3,423 research outputs found
Period-Luminosity Relation for Type II Cepheids
We have estimated JHKs magnitudes corrected to mean intensity for LMC type II
Cepheids found in the OGLE-III survey. Period-luminosity relations (PLRs) are
derived in JHKs as well as in a reddening-free VI parameter. The BL Her stars
(P<4d) and the W Vir stars (P=4 to 20d) are co-linear in these PLRs. The slopes
of the infrared relations agree with those found previously for type II
Cepheids in globular clusters within the uncertainties. Using the pulsation
parallaxes of V553 Cen and SW Tau, the data lead to an LMC modulus of
18.46+-0.10 mag, uncorrected for any metallicity effects. We have now
established the PLR of type II Cepheids as a distance indicator by confirming
that (almost) the same PLR satisfies the distributions in the PL diagram of
type II Cepheids in (at least) two different systems, i.e. the LMC and Galactic
globular clusters, and by calibrating the zero point of the PLR. RV Tau stars
in the LMC, as a group, are not co-linear with the shorter-period type II
Cepheids in the infrared PLRs in marked contrast to such stars in globular
clusters. We note differences in period distribution and infrared colors for RV
Tau stars in the LMC, globular clusters and Galactic field. We also compare the
PLR of type II Cepheids with that of classical Cepheids.Comment: To appear in the proceedings for the conference "Stellar Pulsation:
Challenges for Theory and Observations" held in Santa Fe, US
A lack of classical Cepheids in the inner part of the Galactic disk
Recent large-scale infrared surveys have been revealing stellar populations
in the inner Galaxy seen through strong interstellar extinction in the disk. In
particular, classical Cepheids with their period-luminosity and period-age
relations are useful tracers of Galactic structure and evolution. Interesting
groups of Cepheids reported recently include four Cepheids in the Nuclear
Stellar Disk (NSD), about 200 pc around the Galactic Centre, found by Matsunaga
et al. and those spread across the inner part of the disk reported by Dekany
and collaborators. We here report our discovery of nearly thirty classical
Cepheids towards the bulge region, some of which are common with Dekany et al.,
and discuss the large impact of the reddening correction on distance estimates
for these objects. Assuming that the four Cepheids in the NSD are located at
the distance of the Galactic Centre and that the near-infrared extinction law,
i.e. wavelength dependency of the interstellar extinction, is not
systematically different between the NSD and other bulge lines-of-sight, most
of the other Cepheids presented here are located significantly further than the
Galactic Centre. This suggests a lack of Cepheids in the inner 2.5 kpc region
of the Galactic disk except the NSD. Recent radio observations show a similar
distribution of star-forming regions.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
Cepheids and other short-period variables near the Galactic Centre
We report the result of our near-infrared survey of short-period variable
stars (P<60d) in a field-of-view of 20'x30' towards the Galactic Centre.
Forty-five variables are discovered and we classify the variables based on
their light curve shapes and other evidence. In addition to 3 classical
Cepheids reported previously, we find 16 type II Cepheids, 24 eclipsing
binaries, one pulsating star with P=0.265d (RR Lyr or delta Sct) and one
Cepheid-like variable whose nature is uncertain. Eclipsing binaries are
separated into the foreground objects and those significantly obscured by
interstellar extinction. One of the reddened binaries contains an O-type
supergiant and its light curve indicates an eccentric orbit. We discuss the
nature and distribution of type II Cepheids as well as the distance to the
Galactic Centre based on these Cepheids and other distance indicators. The
estimates of R0(GC) we obtained based on photometric data agree with previous
results obtained with kinematics of objects around the GC. Furthermore, our
result gives a support to the reddening law obtained by Nishiyama and
collaborators, A(Ks)/E(H-Ks)=1.44, because a different reddening law would
result in a rather different distance estimate.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures, 7tables, accepted for publication in MNRA
The Cepheid distance to the Local Group Galaxy NGC 6822
Recent estimates of the Cepheid distance modulus of NGC 6822 differ by 0.18
mag. To investigate this we present new multi-epoch JHKs photometry of
classical Cepheids in the central region of NGC 6822 and show that there is a
zero-point difference from earlier work. These data together with optical and
mid-infrared observations from the literature are used to derive estimates of
the distance modulus of NGC 6822. A best value of 23.40 mag is adopted, based
on an LMC distance modulus of 18.50 mag. The standard error of this quantity is
~0.05 mag. We show that to derive consistent moduli from Cepheid observations
at different wavelengths, it is necessary that the fiducial LMC
period-luminosity relations at these wavelengths should refer to the same
subsample of stars. Such a set is provided. A distance modulus based on RR
Lyrae variables agrees with the Cepheid result.Comment: accepted for publication in MNRA
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