2001ApJ...546L.115S

Emission from Mn II multiplet 13 (λλ6122-6132) in the spectrum of the ³He star 3 Centauri A and the hot, mild, HgMn star 46 Aquilae can be naturally explained by interlocked non-LTE effects. However, reproduction of the strength of the Mn II emission in both stars requires vertical stratification of the manganese abundance, with manganese concentrated high in the photosphere (column mass ≲10^–2 g.cm^–2). If this formation picture is correct, several additional transitions of Mn II with λ>8000 Å should also be present in emission in the spectrum of 3 Cen A. The wide range in the strength of Mn II multiplet 13 among upper main-sequence stars (ranging from absorption to emission) is made possible by the interplay in the non-LTE radiative transfer solution of the stellar T_eff, manganese abundance, and manganese stratification profile. In particular, emission is strongly suppressed by a large manganese overabundance in the photosphere. This explains why the hot, mild, HgMn star 46 Aql, which has only a modest manganese enhancement, is detected in emission in Mn II multiplet 13 while other HgMn stars of similar T_eff but with large photospheric manganese overabundances, such as κ Cancri, present Mn II multiplet 13 in absorption.