1,087 research outputs found
Accretion, disks, and magnetic activity in the TW Hya association
We present new photometric and spectroscopic data for the M-type members of
the TW Hya association with the aim of a comprehensive study of accretion,
disks and magnetic activity at the critical age of ~10 Myr where circumstellar
matter disappears.Comment: 4 pages, to appear in Proceedings IAU Symposium No. 314, Young Stars
& Planets Near the Sun, 201
The Galactic Halo density distribution from photometric survey data: results of a pilot study
Our goal is to recover the Galactic Halo spatial density by means of field
stars. To this aim, we apply a new technique to the Capodimonte Deep Field
(OACDF, Alcala' et al. 2004), as a pilot study in view of the VLT Survey
Telescope (VST) stellar projects. Considering the unique chance to collect deep
and wide-field photometry with the VST, our method may represent a useful tool
towards a definitive mapping of the Galactic Halo. In the framework of
synthetic stellar populations, turn-off stars are used to reconstruct the
spatial density. The determination of the space density is achieved by
comparing the data with synthetic color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs). The only
assumptions involve the IMF, age and metallicity of the synthetic halo
population. Stars are randomly placed in the solid angle. The contributions of
the various Monte Carlo distributions (with a step of 4 kpc) along the line of
sight are simultaneously varied to reproduce the observed CMD. Our result on
the space density is consistent with a power-law exponent n~3 over a range of
Galactocentric distances from 8 to 40 kpc.Comment: 5 pages. Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysic
X-Shooter spectroscopy of FU Tau A
We have analyzed a broad-band optical and near-infrared spectrum of FU Tau A,
a presumed young brown dwarf in the Taurus star forming region that has
intrigued both theorists and observers by its over-luminosity in the HR diagram
with respect to standard pre-main sequence evolutionary models. The new data,
obtained with the X-Shooter spectrograph at the Very Large Telescope, include
an unprecedented wealth of information on stellar parameters and simultaneously
observed accretion and outflow indicators for FU Tau A. We present the first
measurements of gravity (log g = 3.5 +- 0.5), radial velocity (RV = 22.5 +- 2.9
km/s), rotational velocity (v sin(i) = 20 +- 5 km/s) and lithium equivalent
width (W_Li = 430 +- 20 mAA) for FUTau A. From the rotational velocity and the
published period we infer a disk inclination of i ~ 50^deg. The lithium content
is much lower than theoretically expected for such a young very low mass
object, adding another puzzling feature to this object's properties. We
determine the mass accretion rate of FU Tau A from comparison of the
luminosities of 24 emission lines to empirical calibrations from the literature
and find a mean of log (dM/dt)_acc [M_sun/yr] = -9.9 +- 0.2. The accretion rate
determined independently from modeling of the excess emission in the Balmer and
Paschen continua is consistent with this value. The corresponding accretion
luminosity is too small to make a significant contribution to the bolometric
luminosity. The existence of an outflow in FU Tau A is demonstrated through the
first detection of forbidden emission lines from which we obtain an estimate
for the mass loss rate, log (dM/dt)_out [M_sun/yr] < -10.4. The mass outflow
and inflow rates can be combined to yield (dM/dt)_out / (dM/dt)_acc ~ 0.3, a
value that is in agreement with jet launching models.Comment: 12 pages, accepted for publication in A&
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