68 research outputs found
San Pedro Meeting on Wide Field Variability Surveys: Some Concluding Comments
This is a written version of the closing talk at the 22nd Los Alamos Stellar
pulsation conference on wide field variability surveys. It comments on some of
the issues which arise from the meeting. These include the need for attention
to photometric standardization (especially in the infrared) and the somewhat
controversial problem of statistical bias in the use of parallaxes (and other
methods of distance determination). Some major advances in the use of pulsating
variables to study Galactic structure are mentioned. The paper includes a
clarification of apparently conflicting results from classical Cepheids and RR
Lyrae stars in the inner Galaxy and bulge. The importance of understanding
non-periodic phenomena in variable stars,particularly AGB variables and RCB
stars is stressed, especially for its relevance to mass-loss, in which
pulsation may only play a minor role.Comment: Conference on wide field variability surveys: a 21st-century
perspective, 8 pages in pres
A Remarkable Oxygen-rich Asymptotic Giant Branch Variable in the Sagittarius Dwarf Irregular Galaxy
We report and discuss JHKs photometry for Sgr dIG, a very metal-deficient
galaxy in the Local Group, obtained over 3.5 years with the Infrared Survey
Facility in South Africa. Three large amplitude asymptotic giant branch
variables are identified. One is an oxygen-rich star that has a pulsation
period of 950 days, that was until recently undergoing hot bottom burning, with
Mbol~-6.7. It is surprising to find a variable of this sort in Sgr dIG, given
their rarity in other dwarf irregulars. Despite its long period the star is
relatively blue and is fainter, at all wavelengths shorter than 4.5microns,
than anticipated from period-luminosity relations that describe hot bottom
burning stars. A comparison with models suggests it had a main sequence mass
Mi~5 times solar and that it is now near the end of its AGB evolution. The
other two periodic variables are carbon stars with periods of 670 and 503 days
(Mbol~-5.7 and -5.3). They are very similar to other such stars found on the
AGB of metal deficient Local Group Galaxies and a comparison with models
suggests Mi~3 times solar. We compare the number of AGB variables in Sgr dIG to
those in NGC6822 and IC1613, and suggest that the differences may be due to the
high specific star formation rate and low metallicity of Sgr dIG.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures, accepted for MNRA
Carbon-Rich Mira Variables: Kinematics and Absolute Magnitudes
The kinematics of galactic C-Miras are discussed on the basis of the
bolometric magnitudes and radial velocities of Papers I and II of this series.
Differential galactic rotation is used to derive a zero-point for the
bolometric period-luminosity relation which is in satisfactory agreement with
that inferred from the LMC C-Miras. We find for the galactic Miras, Mbol =
-2.54logP + 2.06 (+/- 0.24), where the slope is taken from the LMC. The mean
velocity dispersion, together with the data of Nordstroem et al. and the Padova
models, leads to a mean age for our sample of C-Miras of 1.8 +/- 0.4 Gyr and a
mean initial mass of 1.8 +/-0.2 solar masses. Evidence for a variation of
velocity dispersion with period is found, indicating a dependence of period on
age and initial mass, the longer period stars being younger. We discuss the
relation between the O- and C-Miras and also their relative numbers in
different systems.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
Cepheid Parallaxes and the Hubble Constant
Revised Hipparcos parallaxes for classical Cepheids are analysed together
with 10 HST-based parallaxes (Benedict et al.). In a reddening-free V,I
relation we find that the coefficient of logP is the same within the
uncertainties in our Galaxy as in the LMC, contrary to some previous
suggestions. Cepheids in the inner region of NGC4258 with near solar
metallicities (Macri et al.) confirm this result. We obtain a zero-point for
the reddening-free relation and apply it to Cepheids in galaxies used by
Sandage et al. to calibrate the absolute magnitudes of SNIa and to derive the
Hubble constant. We revise their result from 62 to 70+/-5 km/s/Mpc. The
Freedman et al. 2001 value is revised from 72 to 76+/-8 km/s/Mpc. These results
are insensitive to Cepheid metallicity corrections. The Cepheids in the inner
region of NGC4258 yield a modulus of 29.22+/-0.03(int) compared with a
maser-based modulus of 29.29+/-0.15. Distance moduli for the LMC, uncorrected
for any metallicity effects, are; 18.52+/-0.03 from a reddening-free relation
in V,I; 18.47+/-0.03 from a period-luminosity relation at K; 18.45+/-0.04 from
a period-luminosity-colour relation in J,K. Adopting a metallicity correction
in V,I from Marci et al. leads to a true LMC modulus of 18.39+/-0.05.Comment: 9 pages, 1 figure, on-line material from [email protected].
Accepted for MNRA
Period-Luminosity Relation for Type II Cepheids
We have estimated JHKs magnitudes corrected to mean intensity for LMC type II
Cepheids found in the OGLE-III survey. Period-luminosity relations (PLRs) are
derived in JHKs as well as in a reddening-free VI parameter. The BL Her stars
(P<4d) and the W Vir stars (P=4 to 20d) are co-linear in these PLRs. The slopes
of the infrared relations agree with those found previously for type II
Cepheids in globular clusters within the uncertainties. Using the pulsation
parallaxes of V553 Cen and SW Tau, the data lead to an LMC modulus of
18.46+-0.10 mag, uncorrected for any metallicity effects. We have now
established the PLR of type II Cepheids as a distance indicator by confirming
that (almost) the same PLR satisfies the distributions in the PL diagram of
type II Cepheids in (at least) two different systems, i.e. the LMC and Galactic
globular clusters, and by calibrating the zero point of the PLR. RV Tau stars
in the LMC, as a group, are not co-linear with the shorter-period type II
Cepheids in the infrared PLRs in marked contrast to such stars in globular
clusters. We note differences in period distribution and infrared colors for RV
Tau stars in the LMC, globular clusters and Galactic field. We also compare the
PLR of type II Cepheids with that of classical Cepheids.Comment: To appear in the proceedings for the conference "Stellar Pulsation:
Challenges for Theory and Observations" held in Santa Fe, US
Obscured Asymptotic Giant Branch Variables in the Large Magellanic Cloud and the Period-Luminosity Relation
The characteristics of oxygen-rich and carbon-rich, large amplitude (dK>0.4
mag), asymptotic giant branch variables in the Large Magellanic Clouds are
discussed, with an emphasis on those obscured by dust. Near-infrared
photometry, obtained over about 8 years, is combined with published
mid-infrared observations from IRAS and ISO to determine bolometric magnitudes
for 42 stars. Pulsation periods of the O-rich stars are in the range 116<P<1393
days, while those for C-rich stars have 298<P<939 days. In addition to the
regular pulsations, one O-rich star and four C-rich stars show large amplitude,
dK> 0.6 mag, secular or very long period variations which may be associated
with changes in their mass-loss rates. We discuss and compare various methods
of determining the bolometric magnitudes and show, perhaps surprisingly, that
most of the very long period stars seem to follow an extrapolation of the
period-luminosity relation determined for stars with shorter periods - although
the details do depend on how the bolometric magnitudes are calculated. Three
stars with thin shells, which are clearly more luminous than the obscured AGB
stars, are undergoing hot bottom burning, while other stars with similar
luminosities have yet to be investigated in sufficient detail to determine
their status in this regard. We suggest that an apparent change in slope of the
period luminosity relation around 400-420 days is caused by variables with
luminosities brighter than the predictions of the core-mass luminosity
relation, due to excess flux from hot bottom burning.Comment: 20 pages, 20 figures, accepted for MNRA
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