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Description
We present new near-infrared (NIR), JHKs, time-series observations of RR-Lyrae variables in the Messier-3 (NGC5272) globular cluster using the WIRCam instrument at the 3.6m Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope. Our observations cover a sky area of ~21'x21' around the cluster center and provide an average of 20 epochs of homogeneous JHKs-band photometry. New homogeneous photometry is used to estimate robust mean magnitudes for 175 fundamental-mode (RRab), 47 overtone-mode (RRc), and 11 mixed-mode (RRd) variables. Our sample of 233 RR-Lyrae variables is the largest thus far obtained in a single cluster with time-resolved, multiband NIR photometry. NIR-to-optical amplitude ratios for RR-Lyrae in Messier-3 exhibit a systematic increase moving from RRc to short-period (P<0.6day) and long-period (P>~0.6day) RRab variables. We derive JHKs-band period-luminosity relations for RRab, RRc, and the combined sample of variables. Absolute calibrations based on the theoretically predicted period-luminosity-metallicity relations for RR Lyrae stars yield a distance modulus, {mu}=15.041{+/-}0.017(statistical){+/-}0.036(systematic)mag, to Messier-3. When anchored to trigonometric parallaxes for nearby RR-Lyrae stars from the Hubble Space Telescope and the Gaia mission, our distance estimates are consistent with those resulting from the theoretical calibrations, albeit with relatively larger systematic uncertainties.
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