521 research outputs found
A Survey of Proper Motion Stars. XVII. A Deficiency of Binary Stars on Retrograde Galactic Orbits and the Possibility that omega Centauri is Related to the Effect
We find a deficiency of binary stars moving on strongly retrograde Galactic
orbits. No binary deficiencies are seen for U or W velocities, however. From
theoretical analyses, we rule out preferential disruption of pre-existing
binary stars due to encounters with massive perturbers. We also rule out
globular clusters as the source of the effect since prograde motions are more
likely to create such an effect. We search for star streams and find one
possible candidate, but it is not on a retrograde orbit and probably represents
the remains of a cluster that has passed too near the Galactic center. Based on
a very small number of stars, we find that about the right fraction of stars on
retrograde Galactic orbits share some chemical similarities to the cluster
omega Cen, suggesting that its parent galaxy could be the explanation.Comment: To appear in the Astronomical Journal (March 2005 issue
BD+36 3317: An algol type eclipsing binary in Delta Lyrae cluster
In this paper, we present standard Johnson UBV photometry of the eclipsing
binary BD+36 3317 which is known as a member of Delta Lyrae (Stephenson 1)
cluster. We determined colors and brightness of the system, calculated E(B - V)
color excess. We discovered that the system shows total eclipse in secondary
minimum. Using this advantage, we found that the primary component of the
system has B9 - A0 spectral type. Although there is no published orbital
solution, we tried to estimate the physical properties of the system from
simultaneous analysis of UBV light curves with 2003 version of Wilson-Devinney
code. Then we considered photometric solution results together with
evolutionary models and estimated the masses of the components as M1 = 2.5 Msun
and M2 = 1.6 Msun. Those estimations gave the distance of the system as 353 pc.
Considering the uncertainties in distance estimation, resulting distance is in
agreement with the distance of Delta Lyrae cluster.Comment: 18 pages, 4 figures, 5 table
Dynamical evolution of active detached binaries on log Jo - log M diagram and contact binary formation
Orbital angular momentum (Jo), systemic mass (M) and orbital period (P)
distributions of chromospherically active binaries (CAB) and W Ursae Majoris (W
UMa) systems were investigated. The diagrams of log Jo - log P, log M - log P
and log Jo-log M were formed from 119 CAB and 102 W UMa stars. The log Jo-log M
diagram is found to be most meaningful in demonstrating dynamical evolution of
binary star orbits. A slightly curved borderline (contact border) separating
the detached and the contact systems was discovered on the log Jo - log M
diagram. Since orbital size (a) and period (P) of binaries are determined by
their current Jo, M and mass ratio q, the rates of orbital angular momentum
loss (dlog Jo/dt) and mass loss (dlog M/dt) are primary parameters to determine
the direction and the speed of the dynamical evolution. A detached system
becomes a contact system if its own dynamical evolution enables it to pass the
contact border on the log Jo - log M diagram. Evolution of q for a mass loosing
detached system is unknown unless mass loss rate for each component is known.
Assuming q is constant in the first approximation and using the mean decreasing
rates of Jo and M from the kinematical ages of CAB stars, it has been predicted
that 11, 23 and 39 cent of current CAB stars would transform to W UMa systems
if their nuclear evolution permits them to live 2, 4 and 6 Gyrs respectively.Comment: 28 pages, including 6 figures and 2 tables, accepted for publication
in MNRA
The Age of the Oldest Stars in the Local Galactic Disk From Hipparcos Parallaxes of G and K Subgiants
We review the history of the discovery of field subgiant stars and their
importance in the age dating of the Galactic disk. We use the cataloged data
from the Hipparcos satellite in this latter capacity. Based on Hipparcos
parallaxes accurate to 10% or better, the absolute magnitude of the lower
envelope of the nearly horizontal subgiant sequence for field stars in the H-R
diagram for B-V colors between 0.85 and 1.05 is measured to be M_V = 4.03 +/-
0.06. The age of the field stars in the solar neighborhood is found to be 7.9
+/- 0.7 Gyr by fitting the theoretical isochrones for [Fe/H] = +0.37 to the
lower envelope of the Hipparcos subgiants. The same grid of isochrones yields
ages, in turn, of 4.0 +/- 0.2 Gyr, 6.2 +/- 0.5 Gyr, and 7.5 to 10 Gyr for the
old Galactic clusters M67, NGC188, and NGC6791. The ages of both the Galactic
disk in the solar neighborhood and of NGC6791 are, nevertheless, likely between
3 and 5 Gyr younger than the oldest halo globular clusters, which have ages of
13.5 Gyr. The most significant results are (1) the supermetallicity of the
oldest local disk stars, and (2) the large age difference between the most
metal-poor component of the halo and the thick and thin disk in the solar
neighborhood. These facts are undoubtedly related and pose again the problem of
the proper scenario for the timing of events in the formation of the halo and
the Galactic disk in the solar neighborhood. [Abstract Abridged]Comment: 44 pages, 12 Figures; accepted for publication in PASP; high
resolution versions of Figures 1, 2, 6 and 9 available at
http://bubba.ucdavis.edu/~lubin/Sandage
The nearest young moving groups
The latest results in the research of forming planetary systems have led
several authors to compile a sample of candidates for searching for planets in
the vicinity of the sun. Young stellar associations are indeed excellent
laboratories for this study, but some of them are not close enough to allow the
detection of planets through adaptive optics techniques. However, the existence
of very close young moving groups can solve this problem. Here we have compiled
the members of the nearest young moving groups, as well as a list of new
candidates from our catalogue of late-type stars possible members of young
stellar kinematic groups, studying their membership through spectroscopic and
photometric criteria.Comment: Latex file with 16 pages, 4 figures. Available at
http://www.ucm.es/info/Astrof/invest/actividad/skg/skg_sag.html Accepted for
publication in: The Astrophysical Journal (ApJ
Uptake and translocation of organophosphates and other emerging contaminants in food and forage crops
Emerging contaminants in wastewater and sewage sludge spread on agricultural soil can be transferred to the human food web directly by uptake into food crops or indirectly following uptake into forage crops. This study determined uptake and translocation of the organophosphates tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP) (log K(ow) 2.59), triethyl-chloro-phosphate (TCEP) (log K(ow) 1.44), tributyl phosphate (TBP) (log K(ow) 4.0), the insect repellent N,N-diethyl toluamide (DEET) (log K(ow) 2.18) and the plasticiser N-butyl benzenesulfonamide (NBBS) (log K(ow) 2.31) in barley, wheat, oilseed rape, meadow fescue and four cultivars of carrot. All species were grown in pots of agricultural soil, freshly amended contaminants in the range of 0.6â1.0Â mg/kg dry weight, in the greenhouse. The bioconcentration factors for root (RCF), leaf (LCF) and seed (SCF) were calculated as plant concentration in root, leaf or seed over measured initial soil concentration, both in dry weight. The chlorinated flame retardants (TCEP and TCPP) displayed the highest bioconcentration factors for leaf and seed but did not show the same pattern for all crop species tested. For TCEP, which has been phased out due to toxicity but is still found in sewage sludge and wastewater, LCF was 3.9 in meadow fescue and 42.3 in carrot. For TCPP, which has replaced TCEP in many products and also occurs in higher residual levels in sewage sludge and wastewater, LCF was high for meadow fescue and carrot (25.9 and 17.5, respectively). For the four cultivars of carrot tested, the RCF range for TCPP and TCEP was 10â20 and 1.7â4.6, respectively. TCPP was detected in all three types of seeds tested (SCF, 0.015â0.110). Despite that DEET and NBBS have log K(ow) in same range as TCPP and TCEP, generally lower bioconcentration factors were measured. Based on the high translocation of TCPP and TCEP to leaves, especially TCPP, into meadow fescue (a forage crop for livestock animals), ongoing risk assessments should be conducted to investigate the potential effects of these compounds in the food web. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11356-012-1363-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users
Dynamical Masses of Young Stars in Multiple Systems
We present recent measurements of the orbital motion in the young binaries DF
Tau and ZZ Tau, and the hierarchical triple Elias 12, that were obtained with
the Fine Guidance Sensors on the HST and at the Keck Observatory using adaptive
optics. Combining these observations with previous measurements from the
literature, we compute preliminary orbital parameters for DF Tau and ZZ Tau. We
find that the orbital elements cannot yet be determined precisely because the
orbital coverage spans only about 90 degr in position angle. Nonetheless, the
range of possible values for the period and semi-major axis already defines a
useful estimate for the total mass in DF Tau and ZZ Tau, with values of
0.90{+0.85}{-0.35} M_sun and 0.81{+0.44}{-0.25} M_sun, respectively, at a
fiducial distance of 140 pc.Comment: 26 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in A
New high-sensitivity, milliarcsecond resolution results from routine observations of lunar occultations at the ESO VLT
(Abridged) Lunar occultations (LO) are a very efficient and powerful
technique, that achieves the best combination of high angular resolution and
sensitivity possible today at near-infrared wavelengths. Given that the events
are fixed in time, that the sources are occulted randomly, and that the
telescope use is minimal, the technique is very well suited for service mode
observations. We have established a program of routine LO observations at the
VLT observatory, especially designed to take advantage of short breaks
available in-between other programs. We have used the ISAAC instrument in burst
mode, capable of producing continuous read-outs at millisecond rates on a
suitable subwindow. Given the random nature of the source selection, our aim
has been primarily the investigation of a large number of stellar sources at
the highest angular resolution in order to detect new binaries. Serendipitous
results such as resolved sources and detection of circumstellar components were
also anticipated. We have recorded the signal from background stars for a few
seconds, around the predicted time of occultation by the Moon's dark limb. At
millisecond time resolution, a characteristic diffraction pattern can be
observed. Patterns for two or more sources superimpose linearly, and this
property is used for the detection of binary stars. The detailed analysis of
the diffraction fringes can be used to measure specific properties such as the
stellar angular size and the presence of extended light sources such as a
circumstellar shell. We present a list of 191 stars for which LO data could be
recorded and analyzed. Results include the detection of 16 binary and 2 triple
stars, all but one of which were previously unknown. The projected angular
separations are as small as 4 milliarcseconds and magnitude differences as high
as ?K=5.8 mag...Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, to be published in A&
Identification of a nearby stellar association in the Hipparcos catalog: implications for recent, local star formation
The TW Hydrae Association (~55 pc from Earth) is the nearest known region of
recent star formation. Based primarily on the Hipparcos catalog, we have now
identified a group of 9 or 10 co-moving star systems at a common distance (~45
pc) from Earth that appear to comprise another, somewhat older, association
(``the Tucanae Association''). Together with ages and motions recently
determined for some nearby field stars, the existence of the Tucanae and TW
Hydrae Associations suggests that the Sun is now close to a region that was the
site of substantial star formation only 10-40 million years ago. The TW Hydrae
Association represents a final chapter in the local star formation history.Comment: 5 pages incl figs and table
The Masses Of The B-Stars In The High Galactic Latitude Eclipsing Binary IT Lib
A number of blue stars which appear to be similar to Population I B-stars in
the star forming regions of the galactic disk are found more than 1 kpc from
the galactic plane. Uncertainties about the true distances and masses of these
high latitude B-stars has fueled a debate as to their origin and evolutionary
status. The eclipsing binary IT Lib is composed of two B-stars, is
approximately one kiloparsec above the galactic plane, and is moving back
toward the plane. Observations of the light and velocity curves presented here
lead to the conclusion that the B-stars in this system are massive young
main-sequence stars. While there are several possible explanations, it appears
most plausible that the IT Lib system formed in the disk about 30 million years
ago and was ejected on a trajectory taking it to its present position.Comment: 26 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in the PASP (January
2003
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