(of PhD Thesis, from Minessota) I am using the Minnesota Automated Plate Scanner (APS) to construct two galaxy catalogs. The Minnesota Automated Plate Scanner Pisces-Perseus Survey (MAPS-PP) is used to search for modern-day remnant signatures of large-scale structure formation processes, specifically, galaxy alignments relative to surrounding large-scale structure. Weak evidence for such alignments is found, although the type of alignments seen don't strongly support any one large-scale structure formation model. Comparison of the MAPS-PP to pre-existing galaxy catalogs has led to the discovery that the Uppsala General Catalog and Third Reference Catalog of Galaxies exhibit a very strong measurement bias: their diameters are measured to different isophotes at different galaxy inclinations. Therefore previous determinations of the diameter function and the internal extinction properties of other galaxies (most of which have relied on one of these two galaxy catalogs) have suffered from a biased diameter measurement. I avoid this bias by using the APS data (which is obtained using automated computer-based criteria for measuring the structural properties of images digitized from photographic plates) to construct a catalog of over 200,000 galaxies within 30 degrees of the North Galactic Pole (the MAPS-NGP). The MAPS-NGP is the deepest galaxy catalog constructed over such a large area of the sky and used to re-evaluate previous investigations of the internal extinction in galaxies.
We examined light curves of 1138 stars brighter than 18.0mag in the I band and less than a mean magnitude error of 0.1mag in the V band from the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE)-III eclipsing binary catalogue, and found 90 new binary systems exhibiting apsidal motion. In this study, the samples of apsidal motion stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) were increased by a factor of about 3.0 than previously known. In order to determine the period of the apsidal motion for the binaries, we analysed in detail both the light curves and eclipse timings using the MACHO (MAssive Compact Halo Objects) and OGLE photometric data base. For the eclipse timing diagrams of the systems, new times of minimum light were derived from the full light curve combined at intervals of one year from the survey data. The new 90 binaries have apsidal motion periods in the range of 12-897yr. An additional short-term oscillation was detected in four systems (OGLE-SMC-ECL-1634, 1947, 3035, and 4946), which most likely arises from the existence of a third body orbiting each eclipsing binary. Since the systems presented here are based on homogeneous data and have been analysed in the same way, they are suitable for further statistical analysis.
We study the distribution of galaxies and galaxy clusters in a 10{deg}x6{deg} field in the Aquarius region. In addition to 63 clusters in the literature, we have found 39 new candidate clusters using a matched-filter technique and a counts-in-cells analysis. From redshift measurements of galaxies in the direction of these cluster candidates, we present new mean redshifts for 31 previously unobserved clusters, while improved mean redshifts are presented for 35 other systems.
We present spectroscopic and photometric data for 920 galaxies selected in 68 fields of the Aquarius Cluster Catalog. Typically, the 15 brightest candidate members with magnitudes in the range 16<b_J_<21 were selected for observations, and ~71% turn out to be cluster members. Using the new redshift determinations, we assign galaxies to groups and clusters, and by including data from the literature we calculate systemic velocities and velocity dispersions for 74 clusters, each with redshifts measured for at least six individual galaxies.
We have performed a search for variable stars in the dwarf irregular galaxy NGC 6822 using wide-field multi-epoch VI photometry down to a limiting magnitude of ~22. A part from the Cepheid variables in this galaxy already reported in an earlier paper by Pietrzynski et al. (2004AJ....128.2815P), we have found 1019 "non-periodic" variable stars, 50 periodically variable stars with periods ranging from 0.12 to 66 days and 146 probably periodic variables. Twelve of these stars are eclipsing binaries and fifteen are likely new, low-amplitude Cepheids.
For the first time, we have detected Cepheid variables in the Sculptor Group spiral galaxy NGC 7793. From wide-field images obtained in the optical V and I bands on 56 nights in 2003-2005, we have discovered 17 long-period (24-62 days) Cepheids whose periods and mean magnitudes define tight period-luminosity relations. We use the (V-I) Wesenheit index to determine a reddening-free true distance modulus to NGC 7793 of 27.68+/-0.05mag (internal error) +/-0.08mag (systematic error).
We present near-infrared J- and K-band photometry of 77 Cepheid variables in the Local Group galaxy NGC 3109. Combining our data with the previously published optical V- and I-band photometry of Cepheids in this galaxy, we derive an accurate distance and interstellar reddening toward NGC 3109.
We have obtained mosaic images of NGC 3109 in the V and I bands on 74 nights, spanning approximately 1yr. From these data, we have conducted an extensive search for Cepheid variables over the entire field of the galaxy, resulting in the discovery of 113 variables with periods ranging from 3.4 to 31.4days. In this sample, 76 Cepheids, including many long-period variables, were not known before. For the previously known 45 Cepheids in this galaxy, our data proved that reported periods were wrong for 14 objects; for nearly all other previously known Cepheid variables, we were able to significantly improve on the periods.
We have detected, for the first time, Cepheid variables in the Sculptor Group SB(s)m galaxy NGC 55. From wide-field images obtained in the optical V and I bands during 77 nights in 2002-2003, we have found 143 Cepheids with periods ranging from 5.6 to 175.9 days; 133 of these objects have periods longer than 10 days, making NGC 55 to date the galaxy with the largest known number of long-period Cepheids in the Sculptor Group.
We have conducted an extensive wide-field imaging survey for Cepheid variables in the Local Group irregular galaxy WLM. From data obtained on 101 nights, we have discovered 60 Cepheids, which include 14 of the 15 Cepheid variables previously detected by Sandage and Carlson. Our Cepheid survey in WLM should be practically complete down to a period of 3-days. Importantly, we have found for the first time a long-period Cepheid (P=54.2-days) in this galaxy, alleviating the problem that WLM with its many blue, massive stars does not contain Cepheids with periods longer than about 10-days.
