Flare stars in nearby Galactic open clusters based on TESS data

The study is devoted to search for flare stars among confirmed members of Galactic open clusters using high-cadence photometry from TESS mission. We analyzed 957 high-cadence light curves of members from 136 open clusters. As a result, 56 flare stars were found, among them 8 hot B-A type objects. Of all flares, 63 % were detected in sample of cool stars (Teff<5000 K), and 29 % -- in stars of spectral type G, while 23 % in K-type stars and approximately 34% of all detected flares are in M-type stars. Using the FLATW'RM (FLAre deTection With Ransac Method) flare finding algorithm, we estimated parameters of flares and rotation period of detected flare stars. The flare with the largest amplitude appears on the M3 type EQ Cha star. Statistical analysis did not reveal any direct correlation between ages, rotation periods and flaring activity

Non-iterative computation of Gauss-Jacobi quadrature

Asymptotic approximations to the zeros of Jacobi polynomials are given, with methods to obtain the coefficients in the expansions. These approximations can be used as standalone methods for the noniterative computation of the nodes of Gauss--Jacobi quadratures of high degree ($n\ge 100$). We also provide asymptotic approximations for functions related to the first-order derivative of Jacobi polynomials which are used for computing the weights of the Gauss--Jacobi quadrature. The performance of the asymptotic approximations is illustrated with numerical examples, and it is shown that nearly double precision relative accuracy is obtained for both the nodes and the weights when $n\ge 100$ and $-1< \alpha, \beta\le 5$. For smaller degrees the approximations are also useful as they provide $10^{-12}$ relative accuracy for the nodes when $n\ge 20$, and just one Newton step would be sufficient to guarantee double precision accuracy in that cases

Gaia-ESO survey: Lithium abundances in open cluster Red Clump stars

Context. It has recently been suggested that all giant stars with masses below 2 M⊙ suffer an episode of surface lithium enrichment between the tip of the red giant branch (RGB) and the red clump (RC). Aims. We test if the above result can be confirmed in a sample of RC and RGB stars that are members of open clusters. Methods. We discuss Li abundances in six open clusters with ages between 1.5 and 4.9 Gyr (turn-off masses between 1.1 and 1.7 M⊙). We compare these observations with the predictions of different models that include rotation-induced mixing, thermohaline instability, mixing induced by the first He flash, and energy losses by neutrino magnetic moment. Results. In six clusters, we find close to 35% of RC stars have Li abundances that are similar or higher than those of upper RGB stars. This can be a sign of fresh Li production. Because of the extra-mixing episode connected to the luminosity bump, the expectation has been for RC stars to have systematically lower surface Li abundances. However, we cannot confirm that this possible Li production is ubiquitous. For about 65% of RC giants, we can only determine upper limits in abundances that could be hiding very low Li content. Conclusions. Our results indicate the possibility that Li is being produced in the RC, at levels that would not typically permit the classification of these the stars as Li rich. The determination of their carbon isotopic ratio would help to confirm that the RC giants have suffered extra mixing followed by subsequent Li enrichment. The Li abundances of the RC stars can be qualitatively explained by the models including an additional mixing episode close to the He flash.</jats:p

OP0063 QUANTITATIVE COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY PREDICTS 10-YEAR MORTALITY IN INTERSTITIAL LUNG DISEASE RELATED TO SYSTEMIC SCLEROSI

Background: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is the main cause of death in Systemic Sclerosis (SSc). Chest CT is the gold standard in detecting ILD although it is not easy to understand its prognostic value. ILD qualitative assessment is almost worthless. Goh et al. semi quantitative score of ILD extent is related to mortality risk but it is burdened by relevant inter/intra-readers variability. An operator independent algorithm based on voxel-wise analysis proved to identify SSc patients with an increased risk of mortality according to prediction models. Objectives: To verify if quantitative analysis of chest CT (QCT) predict 10 years-mortality in SSc patients. Methods: SSc patients with availability of a chest CT were enrolled in 13 different centers. The CT voxel-wise analysis with a free software (www.horosproject.com) provided QCT indexes: kurtosis, skewness, mean lung attenuation and standard deviation. Patients

The GAPS Programme at TNG: XXXV. Fundamental properties of transiting exoplanet host stars

Context. Exoplanetary properties strongly depend on stellar properties: to know the planet with accuracy and precision it is necessary to know the star as accurately and precisely as possible. Aims. Our immediate aim is to characterize in a homogeneous and accurate way a sample of 27 transiting planet-hosting stars observed within the Global Architecture of Planetary System program. For the wide visual binary XO-2, we considered both components (N: hosting a transiting planet; S: without a known transiting planet). Our final goal is to widely analyze the sample by deriving several stellar properties, abundances of many elements, kinematic parameters, and discuss them in the context of planetary formation. Methods. We determined the stellar parameters (effective temperature, surface gravity, rotational velocity) and abundances of 26 elements (Li, C, N, O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, S, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Ba, La, Nd, Eu). Our study is based on high-resolution HARPS-N at TNG and FEROS at ESO spectra and uniform techniques. Depending on stellar parameters and chemical elements, we used line equivalent widths or spectral synthesis methods. We derived kinematic properties taking advantage of Gaia data and for the first time in exoplanet host stars we estimated ages using elemental ratios as chemical clocks. Results. The effective temperature of our stars is ∼4400-6700 K, while the iron abundance [Fe/H] is within -0.3 and 0.4 dex. Lithium is present in seven stars. The [X/H] and [X/Fe] abundances versus [Fe/H] are consistent with the Galactic chemical evolution. The dependence of [X/Fe] with the condensation temperature is critically analyzed with respect to stellar and kinematic properties. All targets with measured C and O abundances show C/O < 0.8, compatible with Si present in rock-forming minerals. Mean C/O and [C/O] values are slightly lower than for the Sun. Most of targets show 1.0 < Mg/Si < 1.5, compatible with Mg distributed between olivine and pyroxene, and mean Mg/Si lower than for the Sun. HAT-P-26, the target hosting the lowest-mass planet, shows the highest Mg/Si ratio. From our chemodynamical analysis we find agreement between ages and position within the Galactic disk. Finally, we note a tendency for higher-density planets to be around metal-rich stars and hints of higher stellar abundances of some volatiles (e.g., O) for lower-mass planets. We cannot exclude that part of our results could be also related to the location of the stars within the Galactic disk. Conclusions. We try to trace the planetary migration scenario from the composition of the planets related to the chemical composition of the hosting stars. This kind of study will be useful for upcoming space mission data to get more insights into the formation-migration mechanisms

The GAPS Programme at TNG: XXXV. Fundamental properties of transiting exoplanet host stars

Context. Exoplanetary properties strongly depend on stellar properties: to know the planet with accuracy and precision it is necessary to know the star as accurately and precisely as possible. Aims. Our immediate aim is to characterize in a homogeneous and accurate way a sample of 27 transiting planet-hosting stars observed within the Global Architecture of Planetary System program. For the wide visual binary XO-2, we considered both components (N: hosting a transiting planet; S: without a known transiting planet). Our final goal is to widely analyze the sample by deriving several stellar properties, abundances of many elements, kinematic parameters, and discuss them in the context of planetary formation. Methods. We determined the stellar parameters (effective temperature, surface gravity, rotational velocity) and abundances of 26 elements (Li, C, N, O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, S, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Ba, La, Nd, Eu). Our study is based on high-resolution HARPS-N at TNG and FEROS at ESO spectra and uniform techniques. Depending on stellar parameters and chemical elements, we used line equivalent widths or spectral synthesis methods. We derived kinematic properties taking advantage of Gaia data and for the first time in exoplanet host stars we estimated ages using elemental ratios as chemical clocks. Results. The effective temperature of our stars is ∼4400-6700 K, while the iron abundance [Fe/H] is within -0.3 and 0.4 dex. Lithium is present in seven stars. The [X/H] and [X/Fe] abundances versus [Fe/H] are consistent with the Galactic chemical evolution. The dependence of [X/Fe] with the condensation temperature is critically analyzed with respect to stellar and kinematic properties. All targets with measured C and O abundances show C/O < 0.8, compatible with Si present in rock-forming minerals. Mean C/O and [C/O] values are slightly lower than for the Sun. Most of targets show 1.0 < Mg/Si < 1.5, compatible with Mg distributed between olivine and pyroxene, and mean Mg/Si lower than for the Sun. HAT-P-26, the target hosting the lowest-mass planet, shows the highest Mg/Si ratio. From our chemodynamical analysis we find agreement between ages and position within the Galactic disk. Finally, we note a tendency for higher-density planets to be around metal-rich stars and hints of higher stellar abundances of some volatiles (e.g., O) for lower-mass planets. We cannot exclude that part of our results could be also related to the location of the stars within the Galactic disk. Conclusions. We try to trace the planetary migration scenario from the composition of the planets related to the chemical composition of the hosting stars. This kind of study will be useful for upcoming space mission data to get more insights into the formation-migration mechanisms

The discovery space of ELT-ANDES. Stars and stellar populations

The ArmazoNes high Dispersion Echelle Spectrograph (ANDES) is the optical and near-infrared high-resolution echelle spectrograph envisioned for the European Extremely Large Telescope (ELT). We present a selection of science cases, supported by new calculations and simulations, where ANDES could enable major advances in the fields of stars and stellar populations. We focus on three key areas, including the physics of stellar atmospheres, structure, and evolution; stars of the Milky Way, Local Group, and beyond; and the star-planet connection. The key features of ANDES are its wide wavelength coverage at high spectral resolution and its access to the large collecting area of the ELT. These features position ANDES to address the most compelling and potentially transformative science questions in stellar astrophysics of the decades ahead, including questions which cannot be anticipated today.Comment: 46 pages, 8 figures; submitted to Experimental Astronomy on behalf of the ANDES Science Tea

The GAPS Programme at TNG XXXVII. A precise density measurement of the young ultra-short period planet TOI-1807 b

Context. Great strides have been made in recent years in the understanding of the mechanisms involved in the formation and evolution of planetary systems. Despite this, many observational findings have not yet been corroborated by astrophysical explanations. A fine contribution to the study of planetary formation processes comes from the study of young, low-mass planets, with short orbital periods (.100 days). In the last three years, the NASA/TESS satellite has identified many planets of this kind and their characterization is clearly necessary in order to understand how they formed and evolved. Aims. Within the framework of the Global Architecture of Planetary System (GAPS) project, we performed a validation and characterization (radius and mass) of the ultra-short period planet TOI-1807 b, which orbits its young host star BD+39 2643 (∼300 Myr) in only 13 h. This is the youngest ultra-short period planet discovered so far. Methods. Thanks to a joint modeling of the stellar activity and planetary signals in the TESS light curve and in new HARPS-N radial-velocity measurements, combined with accurate estimation of stellar parameters, we validated the planetary nature of TOI-1807 b and measured its orbital and physical parameters. Results. By using astrometric, photometric, and spectroscopic observations, we found that BD+39 2643 is a young, active K dwarf star and a member of a 300 ± 80 Myr old moving group. Furthermore, it rotates in Prot = 8.8 ± 0.1 days. This star hosts an ultra-short period planet, exhibiting an orbital period of only Pb = 0.54937 ± 0.00001 days. Thanks to the exquisite photometric and spectroscopic series, along with the accurate information on its stellar activity, we measured both the radius and the mass of TOI-1807 b with high precision, obtaining RP,b = 1.37 ± 0.09 R⊕ and MP,b = 2.57 ± 0.50 M⊕. These planet parameters correspond to a rocky planet with an Earth-like density (ρb = 1.0 ± 0.3 ρ⊕) and no extended H/He envelope. From the analysis of the age-RP distribution for planets with well measured ages, we inferred that TOI-1807 b may have already lost a large part of its atmosphere over the course of its 300 Myr lifetime

A closer look to the sgoldstino interpretation of the diphoton excess

Abstract: We revisit the sgoldstino interpretation of the diphoton excess in the context of gauge mediation. While the bound on the gluino mass might seem to make the sgoldstino contribution to the diphoton excess unobservable, we show that the interpretation is viable in a thin, near critical region of the parameter space. This regime gives rise to drastic departures from the standard gauge mediation picture. While the fermion messengers lie in the (10-100) TeV range, some scalar messengers are significantly lighter and are responsible for the sgoldstino production and decay. Their effective coupling to the sgoldstino is correspondingly enhanced, and a non-perturbative regime is triggered when light and heavy messenger masses differ by a factor 73 4\u3c0. We also comment on the possible role of an R-axion and on the possibility to decouple the sfermions in this context. \ua9 2016, The Author(s)