183 research outputs found
First Evidence of a Precessing Jet Excavating a Protostellar Envelope
We present new, sensitive, near-infrared images of the Class I protostar,
Elias 29, in the Ophiuchus cloud core. To explore the relationship between the
infall envelope and the outflow, narrowband H2 1-0 S(1), Br-gamma, and
narrowband K-continuum filters were used to image the source with the
Wide-Field Infrared Camera on the Hale 5m telescope and with Persson's
Auxiliary Nasmyth Infrared Camera on the Baade 6.5 m telescope. The source
appears as a bipolar, scattered light nebula, with a wide opening angle in all
filters, as is typical for late-stage protostars. However, the pure H2
emission-line images point to the presence of a heretofore undetected
precessing jet. It is argued that high-velocity, narrow, precessing jets
provide the mechanism for creating the observed wide-angled outflow cavity in
this source.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figure, 1 tabl
X-ray Properties of Pre--Main-Sequence Stars in the Orion Nebula Cluster with Known Rotation Periods
We re-analyze all archival Chandra/ACIS observations of the Orion Nebula
Cluster (ONC) to study the X-ray properties of a large sample of
pre--main-sequence (PMS) stars with optically determined rotation periods. Our
goal is to elucidate the origins of X-rays in PMS stars by seeking out
connections between the X-rays and the mechanisms most likely driving their
production--rotation and accretion. In our sample X-ray luminosity is
significantly correlated with stellar rotation, in the sense of decreasing
Lx/Lbol with more rapid rotation, suggesting that these stars are in the
"super-saturated" regime of the rotation-activity relationship. However, we
also find that stars with optical rotation periods are significantly biased to
high Lx. This is not the result of magnitude bias in the optical
rotation-period sample but rather to the diminishingly small amplitude of
optical variations in stars with low Lx. Evidently, there exists in the ONC a
population of stars whose rotation periods are unknown and that possess lower
average X-ray luminosities than those of stars with known rotation periods.
These stars may sample the linear regime of the rotation-activity relationship.
Accretion also manifests itself in X-rays, though in a somewhat
counterintuitive fashion: While stars with spectroscopic signatures of
accretion show harder X-ray spectra than non-accretors, they show lower X-ray
luminosities and no enhancement of X-ray variability. We interpret these
findings in terms of a common origin for the X-ray emission observed from both
accreting and non-accreting stars, with the X-rays from accreting stars simply
being attenuated by magnetospheric accretion columns. This suggests that X-rays
from PMS stars have their origins primarily in chromospheres, not accretion.Comment: Accepted by the Astronomical Journal. 43 pages, 16 figure
A simple algorithm for optimization and model fitting: AGA (asexual genetic algorithm)
Context. Mathematical optimization can be used as a computational tool to
obtain the optimal solution to a given problem in a systematic and efficient
way. For example, in twice-differentiable functions and problems with no
constraints, the optimization consists of finding the points where the gradient
of the objective function is zero and using the Hessian matrix to classify the
type of each point. Sometimes, however it is impossible to compute these
derivatives and other type of techniques must be employed such as the steepest
descent/ascent method and more sophisticated methods such as those based on the
evolutionary algorithms. Aims. We present a simple algorithm based on the idea
of genetic algorithms (GA) for optimization. We refer to this algorithm as AGA
(Asexual Genetic Algorithm) and apply it to two kinds of problems: the
maximization of a function where classical methods fail and model fitting in
astronomy. For the latter case, we minimize the chi-square function to estimate
the parameters in two examples: the orbits of exoplanets by taking a set of
radial velocity data, and the spectral energy distribution (SED) observed
towards a YSO (Young Stellar Object). Methods. The algorithm AGA may also be
called genetic, although it differs from standard genetic algorithms in two
main aspects: a) the initial population is not encoded, and b) the new
generations are constructed by asexual reproduction. Results. Applying our
algorithm in optimizing some complicated functions, we find the global maxima
within a few iterations. For model fitting to the orbits of exoplanets and the
SED of a YSO, we estimate the parameters and their associated errors.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures, Astronomy and Astrophysics (in press
A Mid-Infrared Imaging Survey of Embedded Young Stellar Objects in the Rho Ophiuchi Cloud Core
Results of a comprehensive, new, ground-based mid-infrared imaging survey of
the young stellar population of the Rho Ophiuchi cloud are presented. Data were
acquired at the Palomar 5-m and at the Keck 10-m telescopes with the MIRLIN and
LWS instruments, at 0.25 arcsec and 0.25 arcsec resolutions, respectively. Of
172 survey objects, 85 were detected. Among the 22 multiple systems observed,
15 were resolved and their individual component fluxes determined. A plot of
the frequency distribution of the detected objects with SED spectral slope
shows that YSOs spend ~400,000 yr in the Flat Spectrum phase, clearing out
their remnant infall envelopes. Mid-infrared variability is found among a
significant fraction of the surveyed objects, and is found to occur for all SED
classes with optically thick disks. Large-amplitude near-infrared variability,
also found for all SED classes with optically thick disks, seems to occur with
somewhat higher frequency at the earlier evolutionary stages. Although a
general trend of mid-infrared excess and NIR veiling exists proceeding through
SED classes, with Class I objects generally exhibiting K-veilings > 1, Flat
Spectrum objects with K-veilings > 0.58, and Class III objects with K-veilings
=0, Class II objects exhibit the widest range of K-band veiling values, 0-4.5.
However, the highly variable value of veiling that a single source can exhibit
in any of the SED classes in which active disk accretion can take place is
striking, and is direct observational evidence for highly time-variable
accretion activity in disks. Finally, by comparing mid-infrared vs.
near-infrared excesses in a subsample with well-determined effective
temperatures and extinction values, disk clearing mechanisms are explored. The
results are consistent with disk clearing proceeding from the inside-out.Comment: 18 pages + 5 tables + 7 figure
Detection of Magnetohydrodynamic Shocks in the L1551 Outflow
We report the results of CO J=l—+0 mapping of portions of the blue outflow lobe of L1551 with ~ 7” (N-S) × 4” (E-W) resolution, obtained with the 3-element OVRO millimeter array. Comparison of our interferometer mosaic with lower resolution single-dish data shows that we resolve the strongest single-dish emission regions into filamentary structures, such as are characteristic of shock fronts mapped via their near-infrared H2 emission in other outflow sources
A Near-Infrared (JHK) Survey of the Vicinity of the HII region NGC 7538: Evidence for a Young Embedded Cluster
We describe the results of two near infrared (K-band) imaging surveys and a
three color (JHK) survey of the vicinity of NGC 7538. The limiting magnitudes
are K ~ 16.5 and K ~ 17.5 mag for the K-band surveys and K ~ 15 mag for the JHK
survey. We identify more than 2000 and 9000 near-infrared (NIR) sources on the
images of the two K-band surveys and 786 NIR sources in the JHK survey. From
color-color diagrams, we derive a reddening law for background stars and
identify 238 stars with NIR excesses. Contour maps indicate a high density peak
coincident with a concentration of stars with NIR excesses. We identify this
peak as a young, embedded cluster and confirm this result with the K-band
luminosity function, color histograms, and color-magnitude diagrams. The center
of the cluster is at RA = 23:13:39.34, DEC = 61:29:18.9. The cluster radius is
3' ~ 2.5 pc for an adopted distance, d ~ 2.8 kpc. For d = 2.8 kpc, and
reddening, E_{J-K} = 0.55 mag, the slope of the logarithmic K-band luminosity
function (KLF) of the cluster, s ~ 0.32 +- 0.03, agrees well with previous
results for L1630 (s = 0.34) and M17 (s = 0.26).Comment: 26 pages with 11 figures. Accepted by Astronomical Journa
Detection of Magnetohydrodynamic Shocks in the L1551 Outflow
We report the results of CO J=l—+0 mapping of portions of the blue outflow lobe of L1551 with ~ 7” (N-S) × 4” (E-W) resolution, obtained with the 3-element OVRO millimeter array. Comparison of our interferometer mosaic with lower resolution single-dish data shows that we resolve the strongest single-dish emission regions into filamentary structures, such as are characteristic of shock fronts mapped via their near-infrared H2 emission in other outflow sources
Giant Molecular Outflows Powered by Protostars in L1448
We present sensitive, large-scale maps of the CO J=1-0 emission of the L1448
dark cloud. These maps were acquired using the On-The-Fly capability of the
NRAO 12-meter telescope. CO outflow activity is seen in L1448 on parsec-scales
for the first time. Careful comparison of the spatial and velocity distribution
of our high-velocity CO maps with previously published optical and
near-infrared images and spectra has led to the identification of six distinct
CO outflows. We show the direct link between the heretofore unknown, giant,
highly-collimated, protostellar molecular outflows and their previously
discovered, distant optical manifestations. The outflows traced by our CO
mapping generally reach the projected cloud boundaries. Integrated intensity
maps over narrow velocity intervals indicate there is significant overlap of
blue- and red-shifted gas, suggesting the outflows are highly inclined with
respect to the line-of-sight, although the individual outflow position angles
are significantly different. The velocity channel maps also show that the
outflows dominate the CO line cores as well as the high-velocity wings. The
magnitude of the combined flow momenta, as well as the combined kinetic energy
of the flows, are sufficient to disperse the 50 solar mass NH3 cores in which
the protostars are currently forming, although some question remains as to the
exact processes involved in redirecting the directionality of the outflow
momenta to effect the complete dispersal of the parent cloud.Comment: 11 pages, 9 figures, to be published in the Astronomical Journa
Mid-Infrared Observations of Class I/Flat-Spectrum Systems in Six Nearby Molecular Clouds
We have obtained new mid-infrared observations of 65 Class I/Flat-Spectrum
(F.S.) objects in the Perseus, Taurus, Chamaeleon I/II, Rho Ophiuchi, and
Serpens dark clouds. We detected 45/48 (94%) of the single sources, 16/16
(100%) of the primary components, and 12/16 (75%) of the secondary/triple
components of the binary/multiple objects surveyed. The composite spectral
energy distributions (SEDs) for all of our sample sources are either Class I or
F.S., and, in 15/16 multiple systems, at least one of the individual components
displays a Class I or F.S. spectral index. However, the occurrence of mixed
pairings, such as F.S. with Class I, F.S. with Class II, and, in one case, F.S.
with Class III, is surprisingly frequent. Such behaviour is not consistent with
that of multiple systems among T Tauri stars (TTS), where the companion of a
classical TTS also tends to be a classical TTS, although other mixed pairings
have been previously observed among Class II objects. Based on an analysis of
the spectral indices of the individual binary components, there appears to be a
higher proportion of mixed Class I/F.S. systems (65-80%) than that of mixed
Classical/Weak-Lined TTS (25-40%), demonstrating that the envelopes of Class I/
F.S. systems are rapidly evolving during this evolutionary phase. We report the
discovery of a steep spectral index secondary companion to ISO-ChaI 97,
detected for the first time via our mid-infrared observations. In our previous
near- infrared imaging survey of binary/multiple Class I/F.S. sources, ISO-ChaI
97 appeared to be single. With a spectral index of Alpha >= 3.9, the secondary
component of this system is a member of a rare class of very steep spectral
index objects, those with Alpha > 3. Only three such objects have previously
been reported, all of which are either Class 0 or Class I.Comment: 31 pages, 4 figures, 6 table
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