151 research outputs found
Kinematic and Spatial Substructure in NGC 2264
We present an expanded kinematic study of the young cluster NGC 2264 based
upon optical radial velocities measured using multi-fiber echelle spectroscopy
at the 6.5 meter MMT and Magellan telescopes. We report radial velocities for
695 stars, of which approximately 407 stars are confirmed or very likely
members. Our results more than double the number of members with radial
velocities from F{\H u}r{\'e}sz et al., resulting in a much better defined
kinematic relationship between the stellar population and the associated
molecular gas.
In particular, we find that there is a significant subset of stars that are
systematically blueshifted with respect to the molecular (CO) gas. The
detection of Lithium absorption and/or infrared excesses in this blue-shifted
population suggests that at least some of these stars are cluster members; we
suggest some speculative scenarios to explain their kinematics. Our results
also more clearly define the redshifted population of stars in the northern end
of the cluster; we suggest that the stellar and gas kinematics of this region
are the result of a bubble driven by the wind from O7 star S Mon. Our results
emphasize the complexity of the spatial and kinematic structure of NGC 2264,
important for eventually building up a comprehensive picture of cluster
formation.Comment: Accepted to AJ. 38 pages, 5 Figures 3 Table
REM near-IR and optical photometric monitoring of Pre-Main Sequence Stars in Orion
We performed an intensive photometric monitoring of the PMS stars falling in
a field of about 10x10 arc-minutes in the vicinity of the Orion Nebula Cluster
(ONC). Photometric data were collected between November 2006 and January 2007
with the REM telescope in the VRIJHK' bands. The largest number of observations
is in the I band (about 2700 images) and in J and H bands (about 500 images in
each filter). From the observed rotational modulation, induced by the presence
of surface inhomogeneities, we derived the rotation periods for 16 stars and
improved previous determinations for the other 13. The analysis of the spectral
energy distributions and, for some stars, of high-resolution spectra provided
us with the main stellar parameters (luminosity, effective temperature, mass,
age, and vsini). We also report the serendipitous detection of two strong
flares in two of these objects. In most cases, the light-curve amplitudes
decrease progressively from the R to H band as expected for cool starspots,
while in a few cases, they can only be modelled by the presence of hot spots,
presumably ascribable to magnetospheric accretion. The application of our own
spot model to the simultaneous light curves in different bands allowed us to
deduce the spot parameters and particularly to disentangle the spot temperature
and size effects on the observed light curves.Comment: 29 pages, 24 figure
The Deformable Mirror Demonstration Mission (DeMi) CubeSat: optomechanical design validation and laboratory calibration
Coronagraphs on future space telescopes will require precise wavefront
correction to detect Earth-like exoplanets near their host stars. High-actuator
count microelectromechanical system (MEMS) deformable mirrors provide wavefront
control with low size, weight, and power. The Deformable Mirror Demonstration
Mission (DeMi) payload will demonstrate a 140 actuator MEMS deformable mirror
(DM) with \SI{5.5}{\micro\meter} maximum stroke. We present the flight
optomechanical design, lab tests of the flight wavefront sensor and wavefront
reconstructor, and simulations of closed-loop control of wavefront aberrations.
We also present the compact flight DM controller, capable of driving up to 192
actuator channels at 0-250V with 14-bit resolution. Two embedded Raspberry Pi 3
compute modules are used for task management and wavefront reconstruction. The
spacecraft is a 6U CubeSat (30 cm x 20 cm x 10 cm) and launch is planned for
2019.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figues. Presented at SPIE Astronomical Telescopes +
Instrumentation, Austin, Texas, US
The Kepler Follow-up Observation Program
The Kepler Mission was launched on March 6, 2009 to perform a photometric
survey of more than 100,000 dwarf stars to search for terrestrial-size planets
with the transit technique. Follow-up observations of planetary candidates
identified by detection of transit-like events are needed both for
identification of astrophysical phenomena that mimic planetary transits and for
characterization of the true planets and planetary systems found by Kepler. We
have developed techniques and protocols for detection of false planetary
transits and are currently conducting observations on 177 Kepler targets that
have been selected for follow-up. A preliminary estimate indicates that between
24% and 62% of planetary candidates selected for follow-up will turn out to be
true planets.Comment: 12 pages, submitted to the Astrophysical Journal Letter
Kepler-7b: A Transiting Planet with Unusually Low Density
We report the discovery and confirmation of Kepler-7b, a transiting planet
with unusually low density. The mass is less than half that of Jupiter, Mp =
0.43 Mj, but the radius is fifty percent larger, Rp = 1.48 Rj. The resulting
density, 0.17 g/cc, is the second lowest reported so far for an extrasolar
planet. The orbital period is fairly long, P = 4.886 days, and the host star is
not much hotter than the Sun, Teff = 6000 K. However, it is more massive and
considerably larger than the sun, Mstar = 1.35 Msun and Rstar = 1.84 Rsun, and
must be near the end of its life on the Main Sequence.Comment: 19 pages, 3 figure
CSI 2264: Characterizing Accretion-Burst Dominated Light Curves for Young Stars in NGC 2264
Based on more than four weeks of continuous high cadence photometric
monitoring of several hundred members of the young cluster NGC 2264 with two
space telescopes, NASA's Spitzer and the CNES CoRoT (Convection, Rotation, and
planetary Transits), we provide high quality, multi-wavelength light curves for
young stellar objects (YSOs) whose optical variability is dominated by short
duration flux bursts, which we infer are due to enhanced mass accretion rates.
These light curves show many brief -- several hour to one day -- brightenings
at optical and near-infrared (IR) wavelengths with amplitudes generally in the
range 5-50% of the quiescent value. Typically, a dozen or more of these bursts
occur in a thirty day period. We demonstrate that stars exhibiting this type of
variability have large ultraviolet (UV) excesses and dominate the portion of
the u-g vs. g-r color-color diagram with the largest UV excesses. These stars
also have large Halpha equivalent widths, and either centrally peaked, lumpy
Halpha emission profiles or profiles with blue-shifted absorption dips
associated with disk or stellar winds. Light curves of this type have been
predicted for stars whose accretion is dominated by Rayleigh-Taylor
instabilities at the boundary between their magnetosphere and inner
circumstellar disk, or where magneto-rotational instabilities modulate the
accretion rate from the inner disk. Amongst the stars with the largest UV
excesses or largest Halpha equivalent widths, light curves with this type of
variability greatly outnumber light curves with relatively smooth sinusoidal
variations associated with long-lived hot spots. We provide quantitative
statistics for the average duration and strength of the accretion bursts and
for the fraction of the accretion luminosity associated with these bursts.Comment: Accepted for publication in AJ. 39 pages; 6 tables; 25 figures, many
of which are highly degraded to meet size limits. Please download the regular
resolution version at
http://web.ipac.caltech.edu/staff/amc/staufferetal2014.pd
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