The Chandra LETGS high resolution X-ray spectrum of the isolated neutron star RX J1856.5-3754

We present the Chandra LETGS X-ray spectrum of the nearby (~60 pc) neutron star RX J1856.5-3754. Detailed spectral analysis of the combined X-ray and optical data rules out the nonmagnetic neutron star atmosphere models with hydrogen, helium, iron and solar compositions. We also conclude that strongly magnetized atmosphere models are unable to represent the data. The data can be explained with a two-component blackbody model. The harder component with temperature of kT_bb~63 eV and a radius R_bb~2.2 km of the emitting region well fits the X-ray data and can be interpreted as radiation from a hot region on the star's surface.Comment: 4 pages, 3 color figures; acceped by A&A Letters; http://www.xray.mpe.mpg.de/~burwitz/burwitz_refereed.htm

Astrometric confirmation of young low-mass binaries and multiple systems in the Chamaeleon star-forming regions

The star-forming regions in Chamaeleon are one of the nearest (distance ~165 pc) and youngest (age ~2 Myrs) conglomerates of recently formed stars and the ideal target for population studies of star formation. We investigate a total of 16 Cha targets, which have been suggested, but not confirmed as binaries or multiple systems in previous literature. We used the adaptive optics instrument Naos-Conica (NACO) at the Very Large Telescope Unit Telescope 4 of the Paranal Observatory, at 2-5 different epochs, in order to obtain relative and absolute astrometric measurements, as well as differential photometry in the J, H, and K band. On the basis of known proper motions and these observations, we analyse the astrometric results in our "Proper Motion Diagram" (PMD: angular separation / position angle versus time), to eliminate possible (non-moving) background stars, establish co-moving binaries and multiples, and search for curvature as indications for orbital motion. All previously suggested close components are co-moving and no background stars are found. The angular separations range between 0.07 and 9 arcseconds, corresponding to projected distances between the components of 6-845 AU. Thirteen stars are at least binaries and the remaining three (RX J0919.4-7738, RX J0952.7-7933, VW Cha) are confirmed high-order multiple systems with up to four components. In 13 cases, we found significant slopes in the PMDs, which are compatible with orbital motion whose periods range from 60 to 550 years. However, in only four cases there are indications of a curved orbit, the ultimate proof of a gravitational bond. Massive primary components appear to avoid the simultaneous formation of equal-mass secondary components. (abridged)Comment: 33 pages, 22 figures, accepted for publication in A&A, 2nd version: typos and measurement unit added in Table

Astrometric proof of companionship for the L dwarf companion candidate GJ 1048B

Gizis et al. (2001) reported a companion candidate of spectral type L1 near the K2 dwarf GJ 1048 using the Two Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS). At that time it was not possible to verify companionship astrometrically using the 2MASS data alone due to the small proper motion of GJ 1048. We now show that both objects share the same proper motion by using data from the UK Schmidt Telescope Near-infrared (IVN) Southern Survey as the first epoch and data from 2MASS as the second epoch. Our technique of subtracting the PSF of the primary from the SuperCOSMOS I scans of the Southern Survey enables the astrometry of the companion candidate to be measured directly.Comment: Accepted to A&A 2004/03/14, 3 pages, 4 figure

Improved orbital solution and masses for the very low-mass multiple system LHS 1070

We present a refined orbital solution for the components A, B, and C of the nearby late-M type multiple system LHS 1070. By combining astrometric datapoints from NACO/VLT, CIAO/SUBARU, and PUEO/CFHT, as well as a radial velocity measurement from the newly commissioned near infrared high-resolution spectrograph CRIRES/VLT, we achieve a very precise orbital solution for the B and C components and a first realistic constraint on the much longer orbit of the A-BC system. Both orbits appear to be co-planar. Masses for the B and C components calculated from the new orbital solution (M_(B+C) = 0.157 +/- 0.009 M_sun) are in excellent agreement with theoretical models, but do not match empirical mass-luminosity tracks. The preliminary orbit of the A-BC system reveals no mass excess for the A component, giving no indication for a previously proposed fourth (D) component in LHS 1070.Comment: published in A&A, 2008, 484, 429; added CFHT acknowledgemen

Astrometric and photometric monitoring of GQ Lup and its sub-stellar companion

Neuhaeuser et al. (2005) presented direct imaging evidence for a sub-stellar companion to the young T Tauri star GQ Lup. Common proper motion was highly significant, but no orbital motion was detected. Faint luminosity, low gravity, and a late-M/early-L spectral type indicated that the companion is either a planet or a brown dwarf. We have monitored GQ Lup and its companion in order to detect orbital and parallactic motion and variability in its brightness. We also search for closer and fainter companions. We have taken six more images with the VLT Adaptive Optics instrument NACO from May 2005 to Feb 2007, always with the same calibration binary from Hipparcos for both astrometric and photometric calibration. By adding up all the images taken so far, we search for additional companions. The position of GQ Lup A and its companion compared to a nearby non-moving background object varies as expected for parallactic motion by about one pixel (2 \pi with parallax \pi). We could not find evidence for variability of the GQ Lup companion in the K-band (standard deviation being \pm 0.08 mag), which may be due to large error bars. No additional companions are found with deep imaging. There is now exceedingly high significance for common proper motion of GQ Lup A and its companion. In addition, we see for the first time an indication for orbital motion (about 2 to 3 mas/yr decrease in separation, but no significant change in the position angle), consistent with a near edge-on or highly eccentric orbit. We measured the parallax for GQ Lup A to be \pi = 6.4 \pm 1.9 mas (i.e. 156 \pm 50 pc) and for the GQ Lup companion to be 7.2 \pm 2.1 mas (i.e. 139 \pm 45 pc), both consistent with being in the Lupus I cloud and bound to each other.Comment: A&A in pres

Confirmation of the binary status of Cha Halpha 2 - a very young low-mass binary in Chamaeleon

Neuhaeuser & Comeron (1998, 1999) presented direct imaging evidence, as well as first spectra, of several young stellar and sub-stellar M6- to M8-type objects in the Cha I dark cloud. One of these objects is Cha Halpha 2, classified as brown dwarf candidate in several publications and suggested as possible binary in Neuhaeuser et al. (2002). We have searched around Cha Halpha 2 for close and faint companions with adaptive optics imaging. Two epochs of direct imaging data were taken with the Very Large Telescope (VLT) Adaptive Optics instrument NACO in February 2006 and March 2007 in Ks-band. We retrieved an earlier image from 2005 from the European Southern Observatory (ESO) Science Archive Facility, increasing the available time coverage. After confirmation of common proper motion, we deduce physical parameters of the objects by spectroscopy, like temperature and mass. We find Cha Halpha 2 to be a very close binary of ~0.16 arcsec separation, having a flux ratio of ~0.91, thus having almost equal brightness and indistinguishable spectral types within the errors. We show that the two tentative components of Cha Halpha 2 form a common proper motion pair, and that neither component is a non-moving background object. We even find evidence for orbital motion. A combined spectrum of both stars spanning optical and near-infrared parts of the spectral energy distribution yields a temperature of 3000+/-100 K, corresponding to a spectral type of M6+/-1 and a surface gravity of log g= 4.0 +0.75-0.5, both from a comparison with GAIA model atmospheres. We derive masses of ~0.110 Msun (>0.070 Msun) and ~0.124 Msun (>0.077 Msun) for the two components of Cha Halpha 2, i.e., probably low-mass stars, but one component could possibly be a brown dwarf.Comment: 6 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in A&