Polaris B, an optical companion of Polaris (alpha UMi) system: atmospheric parameters, chemical composition, distance and mass

We present an analysis of high-resolution spectroscopic observations of Polaris B, the optical companion of the Polaris Ab system. The star has a radial velocity V_r of -16.6km/s to -18.9km/s, and a projected rotational velocity vsini=110 km/s. The derived atmospheric parameters are: Teff=6900K; logg=4.3; V_t=2.5km/s. Polaris B has elemental abundances generally similar to those of the Cepheid Polaris A (Usenko et al. 2005a), although carbon, sodium and magnesium are close to the solar values. At a spectral type of F3V Polaris B has a luminosity of 3.868L_sun, an absolute magnitude of +3.30mag, and a distance of 109.5pc. The mass of the star is estimated to be 1.39M_sun, close to a mass of 1.38+/-0.61M_sun for the recently-resolved orbital periods companion Polaris Ab observed by Evans et al. (2007).Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl

Temporal and Spatial Occlusion of Advanced Visual Information Constrains Movement (Re) organization in One-Handed Catching Behaviors

Dynamic interceptive actions are performed under severe spatial and temporal constraints. Here, behavioral processes underpinning anticipation in one-handed catching were examined using novel technology to implement a spatial and temporal occlusion design. Video footage of an actor throwing a ball was manipulated to create four temporal and five spatial occlusion conditions. Data from twelve participants’ hand kinematics and gaze behaviors were recorded while attempting to catch a projected ball synchronized with the video footage. Catching performance decreased with earlier occlusion of the footage. Movement onset of the catching hand and initiation of visual ball tracking emerged earlier when footage of the thrower was occluded at a later time point in the throwing action. Spatial occlusion did not affect catching success, although movement onset emerged later when increased visual information of the actor was occluded. Later movement onset was countered by greater maximum velocity of the catching hand. Final stages of action (e.g., grasping action of the hand) remained unchanged across both spatial and temporal conditions suggesting that later phases of the action were organized using ball flight information. Findings highlighted the importance of maintaining information-movement coupling during performance of interceptive actions, since movement behaviors were continuously (re)organized using kinematic information from a thrower's actions and ball flight information. Keywords: Perception-action coupling; Informational constraints; Interceptive timing; Gaze; Adaptive behaviors; Anticipation

Integrating advanced visual information with ball projection technology constrains dynamic interceptive actions

The role of advanced visual information in ball catching was investigated by integrating video images of action and ball projection technology in four different conditions: Integrated video and ball projection (VBP), Video-Only (VO), Ball Projection-Only (BPO) and Misleading Ball projection (MBP). Hand kinematics and gaze behaviour data were collected from participants who attempted to catch balls one handed in all conditions. During VBP, catching performance was more successful, tracking of the ball occurred earlier and lasted longer, with maximum grip aperture emerging earlier with a slower maximum velocity than in BPO. During VO, movement emerged later than VBP, with larger maximum and minimum grip aperture compared to VBP and BPO. Results provided evidence that advance information, prior to ball release, and vision of a ball’s trajectory are essential for successful performance and integrated projection technology may provide a representative design for studying interceptive actions

Optical spectrum of the post-AGB star HD56126 in the region 4010-8790 AA

We studied in detail the optical spectrum of the post-AGB star HD56126 (IRAS07134+1005). We use high resolution spectra (R=25000 and 60000) obtained with the echelle spectrographs of the 6-m telescope. About one and a half thousand absorptions of neutral atoms and ions, absorption bands of C_2, CN, and CH molecules, and interstellar bands (DIBs) are identified in the 4010 to 8790 AA wavelength region, and the depths and radial velocities of these spectral features are measured. Differences are revealed between the variations of the radial velocities measured from spectral features of different excitation. In addition to the well-known variability of the Halpha profile, we found variations in the profiles of a number of FeII, YII, and BaII lines. We also produce an atlas of the spectrum of HD56126 and its comparison staralpha Per. The full version of the atlas is available in electronic form from Web-address: http://www.sao.ru/hq/ssl/Atlas/Atlas.htmlComment: 42 pages, 6 figure

TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL OCCLUSION OF ADVANCED VISUAL INFORMATION CONSTRAIN EMERGENT COORDINATION OF ONE-HANDED CATCHING BEHAVIOURS

Introduction Dynamic interceptive actions, like catching, are performed under severe spatial and temporal constraints. Here, behavioral processes underpinning one-handed catching was examined using a novel spatial and temporal occlusion design which enabled precise control of pre-release visual information of an actor and a fully coupled action response. Methods An integrated video and ball projection machine was used to create four temporal occlusion and five spatial occlusion conditions of an actor throwing a ball towards participants. Twelve participants’ hand kinematics and gaze behaviors were recorded while attempting to catch a projected ball synchronized with the video footage. Results Temporal occlusion findings revealed that when footage was occluded at earlier time points, catching performance decreased. Movement onset of the catching hand and initiation of visual ball tracking emerged earlier when footage of the thrower was occluded at a later time point in the throwing action. Spatial occlusion did not affect catching success, although movement onset emerged later when increased visual information of the actor was occluded. Later movement onset was countered by greater maximum velocity of the catching hand. The final stages of action (e.g., grasping action of the hand) remained unchanged across both spatial and temporal conditions suggesting the later phases of the action were organised using ball flight information. Discussion Findings revealed how catching behaviors were continuously (re)organized and adapted as information became available in task performance, first by using kinematic information of a thrower's actions, and then by ball flight information. This highlighted the importance of maintaining information-movement coupling during performance of interceptive actions, with these behavioral adaptations having important implications for research that assesses interceptive skills based solely on pre-ball flight information, as in many current video-based simulation paradigms. Contact [email protected]

Spectroscopy of high proper motion stars in the ground--based UV

Based on high quality spectral data (spectral resolution R>60000) within the wavelength range of 3550-5000 AA we determined main parameters (effective temperature, surface gravity, microturbulent velocity, and chemical element abundances including heavy metals from Sr to Dy) for 14 metal-deficient G-K stars with large proper motions. The stars we studied have a wide range of metallicity: [Fe/H]=-0.3 \div -2.9. Abundances of Mg, Al, Sr and Ba were calculated with non-LTE line-formation effects accounted for. Abundances both of the radioactive element Th and r-process element Eu were determined using synthetic spectrum calculations. We selected stars that belong to different galactic populations according to the kinematical criterion and parameters determined by us. We found that the studied stars with large proper motions refer to different components of the Galaxy: thin, thick disks and halo. The chemical composition of the star BD+80 245 located far from the galactic plane agrees with its belonging to the accreted halo. For the giant HD115444 we obtained [Fe/H]=-2.91, underabundance of Mn, overabundance of heavy metals from Ba to Dy, and, especially high excess of the r-process element Europium: [Eu/Fe]=+1.26. Contrary to its chemical composition typical for halo stars, HD115444 belongs to the disc population according to its kinematic parameters.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures, 5 tables, "UV Universe-2010 (2nd NUVA Symposium) conference

Peculiarities and variations in the optical spectrum of the post-AGB star V448Lac=IRAS22223+4327

Repeated observations with high spectral resolution acquired in 1998-2008 are used to study the temporal behavior of the spectral line profiles and velocity field in the atmosphere and circumstellar envelope of the post-AGB star V448Lac. Asymmetry of the profiles of the strongest absorption lines with low-level excitation potentials less 1eV and time variations of these profiles have been detected, most prominently the profiles of the resonance lines of BaII, YII, LaII, SiII. The peculiarity of these profiles can be explained using a superposition of stellar absorption line and shell emission lines. Emission in the (0;1) 5635A Swan band of the C2 molecule has been detected in the spectrum of V448Lac for the first time. The core of the Halpha line displays radial velocity variations with an amplitude ~8 km/s. Radial velocity variations displayed by weakest metallic lines with lower amplitudes, 1-2 km/s, may be due to atmospheric pulsations. Differential line shifts, 0 -- 8 km/s, have been detected on various dates. The position of the molecular spectrum is stationary in time, indicating a constant expansion velocity of the circumstellar shell, Vexp=15.2 km/s, as derived from the C2 and NaI lines.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figures, 1 tabl

V2324Cyg - an F-type star with fast wind

For the first time high-resolution optical spectroscopy of the variable star V2324Cyg associated with the IR-source IRAS20572+4919 is made. More than 200 absorption features (mostly FeII, TiII, CrII, YII, BaII, and YII) are identified within the wavelength interval 4549-7880AA. The spectral type and rotation velocity of the star are found to be F0III and Vsini=69km/s, respectively. HI and NaID lines have complex PCyg-type profiles with an emission component. Neither systematic trend of radial velocity Vr with line depth Ro nor temporal variability of Vr have been found. We determined the average heliocentric radial velocity Vr=-16.8\pm 0.6km/s. The radial velocities inferred from the cores of the absorption components of the H$\beta$ and NaI wind lines vary from -140 to -225km/s (and the expansion velocities of the corresponding layers, from about 120 to 210km/s). The maximum expansion velocity is found for the blue component of the split H$\alpha$ absorption: 450km/s for December 12, 1995. The model atmospheres method is used to determine the star's parameters: Teff=7500K, log g=2.0, $\xi_t$=6.0km/s, and metallicity, which is equal to the solar value. The main peculiarity of the chemical abundances pattern is the overabundance of lithium and sodium. The results cast some doubt on the classification of V2324Cyg as a post-AGB star.Comment: 28 pages, 6 figure

The evolutionary status of the semiregular variable QYSge

Repeated spectroscopic observations made with the 6m telescope of yielded new data on the radial-velocity variability of the anomalous yellow supergiant QYSge. The strongest and most peculiar feature in its spectrum is the complex profile of NaI D lines, which contains a narrow and a very wide emission components. The wide emission component can be seen to extend from -170 to +120 km/s, and at its central part it is cut by an absorption feature, which, in turn, is split into two subcomponents by a narrow (16km/s at r=2.5) emission peak. An analysis of all the Vr values leads us to adopt for the star a systemic velocity of Vr=-21.1 km/s, which corresponds to the position of the narrow emission component of NaI. The locations of emission-line features of NaI D lines are invariable, which point to their formation in regions that are external to the supergiant's photosphere. Differential line shifts of about 10km/s are revealed. The absorption lines in the spectrum of QYSge have a substantial width of FWHM~45 km/s. The method of model atmospheres is used to determine the following parameters: Teff=6250K, lg g=2.0, and microturbulence Vt=4.5km/s. The metallicity of the star is found to be somewhat higher than the solar one with an average overabundance of iron-peak elements of [Met/H]=+0.20. The star is found to be slightly overabundant in carbon and nitrogen, [C/Fe]=+0.25, [N/Fe]=+0.27. The alpha-process elements Mg, Si, and Ca are slightly overabundant [alpha/H]=+0.12. The strong sodium excess, [Na/Fe]=+0.75, is likely to be due to the dredge-up of the matter processed in the NeNa cycle. Heavy elements of the s-process are underabundant relative to the Sun. On the whole, the observed properties of QYSge do not give grounds for including this star into the group of RCrB or RVTau-type type objects.Comment: 29 pages, 8 figures, 4 tables; accepted by Astrophys. Bulleti