397 research outputs found
A proto brown dwarf candidate in Taurus
Aims. We search for brown dwarfs at the Class 0/I evolutionary stage, or proto brown dwarfs.
Methods. We present a multi wavelength study, ranging from optical at 0.8 μm to radio wavelengths at 6 cm, of a cool, very faint, and red multiple object, SSTB213 J041757, detected by Spitzer toward the Barnard 213 dark cloud, in Taurus.
Results. The SED of SSTB213 J041757 displays a clear excess at long wavelengths resembling that of a Class I object. The mid-IR source has two possible counterparts, A and B, in the near-IR and optical images, and the 350 μm observations detect clear extended emission, presumably from an envelope around the two sources. The position of A & B in the (Ic− J) versus (J − [3.6]) colour-colour diagram is consistent with them being Galactic sources and not extragalactic contaminants. A proper-motion study confirms this result for A, while it is inconclusive for B. The temperature and mass of the two possible central objects, according to COND evolutionary models, range between 1550−1750 K and 3−4 M_(Jupiter), and 950−1300 K and 1−2 M_(Jupiter), for A and B, respectively. The integrated SED provides bolometric temperatures and luminosities of 280 K and 0.0034 L_⊙, assuming that the emission at wavelengths > 5 μm is associated with component A, and 150 K and 0.0033 L_⊙, assuming that the emission at wavelengths > 5 μm is associated with component B, which would imply the SSTB213 J041757 object has a luminosity well below the luminosity of other very low luminosity objects discovered up to date.
Conclusions. With these characteristics, SSTB213 J041757 seems to be a promising, and perhaps double, proto brown dwarf candidate
Kepler-91b: a planet at the end of its life. Planet and giant host star properties via light-curve variations
The evolution of planetary systems is intimately linked to the evolution of
their host star. Our understanding of the whole planetary evolution process is
based on the large planet diversity observed so far. To date, only few tens of
planets have been discovered orbiting stars ascending the Red Giant Branch.
Although several theories have been proposed, the question of how planets die
remains open due to the small number statistics. In this work we study the
giant star Kepler-91 (KOI-2133) in order to determine the nature of a
transiting companion. This system was detected by the Kepler Space Telescope.
However, its planetary confirmation is needed. We confirm the planetary nature
of the object transiting the star Kepler-91 by deriving a mass of and a planetary radius of
. Asteroseismic analysis produces a
stellar radius of and a mass of
. We find that its eccentric orbit
() is just away
from the stellar atmosphere at the pericenter. Kepler-91b could be the previous
stage of the planet engulfment, recently detected for BD+48 740. Our
estimations show that Kepler-91b will be swallowed by its host star in less
than 55 Myr. Among the confirmed planets around giant stars, this is the
planetary-mass body closest to its host star. At pericenter passage, the star
subtends an angle of , covering around 10% of the sky as seen from
the planet. The planetary atmosphere seems to be inflated probably due to the
high stellar irradiation.Comment: 21 pages, 8 tables and 11 figure
Age-dependent differences in human brain activity using a face- and location-matching task: An fMRI study
Purpose: To evaluate the differences of cortical activation patterns in young and elderly healthy subjects for object and spatial visual processing using a face- and location-matching task. Materials and Methods: We performed a face- and a location-matching task in 15 young (mean age: 28 +/- 9 years) and 19 elderly (mean age: 71 +/- 6 years) subjects. Each experiment consisted of 7 blocks alternating between activation and control condition. For face matching, the subjects had to indicate whether two displayed faces were identical or different. For location matching, the subjects had to press a button whenever two objects had an identical position. For control condition, we used a perception task with abstract images. Functional imaging was performed on a 1.5-tesla scanner using an EPI sequence. Results: In the face-matching task, the young subjects showed bilateral (right 1 left) activation in the occipito-temporal pathway (occipital gyrus, inferior and middle temporal gyrus). Predominantly right hemispheric activations were found in the fusiform gyrus, the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (inferior and middle frontal gyrus) and the superior parietal gyrus. In the elderly subjects, the activated areas in the right fronto-lateral cortex increased. An additional activated area could be found in the medial frontal gyrus (right > left). In the location-matching task, young subjects presented increased bilateral (right > left) activation in the superior parietal lobe and precuneus compared with face matching. The activations in the occipito-temporal pathway, in the right fronto-lateral cortex and the fusiform gyrus were similar to the activations found in the face-matching task. In the elderly subjects, we detected similar activation patterns compared to the young subjects with additional activations in the medial frontal gyrus. Conclusion: Activation patterns for object-based and spatial visual processing were established in the young and elderly healthy subjects. Differences between the elderly and young subjects could be evaluated, especially by using a face-matching task. Copyright (c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel
YSOVAR: Mid-IR variability in the star forming region Lynds 1688
The emission from young stellar objects (YSOs) in the mid-IR is dominated by
the inner rim of their circumstellar disks. We present an IR-monitoring survey
of about 800 objects in the direction of the Lynds 1688 (L1688) star forming
region over four visibility windows spanning 1.6 years using the \emph{Spitzer}
space telescope in its warm mission phase. Among all lightcurves, 57 sources
are cluster members identified based on their spectral-energy distribution and
X-ray emission. Almost all cluster members show significant variability. The
amplitude of the variability is larger in more embedded YSOs. Ten out of 57
cluster members have periodic variations in the lightcurves with periods
typically between three and seven days, but even for those sources, significant
variability in addition to the periodic signal can be seen. No period is stable
over 1.6 years. Non-periodic lightcurves often still show a preferred timescale
of variability which is longer for more embedded sources. About half of all
sources exhibit redder colors in a fainter state. This is compatible with
time-variable absorption towards the YSO. The other half becomes bluer when
fainter. These colors can only be explained with significant changes in the
structure of the inner disk. No relation between mid-IR variability and stellar
effective temperature or X-ray spectrum is found.Comment: accepted by ApJ, 24 pages, 17 figure
A search for pre- and proto-brown dwarfs in the dark cloud Barnard 30 with ALMA
In this work we present ALMA continuum observations at 880 m of 30
sub-mm cores previously identified with APEX/LABOCA at 870m in the Barnard
30 cloud. The main goal is to characterize the youngest and lowest mass
population in the cloud. As a result, we report the detection of five (out of
30) spatially unresolved sources with ALMA, with estimated masses between 0.9
and 67 M. From these five sources, only two show gas emission. The
analysis of multi-wavelength photometry from these two objects, namely B30-LB14
and B30-LB19, is consistent with one Class II- and one Class I low-mass stellar
object, respectively. The gas emission is consistent with a rotating disk in
the case of B30-LB14, and with an oblate rotating envelope with infall
signatures in the case of LB19. The remaining three ALMA detections do not have
infrared counterparts and can be classified as either deeply embedded objects
or as starless cores if B30 members. In the former case, two of them (LB08 and
LB31) show internal luminosity upper limits consistent with Very Low Luminosity
objects, while we do not have enough information for LB10. In the starless core
scenario, and taking into account the estimated masses from ALMA and the
APEX/LABOCA cores, we estimate final masses for the central objects in the
substellar domain, so they could be classified as pre-BD core candidates.Comment: Published in A&
Is there really a debris disc around ?
The presence of a debris disc around the Gyr-old solar-type star
was suggested by the infrared
excess detection. Follow-up observations with /PACS revealed
a double-lobed feature, that displayed asymmetries both in brightness and
position. Therefore, the disc was thought to be edge-on and significantly
eccentric. Here we present ALMA/ACA observations in Band 6 and 7 which
unambiguously reveal that these lobes show no common proper motion with
. In these observations, no flux has been detected
around that exceeds the levels. We
conclude that surface brightness upper limits of a debris disc around
are at 1.3 mm, and
at 870 microns. Our results overall demonstrate
the capability of the ALMA/ACA to follow-up observations of
debris discs and clarify the effects of background confusion.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, 2 table
First detection of thermal radio jets in a sample of proto-brown dwarf candidates
We observed with the JVLA at 3.6 and 1.3 cm a sample of 11 proto-brown dwarf
candidates in Taurus in a search for thermal radio jets driven by the most
embedded brown dwarfs. We detected for the first time four thermal radio jets
in proto-brown dwarf candidates. We compiled data from UKIDSS, 2MASS, Spitzer,
WISE and Herschel to build the Spectral Energy Distribution (SED) of the
objects in our sample, which are similar to typical Class~I SEDs of Young
Stellar Objects (YSOs). The four proto-brown dwarf candidates driving thermal
radio jets also roughly follow the well-known trend of centimeter luminosity
against bolometric luminosity determined for YSOs, assuming they belong to
Taurus, although they present some excess of radio emission compared to the
known relation for YSOs. Nonetheless, we are able to reproduce the flux
densities of the radio jets modeling the centimeter emission of the thermal
radio jets using the same type of models applied to YSOs, but with
corresponding smaller stellar wind velocities and mass-loss rates, and
exploring different possible geometries of the wind or outflow from the star.
Moreover, we also find that the modeled mass outflow rates for the bolometric
luminosities of our objects agree reasonably well with the trends found between
the mass outflow rates and bolometric luminosities of YSOs, which indicates
that, despite the "excess" centimeter emission, the intrinsic properties of
proto-brown dwarfs are consistent with a continuation of those of very low mass
stars to a lower mass range. Overall, our study favors the formation of brown
dwarfs as a scaled-down version of low-mass stars.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures, 14 tables, accepted by the Astrophysical Journa
Temperature constraints on the coldest brown dwarf known WISE 0855-0714
Context. Nearby isolated planetary mass objects are beginning to be
discovered, but their individual properties are poorly constrained because
their low surface temperatures and strong molecular self-absorption make them
extremely faint.
Aims. We aimed to detect the near infrared emission of the coldest brown
dwarf (BD) found so far, WISE08550714, located 2.2 pc away, and to
improve its temperature estimate (T= 225-260 K) from a comparison
with state-of-the-art models of BD atmospheres.
Methods. We observed the field containing WISE0855-0714 with HAWK-I at the
VLT in the band. For BDs with T500\,K theoretical models
predict strong signal (or rather less molecular absorption) in this band.
Results. WISE0855-0714 was not detected in our Y-band images, thus placing an
upper limit on its brightness to Y>24.4 mag at 3- level, leading to
Y-[4.5]>10.5. Combining this limit with previous detections and upper limits at
other wavelengths, WISE08550714 is confirmed as the reddest BD detected,
further supporting its status as the coldest known brown dwarf. We applied
spectral energy distribution fitting with collections of models from two
independent groups for extremely cool BD atmospheres leading to an effective
temperature of T250\,K,.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. A&A letter Accepte
The First Science Results from SPHERE: Disproving the Predicted Brown Dwarf around V471 Tau
Variations of eclipse arrival times have recently been detected in several
post common envelope binaries consisting of a white dwarf and a main sequence
companion star. The generally favoured explanation for these timing variations
is the gravitational pull of one or more circumbinary substellar objects
periodically moving the center of mass of the host binary. Using the new
extreme-AO instrument SPHERE, we image the prototype eclipsing post-common
envelope binary V471 Tau in search of the brown dwarf that is believed to be
responsible for variations in its eclipse arrival times. We report that an
unprecedented contrast of 12.1 magnitudes in the H band at a separation of 260
mas was achieved, but resulted in a non-detection. This implies that there is
no brown dwarf present in the system unless it is three magnitudes fainter than
predicted by evolutionary track models, and provides damaging evidence against
the circumbinary interpretation of eclipse timing variations. In the case of
V471 Tau, a more consistent explanation is offered with the Applegate
mechanism, in which these variations are prescribed to changes in the
quadrupole moment within the main-sequence sta
Young Stellar Object Variability (YSOVAR): Long Timescale Variations in the Mid-Infrared
The YSOVAR (Young Stellar Object VARiability) Spitzer Space Telescope
observing program obtained the first extensive mid-infrared (3.6 & 4.5 um)
time-series photometry of the Orion Nebula Cluster plus smaller footprints in
eleven other star-forming cores (AFGL490, NGC1333, MonR2, GGD 12-15, NGC2264,
L1688, Serpens Main, Serpens South, IRAS 20050+2720, IC1396A, and Ceph C).
There are ~29,000 unique objects with light curves in either or both IRAC
channels in the YSOVAR data set. We present the data collection and reduction
for the Spitzer and ancillary data, and define the "standard sample" on which
we calculate statistics, consisting of fast cadence data, with epochs about
twice per day for ~40d. We also define a "standard sample of members",
consisting of all the IR-selected members and X-ray selected members. We
characterize the standard sample in terms of other properties, such as spectral
energy distribution shape. We use three mechanisms to identify variables in the
fast cadence data--the Stetson index, a chi^2 fit to a flat light curve, and
significant periodicity. We also identified variables on the longest timescales
possible of ~6 years, by comparing measurements taken early in the Spitzer
mission with the mean from our YSOVAR campaign. The fraction of members in each
cluster that are variable on these longest timescales is a function of the
ratio of Class I/total members in each cluster, such that clusters with a
higher fraction of Class I objects also have a higher fraction of long-term
variables. For objects with a YSOVAR-determined period and a [3.6]-[8] color,
we find that a star with a longer period is more likely than those with shorter
periods to have an IR excess. We do not find any evidence for variability that
causes [3.6]-[4.5] excesses to appear or vanish within our data; out of members
and field objects combined, at most 0.02% may have transient IR excesses.Comment: Accepted to AJ; 38 figures, 93 page
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