73 research outputs found
Four New Delta Scuti Pulsators from a Variability Survey of 131 Stars
In a photometric variability survey of 131 stars with B < 14 mag, we have
found four new Delta Scuti stars. We were sensitive to oscillation amplitudes
as low as a few mmag. The detection rate of short-period (P < 0.1 d) pulsating
variable stars, which may be relevant for planned large variability surveys
such as GAIA, POI, and even the LSST, was therefore 3%. All four new variable
stars have low pulsation amplitude (tens of mmag), and one has a very short
period (0.0198 d). This star is one of the fastest known Delta Scuti pulsators.
The short period of this variable star makes it observationally tractable, and
it may therefore be a particularly good candidate for asteroseismological
studies. All four new variable stars will add to the cadre of low-amplitude and
relatively short-period Delta Scuti stars that are potentially useful for
learning about the structure of stars on or near the main sequence, slightly
more massive than the Sun.Comment: To appear in the June 2002 issue of PASP, 9 pages, 6 figure
Spectroscopy of the roAp star Alpha-Cir -- II. The bisector and equivalent-width of the H-alpha line
We present bisector measurements of the H-alpha line of the rapidly
oscillating Ap (roAp) star, Alpha-Cir, obtained from dual-site observations
with medium-dispersion spectrographs. The velocity amplitude and phase of the
principal pulsation mode vary significantly, depending on the height in the
H-alpha line, including a phase reversal between the core and the wings of the
line. This supports the theory, suggested in Paper I, of a radial pulsational
node in the atmosphere of the star. Blending with metal lines partially affects
the H-alpha bisector results but probably not enough to explain the phase
reversal.
We have also detected changes in the equivalent-width of the line during the
pulsation, and measured the oscillatory signal as a function of wavelength
across the H-alpha region.Comment: 13 pages, 14 figures, accepted by MNRA
Variable stars in the Open Cluster M11 (NGC 6705)
V-band time-series CCD photometric observations of the intermediate-age open
cluster M11 were performed to search for variable stars. Using these
time-series data, we carefully examined light variations of all stars in the
observing field. A total of 82 variable stars were discovered, of which 39
stars had been detected recently by Hargis et al. (2005). On the basis of
observational properties such as variable period, light curve shape, and
position on a color-magnitude diagram, we classified their variable types as 11
delta Scuti-type pulsating stars, 2 gamma Doradus-type pulsating stars, 40 W
UMa-type contact eclipsing binaries, 13 Algol-type detached eclipsing binaries,
and 16 eclipsing binaries with long period. Cluster membership for each
variable star was deduced from the previous proper motion results (McNamara et
al. 1977) and position on the color-magnitude diagram. Many pulsating stars and
eclipsing binaries in the region of M11 are probable members of the cluster.Comment: 23 pages, 9 figures, 3 tables, and accepted for publication in PAS
New Variable Stars in Open Clusters I: Methods and Results for 20 Open Clusters
We present high precision CCD photometry of 1791 objects in 20 open clusters
with an age from 10 Myr to 1 Gyr. These observations were performed within the
Delta a photometric system which is primarily used to detect chemically
peculiar stars of the upper main sequence. Time bases range between 30 minutes
and up to 60 days with data from several nights. We describe the way of time
series analysis reaching a detection limit of down to 0.006 mag. In total, we
have detected 35 variable objects from which four are not members of their
corresponding clusters. The variables cover the entire
Hertzsprung-Russell-diagram, hence they are interesting targets for follow-up
observations.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, accepted by A&
Constraining the properties of delta Scuti stars using spectroscopic eclipsing binary systems
Many stars exhibit stellar pulsations, favoring them for asteroseismic
analyses. Interpreting the oscillations requires some knowledge of the
oscillation mode geometry (spherical degree, radial and azimuthal orders). The
delta Scuti stars (1.5 - 2.5 M_sol) often show just one or few pulsation
frequencies. Although this may promise a successful seismological analysis, we
may not know enough about either the mode or the star to use the oscillation
frequency to improve the determination of the stellar model, or probe the
star's structure. For the observed frequencies to be used successfully as
seismic probes of these objects, we need to concentrate on stars for which we
can reduce the number of free parameters in the problem, such as binary systems
or open clusters. We investigate how much our understanding of a delta Scuti
star is improved when it is in a detached eclipsing binary system instead of
being a single field star. We use singular value decomposition to explore the
precision we expect in stellar parameters (mass, age and chemical composition)
for both cases. We examine how the parameter uncertainties propagate to the
luminosity - effective temperature diagram and determine when the effort of
obtaining a new measurement is justified. We show that for the single star, a
correct identification of the oscillation mode is necessary to produce strong
constraints on the stellar model properties, while for the binary system the
observations without the pulsation mode provide the same or better constraints
on the stellar parameters. In the latter case, ...Comment: emulateapj 16 pages, accepted Ap
Asteroseismology and Interferometry
Asteroseismology provides us with a unique opportunity to improve our
understanding of stellar structure and evolution. Recent developments,
including the first systematic studies of solar-like pulsators, have boosted
the impact of this field of research within Astrophysics and have led to a
significant increase in the size of the research community. In the present
paper we start by reviewing the basic observational and theoretical properties
of classical and solar-like pulsators and present results from some of the most
recent and outstanding studies of these stars. We centre our review on those
classes of pulsators for which interferometric studies are expected to provide
a significant input. We discuss current limitations to asteroseismic studies,
including difficulties in mode identification and in the accurate determination
of global parameters of pulsating stars, and, after a brief review of those
aspects of interferometry that are most relevant in this context, anticipate
how interferometric observations may contribute to overcome these limitations.
Moreover, we present results of recent pilot studies of pulsating stars
involving both asteroseismic and interferometric constraints and look into the
future, summarizing ongoing efforts concerning the development of future
instruments and satellite missions which are expected to have an impact in this
field of research.Comment: Version as published in The Astronomy and Astrophysics Review, Volume
14, Issue 3-4, pp. 217-36
Stellar Structure and Evolution: Deductions from Hipparcos
During the last decade, the understanding of fine features of the structure
and evolution of stars has become possible as a result of enormous progress
made in the acquisition of high-quality observational and experimental data and
of new developments and refinements in the theoretical description of stellar
plasmas. The confrontation of high-quality observations with sophisticated
stellar models has allowed many aspects of the theory to be validated, and
several characteristics of stars relevant to Galactic evolution and cosmology
to be inferred. This paper is a review of the results of recent studies
undertaken in the context of the Hipparcos mission, taking benefit of the
high-quality astrometric data it has provided. Successes are discussed, as well
as the problems that have arisen and suggestions proposed to solve them. Future
observational and theoretical developments expected and required in the field
are also presented.Comment: 56 pages, including 9 figures, Ann. Rev. Astron. Astrophys. Vol. 38,
September 2000 (in press
AMAP 2017. Adaptation Actions for a Changing Arctic: Perspectives from the Baffin Bay/Davis Strait Region
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