An X-ray Image of the Composite SNR G16.7+0.1

We have observed the Galactic supernova remnant G16.7+0.1 for 13 ks using the EPIC cameras aboard the XMM-Newton X-ray Observatory, producing the first X-ray image of the remnant. This composite radio remnant has a core radio flux density of only 100 mJy, making it one of the faintest radio synchrotron nebulae yet detected, although the core-to-shell flux ratio at 6 cm is typical of the growing class of composite remnants. Our image is seriously contaminated by bright arcs produced by singly reflected X-rays from the X-ray binary GX17+2 which lies just outside the field of view, providing an interesting data analysis challenge. Nonetheless, the remnant's synchrotron core is clearly detected. We report on the spectrum and intensity of the core emission as well as on our search for emission from the thermal shell, and describe the constraints these observations provide on the remnant's distance, age, and central pulsar properties.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures. Scheduled to appear in the September 1 Astrophysical Journa

The Factory and the Beehive. II. Activity and Rotation is Praesepe and the Hyades

Open clusters are collections of stars with a single, well-determined age, and can be used to investigate the connections between angular-momentum evolution and magnetic activity over a star\u27s lifetime. We present the results of a comparative study of the relationship between stellar rotation and activity in two benchmark open clusters: Praesepe and the Hyades. As they have the same age and roughly solar metallicity, these clusters serve as an ideal laboratory for testing the agreement between theoretical and empirical rotation-activity relations at 600 Myr. We have compiled a sample of 720 spectra—more than half of which are new observations—for 516 high-confidence members of Praesepe; we have also obtained 139 new spectra for 130 high-confidence Hyads. We have also collected rotation periods (P rot) for 135 Praesepe members and 87 Hyads. To compare Hα emission, an indicator of chromospheric activity, as a function of color, mass, and Rossby number Ro , we first calculate an expanded set of χ values, with which we can obtain the Hα to bolometric luminosity ratio, L Hα/L bol, even when spectra are not flux-calibrated and/or stars lack reliable distances. Our χ values cover a broader range of stellar masses and colors (roughly equivalent to spectral types from K0 to M9), and exhibit better agreement between independent calculations, than existing values. Unlike previous authors, we find no difference between the two clusters in their Hα equivalent width or L Hα/L bol distributions, and therefore take the merged Hα and P rot data to be representative of 600 Myr old stars. Our analysis shows that Hα activity in these stars is saturated for . Above that value activity declines as a power-law with slope , before dropping off rapidly at Ro 0.4. These data provide a useful anchor for calibrating the age-activity-rotation relation beyond 600 Myr

The fifth data release of the sloan digital sky survey

Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, 172(2): pp. 634-644.This paper describes the Fifth Data Release (DR5) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). DR5 includes all survey quality data taken through 2005 June and represents the completion of the SDSS-I project (whose successor, SDSS-II, will continue through mid-2008). It includes five-band photometric data for 217 million objects selected over 8000 deg2 and 1,048,960 spectra of galaxies, quasars, and stars selected from 5713 deg2 of that imaging data. These numbers represent a roughly 20% increment over those of the Fourth Data Release; all the data from previous data releases are included in the present release. In addition to ‘‘standard’’ SDSS observations,DR5 includes repeat scans of the southern equatorial stripe, imaging scans across M31 and the core of the Perseus Cluster of galaxies, and the first spectroscopic data from SEGUE, a survey to explore the kinematics and chemical evolution of the Galaxy. The catalog database incorporates several new features, including photometric redshifts of galaxies, tables of matched objects in overlap regions of the imaging survey, and tools that allowprecise computations of survey geometry for statistical investigations

The Factory and the Beehive III: PTFEB132.707+19.810, a Low-Mass Eclipsing Binary in Praesepe Observed by PTF and K2

Theoretical models of stars constitute a fundamental bedrock upon which much of astrophysics is built, but large swaths of model parameter space remain uncalibrated by observations. The best calibrators are eclipsing binaries in clusters, allowing measurement of masses, radii, luminosities, and temperatures, for stars of known metallicity and age. We present the discovery and detailed characterization of PTFEB132.707+19.810, a P=6.0 day eclipsing binary in the Praesepe cluster ($\tau$~600--800 Myr; [Fe/H]=0.14$\pm$0.04). The system contains two late-type stars (SpT$_P$=M3.5$\pm$0.2; SpT$_S$=M4.3$\pm$0.7) with precise masses ($M_p=0.3953\pm0.0020$~$M_{\odot}$; $M_s=0.2098\pm0.0014$~$M_{\odot}$) and radii ($R_p=0.363\pm0.008$~$R_{\odot}$; $R_s=0.272\pm0.012$~$R_{\odot}$). Neither star meets the predictions of stellar evolutionary models. The primary has the expected radius, but is cooler and less luminous, while the secondary has the expected luminosity, but is cooler and substantially larger (by 20%). The system is not tidally locked or circularized. Exploiting a fortuitous 4:5 commensurability between $P_{orb}$ and $P_{rot,prim}$, we demonstrate that fitting errors from the unknown spot configuration only change the inferred radii by <1--2%. We also analyze subsets of data to test the robustness of radius measurements; the radius sum is more robust to systematic errors and preferable for model comparisons. We also test plausible changes in limb darkening, and find corresponding uncertainties of ~1%. Finally, we validate our pipeline using extant data for GU Boo, finding that our independent results match previous radii to within the mutual uncertainties (2--3%). We therefore suggest that the substantial discrepancies are astrophysical; since they are larger than for old field stars, they may be tied to the intermediate age of PTFEB132.707+19.810.Comment: Accepted to ApJ; 36 pages, 19 figures, 8 tables in two-column AASTEX6 forma

Candidate Isolated Neutron Stars and Other Optically Blank X-ray Fields Identified from the ROSAT All-Sky and Sloan Digital Sky Surveys

Only seven radio-quiet isolated neutron stars (INSs) emitting thermal X rays are known, a sample that has yet to definitively address such fundamental issues as the equation of state of degenerate neutron matter. We describe a selection algorithm based on a cross-correlation of the ROSAT All-Sky Survey (RASS) and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) that identifies X-ray error circles devoid of plausible optical counterparts to the SDSS g~22 magnitudes limit. We quantitatively characterize these error circles as optically blank; they may host INSs or other similarly exotic X-ray sources such as radio-quiet BL Lacs, obscured AGN, etc. Our search is an order of magnitude more selective than previous searches for optically blank RASS error circles, and excludes the 99.9% of error circles that contain more common X-ray-emitting subclasses. We find 11 candidates, nine of which are new. While our search is designed to find the best INS candidates and not to produce a complete list of INSs in the RASS, it is reassuring that our number of candidates is consistent with predictions from INS population models. Further X-ray observations will obtain pinpoint positions and determine whether these sources are entirely optically blank at g~22, supporting the presence of likely isolated neutron stars and perhaps enabling detailed follow-up studies of neutron star physics.Comment: Accepted for publication in the AJ; higher resolution figures available at http://www.astro.washington.edu/agueros/pub

The Fifth Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

This paper describes the Fifth Data Release (DR5) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). DR5 includes all survey quality data taken through June 2005 and represents the completion of the SDSS-I project (whose successor, SDSS-II will continue through mid-2008). It includes five-band photometric data for 217 million objects selected over 8000 square degrees, and 1,048,960 spectra of galaxies, quasars, and stars selected from 5713 square degrees of that imaging data. These numbers represent a roughly 20% increment over those of the Fourth Data Release; all the data from previous data releases are included in the present release. In addition to "standard" SDSS observations, DR5 includes repeat scans of the southern equatorial stripe, imaging scans across M31 and the core of the Perseus cluster of galaxies, and the first spectroscopic data from SEGUE, a survey to explore the kinematics and chemical evolution of the Galaxy. The catalog database incorporates several new features, including photometric redshifts of galaxies, tables of matched objects in overlap regions of the imaging survey, and tools that allow precise computations of survey geometry for statistical investigations.Comment: ApJ Supp, in press, October 2007. This paper describes DR5. The SDSS Sixth Data Release (DR6) is now public, available from http://www.sdss.or

The Third Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

This paper describes the Third Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). This release, containing data taken up through June 2003, includes imaging data in five bands over 5282 deg^2, photometric and astrometric catalogs of the 141 million objects detected in these imaging data, and spectra of 528,640 objects selected over 4188 deg^2. The pipelines analyzing both images and spectroscopy are unchanged from those used in our Second Data Release.Comment: 14 pages, including 2 postscript figures. Submitted to AJ. Data available at http://www.sdss.org/dr

The fourth data release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

This paper describes the Fourth Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), including all survey-quality data taken through 2004 June. The data release includes five-band photometric data for 180 million objects selected over 6670 deg 2 and 673,280 spectra of galaxies, quasars, and stars selected from 4783 deg 2 of those imaging data using the standard SDSS target selection algorithms. These numbers represent a roughly 27% increment over those of the Third Data Release; all the data from previous data releases are included in the present release. The Fourth Data Release also includes an additional 131,840 spectra of objects selected using a variety of alternative algorithms, to address scientific issues ranging from the kinematics of stars in the Milky Way thick disk to populations of faint galaxies and quasars.11 page(s