4,858 research outputs found
The evolution of surface magnetic fields in young solar-type stars
The surface rotation rates of young solar-type stars decrease rapidly with
age from the end of the pre-main sequence though the early main sequence. This
suggests that there is also an important change in the dynamos operating in
these stars, which should be observable in their surface magnetic fields. Here
we present early results in a study aimed at observing the evolution of these
magnetic fields through this critical time period. We are observing stars in
open clusters and stellar associations to provide precise ages, and using
Zeeman Doppler Imaging to characterize the complex magnetic fields. Presented
here are results for six stars, three in the in the beta Pic association (~10
Myr old) and three in the AB Dor association (~100 Myr old).Comment: To appear in the proceedings of IAU symposium 302: Magnetic fields
throughout stellar evolution. 2 pages, 3 figure
A 10-micron Search for Inner-Truncated Disks Among Pre-Main-Sequence Stars With Photometric Rotation Periods
We use mid-IR (primarily 10 m) photometry as a diagnostic for the
presence of disks with inner cavities among 32 pre-main sequence stars in Orion
and Taurus-Auriga for which rotation periods are known and which do not show
evidence for inner disks at near-IR wavelengths. Disks with inner cavities are
predicted by magnetic disk-locking models that seek to explain the regulation
of angular momentum in T Tauri stars. Only three stars in our sample show
evidence for excess mid-IR emission. While these three stars may possess
truncated disks consistent with magnetic disk-locking models, the remaining 29
stars in our sample do not. Apparently, stars lacking near-IR excesses in
general do not possess truncated disks to which they are magnetically coupled.
We discuss the implications of this result for the hypothesis of
disk-regulated angular momentum. Evidently, young stars can exist as slow
rotators without the aid of present disk-locking, and there exist very young
stars already rotating near breakup velocity whose subsequent angular momentum
evolution will not be regulated by disks. Moreover, we question whether disks,
when present, truncate in the manner required by disk-locking scenarios.
Finally, we discuss the need for rotational evolution models to take full
account of the large dispersion of rotation rates present at 1 Myr, which may
allow the models to explain the rotational evolution of low-mass pre-main
sequence stars in a way that does not depend upon braking by disks.Comment: 20 pages, 4 figure
From solar to stellar corona: the role of wind, rotation and magnetism
Observations of surface magnetic fields are now within reach for many stellar
types thanks to the development of Zeeman-Doppler Imaging. These observations
are extremely useful for constraining rotational evolution models of stars, as
well as for characterizing the generation of magnetic field. We recently
demonstrated that the impact of coronal magnetic field topology on the
rotational braking of a star can be parametrized with a scalar parameter: the
open magnetic flux. However, without running costly numerical simulations of
the stellar wind, reconstructing the coronal structure of the large scale
magnetic field is not trivial. An alternative -broadly used in solar physics-
is to extrapolate the surface magnetic field assuming a potential field in the
corona, to describe the opening of the field lines by the magnetized wind. This
technique relies on the definition of a so-called source surface radius, which
is often fixed to the canonical value of 2.5Rsun. However this value likely
varies from star to star. To resolve this issue, we use our extended set of
2.5D wind simulations published in 2015, to provide a criteria for the opening
of field lines as well as a simple tool to assess the source surface radius and
the open magnetic flux. This allows us to derive the magnetic torque applied to
the star by the wind from any spectropolarimetric observation. We conclude by
discussing some estimations of spin-down time scales made using our technique,
and compare them to observational requirements.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa
Dynamical star-disk interaction in the young stellar system V354 Mon
The main goal of this work is to characterize the mass accretion and ejection
processes of the classical T Tauri star V354 Mon, a member of the young stellar
cluster NGC 2264. In March 2008, photometric and spectroscopic observations of
V354 Mon were obtained simultaneously with the CoRoT satellite, the 60 cm
telescope at the Observat\'orio Pico dos Dias (LNA - Brazil) equipped with a
CCD camera and Johnson/Cousins BVRI filters, and the SOPHIE \'echelle
spectrograph at the Observatoire de Haute-Provence (CNRS - France). The light
curve of V354 Mon shows periodical minima (P = 5.26 +/- 0.50 days) that vary in
depth and width at each rotational cycle. From the analysis of the photometric
and spectroscopic data, it is possible to identify correlations between the
emission line variability and the light-curve modulation of the young system,
such as the occurrence of pronounced redshifted absorption in the H_alpha line
at the epoch of minimum flux. This is evidence that during photometric minima
we see the accretion funnel projected onto the stellar photosphere in our line
of sight, implying that the hot spot coincides with the light-curve minima. We
applied models of cold and hot spots and a model of occultation by
circumstellar material to investigate the source of the observed photometric
variations. We conclude that nonuniformly distributed material in the inner
part of the circumstellar disk is the main cause of the photometric modulation,
which does not exclude the presence of hot and cold spots at the stellar
surface. It is believed that the distortion in the inner part of the disk is
created by the dynamical interaction between the stellar magnetosphere,
inclined with respect to the rotation axis, and the circumstellar disk, as also
observed in the classical T Tauri star AA Tau and predicted by
magnetohydrodynamical numerical simulations.Comment: Accepted by Astronomy and Astrophysic
Angular momentum evolution of young low-mass stars and brown dwarfs: observations and theory
This chapter aims at providing the most complete review of both the emerging
concepts and the latest observational results regarding the angular momentum
evolution of young low-mass stars and brown dwarfs. In the time since
Protostars & Planets V, there have been major developments in the availability
of rotation period measurements at multiple ages and in different star-forming
environments that are essential for testing theory. In parallel, substantial
theoretical developments have been carried out in the last few years, including
the physics of the star-disk interaction, numerical simulations of stellar
winds, and the investigation of angular momentum transport processes in stellar
interiors. This chapter reviews both the recent observational and theoretical
advances that prompted the development of renewed angular momentum evolution
models for cool stars and brown dwarfs. While the main observational trends of
the rotational history of low mass objects seem to be accounted for by these
new models, a number of critical open issues remain that are outlined in this
review.Comment: 22 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in Protostars & Planets
VI, 2014, University of Arizona Press, eds. H. Beuther, R. Klessen, K.
Dullemond, Th. Hennin
Multiple protostellar systems. II. A high resolution near-infrared imaging survey in nearby star-forming regions
(abridged) Our project endeavors to obtain a robust view of multiplicity
among embedded Class I and Flat Spectrum protostars in a wide array of nearby
molecular clouds to disentangle ``universal'' from cloud-dependent processes.
We have used near-infrared adaptive optics observations at the VLT through the
H, Ks and L' filters to search for tight companions to 45 Class I and Flat
Spectrum protostars located in 4 different molecular clouds (Taurus-Auriga,
Ophiuchus, Serpens and L1641 in Orion). We complemented these observations with
published high-resolution surveys of 13 additional objects in Taurus and
Ophiuchus. We found multiplicity rates of 32+/-6% and 47+/-8% over the 45-1400
AU and 14-1400 AU separation ranges, respectively. These rates are in excellent
agreement with those previously found among T Tauri stars in Taurus and
Ophiuchus, and represent an excess of a factor ~1.7 over the multiplicity rate
of solar-type field stars. We found no non-hierarchical triple systems, nor any
quadruple or higher-order systems. No significant cloud-to-cloud difference has
been found, except for the fact that all companions to low-mass Orion
protostars are found within 100 AU of their primaries whereas companions found
in other clouds span the whole range probed here. Based on this survey, we
conclude that core fragmentation always yields a high initial multiplicity
rate, even in giant molecular clouds such as the Orion cloud or in clustered
stellar populations as in Serpens, in contrast with predictions of numerical
simulations. The lower multiplicity rate observed in clustered Class II and
Class III populations can be accounted for by a universal set of properties for
young systems and subsequent ejections through close encounters with unrelated
cluster members.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy &
Astrophysic
Study on the neuronal circuits implicated in postural tremor and hypokinesia
The effect of various tegmentary lesions at the level of the pontomesenchphalon in monkeys on motor function was observed. The importance of the monoaminergic mechanisms of the brainstem is discussed. The results also show the importance of the descending tegmentary rubral system and the rubroolivocerebellar circuit in controlling peripheral motor activity. The destruction of the sensory motor cortex proves to be a more effective way of eliminating spontaneous or harmaline induced tremor than the complete interruption of the pyramidal system on the level of the cerebral peduncle
Time-resolved photometry of the young dipper RX~J1604.3-2130A:Unveiling the structure and mass transport through the innermost disk
Context. RX J1604.3-2130A is a young, dipper-type, variable star in the Upper Scorpius association, suspected to have an inclined inner disk, with respect to its face-on outer disk. Aims. We aim to study the eclipses to constrain the inner disk properties. Methods. We used time-resolved photometry from the Rapid Eye Mount telescope and Kepler 2 data to study the multi-wavelength variability, and archival optical and infrared data to track accretion, rotation, and changes in disk structure. Results. The observations reveal details of the structure and matter transport through the inner disk. The eclipses show 5 d quasi-periodicity, with the phase drifting in time and some periods showing increased/decreased eclipse depth and frequency. Dips are consistent with extinction by slightly processed dust grains in an inclined, irregularly-shaped inner disk locked to the star through two relatively stable accretion structures. The grains are located near the dust sublimation radius (similar to 0.06 au) at the corotation radius, and can explain the shadows observed in the outer disk. The total mass (gas and dust) required to produce the eclipses and shadows is a few % of a Ceres mass. Such an amount of mass is accreted/replenished by accretion in days to weeks, which explains the variability from period to period. Spitzer and WISE infrared variability reveal variations in the dust content in the innermost disk on a timescale of a few years, which is consistent with small imbalances (compared to the stellar accretion rate) in the matter transport from the outer to the inner disk. A decrease in the accretion rate is observed at the times of less eclipsing variability and low mid-IR fluxes, confirming this picture. The v sin i = 16 km s(-1) confirms that the star cannot be aligned with the outer disk, but is likely close to equator-on and to be aligned with the inner disk. This anomalous orientation is a challenge for standard theories of protoplanetary disk formation.Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC): ST/S000399/1.
ESO fellowship.
European Union (EU): 823 823.
German Research Foundation (DFG): FOR 2634/1 TE 1024/1-1.
French National Research Agency (ANR): ANR-16-CE31-0013.
Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.
European Research Council (ERC): 678 194.
European Research Council (ERC): 742 095.
National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA).
National Science Foundation (NSF).
National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA): NNG05GF22G.
National Science Foundation (NSF): AST-0909182, AST-1 313 422
A Hubble Space Telescope ACS Search for Brown Dwarf Binaries in the Pleiades Open Cluster
We present the results of a high-resolution imaging survey for brown dwarf
binaries in the Pleiades open cluster. The observations were carried out with
the Advance Camera for Surveys onboard the Hubble Space Telescope. Our sample
consists of 15 bona-fide brown dwarfs. We confirm 2 binaries and detect their
orbital motion, but we did not resolve any new binary candidates in the
separation range between 5.4AU and 1700AU and masses in the range
0.035--0.065~Msun. Together with the results of our previous study (Martin et
al., 2003), we can derive a visual binary frequency of 13.3\%
for separations greater than 7~AU masses between 0.055--0.065~M_{\sun} and
mass ratios between 0.45--0.91.0. The other observed properties of
Pleiades brown dwarf binaries (distributions of separation and mass ratio)
appear to be similar to their older counterparts in the field.Comment: 29 pages, 7 figures, 6 tables, accepted for publication in Ap
Spectroscopy of brown dwarf candidates in IC 348 and the determination of its substellar IMF down to planetary masses
Context. Brown dwarfs represent a sizable fraction of the stellar content of
our Galaxy and populate the transition between the stellar and planetary mass
regime. There is however no agreement on the processes responsible for their
formation. Aims. We have conducted a large survey of the young, nearby cluster
IC 348, to uncover its low-mass brown dwarf population and study the cluster
properties in the substellar regime. Methods. Deep optical and near-IR images
taken with MegaCam and WIRCam at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) were
used to select photometric candidate members. A spectroscopic follow-up of a
large fraction of the candidates was conducted to assess their youth and
membership. Results. We confirmed spectroscopically 16 new members of the IC
348 cluster, including 13 brown dwarfs, contributing significantly to the
substellar census of the cluster, where only 30 brown dwarfs were previously
known. Five of the new members have a L0 spectral type, the latest-type objects
found to date in this cluster. At 3 Myr, evolutionary models estimate these
brown dwarfs to have a mass of ~13 Jupiter masses. Combining the new members
with previous census of the cluster, we constructed the IMF complete down to 13
Jupiter masses. Conclusions. The IMF of IC 348 is well fitted by a log-normal
function, and we do not see evidence for variations of the mass function down
to planetary masses when compared to other young clusters.Comment: Accepted to A&A (8 November 2012
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