1,504 research outputs found
Fundamental parameters of massive stars in multiple systems: The cases of HD17505A and HD206267A
Many massive stars are part of binary or higher multiplicity systems. The
present work focusses on two higher multiplicity systems: HD17505A and
HD206267A. Determining the fundamental parameters of the components of the
inner binary of these systems is mandatory to quantify the impact of binary or
triple interactions on their evolution. We analysed high-resolution optical
spectra to determine new orbital solutions of the inner binary systems. After
subtracting the spectrum of the tertiary component, a spectral disentangling
code was applied to reconstruct the individual spectra of the primary and
secondary. We then analysed these spectra with the non-LTE model atmosphere
code CMFGEN to establish the stellar parameters and the CNO abundances of these
stars. The inner binaries of these systems have eccentric orbits with e ~ 0.13
despite their relatively short orbital periods of 8.6 and 3.7 days for
HD17505Aa and HD206267Aa, respectively. Slight modifications of the CNO
abundances are found in both components of each system. The components of
HD17505Aa are both well inside their Roche lobe, whilst the primary of
HD206267Aa nearly fills its Roche lobe around periastron passage. Whilst the
rotation of the primary of HD206267Aa is in pseudo-synchronization with the
orbital motion, the secondary displays a rotation rate that is higher. The CNO
abundances and properties of HD17505Aa can be explained by single star
evolutionary models accounting for the effects of rotation, suggesting that
this system has not yet experienced binary interaction. The properties of
HD206267Aa suggest that some intermittent binary interaction might have taken
place during periastron passages, but is apparently not operating anymore.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&
The chemical composition of the Orion star forming region: stars, gas and dust
We present a summary of main results from the studies performed in the series
of papers "The chemical composition of the Orion star forming region". We
reinvestigate the chemical composition of B-type stars in the Orion OB1
association by means of state-of-the-art stellar atmosphere codes, atomic
models and techniques, and compare the resulting abundances with those obtained
from the emission line spectra of the Orion nebula (M42), and recent
determinations of the Solar chemical composition.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables. Poster contribution to the proceedings
of the LIAC2010 conference "The multi-wavelength view of hot, massive stars
La construcción de la tutela ambiental en la jurisprudencia de Estrasburgo
Este artículo trata de examinar críticamente los
pasos seguidos por el Tribunal Europeo de Derechos Humanos
hacia el reconocimiento de un derecho a la calidad
de vida ambiental. En Estrasburgo, el verdadero motor del
reconocimiento de obligaciones protectoras relacionadas
con la contaminación ambiental ha sido, sin lugar a dudas,
la interpretación "dinámica" o "evolutiva" del artículo 8.1
del Convenio. A favor de esta interpretación ha jugado un
importante papel la amplitud del concepto de "vida privada",
que puede concebirse como el derecho "a desarrollar
una vida privada normal". El autor subraya que la creación
pretoriana de un derecho a la calidad de vida ambiental ha
venido a establecer judicialmente lo que fue rechazado años
antes como Proyecto de Protocolo, algo que pone en tela
de juicio su legitimidad. Una decisión normativa libremente
ratificada por los Estados habría sido, evidentemente, una
vía más apropiada para la creación de este nuevo derecho
Oxygen and silicon abundances in Cygnus OB2: Chemical homogeneity in a sample of OB slow rotators
Cygnus OB2 is a rich OB association in the Galaxy which has experienced
intense star formation in the last 20-25 Myr. Its stellar population shows a
correlation between age and Galactic longitude. Exploring the chemical
composition of its stellar content we will be able to check the degree of
homogeneity of the natal molecular cloud and possible effects of
self-enrichment processes. Our aim is to determine silicon and oxygen
abundances for a sample of eight early-type slow rotators in Cygnus OB2 in
order to check possible inhomogeneities across the whole association and
whether there exists a correlation of chemical composition with Galactic
longitude. We have performed a spectroscopic analysis of a sample of late O and
early B stars with low rotational velocity, which have been chosen so as to
cover the whole association area. We have carried out an analysis based on
equivalent widths of metal lines, the wings of the H Balmer lines and FASTWIND
stellar atmosphere models to determine their stellar fundamental parameters as
well as the silicon and oxygen surface abundances. We derive a rather
homogeneous distribution of silicon and oxygen abundances across the region,
with average values of 12+log(Si/H)=7.530.08 dex and
12+log(O/H)=8.650.12 dex. We find a homogeneous chemical composition in
Cygnus OB2 with no clear evidence for significant chemical self-enrichment,
despite indications of strong stellar winds and possible supernovae during the
history of the region. Comparison with different scenarios of chemical
enrichment by stellar winds and supernovae point to star forming efficiencies
not significantly above 10%. The degree of homogeneity that we find is
consistent with the observed Milky Way oxygen gradient based on HII regions. We
also find that the oxygen scatter within Cygnus OB2 is at least of the same
order than among HII regions at similar Galactocentric distance.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy &
Astrophysic
Astrophysical parameters and orbital solution of the peculiar X-ray transient IGR J00370+6122
BD+6073 is the optical counterpart of the X-ray source IGR J00370+6122, a
probable accretion-powered X-ray pulsar. The X-ray light curve of this binary
system shows clear periodicity at 15.7 d, which has been interpreted as
repeated outbursts around the periastron of an eccentric orbit. We obtained
high-resolution spectra of BD+6073 at different epochs. We used the FASTWind
code to generate a stellar atmosphere model to fit the observed spectrum and
obtain physical magnitudes. The synthetic spectrum was used as a template for
cross-correlation with the observed spectra to measure radial velocities. The
radial velocity curve provided an orbital solution for the system. We have also
analysed the RXTE/ASM and Swift/BAT light curves to confirm the stability of
the periodicity. BD +6073 is a BN0.7 Ib low-luminosity supergiant located at an
approximate distance of 3.1 kpc, in the CasOB4 association. We derive
Teff=24000 K and log gc=3.0, and chemical abundances consistent with a
moderately high level of evolution. The spectroscopic and evolutionary masses
are consistent at the 1 sigma level with a mass of 15 solar masses. The
recurrence time of the X-ray flares is the orbital period of the system. The NS
is in a high eccentricity (e=0.56) orbit, and the X-ray emission is strongly
peaked around orbital phase 0.2, though the observations are consistent with
some level of X-ray activity happening at all orbital phases. The X-ray
behaviour of IGR J00370+6122 is reminiscent of intermediate SFXTs, though its
peak luminosity is rather low. The orbit is somewhat wider than those of
classical persistent supergiant X-ray binaries, which, combined with the low
luminosity of the mass donor, explains the low X-ray luminosity. IGR
J00370+6122 will likely evolve towards a persistent supergiant system,
highlighting the evolutionary connection between different classes of
wind-accreting X-ray sources.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&
The spectroscopic Hertzsprung-Russell diagram of Galactic massive stars
The distribution of stars in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram narrates their
evolutionary history and directly assesses their properties. Placing stars in
this diagram however requires the knowledge of their distances and interstellar
extinctions, which are often poorly known for Galactic stars. The spectroscopic
Hertzsprung-Russell diagram (sHRD) tells similar evolutionary tales, but is
independent of distance and extinction measurements. Based on spectroscopically
derived effective temperatures and gravities of almost 600 stars, we derive for
the first time the observational distribution of Galactic massive stars in the
sHRD. While biases and statistical limitations in the data prevent detailed
quantitative conclusions at this time, we see several clear qualitative trends.
By comparing the observational sHRD with different state-of-the-art stellar
evolutionary predictions, we conclude that convective core overshooting may be
mass-dependent and, at high mass (), stronger than previously
thought. Furthermore, we find evidence for an empirical upper limit in the sHRD
for stars with between 10000 and 32000 K and, a strikingly large
number of objects below this line. This over-density may be due to inflation
expanding envelopes in massive main-sequence stars near the Eddington limit.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, 1 table; accepted for publication in A&A Letter
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