646 research outputs found
A near-infrared survey for Galactic Wolf-Rayet stars
Initial results, techniques, and rationale for a near-infrared survey of
evolved emission-line stars toward the Galactic Center are presented. We use
images taken through narrow-band emission-line and continuum filters to select
candidates for spectroscopic follow-up. The filters are optimized for the
detection of Wolf-Rayet stars and other objects which exhibit emission-lines in
the 2 micron region. Approximately three square degrees along the Galactic
plane have been analyzed in seven narrow-filters (four emission-lines and three
continuum). Four new Wolf-Rayet stars have been found which are the subject of
a following paper.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Investigation of transit-selected exoplanet candidates from the MACHO survey
Context: Planets outside our solar system transiting their host star, i. e.
those with an orbital inclination near 90 degree, are of special interest to
derive physical properties of extrasolar planets. With the knowledge of the
host star's physical parameters, the planetary radius can be determined.
Combined with spectroscopic observations the mass and therefore the density can
be derived from Doppler-measurements. Depending on the brightness of the host
star, additional information, e. g. about the spin-orbit alignment between the
host star and planetary orbit, can be obtained.
Aims: The last few years have witnessed a growing success of transit surveys.
Among other surveys, the MACHO project provided nine potential transiting
planets, several of them with relatively bright parent stars. The photometric
signature of a transit event is, however, insufficient to confirm the planetary
nature of the faint companion. The aim of this paper therefore is a
determination of the spectroscopic parameters of the host stars as well as a
dynamical mass determination through Doppler-measurements.
Methods: We have obtained follow-up high-resolution spectra for five stars
selected from the MACHO sample, which are consistent with transits of
low-luminosity objects. Radial velocities have been determined by means of
cross-correlation with model spectra. The MACHO light curves have been compared
to simulations based on the physical parameters of the system derived from the
radial velocities and spectral analyses.
Aims: We show that all transit light curves of the exoplanet candidates
analysed in this work can be explained by eclipses of stellar objects, hence
none of the five transiting objects is a planet.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in A&
Progress in Modeling Very Low Mass Stars, Brown Dwarfs, and Planetary Mass Objects
We review recent advancements in modeling the stellar to substellar
transition. The revised molecular opacities, solar oxygen abundances and cloud
models allow to reproduce the photometric and spectroscopic properties of this
transition to a degree never achieved before, but problems remain in the
important M-L transition characteristic of the effective temperature range of
characterizable exoplanets. We discuss of the validity of these classical
models. We also present new preliminary global Radiation HydroDynamical M
dwarfs simulations.Comment: Submitted to Mem. S. A. It. Supp
Internal Kinematics of Luminous Compact Blue Galaxies
We describe the dynamical properties which may be inferred from HST/STIS
spectroscopic observations of luminous compact blue galaxies (LCBGs) between
0.1<z<0.7. While the sample is homogeneous in blue rest-frame color, small size
and line-width, and high surface-brightness, their detailed morphology is
eclectic. Here we determine the amplitude of rotation versus random, or
disturbed motions of the ionized gas. This information affirms the accuracy of
dynamical mass and M/L estimates from Keck integrated line-widths, and hence
also the predictions of the photometric fading of these unusual galaxies. The
resolved kinematics indicates this small subset of LCBGs are dynamically hot,
and unlikely to be embedded in disk systems.Comment: To appear in "Starbursts: from 30 Doradus to Lyman Break Galaxies"
2005, eds. R. de Grijs and R. M. Gonzalez Delgado (Kluwer
High-contrast imaging of Sirius~A with VLT/SPHERE: Looking for giant planets down to one astronomical unit
Sirius has always attracted a lot of scientific interest, especially after
the discovery of a companion white dwarf at the end of the 19th century. Very
early on, the existence of a potential third body was put forward to explain
some of the observed properties of the system. We present new coronagraphic
observations obtained with VLT/SPHERE that explore, for the very first time,
the innermost regions of the system down to 0.2" (0.5 AU) from Sirius A. Our
observations cover the near-infrared from 0.95 to 2.3 m and they offer the
best on-sky contrast ever reached at these angular separations. After detailing
the steps of our SPHERE/IRDIFS data analysis, we present a robust method to
derive detection limits for multi-spectral data from high-contrast imagers and
spectrographs. In terms of raw performance, we report contrasts of 14.3 mag at
0.2", ~16.3 mag in the 0.4-1.0" range and down to 19 mag at 3.7". In physical
units, our observations are sensitive to giant planets down to 11 at
0.5 AU, 6-7 in the 1-2 AU range and ~4 at 10 AU. Despite
the exceptional sensitivity of our observations, we do not report the detection
of additional companions around Sirius A. Using a Monte Carlo orbital analysis,
we show that we can reject, with about 50% probability, the existence of an 8
planet orbiting at 1 AU. In addition to the results presented in the
paper, we provide our SPHERE/IFS data reduction pipeline at
http://people.lam.fr/vigan.arthur/ under the MIT license.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
Photospheric properties and fundamental parameters of M dwarfs
M dwarfs are an important source of information when studying and probing the
lower end of the Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) diagram, down to the hydrogen-burning
limit. Being the most numerous and oldest stars in the galaxy, they carry
fundamental information on its chemical history. The presence of molecules in
their atmospheres, along with various condensed species, complicates our
understanding of their physical properties and thus makes the determination of
their fundamental stellar parameters more challenging and difficult. The aim of
this study is to perform a detailed spectroscopic analysis of the
high-resolution H-band spectra of M dwarfs in order to determine their
fundamental stellar parameters and to validate atmospheric models. The present
study will also help us to understand various processes, including dust
formation and depletion of metals onto dust grains in M dwarf atmospheres. The
high spectral resolution also provides a unique opportunity to constrain other
chemical and physical processes that occur in a cool atmosphere The
high-resolution APOGEE spectra of M dwarfs, covering the entire H-band, provide
a unique opportunity to measure their fundamental parameters. We have performed
a detailed spectral synthesis by comparing these high-resolution H-band spectra
to that of the most recent BT-settl model and have obtained fundamental
parameters such as effective temperature, surface gravity, and metallicity
(Teff, log g and [Fe/H]) respectively.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in A&
A library of near-infrared integral field spectra of young M-L dwarfs
We present a library of near-infrared (1.1-2.45 microns) medium-resolution
(R~1500-2000) integral field spectra of 15 young M6-L0 dwarfs, composed of
companions with known ages and of isolated objects. We use it to (re)derive the
NIR spectral types, luminosities and physical parameters of the targets, and to
test (BT-SETTL, DRIFT-PHOENIX) atmospheric models. We derive infrared spectral
types L0+-1, L0+-1, M9.5+-0.5, M9.5+-0.5, M9.25+-0.25, M8+0.5-0.75, and
M8.5+-0.5 for AB Pic b, Cha J110913-773444, USco CTIO 108B, GSC 08047-00232 B,
DH Tau B, CT Cha b, and HR7329B, respectively. BT-SETTL and DRIFT-PHOENIX
models yield close Teff and log g estimates for each sources. The models seem
to evidence a 600-300+600 K drop of the effective temperature at the M-L
transition. Assuming the former temperatures are correct, we derive new mass
estimates which confirm that DH Tau B, USco CTIO 108B, AB Pic b, KPNO Tau 4,
OTS 44, and Cha1109 lay inside or at the boundary of the planetary mass range.
We combine the empirical luminosities of the M9.5-L0 sources to the Teff to
derive semi-empirical radii estimates that do not match "hot-start"
evolutionary models predictions at 1-3 Myr. We use complementary data to
demonstrate that atmospheric models are able to reproduce the combined optical
and infrared spectral energy distribution, together with the near-infrared
spectra of these sources simultaneously. But the models still fail to represent
the dominant features in the optical. This issue casts doubts on the ability of
these models to predict correct effective temperatures from near-infrared
spectra alone. We advocate the use of photometric and spectroscopic data
covering a broad range of wavelengths to study the properties of very low mass
young companions to be detected with the planet imagers (Subaru/SCExAO,
LBT/LMIRCam, Gemini/GPI, VLT/SPHERE).Comment: 27 pages, 14 tables, 19 figures, accepted for publication in
Astronomy & Astrophysic
Close binary EHB stars from SPY
We present the results of a radial velocity (RV) survey of 46 subdwarf B
(sdB) and 23 helium-rich subdwarf O (He-sdO) stars. We detected 18 (39%) new
sdB binary systems, but only one (4%) He-sdO binary. Orbital parameters of nine
sdB and sdO binaries, derived from follow-up spectroscopy, are presented. Our
results are compared with evolutionary scenarios and previous observational
investigations.Comment: To appear in "Extreme Horizontal Branch Stars and Related Objects",
Astrophysics and Space Science, Kluver Academic Publishers, edited by P.F.L.
Maxte
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