Abstract
We report the first high-resolution (R = 4000) spectroscopic observation of the binary DA white dwarf Feige 24 in the extreme-ultraviolet band 220-250 {angstrom}. A stellar atmosphere model assuming a homogeneous element distribution yields a best fit to the data that excludes a significant abundance of photospheric helium. The upper limit on the photospheric helium abundance is 2.5 x 10{sup -6} (90% confidence), equivalent to a lower limit of 1.2 x 10{sup -13} M {sub {circle_dot}} on the overlying layer of hydrogen. An ionized interstellar He component (3.9 x 1017 cm{sup -2}) is clearly present along the line of sight, which implies an He ionization fraction of 0.72, considerably higher than is typical of the local interstellar medium. However, some of this material may be associated with circumstellar gas, which has been detected by analysis of the C IV absorption line doublet in a Hubble Space Telescope/Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph spectrum.
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