Astronomical Site Selection for Turkey Using GIS Techniques

A site selection of potential observatory locations in Turkey have been carried out by using Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) coupled with Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and satellite imagery which in turn reduced cost and time and increased the accuracy of the final outcome. The layers of cloud cover, digital elevation model, artificial lights, precipitable water vapor, aerosol optical thickness and wind speed were studied in the GIS system. In conclusion of MCDA, the most suitable regions were found to be located in a strip crossing from southwest to northeast including also a diverted region in southeast of Turkey. These regions are thus our prime candidate locations for future on-site testing. In addition to this major outcome, this study has also been applied to locations of major observatories sites. Since no goal is set for \textit{the best}, the results of this study is limited with a list of positions. Therefore, the list has to be further confirmed with on-site tests. A national funding has been awarded to produce a prototype of an on-site test unit (to measure both astronomical and meteorological parameters) which might be used in this list of locations.Comment: 17 pages, 10 figures, accepted by Experimental Astronom

Revisiting the analysis of HW Virginis eclipse timing data

Context. HW Vir is a short-period binary that presents eclipse timing variations. Circumbinary planets have been proposed as a possible explanation, although the properties of the planets differ in each new study. Aims. Our aim is to perform robust model selection methods for eclipse timing variations (ETV) and error calculation techniques based on a frequentist approach for the case of the HW Vir system. Methods. We initially performed simultaneous light and radial velocity curve analysis to derive the masses of the binary. We then analyzed the eclipse timing variation of the system by fitting multiple models. To select the best model, we searched the confidence levels for the best model by creating an χ2 surface grid and bootstrap methods for each pair of parameters. We searched for stable orbital configurations for our adopted ETV model. Results. The masses of the binary are found as 0.413 ± 0.008 M⊙ and 0.128 ± 0.004 M⊙. Under the assumption of two light time effects superimposed on a secular change, the minimum masses of the circumbinary objects are calculated as 25.0_{-2.2}^{+3.5} \ M_{\textrm{Jup}} and 13.9_{-0.45}^{+0.60}\ M_{\textrm{Jup}}. The projected semi-major axes are found to be 7.8_{-1.0}^{+1.4} and 4.56_{-0.22}^{+0.27} au in respective order. We find that this configuration is unstable within a 3σ range on the semi-major axis and eccentricity of the outer circumbinary object

The Blazhko effect of RR lyrae in 2003-2004

Aims. Extensive photometry of RR Lyr was obtained over a 421-day interval in 2003-2004, covering more than 10 Blazhko cycles in a multisite campaign. The length and density of this data set allow for a detailed analysis. Methods. We used Fourier techniques to study RR Lyr's behavior over the pulsation and the Blazhko cycle. We propose a two-frequency model for decomposing the frequency spectrum. Results. The light variations were fitted with the main radial frequency, its harmonics up to 11th order, and the detected triplet frequencies. No significant quintuplet components were found in the frequency spectrum. Given the total time span of the measurements, we can now unambiguously conclude that the Blazhko period has become notably shorter than the previously known value of 40.8 days, whereas the main pulsation period remained roughly the same. Changes in the modulation period have been reported for other well-studied Blazhko variables. They challenge the explanations for the Blazhko effect which link the modulation period directly to the rotation period. The new photometry reveals an interval in the pulsation cycle of RR Lyr during which the star's intensity barely changes over the Blazhko cycle. This interval occurs during the infalling motion and between the supposed phases of the early and the main shock. The data also permit a more detailed study of the light curve shape at different phases in the Blazhko period through Fourier parameters. ESO 2006