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H? Activity of Old M Dwarfs: Stellar Cycles and Mean Activity Levels for 93 Low-mass Stars in the Solar Neighborhood
Through the McDonald Observatory M Dwarf Planet Search, we have acquirednearly 3000 high-resolution spectra of 93 late-type (K5-M5) stars overmore than a decade using the High Resolution Spectrograph on theHobby-Eberly Telescope. This sample provides a unique opportunity toinvestigate the occurrence of long-term stellar activity cycles forlow-mass stars. In this paper, we examine the stellar activity of ourtargets as reflected in the H? feature. We have identifiedperiodic signals for six stars, with periods ranging from days to morethan 10 years, and find long-term trends for seven others. Stellarcycles with P >= 1 year are present for at least 5% of our targets.Additionally, we present an analysis of the time-averaged activitylevels of our sample, and search for correlations with other stellarproperties. In particular, we find that more massive, earlier type(M0-M2) stars tend to be more active than later type dwarfs.Furthermore, high-metallicity stars tend to be more active at a givenstellar mass. We also evaluate H? variability as a tracer ofactivity-induced radial velocity (RV) variation. For the M dwarf GJ1170, H? variation reveals stellar activity patterns matchingthose seen in the RVs, mimicking the signal of a giant planet, and wefind evidence that the previously identified stellar activity cycle ofGJ 581 may be responsible for the recently retracted planet f in thatsystem. In general, though, we find that H? is not frequentlycorrelated with RV at the precision (typically 6-7 ms-1) of our measurements.
| Observation and modelling of main-sequence star chromospheres - XIX. FIES and FEROS observations of dM1 stars
We present 187 high-resolution spectra for 62 different M1 dwarfs fromobservations obtained with the FIbre-fed Echelle Spectrograph (FIES) onthe Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT) and from observations with theFibre-fed Extended Range Echelle Spectrograph (FEROS) from the EuropeanSouthern Observatory (ESO) data base. We also compiled othermeasurements available in the literature.We observed two stars, Gl 745A and Gl 745B, with no Ca II line coreemission and H? line equivalent widths (EWs) of only 0.171 and0.188 Å, respectively. We also observed another very low activityM1 dwarf, Gl 63, with an H? line EW of only 0.199 Å. Theseare the lowest activity M dwarfs ever observed and are of particularinterest for the non-local thermodynamic equilibrium radiative transfermodelling of M1 dwarfs.Thanks to the high signal-to-noise ratio of most of our spectra, we wereable to measure the Ca II H&K full width at half-maximum (FWHM) formost of our stars. We find good correlations between the FWHM values andthe mean Ca II line EW for dM1 stars. Then the FWHM seems to saturatefor dM1e stars. Our previous models of M1 dwarfs can reproduce the FWHMfor dM1e stars and the most active dM1 stars, but fail to reproduce theobservations of lower activity M1 dwarfs. We believe this is due to aneffect of metallicity. We also investigate the dependence of theH? line FWHM as a function of its EW. We find that the modelsglobally agree with the observations including subwarfs, but tend toproduce too narrow profiles for dM1e stars.We re-investigate the correlation between the Ca II line mean EW and theabsolute magnitude. With our new data that notably include several M1subdwarfs, we find a slightly different and better correlation with aslope of -0.779 instead of -0.909. We also re-investigatethe variations of the H? line EW as a function of radius and findthat the EW increases continuously with increasing radius. This confirmsour previous finding that the level of magnetic activity in M1 dwarfsincreases with the radius.For the first time, we investigate the Wilson-Bappu correlation for agiven spectral type. We find a rather linear correlation for stars ofabsolute magnitude greater than 9.6, but below this value the FWHM seemsto saturate. In fact, we show that these Wilson-Bappu type correlationsare activity-FWHM correlations and are due to the diminishing columnmass of the transition region with decreasing activity level. Based onobservations available at the European Southern Observatory data basesand on Hipparcos parallax measurements.
| Observation and modelling of main-sequence star chromospheres - XV. New constraints on the dynamo mechanisms for dM1 stars
With the help of measures of rotation, radius and metallicity for aselected sample of dM1 stars (with Teff= 3460 ± 60 K),we aim to set new constraints on the dynamo mechanisms.We recover 913 high-resolution spectra for 97 different M1 dwarfs fromthe European Southern Observatory and Observatoire de Haute Provencedata bases. We present 660 new measurements of the Ca II resonance linesand 913 new measurements of the H? line for dM1 stars. We alsocompile other measurements available in the literature. In total, weobtain 2216 measures of the Ca II lines for 113 different dM1 stars.This represents the largest compilation of chromospheric linemeasurements at a single spectral type.We cross-correlate these magnetic activity indicators with variousstellar parameters to set new constraints on the dynamo mechanisms andon the properties of the outer atmosphere.We find a correlation of the Ca II line mean equivalent width with theabsolute magnitude and the metallicity. We correct the Ca II linemeasures from the metallicity effect and find that the surface flux inthe Ca II lines grows roughly as the power of 3.6 of the stellar radius.This corrected flux is a direct measure of magnetic activity at thechromospheric level. We find that the total magnetic activity levelgrows roughly as the power of 5.6 of the stellar radius. This trend isconfirmed by the correlation between the H? line and absolutemagnitude and the H? line luminosity and stellar radius: theH? luminosity grows roughly as the volume of the star for lowactivity dM1 stars and as the power of roughly 5/2 of the stellar radiusfor dM1e stars. The advantage of the H? line is that its formationin not dependent on metallicity.In contrast to the Ca II line, we find no correlation betweenLX and the absolute magnitude. We find that LXroughly correlates with the Ca II luminosity although the correlation isnot very good. This correlation shows that LX grows as thepower of 3/2 of the Ca II luminosity, i.e. the coronal emission growsfaster than the chromospheric emission.We find a correlation between the corrected Ca II line equivalent widthand P/sin i, i.e. the Ca II surface flux grows as the power of -1.5 ofthe rotation period. We also find a correlation between FX,the X-ray surface flux, and P/sin i: FX? (P/sini)-3.7. In other words, the coronal emission is much moredependent on the rotation period than the chromospheric emission.We find that the level of magnetic activity in dM1 stars is moredependent on the stellar radius than on rotation at the chromosphericlevel. We discuss the implications of these results on the models ofstellar dynamos. Based on observations available at Observatoire deHaute Provence and the European Southern Observatory data bases and onHipparcos parallax measurements.
| The Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7 Spectroscopic M Dwarf Catalog. II. Statistical Parallax Analysis
We present a statistical parallax analysis of low-mass dwarfs from theSloan Digital Sky Survey. We calculate absolute r-band magnitudes(Mr ) as a function of color and spectral type andinvestigate changes in Mr with location in the Milky Way. Wefind that magnetically active M dwarfs are intrinsically brighter inMr than their inactive counterparts at the same color orspectral type. Metallicity, as traced by the proxy ?, also affectsMr , with metal-poor stars having fainter absolute magnitudesthan higher metallicity M dwarfs at the same color or spectral type.Additionally, we measure the velocity ellipsoid and solar reflex motionfor each subsample of M dwarfs. We find good agreement between ourmeasured solar peculiar motion and previous results for similarpopulations, as well as some evidence for differing motions of early andlate M-type populations in U and W velocities that cannot be attributedto asymmetric drift. The reflex solar motion and the velocitydispersions both show that younger populations, as traced by magneticactivity and location near the Galactic plane, have experienced lessdynamical heating. We introduce a new parameter, the independentposition altitude (IPA), to investigate populations as a function ofvertical height from the Galactic plane. M dwarfs at all types exhibitan increase in velocity dispersion when analyzed in comparable IPAsubgroups.
| Bayesian inference of stellar parameters and interstellar extinction using parallaxes and multiband photometry
Astrometric surveys provide the opportunity to measure the absolutemagnitudes of large numbers of stars, but only if the individualline-of-sight extinctions are known. Unfortunately, extinction is highlydegenerate with stellar effective temperature when estimated frombroad-band optical/infrared photometry. To address this problem, Iintroduce a Bayesian method for estimating the intrinsic parameters of astar and its line-of-sight extinction. It uses both photometry andparallaxes in a self-consistent manner in order to provide anon-parametric posterior probability distribution over the parameters.The method makes explicit use of domain knowledge by employing theHertzsprung-Russell Diagram (HRD) to constrain solutions and to ensurethat they respect stellar physics. I first demonstrate this method byusing it to estimate effective temperature and extinction from BVJHKdata for a set of artificially reddened Hipparcos stars, for whichaccurate effective temperatures have been estimated from high-resolutionspectroscopy. Using just the four colours, we see the expected strongdegeneracy (positive correlation) between the temperature andextinction. Introducing the parallax, apparent magnitude and the HRDreduces this degeneracy and improves both the precision (reduces theerror bars) and the accuracy of the parameter estimates, the latter byabout 35 per cent. The resulting accuracy is about 200 K in temperatureand 0.2 mag in extinction. I then apply the method to estimate theseparameters and absolute magnitudes for some 47 000 F, G, K Hipparcosstars which have been cross-matched with Two-Micron All-Sky Survey(2MASS). The method can easily be extended to incorporate the estimationof other parameters, in particular metallicity and surface gravity,making it particularly suitable for the analysis of the 109stars from Gaia.
| Observation and modelling of main-sequence star chromospheres - XIV. Rotation of dM1 stars
We have measured v sin i for a selected sample of dM1-typestars. We give 114 measurements of v sin i for 88 different stars, andsix upper detection limits. These are the first measurements of v sin ifor most of the stars studied here. This represents the largest sampleof v sin i measurements for M dwarfs at a given spectral type. For thesemeasurements, we used four different spectrographs: HARPS (ESO), SOPHIE(OHP), ÉLODIE (OHP) and UVES (ESO). Two of these spectrographs(HARPS and SOPHIE) are particularly stable in wavelength since they weredesigned for exoplanet searches.We measured v sin i down to an accuracy of 0.3kms-1 for thehighest resolution spectrographs and a detection limit of about1kms-1. We show that this unprecedented accuracy for M dwarfsin our data set is possible because all the targets have the samespectral type. This is an advantage and it facilitates the determinationof the narrowest line profiles for v sin i ~ 0. Although it is possibleto derive the zero-point profiles using several spectral types at atime. These values were combined with other measurements taken from theliterature. The total sample represents detected rotation for 100 stars(10 dM1e and 90 dM1 stars). We confirm our finding of Paper VII that thedistribution of the projected rotation period is bimodal for dM1 starswith a much larger sample, i.e. there are two groups of stars: the fastrotators with P/sin i ~ 4.5d and the slow rotators with P/sin i ~ 14.4d.There is a gap between these two groups. We find that the distributionof stars as a function of P/sin i has two very abrupt cuts, below 10dand above 18d. There are very few stars observed out of this range10-18d. We also observe that the distribution increases slightly from 18to 10d.We find that the M1 subdwarfs (very low metallicity dwarfs) rotate withan average period of P/sin i ~ 7.2d, which is about twice faster as themain group of normal M1 dwarfs. We also find a correlation for P/sin ito decrease with stellar radius among dM1e stars. Such a trend is alsoobserved in dM1 stars.We also derive metallicity and radius for all our target stars using thesame method as in Paper VII. We notably found that 11 of our targetstars are subdwarfs with metallicities below -0.5dex.Based on observations available at Observatoire de Haute Provence andthe European Southern Observatory data bases and on Hipparcos parallaxmeasurements.E-mail: eric_houdebine@yahoo.fr
| Rotational Velocities for M Dwarfs
We present spectroscopic rotation velocities (v sin i) for 56 M dwarfstars using high-resolution Hobby-Eberly Telescope High ResolutionSpectrograph red spectroscopy. In addition, we have also determinedphotometric effective temperatures, masses, and metallicities ([Fe/H])for some stars observed here and in the literature where we couldacquire accurate parallax measurements and relevant photometry. We haveincreased the number of known v sin i values for mid M stars by around80% and can confirm a weakly increasing rotation velocity withdecreasing effective temperature. Our sample of v sin is peak at lowvelocities (~3 km s-1). We find a change in therotational velocity distribution between early M and late M stars, whichis likely due to the changing field topology between partially and fullyconvective stars. There is also a possible further change in therotational distribution toward the late M dwarfs where dust begins toplay a role in the stellar atmospheres. We also link v sin i to age andshow how it can be used to provide mid-M star age limits. When allliterature velocities for M dwarfs are added to our sample, there are198 with v sin i <= 10 km s-1 and 124 in themid-to-late M star regime (M3.0-M9.5) where measuring precision opticalradial velocities is difficult. In addition, we also search the spectrafor any significant Hα emission or absorption. Forty three percentwere found to exhibit such emission and could represent young, activeobjects with high levels of radial-velocity noise. We acquired twoepochs of spectra for the star GJ1253 spread by almost one month and theHα profile changed from showing no clear signs of emission, toexhibiting a clear emission peak. Four stars in our sample appear to below-mass binaries (GJ1080, GJ3129, Gl802, and LHS3080), with both GJ3129and Gl802 exhibiting double Hα emission features. The tablespresented here will aid any future M star planet search target selectionto extract stars with low v sin i.Based on observations obtained with the Hobby-Eberly Telescope, which isa joint project of the University of Texas at Austin, the PennsylvaniaState University, Stanford University,Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, andGeorg-August-Universität Göttingen.
| The effect of activity on stellar temperatures and radii
Context: Recent analyses of low-mass eclipsing binary stars haveunveiled a significant disagreement between the observations andpredictions of stellar structure models. Results show that theoreticalmodels underestimate the radii and overestimate the effectivetemperatures of low-mass stars but yield luminosities that accord withobservations. A hypothesis based upon the effects of stellar activitywas put forward to explain the discrepancies. Aims: In this paper westudy the existence of the same trend in single active stars and providea consistent scenario to explain systematic differences between activeand inactive stars in the H-R diagram reported earlier. Methods: Theanalysis is done using single field stars of spectral types late-K and Mand computing their bolometric magnitudes and temperatures throughinfrared colours and spectral indices. The properties of the stars insamples of active and inactive stars are compared statistically toreveal systematic differences. Results: After accounting for a numberof possible bias effects, active stars are shown to be cooler thaninactive stars of similar luminosity therefore implying a larger radiusas well, in proportions that are in excellent agreement with those foundfrom eclipsing binaries. Conclusions: The present results generalisethe existence of strong radius and temperature dependences on stellaractivity to the entire population of low-mass stars, regardless of theirmembership in close binary systems.Tables 1 and 2 are only available in electronic form at the CDS viaanonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/478/507
| Pulkovo compilation of radial velocities for 35495 stars in a common system.
Not Available
| A Catalog of Northern Stars with Annual Proper Motions Larger than 0.15" (LSPM-NORTH Catalog)
The LSPM catalog is a comprehensive list of 61,977 stars north of theJ2000 celestial equator that have proper motions larger than 0.15"yr-1 (local-background-stars frame). The catalog has beengenerated primarily as a result of our systematic search for high propermotion stars in the Digitized Sky Surveys using our SUPERBLINK software.At brighter magnitudes, the catalog incorporates stars and data from theTycho-2 Catalogue and also, to a lesser extent, from the All-SkyCompiled Catalogue of 2.5 million stars. The LSPM catalog considerablyexpands over the old Luyten (Luyten Half-Second [LHS] and New LuytenTwo-Tenths [NLTT]) catalogs, superseding them for northern declinations.Positions are given with an accuracy of <~100 mas at the 2000.0epoch, and absolute proper motions are given with an accuracy of ~8 masyr-1. Corrections to the local-background-stars propermotions have been calculated, and absolute proper motions in theextragalactic frame are given. Whenever available, we also give opticalBT and VT magnitudes (from Tycho-2, ASCC-2.5),photographic BJ, RF, and IN magnitudes(from USNO-B1 catalog), and infrared J, H, and Ks magnitudes(from 2MASS). We also provide an estimated V magnitude and V-J color fornearly all catalog entries, useful for initial classification of thestars. The catalog is estimated to be over 99% complete at high Galacticlatitudes (|b|>15deg) and over 90% complete at lowGalactic latitudes (|b|>15deg), down to a magnitudeV=19.0, and has a limiting magnitude V=21.0. All the northern starslisted in the LHS and NLTT catalogs have been reidentified, and theirpositions, proper motions, and magnitudes reevaluated. The catalog alsolists a large number of completely new objects, which promise to expandvery significantly the census of red dwarfs, subdwarfs, and white dwarfsin the vicinity of the Sun.Based on data mining of the Digitized Sky Surveys (DSSs), developed andoperated by the Catalogs and Surveys Branch of the Space TelescopeScience Institute (STScI), Baltimore.Developed with support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), aspart of the NASA/NSF NStars program.
| Improved Astrometry and Photometry for the Luyten Catalog. II. Faint Stars and the Revised Catalog
We complete construction of a catalog containing improved astrometry andnew optical/infrared photometry for the vast majority of NLTT starslying in the overlap of regions covered by POSS I and by the secondincremental Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) release, approximately 44%of the sky. The epoch 2000 positions are typically accurate to 130 mas,the proper motions to 5.5 mas yr-1, and the V-J colors to0.25 mag. Relative proper motions of binary components are measured to 3mas yr-1. The false-identification rate is ~1% for11<~V<~18 and substantially less at brighter magnitudes. Theseimprovements permit the construction of a reduced proper-motion diagramthat, for the first time, allows one to classify NLTT stars intomain-sequence (MS) stars, subdwarfs (SDs), and white dwarfs (WDs). We inturn use this diagram to analyze the properties of both our catalog andthe NLTT catalog on which it is based. In sharp contrast to popularbelief, we find that NLTT incompleteness in the plane is almostcompletely concentrated in MS stars, and that SDs and WDs are detectedalmost uniformly over the sky δ>-33deg. Our catalogwill therefore provide a powerful tool to probe these populationsstatistically, as well as to reliably identify individual SDs and WDs.
| Hipparcos red stars in the HpV_T2 and V I_C systems
For Hipparcos M, S, and C spectral type stars, we provide calibratedinstantaneous (epoch) Cousins V - I color indices using newly derivedHpV_T2 photometry. Three new sets of ground-based Cousins V I data havebeen obtained for more than 170 carbon and red M giants. These datasetsin combination with the published sources of V I photometry served toobtain the calibration curves linking Hipparcos/Tycho Hp-V_T2 with theCousins V - I index. In total, 321 carbon stars and 4464 M- and S-typestars have new V - I indices. The standard error of the mean V - I isabout 0.1 mag or better down to Hp~9 although it deteriorates rapidly atfainter magnitudes. These V - I indices can be used to verify thepublished Hipparcos V - I color indices. Thus, we have identified ahandful of new cases where, instead of the real target, a random fieldstar has been observed. A considerable fraction of the DMSA/C and DMSA/Vsolutions for red stars appear not to be warranted. Most likely suchspurious solutions may originate from usage of a heavily biased color inthe astrometric processing.Based on observations from the Hipparcos astrometric satellite operatedby the European Space Agency (ESA 1997).}\fnmsep\thanks{Table 7 is onlyavailable in electronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp tocdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/397/997
| The radii and spectra of the nearest stars
We discuss direct measurements of the radii of 36 stars located closerthan 25 parsecs to the Sun. We present the data on 307 radii and 326spectral types and luminosity classes for the nearest stars locatedinside the sphere with a radius of 10 parsecs.
| The Palomar/MSU Nearby Star Spectroscopic Survey. III. Chromospheric Activity, M Dwarf Ages, and the Local Star Formation History
We present high-resolution echelle spectroscopy of 676 nearby M dwarfs.Our measurements include radial velocities, equivalent widths ofimportant chromospheric emission lines, and rotational velocities forrapidly rotating stars. We identify several distinct groups by theirHα properties and investigate variations in chromospheric activityamong early (M0-M2.5) and mid (M3-M6) dwarfs. Using a volume-limitedsample together with a relationship between age and chromosphericactivity, we show that the rate of star formation in the immediate solarneighborhood has been relatively constant over the last 4 Gyr. Inparticular, our results are inconsistent with recent large bursts ofstar formation. We use the correlation between Hα activity and ageas a function of color to set constraints on the properties of L and Tdwarf secondary components in binary systems. We also identify a numberof interesting stars, including rapid rotators, radial velocityvariables, and spectroscopic binaries. Observations were made at the 60inch telescope at Palomar Mountain, which is jointly owned by theCalifornia Institute of Technology and the Carnegie Institution ofWashington.
| Meeting the Cool Neighbors. I. Nearby Stars in the NLTT Catalogue: Defining the Sample
We are currently undertaking a program aimed at identifying previouslyunrecognized late-type dwarfs within 20 pc of the Sun. As a first step,we have cross-referenced Luyten's NLTT proper-motion catalog against thesecond incremental release of the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS)Point Source Catalog and use optical/infrared colors, derived bycombining Luyten's mr estimates with 2MASS data, to identifycandidate nearby stars. This paper describes the definition of areference sample of 1245 stars and presents a compilation of literaturedata for more than one-third of the sample. Only 274 stars havetrigonometric parallax measurements, but we have used data for nearbystars with well-determined trigonometric parallaxes to computecolor-magnitude relations in the (MV, V-K), (MV,V-I), and (MI, I-J) planes and use those relations todetermine photometric parallaxes for NLTT stars with optical photometry.Based on the 2MASS JHKs data alone, we have identified afurther 42 ultracool dwarfs (J-Ks>0.99) and useJ-Ks colors to estimate photometric parallaxes. Combiningthese various techniques, we identify 308 stars with formal distances ofless than 20 pc, while a further 46 have distance estimates within 1σ of our survey limit. Of these 354 stars, 75, including 39 of theultracool dwarfs, are new to nearby-star catalogs. Two stars with bothoptical and near-infrared photometry are potential additions to theimmediate solar neighborhood, with formal distance estimates of lessthan 10 pc.
| Catalogue of Apparent Diameters and Absolute Radii of Stars (CADARS) - Third edition - Comments and statistics
The Catalogue, available at the Centre de Données Stellaires deStrasbourg, consists of 13 573 records concerning the results obtainedfrom different methods for 7778 stars, reported in the literature. Thefollowing data are listed for each star: identifications, apparentmagnitude, spectral type, apparent diameter in arcsec, absolute radiusin solar units, method of determination, reference, remarks. Commentsand statistics obtained from CADARS are given. The Catalogue isavailable in electronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp tocdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcar?J/A+A/367/521
| The Palomar/MSU Nearby Star Spectroscopic Survey.II.The Southern M Dwarfs and Investigation of Magnetic Activity
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1996AJ....112.2799H&db_key=AST
| Vitesses radiales. Catalogue WEB: Wilson Evans Batten. Subtittle: Radial velocities: The Wilson-Evans-Batten catalogue.
We give a common version of the two catalogues of Mean Radial Velocitiesby Wilson (1963) and Evans (1978) to which we have added the catalogueof spectroscopic binary systems (Batten et al. 1989). For each star,when possible, we give: 1) an acronym to enter SIMBAD (Set ofIdentifications Measurements and Bibliography for Astronomical Data) ofthe CDS (Centre de Donnees Astronomiques de Strasbourg). 2) the numberHIC of the HIPPARCOS catalogue (Turon 1992). 3) the CCDM number(Catalogue des Composantes des etoiles Doubles et Multiples) byDommanget & Nys (1994). For the cluster stars, a precise study hasbeen done, on the identificator numbers. Numerous remarks point out theproblems we have had to deal with.
| The Palomar/MSU Nearby-Star Spectroscopic Survey. I. The Northern M Dwarfs -Bandstrengths and Kinematics
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1995AJ....110.1838R&db_key=AST
| Radio continuum emission from stars: a catalogue update.
An updated version of my catalogue of radio stars is presented. Somestatistics and availability are discussed.
| The general catalogue of trigonometric [stellar] paralaxes
Not Available
| A coronagraphic search for brown dwarfs around nearby stars
Brown dwarf companions have been searched for around stars within 10 pcof the Sun using the Johns-Hopkins University Adaptive OpticsCoronagraph (AOC), a stellar coronagraph with an image stabilizer. TheAOC covers the field around the target star with a minimum search radiusof 1 sec .5 and a field of view of 1 arcmin sq. We have reached anunprecedented dynamic range of Delta m = 13 in our search for faintcompanions at I band. Comparison of our survey with other brown dwarfsearches shows that the AOC technique is unique in its dynamic rangewhile at the same time just as sensitive to brown dwarfs as the recentbrown dwarf surveys. The present survey covered 24 target stars selectedfrom the Gliese catalog. A total of 94 stars were detected in 16 fields.The low-latitude fields are completely dominated by background starcontamination. Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests were carried out for a samplerestricted to high latitudes and a sample with small angularseparations. The high-latitude sample (b greater than or equal to 44deg) appears to show spatial concentration toward target stars. Thesmall separation sample (Delta Theta less than 20 sec) shows weakerdependence on Galactic coordinates than field stars. These statisticaltests suggest that both the high-latitude sample and the smallseparation sample can include a substantial fraction of true companions.However, the nature of these putative companions is mysterious. They aretoo faint to be white dwarfs and too blue for brown dwarfs. Ignoring thesignificance of the statistical tests, we can reconcile most of thedetections with distant main-sequence stars or white dwarfs except for acandidate next to GL 475. Given the small size of our sample, weconclude that considerably more targets need to be surveyed before afirm conclusion on the possibility of a new class of companions can bemade.
| Far infrared properties of late type dwarfs. Infrared fluxes of K & M dwarfs
IRAS fluxes/upper limits are presented for a large sample of K and Mdwarfs. Good agreement is found between the 12 micrometer fluxes andthose derived from the photospheric models of Mould (1976).Relationships between the optical and infrared colors are derived. Theactive dMe/dKe stars appear systematically brighter in the infraredcompared with the less active dM/dK stars, which could be attributed tomore efficient nonradiative heating in their atmosphere. Any systematicdifferences found in our results when compared with those obtained fromprevious studies are attributed to the different analysis packages used.
| The importance of surface inhomogeneities for K and M dwarf chromospheric fluxes
We present published and archived spectroscopic and spectrophotometricdata of H-alpha, Ca II, Mg II, and X-rays for a large sample of K and Mdwarfs. The data set points to the importance that surfaceinhomogeneities have in the flux luminosity diagrams in these late-typedwarfs, irrespective of whether the Balmer lines are in emission orabsorption. Although supporting the fact that cooler stars exhibitincreasing levels of surface activity, evident through an increasingincidence of Balmer emission, surface inhomogeneities, or variations inthe local temperature and density structure, at the chromospheric level,dominate the total Ca II and Mg II fluxes. We show that the flux-fluxand luminosity-luminosity relations indicate differing extents ofinhomogeneity from the chromosphere through to the corona. A goodcorrelation between Ca II and Mg II fluxes indicates that they areformed in overlapping regions of the chromosphere, so that thecontribution of surface inhomogeneities is not evident from thisparticular flux-flux diagram. In the region of the upper chromospherethrough to the transition and corona, the correlation between Ly-alphaand X-ray fluxes indicates regions with similar levels of arealinhomogeneity. This appears to be uncorrelated with that at thechromospheric level.
| Infrared colors of low-mass stars
A total of 322 red dwarf stars are studied in a review of IR IJHKphotometry to discern chromospheric activity and kinematic dataregarding metallicity effects in the IR color:color diagrams. Themetallicity variations are employed to assess changes in the H(-)continuum opacity and water-vapor characterizations. The stars areclassified in terms of metal-richness with five categories includingyoung disk, old disk, and halo types with attention given to the inverserelationship between metallicity and water-band absorption strength. Theresults include IR photometric parallax relations for each metallicitygroup and absolute magnitudes for single stars as well as temperatures,intrinsic colors, and spectral types. The body of data is useful forconstraining models of the interiors and atmospheres of this class ofstars.
| Multiplicity among M dwarfs
Surveys of M dwarfs within 20 pc are examined to determine the incidenceof stellar companions. Observational data are drawn from high-qualitysurveys, including IR-array imaging, precise velocities, IR speckleinterferometry, and visual imaging, and their respective incompletenessis determined. The number of companions per AU of semimajor axis iscomputed and found to decline monotonically toward larger semimajoraxes. The period distribution exhibits a unimodal broad maximum with apeak in the range 9-220 yr, corresponding to separations of 3-30 AU,similar to that for G dwarf binaries. Fifty-eight percent of nearby Mdwarf primaries are found to be single, and 42 +/- 9 percent havecompanions. The M-dwarf binary frequency is lower than that for G dwarfs(about 57 percent), owing partly to the smaller range of companionmasses included, i.e., companions less massive than the M- or G-typeprimary.
| The rotation of M dwarfs
Rotational broadening of absorption lines in a sample of 47 nearby, lateK- and M-type main-sequence stars is measured by means of a convolutiontechnique. Rotation is detected above a threshold of 3 km/s in fivestars: AD Leo, EQ Vir, YZ CMi, Gliese 369, and Gliese 569. The presenceof detectable rotation for GL 569A confirms that the system is indeedyounger than about 1 Gyr. Thus its low luminosity companion remains anoutstanding brown dwarf candidate. The average equatorial rotationalvelocity of M dwarfs in the solar neighborhood is less than 2 km/s. Thisconfirms M dwarfs as the slowest rotators on the main sequence andsuggests that many lose about 98 percent of their angular momentumduring their main sequence lifetimes. Zeeman broadening is shown to benegligible in optical lines of inactive M dwarfs.
| A search for substellar companions to low-mass stars
Multiple, precise Doppler measurements (+ or - 230 m/s) are presentedfor a sample of 70 low-mass stars in order to search for weakgravitational perturbations due to brown dwarf companions. Themeasurements make it possible to detect companions with masses greaterthan 0.007 solar mass and orbital periods less than 4 yrs. It is foundthat six of the considered stars have stellar companions. However, noneof the stars have substellar companions. It is concluded that althoughseveral brown dwarf candidates exists, there is no convincing detectionof an object with a mass significantly below 0.08 solar mass.
| The infrared luminosity function for low-mass stars
IR observational luminosity functions are presented for M dwarfs towardsthe South Galactic Pole and the Hyades cluster. A compilation of VRIJHKdata is given for 200 parallax stars. Two-color NIR/IR diagrams of thedata are used to demonstrate metallicity and gravity effects. It isshown that I-J is the purest temperature color index. The corrections tothe luminosity functions that are necessary to allow for magnitudeerrors (Malmquist effects) are discussed. It is found that there is arise in the luminosity function and the mass function for stars in thesolar neighborhood with masses close to the hydrogen-burning limit.
| Photographic astrometry of binary and proper-motion stars. IV
Parallax data are given for 62 binary and proper motion stars based onobservations obtained between May 1987 and March 1988. The datapresented in tabular form include reference positions, identifiers (BDand GC numbers, if any), visual magnitudes, and spectral types. Massratio results for eight binary stars are also presented. Notes areprovided which indicate the inclusion or replacement of previousmeasurements and which reductions have been applied.
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Member of following groups:
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Observation and Astrometry data
| Constellation: | Chiens de chasse |
| Right ascension: | 13h39m24.10s |
| Declination: | +46°11'11.4" |
| Apparent magnitude: | 10.269 |
| Distance: | 13.257 parsecs |
| Proper motion RA: | -44.3 |
| Proper motion Dec: | 390.1 |
| B-T magnitude: | 11.86 |
| V-T magnitude: | 10.401 |
Catalogs and designations:
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INHABITED SKY
