521 research outputs found
Gaia FGK Benchmark Stars: Effective temperatures and surface gravities
Large Galactic stellar surveys and new generations of stellar atmosphere
models and spectral line formation computations need to be subjected to careful
calibration and validation and to benchmark tests. We focus on cool stars and
aim at establishing a sample of 34 Gaia FGK Benchmark Stars with a range of
different metallicities. The goal was to determine the effective temperature
and the surface gravity independently from spectroscopy and atmospheric models
as far as possible. Fundamental determinations of Teff and logg were obtained
in a systematic way from a compilation of angular diameter measurements and
bolometric fluxes, and from a homogeneous mass determination based on stellar
evolution models. The derived parameters were compared to recent spectroscopic
and photometric determinations and to gravity estimates based on seismic data.
Most of the adopted diameter measurements have formal uncertainties around 1%,
which translate into uncertainties in effective temperature of 0.5%. The
measurements of bolometric flux seem to be accurate to 5% or better, which
contributes about 1% or less to the uncertainties in effective temperature. The
comparisons of parameter determinations with the literature show in general
good agreements with a few exceptions, most notably for the coolest stars and
for metal-poor stars. The sample consists of 29 FGK-type stars and 5 M giants.
Among the FGK stars, 21 have reliable parameters suitable for testing,
validation, or calibration purposes. For four stars, future adjustments of the
fundamental Teff are required, and for five stars the logg determination needs
to be improved. Future extensions of the sample of Gaia FGK Benchmark Stars are
required to fill gaps in parameter space, and we include a list of suggested
candidates.Comment: Accepted by A&A; 34 pages (printer format), 14 tables, 13 figures;
language correcte
Combustion Mode and Mixing Characteristics of a Reacting Jet in Crossflow
Understanding of flame anchoring in a jet in crossflow (JICF) configuration is vital to the design of fuel injectors in combustion devices. The present study numerically investigates a hydrogen-rich jet injecting perpendicularly into hot vitiated crossflow using direct numerical simulation (DNS). The governing equations of low-Mach-number multicomponent reactive flows are solved, with a chemical mechanism for hydrogen-air flames containing 13 species and 35 reactions. The mixture-averaged multispecies transport model is employed to calculate the diffusion terms. Development of the reacting flow field and flame shape along the jet trajectory is depicted. The flame is found to be anchored around the jet exit and downstream only on the windward side. The heat release rate and chemical explosive mode analysis (CEMA) are used to identify combustion modes. Distinct from flames stabilized in nonvitiated crossflow, diffusion flame is dominant under the current conditions, though some premixed or partially premixed regions are found on the leeward side of the jet due to turbulent mixing. The near-field mixing of the reacting JICF is quantified by spatial unmixedness, in both two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) space
VLT Observations of Turnoff stars in the Globular Cluster NGC 6397
VLT-UVES high resolution spectra of seven turnoff stars in the metal-poor
globular cluster NGC 6397 have been obtained. Atmospheric parameters and
abundances of several elements (Li, Na, Mg, Ca, Sc, Ti, Cr, Fe, Ni, Zn and Ba)
were derived for program stars. The mean iron abundance is [Fe/H] = -2.02, with
no star-to-star variation. The mean abundances of the alpha-elements (Ca, Ti)
and of the iron-peak elements (Sc, Cr, Ni) are consistent with abundances
derived for field stars of similar metallicity. Magnesium is also almost solar,
consistent with the values found by Idiart & Th\'evenin (2000) when non-LTE
effects (NLTE hereafter) are taken into account. The sodium abundance derived
for five stars is essentially solar, but one object (A447) is clearly Na
deficient. These results are compatible with the expected abundance range
estimated from the stochastic evolutionary halo model by Argast et al. (2000)
when at the epoch of [Fe/H] -2 the interstellar medium is supposed to
become well-mixed.Comment: to appear in A&
On the metallicity distribution of classical Cepheids in the Galactic inner disk
We present homogeneous and accurate iron abundances for almost four dozen
(47) of Galactic Cepheids using high-spectral resolution (R40,000) high
signal-to-noise ratio (S/N 100) optical spectra collected with UVES at
VLT. A significant fraction of the sample (32) is located in the inner disk (RG
6.9 kpc) and for half of them we provide new iron abundances. Current
findings indicate a steady increase in iron abundance when approaching the
innermost regions of the thin disk. The metallicity is super-solar and ranges
from 0.2 dex for RG 6.5 kpc to 0.4 dex for RG 5.5 kpc. Moreover,
we do not find evidence of correlation between iron abundance and distance from
the Galactic plane. We collected similar data available in the literature and
ended up with a sample of 420 Cepheids. Current data suggest that the mean
metallicity and the metallicity dispersion in the four quadrants of the
Galactic disk attain similar values. The first-second quadrants show a more
extended metal-poor tail, while the third-fourth quadrants show a more extended
metal-rich tail, but the bulk of the sample is at solar iron abundance.
Finally, we found a significant difference between the iron abundance of
Cepheids located close to the edge of the inner disk ([Fe/H]0.4) and
young stars located either along the Galactic bar or in the nuclear bulge
([Fe/H]0). Thus suggesting that the above regions have had different
chemical enrichment histories. The same outcome applies to the metallicity
gradient of the Galactic bulge, since mounting empirical evidence indicates
that the mean metallicity increases when moving from the outer to the inner
bulge regions.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures; Corrected typos, corrected Table
Sedation of patients in intensive care units by midazolam (MDZ): clinical and biological evaluation
The Carina Project VII: Towards the breaking of the age-metallicity degeneracy of red giant branch stars using the c_UBI index
We present an analysis of photometric and spectroscopic data of the Carina
dSph galaxy, testing a new approach similar to that used to disentangle
multiple populations in Galactic globular clusters (GCs). We show that a proper
colour combination is able to separate a significant fraction of the red giant
branch (RGB) of the two main Carina populations (the old one, \sim 12 Gyr, and
the intermediate-age one, 4-8 Gyr). In particular, the c_UBI=(U-B)-(B-I)
pseudo-colour allows us to follow the RGB of both populations along a relevant
portion of the RGB. We find that the oldest stars have more negative c_UBI
pseudo-colour than intermediate-age ones. We correlate the pseudo-colour of RGB
stars with their chemical properties, finding a significant trend between the
iron content and the c_UBI. Stars belonging to the old population are
systematically more metal poor ([Fe/H]=-2.32\pm0.08 dex) than the
intermediate-age ones ([Fe/H]=-1.82\pm0.03 dex). This gives solid evidence on
the chemical evolution history of this galaxy, and we have a new diagnostic
that can allow us to break the age-metallicity degeneracy of H-burning advanced
evolutionary phases. We compared the distribution of stars in the c_UBI plane
with theoretical isochrones, finding that no satisfactory agreement can be
reached with models developed in a theoretical framework based on standard
heavy element distributions. Finally, we discuss possible systematic
differences when compared with multiple populations in GCs.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in Ap
Line-profile variations of stochastically excited oscillations in four evolved stars
Since solar-like oscillations were first detected in red-giant stars, the
presence of non-radial oscillation modes has been debated. Spectroscopic
line-profile analysis was used in the first attempt to perform mode
identification, which revealed that non-radial modes are observable. Despite
the fact that the presence of non-radial modes could be confirmed, the degree
or azimuthal order could not be uniquely identified. Here we present an
improvement to this first spectroscopic line-profile analysis. Aims: We aim to
study line-profile variations of stochastically excited solar-like oscillations
in four evolved stars to derive the azimuthal order of the observed mode and
the surface rotational frequency. Methods: Spectroscopic line-profile analysis
is applied to cross-correlation functions, using the Fourier Parameter Fit
method on the amplitude and phase distributions across the profiles. Results:
For four evolved stars, beta Hydri (G2IV), epsilon Ophiuchi (G9.5III), eta
Serpentis (K0III) and delta Eridani (K0IV) the line-profile variations reveal
the azimuthal order of the oscillations with an accuracy of ~1. Furthermore,
our analysis reveals the projected rotational velocity and the inclination
angle. From these parameters we obtain the surface rotational frequency.
Conclusions: We conclude that line-profile variations of cross-correlation
functions behave differently for different frequencies and that they provide
additional information in terms of the surface rotational frequency and
azimuthal order.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics, 9 pages, 10
figures and 3 tables. A version with figure 1 in full resolution can be
obtained upon request from first autho
Interface Control Document for Gaia observed spectral libraries
disponible à http://www.obs.u-bordeaux1.fr/m2a/soubiran/dpac_doc.html2009, GAIA-C8-SP-UAO-UH-00
Complexity and robustness of the flavonoid transcriptional regulatory network revealed by comprehensive analyses of MYB-bHLH-WDR complexes and their targets in Arabidopsis seed.
In Arabidopsis thaliana, proanthocyanidins (PAs) accumulate in the innermost cell layer of the seed coat (i.e. endothelium, chalaza and micropyle). The expression of the biosynthetic genes involved relies on the transcriptional activity of R2R3-MYB and basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) proteins which form ternary complexes (\u27MBW\u27) with TRANSPARENT TESTA GLABRA1 (TTG1) (WD repeat protein). The identification of the direct targets and the determination of the nature and spatio-temporal activity of these MBW complexes are essential steps towards a comprehensive understanding of the transcriptional mechanisms that control flavonoid biosynthesis. In this study, various molecular, genetic and biochemical approaches were used. Here, we have demonstrated that, of the 12 studied genes of the pathway, only dihydroflavonol-4-reductase (DFR), leucoanthocyanidin dioxygenase (LDOX), BANYULS (BAN), TRANSPARENT TESTA 19 (TT19), TT12 and H(+) -ATPase isoform 10 (AHA10) are direct targets of the MBW complexes. Interestingly, although the TT2-TT8-TTG1 complex plays the major role in developing seeds, three additional MBW complexes (i.e. MYB5-TT8-TTG1, TT2-EGL3-TTG1 and TT2-GL3-TTG1) were also shown to be involved, in a tissue-specific manner. Finally, a minimal promoter was identified for each of the target genes of the MBW complexes. Altogether, by answering fundamental questions and by demonstrating or invalidating previously made hypotheses, this study provides a new and comprehensive view of the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms controlling PA and anthocyanin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis
On the alpha-element gradients of the Galactic thin disk using Cepheids
We present new homogeneous measurements of Na, Al and three alpha-elements
(Mg, Si, Ca) for 75 Galactic Cepheids. The abundances are based on high
spectral resolution (R ~ 38,000) and high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N ~ 50-300)
spectra collected with UVES at ESO VLT. The current measurements were
complemented with Cepheid abundances either provided by our group (75) or
available in the literature, for a total of 439 Galactic Cepheids. Special
attention was given in providing a homogeneous abundance scale for these five
elements plus iron (Genovali et al. 2013, 2014). In addition, accurate
Galactocentric distances (RG) based on near-infrared photometry are also
available for all the Cepheids in the sample (Genovali et al. 2014). They cover
a large fraction of the Galactic thin disk (4.1 <= RG <= 18.4 kpc). We found
that the above five elements display well defined linear radial gradients and
modest standard deviations over the entire range of RG. Moreover, the
[element/Fe] abundance ratios are constant across the entire thin disk; only
the Ca radial distribution shows marginal evidence of a positive slope. These
results indicate that the chemical enrichment history of iron and of the quoted
five elements has been quite similar across the four quadrants of the Galactic
thin disk. The [element/Fe] ratios are also constant over the entire period
range. This empirical evidence indicates that the chemical enrichment of
Galactic Cepheids has also been very homogenous during the range in age that
they cover (~10-300 Myr). Once again, [Ca/Fe] vs. log(P) shows a (negative)
gradient, being underabundant among youngest Cepheids. Finally, we also found
that Cepheid abundances agree quite well with similar abundances for thin and
thick disk dwarf stars and they follow the typical Mg-Al and Na-O correlations.Comment: 25 pages, 11 figures, 5 table
- …