301 research outputs found
The nature of the recent extreme outburst of the Herbig Be/FU Ori binary Z CMa
Z CMa is a binary system which consists of two young stars: A Herbig AeBe
component "Z CMa NW" embedded in a dust cocoon and a less massive component "Z
CMa SE", which is classified as a FU Orionis type star. Recently, the system
showed the largest outburst reported during the almost 90 years of available
observations. During the recent outburst we detect that the Z CMa system is
polarized by 2.6% in the continuum and emission line spectrum, with a position
angle still perpendicular to the jet. From the high level of polarization we
conclude that the outburst is associated with the dust embedded Herbig AeBe NW
component. The main result of our studies is that the bolometric luminosity of
Z CMa remained surprisingly constant during the recent "outburst". We conclude
that either the geometry of the cavity through which the light escapes from the
cocoon has opened a new path, or that the screen of dust, which reflects the
light toward the observer became more efficient causing the observed increase
of the visual brightness by about 2.5 magnitudes.Comment: letter to A&A, accepted 17/12/200
Spectroscopic and photometric oscillatory envelope variability during the S Doradus outburst of the Luminous Blue Variable R71
To better understand the LBV phenomenon, we analyze multi-epoch and
multi-wavelength spectra and photometry of R71. Pre-outburst spectra are
analyzed with the radiative transfer code CMFGEN to determine the star's
fundamental stellar parameters. During quiescence, R71 has an effective
temperature of and a luminosity of
log = 5.78 and is thus a classical LBV, but at the lower
luminosity end of this group. We determine its mass-loss rate to yr. We present R71's spectral energy distribution
from the near-ultraviolet to the mid-infrared during its present outburst.
Mid-infrared observations suggest that we are witnessing dust formation and
grain evolution. Semi-regular oscillatory variability in the star's light curve
is observed during the current outburst. Absorption lines develop a second blue
component on a timescale twice that length. The variability may consist of one
(quasi-)periodic component with P ~ 425/850 d with additional variations
superimposed. During its current S Doradus outburst, R71 occupies a region in
the HR diagram at the high-luminosity extension of the Cepheid instability
strip and exhibits similar irregular variations as RV Tau variables. LBVs do
not pass the Cepheid instability strip because of core evolution, but they
develop comparable cool, low-mass, extended atmospheres in which convective
instabilities may occur. As in the case of RV Tau variables, the occurrence of
double absorption lines with an apparent regular cycle may be due to shocks
within the atmosphere and period doubling may explain the factor of two in the
lengths of the photometric and spectroscopic cycles.Comment: 18 pages, 14 figures, submitted to A&
Millimagnitude Photometry for Transiting Extrasolar Planetary Candidates. V. Follow-up of 30 OGLE Transits. New Candidates
We used VLT/VIMOS images in the V band to obtain light curves of extrasolar
planetary transits OGLE-TR-111 and OGLE-TR-113, and candidate planetary
transits: OGLE-TR-82, OGLE-TR-86, OGLE-TR-91, OGLE-TR-106, OGLE-TR-109,
OGLE-TR-110, OGLE-TR-159, OGLE-TR-167, OGLE-TR-170, OGLE-TR-171. Using
difference imaging photometry, we were able to achieve millimagnitude errors in
the individual data points. We present the analysis of the data and the light
curves, by measuring transit amplitudes and ephemerides, and by calculating
geometrical parameters for some of the systems. We observed 9 OGLE objects at
the predicted transit moments. Two other transits were shifted in time by a few
hours. For another seven objects we expected to observe transits during the
VIMOS run, but they were not detected. The stars OGLE-TR-111 and OGLE-TR-113
are probably the only OGLE objects in the observed sample to host planets, with
the other objects being very likely eclipsing binaries or multiple systems. In
this paper we also report on four new transiting candidates which we have found
in the data.Comment: 11 pages, 17 figures, accepted for publication in A&
The First VLT FORS1 spectra of Lyman-break candidates in the HDF-S and AXAF Deep Field
We report on low-resolution multi-object spectroscopy of 30 faint targets (R
\~ 24-25) in the HDF-S and AXAF deep field obtained with the VLT Focal
Reducer/low dispersion Spectrograph (FORS1). Eight high-redshift galaxies with
2.75< z < 4 have been identified. The spectroscopic redshifts are in good
agreement with the photometric ones with a dispersion at z<2
and at z>2. The inferred star formation rates of the
individual objects are moderate, ranging from a few to a few tens solar masses
per year. Five out of the eight high-z objects do not show prominent emission
lines. One object has a spectrum typical of an AGN. In the AXAF field two
relatively close pairs of galaxies have been identified, with separations of
8.7 and 3.1 proper Mpc and mean redshifts of 3.11 and 3.93, respectively.Comment: 5 pages Latex, with 2 PostScript figures. Astronomy and Astrophysics,
in pres
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