On the origin of field O-type stars
Aims. We aim to identify the origins of field O-stars in the nearest 2to 3 kpc around the Sun using the best presently available kinematicdata on O-stars and on young open clusters. We investigate the questionof whether the present-day data are consistent with the assumption thatO-stars have formed in groups (clusters, associations), or in isolation. Methods: We apply the epicycle theory to back-trace the orbits ofO-type stars and of candidate parent open clusters. Results: From the370 O-stars in the “Galactic O star catalog v 2.0” (GOSV2)we have investigated 93 stars classified as field, and found the originfor 73 of them in 48 open clusters younger than 30 Myr. Only for 32stars or about 9% of all O-stars from this catalogue is the question oftheir origin in groups not solved; some of them may have originated inisolation or may have disintegrated the group in which they formed.Fifty percent of the young open clusters (age < 30 Myr) in the“Catalogue of Open Cluster Data” (COCD) have O-stars asmembers, or have ejected at least one O-star in the first 10 Myr oftheir life, or both. During this period the average mass loss from openclusters by ejecting O-stars is found to be 3 to 5 M_ȯ per Myr. Weprove that ζ Pup had its origin in the open cluster Trumpler 10which it left about 2.5 Myr ago, and that its present-day distance is300 pc (compared to 440 pc before). The revised distance implies asignificant revision of the stellar parameters (a radius of 14 R_ȯ,a mass of 22.5 M_ȯ, and a luminosity of log L/L_ȯ of 5.74)i.e., ζ Pup is closer, less massive, and less luminous thanpreviously thought. Our findings provide independent estimates of thepresent-day distances and absolute magnitudes of field O-stars.
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The origin of massive O-type field stars: II. Field O stars as runaways
In two papers we try to confirm that all Galactic high-mass stars areformed in a cluster environment, by excluding that O-type stars found inthe Galactic field actually formed there. In de Wit et al. (2004) wepresented deep K-band imaging of 5 arcmin fields centred on 43 massiveO-type field stars that revealed that the large majority of theseobjects are single objects. In this contribution we explore thepossibility that the field O stars are dynamically ejected from youngclusters, by investigating their peculiar space velocity distribution,their distance from the Galactic plane, and their spatial vicinity toknown young stellar clusters. We (re-)identify 22 field O-type stars ascandidate runaway OB-stars. The statistics show that 4 ± 2% ofall O-type stars with V<8m can be considered as formedoutside a cluster environment. Most are spectroscopically singleobjects, some are visual binaries. The derived percentage for O-typestars that form isolated in the field based on our statistical analysesis in agreement with what is expected from calculations adopting auniversal cluster richness distribution with power index of β= 1.7,assuming that the cluster richness distribution is continuous down tothe smallest clusters containing one single star.
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On the Hipparcos parallaxes of O stars
We compare the absolute visual magnitude of the majority of bright Ostars in the sky as predicted from their spectral type with the absolutemagnitude calculated from their apparent magnitude and the Hipparcosparallax. We find that many stars appear to be much fainter thanexpected, up to five magnitudes. We find no evidence for a correlationbetween magnitude differences and the stellar rotational velocity assuggested for OB stars by Lamers et al. (1997, A&A, 325, L25), whosesmall sample of stars is partly included in ours. Instead, by means of asimulation we show how these differences arise naturally from the largedistances at which O stars are located, and the level of precision ofthe parallax measurements achieved by Hipparcos. Straightforwardlyderiving a distance from the Hipparcos parallax yields reliable resultsfor one or two O stars only. We discuss several types of bias reportedin the literature in connection with parallax samples (Lutz-Kelker,Malmquist) and investigate how they affect the O star sample. Inaddition, we test three absolute magnitude calibrations from theliterature (Schmidt-Kaler et al. 1982, Landolt-Börnstein; Howarth& Prinja 1989, ApJS, 69, 527; Vacca et al. 1996, ApJ, 460, 914) andfind that they are consistent with the Hipparcos measurements. AlthoughO stars conform nicely to the simulation, we notice that some B stars inthe sample of \citeauthor{La97} have a magnitude difference larger thanexpected.
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The origin of massive O-type field stars. I. A search for clusters
We present a study aimed at clarifying the birthplace for 43 massiveO-type field stars. In this first paper we present the observationalpart: a search for stellar clusters near the target stars. We derivestellar density maps at two different resolving scales, viz. 0.25pc and 1.0 pc from NTT and TNG imaging and the 2MASS catalogue.These scales are typical for cluster sizes. The main result is that thelarge majority of the O-type field population are isolated stars: only12% (5 out of 43) of the O-type field stars is found to harbour asmall-scale stellar cluster. We review the literature and aim atcharacterizing the stellar field of each O-type field star with theemphasis on star formation and the presence of known young stellarclusters. An analysis of the result of this paper and a discussion ofthe O-type field population as products of a dynamical ejection event ispresented in an accompanying paper.Based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory,Chile, and at the Italian Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG) operated onthe island of La Palma by the Centro Galileo Galilei of the CNAA(Consorzio Nazionale per l'Astronomia e l'Astrofisica) at the SpanishObservatorio del Roque de los Muchachos of the Instituto de Astrofisicade Canarias.Table 2 and Figs. 4 to 17 are available in electronic form athttp://www.edpsciences.org
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A Galactic O Star Catalog
We have produced a catalog of 378 Galactic O stars with accuratespectral classifications that is complete for V<8 but includes manyfainter stars. The catalog provides cross-identifications with othersources; coordinates (obtained in most cases from Tycho-2 data);astrometric distances for 24 of the nearest stars; optical (Tycho-2,Johnson, and Strömgren) and NIR photometry; group membership,runaway character, and multiplicity information; and a Web-based versionwith links to on-line services.
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The total-to-selective extinction ratio determined from near IR photometry of OB stars
The paper presents an extensive list of the total to selectiveextinction ratios R calculated from the infrared magnitudes of 597 O andB stars using the extrapolation method. The IR magnitudes of these starswere taken from the literature. The IR colour excesses are determinedwith the aid of "artificial standards" - Wegner (1994). The individualand mean values of total to selective extinction ratios R differ in mostcases from the average value R=3.10 +/-0.05 - Wegner (1993) in differentOB associations. The relation between total to selective extinctionratios R determined in this paper and those calculated using the "methodof variable extinction" and the Cardelli et al. (1989) formulae isdiscussed. The R values presented in this paper can be used to determineindividual absolute magnitudes of reddened OB stars with knowntrigonometric parallaxes.
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Atlas of Interstellar Extinction Curves of OB Stars Covering the Whole Available Wavelength Range
The paper presents a collection of 436 extinction curves covering thewhole available range of wavelengths from satellite UV to near-IR. Thedata were taken from the ANS photometric catalogue and from thecompilations of IR photometric measurements. The data curves have beenobtained with the aid of ``artificial standards": Papaj et al. (1993)and Wegner (1994, 1995). The visual magnitudes and spectralclassifications of O and B type stars with EB-V>= 0.05were taken from the SIMBAD database. The curves are given in the form ofplots and tables E{lambda - V} / EB-V versus1/λ. The observed variety of extinction laws among slightlyreddened stars is apparently due to the various physical parameters ofinterstellar clouds.
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Observations of OB-stars at the former Leiden Southern Station
About 700 stars, mostly OB-stars, were observed by the author at theformer Leiden Southern Station at Hartebeespoortdam, South Africa, inthe observing seasons 1965, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1977, 1978. Observationswere made in the five channels of the Walraven photometric system. Dueto weathering of the telescope mirror the W channel gave no reliableresults for the faintest stars (m = 11 mag); in these cases the U-Wcolour index is not given. The change in sensitivity in the V channel,supposedly having occurred in 1968, was not recognised. Table~5 is onlyavailable in electronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp tocdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/369/527
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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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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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ICCD speckle observations of binary stars. XIX - an astrometric/spectroscopic survey of O stars
We present the results of a speckle interferometric survey made with theCHARA speckle camera and 4 m class telescopes of Galactic O-type starswith V less than 8. We can detect with the speckle camera binaries inthe angular separation range 0.035-1.5 arcsec with delta M less than 3,and we have discovered 15 binaries among 227 O-type systems. We combinedour results on visual binaries with measurements of wider pairs from theWashington Double Star Catalog and fainter pairs from the HipparcosCatalog, and we made a literature survey of the spectroscopic binariesamong the sample. We then investigated the overall binary frequency ofthe sample and the orbital characteristics of the known binaries.Binaries are common among O stars in clusters and associations but lessso among field and especially runaway stars. There are many triplesystems among the speckle binaries, and we discuss their possible rolein the ejection of stars from clusters. The period distribution of thebinaries is bimodal in log P, but we suggest that binaries with periodsof years and decades may eventually be found to fill the gap. The massratio distribution of the visual binaries increases toward lower massratios, but low mass ratio companions are rare among close,spectroscopic binaries. We present distributions of the eccentricity andlongitude of periastron for spectroscopic binaries with ellipticalorbits, and we find strong evidence of a bias in the longitude ofperiastron distribution.
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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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H-beta Photometry of Southern Luminous Stars
H-beta photometry for 116 stars listed in Stephenson and Sanduleak's(1971) catalog of _Luminous Stars in the Southern Milky Way_ isreported. The vast majority of these objects are O and B-type stars; afew are A, F, or Wolf-Rayet stars. A systematic difference of on theorder of 30 mmag between the present results and those of otherinvestigators is noted. (SECTION: Stars)
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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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Extinction law survey based on UV ANS photometry
The paper presents an extensive survey of interstellar extinction curvesderived from the ANS photometric measurements of early type starsbelonging to our Galaxy. This survey is more extensive and deeper thanany other one, based on spectral data. The UV color excesses aredetermined with the aid of 'artificial standards', a new techniqueproposed by the authors which allows the special check of Sp/L match ofa target and the selected standard. The results indicate that extinctionlaw changes from place to place.
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The spectral energy distribution of early-type stars. II - The extinction law towards O-type stars
Photometric measurements through different pass-bands are used todetermine the color-excess E(B-V) for O-type stars in the UV and IRspectral regions. The results are used to examine the extinctioncharacter of the stars. It is found that, in the UV, each O-type starhas its own extinction character. In general, the visual and NIRextinction in the direction of O-type stars are normal.
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The kinematical and binary properties of association and field O stars
A catalog of 195 Galactic O-type stars brighter than V = 8.0 mag hasbeen compiled to compare the velocity distribution and binary frequencyamong cluster and association, field, and runaway stars. Both the fieldstars and runaway stars have a larger dispersion in peculiar radialvelocity, a more positive mean peculiar radial velocity, and a widerz-distribution than stars found in clusters and associations, which isconsistent with the ejection of field and runaway stars from theirbirthplaces in associations. Visual binaries are common among stars inclusters and associations, but their incidence is a factor of 2 loweramong field stars, and they are absent in the runaway stars. Similarly,there is a deficiency of spectroscopic binaries among field stars, andespecially the runaway stars, relative to the numbers found in clustersand associations. Many of these properties can be understood in terms ofejection through close gravitational interactions with binary starsduring an early high number density epoch in the evolution of clusters.
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The interstellar 217 NM band - A third catalogue of equivalent widths
A catalog of equivalent widths of the 217 nm interstellar absorptionband as well as other parameters characterizing the extinction curve inthe ultraviolet has been compiled for 790 O and B stars. A relativelytight correlation between the equivalent width of the 217 nm band andE(B-V) indicates that the absorber of this band is connected with thepopulation of larger interstellar grains responsible for the visualextinction. The parameter characterizing the amount of extinction in thefar UV is only weakly correlated with E(B-V), a result in accord withthe assumption that a second population of very small grains causes therapid increase of the far-UV extinction.
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The spectral energy distribution of early type stars. I - A catalogue of photometric data of 259 stars from 0.15 to 4.8 microns
For the derivation of physical parameters (e.g., effective temperatureand radius) of early-type stars from their intrinsic spectral-energydistribution, and for the study of foreground interstellar and/orcircumstellar matter, a sample of 237 O, B, and A stars was chosen fromthe ANS catalog (Wesselius et al., 1982). The ANS ultraviolet and theJohnson UBV data (mostly from Nicolet's catalog, 1978) of these starswere supplemented with visual Walraven WULBV, red VRI, and near-infraredJHKLM measurements. All these data are given in the present catalog.Data for 22 stars of spectral type later than A are also included.
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A catalog of ultraviolet interstellar extinction excesses for 1415 stars
Ultraviolet interstellar extinction excesses are presented for 1415stars with spectral types B7 and earlier. The excesses with respect to Vare derived from Astronomical Netherlands Satellite (ANS) 5-channel UVphotometry at central wavelengths of approximately 1550, 1800, 2500, and3300 A. A measure of the excess extinction in the 2200-A extinction bumpis also given. The data are valuable for investigating the systematicsof peculiar interstellar extinction and for studying the character of UVinterstellar extinction in the general direction of stars for which theextinction-curve shape is unknown.
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The local system of early type stars - Spatial extent and kinematics
Published uvby and H-beta photometric data and proper motions arecompiled and analyzed to characterize the structure and kinematics ofthe bright early-type O-A0 stars in the solar vicinity, with a focus onthe Gould belt. The selection and calibration techniques are explained,and the data are presented in extensive tables and graphs and discussedin detail. The Gould belt stars of age less than 20 Myr are shown togive belt inclination 19 deg to the Galactic plane and node-lineorientation in the direction of Galactic rotation, while the symmetricaldistribution about the Galactic plane and kinematic properties (purecircular differential rotation) of the belt stars over 60 Myr oldresemble those of fainter nonbelt stars of all ages. The unresolveddiscrepancy between the expansion observed in the youngest nearby starsand the predictions of simple models of expansion from a point isattributed to the inhomogeneous distribution of interstellar matter.
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Exciting stars and the distances of the diffuse nebulae
Not Available
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Intrinsic UV colour indices of early-type stars
Intrinsic UV colors of the early-type stars have been determined using anew method based on the assumption that there is a linear correlationbetween UV color excesses and E(B-V). This method makes it possible toinclude all stars with available photometry independent of reddening.Results derived from ANS photometric data are presented. These includeintrinsic UV colors covering all ANS photometric bands for spectraltypes O6-AO. It is also shown that this method, based on perfectcorrelation between UV and visual extinction, fails for the shortwavelength color index CI(1550 A-1800 A).
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The initial mass function for massive stars
A machine readable catalog of over 750 galactic O stars with publishedphotometry, spectral types, and luminosity classes has been compiled.The catalog is probably complete to a distance of about 2.5 kpc. Fromthis volume-limited data, the initial mass function (IMF) for stars moremassive than 20 solar masses has been derived. This IMF differs fromthat of Miller and Scalo (1979) and of Lequeux (1979), in havingproportionately more O type stars and not as steep a fall-off in numberof stars with increasing mass. Dividing the sample into stars inside andoutside the solar circle, a substantial difference in the IMF of themost massive stars is found. There are proportionally more toward thegalactic center. This gradient in the IMF may be related to the observedspace density of Wolf-Rayet stars, which are descendants of O typestars.
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Infrared photometry of southern early-type stars
The paper presents infrared photometry tied to the JHKL (1.2-3.5microns) broadband photometric system for 229 southern early-type stars.To determine data for stars of low reddening intrinsic visual-IR colorindices were used; the E(V-K)/E(B-V) diagram was applied to evaluate theratio of total selective extinction. A mean value of R = 3.12 plus orminus 0.05 was found for stars close to the galactic plane, but a highervalue of R (about 4.0) applies to the Orion and Sco-Oph regions.Infrared two-color diagrams were used to investigate the occurrence ofinfrared excess emission in different classes of shell star; no excesseswere found for supergiants or Of stars. It is concluded that theanomalous position HD 164740 in the two-color diagrams is produced bystrong infrared excess and not by a peculiar extinction law.
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Four-colour and H-beta photometry for early type stars in three southern galactic regions
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1980A&AS...41...85L&db_key=AST
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O stars and supergiants south of declination -53 0.
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1976AJ.....81..116H&db_key=AST
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A catalogue of galactic O stars. The ionization of the low density interstellar medium by runaway stars.
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1974RMxAA...1..211C&db_key=AST
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Spectroscopic observations of stars in HII regions.
Not Available
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A spectral survey of the southern Milky Way 1 : general description and catalogue 1 (l=306 -318 degrees).
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1974A&AS...16..445S&db_key=AST
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INHABITED SKY
