Ultraviolet high-excitation Fe II fluorescence lines excited by O VI, C IV, and H I resonance emission as seen in IUE spectra

Archival high-dispersion spectra from the IUE are used in a search for Bowen emission lines of Fe II excited by the stronger transition of the O VI resonance doublet. The possibility of using these Fe II emission lines as a diagnostic of the strength of the far-ultraviolet emission of O VI at 1032 A is explored. It is found that the Fe II emission lines are quite common and strong in symbiotic stars, particularly those of the type known as 'symbiotic novae', as well as in normal novae. The lines are observed in central stars of some planetary nebulae of the O VI sequence besides a few central stars of type WR. High density, high excitation, and high temperature are suggested to be requirements for the excitation of the Fe II fluorescence lines. It is pointed out that while these lines were observed in PG 1159-035 and K1-16, they were not observed in AGNs. 22 refs