166 research outputs found
Elemental nitrogen partitioning in dense interstellar clouds
Many chemical models of dense interstellar clouds predict that the majority
of gas-phase elemental nitrogen should be present as N2, with an abundance
approximately five orders of magnitude less than that of hydrogen. As a
homonuclear diatomic molecule, N2 is difficult to detect spectroscopically
through infrared or millimetre-wavelength transitions so its abundance is often
inferred indirectly through its reaction product N2H+. Two main formation
mechanisms each involving two radical-radical reactions are the source of N2 in
such environments. Here we report measurements of the low temperature rate
constants for one of these processes, the N + CN reaction down to 56 K. The
effect of the measured rate constants for this reaction and those recently
determined for two other reactions implicated in N2 formation are tested using
a gas-grain model employing a critically evaluated chemical network. We show
that the amount of interstellar nitrogen present as N2 depends on the
competition between its gas-phase formation and the depletion of atomic
nitrogen onto grains. As the reactions controlling N2 formation are
inefficient, we argue that N2 does not represent the main reservoir species for
interstellar nitrogen. Instead, elevated abundances of more labile forms of
nitrogen such as NH3 should be present on interstellar ices, promoting the
eventual formation of nitrogen-bearing organic molecules.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Proceedings of the National Academy
of Sciences of the United States of America - published online since June 11,
201
Hipparcos period-luminosity relations for Miras and semiregular variables
We present period-luminosity diagrams for nearby Miras and semiregulars,
selecting stars with parallaxes better than 20 per cent and well-determined
periods. Using K-band magnitudes, we find two well-defined P-L sequences, one
corresponding to the standard Mira P-L relation and the second shifted to
shorter periods by a factor of about 1.9. The second sequence only contains
semiregular variables, while the Mira sequence contains both Miras and
semiregulars. Several semiregular stars show double periods in agreement with
both relations. The Whitelock evolutionary track is shown to fit the data,
indicating that the semiregulars are Mira progenitors. The transition between
the two sequences may correspond to a change in pulsation mode or to a change
in the stellar structure. Large amplitude pulsations leading to classical Mira
classification occur mainly near the tip of the local AGB luminosity function.Comment: 10 pages with figures, accepted by ApJ Letter
Near-Infrared Photometry of Carbon Stars
Near-infrared, JHKL, photometry of 239 Galactic carbon-rich variable stars is
presented and discussed. From these and published data the stars were
classified as Mira or non-Mira variables and amplitudes and pulsation periods,
ranging from 222 to 948 days for the Miras, were determined for most of them. A
comparison of the colour and period relations with those of similar stars in
the Large Magellanic Cloud indicates minor differences, which may be the
consequence of sample selection effects. Apparent bolometric magnitudes were
determined by combining the mean JHKL fluxes with mid-infrared photometry from
IRAS and MSX. Then, using the Mira period luminosity relation to set the
absolute magnitudes, distances were determined -- to greater accuracy than has
hitherto been possible for this type of star. Bolometric corrections to the K
magnitude were calculated and prescriptions derived for calculating these from
various colours. Mass-loss rates were also calculated and compared to values in
the literature.
Approximately one third of the C-rich Miras and an unknown fraction of the
non-Miras exhibit apparently random obscuration events that are reminiscent of
the phenomena exhibited by the hydrogen deficient RCB stars. The underlying
cause of this is unclear, but it may be that mass loss, and consequently dust
formation, is very easily triggered from these very extended atmospheres.Comment: 35 pages, 21 figs, accepted for publication in MNRAS. Large data
table will be available on-line onl
Carbon-Rich Mira Variables: Kinematics and Absolute Magnitudes
The kinematics of galactic C-Miras are discussed on the basis of the
bolometric magnitudes and radial velocities of Papers I and II of this series.
Differential galactic rotation is used to derive a zero-point for the
bolometric period-luminosity relation which is in satisfactory agreement with
that inferred from the LMC C-Miras. We find for the galactic Miras, Mbol =
-2.54logP + 2.06 (+/- 0.24), where the slope is taken from the LMC. The mean
velocity dispersion, together with the data of Nordstroem et al. and the Padova
models, leads to a mean age for our sample of C-Miras of 1.8 +/- 0.4 Gyr and a
mean initial mass of 1.8 +/-0.2 solar masses. Evidence for a variation of
velocity dispersion with period is found, indicating a dependence of period on
age and initial mass, the longer period stars being younger. We discuss the
relation between the O- and C-Miras and also their relative numbers in
different systems.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
Structure of the Large Magellanic Cloud from 2MASS
We derive structural parameters and evidence for extended tidal debris from
star count and preliminary standard candle analyses of the Large Magellanic
Cloud based on Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) data. The full-sky coverage
and low extinction in K_s presents an ideal sample for structural analysis of
the LMC.
The star count surface densities and deprojected inclination for both young
and older populations are consistent with previous work. We use the full areal
coverage and large LMC diameter to Galactrocentric distance ratio to infer the
same value for the disk inclination based on perspective.
A standard candle analysis based on a sample of carbon long-period variables
(LPV) in a narrow color range, 1.6<J-K_s<1.7 allows us to probe the
three-dimensional structure of the LMC along the line of sight. The intrinsic
brightness distribution of carbon LPVs in selected fields implies that
\sigma_M\simlt 0.2^m for this color cut. The sample provides a {\it direct}
determination of the LMC disk inclination: .
Distinct features in the photometric distribution suggest several distinct
populations. We interpret this as the presence of an extended stellar component
of the LMC, which may be as thick as 14 kpc, and intervening tidal debris at
roughly 15 kpc from the LMC.Comment: 24 pages, 9 figures. Submitted to Ap
The new carbon symbiotic star IPHAS J205836.43+503307.2
We are performing a search for symbiotic stars using IPHAS, the INT Halpha
survey of the northern Galactic plane, and follow-up observations. Candidate
symbiotic stars are selected on the basis of their IPHAS and near-IR colours,
and spectroscopy and photometry are obtained to determine their nature. We
present here observations of the symbiotic star candidate IPHAS
J205836.43+503307.2. The optical spectrum shows the combination of a number of
emission lines, among which are the high-excitation species of [OIII], HeII,
[Ca V], and [Fe VII], and a red continuum with the features of a star at the
cool end of the carbon star sequence. The nebular component is spatially
resolved: the analysis of the spatial profile of the [NII]6583 line in the
spectrum indicates a linear size of ~2.5 arcsec along the east-west direction.
Its velocity structure suggests an aspherical morphology. The near-infrared
excess of the source, which was especially strong in 1999, indicated that a
thick circumstellar dust shell was also present in the system. The carbon star
has brightened in the last decade by two to four magnitudes at red and
near-infrared wavelengths. Photometric monitoring during a period of 60 days
from November 2010 to January 2011 reveals a slow luminosity decrease of 0.2
magnitudes. From the observed spectrophotometric properties and variability, we
conclude that the source is a new Galactic symbiotic star of the D-type, of the
rare kind that contains a carbon star, likely a carbon Mira. Only two other
systems of this type are known in the Galaxy.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure
Review of important reactions for the nitrogen chemistry in the interstellar medium
Predictions of astrochemical models depend strongly on the reaction rate
coefficients used in the simulations. We reviewed a number of key reactions for
the chemistry of nitrogen-bearing species in the dense interstellar medium and
proposed new reaction rate coefficients for those reactions. The details of the
reviews are given in the form of a datasheet associated with each reaction. The
new recommended rate coefficients are given with an uncertainty and a
temperature range of validity and will be included in KIDA
(http://kida.obs.u-bordeaux1.fr).Comment: 39 pages, not published in refereed journal, datasheets are given in
KID
Reprocessing the Hipparcos data for evolved stars III Revised Hipparcos period-luminosity relationship for galactic long-period variable stars
We analyze the K band luminosities of a sample of galactic long-period
variables using parallaxes measured by the Hipparcos mission. The parallaxes
are in most cases re-computed from the Hipparcos Intermediate Astrometric Data
using improved astrometric fits and chromaticity corrections. The K band
magnitudes are taken from the literature and from measurements by COBE, and are
corrected for interstellar and circumstellar extinction. The sample contains
stars of several spectral types: M, S and C, and of several variability
classes: Mira, semiregular SRa, and SRb. We find that the distribution of stars
in the period-luminosity plane is independent of circumstellar chemistry, but
that the different variability types have different P-L distributions. Both the
Mira variables and the SRb variables have reasonably well-defined
period-luminosity relationships, but with very different slopes. The SRa
variables are distributed between the two classes, suggesting that they are a
mixture of Miras and SRb, rather than a separate class of stars. New
period-luminosity relationships are derived based on our revised Hipparcos
parallaxes. The Miras show a similar period-luminosity relationship to that
found for Large Magellanic Cloud Miras by Feast et al. (1989). The maximum
absolute K magnitude of the sample is about -8.2 for both Miras and
semi-regular stars, only a little fainter than the expected AGB limit. We show
that the stars with the longest periods (P>400d) have high mass loss rates and
are almost all Mira variables.Comment: Comments welcome. Submitted to A&A 11 pages, 7 figs, 3 table
Outflow dynamics of dust-driven wind models and implications for cool envelopes of PNe
The density profiles of cool envelopes of young Planetary Nebulae (PNe) are
reminiscent of the final AGB outflow history of the central star, so far as
these have not yet been transformed by the hot wind and radiation of the
central star. Obviously, the evolution of the mass loss rate of that
dust-driven, cool wind of the former giant in its final AGB stages must have
shaped these envelopes to some extent. Less clear is the impact of changes in
the outflow velocity. Certainly, larger and fast changes would lead to
significant complications in the reconstruction of the mass-loss history from a
cool envelope's density profile.
Here, we analyse the outflow velocity v_{\rm exp} in a consistent set of over
50 carbon-rich, dust-driven and well "saturated" wind models, and how it
depends on basic stellar parameters. We find a relation of the kind of v_{\rm
exp} \propto (L/M)^{0.6}. By contrast to the vast changes of the mass-loss rate
in the final outflow phase, this relation suggest only very modest variations
in the wind velocity, even during a thermal pulse. Hence, we conclude that the
density profiles of cool envelopes around young PNe should indeed compare
relatively well with their recent mass-loss history, when diluted plainly by
the equation of continuity.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, 1 tabl
s-Process Nucleosynthesis in Carbon Stars
We present the first detailed and homogeneous analysis of the s-element
content in Galactic carbon stars of N-type. Abundances of Sr,Y, Zr (low-mass
s-elements, or ls) and of Ba, La, Nd, Sm and Ce (high-mass s-elements, hs) are
derived using the spectral synthesis technique from high-resolution spectra.
The N-stars analyzed are of nearly solar metallicity and show moderate
s-element enhancements, similar to those found in S stars, but smaller than
those found in the only previous similar study (Utsumi 1985), and also smaller
than those found in supergiant post-AGB stars. This is in agreement with the
present understanding of the envelope s-element enrichment in giant stars,
which is increasing along the spectral sequence M-->MS-->S-->SC-->C during the
AGB phase. We compare the observational data with recent -process
nucleosynthesis models for different metallicities and stellar masses. Good
agreement is obtained between low mass AGB star models (M < 3 M_o) and
s-elements observations. In low mass AGB stars, the 13C(alpha, n)16O reaction
is the main source of neutrons for the s-process; a moderate spread, however,
must exist in the abundance of 13C that is burnt in different stars. By
combining information deriving from the detection of Tc, the infrared colours
and the theoretical relations between stellar mass, metallicity and the final
C/O ratio, we conclude that most (or maybe all) of the N-stars studied in this
work are intrinsic, thermally-pulsing AGB stars; their abundances are the
consequence of the operation of third dredge-up and are not to be ascribed to
mass transfer in binary systems.Comment: 31 pages, 10 figures, 6 tables. Accepted in Ap
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