We have identified a new class of Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars in the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds (SMC/LMC) using optical to infrared photometry, light curves, and optical spectroscopy. The strong dust production and long-period pulsations of these stars indicate that they are at the very end of their AGB evolution. Period-mass-radius relations for the fundamental-mode pulsators give median current stellar masses of 1.14M_{sun}_ in the LMC and 0.94M_{sun}_ in the SMC (with dispersions of 0.21 and 0.18M_{sun}_, respectively), and models suggest initial masses of <1.5M_{sun}_ and <1.25 M_{sun}_, respectively. This new class of stars includes both O-rich and C-rich chemistries, placing the limit where dredge-up allows carbon star production below these masses. A high fraction of the brightest among them should show S star characteristics indicative of atmospheric C/O~1, and many will form O-rich dust prior to their C-rich phase. These stars can be separated from their less-evolved counterparts by their characteristically red J-[8] colors.
We present the first subarcsecond-resolution mid-infrared (MIR) atlas of local active galactic nuclei (AGN). Our atlas contains 253 AGN with a median redshift of z=0.016, and includes all publicly available MIR imaging performed to date with ground-based 8-m class telescopes, a total of 895 independent measurements. Of these, more than 60% are published here for the first time. We detect extended nuclear emission in at least 21% of the objects, while another 19% appear clearly point-like, and the remaining objects cannot be constrained. Where present, elongated nuclear emission aligns with the ionization cones in Seyferts. Subarcsecond resolution allows us to isolate the AGN emission on scales of a few tens of parsecs and to obtain nuclear photometry in multiple filters for the objects. Median spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for the different optical AGN types are constructed and individual MIR 12 and 18um continuum luminosities are computed. These range over more than six orders of magnitude. In comparison to the arcsecond-scale MIR emission as probed by Spitzer, the continuum emission is much lower on subarcsecond scales in many cases. The silicate feature strength is similar on both scales and generally appears in emission (absorption) in type I (II) AGN. However, the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emission appears weaker or absent on subarcsecond scales. The differences of the MIR SEDs on both scales are particularly large for AGN/starburst composites and close-by (and weak) AGN. The nucleus dominates over the total emission of the galaxy only at luminosities >~10^44^erg/s. The AGN MIR atlas is well suited not only for detailed investigation of individual sources but also for statistical studies of AGN unification.
We performed a detailed photometric analysis of the lensed system UM673 (Q0142-100) and an analysis of the tentative lens models. High-resolution adaptive optics images of UM673 taken with the Subaru telescope in the H band were examined. We also analysed the J, H and K-band observational data of UM673 obtained with the 1.3m telescope at the CTIO observatory. We present photometry of quasar components A and B of UM673, the lens, and the nearby bright galaxy using H-band observational data obtained with the Subaru telescope. Based on the CTIO observations of UM673, we also present J- and H-band photometry and estimates of the J, H and K-band flux ratios between the two UM673 components in recent epochs. The near-infrared fluxes of the A and B components of UM673 and their published optical fluxes are analysed to measure extinction properties of the lensing galaxy. We estimate the extinction-corrected flux ratio between components A and B to be about 2.14 mag. We discuss lens models for the UM673 system constrained with the positions of the UM673 components, their flux ratio, and the previously measured time delay.
We perform a z-band survey for an optical counterpart of the binary neutron star coalescence GW170817 with Subaru/Hyper Suprime-Cam. Our untargeted transient search covers 23.6deg^2^ corresponding to the 56.6% credible region of GW170817 and reaches the 50% completeness magnitude of 20.6mag on average. As a result, we find 60 candidate extragalactic transients, including J-GEM17btc (also known as SSS17a/DLT17ck). While J-GEM17btc is associated with NGC 4993, which is firmly located inside the 3D skymap of GW170817, the other 59 candidates do not have distance information in the GLADE v2 catalog or NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database. Among 59 of the candidates, 58 are located at the center of extended objects in the Pan-STARRS1 catalog, while one candidate has an offset. We present location, z-band apparent magnitude, and time variability of the candidates and evaluate the probabilities that they are located within the 3D skymap of GW170817. The probability for J-GEM17btc is 64%, which is much higher than for the other 59 candidates (9.3x10^-3^-2.1x10^-1^%). Furthermore, the possibility that at least one of the other 59 candidates is located within the 3D skymap is only 3.2%. Therefore, we conclude that J-GEM17btc is the most likely and distinguished candidate to be the optical counterpart of GW170817.
Recent spectroscopic observations of the outer halo globular cluster (GC) NGC 2419 show that it is unique among GCs, in terms of chemical abundance patterns, and some suggest that it was originated in the nucleus of a dwarf galaxy. Here we show, from the Subaru narrowband photometry employing a calcium filter, that the red giant branch (RGB) of this GC is split into two distinct subpopulations. Comparison with spectroscopy has confirmed that the redder RGB stars in the hk[=(Ca-b)-(b-y)] index are enhanced in [Ca/H] by ~0.2dex compared to the bluer RGB stars. Our population model further indicates that the calcium-rich second generation stars are also enhanced in helium abundance by a large amount ({Delta}Y=0.19). Our photometry, together with the results for other massive GCs (e.g., {omega} Cen, M22, and NGC 1851), suggests that the discrete distribution of RGB stars in the hk index might be a universal characteristic of this growing group of peculiar GCs. The planned narrowband calcium photometry for the Local Group dwarf galaxies would help to establish an empirical connection between these GCs and the primordial building blocks in the hierarchical merging paradigm of galaxy formation.
We find a new substellar companion to the Pleiades member star, Pleiades HII 3441, using the Subaru telescope with adaptive optics. The discovery is made as part of the high-contrast imaging survey to search for planetary-mass and substellar companions in the Pleiades and young moving groups. The companion has a projected separation of 0.49+/-0.02 (66+/-2au) and a mass of 68+/-5MJ based on three observations in the J-, H-, and Ks-bands. The spectral type is estimated to be M7 (~2700K), and thus no methane absorption is detected in the H band. Our Pleiades observations result in the detection of two substellar companions including one previously reported among 20 observed Pleiades stars, and indicate that the fraction of substellar companions in the Pleiades is about 10.0^+26.1^_-8.8_%. This is consistent with multiplicity studies of both the Pleiades stars and other open clusters.
Plagioclase feldspars are among the most prevalent minerals in the solar system, and are present in many chondritic and achondritic meteorite families. Nevertheless, spectral features of plagioclases have never been unambiguously and directly observed in remote observations of asteroids. We report here the detection of an absorption band at 12.2{mu}m on Vesta spectra provided by ground-based spectral observations at the Subaru Telescope. This signature represents the first direct evidence of a widespread presence of crystalline Ca-rich plagioclase on Vesta and reveals that its regolith is comminuted to a very fine grain size, smaller than a few tens of microns, indicating that the mechanical brecciation process has been very effective. The crystalline nature of plagioclase strongly suggests that impacts alone cannot be the sole mechanism for regolith formation on Vesta and a milder process, such as thermal fatigue, should be invoked as an important and concomitant process Thermal fatigue should be considered a very effective process in regolith production and rejuvenation not only for near-Earth asteroids but even for large asteroids located in the main belt.
We present a catalog of ultra-diffuse galaxies (UDGs) in the Coma cluster. UDGs are a subset of low surface brightness (SB) galaxies with very large effective radii defined by van Dokkum et al. (2015ApJ...798L..45V). We surveyed the Subaru data archive for deep Suprime-Cam/Subaru R-band images, and used data covering the 1.7x2.7{deg} region of the Coma cluster. The data are ~1 magnitude deeper than the data of van Dokkum et al. in limiting SB. This paper explains the details of our sample selection procedure. This UDG catalog includes positions, magnitudes, effective radii, mean and central SBs, and colors (when available). Comparisons with previous galaxy catalogs in the literature are performed, and we show that the current catalog is the largest for UDGs. We also discuss that most of the UDGs are members of the Coma cluster, and the major axis of the UDGs tends to align toward the cluster center (radial alignment).
We present the results of an ongoing weak-lensing survey conducted with the Subaru Telescope whose initial goal is to locate and study the distribution of shear-selected structures, or halos. Using a Suprime-Cam imaging survey spanning 21.82deg^2^, we present a catalog of 100 candidate halos located from lensing-convergence maps. Our sample is reliably drawn from that subset of our survey area (totaling 16.72deg^2^) uncontaminated by bright stars and edge effects and is limited at a convergence signal-to-noise ratio of 3.69. To validate the sample, detailed spectroscopic measures have been made for 26 candidates using the Subaru multiobject spectrograph, FOCAS. All are confirmed as clusters of galaxies, but two arise as the superposition of multiple clusters viewed along the line of sight. Including data available in the literature and an ongoing Keck spectroscopic campaign, a total of 41 halos now have reliable redshifts.
We present spectroscopic and 11-band photometric redshifts for galaxies in the 100-uJy Subaru/XMM-Newton Deep Field radio source sample. We find good agreement between our redshift distribution and that predicted by the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Simulated Skies project. We find no correlation between K-band magnitude and radio flux, but show that sources with 1.4-GHz flux densities below ~1mJy are fainter in the near-infrared than brighter radio sources at the same redshift, and we discuss the implications of this result for spectroscopically incomplete samples where the K-z relation has been used to estimate redshifts. We use the infrared-radio correlation to separate our sample into radio-loud and radio-quiet objects and show that only radio-loud hosts have spectral energy distributions consistent with predominantly old stellar populations, although the fraction of objects displaying such properties is a decreasing function of radio luminosity.