8,843 research outputs found
Pulsational M_V versus [Fe/H] relation(s) for globular cluster RR Lyrae variables
We use the results from recent computations of updated non-linear convective
pulsating models to constrain the distance modulus of Galactic globular
clusters through the observed periods of first overtone RRc pulsators. The
resulting relation between the mean absolute magnitude of RR Lyrae stars
and the heavy element content [Fe/H] appears well in the range of
several previous empirical calibrations, but with a non linear dependence on
[Fe/H] so that the slope of the relation increases when moving towards larger
metallicities. On this ground, our results suggest that metal-poor
([Fe/H]-1.5) variables follow two different
linear -[Fe/H] relations. Application to RR Lyrae stars in the
metal-poor globular clusters of the Large Magellanic Cloud provides a LMC
distance modulus of the order of 18.6 mag, thus supporting the "long" distance
scale. The comparison with recent predictions based on updated stellar
evolution theory is shortly presented and discussed.Comment: 8 pages, 4 postscript figures, accepted for publication on MNRA
RR Lyrae variables in M5 as a test of pulsational theory
We present B and V CCD photometry for variables in the cluster central
region, adding new data for 32 variables and giving suitable light curves, mean
magnitudes and corrected colors for 17 RR Lyrae. Implementing the data given in
this paper with similar data already appeared in the literature we discuss a
sample of 42 variables, as given by 22 RRab and 20 RRc, to the light of recent
predictions from pulsational theories. We find that the observational evidence
concerning M5 pulsators appears in marginal disagreement with predictions
concerning the color of the First Overtone Blue Edge (FOBE), whereas a clear
disagreement appears between the ZAHB luminosities predicted through
evolutionary or pulsational theories.Comment: 7 pages, 7 postscript figures, accepted for publication on MNRA
Two tone response of radiofrequency signals using the voltage output of a Superconducting Quantum Interference Filter
In the presence of weak time harmonic electromagnetic fields, Superconducting
Quantum Interference Filters (SQIFs) show the typical behavior of non linear
mixers. The SQIFs are manufactured from high-T_c grain boundary Josephson
junctions and operated in active microcooler. The dependence of dc voltage
output V_dc vs. static external magnetic field B is non-periodic and consists
of a well pronounced unique dip at zero field, with marginal side modulations
at higher fields. We have successfully exploited the parabolic shape of the
voltage dip around B=0 to mix quadratically two external time harmonic
rf-signals, at frequencies f_1 and f_2 below the Josephson frequency f_J, and
detect the corresponding mixing signal at f_1-f_2. When the mixing takes place
on the SQIF current-voltage characteristics the component at 2f_2 - f_1 is
present. The experiments suggest potential applications of a SQIF as a
non-linear mixing device, capable to operate at frequencies from dc to few GHz
with a large dynamic range.Comment: 10 pages, 3 Figures, submitted to J. Supercond. (as proceeding of the
HTSHFF Symposium, June 2006, Cardiff
Stellar populations in the dwarf spheroidal galaxy Leo I
We present a detailed study of the color magnitude diagram (CMD) of the dwarf
spheroidal galaxy Leo I, based on archival Hubble Space Telescope data. Our
photometric analysis, confirming previous results on the brighter portion of
the CMD, allow us to obtain an accurate sampling of the stellar populations
also at the faint magnitudes corresponding to the Main Sequence. By adopting a
homogeneous and consistent theoretical scenario for both hydrogen and central
helium-burning evolutionary phases, the various features observed in the CMD
are interpreted and reliable estimations for both the distance modulus and the
age(s) for the main stellar components of Leo I are derived. More in details,
from the upper luminosity of the Red Giant Branch and the lower luminosity of
the Subgiant Branch we simultaneously constrain the galaxy distance and the age
of the oldest stellar population in Leo I. In this way we obtain a distance
modulus (m-M)_V=22.000.15 mag and an age of 10--15 Gyr or 9--13 Gyr,
adopting a metallicity Z=0.0001 and 0.0004, respectively. The reliability of
this distance modulus has been tested by comparing the observed distribution of
the Leo I anomalous Cepheids in the period-magnitude diagram with the predicted
boundaries of the instability strip, as given by convective pulsating models.Comment: 19 pages, 3 tables, 14 figures To be published in A
RR Lyrae variables in Galactic globular clusters - I: The observational scenario
In this paper we revisit observational data concerning RR Lyrae stars in
Galactic globular clusters, presenting frequency histograms of fundamentalized
periods for the 32 clusters having more than 12 pulsators with well recognized
period and pulsation mode. One finds that the range of fundamentalized periods
covered by the variables in a given cluster remains fairly constant in varying
the cluster metallicity all over the metallicity range spanned by the cluster
sample, with the only two exceptions given by M15 and NGC6441. We conclude that
the width in temperature of the RR Lyrae instability strip appears largely
independent of the cluster metallicity. At the same time, it appears that the
fundamentalized periods are not affected by the predicted variation of
pulsators luminosity with metal abundance, indicating the occurrence of a
correlated variation in the pulsator mass. We discuss mean periods in a
selected sample of statistically significant "RR rich" clusters with no less
than 10 RRab and 5 RRc variables. One finds a clear evidence for the well known
Oosterhoff dichotomy in the mean period of ab-type variables, together
with a similarly clear evidence for a constancy of the mean fundamentalized
period in passing from Oosterhoff type II to type I clusters. On this
basis, the origin of the Oosterhoff dichotomy is discussed, presenting evidence
against a strong dependence of the RR Lyrae luminosity on the metal content.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures. Accepted for publication on A&
Fractional Fokker-Planck Equation for Ultraslow Kinetics
Several classes of physical systems exhibit ultraslow diffusion for which the
mean squared displacement at long times grows as a power of the logarithm of
time ("strong anomaly") and share the interesting property that the probability
distribution of particle's position at long times is a double-sided
exponential. We show that such behaviors can be adequately described by a
distributed-order fractional Fokker-Planck equations with a power-law
weighting-function. We discuss the equations and the properties of their
solutions, and connect this description with a scheme based on continuous-time
random walks
Theoretical insights into the RR Lyrae K-band Period-Luminosity relation
Based on updated nonlinear, convective pulsation models computed for several
values of stellar mass, luminosity and metallicity, theoretical constraints on
the K-band Period-Luminosity (PLK) relation of RR Lyrae stars are presented. We
show that for each given metal content the predicted PLK is marginally
dependent on uncertainties of the stellar mass and/or luminosity. Then, by
considering the RR Lyrae masses suggested by evolutionary computations for the
various metallicities, we obtain that the predicted infrared magnitude M_K over
the range 0.0001< Z <0.02 is given by the relation
MK=0.568-2.071logP+0.087logZ-0.778logL/Lo, with a rms scatter of 0.032 mag.
Therefore, by allowing the luminosities of RR Lyrae stars to vary within the
range covered by current evolutionary predictions for metal-deficient (0.0001<
Z <0.006) horizontal branch models, we eventually find that the infrared
Period-Luminosity- Metallicity (PLZK) relation is
MK=0.139-2.071(logP+0.30)+0.167logZ, with a total intrinsic dispersion of 0.037
mag. As a consequence, the use of such a PLZK relation should constrain within
+-0.04 mag the infrared distance modulus of field and cluster RR Lyrae
variables, provided that accurate observations and reliable estimates of the
metal content are available. Moreover, we show that the combination of K and V
measurements can supply independent information on the average luminosity of RR
Lyrae stars, thus yielding tight constraints on the input physics of stellar
evolution computations. Finally, for globular clusters with a sizable sample of
first overtone variables, the reddening can be estimated by using the PLZK
relation together with the predicted MV-logP relation at the blue edge of the
instability strip (Caputo et al. 2000).Comment: 8 pages, including 5 postscript figures, accepted for publication on
MNRA
RR Lyrae variables in Galactic globular clusters: IV. Synthetic HB and RR Lyrae predictions
We present theoretical predictions concerning horizontal branch stars in
globular clusters, including RR Lyrae variables, as derived from synthetic
procedures collating evolutionary and pulsational constraints. On this basis,
we explore the predicted behavior of the pulsators as a function of the
horizontal branch morphology and over the metallicity range Z=0.0001 to 0.006,
revealing an encouraging concordance with the observed distribution of
fundamentalised periods with metallicity. Theoretical relations connecting
periods to K magnitudes and BV or VI Wesenheit functions are presented, both
appearing quite independent of the horizontal branch morphology only with Z
greater or equal than 0.001. Predictions concerning the parameter R are also
discussed and compared under various assumptions about the horizontal branch
reference luminosity level.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figures. Accepted for publication in "Astronomy and
Astrophysics
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