40 research outputs found
A three-dimensional view of the remnant of Nova Persei 1901 (GK Per)
We present a kinematical study of the optical ejecta of GK Per. It is based
on proper motions measurements of 282 knots from ~20 images spanning 25 years.
Doppler-shifts are also computed for 217 knots. The combination of proper
motions and radial velocities allows a unique 3-D view of the ejecta to be
obtained. The main results are: (1) the outflow is a thick shell in which knots
expand with a significant range of velocities, mostly between 600 and 1000
km/s; (2) kinematical ages indicate that knots have suffered only a modest
deceleration since their ejection a century ago; (3) no evidence for anisotropy
in the expansion rate is found; (4) velocity vectors are generally aligned
along the radial direction but a symmetric pattern of non-radial velocities is
also observed at specific directions; (5) the total Halpha+[NII] flux has been
linearly decreasing at a rate of 2.6 % per year in the last decade. The Eastern
nebular side is fading at a slower rate than the Western one. Some of the knots
displayed a rapid change of brightness during the 2004-2011 period. Over a
longer timescale, a progressive circularization and homogenization of the
nebula is taking place; (6) a kinematic distance of 400+-30 pc is determined.
These results raise some problems to the previous interpretations of the
evolution of GK Per. In particular, the idea of a strong interaction of the
outflow with the surrounding medium in the Southwest quadrant is not supported
by our data.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal (19 pages, 17
figures). Higher resolution version of this article (2.5 MB) is available at
http://www.aai.ee/~sinope/ApJ89291_liimets.pd
Estimation of time delays from unresolved photometry
Long-time monitoring of gravitational lens systems is often done using telescopes and recording equipment with a modest resolution. Still, it would be interesting to get as much information as possible from the measured lightcurves. From high resolution images we know that the recorded quasar images are often blends and that the corresponding time series are not pure shifted replicas of the source variability. In this paper we will develop an algorithm to unscramble this kind of blended data. The proposed method is based on a simple idea. We use one of the photometric curves, which is supposedly a simple shifted replica of the source curve, to build different artificial combined curves. Then we compare these artificial curves with the blended curves. Proper solutions for a full set of time delays are then obtained by varying free input parameters and estimating statistical distances between the artificial and blended curves. We performed a check of feasibility and applicability of the new algorithm. For numerically generated data sets the time delay systems were recovered for a wide range of setups. Application of the new algorithm to the classical double quasar QSO 0957+561 A,B lightcurves shows a clear splitting of one of the images. This is an unexpected result and extremely interesting, especially in the context of the recent controversy about the exact time delay value for the system. The proposed method allows to analyse properly the data from low resolution observations which have long time coverages. There is a number of gravitational lens monitoring programmes, which can make use of the new algorithm
The spectroscopic evolution of the symbiotic-like recurrent nova V407 Cygni during its 2010 outburst. I. The shock and its evolution
On 2010 Mar 10, V407 Cyg was discovered in outburst, eventually reaching V< 8
and detected by Fermi. Using medium and high resolution ground-based optical
spectra, visual and Swift UV photometry, and Swift X-ray spectrophotometry, we
describe the behavior of the high-velocity profile evolution for this nova
during its first three months. The peak of the X-ray emission occurred at about
day 40 with a broad maximum and decline after day 50. The main changes in the
optical spectrum began at around that time. The He II 4686A line first appeared
between days 7 and 14 and initially displayed a broad, symmetric profile that
is characteristic of all species before day 60. Low-excitation lines remained
comparatively narrow, with v(rad,max) of order 200-400 km/s. They were
systematically more symmetric than lines such as [Ca V], [Fe VII], [Fe X], and
He II, all of which showed a sequence of profile changes going from symmetric
to a blue wing similar to that of the low ionization species but with a red
wing extended to as high as 600 km/s . The Na I D doublet developed a broad
component with similar velocity width to the other low-ionization species. The
O VI Raman features were not detected. We interpret these variations as
aspherical expansion of the ejecta within the Mira wind. The blue side is from
the shock penetrating into the wind while the red wing is from the low-density
periphery. The maximum radial velocities obey power laws, v(rad,max) t^{-n}
with n ~ 1/3 for red wing and ~0.8 for the blue. (truncated)Comment: Accepted for publication, A&A (submitted: 9 Oct 2010; accepted: 1 Dec
2010) in press; based on data obtained with Swift, Nordic Optical Telescope,
Ondrejov Observatory. Corrected typo, Fermi?LAT detection was at energies
above 100 MeV (with thanks to C. C. Cheung
Water-ice driven activity on Main-Belt Comet P/2010 A2 (LINEAR) ?
The dust ejecta of Main-Belt Comet P/2010 A2 (LINEAR) have been observed with
several telescopes at the at the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos on La
Palma, Spain. Application of an inverse dust tail Monte Carlo method to the
images of the dust ejecta from the object indicates that a sustained, likely
water-ice driven, activity over some eight months is the mechanism responsible
for the formation of the observed tail. The total amount of dust released is
estimated to be 5E7 kg, which represents about 0.3% of the nucleus mass. While
the event could have been triggered by a collision, this cannot be decided from
the currently available data.Comment: Accepted for ApJ Letter
New insights into the outflows from R Aquarii
R Aquarii is a symbiotic binary surrounded by a large and complex nebula with
a prominent curved jet. It is one of the closest known symbiotic systems, and
therefore offers a unique opportunity to study the central regions of these
systems and the formation and evolution of astrophysical jets. We studied the
evolution of the central jet and outer nebula of R Aqr taking advantage of a
long term monitoring campaign of optical imaging, as well as of high-resolution
integral field spectroscopy. Narrow-band images acquired over a period of more
than 21 years are compared in order to study the expansion and evolution of all
components of the R Aqr nebula. The magnification method is used to derive the
kinematic ages of the features that appear to expand radially. Integral field
spectroscopy of the OIII 5007A emission is used to study the velocity structure
of the central regions of the jet. New extended features, further out than the
previously known hourglass nebula, are detected. The kinematic distance to R
Aqr is calculated to be 178 pc using the expansion of the large hourglass
nebula. This nebula of R Aqr is found to be roughly 650 years old, while the
inner regions have ages ranging from 125 to 290 years. The outer nebula is
found to be well described by a ballistic expansion, while for most components
of the jet strong deviations from such behaviour are found. We find that the
Northern jet is mostly red-shifted while its Southern part is blue-shifted,
apparently at odds with findings from previous studies but almost certainly a
consequence of the complex nature of the jet and variations in ionisation and
illumination between observations.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Benzyne in V4334 Sqr: A Quest for the Ring with SOFIA/EXES
Large aromatic molecules are ubiquitous in both circumstellar and interstellar environments. Detection of small aromatic molecules, such as benzene (C6H6) and benzyne (C6H4), are rare in astrophysical environments. Detection of such species will have major implications for our understanding of the astrochemistry involved in the formation of the molecules necessary for life, including modeling the chemical pathways to the formation of larger hydrocarbon molecules. We conducted a search for the infrared 18 ÎĽm spectral signature of benzyne in V4334 Sgr with the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA)/Echelon-Cross-Echelle Spectrograph (EXES) finding no evidence for a feature at the sensitivity of our observations
The Infrared Evolution of Dust in V838 Monocerotis
Luminous Red Variables (LRVs) are most likely eruptions that are the outcome
of stellar mergers. V838 Mon is one of the best-studied members of this class,
representing an archetype for stellar mergers resulting from B-type stars. As
result of the merger event, nova-like eruptions occur driving mass-loss from
the system. As the gas cools considerable circumstellar dust is formed. V838
Mon erupted in 2002 and is undergoing very dynamic changes in its dust
composition, geometry, and infrared luminosity providing a real-time laboratory
to validate mineralogical condensation sequences in stellar mergers and
evolutionary scenarios. We discuss recent NASA Stratospheric Observatory for
Infrared Astronomy SOFIA 5 to 38 micron observations combined with archival
NASA Spitzer spectra that document the temporal evolution of the freshly formed
(within the last 20 yrs) circumstellar material in the environs of V838 Mon.
Changes in the 10 micron spectral region are strong evidence that we are
witnessing a classical dust condensation sequence expected to occur in
oxygen-rich environments where alumina formation is followed by that of
silicates at the temperature cools.Comment: 12 Pages, 6 figures, 2 tables, To be published in the Astronomical
Journa