This database contains surface brightness profiles in the optical g, r, i, z bands and near-IR H-band for 286 Virgo cluster galaxies. This morphologically-complete sample spans a huge range in galaxy size, luminosity, surface brightness and stellar populations. These data have been used to study the luminosity and surface brightness distribution of Virgo cluster galaxies, in McDonald et al. (2009MNRAS.394.2022M). We find compelling evidence for bimodal populations in surface brightness, with both early- and late-type galaxies having a dearth of intermediate surface brightness galaxies. Most convincing is our confirmation of the result by Tully and Verheijen that the surface brightness of galaxy disks are strongly bimodal (1997ApJ...484..145T) The near-IR H-band data have been obtained from a variety of telescopes. We downloaded archival images for 31/286 and 84/286 bright galaxies from the 2MASS and GOLDMine online databases, respectively. The remaining 171 galaxies have new observations from the UH 2.2-m (130/286), CFHT (20/286) and UKIRT (21/286) telescopes. These data were all reduced in a homogeneous way, as outlined in our data paper. The optical g, r, i, z data were all obtained from the SDSS archives. Surface brightness profiles were extracted homogeneously from the optical and near-IR data following similar procedures, as outlined in our paper (2011MNRAS.414.2055M) The parametric and non-parametric parameters from bulge-disk decompositions of 285 optical griz and near-IR H-band surface brightness (SB) profiles are given in the bdd_* files in this directory. The profiles are stored in the "prof_g", "prof_r", "prof_i", "prof_z" and "prof_h" subdirectories, one for each color.
We present a set of 180 active galactic nucleus (AGN) candidates based on color selection from the IRAS slow-scan deep observations, with color criteria broadened from the initial Point Source Catalog (Cat. <II/125>) samples so as to include similar objects with redshifts up to z=1 and allowing for two-band detections. Spectroscopic identifications have been obtained for 80 (44%); some additional identifications are secure based on radio detections or optical morphology, although yet unobserved spectroscopically. These spectroscopic identifications include 13 type-1 Seyfert galaxies, 17 type-2 Seyferts, 29 starburst galaxies, 7 LINER systems, and 13 emission-line galaxies so heavily reddened as to remain of ambiguous classification.
We have conducted sensitive (1{sigma}<30uJy) 1.4GHz radio observations with the Australia Telescope Compact Array of a field largely coincident with infrared observations of the Spitzer Wide-Area Extragalactic Survey (SWIRE, 2003PASP..115..897L). The field is centered on the European Large Area ISO Survey S1 region and has a total area of 3.9{deg}. We describe the observations and calibration, source extraction, and cross-matching to infrared sources. Two catalogs are presented: one of the radio components found in the image and another of radio sources with counterparts in the infrared and extracted from the literature. 1366 radio components were grouped into 1276 sources, 1183 of which were matched to infrared sources. We discover 31 radio sources with no infrared counterpart at all, adding to the class of Infrared-Faint Radio Sources.
We test state-of-the-art model atmospheres for young very-low-mass stars and brown dwarfs in the infrared, by comparing the predicted synthetic photometry over 1.2-24{mu}m to the observed photometry of M-type spectral templates in star-forming regions. We find that (1) in both early and late young M types, the model atmospheres imply effective temperatures (Teff) several hundred Kelvin lower than predicted by the standard pre-main sequence (PMS) spectral type-Teff conversion scale (based on theoretical evolutionary models). It is only in the mid-M types that the two temperature estimates agree. (2) The Teff discrepancy in the early M types (corresponding to stellar masses >~0.4M_{sun}_ at ages of a few Myr) probably arises from remaining uncertainties in the treatment of atmospheric convection within the atmospheric models, whereas in the late M types it is likely due to an underestimation of dust opacity. (3) The empirical and model-atmosphere J-band bolometric corrections are both roughly flat, and similar to each other, over the M-type Teff range. Thus the model atmospheres yield reasonably accurate bolometric luminosities (Lbol), but lead to underestimations of mass and age relative to evolutionary expectations (especially in the late M types) due to lower Teff. We demonstrate this for a large sample of young Cha I and Taurus sources. (4) The trends in the atmospheric model J-K_s_ colors, and their deviations from the data, are similar at PMS and main sequence ages, suggesting that the model dust opacity errors we postulate here for young ages also apply at field ages.
Recent observational results have demonstrated an increase in the surface Na abundance that correlates with stellar mass for red giants between 2 and 3M_{sun}_. This trend supports evolutionary mixing processes as the explanation for Na overabundances seen in some red giants. In this same mass range, the surface Al abundance was shown to be constant. Our main aim was to extend the investigation of the Na and Al surface abundances to giants more massive than 3M_{sun}_. We sought to establish accurately whether the Na abundances keep increasing with stellar mass or a plateau is reached. In addition, we investigated whether mixing can affect the surface abundance of Al in giants more massive than 3M_{sun}_. We obtained new high-resolution spectra of 20 giants in the field of 10 open clusters; 17 of these stars were found to be members of 9 clusters. The giants have masses between 2.5M_{sun}_ and 5.6M_{sun}_. A model atmosphere analysis was performed and abundances of up to 22 elements were derived using equivalent widths. Additionally, abundances of C, N, and O were determined using spectrum synthesis. The abundances of Na and Al were corrected for non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) effects. Moreover, to extend the mass range of our sample, we collected from the literature high-quality C, N, O, and Na abundances of 32 Galactic Cepheids with accurate masses in the range between 3M_{sun}_ and 14M_{sun}_. The surface abundances of C, N, O, Na, and Al were compared to predictions of stellar evolution models with and without the inclusion of rotation-induced mixing. The surface abundances of most giants and Cepheids of the sample can be explained by models without rotation. For giants above ~2.5M_{sun}_, the Na abundances reach a plateau level of about [Na/Fe]~0.20-0.25dex (in non-LTE). This is true for both Cepheids and giants in open clusters. Regarding Al, the non-LTE [Al/Fe] ratios are mostly close to solar and suggest that Al is not affected by the first dredge-up up to ~5.0M_{sun}_. Our results support previous works that found models with rotation to overestimate the mixing effects in intermediate-mass stars.
Age determination is undertaken for nearby early type (BAF) stars, which constitute attractive targets for high-contrast debris disk and planet imaging surveys. Our analysis sequence consists of acquisition of ubvy{beta} photometry from catalogs, correction for the effects of extinction, interpolation of the photometry onto model atmosphere grids from which atmospheric parameters are determined, and finally, comparison to the theoretical isochrones from pre-main sequence through post-main sequence stellar evolution models, accounting for the effects of stellar rotation. We calibrate and validate our methods at the atmospheric parameter stage by comparing our results to fundamentally determined T_eff_ and log g values. We validate and test our methods at the evolutionary model stage by comparing our results on ages to the accepted ages of several benchmark open clusters (IC2602, {alpha} Persei, Pleiades, Hyades). Finally, we apply our methods to estimate stellar ages for 3493 field stars, including several with directly imaged exoplanet candidates.
A number of spectroscopic surveys have been carried out or are planned to study the origin of the Milky Way. Their exploitation requires reliable automated methods and softwares to measure the fundamental parameters of the stars. Adopting the ULySS package, we have tested the effect of different resolutions and signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) on the measurement of the stellar atmospheric parameters (effective temperature Teff, surface gravity logg, and metallicity [Fe/H]). We show that ULySS is reliable to determine these parameters with medium-resolution spectra (R~2000). Then, we applied the method to measure the parameters of 771 stars selected in the commissioning database of the Guoshoujing Telescope (GSJT). The results were compared with the SDSS/SEGUE Stellar Parameter Pipeline (SSPP), and we derived precisions of 167K, 0.34dex, and 0.16dex for Teff, logg and [Fe/H] respectively. Furthermore, 120 of these stars are selected to construct the primary stellar spectra template library (Version 1.0) of GSJT, and will be deployed as basic ingredients for the GSJT automated parametrization pipeline.
Empirical libraries of stellar spectra play an important role in different fields. For example, they are used as reference for the automatic determination of atmospheric parameters, or for building synthetic stellar populations to study galaxies. The CFLIB (Coude-feed library, Indo-US) database is at present one of the most complete libraries, in terms of its coverage of the atmospheric parameters space (Teff, logg and [Fe/H]) and wavelength coverage 3460-9464{AA} at a resolution of ~1{AA} FWHM. Although the atmospheric parameters of most of the stars were determined from detailed analyses of high-resolution spectra, for nearly 300 of the 1273 stars of the library at least one of the three parameters is missing. For the others, the measurements, compiled from the literature, are inhomogeneous. In this paper, we re-determine the atmospheric parameters, directly using the CFLIB spectra, and compare them to the previous studies. Methods. We use the ULySS program to derive the atmospheric parameters, using the ELODIE library as a reference. Based on comparisons with several previous studies we conclude that our determinations are unbiased. For the 958 F,G, and K type stars the precision on Teff, logg, and [Fe/H] is respectively 43K, 0.13dex and 0.05dex. For the 53 M stars they are 82K, 0.22dex and 0.28dex. And for the 260 OBA type stars the relative precision on Teff is 5.1%, and on logg, and [Fe/H] the precision is respectively 0.19 dex and 0.16 dex. These parameters will be used to re-calibrate the CFLIB fluxes and to produce synthetic spectra of stellar populations.
We present a comprehensive analysis of different techniques available for the spectroscopic analysis of FGK stars and provide a recommended methodology which efficiently estimates accurate stellar atmospheric parameters for large samples of stars. Our analysis includes a simultaneous equivalent width analysis of FeI and FeII spectral lines, and for the first time, utilizes on-the-fly non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) corrections of individual FeI lines. We further investigate several temperature scales, finding that estimates from Balmer line measurements provide the most accurate effective temperatures at all metallicities. We apply our analysis to a large sample of both dwarf and giant stars selected from the Radial Velocity Experiment (RAVE) survey. We then show that the difference between parameters determined by our method and that by the standard 1D LTE excitation-ionization balance of Fe reveals substantial systematic biases: up to 400K in effective temperature, 1.0dex in surface gravity and 0.4dex in metallicity for stars with [Fe/H]~-2.5. This has large implications for the study of the stellar populations in the Milky Way.
Parameters and abundances for 451 stars of spectral types F, G, and K of luminosity classes I and II have been derived. Absolute magnitudes and E(B-V) have been derived for the warmer stars in order to investigate the galactic abundance gradient. The value found here: d[Fe/H]/dR~-0.06dex/kpc, agrees well with previous determinations. Stellar evolution indicators have also been investigated with the derived C/O ratios indicating that standard CN processing has been operating. Perhaps the most surprising result found in these supposedly relatively young intermediate-mass stars is that both [O/Fe] and [C/Fe] show a correlation with [Fe/H] much the same as found in older populations. While the stars were selected based on luminosity class, there does exist a significant [Fe/H] range in the sample. The likely explanation of this is that there is a significant range in age in the sample; that is, some of the sample are low-mass red-giant stars with types that place them within the selection criteria.