6,428 research outputs found
Exploring the Chemical Composition and Double Horizontal Branch of the Bulge Globular Cluster NGC 6569
Photometric and spectroscopic analyses have shown that the Galactic bulge
cluster Terzan 5 hosts several populations with different metallicities and
ages that manifest as a double red horizontal branch (HB). A recent
investigation of the massive bulge cluster NGC 6569 revealed a similar, though
less extended, HB luminosity split, but little is known about the cluster's
detailed chemical composition. Therefore, we have used high-resolution spectra
from the Magellan-M2FS and VLT-FLAMES spectrographs to investigate the chemical
compositions and radial velocity distributions of red giant branch and HB stars
in NGC 6569. We found the cluster to have a mean heliocentric radial velocity
of -48.8 km/s (sigma = 5.3 km/s; 148 stars) and a mean [Fe/H] =-0.87 dex (19
stars), but the cluster's 0.05 dex [Fe/H] dispersion precludes a significant
metallicity spread. NGC 6569 exhibits light- and heavy-element distributions
that are common among old bulge/inner Galaxy globular clusters, including clear
(anti)correlations between [O/Fe], [Na/Fe], and [Al/Fe]. The light-element data
suggest that NGC 6569 may be composed of at least two distinct populations, and
the cluster's low mean [La/Eu] = -0.11 dex indicates significant pollution with
r-process material. We confirm that both HBs contain cluster members, but
metallicity and light-element variations are largely ruled out as sources for
the luminosity difference. However, He mass fraction differences as small as
delta Y ~ 0.02 cannot be ruled out and may be sufficient to reproduce the
double HB.Comment: 72 pages, 14 figures, 8 tables; published in The Astronomical
Journal; electronic versions of all tables are available in the published
versio
A Chemical Composition Survey of the Iron-Complex Globular Cluster NGC 6273 (M 19)
Recent observations have shown that a growing number of the most massive
Galactic globular clusters contain multiple populations of stars with different
[Fe/H] and neutron-capture element abundances. NGC 6273 has only recently been
recognized as a member of this "iron-complex" cluster class, and we provide
here a chemical and kinematic analysis of > 300 red giant branch (RGB) and
asymptotic giant branch (AGB) member stars using high resolution spectra
obtained with the Magellan-M2FS and VLT-FLAMES instruments. Multiple lines of
evidence indicate that NGC 6273 possesses an intrinsic metallicity spread that
ranges from about [Fe/H] = -2 to -1 dex, and may include at least three
populations with different [Fe/H] values. The three populations identified here
contain separate first (Na/Al-poor) and second (Na/Al-rich) generation stars,
but a Mg-Al anti-correlation may only be present in stars with [Fe/H] > -1.65.
The strong correlation between [La/Eu] and [Fe/H] suggests that the s-process
must have dominated the heavy element enrichment at higher metallicities. A
small group of stars with low [alpha/Fe] is identified and may have been
accreted from a former surrounding field star population. The cluster's large
abundance variations are coupled with a complex, extended, and multimodal blue
horizontal branch (HB). The HB morphology and chemical abundances suggest that
NGC 6273 may have an origin that is similar to omega Cen and M 54.Comment: Accepted for Publication in The Astrophysical Journal; 50 pages; 18
figures; 8 tables; higher resolution figures are available upon request or in
the published journal articl
Mapping the Galactic Halo. V. Sgr dSph Tidal Debris 60 degrees from the Main Body
As part of the Spaghetti Project Survey (SPS) we have detected a
concentration of giant stars well above expectations for a smooth halo model.
The position (l~350, b~50) and distance (~50 kpc) of this concentration match
those of the Northern over-density detected by SDSS (Yanny et al. 2000, Ivezic
et al. 2000). We find additional evidence for structure at ~80 kpc in the same
direction. We present radial velocities for many of these stars, including the
first published results from the 6.5m Magellan telescope. The radial velocities
for stars in these structures are in excellent agreement with models of the
dynamical evolution of the Sgr dwarf tidal debris, whose center is 60 degrees
away. The metallicity of stars in these streams is lower than that of the main
body of the Sgr dwarf, which may indicate a radial metallicity gradient prior
to disruption.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures accepted in Astrophysical Journal Letter
HST Colour-Magnitude Diagrams of Six Old Globular Clusters in the LMC
We report on HST observations of six candidate old globular clusters in the
Large Magellanic Cloud: NGC 1754, NGC 1835, NGC 1898, NGC 1916, NGC 2005 and
NGC 2019. Deep exposures with the F555W and F814W filters provide us with
colour-magnitude diagrams that reach to an apparent magnitude in V of ~25, well
below the main sequence turnoff. These particular clusters are involved with
significantly high LMC field star densities and care was taken to subtract the
field stars from the cluster colour-magnitude diagrams accurately. In two cases
there is significant variable reddening across at least part of the image, but
only for NGC 1916 does the differential reddening preclude accurate
measurements of the CMD characteristics. The morphologies of the colour-
magnitude diagrams match well those of Galactic globular clusters of similar
metallicity. All six have well-developed horizontal branches, while four
clearly have stars on both sides of the RR Lyrae gap. The abundances obtained
from measurements of the height of the red giant branch above the level of the
horizontal branch are 0.3 dex higher, on average, than previously measured
spectroscopic abundances. Detailed comparisons with Galactic globular cluster
fiducials show that all six clusters are old objects, very similar in age to
classical Galactic globulars such as M5, with little age spread among the
clusters. This result is consistent with ages derived by measuring the
magnitude difference between the horizontal branch and main sequence turnoff.
We also find a similar chronology by comparing the horizontal branch
morphologies and abundances with the horizontal branch evolutionary tracks of
Lee, Demarque, & Zinn (1994). Our results imply that the LMC formed at the same
time as the Milky Way Galaxy.Comment: 23 pages, 18 PostScript figures, LaTeX, accepted by MNRAS. Uses
mn.sty and epsf.sty. Requires ols.sty (included
The Nature of the Density Clump in the Fornax Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy
We have imaged the recently discovered stellar overdensity located
approximately one core radius from the center of the Fornax dwarf spheroidal
galaxy using the Magellan Clay 6.5m telescope with the Magellan Instant Camera
(MagIC). Superb seeing conditions allowed us to probe the stellar populations
of this overdensity and of a control field within Fornax to a limiting
magnitude of R=26. The color-magnitude diagram of the overdensity field is
virtually identical to that of the control field with the exception of the
presence of a population arising from a very short (less than 300 Myr in
duration) burst of star formation 1.4 Gyr ago. Coleman et al. have argued that
this overdensity might be related to a shell structure in Fornax that was
created when Fornax captured a smaller galaxy. Our results are consistent with
this model, but we argue that the metallicity of this young component favors a
scenario in which the gas was part of Fornax itself.Comment: 24 pages including 8 figures and 3 tables. Accepted by Astronomical
Journa
Spectroscopic Discovery of the Supernova 2003dh Associated with GRB 030329
We present early observations of the afterglow of the Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB)
030329 and the spectroscopic discovery of its associated supernova SN 2003dh.
We obtained spectra of the afterglow of GRB 030329 each night from March 30.12
(0.6 days after the burst) to April 8.13 (UT) (9.6 days after the burst). The
spectra cover a wavelength range of 350 nm to 850 nm. The early spectra consist
of a power-law continuum (F_nu ~ nu^{-0.9}) with narrow emission lines
originating from HII regions in the host galaxy, indicating a low redshift of
z=0.1687. However, our spectra taken after 2003 Apr. 5 show broad peaks in flux
characteristic of a supernova. Correcting for the afterglow emission, we find
the spectrum of the supernova is remarkably similar to the type Ic `hypernova'
SN 1998bw. While the presence of supernovae have been inferred from the light
curves and colors of GRB afterglows in the past, this is the first direct,
spectroscopic confirmation that a subset of classical gamma-ray bursts
originate from supernovae.Comment: published by ApJ Letters; additional material avilable at
http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/cfa/oir/Research/GRB
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