207 research outputs found
An Attempt to Detect the Galactic Bulge at 12 microns with IRAS
Surface brightness maps at 12 microns, derived from observations with the
Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS), are used to estimate the integrated
flux at this wavelength from the Galactic bulge as a function of galactic
latitude along the minor axis. A simple model was used to remove Galactic disk
emission (e.g. unresolved stars and dust) from the IRAS measurements. The
resulting estimates are compared with predictions for the 12 micron bulge
surface brightness based on observations of complete samples of optically
identified M giants in several minor axis bulge fields. No evidence is found
for any significant component of 12m emission in the bulge other than that
expected from the optically identified M star sample plus normal, lower
luminosity stars. Known large amplitude variables and point sources from the
IRAS catalogue contribute only a small fraction to the total 12 micron flux.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ; 13 pages of text including tables in
MS WORD97 generated postscript; 3 figures in postscript by Sigma Plo
Central activity in 60 micron peakers
The authors present charge coupled device (CCD) imaging results of their sample of Infrared Astronomy Satellite (IRAS) galaxies with spectral energy distributions peaking at 60 microns (Vader et al 1988). The results support the author's suggestion that the activity in 60 micron peaking galaxies is centrally concentrated, and represents an early stage of dust-embedded nuclear activity. This activity is probably triggered by a recent interaction/merger event as indicated by their peculiar optical morphologies. The authors propose that 60 micron peakers are the precursors of SO's in the case of amorphous systems, and ellipticals in the case of interacting galaxies
The BHK Color Diagram: a New Tool to Study Young Stellar Populations
A new method to derive age differences between the various super star
clusters observed in starburst galaxies using the two color diagram (B-H) vs
(H-K) is presented. This method offers a quick and easy way to differentiate
very young and intermediate age stellar populations even if data on extinction
are unavailable. In this case, discrimination of regions younger and older than
4 Myr is feasible. With the availability of data on extinction, the time
resolution can be improved significantly. The application of the method to the
starbursting system Arp 299 is presented. The validity of the method is
confirmed by comparing the equivalent width of the H-alpha line with the
chronological map of the northern part of NGC 3690.Comment: 32 pages, 7 figures, 1 table, AJ accepte
1.0 Mm Maps and Radial Density Distributions of Southern Hii/molecular Cloud Complexes
Several 1.0 continuum mapping observations were made of seven southern hemisphere h12/molecular cloud complexes with 65 arcsec resolution. The radial density distribution of the clouds with central luminosity sources was determined observationally. Strong similarities in morphology and general physical conditions were found to exist among all of the southern clouds in the sample
The Distribution of Dark Matter in a Ringed Galaxy
Outer rings are located at the greatest distance from the galaxy center of
any feature resonant with a bar. Because of their large scale, their morphology
is sensitive to the distribution of the dark matter in the galaxy. We introduce
here how study of these rings can constrain the mass-to-light ratio of the bar,
and so the percentage of dark matter in the center of these galaxies. We
compare periodic orbits integrated in the ringed galaxy NGC 6782 near the outer
Lindblad resonance to the shape of the outer ring. The non-axisymmetric
component of the potential resulting from the bar is derived from a
near-infrared image of the galaxy. The axisymmetric component is derived
assuming a flat rotation curve. We find that the pinched non-self-intersecting
periodic orbits are more elongated for higher bar mass-to-light ratios and
faster bars. The inferred mass-to-light ratio of the bar depends on the assumed
inclination of the galaxy. With an assumed galaxy inclination of i=41 degrees,
for the orbits to be consistent with the observed ring morphology the
mass-to-light ratio of the bar must be high, greater than 70% of a maximal disk
value. For i=45 degrees, the mass-to-light ratio of the bar is of
the maximal disk value. Since the velocity field of these rings can be used to
constrain the galaxy inclination as well as which periodic orbit is represented
in the ring, further study will yield tighter constraints on the mass-to-light
ratio of the bar. If a near maximal disk value for the bar is required, then
either there would be little dark matter within the bar, or the dark matter
contained in the disk of the galaxy would be non-axisymmetric and would rotate
with the bar.Comment: AAS Latex + jpg Figures, Accepted for publication in Ap
Hot Populations in M87 Globular Clusters
We have obtained HST/STIS far- and near-UV photometry of globular clusters in
four fields in the gE galaxy M87. To a limit of m(FUV) = 25 we detect a total
of 66 globular clusters (GCs) in common with the deep HST optical-band study of
Kundu et al. (1999). Despite strong overlap in V- and I-band properties, the
M87 GCs have UV/optical properties that are distinct from clusters in the Milky
Way and in M31. M87 clusters, especially metal-poor ones, produce larger hot HB
populations than do Milky Way analogues. Cluster mass is probably not a factor
in these distinctions. The most metal-rich M87 GCs in our sample are near Z_sun
and overlap the local E galaxy sample in estimated Mg_2 line indices.
Nonetheless, the clusters produce much more UV light at a given Mg_2, being up
to 1 mag bluer than any gE galaxy in (FUV-V) color. The M87 GCs do not appear
to represent a transition between Milky Way-type clusters and E galaxies. The
differences are in the correct sense if the clusters are significantly older
than the E galaxies. Comparisons with Galactic open clusters indicate that the
hot stars lie on the extreme horizontal branch, rather than being blue
stragglers, and that the EHB becomes well populated for ages > 5 Gyr. We find
that 43 of our UV detections have no optical-band counterparts. Most appear to
be UV-bright background galaxies, seen through M87. Eleven NUV variable sources
detected at only one epoch in the central field are probably classical novae.
[Abridged]Comment: 70 pages, 25 figures (including 4 jpgs), 7 tables. To appear in AJ.
Full resolution version available at
http://www.astro.virginia.edu/~rwo/m87/m87-hotpops.pd
Obscured clusters. II. GLIMPSE-C02 - A new metal rich globular cluster in the Milky Way
The estimated total number of Milky Way globulars is 160+-20. The question of
whether there are any more undiscovered globular clusters in the Milky Way is
particularly relevant with advances in near and mid-IR instrumentation. This
investigation is a part of a long-term project to search the inner Milky Way
for hidden star clusters and to study them in detail. GLIMPSE-C02 (G02) is one
of these objects, situated near the Galactic plane (l=14.129deg, b=-0.644deg).
Our analysis is based on SOFI/NTT JHKs imaging and low resolution (R~1400)
spectroscopy of three bright cluster red giants in the K atmospheric window. We
derived the metal abundance by analysis of these spectra and from the slope of
the RGB. The cluster is deeply embedded in dust and undergoes a mean reddening
of Av~24.8+-3 mag. The distance to the object is D=4.6+-0.7kpc. The metal
abundance of G02 is [Fe/H](H96)=-0.33+-0.14 and [Fe/H](CG)=-0.16+-0.12 using
different scales. The best fit to the radial surface brightness profile with a
single-mass King's model yields a core radius rc=0.70 arcmin (0.9pc), tidal
radius rt=15 arcmin (20pc), and central oncentration c=1.33. We demonstrate
that G02 is new Milky Way globular cluster, among the most metal rich globular
clusters in the Galaxy. The object is physically located at the inner edge of
the thin disk and the transition region with the bulge, and also falls in the
zone of the "missing" globulars toward the central region of the Milky Way.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and
Astrophysic
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