A high galactic latitude survey of far-ultraviolet excess objects

Optical spectra have been obtained for a selection of objects included in a catalog of far ultraviolet bright, high galactic latitude objects detected with a balloon-borne survey telescope. The observed objects provide a sample of subdwarf O and B stars, white dwarfs, and binary systems including a hot subluminous member. Model atmospheres analysis of the subdwarf sample is used to determine the temperature, gravity, and helium to hydrogen ratio of the individual objects. A smooth distribution of objects is found on the gravity versus temperature diagram near the theoretical location of the extended horizontal branch. A break between the helium rich and helium poor objects occurs at 40,000 K. Suspected binary objects were found and analyzed to determine the temperature and gravity of the hot subluminous member in each system. The number of subdwarf stars contained in binaries is determined to be from 65% to 100%. The number versus ultraviolet magnitude distribution of the subdwarf B sample is modeled to obtain a midplane density of 3.3 10(-6) pc-3 and a population scale height of 240 pc. The proportion of white dwarfs that experience the subdwarf phase of evolution is found to be 0.94%.