243 research outputs found
Cosmological Reionization Around the First Stars: Monte Carlo Radiative Transfer
We study the evolution of ionization fronts around the first proto-galaxies
by using high resolution numerical cosmological (Lambda+CDM model) simulations
and Monte Carlo radiative transfer methods. We present the numerical scheme in
detail and show the results of test runs from which we conclude that the scheme
is both fast and accurate. As an example of interesting cosmological
application, we study the reionization produced by a stellar source of total
mass M=2 10^8 M_\odot turning on at z=12, located at a node of the cosmic web.
The study includes a Spectral Energy Distribution of a zero-metallicity stellar
population, and two Initial Mass Functions (Salpeter/Larson). The expansion of
the I-front is followed as it breaks out from the galaxy and it is channeled by
the filaments into the voids, assuming, in a 2D representation, a
characteristic butterfly shape. The ionization evolution is very well tracked
by our scheme, as realized by the correct treatment of the channeling and
shadowing effects due to overdensities. We confirm previous claims that both
the shape of the IMF and the ionizing power metallicity dependence are
important to correctly determine the reionization of the universe.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figures. Revised version, accepted for publication by
MNRA
The Cepheids of NGC1866: A Precise Benchmark for the Extragalactic Distance Scale and Stellar Evolution from Modern UBVI Photometry
We present the analysis of multiband time-series data for a sample of 24
Cepheids in the field of the Large Magellanic Cloud cluster NGC1866. Very
accurate BVI VLT photometry is combined with archival UBVI data, covering a
large temporal window, to obtain precise mean magnitudes and periods with
typical errors of 1-2% and of 1 ppm, respectively. These results represent the
first accurate and homogeneous dataset for a substantial sample of Cepheid
variables belonging to a cluster and hence sharing common distance, age and
original chemical composition. Comparisons of the resulting multiband
Period-Luminosity and Wesenheit relations to both empirical and theoretical
results for the Large Magellanic Cloud are presented and discussed to derive
the distance of the cluster and to constrain the mass-luminosity relation of
the Cepheids. The adopted theoretical scenario is also tested by comparison
with independent calibrations of the Cepheid Wesenheit zero point based on
trigonometric parallaxes and Baade-Wesselink techniques. Our analysis suggests
that a mild overshooting and/or a moderate mass loss can affect
intermediate-mass stellar evolution in this cluster and gives a distance
modulus of 18.50 +- 0.01 mag. The obtained V,I color-magnitude diagram is also
analysed and compared with both synthetic models and theoretical isochrones for
a range of ages and metallicities and for different efficiencies of core
overshooting. As a result, we find that the age of NGC1866 is about 140 Myr,
assuming Z = 0.008 and the mild efficiency of overshooting suggested by the
comparison with the pulsation models.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures, accepted in MNRAS (2016 January 14
Space Velocities of Southern Globular Clusters. IV. First Results for Inner-Galaxy Clusters
We have measured the absolute proper motions of four low-latitude,
inner-Galaxy globular clusters. These clusters are: NGC 6266 (M62), NGC 6304,
NGC 6316 and NGC 6723. The proper motions are on the Hipparcos system, as no
background extragalactic objects are found in these high-extinction regions.
The proper-motion uncertainties range between 0.3 and 0.6 mas/yr.
We discuss the kinematics of these clusters and of three additional bulge
clusters -- NGC 6522, NGC 6528 and NFC 6553 -- whose proper motions with
respect to bulge stars had been determined previously. We find that all of the
clusters have velocities that confine them to the bulge region. Of the three
metal poor clusters ([Fe/H] < -1.0), NGC 6522, and NGC 6723 have kinematics
consistent with halo membership. The third cluster, NGC 6266 however, appears
to belong to a rotationally-supported system. Of the four metal rich clusters
([Fe/H] >= -1.0), NGC 6304 and NGC 6553 also have kinematics consistent with
membership to a rotationally-supported system. NGC 6528 has kinematics,
metallicity and mass that argue in favor of a genuine Milky-Way bar cluster.
NGC 6316's kinematics indicate membership to a hotter system than the bar.Comment: 4 figures, 5 tables; accepted for publication in A
Hubble Space Telescope Observations of the Oldest Star Clusters in the LMC
We present V, V-I color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) for three old star clusters
in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC): NGC 1466, NGC 2257 and Hodge 11. Our data
extend about 3 magnitudes below the main-sequence turnoff, allowing us to
determine accurate relative ages and the blue straggler frequencies. Based on a
differential comparison of the CMDs, any age difference between the three LMC
clusters is less than 1.5 Gyr. Comparing their CMDs to those of M 92 and M 3,
the LMC clusters, unless their published metallicities are significantly in
error, are the same age as the old Galactic globulars. The similar ages to
Galactic globulars are shown to be consistent with hierarchial clustering
models of galaxy formation. The blue straggler frequencies are also similar to
those of Galactic globular clusters. We derive a true distance modulus to the
LMC of (m-M)=18.46 +/- 0.09 (assuming (m-M)=14.61 for M 92) using these three
LMC clusters.Comment: 22 pages; to be published in Ap
The intermediate-age globular cluster NGC 1783 in the Large Magellanic Cloud
We present Hubble Space Telescope ACS deep photometry of the intermediate-age
globular cluster NGC 1783 in the Large Magellanic Cloud. By using this
photometric dataset, we have determined the degree of ellipticity of the
cluster (=0.140.03) and the radial density profile. This profile
is well reproduced by a standard King model with an extended core (r_c=24.5'')
and a low concentration (c=1.16), indicating that the cluster has not
experienced the collapse of the core.
We also derived the cluster age, by using the Pisa Evolutionary Library (PEL)
isochrones, with three different amount of overshooting (namely,
=0.0, 0.10 and 0.25). From the comparison of the observed
Color-Magnitude Diagram (CMD) and Main Sequence (MS) Luminosity Function (LF)
with the theoretical isochrones and LFs, we find that only models with the
inclusion of some overshooting (=0.10-0.25) are able to reproduce
the observables. By using the magnitude difference between the mean level of the He-clump and the flat
region of the SGB, we derive an age =1.40.2 Gyr.Comment: Accepted to publication by A
Archaeometric approach for studying architectural earthenwares from the archaeological site of s. Omobono (Rome-Italy)
This paper reports the findings of an archaeometric study performed on 14 architectural earthenwares from the archaeological site of S. Omobono, located in the historic center of Rome (Italy). The archaeological site, accidentally discovered in 1937, includes the remains of a sacred area previously occupied by two temples, one of which was converted into the church of S. Omobono, in 1575. The samples, dated between the 7th and the 6th century BC, belong to different sectors of the site. Their petrographic, mineralogical and geochemical characterization was performed by optical microscopy (OM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), electron probe micro-analysis (EPMA), and Raman spectroscopy (RS). The compositional data obtained were also subjected to the principal component analysis (PCA) in order to highlight similarities and differences among the samples. By combining geochemical and petrographic data, we were able to identify several different fabrics. Furthermore, the study provided valuable information on the firing temperatures of some samples and the provenance of the raw materials, by analyzing the chemical composition of clinopyroxenes present as non-plastic inclusions. View Full-Tex
The CHilean Automatic Supernova sEarch (CHASE)
The CHASE project started in 2007 with the aim of providing young southern
supernovae (SNe) to the Carnegie Supernova Project (CSP) and Millennium Center
for Supernova Studies (MCSS) follow-up programs. So far CHASE has discovered 33
SNe with an average of more than 2.5 SNe per month in 2008. In addition to the
search we are carrying out a follow-up program targeting bright SNe. Our fully
automated data reduction allows us to follow the evolution on the light curve
in real time, triggering further observations if something potentially
interesting is detectedComment: 4 pages, 2 figures, conference proceedin
On the stellar content of the Carina dwarf spheroidal galaxy
We present U,B,V,I photometry of the Carina dwarf spheroidal galaxy, based on
more than 4,000 CCD images. Special attention was given to the photometric
calibration, and the precision for the B,V,I bands is better than 0.01 mag. We
compared in the V,B-V and V,B-I color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) Carina with
three Globular Clusters (GCs, M53, M55, M79). We find that only the more
metal-poor GCs (M55, [Fe/H]=-1.85; M53, [Fe/H]=-2.02 dex) provide a good match
with the Carina giant branch. We performed a similar comparison in the V,V-I
CMD with three SMC intermediate-age clusters (IACs, Kron3, NGC339, Lindsay38).
We find that the color extent of the SGB of the two more metal-rich IACs
(Kron3, [Fe/H]=-1.08; NGC339, [Fe/H]=-1.36 dex) is smaller than the range among
Carina's intermediate-age stars. However, the ridge line of the more metal-poor
IAC (Lindsay38, [Fe/H]=-1.59 dex) agrees quite well with the Carina
intermediate-age stars. These findings indicate that Carina's old stellar
population is metal-poor and seems to have a limited spread in metallicity
(Delta [Fe/H]=0.2--0.3 dex). Carina intermediate-age stars can hardly be more
metal-rich than Lindsay38 and its spread in metallicity appears modest. We also
find that the synthetic CMD constructed assuming a metallicity spread of 0.5
dex for intermediate-age stars predicts evolutionary features not supported by
observations. The above results are at odds with recent spectroscopic
investigations suggesting that Carina stars cover a broad range in metallicity
(Delta [Fe/H]~1--2 dex). We present a new method to estimate the metallicity of
complex stellar systems using the difference in color between the red clump and
the middle of the RR Lyrae instability strip. The observed colors of Carina's
evolved stars indicate a metallicity of [Fe/H]=-1.70+-0.19 dex, which agrees
quite well with spectroscopic measurements.Comment: Accepted on PASP, 12 pages, 6 figure
On the helium content of Galactic globular clusters via the R parameter
We estimate the empirical R parameter in 26 Galactic Globular Clusters
covering a wide metallicity range, imaged by WFPC2 on board the HST. The
improved spatial resolution permits a large fraction of the evolved stars to be
measured and permits accurate assessment of radial populaton gradients and
completeness corrections. In order to evaluate both the He abundance and the He
to metal enrichment ratio, we construct a large set of evolutionary models by
adopting similar metallicities and different He contents. We find an absolute
He abundance which is lower than that estimated from spectroscopic measurements
in HII regions and from primordial nucleosynthesis models. This discrepancy
could be removed by adopting a C12O16 nuclear cross section about a factor of
two smaller than the canonical value, although also different assumptions for
mixing processes can introduce systematical effects. The trend in the R
parameter toward solar metallicity is consistent with an upper limit to the He
to metal enrichment ratio of the order of 2.5.Comment: accepted for pubblication on Ap
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