599 research outputs found
A Renaissance study of Am stars. I. The mass ratio distribution
Triggered by the study of Carquillat & Prieur (2007, MNRAS, 380, 1064) of Am
binaries, I reanalyse their sample of 60 orbits to derive the mass ratio
distribution (MRD), assuming as they did a priori functional forms, i.e. a
power law or a Gaussian. The sample is then extended using orbits published by
several groups and a full analysis of the MRD is made, without any assumption
on the functional form. I derive the MRD using a Richardson-Lucy inversion
method, assuming a fixed mass of the Am primary and randomly distributed
orbital inclinations. Using the large sub-sample of double-lined spectroscopic
binaries, I show that this methodology is indeed perfectly adequate. Using the
inversion method, applied to my extended sample of 162 systems, I find that the
final MRD can be approximated by a uniform distribution.Comment: 7 pages, 9 figures; Accepted by A&
Shrinking binary and planetary orbits by Kozai cycles with tidal friction
At least two arguments suggest that the orbits of a large fraction of binary
stars and extrasolar planets shrank by 1-2 orders of magnitude after formation:
(i) the physical radius of a star shrinks by a large factor from birth to the
main sequence, yet many main-sequence stars have companions orbiting only a few
stellar radii away, and (ii) in current theories of planet formation, the
region within ~0.1 AU of a protostar is too hot and rarefied for a Jupiter-mass
planet to form, yet many "hot Jupiters" are observed at such distances. We
investigate orbital shrinkage by the combined effects of secular perturbations
from a distant companion star (Kozai oscillations) and tidal friction. We
integrate the relevant equations of motion to predict the distribution of
orbital elements produced by this process. Binary stars with orbital periods of
0.1 to 10 days, with a median of ~2 d, are produced from binaries with much
longer periods (10 d to 10^5 d), consistent with observations indicating that
most or all short-period binaries have distant companions (tertiaries). We also
make two new testable predictions: (1) For periods between 3 and 10 d, the
distribution of the mutual inclination between the inner binary and the
tertiary orbit should peak strongly near 40 deg and 140 deg. (2) Extrasolar
planets whose host stars have a distant binary companion may also undergo this
process, in which case the orbit of the resulting hot Jupiter will typically be
misaligned with the equator of its host star.Comment: Submitted to ApJ; 18 pages, 10 figure
Dynamical Measurements of the Young Upper Scorpius Triple NTTS 155808-2219
The young, low-mass, triple system NTTS 155808-2219 (ScoPMS 20) was
previously identified as a ~17-day period single-lined spectroscopic binary
with a tertiary component at 0.21 arcseconds. Using high-resolution infrared
spectra, acquired with NIRSPEC on Keck II, both with and without adaptive
optics, we measured radial velocities of all three components. Reanalysis of
the single-lined visible light observations, made from 1987 to 1993, also
yielded radial velocity detections of the three stars. Combining visible light
and infrared data to compute the orbital solution produces orbital parameters
consistent with the single-lined solution and a mass ratio of q = 0.78 +/- 0.01
for the SB. We discuss the consistency between our results and previously
published data on this system, our radial-velocity analysis with both observed
and synthetic templates, and the possibility that this system is eclipsing,
providing a potential method for the determination of the stars' absolute
masses. Over the ~20 year baseline of our observations, we have measured the
acceleration of the SB's center-of-mass in its orbit with the tertiary.
Long-term, adaptive optics imaging of the tertiary will eventually yield
dynamical data useful for component mass estimates.Comment: 6 Tables, 8 Figures, updated to match published tex
The Highly Eccentric Pre-Main Sequence Spectroscopic Binary RX J0529.3+1210
The young system RX J0529.3+1210 was initially identified as a single-lined
spectroscopic binary. Using high-resolution infrared spectra, acquired with
NIRSPEC on Keck II, we measured radial velocities for the secondary. The method
of using the infrared regime to convert single-lined spectra into double-lined
spectra, and derive the mass ratio for the binary system, has been successfully
used for a number of young, low-mass binaries. For RX J0529.3+1210, a long-
period(462 days) and highly eccentric(0.88) binary system, we determine the
mass ratio to be 0.78+/-0.05 using the infrared double-lined velocity data
alone, and 0.73+/-0.23 combining visible light and infrared data in a full
orbital solution. The large uncertainty in the latter is the result of the
sparse sampling in the infrared and the high eccentricity: the stars do not
have a large velocity separation during most of their ~1.3 year orbit. A mass
ratio close to unity, consistent with the high end of the one sigma uncertainty
for this mass ratio value, is inconsistent with the lack of a visible light
detection of the secondary component. We outline several scenarios for a color
difference in the two stars, such as one heavily spotted component, higher
order multiplicity, or a unique evolutionary stage, favoring detection of only
the primary star in visible light, even in a mass ratio ~1 system. However, the
evidence points to a lower ratio. Although RX J0529.3+1210 exhibits no excess
at near-infrared wavelengths, a small 24 micron excess is detected, consistent
with circumbinary dust. The properties of this binary and its membership in
Lambda Ori versus a new nearby stellar moving group at ~90 pc are discussed. We
speculate on the origin of this unusual system and on the impact of such high
eccentricity on the potential for planet formation.Comment: 4 Figure
Canonical Timing and Spectral Behavior of LMC X-3 in the Low/Hard State
We present results from three observations with the Rossi X-ray Timing
Explorer (RXTE) of LMC X-3, obtained while the source was in an extended
'low/hard' state. The data reveal a hard X-ray spectrum which is well fit by a
pure power law with photon index Gamma=1.69+/-0.02, with a source luminosity at
50 kpc of 5-16x10^{36}erg/s (2--10 keV). Strong broad-band (0.01-100 Hz) time
variability is also observed, with fractional rms amplitude 40+/-4%, plus a
quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) peak at 0.46+/-0.02 Hz with rms amplitude
\~14%. This is the first reported observation in which the full canonical
low/hard state behavior (pure hard power law spectrum combined with strong
broad-band noise and QPO) for LMC X-3 is seen. We reanalyze several archival
RXTE observations of LMC X-3 and derive consistent spectral and timing
parameters, and determine the overall luminosity variation between high/soft
and low/hard states. The timing and spectral properties of LMC X-3 during the
recurrent low/hard states are quantitatively similar to that typically seen in
the Galactic black hole candidates.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, accepted for ApJ Letter
CoRoT 101186644: A transiting low-mass dense M-dwarf on an eccentric 20.7-day period orbit around a late F-star
We present the study of the CoRoT transiting planet candidate 101186644, also
named LRc01_E1_4780. Analysis of the CoRoT lightcurve and the HARPS
spectroscopic follow-up observations of this faint (m_V = 16) candidate
revealed an eclipsing binary composed of a late F-type primary (T_eff = 6090
+/- 200 K) and a low-mass, dense late M-dwarf secondary on an eccentric (e =
0.4) orbit with a period of ~20.7 days. The M-dwarf has a mass of 0.096 +/-
0.011 M_Sun, and a radius of 0.104 +0.026/-0.006 R_Sun, which possibly makes it
the smallest and densest late M-dwarf reported so far. Unlike the claim that
theoretical models predict radii that are 5%-15% smaller than measured for
low-mass stars, this one seems to have a radius that is consistent and might
even be below the radius predicted by theoretical models.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics, 8 pages, 10
figure
Thyroid: Medullary carcinoma
Review on Thyroid: Medullary carcinoma, with data on clinics, and the genes involved
Hubble Space Telescope Transmission Spectroscopy of the Exoplanet HD 189733b: High-altitude atmospheric haze in the optical and near-UV with STIS
We present Hubble Space Telescope optical and near-ultraviolet transmission
spectra of the transiting hot-Jupiter HD189733b, taken with the repaired Space
Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) instrument. The resulting spectra cover
the range 2900-5700 Ang and reach per-exposure signal-to-noise levels greater
than 11,000 within a 500 Ang bandwidth. We used time series spectra obtained
during two transit events to determine the wavelength dependance of the
planetary radius and measure the exoplanet's atmospheric transmission spectrum
for the first time over this wavelength range. Our measurements, in conjunction
with existing HST spectra, now provide a broadband transmission spectrum
covering the full optical regime. The STIS data also shows unambiguous evidence
of a large occulted stellar spot during one of our transit events, which we use
to place constraints on the characteristics of the K dwarf's stellar spots,
estimating spot temperatures around Teff~4250 K. With contemporaneous
ground-based photometric monitoring of the stellar variability, we also measure
the correlation between the stellar activity level and transit-measured
planet-to-star radius contrast, which is in good agreement with predictions. We
find a planetary transmission spectrum in good agreement with that of Rayleigh
scattering from a high-altitude atmospheric haze as previously found from HST
ACS camera. The high-altitude haze is now found to cover the entire optical
regime and is well characterised by Rayleigh scattering. These findings suggest
that haze may be a globally dominant atmospheric feature of the planet which
would result in a high optical albedo at shorter optical wavelengths.Comment: 14 pages, 14 figures, 4 tables, accepted to MNRAS, revised version
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