7,035 research outputs found
High-resolution CRIRES spectra of Terzan1: a metal-poor globular cluster toward the inner bulge
Containing the oldest stars in the Galaxy, globular clusters toward the bulge
can be used to trace its dynamical and chemical evolution. In the bulge
direction, there are ~50 clusters, but only about 20% have been subject of
high-resolution spectroscopic investigations. So far, the sample observed at
high resolution spans a moderate-to-high metallicity regime. In this sample,
however, very few are located in the innermost region (1.5\,Kpc and
). To constrain the chemical evolution enrichment of the
innermost region of Galaxy, accurate abundances and abundance patterns of key
elements based on high-resolution spectroscopy are necessary. Here we present
the results we obtained for Terzan 1, a metal-poor cluster located in the
innermost bulge region. Using the near-infrared spectrograph CRIRES at ESO/VLT,
we obtained high-resolution (R50,000) H-band spectra of 16 bright
giant stars in the innermost region () of Terzan1. Full spectral
synthesis techniques and equivalent width measurements of selected lines,
isolated and free of significant blending and/or contamination by telluric
lines, allowed accurate chemical abundances and radial velocities to be
derived. Fifteen out of 16 observed stars are likely cluster members, with an
average heliocentric radial velocity of +571.8\,km/s and mean iron
abundance of [Fe/H]=--1.260.03\,dex. For these stars we measured some
[/Fe] abundance ratios, finding average values of
[O/Fe]=+0.390.02\,dex, [Mg/Fe]=+0.420.02\,dex,
[Si/Fe]=+0.310.04\,dex, and [Ti/Fe]=+0.150.04\,dex The
enhancement (\,dex) found in the observed giant stars of Terzan1
is consistent with previous measurements on other, more metal-rich bulge
clusters, which suggests a rapid chemical enrichment.Comment: 7, pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication on A&
Reddening and metallicity maps of the Milky Way bulge from VVV and 2MASS III. The first global photometric metallicity map of the Galactic bulge
We investigate the large scale metallicity distribution in the Galactic
bulge, using a large spatial coverage, in order to constrain the bulge
formation scenario. We use the VISTA variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) survey
data and 2MASS photometry, covering 320 sqdeg of the Galactic bulge, to derive
photometric metallicities by interpolating of the (J-Ks)0 colors of individual
Red Giant Branch stars based on a set of globular cluster ridge lines. We then
use this information to construct the first global metallicity map of the bulge
with a resolution of 30'x45'. The metallicity map of the bulge revealed a clear
vertical metallicity gradient of ~0.04 dex/deg (~0.28 dex/kpc), with metal-rich
stars ([Fe/H]~0) dominating the inner bulge in regions closer to the galactic
plane (|b|<5). At larger scale heights, the mean metallicity of the bulge
population becomes significantly more metal-poor. This fits in the scenario of
a boxy-bulge originated from the vertical inestability of the Galactic bar,
formed early via secular evolution of a two component stellar disk. Older,
metal-poor stars dominate at higher scale heights due to the non-mixed orbits
from the originally hotter thick disk stars.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&
Near-Infrared photometry and spectroscopy of NGC 6539 and UKS 1: two intermediate metallicity Bulge Globular Clusters
Using the SofI imager at ESO/NTT and NIRSPEC spectrograph at KeckII, we have
obtained J,K images and echelle spectra covering the range 1.5 - 1.8 micron for
the intermediate metallicity Bulge globular clusters NGC6539 and UKS1. We find
[Fe/H]=-0.76 and -0.78, respectively, and an average alpha-enhancement of +0.44
dex and +0.31 dex, consistent with previous measurements of metal rich Bulge
clusters, and favoring the scenario of rapid chemical enrichment. We also
measure very low 12C/13C=4.5 +/-1 isotopic ratios in both clusters, suggesting
that extra-mixing mechanisms due to cool bottom processing are at work during
the evolution along the Red Giant Branch. Finally, we measure accurate radial
velocities of =+31 +/-4Km/s and =+57 +/-6Km/s and velocity dispersion
of about 8 Km/s and 11 Km/s for NGC6539 and UKS1, respectively.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication at MNRA
High resolution near-IR spectra of NGC 6624 and NGC 6569
We present the first abundances analysis based on high-resolution infrared
(IR) echelle spectra of NGC 6569 and NGC 6624, two moderately reddened globular
clusters located in the outer bulge of the Galaxy. We find
[Fe/H]=-0.790.02 dex and [Fe/H]=-0.690.02 dex for NGC 6569 and NGC
6624, respectively and an average -elements enhancement of
+0.430.02 dex and +0.390.02 dex, consistent with previous
measurements on other metal-rich Bulge clusters. We measure accurate radial
velocities of and
and velocity dispersions of and for NGC 6569 and NGC 6624, respectively. Finally, we find very low
isotopics ratio (7 in NGC 6624 and 5 in NGC
6569), confirming the presence extra-mixing mechanisms during the red giant
branch evolution phase.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication on MNRA
An empirical mass-loss law for Population II giants from the Spitzer-IRAC survey of Galactic globular clusters
The main aim of the present work is to derive an empirical mass-loss (ML) law
for Population II stars in first and second ascent red giant branches. We used
the Spitzer InfraRed Array Camera (IRAC) photometry obtained in the 3.6-8
micron range of a carefully chosen sample of 15 Galactic globular clusters
spanning the entire metallicity range and sampling the vast zoology of
horizontal branch (HB) morphologies. We complemented the IRAC photometry with
near-infrared data to build suitable color-magnitude and color-color diagrams
and identify mass-losing giant stars. We find that while the majority of stars
show colors typical of cool giants, some stars show an excess of mid-infrared
light that is larger than expected from their photospheric emission and that is
plausibly due to dust formation in mass flowing from them. For these stars, we
estimate dust and total (gas + dust) ML rates and timescales. We finally
calibrate an empirical ML law for Population II red and asymptotic giant branch
stars with varying metallicity. We find that at a given red giant branch
luminosity only a fraction of the stars are losing mass. From this, we conclude
that ML is episodic and is active only a fraction of the time, which we define
as the duty cycle. The fraction of mass-losing stars increases by increasing
the stellar luminosity and metallicity. The ML rate, as estimated from
reasonable assumptions for the gas-to-dust ratio and expansion velocity,
depends on metallicity and slowly increases with decreasing metallicity. In
contrast, the duty cycle increases with increasing metallicity, with the net
result that total ML increases moderately with increasing metallicity, about
0.1 Msun every dex in [Fe/H]. For Population II asymptotic giant branch stars,
we estimate a total ML of <0.1 Msun, nearly constant with varying metallicity.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures, in press on A&
Photo-oxidative and soil burial degradation of irrigation tubes based on biodegradable polymer blends
Irrigation tubes based on biodegradable polymers were prepared via an extrusion-drawing process by Irritec and compared to conventional pipes made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE). A commercial polylactide/poly (butyleneadipate-co-butyleneterephthalate) (PLA/PBAT) blend (Bio-Flex®) and Mater-Bi® were used. The polymers were characterized from rheological and mechanical points of view. Irrigation pipes were subjected to photoaging with continued exposure to UV radiation up to 22 days. The degradability in the soil of irrigation tube samples was studied. The influence of temperature and UV irradiation on soil burial degradation was investigated. A soil burial degradation test was carried out at 30 °C and 50 °C for up to 70 days. The degree of degradation was evaluated from the weight loss percentage. The degradation rate of irrigation tube samples based on Mater-Bi® was higher at 30 °C and was stimulated after 14 days of UV irradiation. Higher temperatures or UV aging encouraged the disintegration in soil of Bio-Flex®-based irrigation tubes. Furthermore, tube samples, before and after UV and soil burial degradation, were analyzed by Attenuated Total Reflection-Fourier Transform Infra-Red (ATR-FTIR) spectroscop
Comparative investigation of the coupled-tetrahedra quantum spin systems Cu2Te2O5X2, X=Cl, Br and Cu4Te5O12Cl4
We present a comparative study of the coupled-tetrahedra quantum spin systems
Cu2Te2O5X2, X=Cl, Br (Cu-2252(X)) and the newly synthesized Cu4Te5O12Cl4
(Cu-45124(Cl)) based on ab initio Density Functional Theory calculations. The
magnetic behavior of Cu-45124(Cl) with a phase transition to an ordered state
at a lower critical temperature T=13.6K than in Cu-2252(Cl) (T=18K) can
be well understood in terms of the modified interaction paths. We identify the
relevant structural changes between the two systems and discuss the
hypothetical behavior of the not yet synthesized Cu-45124(Br) with an ab initio
relaxed structure using Car-Parrinello Molecular Dynamics.Comment: 2 pages, 1 figure; submitted to Proceedings of M2S-HTSC VIII, Dresden
200
A Panchromatic Study of the Globular Cluster NGC 1904. I: The Blue Straggler Population
By combining high-resolution (HST-WFPC2) and wide-field ground based (2.2m
ESO-WFI) and space (GALEX) observations, we have collected a multi-wavelength
photometric data base (ranging from the far UV to the near infrared) of the
galactic globular cluster NGC1904 (M79). The sample covers the entire cluster
extension, from the very central regions up to the tidal radius. In the present
paper such a data set is used to study the BSS population and its radial
distribution. A total number of 39 bright () BSS has been
detected, and they have been found to be highly segregated in the cluster core.
No significant upturn in the BSS frequency has been observed in the outskirts
of NGC 1904, in contrast to other clusters (M 3, 47 Tuc, NGC 6752, M 5) studied
with the same technique. Such evidences, coupled with the large radius of
avoidance estimated for NGC 1904 ( core radii), indicate that
the vast majority of the cluster heavy stars (binaries) has already sunk to the
core. Accordingly, extensive dynamical simulations suggest that BSS formed by
mass transfer activity in primordial binaries evolving in isolation in the
cluster outskirts represent only a negligible (0--10%) fraction of the overall
population.Comment: ApJ accepte
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