Contents
Images
Upload your image
DSS Images Other Images
Related articles
The Formation and Evolution of Planetary Systems: Placing Our Solar System in Context with Spitzer
We provide an overview of the Spitzer Legacy Program, Formation andEvolution of Planetary Systems, that was proposed in 2000, begun in2001, and executed aboard the Spitzer Space Telescope between 2003 and2006. This program exploits the sensitivity of Spitzer to carry outmid-infrared spectrophotometric observations of solar-type stars. With asample of ~328 stars ranging in age from ~3 Myr to ~3 Gyr, we trace theevolution of circumstellar gas and dust from primordial planet-buildingstages in young circumstellar disks through to older collisionallygenerated debris disks. When completed, our program will help define thetimescales over which terrestrial and gas giant planets are built,constrain the frequency of planetesimal collisions as a function oftime, and establish the diversity of mature planetary architectures. Inaddition to the observational program, we have coordinated a concomitanttheoretical effort aimed at understanding the dynamics of circumstellardust with and without the effects of embedded planets, dust spectralenergy distributions, and atomic and molecular gas line emission.Together with the observations, these efforts will provide anastronomical context for understanding whether our solar system-and itshabitable planet-is a common or a rare circumstance. Additionalinformation about the FEPS project can be found on the team Web site.
| Metallicity and absolute magnitude calibrations for UBV photometry
Calibrations are presented here for metallicity ([Fe/H]) in terms of theultraviolet excess, [δ(U - B) at B - V = 0.6, hereafterδ0.6], and also for the absolute visual magnitude(MV) and its difference with respect to the Hyades(ΔMHV) in terms of δ0.6 and(B - V), making use of high-resolution spectroscopic abundances from theliterature and Hipparcos parallaxes. The relation[Fe/H]-δ0.6 has been derived for dwarf plus turn-offstars, and also for dwarf, turn-off, plus subgiant stars classifiedusing the MV-(B - V)0 plane of Fig. 11, which iscalibrated with isochrones from Bergbusch & VandenBerg (and alsoVandenBerg & Clem). The [Fe/H]-δ0.6 relations inour equations (5) and (6) agree well with those of Carney, as can beseen from Fig. 5(a). Within the uncertainties, the zero-points,+0.13(+/-0.05) of equation (5) and +0.13(+/-0.04) of equation (6), arein good agreement with the photometric ones of Cameron and of Carney,and close to the spectroscopic ones of Cayrel et al. and of Boesgaard& Friel for the Hyades open cluster. Good quantitative agreementbetween our estimated [Fe/H] abundances with those from uvby-βphotometry and spectroscopic [Fe/H]spec values demonstratesthat our equation (6) can be used in deriving quality photometric metalabundances for field stars and clusters using UBV data from variousphotometric surveys.For dwarf and turn-off stars, a new hybrid MV calibration ispresented, based on Hipparcos parallaxes withσπ/π <= 0.1 and with a dispersion of +/-0.24in MV. This hybrid MV calibration containsδ0.6 and (B - V) terms, plus higher order cross-termsof these, and is valid for the ranges of +0.37 <= (B - V)0<= +0.88,- 0.10 <= δ0.6 <= +0.29 and 3.44<= MV <= 7.23. For dwarf and turn-off stars, therelation for ΔMHV is revised and updated interms of (B - V) and δ0.6, for the ranges of -0.10<= δ0.6 <= +0.29, and +0.49 <= (B -V)0 <= +0.89, again making use of Hipparcos parallaxeswith σπ/π <= 0.1. These parallaxes formetal-poor dwarf and turn-off stars in our sample reveal that thedifference of ΔMHV(B - V) relative to Hyadesat (B - V) = +0.70 should be 1.37mag, instead of the 1.58mag given byLaird et al. In general, Hipparcos parallaxes are larger thanground-based ones, causing a divergence of ourΔMHV(B - V,δ0.6) relation(the solid line in Fig. 15b), from the one of Laird et al. (the dashedline) for the range +0.10 <= δ0.6 <= +0.29 ourabsolute magnitudes are fainter, as has been confirmed for localsubdwarfs by Reid. Our final calibrations forΔMHV(B - V, δ0.6),equations (16) and (17), are third-order polynomials inδ0.6, pass through the origin, and provide photometricdistances in reasonable agreement with those obtained directly fromHipparcos parallaxes (Fig. 18).
| Effective temperature scale and bolometric corrections from 2MASS photometry
We present a method to determine effective temperatures, angularsemi-diameters and bolometric corrections for population I and II FGKtype stars based on V and 2MASS IR photometry. Accurate calibration isaccomplished by using a sample of solar analogues, whose averagetemperature is assumed to be equal to the solar effective temperature of5777 K. By taking into account all possible sources of error we estimateassociated uncertainties to better than 1% in effective temperature andin the range 1.0-2.5% in angular semi-diameter for unreddened stars.Comparison of our new temperatures with other determinations extractedfrom the literature indicates, in general, remarkably good agreement.These results suggest that the effective temperaure scale of FGK starsis currently established with an accuracy better than 0.5%-1%. Theapplication of the method to a sample of 10 999 dwarfs in the Hipparcoscatalogue allows us to define temperature and bolometric correction (Kband) calibrations as a function of (V-K), [m/H] and log g. Bolometriccorrections in the V and K bands as a function of T_eff, [m/H] and log gare also given. We provide effective temperatures, angularsemi-diameters, radii and bolometric corrections in the V and K bandsfor the 10 999 FGK stars in our sample with the correspondinguncertainties.
| Oxygen from the λ7774 High-Excitation Triplet in Open Cluster Dwarfs: Hyades
Oxygen abundances have been derived from the near-IR, high-excitation OI λ7774 triplet in high-resolution, high signal-to-noise ratiospectra of 45 Hyades dwarfs using standard one-dimensional,plane-parallel LTE models. Effective temperatures of the stellar samplerange from 4319 to 6301 K, and the derived relative O abundances as afunction of Teff evince a trichotomous morphology. AtTeff>6100 K, there is evidence of an increase in the Oabundances with increasing Teff, consistent with non-LTE(NLTE) predictions. At intermediate Teff (5450K<=Teff<=6100 K), the O abundances are flat, andstar-to-star values are in good agreement, having a mean value of[O/H]=+0.25+/-0.02 however, systematic errors at the <~0.10 dex levelmight exist. The O abundances for stars with Teff<=5450 Kshow a striking increase with decreasing Teff, in starkcontrast to expectations and canonical NLTE calculations. The coolHyades triplet results are compared to those recently reported fordwarfs in the Pleiades cluster and the UMa moving group; qualitativedifferences between the trends observed in these stellar aggregatespoint to a possible age-related diminution of triplet abundance trendsin cool open cluster dwarfs. Correlations with age-related phenomena,i.e., chromospheric activity and photospheric spots, faculae, and/orplages, are investigated. No correlation with Ca II H+K chromosphericactivity indicators is observed. Multicomponent LTE ``toy'' models havebeen constructed in order to simulate photospheric temperatureinhomogeneities that could arise from the presence of starspots, and wedemonstrate that photospheric spots are a plausible source of thetriplet trends among the cool dwarfs.Based on observations obtained with the Mayall 4 m telescope at KittPeak National Observatory, a division of the National Optical AstronomyObservatory, which is operated by the Association of Universities forResearch in Astronomy, Inc., under cooperative agreement with theNational Science Foundation.This paper includes data taken with the Harlan J. Smith 2.7 m telescopeat the McDonald Observatory of the University of Texas at Austin.
| A Catalog of Temperatures and Red Cousins Photometry for the Hyades
Using Hyades photometry published by Mendoza and other authors,Pinsonneault et al. have recently concluded that Cousins V-I photometrypublished by Taylor & Joner is not on the Cousins system. Extensivetests of the Taylor-Joner photometry and other pertinent results aretherefore performed in this paper. It is found that in part, thePinsonneault et al. conclusion rests on (1) a systematic error inMendoza's (R-I)J photometry and (2) a small error in anapproximate Johnson-to-Cousins transformation published by Bessell. Forthe Taylor-Joner values of (V-R)C, it is found that there arepossible (though not definite) differences of several mmag with otherresults. However, the Taylor-Joner values of (R-I)C data aresupported at the 1 mmag level. Using the (R-I)C data andother published results, an (R-I)C catalog is assembled for146 Hyades stars with spectral types earlier than about K5. For singlestars with multiple contributing data, the rms errors of the catalogentries are less than 4.4 mmag. Temperatures on the Di Benedettoangular-diameter scale are also given in the catalog and are used tohelp update published analyses of high-dispersion values of [Fe/H] forthe Hyades. The best current mean Hyades value of [Fe/H] is found to be+0.103+/-0.008 dex and is essentially unchanged from its previous value.In addition to these numerical results, recommendations are made aboutimproving attitudes and practices that are pertinent to issues likethose raised by Pinsonneault et al.
| The age-activity-rotation relationship in solar-type stars
We present Ca II K line chromospheric fluxes measured fromhigh-resolution spectra in 35 G dwarf stars of 5 open clusters todetermine the age-activity-rotation relationship from the young Hyadesand Praesepe (0.6 Gyr) to the old M 67 (4.5 Gyr) through the twointermediate age clusters IC 4651 and NGC 3680 (1.7 Gyr). The fullamplitude of the activity index within a cluster is slightly above 60 %for all clusters but one, NGC 3680, in which only two stars wereobserved. As a comparison, the same Solar Ca II index varies by 40% during a solar cycle. Four of our clusters (Hyades and Praesepe, IC4651 and NGC 3680) are pairs of twins as far as age is concerned; theHyades have the same chromospheric-activity level as Praesepe, at oddswith early claims based on X-ray observations. Both stars in NGC 3680are indistinguishable, as far as chromospheric activity is concerned,from those in the coeval IC 4651. This is a validation of the existenceof an age-activity relationship. On the other hand, the two intermediateage clusters have the same activity level as the much older M 67 and theSun. Our data therefore shows that a dramatic decrease in chromosphericactivity takes place in solar stars between the Hyades and the IC 4651age, of about 1 Gyr. Afterwards, activity remains virtually constant formore than 3 Gyr. We have also measured v sin i for all of our stars andthe average rotational velocity shows the same trend as thechromospheric-activity index. We briefly investigate the impact of thisresult on the age determinations of field G dwarfs in the solarneighborhood; the two main conclusions are that a consistent group of``young'' stars (i.e. as active as Hyades stars) is present, and that itis virtually impossible to give accurate chromospheric ages for starsolder than 2 Gyr. The observed abrupt decline in activity explainsvery well the Vaughan-Preston gap.Observations collected at the ESO VLT. Some data presented herein wereobtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as ascientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, theUniversity of California, and the National Aeronautics and SpaceAdministration. The Observatory was made possible by the generousfinancial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation.
| On the determination of oxygen abundances in chromospherically active stars
We discuss oxygen abundances derived from [O I] λ6300s and the OI triplet in stars spanning a wide range in chromospheric activitylevel, and show that these two indicators yield increasingly discrepantresults with higher chromospheric/coronal activity measures. While theforbidden and permitted lines give fairly consistent results forsolar-type disk dwarfs, spuriously high O I triplet abundances areobserved in young Hyades and Pleiades stars, as well as in individualcomponents of RS CVn binaries (up to 1.8 dex). The distinct behaviour ofthe [O I]-based abundances which consistently remain near-solar suggeststhat this phenomenon mostly results from large departures from LTEaffecting the O I triplet at high activity level that are currentlyunaccounted for, but also possibly from a failure to adequately modelthe atmospheres of K-type stars. These results suggest that some cautionshould be exercised when interpreting oxygen abundances in activebinaries or young open cluster stars.Based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory,Chile (Proposals 64.L-0249 and 071.D-0260).Table \ref{tab_data} is only available in electronic form athttp://www.edpsciences.org
| Chromospheric Ca II Emission in Nearby F, G, K, and M Stars
We present chromospheric Ca II H and K activity measurements, rotationperiods, and ages for ~1200 F, G, K, and M type main-sequence stars from~18,000 archival spectra taken at Keck and Lick Observatories as a partof the California and Carnegie Planet Search Project. We have calibratedour chromospheric S-values against the Mount Wilson chromosphericactivity data. From these measurements we have calculated medianactivity levels and derived R'HK, stellar ages,and rotation periods from general parameterizations for 1228 stars,~1000 of which have no previously published S-values. We also presentprecise time series of activity measurements for these stars.Based on observations obtained at Lick Observatory, which is operated bythe University of California, and on observations obtained at the W. M.Keck Observatory, which is operated jointly by the University ofCalifornia and the California Institute of Technology. The KeckObservatory was made possible by the generous financial support of theW. M. Keck Foundation.
| Searching for Planets in the Hyades. V. Limits on Planet Detection in the Presence of Stellar Activity
We present the results of a radial velocity survey of a sample of Hyadesstars and discuss the effects of stellar activity on radial velocitymeasurements. The level of radial velocity scatter due to rotationalmodulation of stellar surface features for the Hyades is in agreementwith the 1997 predictions of Saar & Donahue-the maximum radialvelocity rms of up to ~50 m s-1, with an average rms of ~16 ms-1. In this sample of 94 stars we find one new binary, twostars with linear trends indicative of binary companions, and noclose-in giant planets. We discuss the limits on extrasolar planetdetection in the Hyades and the constraints imposed on radial velocitysurveys of young stars.Some of the data presented herein were obtained at the W. M. KeckObservatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among theCalifornia Institute of Technology, the University of California, andthe National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). TheObservatory was made possible by the generous financial support of theW. M. Keck Foundation. The authors wish to recognize and acknowledge thevery significant cultural role and reverence that the summit of MaunaKea has always had within the indigenous Hawaiian community. We are mostfortunate to have the opportunity to conduct observations from thismountain. Additional data were obtained with the Hobby-Eberly Telescope,which is operated by McDonald Observatory on behalf of the University ofTexas at Austin, the Pennsylvania State University, Stanford University,Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, andGeorg-August-Universität Göttingen.
| The O VI and C III Lines at 1032 and 977 Å in Hyades F Stars
We continue our investigations into the mechanisms heating the outerlayers of cool dwarf stars. In this study we specifically seek todetermine whether in the layers with temperatures around 250,000-300,000K, in which the O VI lines are emitted, the temperatures are determinedby heat conduction from the coronae or by the same processes that heatthe lower temperature regions. To study this we discuss here 22 spectraof Hyades F stars taken by the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer(FUSE) satellite to study the O VI lines at 1032 Å and the C IIIlines at 977 Å and compare them with other lower transition layerlines, observed with HST and IUE, and with existing X-ray data. For ourtargets with B-V>0.4, the X-ray fluxes of single F stars increase, onaverage, slowly with increasing B-V, while the O VI line fluxes show thesame steep decrease around B-V=0.43 as previously found for the lowertemperature transition layer lines. For single stars the X-ray fluxesdecrease with increasing vsini, except for the stars with B-V between0.418 and 0.455, while for the O VI lines, as for the other transitionlayer lines, fluxes increase with increasing vsini, if vsini is largerthan 30 km s-1. For smaller vsini, line fluxes areindependent of vsini. The B-V and vsini dependences of the O VI linefluxes are then very different from those of the X-ray fluxes. We thusconclude that for electron temperature Te below 300,000 K,the transition layers for Hyades F stars are not mainly heated by heatconduction from their coronae.Based on observations made with the NASA-CNES-CSA Far UltravioletSpectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) telescope, which is operated for NASA byJohns Hopkins University, under contract NAS5-32985.
| 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
| Beryllium Abundances in F and G Dwarfs in Praesepe and Other Young Clusters from Keck HIRES Observations
The study of both Be and Li gives useful clues about stellar internalstructure. Of particular interest is the study of these light elementsin open clusters, which have a known age and metallicity. In this paperwe present a study of Be abundances in 10 F-type stars in Praesepe and acomprehensive discussion about Be abundances in other open clusters:Hyades, Pleiades, α Per, Coma, and UMa. We have made observationsof the doublet of Be II around 3130 Å in Praesepe stars, using theKeck I telescope and the High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer (HIRES).Beryllium abundances were derived from the spectra using the spectrumsynthesis method. We find four stars with definite Be depletion in thetemperature range of the Li dip like we found in our previous clusterstudies, notably for the Hyades and Coma clusters. Putting all theclusters together, we confirm the existence of a Be dip in a narrowtemperature range for F stars. Beryllium depletion in this dip is lesspronounced than Li depletion. For the cooler stars there is little or noBe depletion, even though there are large depletions of Li. For starsthat have little or no Li depletion, A(Li)>=3.0, the ratio Li/Be is75+/-4.6, compared to the meteoritic ratio of 77.6. For stars coolerthan ~5900 K there appears to be little or no Be depletion, and the meanA(Be) is 1.30+/-0.02. For these cooler stars within a given clusterthere is no evidence for intrinsic star-to-star differences in A(Be),with the possible exception of the cool Pleiades stars. In thetemperature range of the Li-Be dip, a strong correlation exists betweenLi and Be, consistent with the theory of rotationally induced mixing.Moreover, the slopes of the Li versus Be correlations are differentdepending on the temperature range. For the full sample of 42 starsbetween 5900 and 6650 K the slope is 0.43+/-0.05 [where A(Li) is theabscissa]. The slope is 0.48+/-0.08 for 6300K
| The Distances to Open Clusters as Derived from Main-Sequence Fitting. II. Construction of Empirically Calibrated Isochrones
We continue our series of papers on open cluster distances by comparingmulticolor photometry of single stars in the Hyades with theoreticalisochrones constructed with various color-temperature relations. Afterverifying that the isochrone effective temperatures agree well withspectroscopically determined values, we argue that mismatches betweenthe photometry and the theoretical colors likely arise from systematicerrors in the color-temperature relations. We then describe a method forempirically correcting the isochrones to match the photometry anddiscuss the dependence of the isochrone luminosity on metallicity.This publication makes use of data products from the Two Micron All SkySurvey, which is a joint project of the University of Massachusetts andthe Infrared Processing and Analysis Center/California Institute ofTechnology, funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administrationand the National Science Foundation.
| Searching for Planets in the Hyades. IV. Differential Abundance Analysis of Hyades Dwarfs
We present a differential abundance analysis of Hyades F-K dwarfs insearch for evidence of stellar enrichment from accretedhydrogen-deficient disk material. Metallicities and relative abundanceratios of several species have been determined. We derive a cluster mean[Fe/H]=0.13+/-0.01. Two stars show abundances ~0.2 dex larger than thecluster mean. In addition, one star, which was added by a recent studyas a cluster member, shows significantly lower abundances than thecluster mean. These three stars have questionable membershipcharacteristics. The remaining stars in the survey have an rms of 0.04dex in the differential [Fe/H] values. The Hyades cluster members haveapparently not been significantly chemically enriched. The abundanceratios of Si, Ti, Na, Mg, Ca, and Zn with respect to Fe are in theirsolar proportions.Some data presented herein were obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory,which is operated as a scientific partnership among the CaliforniaInstitute of Technology, the University of California, and the NationalAeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possibleby the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation.
| Interstellar Deuterium, Nitrogen, and Oxygen Abundances toward GD 246, WD 2331-475, HZ 21, and Lanning 23: Results from the FUSE Mission
The interstellar abundances of D I, N I, and O I in the local ISM arestudied using high-resolution spectra of four hot white dwarfs. Thespectra of GD 246, WD 2331-475, HZ 21, and Lan 23 were obtained with theFar Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) in the wavelength range905-1187 Å. The line of sight to GD 246 probes the LocalInterstellar Cloud and at least one other H I cloud inside the LocalBubble, which contains most of the gas seen along this line of sight.The column densities of H I, C II*, S II, and Si II are measured usingarchival Hubble Space Telescope STIS echelle-mode observations. The H Icolumn density is determined by fitting the strong damping wings ofinterstellar Lyα and using a model atmosphere to account for thestellar continuum. The sight line-averaged ratios for GD 246 areDI/HI=1.51+0.39-0.33×10-5,OI/HI=3.63+0.77-0.67×10-4, andDI/OI=4.17+1.20-1.00×10-2(uncertainties are 2 σ). This line of sight provides the fourthreliable FUSE measurement of the Local Bubble D/H ratio. For the WD2331-475 line of sight, we find sight line-averaged ratiosDI/OI=5.13+2.20-1.69×10-2 andDI/NI=4.57+1.88-1.45×10-1. TowardHZ 21 the sight line-averaged ratios areDI/OI=4.57+2.22-1.63×10-2 andDI/NI=4.27+1.96-1.44×10-1. In thehigher column density sight line to Lan 23, the sight line-averagedratios areDI/OI=3.24+3.27-2.06×10-2 andDI/NI=3.16+1.56-1.23×10-1.Molecular hydrogen, corresponding to rotational levels J<=3, isclearly seen along this line of sight. No reliable H I measurements areavailable for WD 2331-475, HZ 21, or Lan 23. We combine the differentabundance ratios computed here with previous published values to producerevised FUSE abundance ratios for D I/H I, O I/H I, N I/H I, D I/N I, DI/O I, and O I/N I.Based on observations made with the NASA-CNES-CSA Far UltravioletSpectroscopic Explorer (FUSE), which is operated for NASA by JohnsHopkins University under NASA contract NAS 5-32985.
| A New Procedure for the Photometric Parallax Estimation
We present a new procedure for photometric parallax estimation. The datafor 1236 stars provide calibrations between the absolute magnitudeoffset from the Hyades main-sequence and the ultraviolet-excess foreight different (B-V)0 colour-index intervals, (0.3 0.4),(0.4 0.5), (0.5 0.6), (0.6 0.7), (0.7 0.8), (0.8 0.9), (0.9 1.0) and(1.0 1.1). The mean difference between the original and estimatedabsolute magnitudes and the corresponding standard deviation are rathersmall, +0.0002 and +/-0.0613 mag. The procedure has been adapted to theSloan photometry by means of colour equations and applied to a set ofartificial stars with different metallicities. The comparison of theabsolute magnitudes estimated by the new procedure and the canonical oneindicates that a single colour-magnitude diagram does not supplyreliable absolute magnitudes for stars with large range of metallicity.
| HIPPARCOS age-metallicity relation of the solar neighbourhood disc stars
We derive age-metallicity relations (AMRs) and orbital parameters forthe 1658 solar neighbourhood stars to which accurate distances aremeasured by the HIPPARCOS satellite. The sample stars comprise 1382 thindisc stars, 229 thick disc stars, and 47 halo stars according to theirorbital parameters. We find a considerable scatter for thin disc AMRalong the one-zone Galactic chemical evolution (GCE) model. Orbits andmetallicities of thin disc stars show now clear relation each other. Thescatter along the AMR exists even if the stars with the same orbits areselected. We examine simple extension of one-zone GCE models whichaccount for inhomogeneity in the effective yield and inhomogeneous starformation rate in the Galaxy. Both extensions of the one-zone GCE modelcannot account for the scatter in age - [Fe/H] - [Ca/Fe] relationsimultaneously. We conclude, therefore, that the scatter along the thindisc AMR is an essential feature in the formation and evolution of theGalaxy. The AMR for thick disc stars shows that the star formationterminated 8 Gyr ago in the thick disc. As already reported by Grattonet al. (\cite{Gratton_et.al.2000}) and Prochaska et al.(\cite{Prochaska_et.al.2000}), thick disc stars are more Ca-rich thanthin disc stars with the same [Fe/H]. We find that thick disc stars showa vertical abundance gradient. These three facts, the AMR, verticalgradient, and [Ca/Fe]-[Fe/H] relation, support monolithic collapseand/or accretion of satellite dwarf galaxies as likely thick discformation scenarios. Tables 2 and 3 are only available in electronicform at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5)or via http:/ /cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/ cgi-bin/qcat?J/ A+A/394/927
| Searching for Planets in the Hyades. II. Some Implications of Stellar Magnetic Activity
The Hyades constitute a homogeneous sample of stars ideal forinvestigating the dependence of planet formation on the mass of thecentral star. Because of their youth, Hyades members are much morechromospherically active than stars traditionally surveyed for planetsusing high-precision radial velocity techniques. Therefore, we haveconducted a detailed investigation of whether magnetic activity of ourHyades target stars will interfere with our ability to make preciseradial velocity (vrad) searches for substellar companions. Wemeasure chromospheric activity (which we take as a proxy for magneticactivity) by computing the equivalent of the R'HKactivity index (which is corrected for photospheric contributions) fromthe Ca II K line. The value of is notconstant in the Hyades: we confirm that it decreases with increasingtemperature in the F stars and also find it decreases for stars coolerthan mid K. We examine correlations between simultaneously measuredR'HK and radial velocities using both a classicalstatistical test and a Bayesian odds ratio test. We find that there is asignificant correlation between R'HK and theradial velocity in only five of the 82 stars in this sample. Thus,simple R'HK-vrad correlations willgenerally not be effective in correcting the measured vradvalues for the effects of magnetic activity in the Hyades. We argue thatthis implies long-timescale activity variations (of order a few years;i.e., magnetic cycles or growth and decay of plage regions) will notsignificantly hinder our search for planets in the Hyades if the starsare closely monitored for chromospheric activity. The trends in theradial velocity scatter (σ'v) with, vsini, and Prot for ourstars is generally consistent with those found in field stars in theLick planet search data, with the notable exception of a shallowerdependence of σ'v on for F stars. Data presented hereinwere obtained at the W.M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as ascientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, theUniversity of California, and the National Aeronautics and SpaceAdministration. The Observatory was made possible by the generousfinancial support of the W.M. Keck Foundation.
| The Structure of the Local Interstellar Medium. I. High-Resolution Observations of Fe II, Mg II, and Ca II toward Stars within 100 Parsecs
High-resolution absorption measurements(λ/Δλ>~100,000) of the resonance lines of Fe II,Mg II, and Ca II are presented for all available observed targets within100 pc. The Fe II and Mg II spectra were obtained with the Goddard HighResolution Spectrograph (GHRS) and the Space Telescope ImagingSpectrograph (STIS) instruments aboard the Hubble Space Telescope (HST).Of the 63 observations of targets within 100 pc, we present newmeasurements for 24 lines of sight. We also compiled all publishedabsorption measurements based on Ca II spectra obtained by variousground-based instruments. For each observation we provide measurementsof the central velocity, Doppler parameter, and column density for eachabsorption component. These three ions provide the best opportunity tomeasure the component velocity structure. Because these are the heaviestions observed in absorption through the warm local interstellar medium(LISM), the narrow line widths minimize significant blending ofcomponents and allow for accurate measurements of the central velocity.We present a statistical analysis of the LISM absorption measurements,which provides an overview of some physical characteristics of warmclouds in the LISM, such as, temperature, turbulent velocity, ionizationdegree, and depletion. The complete collection and reduction of all LISMabsorption measurements provides an important database for studying thestructure of nearby warm clouds. Subsequent papers will present modelsfor the morphology and physical properties of individual structures(clouds) in the LISM.
| What Is Happening at Spectral Type F5 in Hyades F Stars?
Aiming at a better understanding of the mechanisms heating thechromospheres, transition regions, and coronae of cool stars, we studyultraviolet, low-resolution Hubble Space Telescope/Space TelescopeImaging Spectrograph spectra of Hyades main-sequence F stars. We studythe B-V dependence(s) of the chromospheric and transition layer emissionline fluxes and their dependences on rotational velocities. We find thatthe transition layer emission line fluxes and also those of strongchromospheric lines decrease steeply between B-V=0.42 and 0.45, i.e., atspectral type F5, for which the rotational velocities also decreasesteeply. The magnitude of the line-flux decrease increases for lines ofions with increasing degree of ionization. This shows that the line-fluxdecrease is not due to a change in the surface filling factor but ratherdue to a change of the relative importance of different heatingmechanisms. For early F stars with B-V<0.42 we find for thetransition layer emission lines increasing fluxes for increasing vsini,indicating magnetohydrodynamic heating. The vsini dependence isstrongest for the high-ionization lines. On the other hand, the lowchromospheric lines show no dependence on vsini, indicating acousticshock heating for these layers. This also contributes to the heating ofthe transition layers. The Mg II and Ca II lines show decreasing fluxesfor increasing vsini, as long as vsini is less than ~40 kms-1. The coronal X-ray emission also decreases for increasingvsini, except for vsini larger than ~100 km s-1. We have atpresent no explanation for this behavior. For late F stars thechromospheric lines show vsini dependences similar to those observed forearly F stars, again indicating acoustic heating for these layers. Wewere unable to determine the vsini dependence of the transition layerlines because of too few single star targets. The decrease of emissionline fluxes at the spectral type F5, with steeply decreasing vsini,indicates, however, a decreasing contribution of magnetohydrodynamicheating for the late F stars. The X-ray emission for the late F starsincreases for increasing vsini, indicating magnetohydrodynamic heatingfor the coronae of the late F stars, different from the early F stars.Based on observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope obtainedat the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by theAssociation of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Incorporated,under NASA contract NAS5-26555.
| 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.
| Beryllium in the Hyades F and G Dwarfs from Keck HIRES Spectra
Although there are extensive observations of Li in field stars of alltypes and in both open and (recently) globular cluster stars, there arerelatively few observations of Be. Because Be is not destroyed as easilyas Li, the abundances of Li and Be together can tell us more about theinternal physical processes in stars than either element can alone. Wehave obtained high-resolution (45,000) and high signal-to-noise ratio(typically 90 per pixel) spectra of the Be II resonance lines in 34Hyades F and G dwarfs with the Keck I telescope and HIRES. In additionwe took a spectrum of the daytime sky to use as a surrogate for thesolar spectrum so we could determine the value for Be in the Sun,analyzed in the same manner as that for the stars. We have adoptedstellar temperatures and some Li abundances for these stars from theliterature. For most of the F dwarfs we have rederived Li abundances.The Be abundances have been derived with the spectrum synthesis method.We find that Be is depleted, but detected, in the Li gap in the F starsreaching down to values of A(Be)=0.60 dex, or a factor of nearly 7 belowthe meteoritic Be abundance (a factor of 3.5 below the solar value ofChmielewski et al.). There is little or no depletion of Be in starscooler than 6000 K, in spite of the large depletions (0.5-2.5 dex) inLi. The mean value of A(Be) for the 10 coolest stars is 1.33+/-0.06, notfar from the meteoritic value of 1.42. The pattern in the Beabundances-a Be dip and undepleted Be in the cool stars-is well matchedby the predictions of slow mixing due to stellar rotation. We haveinterpolated the calculations of Deliyannis and Pinsonneault for Bedepletion due to rotational mixing to the age of the Hyades; we findexcellent agreement of the predictions with the observed Be abundancesbut less good agreement with the observed Li abundances. Some of ourHyades stars have photometrically determined rotation periods, but thereis no relation between Be and rotation period. (Generally, the lowermass stars have less Li and longer periods, which may indicate greaterspin-down and thus more Li depletion relative to Be.) The Li and Beabundances are correlated for stars in the temperature range of5850-6680 K, similar to results from earlier work on Li and Be in F andG field stars. This indicates that the depletions are not justcorrelated-the only claim that can be made for the field stars-but areprobably occurring together during main-sequence evolution. The Hyades Gdwarfs have more Be than the Sun; their initial Be may have been largeror they may not be old enough to have depleted much Be. For those Hyadesstars that seem to have little or no depletion of Li or Be, the Li/Beratio is found to be 75+/-30 the meteoritic ratio Li/Be is 78. TheHyades ratio is a representative value for the initial ratio in thematerial out of which the Hyades cluster was formed.
| Astrometric radial velocities. III. Hipparcos measurements of nearby star clusters and associations
Radial motions of stars in nearby moving clusters are determined fromaccurate proper motions and trigonometric parallaxes, without any use ofspectroscopy. Assuming that cluster members share the same velocityvector (apart from a random dispersion), we apply a maximum-likelihoodmethod on astrometric data from Hipparcos to compute radial and spacevelocities (and their dispersions) in the Ursa Major, Hyades, ComaBerenices, Pleiades, and Praesepe clusters, and for theScorpius-Centaurus, alpha Persei, and ``HIP 98321'' associations. Theradial motion of the Hyades cluster is determined to within 0.4 kms-1 (standard error), and that of its individual stars towithin 0.6 km s-1. For other clusters, Hipparcos data yieldastrometric radial velocities with typical accuracies of a few kms-1. A comparison of these astrometric values withspectroscopic radial velocities in the literature shows a good generalagreement and, in the case of the best-determined Hyades cluster, alsopermits searches for subtle astrophysical differences, such as evidencefor enhanced convective blueshifts of F-dwarf spectra, and decreasedgravitational redshifts in giants. Similar comparisons for the ScorpiusOB2 complex indicate some expansion of its associations, albeit slowerthan expected from their ages. As a by-product from the radial-velocitysolutions, kinematically improved parallaxes for individual stars areobtained, enabling Hertzsprung-Russell diagrams with unprecedentedaccuracy in luminosity. For the Hyades (parallax accuracy 0.3 mas), itsmain sequence resembles a thin line, possibly with wiggles in it.Although this main sequence has underpopulated regions at certaincolours (previously suggested to be ``Böhm-Vitense gaps''), suchare not visible for other clusters, and are probably spurious. Futurespace astrometry missions carry a great potential for absoluteradial-velocity determinations, insensitive to the complexities ofstellar spectra. Based on observations by the ESA Hipparcos satellite.Extended versions of Tables \ref{tab1} and \ref{tab2} are available inelectronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr(130.79.125.8) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/381/446
| Microstructure of the Local Interstellar Cloud and the Identification of the Hyades Cloud
We analyze high-resolution UV spectra of the Mg II h and k lines for 18members of the Hyades to study inhomogeneity along these proximate linesof sight. The observations were taken by the Space Telescope ImagingSpectrograph (STIS) instrument on board the Hubble Space Telescope(HST). Three distinct velocity components are observed. All 18 lines ofsight show absorption by the Local Interstellar Cloud (LIC); 10 starsshow absorption by an additional cloud, which we name the Hyades Cloud;and one star exhibits a third absorption component. The LIC absorptionis observed at a lower radial velocity than predicted by the LICvelocity vector derived by Lallement & Bertin in 1992 and Lallementet al. in 1995[vpredicted(LIC)-vobserved(LIC)=2.9+/-0.7 kms-1], which may indicate a compression or deceleration at theleading edge of the LIC. We propose an extension of the Hyades Cloudboundary based on previous HST observations of other stars in thegeneral vicinity of the Hyades, as well as ground-based Ca IIobservations. We present our fits of the interstellar parameters foreach absorption component. The availability of 18 similar lines of sightprovides an excellent opportunity to study the inhomogeneity of thewarm, partially ionized local interstellar medium (LISM). We find thatthese structures are roughly homogeneous. The measured Mg II columndensities do not vary by more than a factor of 2 for angular separationsof <~8°, which at the outer edge of the LIC correspond tophysical separations of <~0.6 pc.
| Mg II Emission Lines of Hyades F Stars
With the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) we have observed Hyades F stars,using the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS), in order to getmore information about the heating mechanism(s) for the chromospheresand transition layers and their dependence on rotation and age. In thispaper we study the Mg II lines at 2800 Å. We include earlierobservations with the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE)satellite. The Mg II emission lines become observable for B-V>0.3.The emission line fluxes increase steeply until B-V~0.40. For singlestars there is a steep decrease in flux between B-V=0.41 and B-V=0.44,similar to the behavior of the Ca II emission line cores. For larger B-Vthe Mg II emission line fluxes again increase, but much more slowly thanfor the Ca II lines. Generally, the low point of the emission is reachedbetween B-V=0.43 and B-V=0.45, i.e., similar to the Ca II emissioncores. For the Hyades F stars there appears to be a difference betweenthe emissions for single stars and those for binaries. We find that forHyades stars with surface line fluxes larger than 106 ergscm-2 s-1 the emission line fluxes decrease withincreasing vsini. For smaller fluxes they may increase with increasingvsini. We have only three stars that perhaps show this. We study theflux ratios of the Mg II k and h lines at 2795.7 and 2802.5 Å inorder to determine where the lines fall on the curve of growth. For theearliest F stars studied here the ratio is close to 2, as expected foroptically thin lines. Generally, it seems that the optical depths in theline centers are less than 10. There remain problems in understandingthe size of the line widths. We discuss the interpretation of theWilson-Bappu effect. For the Hyades F stars there is a strong dependenceof the line width on the effective temperature. Based on observationswith the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope obtained at the Space TelescopeScience Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universitiesfor Research in Astronomy. Incorporated, under NASA contract NAS5-26555.
| A Hipparcos study of the Hyades open cluster. Improved colour-absolute magnitude and Hertzsprung-Russell diagrams
Hipparcos parallaxes fix distances to individual stars in the Hyadescluster with an accuracy of ~ 6 percent. We use the Hipparcos propermotions, which have a larger relative precision than the trigonometricparallaxes, to derive ~ 3 times more precise distance estimates, byassuming that all members share the same space motion. An investigationof the available kinematic data confirms that the Hyades velocity fielddoes not contain significant structure in the form of rotation and/orshear, but is fully consistent with a common space motion plus a(one-dimensional) internal velocity dispersion of ~ 0.30 kms-1. The improved parallaxes as a set are statisticallyconsistent with the Hipparcos parallaxes. The maximum expectedsystematic error in the proper motion-based parallaxes for stars in theouter regions of the cluster (i.e., beyond ~ 2 tidal radii ~ 20 pc) isla 0.30 mas. The new parallaxes confirm that the Hipparcos measurementsare correlated on small angular scales, consistent with the limitsspecified in the Hipparcos Catalogue, though with significantly smaller``amplitudes'' than claimed by Narayanan & Gould. We use the Tycho-2long time-baseline astrometric catalogue to derive a set of independentproper motion-based parallaxes for the Hipparcos members. The newparallaxes provide a uniquely sharp view of the three-dimensionalstructure of the Hyades. The colour-absolute magnitude diagram of thecluster based on the new parallaxes shows a well-defined main sequencewith two ``gaps''/``turn-offs''. These features provide the first directobservational support of Böhm-Vitense's prediction that (the onsetof) surface convection in stars significantly affects their (B-V)colours. We present and discuss the theoretical Hertzsprung-Russelldiagram (log L versus log T_eff) for an objectively defined set of 88high-fidelity members of the cluster as well as the delta Scuti startheta 2 Tau, the giants delta 1, theta1, epsilon , and gamma Tau, and the white dwarfs V471 Tau andHD 27483 (all of which are also members). The precision with which thenew parallaxes place individual Hyades in the Hertzsprung-Russelldiagram is limited by (systematic) uncertainties related to thetransformations from observed colours and absolute magnitudes toeffective temperatures and luminosities. The new parallaxes providestringent constraints on the calibration of such transformations whencombined with detailed theoretical stellar evolutionary modelling,tailored to the chemical composition and age of the Hyades, over thelarge stellar mass range of the cluster probed by Hipparcos.
| Lithium.
Electronic Article Available from Elsevier Science.
| Color indices of the Sun and Hyades stars in the WBVR system
Using an original setup at high altitudes, we measured the color indicesof the Sun in the WBVR photometric system relative to standard stars: (W- B)_solar = -0.05, (B - V)_solar = +0.67, and (V - R)_solar = +0.53. Wepresent the WBVR photometry for the Hyades members selected by vanBueren by their space velocities. The solar position is shown intwo-color diagrams relative to Hyades stars and bright G2 V stars. Acomparison of our results with Kurucz's models reveals a discrepancybetween the metallicities of the models and the Hyades members.
| The Multiplicity of the Hyades and Its Implications for Binary Star Formation and Evolution
A 2.2 μm speckle imaging survey of 167 bright (K < 8.5 mag) Hyadesmembers reveals a total of 33 binaries with separations spanning 0.044"to 1.34" and magnitude differences as large as 5.5 mag. Of thesebinaries, 9 are new detections and an additional 20 are now spatiallyresolved spectroscopic binaries, providing a sample from which dynamicalmasses and distances can be obtained. The closest three systems,marginally resolved at Palomar Observatory, were reobserved with the 10m Keck Telescope in order to determine accurate binary star parameters.Combining the results of this survey with previous radial velocity,optical speckle, and direct-imaging Hyades surveys, the detectedmultiplicity of the sample is 98 singles, 59 binaries, and 10 triples. Astatistical analysis of this sample investigates a variety of multiplestar formation and evolution theories. Over the binary separation range0.1"-1.07" (5-50 AU), the sensitivity to companion stars is relativelyuniform, with = 4 mag, equivalent to a mass ratio = 0.23. Accounting for the inability to detect high fluxratio binaries results in an implied companion star fraction (CSF) of0.30 +/- 0.06 in this separation range. The Hyades CSF is intermediatebetween the values derived from observations of T Tauri stars (CSF_TTS =0.40 +/- 0.08) and solar neighborhood G dwarfs (CSF_SN = 0.14 +/- 0.03).This result allows for an evolution of the CSF from an initially highvalue for the pre-main sequence to that found for main-sequence stars.Within the Hyades, the CSF and the mass ratio distribution provideobservational tests of binary formation mechanisms. The CSF isindependent of the radial distance from the cluster center and theprimary star mass. The distribution of mass ratios is best fitted by apower law q^-1.3+/-0.3 and shows no dependence on the primary mass,binary separation, or radial distance from the cluster center. Overall,the Hyades data are consistent with scale-free fragmentation, butinconsistent with capture and disk-assisted capture in small clusters.Without testable predictions, scale-dependent fragmentation and diskfragmentation cannot be assessed with the Hyades data.
| The Hyades: distance, structure, dynamics, and age
{We use absolute trigonometric parallaxes from the Hipparcos Catalogueto determine individual distances to members of the Hyades cluster, fromwhich the 3-dimensional structure of the cluster can be derived.Inertially-referenced proper motions are used to rediscuss distancedeterminations based on convergent-point analyses. A combination ofparallaxes and proper motions from Hipparcos, and radial velocities fromground-based observations, are used to determine the position andvelocity components of candidate members with respect to the clustercentre, providing new information on cluster membership: 13 newcandidate members within 20 pc of the cluster centre have beenidentified. Farther from the cluster centre there is a gradual mergingbetween certain cluster members and field stars, both spatially andkinematically. Within the cluster, the kinematical structure is fullyconsistent with parallel space motion of the component stars with aninternal velocity dispersion of about 0.3 km s(-1) . The spatialstructure and mass segregation are consistent with N-body simulationresults, without the need to invoke expansion, contraction, rotation, orother significant perturbations of the cluster. The quality of theindividual distance determinations permits the cluster zero-age mainsequence to be accurately modelled. The helium abundance for the clusteris determined to be Y =3D 0.26+/-0.02 which, combined with isochronemodelling including convective overshooting, yields a cluster age of625+/-50 Myr. The distance to the observed centre of mass (a conceptmeaningful only in the restricted context of the cluster memberscontained in the Hipparcos Catalogue) is 46.34+/-0.27 pc, correspondingto a distance modulus m-M=3D3.33+/-0.01 mag for the objects within 10 pcof the cluster centre (roughly corresponding to the tidal radius). Thisdistance modulus is close to, but significantly better determined than,that derived from recent high-precision radial velocity studies,somewhat larger than that indicated by recent ground-based trigonometricparallax determinations, and smaller than those found from recentstudies of the cluster convergent point. These discrepancies areinvestigated and explained. } Based on observations made with the ESAHipparcos astrometry satellite. Table~2 is also available in electronicform at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5)or via http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/Abstract.html
|
Submit a new article
Related links
Submit a new link
Member of following groups:
|
Observation and Astrometry data
| Constellation: | おうし座 |
| Right ascension: | 04h27m46.07s |
| Declination: | +11°44'11.1" |
| Apparent magnitude: | 7.496 |
| Distance: | 47.214 parsecs |
| Proper motion RA: | 110.1 |
| Proper motion Dec: | -13.2 |
| B-T magnitude: | 8.181 |
| V-T magnitude: | 7.553 |
Catalogs and designations:
|
