2,830,875 research outputs found
Rotating molecular outflows: the young T Tauri star in CB26
The disk-outflow connection is thought to play a key role in extracting
excess angular momentum from a forming proto-star. Though jet rotation has been
observed in a few objects, no rotation of molecular outflows has been
unambiguously reported so far. We report new millimeter-interferometric
observations of the edge-on T Tauri star - disk system in the isolated Bok
globule CB26. The aim of these observations was to study the disk-outflow
relation in this 1Myr old low-mass young stellar object. The IRAM PdBI array
was used to observe 12CO(2-1) at 1.3mm in two configurations, resulting in
spectral line maps with 1.5 arcsec resolution. We use an empirical
parameterized steady-state outflow model combined with 2-D line radiative
transfer calculations and chi^2-minimization in parameter space to derive a
best-fit model and constrain parameters of the outflow. The data reveal a
previously undiscovered collimated bipolar molecular outflow of total length
~2000 AU, escaping perpendicular to the plane of the disk. We find peculiar
kinematic signatures that suggest the outflow is rotating with the same
orientation as the disk. However, we could not ultimately exclude jet
precession or two misaligned flows as possible origin of the observed peculiar
velocity field. There is indirect indication that the embedded driving source
is a binary system, which, together with the youth of the source, could provide
the clue to the observed kinematic features of the outflow. CB26 is so far the
most promising source to study the rotation of a molecular outflow. Assuming
that the outflow is rotating, we compute and compare masses, mass flux, angular
momenta, and angular momentum flux of disk and outflow and derive disk
dispersal timescales of 0.5...1 Myr, comparable to the age of the system.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures, to appear in Astronomy & Astrophysic
Discovery of a peculiar Cepheid-like star towards the northern edge of the Small Magellanic Cloud
For seven years, the EROS-2 project obtained a mass of photometric data on
variable stars. We present a peculiar Cepheid-like star, in the direction of
the Small Magellanic Cloud, which demonstrates unusual photometric behaviour
over a short time interval. We report on data of the photometry acquired by the
MARLY telescope and spectroscopy from the EFOSC instrument for this star,
called EROS2 J005135-714459(sm0060n13842), which resembles the unusual Cepheid
HR 7308. The light curve of our target is analysed using the Analysis of
Variance method to determine a pulsational period of 5.5675 days. A fit of
time-dependent Fourier coefficients is performed and a search for proper motion
is conducted. The light curve exhibits a previously unobserved and spectacular
change in both mean magnitude and amplitude, which has no clear theoretical
explanation. Our analysis of the spectrum implies a radial velocity of 104 km
s and a metallicity of -0.40.2 dex. In the direction of right
ascension, we measure a proper motion of 17.46.0 mas yr using EROS
astrometry, which is compatible with data from the NOMAD catalogue. The nature
of EROS2 J005135-714459(sm0060n13842) remains unclear. For this star, we may
have detected a non-zero proper motion for this star, which would imply that it
is a foreground object. Its radial velocity, pulsational characteristics, and
photometric data, however, suggest that it is instead a Cepheid-like object
located in the SMC. In such a case, it would present a challenge to
conventional Cepheid models.Comment: Correction of typos in the abstrac
High resolution spectroscopy for Cepheids distance determination. V. Impact of the cross-correlation method on the p-factor and the gamma-velocities
The cross correlation method (hereafter CC) is widely used to derive the
radial velocity curve of Cepheids when the signal to noise of the spectra is
low. However, if it is used with the wrong projection factor, it might
introduce some biases in the Baade-Wesselink (hereafter BW) methods of
determining the distance of Cepheids. In addition, it might affect the average
value of the radial velocity curve (or gamma-velocity) important for Galactic
structure studies. We aim to derive a period-projection factor relation
(hereafter Pp) appropriate to be used together with the CC method. Moreover, we
investigate whether the CC method can explain the misunderstood previous
calculation of the K-term of Cepheids. We observed eight galactic Cepheids with
the HARPS spectrograph. For each star, we derive an interpolated CC radial
velocity curve using the HARPS pipeline. The amplitudes of these curves are
used to determine the correction to be applied to the semi-theoretical
projection factor derived in Nardetto et al. (2007). Their average value (or
gamma-velocity) are also compared to the center-of-mass velocities derived in
Nardetto et al. (2008). The correction in amplitudes allows us to derive a new
Pp relation: p = [-0.08+-0.05] log P +[1.31+-0.06]. We also find a negligible
wavelength dependence (over the optical range) of the Pp relation. We finally
show that the gamma-velocity derived from the CC method is systematically
blue-shifted by about 1.0 +- 0.2km/s compared to the center-of-mass velocity of
the star. An additional blue-shift of 1.0km/s is thus needed to totally explain
the previous calculation of the K-term of Cepheids (around 2km/s). The new Pp
relation we derived is a solid tool for the distance scale calibration
(abridged).Comment: Comments : 9 pages, 3 Postscript figures, 5 Tables, accepted for
publication in A&
A spectroscopic survey of the youngest field stars in the solar neighbourhood. I. The optically bright sample
We present the first results of a ground-based programme conducted on 1-4m
class telescopes. Our sample consists of 1097 active and presumably young
stars, all of them being optical counterparts of RASS X-ray sources in the
northern hemisphere. We concentrate on the 704 optically brightest
(V_Ticho<=9.5 mag) candidates. We acquired high-res spectroscopy in the
Halpha/Li spectral regions for 426 of such stars without relevant literature
data. We describe the sample and the observations and we start to discuss its
physical properties. We used a cross-correlation technique and other tools to
derive accurate radial/rotational velocities and to perform a spectral
classification for both single and SB2 stars. The spectral subtraction
technique was used to derive chromospheric activity levels and Li abundances.
We estimated the fraction of young single stars and multiple systems in stellar
soft X-ray surveys and the contamination by more evolved systems, like RS
CVn's. We classified stars on the basis of Li abundance and give a glimpse of
their sky distribution. The sample appears to be a mixture of young
Pleiades-/Hyades- like stars plus an older Li-poor population (~1-2 Gyr). 7
stars with Li abundance compatible with the age of IC 2602 (~30 Myr) or younger
were detected as well, although 2 appear to be Li-rich giants. The discovery of
a large number of Li-rich giants is another outcome of this survey. The
contamination of soft X-ray surveys by old systems in which the activity level
is enhanced by tidal synchronisation is not negligible, especially for K-type
stars. 5 stars with Li content close to the primordial abundance are probably
associated with known moving groups in the solar neighbourhood. Some of them
are PTTS candidates according to their positions in the HR diagram.Comment: 16 pages, 12 figures, 6 tables; 2 figures and 2 tables in electronic
form only. Paper accepted by Astronomy and Astrophysic
O18O and C18O observations of rho Oph A
Observations of the (N_J=1_1-1_0) ground state transition of O_2 with the
Odin satellite resulted in a about 5 sigma detection toward the dense core rho
Oph A. At the frequency of the line, 119 GHz, the Odin telescope has a beam
width of 10', larger than the size of the dense core, so that the precise
nature of the emitting source and its exact location and extent are unknown.
The current investigation is intended to remedy this. Telluric absorption makes
ground based O_2 observations essentially impossible and observations had to be
done from space. mm-wave telescopes on space platforms were necessarily small,
which resulted in large, several arcminutes wide, beam patterns. Although the
Earth's atmosphere is entirely opaque to low-lying O_2 transitions, it allows
ground based observations of the much rarer O18O in favourable conditions and
at much higher angular resolution with larger telescopes. In addition, rho Oph
A exhibits both multiple radial velocity systems and considerable velocity
gradients. Extensive mapping of the region in the proxy C18O (J=3-2) line can
be expected to help identify the O_2 source on the basis of its line shape and
Doppler velocity. Line opacities were determined from observations of optically
thin 13C18O (J=3-2) at selected positions. During several observing periods,
two C18O intensity maxima in rho Oph A were searched for in the 16O18O
(2_1-0_1) line at 234 GHz with the 12m APEX telescope. Our observations
resulted in an upper limit on the integrated O18O intensity of < 0.01 K km/s (3
sigma) into the 26.5" beam. We conclude that the source of observed O_2
emission is most likely confined to the central regions of the rho Oph A cloud.
In this limited area, implied O_2 abundances could thus be higher than
previously reported, by up to two orders of magnitude.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures (5 colour), Astronomy & Astrophysic
Triggered massive-star formation on the borders of Galactic HII regions. IV- Star formation at the periphery of Sh2-212
Aims: We wish to establish whether sequential star formation is taking place
at the periphery of the Galactic HII region Sh2-212.
Methods: We present CO millimetre observations of this region obtained at the
IRAM 30-m telescope to investigate the distribution of associated molecular
material. We also use deep JHK observations obtained at the CFHT to study the
stellar content of the region, and radio observations obtained at the VLA to
look for the presence of an ultra-compact (UC) HII region and for maser
emission.
Results: In the optical, Sh2-212 is spherically symmetric around its central
exciting cluster. This HII region is located along a molecular filament. A
thin, well-defined half ring of molecular material surrounds the brightest part
of the HII region at the rear and is fragmented. The most massive fragment
(~200 solar masses) contains a massive young stellar object displaying a
near-IR excess; its spectral energy distribution indicates a high-mass
(~14solar masses), high-temperature (~30000K), and high-luminosity (~17000
solar luminosities) source. This object ionizes a UC HII region.
Conclusions: Sh2-212 is a good example of massive-star formation triggered
via the collect and collapse process. The massive YSO observed at its periphery
is a good candidate for a massive star formed in isolation.Comment: 12 pages, 14 figures. To be published in A&
Multi-wavelength observations of Galactic hard X-ray sources discovered by INTEGRAL. I. The nature of the companion star
Context: The INTEGRAL hard X-ray observatory has revealed an emerging
population of highly obscured X-ray binary systems through multi-wavelength
observations. Previous studies have shown that many of these sources are
high-mass X-ray binaries hosting neutron stars orbiting around luminous and
evolved companion stars. Aims: To better understand this newly-discovered
population, we have selected a sample of sources for which an accurate
localisation is available to identify the stellar counterpart and reveal the
nature of the companion star and of the binary system. Methods: We performed an
intensive study of a sample of thirteen INTEGRAL sources, through
multi-wavelength optical to NIR photometric and spectroscopic observations,
using EMMI and SofI instruments at the ESO NTT telescope. We performed accurate
astrometry and identified candidate counterparts for which we give the optical
and NIR magnitudes. We detected many spectral lines allowing us to determine
the spectral type of the companion star. We fitted with stellar black bodies
the mid-infrared to optical spectral energy distributions of these sources.
From the spectral analysis and SED fitting we identified the nature of the
companion stars and of the binary systems. (abridged).Comment: A&A in press; The official date of acceptance is 15/12/2007; 25
pages, 6 figures, 8 tables. New version with language editing required by
edito
Optimizing Non-Invasive Detection of Coronary Artery Disease and Effects of Advanced Interventional Techniques for Patients with Stable Coronary Artery Disease:It is All about Myocardial Perfusion
The aim of this thesis was to (1) further optimize non-invasive detection of hemodynamically significant coronary artery disease (CAD) with coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) and to examine (2) the effect of implantation of the bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) and (3) chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention (CTO PCI). Part I showed that angiographic characteristics such as volumetric measures as well as morphological aspects of atherosclerosis as assessed by CCTA are of interest when considering the hemodynamic consequences of atherosclerosis. These findings add to luminal stenosis grading alone and aid in increasing the diagnostic accuracy of CCTA to predict hemodynamically significant CAD determined by invasive FFR. The main results of Part II indicate that implantation of the BVS is feasible however no benefit with regard to myocardial perfusion is observed during hyperemia or cold pressor testing. These findings do not support the use of BVS instead of metallic DES, especially since large randomized trials have illustrated that there is an increased risk in scaffold thrombosis during the first three years. Still, long-term outcome (>3 years) has yet to become available. The results of the studies in Part III indicate that the vast majority of patients with a CTO have significantly impaired myocardial perfusion with great effect of successful CTO PCI on recovery of myocardial perfusion and decrease of ischemic burden. Patient selection for CTO PCI should be based on expected patient benefit rather than lesion complexity
Quasi-classical rate coefficient calculations for the rotational (de)excitation of H2O by H2
The interpretation of water line emission from existing observations and
future HIFI/Herschel data requires a detailed knowledge of collisional rate
coefficients. Among all relevant collisional mechanisms, the rotational
(de)excitation of H2O by H2 molecules is the process of most interest in
interstellar space. To determine rate coefficients for rotational de-excitation
among the lowest 45 para and 45 ortho rotational levels of H2O colliding with
both para and ortho-H2 in the temperature range 20-2000 K. Rate coefficients
are calculated on a recent high-accuracy H2O-H2 potential energy surface using
quasi-classical trajectory calculations. Trajectories are sampled by a
canonical Monte-Carlo procedure. H2 molecules are assumed to be rotationally
thermalized at the kinetic temperature. By comparison with quantum calculations
available for low lying levels, classical rates are found to be accurate within
a factor of 1-3 for the dominant transitions, that is those with rates larger
than a few 10^{-12}cm^{3}s^{-1}. Large velocity gradient modelling shows that
the new rates have a significant impact on emission line fluxes and that they
should be adopted in any detailed population model of water in warm and hot
environments.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, 1 table (the online material (4 tables) can be
obtained upon request to [email protected]
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