731 research outputs found
Estimating Be Star Disk Radii using H-alpha Emission Equivalent Widths
We present numerical models of the circumstellar disks of Be stars, and we
describe the resulting synthetic H-alpha emission lines and maps of the
wavelength-integrated emission flux projected onto the sky. We demonstrate that
there are monotonic relationships between the emission line equivalent width
and the ratio of the angular half-width at half maximum of the projected disk
major axis to the radius of the star. These relationships depend mainly upon
the temperatures of the disk and star, the inclination of the disk normal to
the line of sight, and the adopted outer boundary for the disk radius. We show
that the predicted H-alpha disk radii are consistent with those observed
directly through long baseline interferometry of nearby Be stars (especially
once allowance is made for disk truncation in binaries and for dilution of the
observed H-alpha equivalent width by continuum disk flux in the V-band).Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures, ApJL in pres
Observational Constraints on Interstellar Grain Alignment
We present new multicolor photo-polarimetry of stars behind the Southern
Coalsack. Analyzed together with multiband polarization data from the
literature, probing the Chamaeleon I, Musca, rho Opiuchus, R CrA and Taurus
clouds, we show that the wavelength of maximum polarization (lambda_max) is
linearly correlated with the radiation environment of the grains. Using
Far-Infrared emission data, we show that the large scatter seen in previous
studies of lambda_max as a function of A_V is primarily due to line of sight
effects causing some A_V measurements to not be a good tracer of the extinction
(radiation field strength) seen by the grains being probed. The derived slopes
in lambda_max vs. A_V, for the individual clouds, are consistent with a common
value, while the zero intercepts scale with the average values of the ratios of
total-to-selective extinction (R_V) for the individual clouds. Within each
cloud we do not find direct correlations between lambda_max and R_V. The
positive slope in consistent with recent developments in theory and indicating
alignment driven by the radiation field. The present data cannot conclusively
differentiate between direct radiative torques and alignment driven by H_2
formation. However, the small values of lambda_max(A_V=0), seen in several
clouds, suggest a role for the latter, at least at the cloud surfaces. The
scatter in the lambda_max vs. A_V relation is found to be associated with the
characteristics of the embedded Young Stellar Objects (YSO) in the clouds. We
propose that this is partially due to locally increased plasma damping of the
grain rotation caused by X-rays from the YSOs.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa
Cambio Global. Impacto de la Actividad Humana sobre el Sistema Tierra
Esta obra, dirigida al pĂșblico en general y elaborada por un equipo interdisciplinar, aborda con un lenguaje claro y asequible pero sin renunciar al rigor cientĂfico, el complejo problema del cambio global, un desafĂo de dimensiones colosales para la humanidad. El cambio global se define en esta obra como el conjunto de cambios en los procesos fundamentales que definen el
funcionamiento de la biosfera derivados de la actividad humana. Los autores describen las mĂșltiples dimensiones del cambio global, sus causas y sus consecuencias. Se describe la transformaciĂłn de la superficie del planeta Tierra por la actividad humana y sus impactos sobre los ciclos del agua, los
elementos y el sistema climĂĄtico, incluyendo la introducciĂłn de miles de compuestos quĂmicos sintĂ©ticos en la biosfera. Esta exposiciĂłn pretende despejar la confusiĂłn que el aluviĂłn de noticias e informaciones, a veces contradictorias, genera en la sociedad. Los autores prestan particular atenciĂłn a la definiciĂłn de las estrategias de adaptaciĂłn y mitigaciĂłn que los distintos actores de la sociedad, desde ciudadanos a
polĂticos, pueden desplegar para minimizar el impacto del cambio global, animĂĄndoles al mismo tiempo a aprovechar las oportunidades que estos cambios pueden conllevar
A GLIMPSE into the Nature of Galactic Mid-IR Excesses
We investigate the nature of the mid-IR excess for 31 intermediate-mass stars
that exhibit an 8 micron excess in either the Galactic Legacy Infrared
Mid-Plane Survey Extraordinaire or the Mid-Course Space Experiment using high
resolution optical spectra to identify stars surrounded by warm circumstellar
dust. From these data we determine projected stellar rotational velocities and
estimate stellar effective temperatures for the sample. We estimate stellar
ages from these temperatures, parallactic distances, and evolutionary models.
Using MIPS [24] measurements and stellar parameters we determine the nature of
the infrared excess for 19 GLIMPSE stars. We find that 15 stars exhibit Halpha
emission and four exhibit Halpha absorption. Assuming that the mid-IR excesses
arise in circumstellar disks, we use the Halpha fluxes to model and estimate
the relative contributions of dust and free-free emission. Six stars exhibit
Halpha fluxes that imply free-free emission can plausibly explain the infrared
excess at [24]. These stars are candidate classical Be stars. Nine stars
exhibit Halpha emission, but their Halpha fluxes are insufficient to explain
the infrared excesses at [24], suggesting the presence of a circumstellar dust
component. After the removal of the free-free component in these sources, we
determine probable disk dust temperatures of Tdisk~300-800 K and fractional
infrared luminosities of L(IR)/L(*)~10^-3. These nine stars may be
pre-main-sequence stars with transitional disks undergoing disk clearing. Three
of the four sources showing Halpha absorption exhibit circumstellar disk
temperatures ~300-400 K, L(IR)/L(*)~10^-3, IR colors K-[24]< 3.3, and are warm
debris disk candidates. One of the four Halpha absorption sources has K-[24]>
3.3 implying an optically thick outer disk and is a transition disk candidate.Comment: 17 figures. Accepted for publication in Ap
Deep X-ray survey of the young open cluster NGC 2516 with XMM-Newton
We report on a deep X-ray survey of the young (~ 140 Myr), rich open cluster
NGC 2516 obtained with the EPIC camera on board the XMM-Newton satellite. By
combining data from six observations, a high sensitivity, greater than a factor
5 with respect to recent Chandra observations, has been achieved. We detected
431 X-ray sources and 234 of them have as optical counterparts cluster stars
spanning the entire NGC 2516 Main Sequence. The X-ray luminosities of cluster
stars span the range log Lx (erg/s) = 28.4 - 30.8. The representative
temperatures span the 0.3 - 0.6 keV (3.5 - 8 MK) range for the cool component
and 1.0 - 2.0 keV (12 -- 23 MK) for the hot one; similar values are found in
other young open clusters like the Pleiades, IC 2391, and Blanco 1. While no
significant differences are found in X-ray spectra, NGC 2516 solar type stars
are definitely less luminous in X-rays than the nearly coeval Pleiades. The
comparison with a previous ROSAT survey evidence the lack of variability
amplitudes larger than a factor 2 in solar type stars in a ~11 yr time scale of
the cluster and thus activity cycles like in the Sun are probably absent or
different by period and amplitude in young stars.Comment: 37 pages, 13 figures, to be published on A&
Identification of particles with Lorentz factor up to with Transition Radiation Detectors based on micro-strip silicon detectors
This work is dedicated to the study of a technique for hadron identification
in the TeV momentum range, based on the simultaneous measurement of the
energies and of the emission angles of the Transition Radiation (TR) X-rays
with respect to the radiating particles. A detector setup has been built and
tested with particles in a wide range of Lorentz factors (from about to
about crossing different types of radiators. The measured
double-differential (in energy and angle) spectra of the TR photons are in a
reasonably good agreement with TR simulation predictions.Comment: 31 pages, 12 figures, paper published on Nuclear Instruments &
Methods
Stellar Rotation in Young Clusters. I. Evolution of Projected Rotational Velocity Distributions
Open clusters offer us the means to study stellar properties in samples with
well-defined ages and initial chemical composition. Here we present a survey of
projected rotational velocities for a large sample of mainly B-type stars in
young clusters to study the time evolution of the rotational properties of
massive stars. The survey is based upon moderate resolution spectra made with
the WIYN 3.5 m and CTIO 4 m telescopes and Hydra multi-object spectrographs,
and the target stars are members of 19 young open clusters with an age range of
approximately 6 to 73 Myr. We made fits of the observed lines He I 4026, 4387,
4471 and Mg II 4481 using model theoretical profiles to find projected
rotational velocities for a total of 496 OB stars. We find that there are fewer
slow rotators among the cluster B-type stars relative to nearby B stars in the
field. We present evidence consistent with the idea that the more massive B
stars (M > 9 solar masses) spin down during their main sequence phase. However,
we also find that the rotational velocity distribution appears to show an
increase in the numbers of rapid rotators among clusters with ages of 10 Myr
and higher. These rapid rotators appear to be distributed between the zero age
and terminal age main sequence locations in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram,
and thus only a minority of them can be explained as the result of a spin up at
the terminal age main sequence due to core contraction. We suggest instead that
some of these rapid rotators may have been spun up through mass transfer in
close binary systems.Comment: 33 pages, 11 figures, accepted by Ap
Stellar Rotation in Young Clusters. II. Evolution of Stellar Rotation and Surface Helium Abundance
We derive the effective temperatures and gravities of 461 OB stars in 19
young clusters by fitting the H-gamma profile in their spectra. We use
synthetic model profiles for rotating stars to develop a method to estimate the
polar gravity for these stars, which we argue is a useful indicator of their
evolutionary status. We combine these results with projected rotational
velocity measurements obtained in a previous paper on these same open clusters.
We find that the more massive B-stars experience a spin down as predicted by
the theories for the evolution of rotating stars. Furthermore, we find that the
members of binary stars also experience a marked spin down with advanced
evolutionary state due to tidal interactions. We also derive non-LTE-corrected
helium abundances for most of the sample by fitting the He I 4026, 4387, 4471
lines. A large number of helium peculiar stars are found among cooler stars
with Teff < 23000 K. The analysis of the high mass stars (8.5 solar masses < M
< 16 solar masses) shows that the helium enrichment process progresses through
the main sequence (MS) phase and is greater among the faster rotators. This
discovery supports the theoretical claim that rotationally induced internal
mixing is the main cause of surface chemical anomalies that appear during the
MS phase. The lower mass stars appear to have slower rotation rates among the
low gravity objects, and they have a large proportion of helium peculiar stars.
We suggest that both properties are due to their youth. The low gravity stars
are probably pre-main sequence objects that will spin up as they contract.
These young objects very likely host a remnant magnetic field from their natal
cloud, and these strong fields sculpt out surface regions with unusual chemical
abundances.Comment: 50 pages 18 figures, accepted by Ap
An atlas of 2.4 to 4.1 microns ISO/SWS spectra of early-type stars
We present an atlas of spectra of O- and B-type stars, obtained with the
Short Wavelength Spectrometer (SWS) during the Post-Helium program of the
Infrared Space Observatory (ISO). This program is aimed at extending the Morgan
& Keenan classification scheme into the near-infrared. Later type stars will be
discussed in a seperate publication. The observations consist of 57 SWS
Post-Helium spectra from 2.4 to 4.1 microns, supplemented with 10 spectra
acquired during the nominal mission with a similar observational setting. For
B-type stars, this sample provides ample spectral converage in terms of subtype
and luminosity class. For O-type stars,the ISO sample is coarse and therefore
is complemented with 8 UKIRT L'-band observations. In terms of the presence of
diagnostic lines, the L'-band is likely the most promising of the near-infrared
atmospheric windows for the study of the physical properties of B stars.
Specifically, this wavelength interval contains the Brackett alpha, Pfund
gamma, and other Pfund lines which are probes of spectral type, luminosity
class and mass loss. Here, we present simple empirical methods based on the
lines present in the 2.4 to 4.1 microns interval that allow the determination
of: the spectral type of B dwarfs and giants to within two subtypes; the
luminosity class of B stars to within two classes; the mass-loss rate of O
stars and B supergiants to within 0.25 dex.Comment: 19 pages, 11 Postscript figures, accepted by A&
What are the hot R Coronae Borealis stars?
We investigate the evolutionary status of four stars: V348 Sgr, DY Cen, and MV Sgr in the Galaxy and HV 2671 in the LMC. These stars have in common random deep declines in visual brightness, which are characteristic of R Coronae Borealis (RCB) stars. RCB stars are typically cool hydrogen-deficient supergiants. The four stars studied in this paper are hotter (Teff = 15â20 kK) than the majority of RCB stars (Teff = 5000â7000 K). Although these are commonly grouped together as the hot RCB stars they do not necessarily share a common evolutionary history. We present new observational data and an extensive collection of archival and previously published data that is reassessed to ensure internal consistency. We find temporal variations of various properties on different timescales that will eventually help us to uncover the evolutionary history of these objects. DY Cen and MV Sgr have typical RCB helium abundances, which exclude any currently known postâasymptotic giant branch (post-AGB) evolutionary models. Moreover, their carbon and nitrogen abundances present us with further problems for their interpretation. V348 Sgr and HV 2671 are in general agreement with a born-again post-AGB evolution, and their abundances are similar to Wolf-Rayet central stars of planetary nebulae (PNs). The three Galactic stars in the sample have circumstellar nebulae, which produce forbidden line radiation (for HV 2671 we have no information). V348 Sgr and DY Cen have low-density, low-expansion velocity nebulae (resolved in the case of V348 Sgr), while MV Sgr has a higher density, higher expansion velocity nebula. All three stars, on the other hand, have split emission lines, which indicate the presence of an equatorial bulge but not of a Keplerian disk. In addition, the historical light curves for the three Galactic hot RCB stars show evidence for a significant fading in their maximum-light brightnesses of ~1 mag over the last 70 yr. From this we deduce that their effective temperatures increased by a few thousand degrees. If V348 Sgr is a born-again star, as we presume, this means that the star is returning from the born-again AGB phase to the phase of a central star of PN. Spectroscopically, no dramatic change is observed over the last 50 years for V348 Sgr and MV Sgr. However, there is some evidence that the winds of V348 Sgr and DY Cen have increased in strength in the last decade. HV 2671, located in the LMC, has not been analyzed in detail but at 5 Ă
⊠resolution is almost identical to V348 Sgr. Through the bolometric correction derived for V348 Sgr and the known distance, we can estimate the absolute Îœ magnitude of HV 2671 (MÎœ = -3.0 mag) and its bolometric luminosity (~6000 Lâ)
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