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Photometric modeling of a cometary nucleus: taking Hapke modeling to the limit
White Dwarf Cosmochronology in the Solar Neighborhood
The study of the stellar formation history in the solar neighborhood is a
powerful technique to recover information about the early stages and evolution
of the Milky Way. We present a new method which consists of directly probing
the formation history from the nearby stellar remnants. We rely on the volume
complete sample of white dwarfs within 20 pc, where accurate cooling ages and
masses have been determined. The well characterized initial-final mass relation
is employed in order to recover the initial masses (1 < M/Msun < 8) and total
ages for the local degenerate sample. We correct for moderate biases that are
necessary to transform our results to a global stellar formation rate, which
can be compared to similar studies based on the properties of main-sequence
stars in the solar neighborhood. Our method provides precise formation rates
for all ages except in very recent times, and the results suggest an enhanced
formation rate for the solar neighborhood in the last 5 Gyr compared to the
range 5 < Age (Gyr) < 10. Furthermore, the observed total age of ~10 Gyr for
the oldest white dwarfs in the local sample is consistent with the early
seminal studies that have determined the age of the Galactic disk from stellar
remnants. The main shortcoming of our study is the small size of the local
white dwarf sample. However, the presented technique can be applied to larger
samples in the future.Comment: 25 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical
Journa
The young, active binary star EK Draconis
EK Dra (HD 129333) is a young, active, nearby star that is orbited by a low
mass companion. By combining new speckle observations with old and new radial
velocity measurements we find that the orbit is highly eccentric with
e=0.82\pm0.03, and we derive the true masses of both components. The masses are
and , for the primary and
secondary, respectively. From high resolution spectra we derive a new of K, and a of , which is different to
previous estimates. However, the new spectroscopic distance differs by only
5.8% to the distance derived by parallax measurement of the Hipparcos satellite
and thus the stellar parameters are presumably more realistic than older
determinations. We derive a somewhat higher value for the metallicity of
. EK Dra turns out to be one of the few nearby young stars
which will evolve similar to the sun. The precise radial velocity measurements
taken in the course of this program also allows us to shed more light on to the
activity of this star. In 2001 and 2002 we find a periodic signal of the radial
velocity variations with a period of days which we interpret as
the rotation period. This signal vanishes in 2003. However the signal can be
recovered if only the spectra in which the photospheric lines are asymmetric
are used. On the other hand, we do not find a close correlation between the
asymmetry of photospheric lines and the radial velocity.Comment: 10 pages, 11 figures, accepted by A&
Chromospheric activity, lithium and radial velocities of single late-type stars possible members of young moving groups
We present here high resolution echelle spectra taken during three observing
runs of 14 single late-type stars identified in our previous studies (Montes et
al. 2001b, hereafter Paper I) as possible members of different young stellar
kinematic groups (Local Association (20 - 150 Myr), Ursa Major group (300 Myr),
Hyades supercluster (600 Myr), and IC 2391 supercluster (35 Myr)). Radial
velocities have been determined by cross correlation with radial velocity
standard stars and used together with precise measurements of proper motions
and parallaxes taken from Hipparcos and Tycho-2 Catalogues, to calculate
Galactic space motions (U, V, W) and to apply Eggen's kinematic criteria. The
chromospheric activity level of these stars have been analysed using the
information provided for several optical spectroscopic features (from the Ca II
H & K to Ca II IRT lines) that are formed at different heights in the
chromosphere. The Li I 6707.8 AA line equivalent width (EW) has been determined
and compared in the EW(Li I) versus spectral type diagram with the EW(Li I) of
stars members of well known young open clusters of different ages, in order to
obtain an age estimation. All these data allow us to analyse in more detail the
membership of these stars in the different young stellar kinematic groups.
Using both kinematic and spectroscopic criteria we have confirmed PW And, V368
Cep, V383 Lac, EP Eri, DX Leo, HD 77407, and EK Dra as members of the Local
Association and V834 Tau, pi^{1} UMa, and GJ 503.2 as members of the Ursa Major
group. A clear rotation-activity dependence has been found in these stars.Comment: Latex file with 19 pages, 7 figures tar'ed gzip'ed. Full postscript
(text, figures and tables) available at
http://www.ucm.es/info/Astrof/p_skg_stars_I_fv.ps.gz Accepted for publication
in: Astronomy & Astrophysics (A&A
Quantifying the contamination by old main-sequence stars in young moving groups: the case of the Local Association
The associations and moving groups of young stars are excellent laboratories
for investigating stellar formation in the solar neighborhood. Previous results
have confirmed that a non-negligible fraction of old main-sequence stars is
present in the lists of possible members of young stellar kinematic groups. A
detailed study of the properties of these samples is needed to separate the
young stars from old main-sequence stars with similar space motion, and
identify the origin of these structures. We used stars possible members of the
young (~ 10 - 650 Myr) moving groups from the literature. To determine the age
of the stars, we used several suitable age indicators for young main sequence
stars, i.e., X-ray fluxes and other photometric data. We also used
spectroscopic data, in particular the equivalent width of the lithium line Li I
and Halpha, to constrain the range of ages of the stars. By combining
photometric and spectroscopic data, we were able to separate the young stars
(10 - 650 Myr) from the old (> 1 Gyr) field ones. We found, in particular, that
the Local Association is contaminated by old field stars at the level of ~30%.
This value must be considered as the contamination for our particular sample,
and not of the entire Local Association. For other young moving groups, it is
more difficult to estimate the fraction of old stars among possible members.
However, the level of X-ray emission can, at least, help to separate two age
populations: stars with <200 Myr and stars older than this. Our results are
consistent with a scenario in which the moving groups contain both groups of
young stars formed in a recent star-formation episode and old field stars with
similar space motion. Only by combining X-ray and optical spectroscopic data is
it possible to distinguish between these two age populations.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication in A&
Rotation of Late-Type Stars in Praesepe with K2
We have Fourier analyzed 941 K2 light curves of likely members of Praesepe,
measuring periods for 86% and increasing the number of rotation periods (P) by
nearly a factor of four. The distribution of P vs. (V-K), a mass proxy, has
three different regimes: (V-K)<1.3, where the rotation rate rapidly slows as
mass decreases; 1.3<(V-K)<4.5, where the rotation rate slows more gradually as
mass decreases; and (V-K)>4.5, where the rotation rate rapidly increases as
mass decreases. In this last regime, there is a bimodal distribution of
periods, with few between 2 and 10 days. We interpret this to mean
that once M stars start to slow down, they do so rapidly. The K2 period-color
distribution in Praesepe (790 Myr) is much different than in the Pleiades
(125 Myr) for late F, G, K, and early-M stars; the overall distribution
moves to longer periods, and is better described by 2 line segments. For mid-M
stars, the relationship has similarly broad scatter, and is steeper in
Praesepe. The diversity of lightcurves and of periodogram types is similar in
the two clusters; about a quarter of the periodic stars in both clusters have
multiple significant periods. Multi-periodic stars dominate among the higher
masses, starting at a bluer color in Praesepe ((V-K)1.5) than in the
Pleiades ((V-K)2.6). In Praesepe, there are relatively more light curves
that have two widely separated periods, 6 days. Some of these could
be examples of M star binaries where one star has spun down but the other has
not.Comment: Accepted by Ap
The corona and companion of CoRoT-2A. Insights from X-rays and optical spectroscopy
CoRoT-2 is one of the most unusual planetary systems known to date. Its host
star is exceptionally active, showing a pronounced, regular pattern of optical
variability caused by magnetic activity. The transiting hot Jupiter, CoRoT-2b,
shows one of the largest known radius anomalies. We analyze the properties and
activity of CoRoT-2A in the optical and X-ray regime by means of a high-quality
UVES spectrum and a 15 ks Chandra exposure both obtained during planetary
transits. The UVES data are analyzed using various complementary methods of
high-resolution stellar spectroscopy. We characterize the photosphere of the
host star by deriving accurate stellar parameters such as effective
temperature, surface gravity, and abundances. Signatures of stellar activity,
Li abundance, and interstellar absorption are investigated to provide
constraints on the age and distance of CoRoT-2. Furthermore, our UVES data
confirm the presence of a late-type stellar companion to CoRoT-2A that is
gravitationally bound to the system. The Chandra data provide a clear detection
of coronal X-ray emission from CoRoT-2A, for which we obtain an X-ray
luminosity of 1.9e29 erg/s. The potential stellar companion remains undetected
in X-rays. Our results indicate that the distance to the CoRoT-2 system is
approximately 270 pc, and the most likely age lies between 100 and 300 Ma. Our
X-ray observations show that the planet is immersed in an intense field of
high-energy radiation. Surprisingly, CoRoT-2A's likely coeval stellar
companion, which we find to be of late-K spectral type, remains X-ray dark.
Yet, as a potential third body in the system, the companion could account for
CoRoT-2b's slightly eccentric orbit.Comment: accepted for publication by A&
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