Morphogical Characteristics of OB Spectra and Environments

Abstract

Following a brief exposition of the morphological process, two examples of its application in contemporary astronomy are presented. The first comprises a major digital, blue-violet spectral classification program on Galactic O stars, that has already revealed three special categories or new members thereof: the Ofc class with C III lambda4650 emission comparable to N III lambda4640, the Of?p class of magnetic oblique rotators, and the ONn class of nitrogen-rich rapid rotators. All of these categories portend further understanding of massive stellar atmospheres and evolution. The second example concerns the structure of massive young clusters and nebulae as a function of age on timescales of the order of or less than 10 Myr, which has provided a new insight into the Antennae major-merger starburst.