Contents
Images
Upload your image
DSS Images Other Images
Related articles
Bayesian inference of stellar parameters and interstellar extinction using parallaxes and multiband photometry
Astrometric surveys provide the opportunity to measure the absolutemagnitudes of large numbers of stars, but only if the individualline-of-sight extinctions are known. Unfortunately, extinction is highlydegenerate with stellar effective temperature when estimated frombroad-band optical/infrared photometry. To address this problem, Iintroduce a Bayesian method for estimating the intrinsic parameters of astar and its line-of-sight extinction. It uses both photometry andparallaxes in a self-consistent manner in order to provide anon-parametric posterior probability distribution over the parameters.The method makes explicit use of domain knowledge by employing theHertzsprung-Russell Diagram (HRD) to constrain solutions and to ensurethat they respect stellar physics. I first demonstrate this method byusing it to estimate effective temperature and extinction from BVJHKdata for a set of artificially reddened Hipparcos stars, for whichaccurate effective temperatures have been estimated from high-resolutionspectroscopy. Using just the four colours, we see the expected strongdegeneracy (positive correlation) between the temperature andextinction. Introducing the parallax, apparent magnitude and the HRDreduces this degeneracy and improves both the precision (reduces theerror bars) and the accuracy of the parameter estimates, the latter byabout 35 per cent. The resulting accuracy is about 200 K in temperatureand 0.2 mag in extinction. I then apply the method to estimate theseparameters and absolute magnitudes for some 47 000 F, G, K Hipparcosstars which have been cross-matched with Two-Micron All-Sky Survey(2MASS). The method can easily be extended to incorporate the estimationof other parameters, in particular metallicity and surface gravity,making it particularly suitable for the analysis of the 109stars from Gaia.
| The PASTEL catalogue of stellar parameters
Aims: The PASTEL catalogue is an update of the [Fe/H] catalogue,published in 1997 and 2001. It is a bibliographical compilation ofstellar atmospheric parameters providing (T_eff, log g, [Fe/H])determinations obtained from the analysis of high resolution, highsignal-to-noise spectra, carried out with model atmospheres. PASTEL alsoprovides determinations of the one parameter T_eff based on variousmethods. It is aimed in the future to provide also homogenizedatmospheric parameters and elemental abundances, radial and rotationalvelocities. A web interface has been created to query the catalogue onelaborated criteria. PASTEL is also distributed through the CDS databaseand VizieR. Methods: To make it as complete as possible, the mainjournals have been surveyed, as well as the CDS database, to findrelevant publications. The catalogue is regularly updated with newdeterminations found in the literature. Results: As of Febuary2010, PASTEL includes 30151 determinations of either T_eff or (T_eff,log g, [Fe/H]) for 16 649 different stars corresponding to 865bibliographical references. Nearly 6000 stars have a determination ofthe three parameters (T_eff, log g, [Fe/H]) with a high qualityspectroscopic metallicity.The catalogue can be queried through a dedicated web interface at http://pastel.obs.u-bordeaux1.fr/.It is also available in electronic form at the Centre de DonnéesStellaires in Strasbourg (http://vizier.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/VizieR?-source=B/pastel),at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) orvia http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/515/A111
| An absolutely calibrated Teff scale from the infrared flux method. Dwarfs and subgiants
Various effective temperature scales have been proposed over the years.Despite much work and the high internal precision usually achieved,systematic differences of order 100 K (or more) among various scales arestill present. We present an investigation based on the infrared fluxmethod aimed at assessing the source of such discrepancies and pin downtheir origin. We break the impasse among different scales by using alarge set of solar twins, stars which are spectroscopically andphotometrically identical to the Sun, to set the absolute zero point ofthe effective temperature scale to within few degrees. Our newlycalibrated, accurate and precise temperature scale applies to dwarfs andsubgiants, from super-solar metallicities to the most metal-poor starscurrently known. At solar metallicities our results validatespectroscopic effective temperature scales, whereas for [Fe/H]? -2.5our temperatures are roughly 100 K hotter than those determined frommodel fits to the Balmer lines and 200 K hotter than those obtained fromthe excitation equilibrium of Fe lines. Empirical bolometric correctionsand useful relations linking photometric indices to effectivetemperatures and angular diameters have been derived. Our results takefull advantage of the high accuracy reached in absolute calibration inrecent years and are further validated by interferometric angulardiameters and space based spectrophotometry over a wide range ofeffective temperatures and metallicities.Table 8 is only available in electronic form at the CDS via anonymousftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/512/A54
| A New Color-Magnitude Diagram for 47 Tucanae: A Statistical Analysis
We present a statistical analysis of color-magnitude diagrams of 47 Tucderived from original and archival BVI photometry that produces the mostprobable locus for single stars. After adopting E(B-V) = 0.04, we derivean apparent distance modulus (m - M) V = 13.375 andachieve good matches to the most probable locus in the [B - V, V],[V - I, I], and [B - I, I] planes with 12 Gyr, [?/Fe]= +0.3, [Fe/H] = -0.83 isochrones from the Victoria-Regina models.This metallicity is generally lower than recent spectroscopicallyderived estimates for the cluster, but it is reinforced by themain-sequence match with a sample of subdwarfs.Based in part on observations made with the European SouthernObservatory (ESO) telescopes and obtained from the ESO/ST-ECF ScienceArchive facility.
| Chemical Inhomogeneities in the Milky Way Stellar Halo
We have compiled a sample of 699 stars from the recent literature withdetailed chemical abundance information (spanning –4.2lsim [Fe/H]lsim+0.3), and we compute their space velocities and Galactic orbitalparameters. We identify members of the inner and outer stellar halopopulations in our sample based only on their kinematic properties andthen compare the abundance ratios of these populations as a function of[Fe/H]. In the metallicity range where the two populations overlap(–2.5lsim [Fe/H] lsim–1.5), the mean [Mg/Fe] of the outerhalo is lower than the inner halo by –0.1 dex. For [Ni/Fe] and[Ba/Fe], the star-to-star abundance scatter of the inner halo isconsistently smaller than in the outer halo. The [Na/Fe], [Y/Fe],[Ca/Fe], and [Ti/Fe] ratios of both populations show similar means andlevels of scatter. Our inner halo population is chemically homogeneous,suggesting that a significant fraction of the Milky Way stellar halooriginated from a well-mixed interstellar medium. In contrast, our outerhalo population is chemically diverse, suggesting that anothersignificant fraction of the Milky Way stellar halo formed in remoteregions where chemical enrichment was dominated by local supernovaevents. We find no abundance trends with maximum radial distance fromthe Galactic center or maximum vertical distance from the Galactic disk.We also find no common kinematic signature for groups of metal-poorstars with peculiar abundance patters, such as the α-poor stars orstars showing unique neutron-capture enrichment patterns. Several starsand dwarf spheroidal systems with unique abundance patterns spend themajority of their time in the distant regions of the Milky Way stellarhalo, suggesting that the true outer halo of the Galaxy may have littleresemblance to the local stellar halo.
| Oxygen abundances in nearby stars. Clues to the formation and evolution of the Galactic disk
The abundances of iron and oxygen are homogeneously determined in asample of 523 nearby (d<150 pc) FGK disk and halo stars withmetallicities in the range -1.5<[Fe/H]<0.5. Iron abundances wereobtained from an LTE analysis of a large set of Fe I and Fe II lineswith reliable atomic data. Oxygen abundances were inferred from arestricted non-LTE analysis of the 777 nm O I triplet. We adopted theinfrared flux method temperature scale and surface gravities based onHipparcos trigonometric parallaxes. Within this framework, theionization balance of iron lines is not satisfied: the mean abundancesfrom the Fe I lines are systematically lower by 0.06 dex than those fromthe Fe II lines for dwarf stars of Teff>5500 K and[Fe/H]<0.0, and giant stars of all temperatures and metallicitiescovered by our sample. The discrepancy worsens for cooler and metal-richmain-sequence stars. We use the stellar kinematics to compute theprobabilities of our sample stars to be members of the thin disk, thickdisk, or halo of the Galaxy. We find that the majority of thekinematically-selected thick-disk stars show larger [O/Fe] ratioscompared to thin-disk stars while the rest show thin-disk abundances,which suggests that the latter are thin-disk members with unusual(hotter) kinematics. A close examination of this pattern for disk starswith ambiguous probabilities shows that an intermediate population withproperties between those of the thin and thick disks does not exist, atleast in the solar neighborhood. Excluding the stars with unusualkinematics, we find that thick-disk stars show slowly decreasing [O/Fe]ratios from about 0.5 to 0.4 in the -0.8<[Fe/H]<-0.3 range. Usinga simple model for the chemical evolution of the thick disk we show thatthis trend results directly from the metallicity dependence of the TypeII supernova yields. At [Fe/H]>-0.3, we find no obvious indication ofa sudden decrease (i.e., a "knee") in the [O/Fe] vs. [Fe/H] pattern ofthick-disk stars that would connect the thick and thin disk trends at ahigh metallicity. We conclude that Type Ia supernovae (SN Ia) did notcontribute significantly to the chemical enrichment of the thick disk.In the -0.8<[Fe/H]<+0.3 range, thin-disk stars show decreasing[O/Fe] ratios from about 0.4 to 0.0 that require a SN Ia contribution.The implications of these results for studies of the formation andevolution of the Galactic disk are discussed.Tables 4-6 are only available in electronic form at the CDS viaanonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/465/271 Partially based onobservations obtained with the Hobby-Eberly Telescope, which is a jointproject of the University of Texas at Austin, the Pennsylvania StateUniversity, Stanford University, Ludwig-Maximilians-UniversitätMünchen, and Georg-August-Universität Göttingen; and datafrom the UVES Paranal Observatory Project (ESO DDT Program ID266.D-5655).
| Pulkovo compilation of radial velocities for 35495 stars in a common system.
Not Available
| Metallicity and absolute magnitude calibrations for UBV photometry
Calibrations are presented here for metallicity ([Fe/H]) in terms of theultraviolet excess, [δ(U - B) at B - V = 0.6, hereafterδ0.6], and also for the absolute visual magnitude(MV) and its difference with respect to the Hyades(ΔMHV) in terms of δ0.6 and(B - V), making use of high-resolution spectroscopic abundances from theliterature and Hipparcos parallaxes. The relation[Fe/H]-δ0.6 has been derived for dwarf plus turn-offstars, and also for dwarf, turn-off, plus subgiant stars classifiedusing the MV-(B - V)0 plane of Fig. 11, which iscalibrated with isochrones from Bergbusch & VandenBerg (and alsoVandenBerg & Clem). The [Fe/H]-δ0.6 relations inour equations (5) and (6) agree well with those of Carney, as can beseen from Fig. 5(a). Within the uncertainties, the zero-points,+0.13(+/-0.05) of equation (5) and +0.13(+/-0.04) of equation (6), arein good agreement with the photometric ones of Cameron and of Carney,and close to the spectroscopic ones of Cayrel et al. and of Boesgaard& Friel for the Hyades open cluster. Good quantitative agreementbetween our estimated [Fe/H] abundances with those from uvby-βphotometry and spectroscopic [Fe/H]spec values demonstratesthat our equation (6) can be used in deriving quality photometric metalabundances for field stars and clusters using UBV data from variousphotometric surveys.For dwarf and turn-off stars, a new hybrid MV calibration ispresented, based on Hipparcos parallaxes withσπ/π <= 0.1 and with a dispersion of +/-0.24in MV. This hybrid MV calibration containsδ0.6 and (B - V) terms, plus higher order cross-termsof these, and is valid for the ranges of +0.37 <= (B - V)0<= +0.88,- 0.10 <= δ0.6 <= +0.29 and 3.44<= MV <= 7.23. For dwarf and turn-off stars, therelation for ΔMHV is revised and updated interms of (B - V) and δ0.6, for the ranges of -0.10<= δ0.6 <= +0.29, and +0.49 <= (B -V)0 <= +0.89, again making use of Hipparcos parallaxeswith σπ/π <= 0.1. These parallaxes formetal-poor dwarf and turn-off stars in our sample reveal that thedifference of ΔMHV(B - V) relative to Hyadesat (B - V) = +0.70 should be 1.37mag, instead of the 1.58mag given byLaird et al. In general, Hipparcos parallaxes are larger thanground-based ones, causing a divergence of ourΔMHV(B - V,δ0.6) relation(the solid line in Fig. 15b), from the one of Laird et al. (the dashedline) for the range +0.10 <= δ0.6 <= +0.29 ourabsolute magnitudes are fainter, as has been confirmed for localsubdwarfs by Reid. Our final calibrations forΔMHV(B - V, δ0.6),equations (16) and (17), are third-order polynomials inδ0.6, pass through the origin, and provide photometricdistances in reasonable agreement with those obtained directly fromHipparcos parallaxes (Fig. 18).
| Elemental abundance survey of the Galactic thick disc
We have performed an abundance analysis for F- and G- dwarfs of theGalactic thick-disc component. A sample of 176 nearby (d<= 150pc)thick-disc candidate stars was chosen from the Hipparcos catalogue andsubjected to a high-resolution spectroscopic analysis. Using accurateradial velocities combined with the Hipparcos astrometry, kinematics (U,V and W) and Galactic orbital parameters were computed. We estimate theprobability for a star to belong to the thin disc, the thick disc or thehalo. With a probability P>= 70 per cent taken as certain membership,we assigned 95 stars to the thick disc, 13 to the thin disc, and 20 tothe halo. The remaining 48 stars in the sample cannot be assigned withreasonable certainty to one of the three components.Abundances of C, O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni,Cu, Zn, Y, Ba, Ce, Nd and Eu have been obtained. The abundances for thethick-disc stars are compared with those for the thin-disc members fromReddy et al. The ratios of α-elements (O, Mg, Si, Ca and Ti) toiron for thick-disc stars show a clear enhancement compared to thin-discmembers in the range -0.3 < [Fe/H] < -1.2. There are also otherelements - Al, Sc, V, Co, and possibly Zn - which show enhanced ratiosto iron in the thick disc relative to the thin disc. The abundances ofNa, Cr, Mn, Ni and Cu (relative to Fe) are very similar for thin- andthick-disc stars. The dispersion in abundance ratios [X/Fe] at given[Fe/H] for thick-disc stars is consistent with the expected scatter dueto measurement errors, suggesting a lack of `cosmic' scatter.A few stars classified as members of the thick disc by our kinematiccriteria show thin-disc abundances. These stars, which appear older thanmost thin-disc stars, are also, on average, younger than the thick-discpopulation. They may have originated early in the thin-disc history, andbeen subsequently scattered to hotter orbits by collisions. The thickdisc may not include stars with [Fe/H] > -0.3. The observedcompositions of the thin and thick discs seem to be consistent with themodels of galaxy formation by hierarchical clustering in a Lambda colddark matter (ΛCDM) universe.
| Abundance trends in kinematical groups of the Milky Way's disk
We have compiled a large catalogue of metallicities and abundance ratiosfrom the literature in order to investigate abundance trends of severalalpha and iron peak elements in the thin disk and the thick disk of theGalaxy. The catalogue includes 743 stars with abundances of Fe, O, Mg,Ca, Ti, Si, Na, Ni and Al in the metallicity range -1.30 < [Fe/H]< +0.50. We have checked that systematic differences betweenabundances measured in the different studies were lower than randomerrors before combining them. Accurate distances and proper motions fromHipparcos and radial velocities from several sources have been retreivedfor 639 stars and their velocities (U, V, W) and galactic orbits havebeen computed. Ages of 322 stars have been estimated with a Bayesianmethod of isochrone fitting. Two samples kinematically representative ofthe thin and thick disks have been selected, taking into account theHercules stream which is intermediate in kinematics, but with a probabledynamical origin. Our results show that the two disks are chemicallywell separated, they overlap greatly in metallicity and both showparallel decreasing alpha elements with increasing metallicity, in theinterval -0.80 < [Fe/H] < -0.30. The Mg enhancement with respectto Fe of the thick disk is measured to be 0.14 dex. An even largerenhancement is observed for Al. The thick disk is clearly older than thethin disk with tentative evidence of an AMR over 2-3 Gyr and a hiatus instar formation before the formation of the thin disk. We do not observea vertical gradient in the metallicity of the thick disk. The Herculesstream has properties similar to that of the thin disk, with a widerrange of metallicity. Metal-rich stars assigned to the thick disk andsuper-metal-rich stars assigned to the thin disk appear as outliers inall their properties.
| A Catalog of Northern Stars with Annual Proper Motions Larger than 0.15" (LSPM-NORTH Catalog)
The LSPM catalog is a comprehensive list of 61,977 stars north of theJ2000 celestial equator that have proper motions larger than 0.15"yr-1 (local-background-stars frame). The catalog has beengenerated primarily as a result of our systematic search for high propermotion stars in the Digitized Sky Surveys using our SUPERBLINK software.At brighter magnitudes, the catalog incorporates stars and data from theTycho-2 Catalogue and also, to a lesser extent, from the All-SkyCompiled Catalogue of 2.5 million stars. The LSPM catalog considerablyexpands over the old Luyten (Luyten Half-Second [LHS] and New LuytenTwo-Tenths [NLTT]) catalogs, superseding them for northern declinations.Positions are given with an accuracy of <~100 mas at the 2000.0epoch, and absolute proper motions are given with an accuracy of ~8 masyr-1. Corrections to the local-background-stars propermotions have been calculated, and absolute proper motions in theextragalactic frame are given. Whenever available, we also give opticalBT and VT magnitudes (from Tycho-2, ASCC-2.5),photographic BJ, RF, and IN magnitudes(from USNO-B1 catalog), and infrared J, H, and Ks magnitudes(from 2MASS). We also provide an estimated V magnitude and V-J color fornearly all catalog entries, useful for initial classification of thestars. The catalog is estimated to be over 99% complete at high Galacticlatitudes (|b|>15deg) and over 90% complete at lowGalactic latitudes (|b|>15deg), down to a magnitudeV=19.0, and has a limiting magnitude V=21.0. All the northern starslisted in the LHS and NLTT catalogs have been reidentified, and theirpositions, proper motions, and magnitudes reevaluated. The catalog alsolists a large number of completely new objects, which promise to expandvery significantly the census of red dwarfs, subdwarfs, and white dwarfsin the vicinity of the Sun.Based on data mining of the Digitized Sky Surveys (DSSs), developed andoperated by the Catalogs and Surveys Branch of the Space TelescopeScience Institute (STScI), Baltimore.Developed with support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), aspart of the NASA/NSF NStars program.
| Stellar Chemical Signatures and Hierarchical Galaxy Formation
To compare the chemistries of stars in the Milky Way dwarf spheroidal(dSph) satellite galaxies with stars in the Galaxy, we have compiled alarge sample of Galactic stellar abundances from the literature. Whenkinematic information is available, we have assigned the stars tostandard Galactic components through Bayesian classification based onGaussian velocity ellipsoids. As found in previous studies, the[α/Fe] ratios of most stars in the dSph galaxies are generallylower than similar metallicity Galactic stars in this extended sample.Our kinematically selected stars confirm this for the Galactic halo,thin-disk, and thick-disk components. There is marginal overlap in thelow [α/Fe] ratios between dSph stars and Galactic halo stars onextreme retrograde orbits (V<-420 km s-1), but this is notsupported by other element ratios. Other element ratios compared in thispaper include r- and s-process abundances, where we find a significantoffset in the [Y/Fe] ratios, which results in a large overabundance in[Ba/Y] in most dSph stars compared with Galactic stars. Thus, thechemical signatures of most of the dSph stars are distinct from thestars in each of the kinematic components of the Galaxy. This resultrules out continuous merging of low-mass galaxies similar to these dSphsatellites during the formation of the Galaxy. However, we do not ruleout very early merging of low-mass dwarf galaxies, since up to one-halfof the most metal-poor stars ([Fe/H]<=-1.8) have chemistries that arein fair agreement with Galactic halo stars. We also do not rule outmerging with higher mass galaxies, although we note that the LMC and theremnants of the Sgr dwarf galaxy are also chemically distinct from themajority of the Galactic halo stars. Formation of the Galaxy's thickdisk by heating of an old thin disk during a merger is also not ruledout; however, the Galaxy's thick disk itself cannot be comprised of theremnants from a low-mass (dSph) dwarf galaxy, nor of a high-mass dwarfgalaxy like the LMC or Sgr, because of differences in chemistry.The new and independent environments offered by the dSph galaxies alsoallow us to examine fundamental assumptions related to thenucleosynthesis of the elements. The metal-poor stars ([Fe/H]<=-1.8)in the dSph galaxies appear to have lower [Ca/Fe] and [Ti/Fe] than[Mg/Fe] ratios, unlike similar metallicity stars in the Galaxy.Predictions from the α-process (α-rich freeze-out) would beconsistent with this result if there have been a lack of hypernovae indSph galaxies. The α-process could also be responsible for thevery low Y abundances in the metal-poor stars in dSph's; since [La/Eu](and possibly [Ba/Eu]) are consistent with pure r-process results, thelow [Y/Eu] suggests a separate r-process site for this light(first-peak) r-process element. We also discuss SNe II rates and yieldsas other alternatives, however. In stars with higher metallicities([Fe/H]>=-1.8), contributions from the s-process are expected; [(Y,La, and Ba)/Eu] all rise as expected, and yet [Ba/Y] is still muchhigher in the dSph stars than similar metallicity Galactic stars. Thisresult is consistent with s-process contributions from lower metallicityAGB stars in dSph galaxies, and is in good agreement with the slowerchemical evolution expected in the low-mass dSph galaxies relative tothe Galaxy, such that the build-up of metals occurs over much longertimescales. Future investigations of nucleosynthetic constraints (aswell as galaxy formation and evolution) will require an examination ofmany stars within individual dwarf galaxies.Finally, the Na-Ni trend reported in 1997 by Nissen & Schuster isconfirmed in Galactic halo stars, but we discuss this in terms of thegeneral nucleosynthesis of neutron-rich elements. We do not confirm thatthe Na-Ni trend is related to the accretion of dSph galaxies in theGalactic halo.
| Empirically Constrained Color-Temperature Relations. II. uvby
A new grid of theoretical color indices for the Strömgren uvbyphotometric system has been derived from MARCS model atmospheres and SSGsynthetic spectra for cool dwarf and giant stars having-3.0<=[Fe/H]<=+0.5 and 3000<=Teff<=8000 K. Atwarmer temperatures (i.e., 8000-2.0. To overcome thisproblem, the theoretical indices at intermediate and high metallicitieshave been corrected using a set of color calibrations based on fieldstars having well-determined distances from Hipparcos, accurateTeff estimates from the infrared flux method, andspectroscopic [Fe/H] values. In contrast with Paper I, star clustersplayed only a minor role in this analysis in that they provided asupplementary constraint on the color corrections for cool dwarf starswith Teff<=5500 K. They were mainly used to test thecolor-Teff relations and, encouragingly, isochrones thatemploy the transformations derived in this study are able to reproducethe observed CMDs (involving u-v, v-b, and b-y colors) for a number ofopen and globular clusters (including M67, the Hyades, and 47 Tuc)rather well. Moreover, our interpretations of such data are verysimilar, if not identical, with those given in Paper I from aconsideration of BV(RI)C observations for the sameclusters-which provides a compelling argument in support of thecolor-Teff relations that are reported in both studies. Inthe present investigation, we have also analyzed the observedStrömgren photometry for the classic Population II subdwarfs,compared our ``final'' (b-y)-Teff relationship with thosederived empirically in a number of recent studies and examined in somedetail the dependence of the m1 index on [Fe/H].Based, in part, on observations made with the Nordic Optical Telescope,operated jointly on the island of La Palma by Denmark, Finland, Iceland,Norway, and Sweden, in the Spanish Observatorio del Roque de losMuchachos of the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias.Based, in part, on observations obtained with the Danish 1.54 mtelescope at the European Southern Observatory, La Silla, Chile.
| Distances and ages of NGC 6397, NGC 6752 and 47 Tuc
New improved distances and absolute ages for the Galactic globularclusters NGC 6397, NGC 6752, and 47 Tuc are obtained using the MainSequence Fitting Method. We derived accurate estimates of reddening andmetal abundance for these three clusters using a strictly differentialprocedure, where the Johnson B-V and Strömgren b-y colours and UVEShigh resolution spectra of turn-off stars and early subgiants belongingto the clusters were compared to similar data for field subdwarfs withaccurate parallaxes measured by Hipparcos. The use of a reddening freetemperature indicator (the profile of Hα ) allowed us to reducethe error bars in reddening determinations to about 0.005 mag, and inmetal abundances to 0.04 dex, in the scales defined by the localsubdwarfs. Error bars in distances are then reduced to about 0.07 magfor each cluster, yielding ages with typical random errors of about 1Gyr. We find that NGC 6397 and NGC 6752 have ages of 13.9+/- 1.1 and13.8+/- 1.1 Gyr respectively, when standard isochrones withoutmicroscopic diffusion are used, while 47 Tuc is probably about 2.6 Gyryounger, in agreement with results obtained by other techniquessensitive to relative ages. If we use models that include the effects ofsedimentation due to microscopic diffusion in agreement with ourobservations of NGC 6397, and take into account various sources ofpossible systematic errors with a statistical approach, we conclude thatthe age of the oldest globular clusters in the Galaxy is 13.4+/- 0.8+/-0.6 Gyr, where the first error bar accounts for random effects, and thesecond one for systematic errors. This age estimate is fully compatiblewith the very recent results from WMAP, and indicates that the oldestGalactic globular clusters formed within the first 1.7 Gyr after the BigBang, corresponding to a redshift of z>= 2.5, in a standard LambdaCDM model. The epoch of formation of the (inner halo) globular clusterslasted about 2.6 Gyr, ending at a time corresponding to a redshift ofz>= 1.3. On the other hand, our new age estimate once combined withvalues of H_0 given by WMAP and by the HST Key Project, provides arobust upper limit at 95% level of confidence of Omega_M <0.57,independently of type Ia SNe, and strongly supports the need for a darkenergy. The new cluster distances lead to new estimates of thehorizontal branch luminosity, that may be used to derive the zero pointof the relation between the horizontal branch absolute magnitude andmetallicity: we obtain M_V(HB)=(0.22+/- 0.05)([Fe/H]+1.5)+(0.56+/-0.07). This zero point is 0.03 mag shorter than obtained by Carretta etal. (\cite{Carretta2000}) and within the error bar it agrees with, butit is more precise than most of the previous individual determinationsof the RR Lyrae absolute magnitude. When combined with the apparentaverage luminosity of the RR Lyrae stars in the LMC by Clementini et al.(\cite{Clementini2003}), this zero point provides a new estimate of thedistance modulus to the LMC: (m-M)_0=18.50+/- 0.09.Based on data collected at the European Southern Observatory, Chile,telescopes (program 165.L-0263).
| Abundances for metal-poor stars with accurate parallaxes. I. Basic data
We present element-to-element abundance ratios measured from highdispersion spectra for 150 field subdwarfs and early subgiants withaccurate Hipparcos parallaxes (errors <20%). For 50 stars new spectrawere obtained with the UVES on Kueyen (VLT UT2), the McDonald 2.7 mtelescope, and SARG at TNG. Additionally, literature equivalent widthswere taken from the works by Nissen & Schuster, Fulbright, andProchaska et al. to complement our data. The whole sample includes boththick disk and halo stars (and a few thin disk stars); most stars havemetallicities in the range -2<[Fe/H]<-0.6. We found our data, thatof Nissen & Schuster, and that of Prochaska to be of comparablequality; results from Fulbright scatter a bit more, but they are stillof very good quality and are extremely useful due to the large size ofhis sample. The results of the present analysis will be used inforthcoming papers to discuss the chemical properties of thedissipational collapse and accretion components of our Galaxy.Based in part on data collected at the European Southern Observatory,Chile, at the MacDonald Observatory, Texas, USA, and at the TelescopioNazionale Galileo, Canary Island, INAF,Italy-Spain.}\fnmsep\thanks{Table 1 is only available in electronic format the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) orvia\resizebox{8.8cm}{2.2mm}htpp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/404/187}
| Statistical cataloging of archival data for luminosity class IV-V stars. II. The epoch 2001 [Fe/H] catalog
This paper describes the derivation of an updated statistical catalog ofmetallicities. The stars for which those metallicities apply are ofspectral types F, G, and K, and are on or near the main sequence. Theinput data for the catalog are values of [Fe/H] published before 2002February and derived from lines of weak and moderate strength. Theanalyses used to derive the data have been based on one-dimensional LTEmodel atmospheres. Initial adjustments which are applied to the datainclude corrections to a uniform temperature scale which is given in acompanion paper (see Taylor \cite{t02}). After correction, the data aresubjected to a statistical analysis. For each of 941 stars considered,the results of that analysis include a mean value of [Fe/H], an rmserror, an associated number of degrees of freedom, and one or moreidentification numbers for source papers. The catalog of these resultssupersedes an earlier version given by Taylor (\cite{t94b}).Catalog is only available in electronic form at the CDS via anonymousftp cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/398/731
| Statistical cataloging of archival data for luminosity class IV-V stars. I. The epoch 2001 temperature catalog
This paper is one of a pair in which temperatures and metallicitycatalogs for class IV-V stars are considered. The temperature catalogdescribed here is derived from a calibration based on stellar angulardiameters. If published calibrations of this kind are compared by usingcolor-index transformations, temperature-dependent differences among thecalibrations are commonly found. However, such differences are minimizedif attention is restricted to calibrations based on Johnson V-K. Acalibration of this sort from Di Benedetto (\cite{dib98}) is thereforetested and adopted. That calibration is then applied to spectroscopicand photometric data, with the latter predominating. Cousins R-Iphotometry receives special attention because of its high precision andlow metallicity sensitivity. Testing of temperatures derived from thecalibration suggests that their accuracy and precision are satisfactory,though further testing will be warranted as new results appear. Thesetemperatures appear in the catalog as values of theta equiv5040/T(effective). Most of these entries are accompanied by measured orderived values of Cousins R-I. Entries are given for 951 stars.Catalog is only available in electronic form at the CDS via anonymousftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/398/721
| Improved Astrometry and Photometry for the Luyten Catalog. II. Faint Stars and the Revised Catalog
We complete construction of a catalog containing improved astrometry andnew optical/infrared photometry for the vast majority of NLTT starslying in the overlap of regions covered by POSS I and by the secondincremental Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) release, approximately 44%of the sky. The epoch 2000 positions are typically accurate to 130 mas,the proper motions to 5.5 mas yr-1, and the V-J colors to0.25 mag. Relative proper motions of binary components are measured to 3mas yr-1. The false-identification rate is ~1% for11<~V<~18 and substantially less at brighter magnitudes. Theseimprovements permit the construction of a reduced proper-motion diagramthat, for the first time, allows one to classify NLTT stars intomain-sequence (MS) stars, subdwarfs (SDs), and white dwarfs (WDs). We inturn use this diagram to analyze the properties of both our catalog andthe NLTT catalog on which it is based. In sharp contrast to popularbelief, we find that NLTT incompleteness in the plane is almostcompletely concentrated in MS stars, and that SDs and WDs are detectedalmost uniformly over the sky δ>-33deg. Our catalogwill therefore provide a powerful tool to probe these populationsstatistically, as well as to reliably identify individual SDs and WDs.
| HIPPARCOS age-metallicity relation of the solar neighbourhood disc stars
We derive age-metallicity relations (AMRs) and orbital parameters forthe 1658 solar neighbourhood stars to which accurate distances aremeasured by the HIPPARCOS satellite. The sample stars comprise 1382 thindisc stars, 229 thick disc stars, and 47 halo stars according to theirorbital parameters. We find a considerable scatter for thin disc AMRalong the one-zone Galactic chemical evolution (GCE) model. Orbits andmetallicities of thin disc stars show now clear relation each other. Thescatter along the AMR exists even if the stars with the same orbits areselected. We examine simple extension of one-zone GCE models whichaccount for inhomogeneity in the effective yield and inhomogeneous starformation rate in the Galaxy. Both extensions of the one-zone GCE modelcannot account for the scatter in age - [Fe/H] - [Ca/Fe] relationsimultaneously. We conclude, therefore, that the scatter along the thindisc AMR is an essential feature in the formation and evolution of theGalaxy. The AMR for thick disc stars shows that the star formationterminated 8 Gyr ago in the thick disc. As already reported by Grattonet al. (\cite{Gratton_et.al.2000}) and Prochaska et al.(\cite{Prochaska_et.al.2000}), thick disc stars are more Ca-rich thanthin disc stars with the same [Fe/H]. We find that thick disc stars showa vertical abundance gradient. These three facts, the AMR, verticalgradient, and [Ca/Fe]-[Fe/H] relation, support monolithic collapseand/or accretion of satellite dwarf galaxies as likely thick discformation scenarios. Tables 2 and 3 are only available in electronicform at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5)or via http:/ /cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/ cgi-bin/qcat?J/ A+A/394/927
| Abundances and Kinematics of Field Stars. II. Kinematics and Abundance Relationships
As an investigation of the origin of ``α-poor'' halo stars, weanalyze kinematic and abundance data for 73 intermediate-metallicitystars (-1>[Fe/H]>=-2) selected from Paper I of this series. We findevidence for a connection between the kinematics and the enhancement ofcertain element-to-iron ([X/Fe]) ratios in these stars. Statisticallysignificant correlations were found between [X/Fe] and galacticrest-frame velocities (vRF) for Na, Mg, Al, Si, Ca, and Ni,with marginally significant correlations existing for Ti and Y as well.We also find that the [X/Fe] ratios for these elements all correlatewith a similar level of significance with [Na/Fe]. Finally, we comparethe abundances of these halo stars against those of stars in nearbydwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxies. We find significant differencesbetween the abundance ratios in the dSph stars and halo stars of similarmetallicity. From this result, it is unlikely that the halo stars in thesolar neighborhood, including even the ``α-poor'' stars, were oncemembers of disrupted dSph galaxies similar to those studied to date.
| Catalogue of [Fe/H] determinations for FGK stars: 2001 edition
The catalogue presented here is a compilation of published atmosphericparameters (Teff, log g, [Fe/H]) obtained from highresolution, high signal-to-noise spectroscopic observations. This newedition has changed compared to the five previous versions. It is nowrestricted to intermediate and low mass stars (F, G and K stars). Itcontains 6354 determinations of (Teff, log g, [Fe/H]) for3356 stars, including 909 stars in 79 stellar systems. The literature iscomplete between January 1980 and December 2000 and includes 378references. The catalogue is made up of two tables, one for field starsand one for stars in galactic associations, open and globular clustersand external galaxies. The catalogue is distributed through the CDSdatabase. Access to the catalogue with cross-identification to othersets of data is also possible with VizieR (Ochsenbein et al.\cite{och00}). The catalogue (Tables 1 and 2) is only available inelectronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr(130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/373/159 and VizieRhttp://vizier.u-strasbg.fr/.
| Abundances and Kinematics of Field Halo and Disk Stars. I. Observational Data and Abundance Analysis
We describe observations and abundance analysis of a high-resolution,high signal-to-noise ratio survey of 168 stars, most of which aremetal-poor dwarfs. We follow a self-consistent LTE analysis technique todetermine the stellar parameters and abundances, and we estimate theeffects of random and systematic uncertainties on the resultingabundances. Element-to-iron ratios are derived for key α-, odd-Z,Fe-peak, and r- and s-process elements. Effects of non-LTE on theanalysis of Fe I lines are shown to be very small on average.Spectroscopically determined surface gravities are derived that arequite close to those obtained from Hipparcos parallaxes.
| ΔY/ΔZ from fine structure in the main sequence based on Hipparcos parallaxes
The slope ΔY/ΔZ is a quantity of interest in relation tostellar evolution, the initial mass function and the determination ofthe primordial helium abundance. In this paper we estimateΔY/ΔZ from fine structure in the main sequence of nearbystars from Hipparcos data for stars with Z<=Zsolar. We find a valueof about 3, which is consistent with what has been found inextragalactic HII regions and with stellar models for suitable upperlimits to the initial masses of supernovae according to the initial massfunction slope adopted.
| Determination of effective temperatures for an extended sample of dwarfs and subdwarfs (F0-K5).
We have applied the InfraRed Flux Method (IRFM) to a sample of 475dwarfs and subdwarfs in order to derive their effective temperatureswith a mean accuracy of about 1.5%. We have used the new homogeneousgrid of theoretical model atmosphere flux distributions developed byKurucz (1991, 1993) for the application of the IRFM. The atmosphericparameters of the stars cover, roughly, the ranges:3500K<=T_eff_<=8000K -3.5<=[Fe/H]<=+0.53.5<=log(g)<=5. The monocromatic infrared fluxes at the continuum,and the bolometric fluxes are derived using recent results, whichsatisfy the accuracy requeriments of the work. Photometric calibrationshave been revised and applied to estimate metallicities, although directspectroscopic determinations were preferred when available. The adoptedinfrared absolute flux calibration, based on direct optical measurementsof angular stellar diameters, sets the effective temperatures determinedusing the IRFM on the same scale than those obtained by direct methods.We derive three temperatures, T_J_, T_H_ and T_K_, for each star usingthe monochromatic fluxes at different infrared wavelengths in thephotometric bands J, H, and K. They show good consistency over 4000 K,and no trend with wavelength may be appreciated. We provide a detaileddescription of the steps followed for the application of the IRFM, aswell as the sources of the errors associated to the different inputs ofthe method, and their transmission into the final temperatures. We alsoprovide comparison with previous works.
| Classification of Population II Stars in the Vilnius Photometric System. I. Methods
The methods used for classification of Population II stars in theVilnius photometric system are described. An extensive set of standardswith known astrophysical parameters compiled from the literature sourcesis given. These standard stars are classified in the Vilnius photometricsystem using the methods described. The accuracy of classification isevaluated by a comparison of the astrophysical parameters derived fromthe Vilnius photometric system with those estimated from spectroscopicstudies as well as from photometric data in other systems. For dwarfsand subdwarfs, we find a satisfactory agreement between our reddeningsand those estimated in the uvbyscriptstyle beta system. The standarddeviation of [Fe/H] deter mined in the Vilnius system is about 0.2 dex.The absolute magnitude for dwarfs and subdwarfs is estimated with anaccuracy of scriptstyle <=0.5 mag.
| Broad band JHK infrared photometry of an extended sample of late type dwarfs and subdwarfs.
The results of a long term programme of broad band JHK photometry, for asample of 360 late type stars, made at the Observatorio del Teide(Tenerife, Spain) are presented. Transformations between thesemagnitudes and those of several currently used systems (CIT (Elias etal. 1982 and Carney 1983), Johnson (Johnson 1966, and Lee 1970), and ESO(Bouchet et al. 1991)) are proposed. A comparison to the narrow-bandsystem of Selby et al. (1988) has been made, in order to check theaccuracy of the photometric system. A mean internal accuracy better than0.02mag in the three bands can be inferred from the comparison to thelarge number of stars in common with Carney (1983), and from thedispersion of the multiple measured stars. The list of standards, thefilter passbands and effective wavelengths, together with correlationsbetween the extinction coefficients, ultimately characterize thephotometric IR system of the Observatorio del Teide (TCS). Data ofcomparable quality previously published have been added in order tocomplete the sample. This way the final sample consists of 550 stars.From the analysis of optical and IR colour:colour diagrams, we maydeduce that the range F0-K0 is properly sampled for0.1>[Fe/H]>-3.0. In the range K0-M4, no reliable photometricestimates of metallicity can be assigned, and only a small number ofstars have spectroscopic determination of the metallicity. Nevertheless,after kinematical considerations, the stars in this spectral range arealso expected to sample the galactic populations of dwarfs. Themetallicity effects on the IR and optical colour:colour diagrams arebriefly discussed.
| Subdwarf studies. II - Abundances and kinematics from medium resolution spectra. III - The halo metallicity distribution
Stars previously identified as having UV excesses are observed at 1-Aresolution in the Ca II K-line region. Comparisons of these data withother samples and with Monte Carlo simulations involving a singlecomponent halo have yielded estimates of halo velocity dispersions androtation velocity, corrected for the kinematic biases in the sample. Itis suggested that the data are not consistent with a model in which thehalo formed from star formation in a dissipating, collapsing cloud; theyare, however, reconcilable with the formation of the halo stars bynumerous, independently evolving gas clouds. The metallicitydistribution of a sample of 372 kinematically selected halo stars isthen constructed, with a view to selection effects in the data. Goodagreement is noted between the globular cluster metallicity distributionand a stochastic model with a mean of 10 enrichments/fragment.
| Four-color UVBY and H-beta photometry of high-velocity and metal-poor stars. I - The catalogue of observations
A catalog of four-color uvby and H-beta photometry for 711 high-velocityand metal-poor stars is given. The selection of the stars and theobserving and reduction techniques used to obtain these data arediscussed. The photometry has been transformed closely onto the standarduvby-beta system. The errors of the data have been estimated using bothinternal and external comparisons. The data are uniform over the sky;that is, there are no significant north-south differences. For the largemajority of stars the mean errors of V, m1, c1, and beta are less than +or - 0.008 mag, and the error of b-y is less than + or - 0.005 mag.Values of V, b-y and beta and rough photometric classifications aregiven for 63 red and/or evolved stars that fall outside the range of thephotometric transformations.
| Carbon and nitrogen abundances in metal-poor dwarfs of the solar neighborhood
Intermediate-resolution C, N, and Fe abundance spectra for 83 subdwarfsin the lowest metallicity range (-1.5 to -3.2), obtained with the LickObservatory 3.1-m Shane telescope, are analyzed. The effects ofsubgiants and binaries on the sample are examined. The relation between(B-V) and (V-K) and effective temperature is studied. C/Fe, N/Fe, andFe/H abundances were determined using the model-atmosphere technique ofspectrum synthesis. The derived abundance values are compared with datafrom previous investigations. It is observed that there is goodcorrelation between the Fe/H abundance values derived from theintermediate-resolution spectra and those based on high-resolutionspectra; C/Fe abundance values are constant; and there is an upturn inthe C/Fe abundance values at the very lowest metallicities.
| U, V, W velocity components for the old disk using radial velocities of 1295 stars in the three cardinal Galactic directions
New radial velocities are presented for 1295 stars chosen at random nearthe three cardinal Galactic directions of l = 180 deg, b = 0; l = 90deg, b = 0 deg; and b = 90 deg, giving the distribution in U, V, and W,respectively, from the radial velocities alone. The measurements weremade with the coude spectrograph of the Mount Wilson 100 in. Hookerreflector. The purpose of the program is to set limits on the densitynormalization in the solar neighborhood of the old thin disk, the oldthick disk, and the halo. Many more high-velocity stars are present inthe unbiased sample than expected from previous estimates of thenormalization. The data suggest the density ratios in the solarneighborhood to be about 90 percent, 10 percent, and about 0.5 percentfor the thin disk, thick disk, and halo populations, respectively.
|
Submit a new article
Related links
Submit a new link
Member of following groups:
|
Observation and Astrometry data
| Constellation: | Pegasus |
| Right ascension: | 21h39m36.46s |
| Declination: | +23°15'55.9" |
| Apparent magnitude: | 9.503 |
| Proper motion RA: | 33.1 |
| Proper motion Dec: | 206.3 |
| B-T magnitude: | 10.435 |
| V-T magnitude: | 9.58 |
Catalogs and designations:
|
INHABITED SKY
