
The red spectrum of the B1Ve star Aqr obtained in December 1990 as
a comparison star shows H very strong in emission,
split into two peaks by a central absorption (Fig. 1).
The He I 667.81 nm line has a more complex profile with a broad emission
and a wide central absorption which is attributed to the rotationally broadened
photospheric absorption line. We have fitted the profile
with two Gaussians describing the broad emission component, and
the photospheric absorption (see Fig. 3a).
The intermediate resolution blue spectrum of this classical Herbig Be star
was taken in the framework of the Fe II Project. In the observed range
the most remarkable feature is that of H
which shows the
Stark-broadened absorption with a strong emission superimposed, which is
split into two emission peaks (V>R) by a deep and narrow central absorption
(Beals' Type VI P Cygni profile, Beals 1951) (Fig. 3 (click here)).
Many Si II, [FeII] and FeII emissions are also present in the spectrum;
He I and Si III lines are all in absorption.
CMi
This B8Ve star (HD 58715) has been observed at high resolution
in the NIR. The spectrum which is underexposed because of the bad weather
conditions, shows a broad photospheric P with a central
reversal, which in turn is split into two by a central absorption.
This last is redshifted with respect to the stellar
radial velocity of
+22 km s-1 given in the literature.
In Fig. 2 the NIR spectrum of CMi is compared with that of the
A0V star UMa taken on the same night.
Ori
The NIR spectrum of the B8 supergiant Ori (B8Ia) is shown in Fig. 2 (click here).
Besides the photospheric absorption lines the spectrum
displays a narrow emission at 999.861 nm
which is attributed to the high excitation Fe II 999.757 nm line.
The width of this line suggests its formation near the
photosphere, probably by fluorescence excitation of the chromospheric
Ly.
The radial velocity is close to the radial velocity of the
photospheric P line.
The H spectral region of this star was previously observed at ESO
with CAT-CES (Fig. 1).
At that time H displayed a P Cygni profile that we fitted with
two-Gaussian components. Note that the radial velocity of the
absorption component is in agrement with the above value of 1990 P
absorption.
The two absorptions of C I (2) appear asymmetric, with the red wings more
extended than the blue ones.