Contents
Images
Upload your image
DSS Images Other Images
Related articles
The Geneva-Copenhagen survey of the solar neighbourhood. III. Improved distances, ages, and kinematics
Context: Ages, chemical compositions, velocity vectors, and Galacticorbits for stars in the solar neighbourhood are fundamental test datafor models of Galactic evolution. The Geneva-Copenhagen Survey of theSolar Neighbourhood (Nordström et al. 2004; GCS), amagnitude-complete, kinematically unbiased sample of 16 682 nearby F andG dwarfs, is the largest available sample with complete data for starswith ages spanning that of the disk. Aims: We aim to improve theaccuracy of the GCS data by implementing the recent revision of theHipparcos parallaxes. Methods: The new parallaxes yield improvedastrometric distances for 12 506 stars in the GCS. We also use theparallaxes to verify the distance calibration for uvby? photometryby Holmberg et al. (2007, A&A, 475, 519; GCS II). We add newselection criteria to exclude evolved cool stars giving unreliableresults and derive distances for 3580 stars with large parallax errorsor not observed by Hipparcos. We also check the GCS II scales of T_effand [Fe/H] and find no need for change. Results: Introducing thenew distances, we recompute MV for 16 086 stars, and U, V, W,and Galactic orbital parameters for the 13 520 stars that also haveradial-velocity measurements. We also recompute stellar ages from thePadova stellar evolution models used in GCS I-II, using the new valuesof M_V, and compare them with ages from the Yale-Yonsei andVictoria-Regina models. Finally, we compare the observed age-velocityrelation in W with three simulated disk heating scenarios to show thepotential of the data. Conclusions: With these revisions, thebasic data for the GCS stars should now be as reliable as is possiblewith existing techniques. Further improvement must await consolidationof the T_eff scale from angular diameters and fluxes, and the Gaiatrigonometric parallaxes. We discuss the conditions for improvingcomputed stellar ages from new input data, and for distinguishingdifferent disk heating scenarios from data sets of the size andprecision of the GCS.Full Table 1 is 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/501/941
| VSOP: the variable star one-shot project. I. Project presentation and first data release
Context: About 500 new variable stars enter the General Catalogue ofVariable Stars (GCVS) every year. Most of them however lackspectroscopic observations, which remains critical for a correctassignement of the variability type and for the understanding of theobject. Aims: The Variable Star One-shot Project (VSOP) is aimed at (1)providing the variability type and spectral type of all unstudiedvariable stars, (2) process, publish, and make the data available asautomatically as possible, and (3) generate serendipitous discoveries.This first paper describes the project itself, the acquisition of thedata, the dataflow, the spectroscopic analysis and the on-lineavailability of the fully calibrated and reduced data. We also presentthe results on the 221 stars observed during the first semester of theproject. Methods: We used the high-resolution echelle spectrographsHARPS and FEROS in the ESO La Silla Observatory (Chile) to survey knownvariable stars. Once reduced by the dedicated pipelines, the radialvelocities are determined from cross correlation with synthetic templatespectra, and the spectral types are determined by an automatic minimumdistance matching to synthetic spectra, with traditional manual spectraltyping cross-checks. The variability types are determined by manuallyevaluating the available light curves and the spectroscopy. In thefuture, a new automatic classifier, currently being developed by membersof the VSOP team, based on these spectroscopic data and on thephotometric classifier developed for the COROT and Gaia space missions,will be used. Results: We confirm or revise spectral types of 221variable stars from the GCVS. We identify 26 previously unknown multiplesystems, among them several visual binaries with spectroscopic binaryindividual components. We present new individual results for themultiple systems V349 Vel and BCGru, for the composite spectrum star V4385Sgr, for the T Tauri star V1045 Sco, andfor DM Boo which we re-classify as a BY Draconisvariable. The complete data release can be accessed via the VSOP website.Based on data obtained at the La Silla Observatory, European SouthernObservatory, under program ID 077.D-0085.
| Search for associations containing young stars (SACY). I. Sample and searching method
We report results from a high-resolution optical spectroscopic surveyaimed to search for nearby young associations and young stars amongoptical counterparts of ROSAT All-Sky Survey X-ray sources in theSouthern Hemisphere. We selected 1953 late-type (B-V~≥~0.6),potentially young, optical counterparts out of a total of 9574 1RXSsources for follow-up observations. At least one high-resolutionspectrum was obtained for each of 1511 targets. This paper is the firstin a series presenting the results of the SACY survey. Here we describeour sample and our observations. We describe a convergence method in the(UVW) velocity space to find associations. As an example, we discuss thevalidity of this method in the framework of the β Pic Association.
| The Geneva-Copenhagen survey of the Solar neighbourhood. Ages, metallicities, and kinematic properties of 14 000 F and G dwarfs
We present and discuss new determinations of metallicity, rotation, age,kinematics, and Galactic orbits for a complete, magnitude-limited, andkinematically unbiased sample of 16 682 nearby F and G dwarf stars. Our63 000 new, accurate radial-velocity observations for nearly 13 500stars allow identification of most of the binary stars in the sampleand, together with published uvbyβ photometry, Hipparcosparallaxes, Tycho-2 proper motions, and a few earlier radial velocities,complete the kinematic information for 14 139 stars. These high-qualityvelocity data are supplemented by effective temperatures andmetallicities newly derived from recent and/or revised calibrations. Theremaining stars either lack Hipparcos data or have fast rotation. Amajor effort has been devoted to the determination of new isochrone agesfor all stars for which this is possible. Particular attention has beengiven to a realistic treatment of statistical biases and errorestimates, as standard techniques tend to underestimate these effectsand introduce spurious features in the age distributions. Our ages agreewell with those by Edvardsson et al. (\cite{edv93}), despite severalastrophysical and computational improvements since then. We demonstrate,however, how strong observational and theoretical biases cause thedistribution of the observed ages to be very different from that of thetrue age distribution of the sample. Among the many basic relations ofthe Galactic disk that can be reinvestigated from the data presentedhere, we revisit the metallicity distribution of the G dwarfs and theage-metallicity, age-velocity, and metallicity-velocity relations of theSolar neighbourhood. Our first results confirm the lack of metal-poor Gdwarfs relative to closed-box model predictions (the ``G dwarfproblem''), the existence of radial metallicity gradients in the disk,the small change in mean metallicity of the thin disk since itsformation and the substantial scatter in metallicity at all ages, andthe continuing kinematic heating of the thin disk with an efficiencyconsistent with that expected for a combination of spiral arms and giantmolecular clouds. Distinct features in the distribution of the Vcomponent of the space motion are extended in age and metallicity,corresponding to the effects of stochastic spiral waves rather thanclassical moving groups, and may complicate the identification ofthick-disk stars from kinematic criteria. More advanced analyses of thisrich material will require careful simulations of the selection criteriafor the sample and the distribution of observational errors.Based on observations made with the Danish 1.5-m telescope at ESO, LaSilla, Chile, and with the Swiss 1-m telescope at Observatoire deHaute-Provence, France.Complete Tables 1 and 2 are only available in electronic form at the CDSvia anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/418/989
| New periodic variables from the Hipparcos epoch photometry
Two selection statistics are used to extract new candidate periodicvariables from the epoch photometry of the Hipparcos catalogue. Theprimary selection criterion is a signal-to-noise ratio. The dependenceof this statistic on the number of observations is calibrated usingabout 30000 randomly permuted Hipparcos data sets. A significance levelof 0.1 per cent is used to extract a first batch of candidate variables.The second criterion requires that the optimal frequency be unaffectedif the data are de-trended by low-order polynomials. We find 2675 newcandidate periodic variables, of which the majority (2082) are from theHipparcos`unsolved' variables. Potential problems with theinterpretation of the data (e.g. aliasing) are discussed.
| The 74th Special Name-list of Variable Stars
We present the Name-list introducing GCVS names for 3153 variable starsdiscovered by the Hipparcos mission.
| Optical and X-Ray Characteristics of Stars Detected in the Einstein Slew Survey
We detect X-rays for the first time from 63 cool (types AM) stars. Thesestars are part of the 229 total stellar X-ray sources identified to datein the Einstein Slew Survey (hereafter Slew). We also list new X-raydata on one A star that may have a corona, five OB stars, and reportdiscoveries of two new T Tauri stars and two new cataclysmic variables.The stellar content of the Slew high-latitude subset (currently 93%identified for |b_II_| > 20^deg^) is 26%. This agrees well with theEinstein Extended Medium Sensitivity Survey (EMSS) stellar sample, whichonly considered high latitudes. Because of the large solid angle coveredby the Slew, and its shallow limiting flux, the sample will better probethe bright end of the stellar X-ray luminosity function (L_X_ >10^30^ ergs s^-1^). Presently (based on the 221 Slew stars with knownspectral types), the sample is dominated by late-type systems (coolerthan F; 68%). These include dMe's, BY Dra, RS CVn, and FK Comae systems.Based on the limiting magnitudes of catalogs searched to date, the Slewis assessed to be complete for spectral types earlier than K. Hence, Kand M systems will be prominent in the ~50 as yet unidentified stars. Wehave embarked on an extensive program to (1) confirm the X-rayidentifications with the optical counterparts; (2) search for Ca II Hand K and Balmer line emission as activity signatures; and (3) searchfor supporting evidence of magnetic activity by measuring rotationalvelocities and relating them to X-ray luminosity level. Of 64 proposedcoronal systems observed to date, we have confirmed 44 active stars,while in the remaining 20 we have been unable to find definitiveactivity. We have confirmed an additional 19 active stars from stellardatabase searches, and reclassified nine systems as having nonstellaroptical counterparts from optical follow-up identification work andextragalactic database searches. We discuss notable new discoveries.From the sample of single active F7-MS Slew stars with measured ν sini-values, we find a strong (99.9% confidence level) linear correlationof X-ray luminosity with ν sin i and with stellar radius (R).However, L_X_ is uncorrelated with angular rotation speed at the 99%level. For the combined Slew and EMSS single star F7-MS sample, we findthe same 99.9% ν sin i-L_X_ and R-L_X_ correlations. The L_X_-νsin i relation for the combined sample appears to flatten with respectto the quadratic behavior seen for optically selected stellar samples atrotational velocities in excess of ~16 km s^-1^. For the unevolvedsubset of the Slew single star sample, we also find a correlationbetween L_X_ and Rossby number (R_0_; more than 99% confidence). Aleast-squares fit gives L_X_ ~ R_0_^-0.4^, which is similarly flatterthan the quadratic dependence seen in optical samples. Using the stellarsurface X-ray flux F_X_ versus B - V diagram, we interpret these resultsas saturation of the stellar surface by active regions at F_X_/F_bol_ ~10^-3^.
| A large, complete, volume-limited sample of G-type dwarfs. I. Completion of Stroemgren UVBY photometry
Four-colour photometry of potential dwarf stars of types G0 to K2,selected from the Michigan Spectral Catalogues (Vol. 1-3), has beencarried out. The results are presented in a catalogue containing 4247uvby observations of 3900 stars, all south of δ = -26deg. Theoverall internal rms errors of one observation (transformed to thestandard system) of a program star in the interval 8.5 < V < 10.5are 0.0044, 0.0021, 0.0039, and 0.0059, respectively, in V, b-y, m_1_ ,and c_1_. The purpose of the catalogue, combined with earliercatalogues, is to allow selection of a large, complete, volume-limitedsample of G- and K-type dwarfs, investigate their metallicitydistribution, and compare it to predictions of various models ofgalactic chemical evolution. Future papers in this series will discussthese subjects.
| The Einstein Slew Survey
A catalog of 819 sources detected in the Einstein IPC Slew Survey of theX-ray sky is presented; 313 of the sources were not previously known asX-ray sources. Typical count rates are 0.1 IPC count/s, roughlyequivalent to a flux of 3 x 10 exp -12 ergs/sq cm s. The sources havepositional uncertainties of 1.2 arcmin (90 percent confidence) radius,based on a subset of 452 sources identified with previously knownpointlike X-ray sources (i.e., extent less than 3 arcmin).Identifications based on a number of existing catalogs of X-ray andoptical objects are proposed for 637 of the sources, 78 percent of thesurvey (within a 3-arcmin error radius) including 133 identifications ofnew X-ray sources. A public identification data base for the Slew Surveysources will be maintained at CfA, and contributions to this data baseare invited.
|
Submit a new article
Related links
Submit a new link
Member of following groups:
|
Observation and Astrometry data
| Constellation: | Centaurus |
| Right ascension: | 13h57m33.95s |
| Declination: | -31°39'10.6" |
| Apparent magnitude: | 9.748 |
| Proper motion RA: | -82.2 |
| Proper motion Dec: | -33.1 |
| B-T magnitude: | 11.215 |
| V-T magnitude: | 9.87 |
Catalogs and designations:
|
INHABITED SKY
