A systematic study of variability among OB-stars based on HIPPARCOS photometry
Context: Variability is a key factor for understanding the nature of themost massive stars, the OB stars. Such stars lie closest to the unstableupper limit of star formation. Aims: In terms of statistics, thedata from the HIPPARCOS satellite are unique because of time coverageand uniformity. They are ideal to study variability in this large,uniform sample of OB stars. Methods: We used statisticaltechniques to determine an independant threshold of variabilitycorresponding to our sample of OB stars, and then applied an automaticalgorithm to search for periods in the data of stars that are locatedabove this threshold. We separated the sample stars into 4 maincategories of variability: 3 intrinsic and 1 extrinsic. The intrinsiccategories are: OB main sequence stars (~2/3 of the sample), OBe stars(~10%) and OB Supergiant stars (~1/4).The extrinsic category refers toeclipsing binaries. Results: We classified about 30% of the wholesample as variable, although the fraction depends on magnitude level dueto instrumental limitations. OBe stars tend to be much more variable(≈80%) than the average sample star, while OBMS stars are belowaverage and OBSG stars are average. Types of variables include αCyg, β Cep, slowly pulsating stars and other types from the generalcatalog of variable stars. As for eclipsing binaries, there arerelatively more contact than detached systems among the OBMS and OBestars, and about equal numbers among OBSG stars.
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Observational test of the CH cation oscillator strengths
We revise measurements of the positions and oscillator strengths usingspectral features in the CH+ A-X system, and by usinghigh-resolution, echelle spectra of 36 stars and assuming that itswavelength and oscillator strength as given in the literature for the(0, 0) transition, i.e. 4232.548 Å and 0.00545 respectively, arecorrect. The recommended oscillator strengths of the lines at 3957.689,3745.308, 3579.024, and 3447.077 Å are found to be (in units of10-5) 342, 172, 75, and 40, respectively. The estimatedcolumn densities of the CH cation toward the observed targets are alsopresented.
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CN column densities and excitation temperatures
We analyse abundances and rotational temperatures of the interstellar CNmolecule. We have calculated the column densities and excitationtemperatures of the molecule along 73 lines of sight basing on ouroriginal measurements of the B 2?+ -X2?+ (0,0) vibrational band recorded in highsignal-to-noise ratio spectra and also for 88 directions based onmeasurements already available in literature. We compare the columndensities obtained from different bands of CN molecule available toground-based instruments. The obtained excitation temperatures in theanalysed directions show always an excess over the cosmic microwavebackground radiation (CMBR) temperature.
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Echelle Long-Slit Optical Spectroscopy of Evolved Stars
We present echelle long-slit optical spectra of a sample of objectsevolving off the asymptotic giant branch (AGB), most of them in thepreplanetary nebula (PPN) phase, obtained with the ESI and MIKEspectrographs at the 10 m Keck II and 6.5 m Magellan-I telescopes,respectively. The total wavelength range covered with ESI (MIKE) is~3900-10900 Å (~3600-7200 Å). In this paper, we focus ouranalysis mainly on the Hα profiles. Prominent Hα emission isdetected in half of the objects, most of which show broad Hα wings(with total widths of up to ~4000 km s-1). In the majority ofthe Hα-emission sources, fast, post-AGB winds are revealed byP-Cygni profiles. In ~37% of the objects Hα is observed inabsorption. In almost all cases, the absorption profile is partiallyfilled with emission, leading to complex, structured profiles that areinterpreted as an indication of incipient post-AGB mass loss. The restof the objects (~13%) are Hα nondetections. We investigatecorrelations between the Hα profile and different stellar andenvelope parameters. All sources in which Hα is seen mainly inabsorption have F-G type central stars, whereas sources with intenseHα emission span a larger range of spectral types from O to G,with a relative maximum around B, and also including very late C types.Shocks may be an important excitation/ionization agent of the closestellar surroundings for objects with late type central stars. Sourceswith pure emission or P Cygni Hα profiles have larger J-K colorexcess than objects with Hα mainly in absorption, which suggeststhe presence of warm dust near the star in the former. The two classesof profile sources also segregate in the IRAS color-color diagram in away that intense Hα-emitters have dust grains with a larger rangeof temperatures. Spectral classification of the central stars in oursample is presented. For a subsample (13 objects), the stellarluminosity has been derived from the analysis of the O I 7771-7775Å infrared triplet. The location in the HR diagram of most ofthese targets, which represent ~30% of the whole sample, is consistentwith relatively high final (and, presumably, initial) masses in therange Mf~0.6-0.9 Msolar (Mi~3-8Msolar).
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Pulkovo compilation of radial velocities for 35495 stars in a common system.
Not Available
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Early-type stars observed in the ESO UVES Paranal Observatory Project - I. Interstellar NaI UV, TiII and CaII K observations*
We present an analysis of interstellar NaI (λair=3302.37 and 3302.98 Å), TiII(λair= 3383.76Å) and CaII K (λair= 3933.66 Å) absorptionfeatures for 74 sightlines towards O- and B-type stars in the Galacticdisc. The data were obtained from the Ultraviolet and Visual EchelleSpectrograph Paranal Observatory Project, at a spectral resolution of3.75 km s-1 and with mean signal-to-noise ratios per pixel of260, 300 and 430 for the NaI, TiII and CaII observations, respectively.Interstellar features were detected in all but one of the TiIIsightlines and all of the CaII sightlines. The dependence of the columndensity of these three species with distance, height relative to theGalactic plane, HI column density, reddening and depletion relative tothe solar abundance has been investigated. We also examine the accuracyof using the NaI column density as an indicator of that for HI. Ingeneral, we find similar strong correlations for both Ti and Ca, andweaker correlations for Na. Our results confirm the general belief thatTi and Ca occur in the same regions of the interstellar medium (ISM) andalso that the TiII/CaII ratio is constant over all parameters. We henceconclude that the absorption properties of Ti and Ca are essentiallyconstant under the general ISM conditions of the Galactic disc.
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New Estimates of the Solar-Neighborhood Massive Star Birthrate and the Galactic Supernova Rate
The birthrate of stars of masses >=10 Msolar is estimatedfrom a sample of just over 400 O3-B2 dwarfs within 1.5 kpc of the Sunand the result extrapolated to estimate the Galactic supernova ratecontributed by such stars. The solar-neighborhood Galactic-plane massivestar birthrate is estimated at ~176 stars kpc-3Myr-1. On the basis of a model in which the Galactic stellardensity distribution comprises a ``disk+central hole'' like that of thedust infrared emission (as proposed by Drimmel and Spergel), theGalactic supernova rate is estimated at probably not less than ~1 normore than ~2 per century and the number of O3-B2 dwarfs within the solarcircle at ~200,000.
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Catalog of Galactic OB Stars
An all-sky catalog of Galactic OB stars has been created by extendingthe Case-Hamburg Galactic plane luminous-stars surveys to include 5500additional objects drawn from the literature. This work brings the totalnumber of known or reasonably suspected OB stars to over 16,000.Companion databases of UBVβ photometry and MK classifications forthese objects include nearly 30,000 and 20,000 entries, respectively.
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H I Shells behind the Coalsack
We report the discovery of two new large H I shells in the direction ofthe Coalsack Nebula. Both shells were observed with the Parkes RadioTelescope as part of the Southern Galactic Plane Survey. The largestshell, GSH 304-00-12, is at a distance of ~1.2 kpc and has derivedphysical dimensions of 280×200 pc. The second shell, GSH305+01-24, is at a distance of ~2.2 kpc and has derived dimensions of280×440 pc. We present a simple numerical model to show that GSH305+01-24 most likely formed from stellar winds in the Centaurus OB1stellar association. There is associated radio, infrared, and Hαcontinuum emission. Both shells are situated in the Sagittarius-Carinaarm, with GSH 305+01-24 more distant. The far edge of GSH 304-00-12 isat the near side of the arm and opens into the interarm region. We findno evidence of closure at the near side of the shell and thereforedescribe the geometry as conical. Emission from the near side of theshell may be lost in absorption by the Coalsack Nebula.
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Five-colour photometry of OB-stars in the Southern Hemisphere
Observations of OB-stars, made in 1959 and 1960 at the Leiden SouthernStation near Hartebeespoortdam, South Africa, with the VBLUW photometerattached to the 90 cm light-collector, are given in this paper. They arecompared with photometry obtained by \cite[Graham (1968),]{gra68}\cite[Walraven & Walraven (1977),]{wal77} \cite[Lub & Pel(1977)]{lub77} and \cite[Van Genderen et al. (1984).]{gen84} Formulaefor the transformation of the present observations to those of\cite[Walraven & Walraven (1977)]{wal77} and \cite[Lub & Pel(1977)]{lub77} are given. Table 4 is only available in electronic format the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) orvia http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/Abstract.html
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The 74th Special Name-list of Variable Stars
We present the Name-list introducing GCVS names for 3153 variable starsdiscovered by the Hipparcos mission.
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UBV beta Database for Case-Hamburg Northern and Southern Luminous Stars
A database of photoelectric UBV beta photometry for stars listed in theCase-Hamburg northern and southern Milky Way luminous stars surveys hasbeen compiled from the original research literature. Consisting of over16,000 observations of some 7300 stars from over 500 sources, thisdatabase constitutes the most complete compilation of such photometryavailable for intrinsically luminous stars around the Galactic plane.Over 5000 stars listed in the Case-Hamburg surveys still lackfundamental photometric data.
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Red and infrared colours of B stars and the reddening law in the Galaxy
The red and infrared intrinsic colours of B stars are derived fromphotometric observations through the UBV(RI)_CJHK and Hβ filters of257 early-type stars. Those stars for which the UBV and Hβmeasurements match the published spectral class, and which show no othersigns of peculiarity, are used to determine the intrinsic photometriccolours of B stars in the red and infrared. From these intrinsic coloursthe interstellar reddening relationships for the red and infraredcolours are evaluated, and the results are compared with previousestimates of these quantities. The values of R, E(B-V) and the distanceare then determined for the individual stars. R is confirmed to be closeto 3.1 in most cases, but was found to be much larger in somedirections. The relationship between R and the location of a star in theGalaxy is investigated. Usually the abnormally reddened stars seemed tobe associated with known regions of star formation. The paper alsoidentifies seven likely variable stars and a number of stars withpossible dust shells.
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Interstellar CH^+^ in southern OB associations.
Optical absorption line observations of interstellar CH^+^ and CH arepresented towards the southern OB associations CMa OB1, NGC 2439, VelaOB1, NGC 4755, and Cen OB1. A total of 5-11 stars per association wereobserved, with visual extinctions ranging from A_V_=0.5-4.5mag. Thederived CH^+^ and CH velocities agree within the measurement errors.Towards a particular association, the CH^+^ column density N(CH^+^) iscorrelated to the visual extinction of the background star. Thesefindings weaken the possibility that magnetic shocks are the generalmechanism that is required to produce interstellar CH^+^. It is foundthat N(CH^+^) is correlated to N(CH), which indicates that N(CH^+^) iscorrelated to the optical depth of a cloud. The correlations aredifficult to reconcile with scenarios where the sites of CH^+^ formationare constrained to the surface of molecular clouds. The observationssupport ideas which involve turbulence as a major CH^+^ productionmechanism. In particular, the results are in agreement with expectationsfrom a scenario where the CH^+^ formation proceeds in cool gas via afraction of fast, non-Maxwellian H_2_ or C^+^, created by thedissipation of interstellar turbulence.
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A Radial Velocity Database for Stephenson-Sanduleak Southern Luminous Stars
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1997AJ....113..823R&db_key=AST
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Vitesses radiales. Catalogue WEB: Wilson Evans Batten. Subtittle: Radial velocities: The Wilson-Evans-Batten catalogue.
We give a common version of the two catalogues of Mean Radial Velocitiesby Wilson (1963) and Evans (1978) to which we have added the catalogueof spectroscopic binary systems (Batten et al. 1989). For each star,when possible, we give: 1) an acronym to enter SIMBAD (Set ofIdentifications Measurements and Bibliography for Astronomical Data) ofthe CDS (Centre de Donnees Astronomiques de Strasbourg). 2) the numberHIC of the HIPPARCOS catalogue (Turon 1992). 3) the CCDM number(Catalogue des Composantes des etoiles Doubles et Multiples) byDommanget & Nys (1994). For the cluster stars, a precise study hasbeen done, on the identificator numbers. Numerous remarks point out theproblems we have had to deal with.
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A spectroscopic database for Stephenson-Sanduleak Southern Luminous Stars
A database of published spectral classifications for objects in theStepenson-Sanduleak Luminous Stars in the Southern Milky Way catalog hasbeen compiled from the literature. A total of 6182 classifications for2562 stars from 139 sources are incorporated.
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Stromgren and H-Beta Photometry of Associations and Open Clusters - Part Three - CENTAURUS-OB1 and CRUX-OB1
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1994MNRAS.269..289K&db_key=AST
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Narrow band multicolor photometry of reddened and unreddened early-type stars
Photometric measurements and interstellar extinction curves of reddenedand unreddened early-type Southern Hemisphere stars are presented. It isshown that a number of shallow features exist in the extinction curvesrelative to a straight-line approximation.
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UBV photometry of OB+ stars in the southern Milky Way
One thousand two hundred and twenty six new observations are combinedwith previously published results of the author to yield an internalyconsistent set of magnitudes and colors on the international UBV systemfor 666 stars classified as OB+ in the Stephenson-Sanduleak OB starsurvey. The U - B, B - V diagram indicates that these stars consistprimarily of O-type stars and early B-type supergiants, reddened by upto E(B - V) = 2.1 mag.
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Interstellar C2, CH, and CN in translucent molecular clouds
Optical absorption-line techniques have been applied to the study of anumber of translucent molecular clouds in which the total columndensities are large enough that substantial molecular abundances can bemaintained. Results are presented for a survey of absorption lines ofinterstellar C2, CH, and CN. Detections of CN through the A 2Pi-X2Sigma(+) (1,O) and (2,O) bands of the red system are reported andcompared with observations of the violet system for one line of sight.The population distributions in C2 provide diagnostic information ontemperature and density. The measured column densities of the threespecies can be used to test details of the theory of molecule formationin clouds where photoprocesses still play a significant role. The C2 andCH column densities are strongly correlated with each other and probablyalso with the H2 column density. In contrast, the CN column densitiesare found to vary greatly from cloud to cloud. The observations arediscussed with reference to detailed theoretical models.
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UBV-beta photometry of luminous early-type stars and emission-line stars in the Southern Coalsack region
A catalog is presented giving UBV-beta photometry for 144 luminous OBstars and UBV photometry for 154 emission-line stars in a 100-sq-degregion around the Southern Coalsack. Total visual absorptions anddistance moduli have been determined for all the stars and aretabulated. Comparisons with previous observations are discussed.
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The volume filling factor of the infrared cirrus IS 0.2
The filling factor of the infrared cirrus in which luminous stars areembedded is estimated. The stars are assumed to be randomly situatedwith respect to the cirrus. A direct ratio of the number of stars withassociated cirrus emission to those which in principle could be detectedindicates that the cirrus filling factor is roughly 0.2.
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Stromgren and H-beta photometry of stars earlier than G0 in the Southern Coalsack direction
Four-color and H-beta photometry have been obtained for 236 starsearlier than G0 in order to study the color excess distribution in theSouthern Coalsack direction. The beta histogram of the stars reveals arelative absence of stars in the range of A4 to A9. The (b-y)distribution for B-type stars suggests the existence of three differenttypes of stars located at different distances.
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Interstellar molecular carbon in distant supergiants
The results of a search for interstellar C2 lines in the spectrum ofsouthern reddened supergiants are reported. The C2 excitation parametersalong the lines of sight to HD 169454 and BD-14 deg 5037, both in theSct OB3 association, have been determined from spectra of high S/N.Radiative excitation effects of high rotational levels were found in HD169454. The C2 lines in BD-14 deg 5037 are clearly double, but only showmarginal deviations from thermal level populations. The column densitiesfor all stars so far observed, except of HD 92693 in Car OB1, appearlinearly correlated with E(B-V). A mean columnar abundance of 3.0 x 10to the -8th is estimated, which agrees with theoretical predictions forthe C2 abundance in dense molecular clouds.
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On the intrinsic UVBY colours of early-type supergiants
The present photoelectric uvby observations of 43 late O-type to earlyA-type supergiants are combined with published results to extend theZhang (1983) determination of the intrinsic color lines in the(b-y)/c(1) diagram. Zhang's conclusion that the H-beta index is wellcorrelated with luminosity class is reaffirmed by the results obtained,although the degree of separation found here is less clear. It is notfound, however, that beta has a significant minimum between the B1 andB3 spectral types.
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Interstellare C2-Linien in frühen Überriesen
Not Available
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Ultraviolet extinction and diffuse band strength correlations
Correlations between UV extinction parameters and diffuse band strengthsare south, using a data base of 50 stars with recently measuredextinction curves. A novel aspect of this study is that the basicdependence of most interstellar parameters on E(B-V) (or, nearlyequivalently, on the total hydrogen column density) has been largelycanceled out. After this cancellation, a weak correlation is foundbetween the 4430 A diffuse band and the 2175 A extinction feature. Noother correlations are found. These results support a molecular originfor the 5780 A and 6284 A bands. It is speculated that the correlationpattern found for the 4430 A band can be explained if this bandoriginates in reactions on disordered grain surfaces.
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Exciting stars and the distances of the diffuse nebulae
Not Available
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A study of B-type supergiants with the uvby,beta photometric system
The applicability of the uvby,beta photometric system to theclassification and study of B-type supergiants (BTS) is investigatedusing published data on 157 BTS and observations of 17 BTS made with the36-in. reflector at McDonald Observatory. The results are presented intabular form and analyzed to produce preliminary calibrations ofluminosity class vs. beta index and of absolute magnitude (Mv) vs. beta(or delta Mv vs. delta beta) for four associations of stars. Theeffectiveness of various color indices as temperature indicators isdiscussed. It is shown that there is good correspondence between MK anduvby,beta classifications of B-type main-sequence stars, giants, andBTS, confirming the usefulness of the uvby,beta system in furtherresearch on BTS.
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INHABITED SKY
