- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/MNRAS/448/2717
- Title:
- Bayesian analysis of resolved stellar spectra
- Short Name:
- J/MNRAS/448/2717
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We introduce a Bayesian method for fitting faint, resolved stellar spectra in order to obtain simultaneous estimates of redshift and stellar-atmospheric parameters. We apply the method to thousands of spectra - covering 5160-5280{AA} at resolution R~20000 - that we have acquired with the MMT/Hectochelle fibre spectrograph for red giant and horizontal branch candidates along the line of sight to the Milky Way's dwarf spheroidal satellite in Draco. The observed stars subtend an area of ~4deg^2^, extending ~3 times beyond Draco's nominal 'tidal' radius. For each spectrum, we tabulate the first four moments - central value, variance, skewness and kurtosis - of posterior probability distribution functions representing estimates of the following physical parameters: line-of-sight velocity (v_los_), effective temperature (T_eff_), surface gravity (logg) and metallicity ([Fe/H]). After rejecting low-quality measurements, we retain a new sample consisting of 2813 independent observations of 1565 unique stars, including 1879 observations for 631 stars with (as many as 13) repeat observations. Parameter estimates have median random errors of v_los_=0.88km/s, T_eff_=162K, {sigma}logg=0.37dex and {sigma}[Fe/H]=0.20dex. Our estimates of physical parameters distinguish ~470 likely Draco members from interlopers in the Galactic foreground.
Number of results to display per page
Search Results
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/MNRAS/422/2116
- Title:
- BHB and RR Lyrae towards Anticentre and NGP
- Short Name:
- J/MNRAS/422/2116
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We identify 51 blue horizontal branch (BHB) stars, 12 possible BHB stars and 58 RR Lyrae stars in Anticentre fields. Their selection does not depend on their kinematics. Light curves and ephemerides are given for seven previously unknown RR Lyrae stars. All but four of the RR Lyrae stars are of Oosterhoff type I.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/731/119
- Title:
- BHB candidates in Sagittarius stream
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/731/119
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We use a sample of blue horizontal branch (BHB) stars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7 (Cat. II/294) to explore the structure of the tidal tails from the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy. We use a method yielding BHB star candidates with up to ~70% purity from photometry alone. The resulting sample has a distance precision of roughly 5% and can probe distances in excess of 100kpc. Using this sample, we identify a possible extension to the trailing arm at distances of 60-80kpc from the Sun with an estimated significance of at least 3.8{sigma}. Current models predict that a distant "returning" segment of the debris stream should exist, but place it substantially closer to the Sun where no debris is observed in our data. Exploiting the distance precision of our tracers, we estimate the mean line-of-sight thickness of the leading arm to be ~3kpc, and show that the two "bifurcated" branches of the debris stream differ by only 1-2kpc in distance. With a spectroscopic very pure BHB star subsample, we estimate the velocity dispersion in the leading arm, 37km/s, which is in reasonable agreement with models of Sgr disruption. We finally present a sample of high-probability Sgr BHB stars in the leading arm of Sgr, selected to have distances and velocities consistent with Sgr membership, to allow further study.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/684/1143
- Title:
- BHB candidates in the Milky Way
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/684/1143
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We derive new constraints on the mass of the Milky Way's dark matter halo, based on 2401 rigorously selected blue horizontal-branch halo stars from SDSS DR6. This sample enables construction of the full line-of-sight velocity distribution at different galactocentric radii. To interpret these distributions, we compare them to matched mock observations drawn from two different cosmological galaxy formation simulations designed to resemble the Milky Way. This procedure results in an estimate of the Milky Way's circular velocity curve to ~60kpc, which is found to be slightly falling from the adopted value of 220km/s at the Sun's location, and implies M(<60kpc)=(4.0+/-0.7)x10^11^M_{sun}_.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/AJ/130/1097
- Title:
- BHB stars in Century Survey Galactic Halo Project
- Short Name:
- J/AJ/130/1097
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We discuss a 175{deg}2 spectroscopic survey for blue horizontal branch (BHB) stars in the Galactic halo. We use the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS, <II/246>) and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) to select BHB candidates, and we find that the 2MASS and SDSS color selection is 38% and 50% efficient, respectively, for BHB stars. Our samples include one likely runaway B7 star 6kpc below the Galactic plane.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/MNRAS/399/195
- Title:
- Blue and red spectra of {omega} Cen HB stars
- Short Name:
- J/MNRAS/399/195
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- The multiphase interstellar medium (ISM) is highly structured, on scales from the size of the Solar System to that of a galaxy. In particular, small-scale structures are difficult to study and hence are poorly understood. We used the multiplex capabilities of the AAOmega spectrograph at the Anglo-Australian Telescope to create a half-square-degree map of the neutral and low-ionized ISM in front of the nearby (~5kpc), most massive Galactic globular cluster, {omega} Centauri. Its redshifted, metal-poor and hot horizontal branch stars probe the medium-strong CaII K and NaI D2 line absorption, and weak absorption in the {lambda}5780 and {lambda}5797 diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs), on scales around a parsec. The kinematical and thermodynamical picture emerging from these data is that we predominantly probe the warm neutral medium and weakly ionized medium of the Galactic Disc-Halo interface, ~0.3-1kpc above the mid-plane. A comparison with Spitzer Space Telescope 24um and DIRBE/IRAS maps of the warm and cold dust emission confirms that both NaI and CaII trace the overall column density of the warm neutral and weakly ionized medium. Clear signatures are seen of the depletion of calcium atoms from the gas phase into dust grains.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/AJ/127/899
- Title:
- Blue HB stars in SDSS
- Short Name:
- J/AJ/127/899
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We isolate samples of 733 bright (g<18) and 437 faint (g>18) high Galactic latitude blue horizontal-branch stars with photometry and spectroscopy in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Comparison of independent photometric and spectroscopic selection criteria indicates that contamination from F and blue straggler stars is less than 10% for bright stars (g<18) and about 25% for faint stars (g>18), and this is qualitatively confirmed by proper motions based on the USNO-A (<I/252>) catalog as first epoch. Analysis of repeated observations shows that the errors in radial velocity are ~26km/s. A relation between absolute magnitude and color is established using the horizontal branches of halo globular clusters observed by SDSS. Bolometric corrections and colors are synthesized in the SDSS filters from model spectra. The redder stars agree well in absolute magnitude with accepted values for RR Lyrae stars. The resulting photometric distances are accurate to about 0.2mag, with a median of about 25kpc. Modest clumps in phase space exist and are consistent with the previously reported tidal stream of the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/AJ/108/1722
- Title:
- Blue horizontal branch stars
- Short Name:
- J/AJ/108/1722
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- A complete sample of blue horizontal branch (BHB) stars in the magnitude range 13.0<V<16.5 is isolated in two Galactic fields that have previously been searched for RR Lyrae variables: SA 57 in the Northern Polar Cap and the Lick Astrograph field RR 7 in the Anticenter (l=183{deg}, b=+37{deg}). These BHB stars are a subset of the AF stars found in the Case Low-Dispersion Northern Survey; lists of these AF stars were made available by the late Nick Sanduleak. The completeness of the sample was confirmed by reference to the photometric survey of SA 57 by Stobie & Ishida (1987AJ93..... 624S) that is complete to fainter than V=18. In the color range 0.00<(B-V)_0_<+0.20, we can distinguish the BHB stars among these AF stars by comparing them both with well known local field horizontal branch (FHB) stars and also the BHB members of the halo globular clusters M3 and M92. The criteria for this comparison include (1) a (u-B)_K_ color index (derived from photoelectric observations using the Stromgren u filter and the Johnson B and V filters) that measures the size of the Balmer jump, (2) a spectrophotometric index A that measures the steepness of the Balmer jump, and (3) a parameter D_0.2_ that is the mean width of the H{gamma} and H{delta} Balmer lines measured at 20 percent of the continuum level. These criteria give consistent results in separating BHB stars from higher gravity main sequence AF stars in the color range 0.00<(B-V)_0_<+0.20. All three photometric and spectrophotometric criteria were measured for 35 stars in the SA 57 field and 37 stars in the RR 7 field that are in the color range (B-V)_0_<+0.23 and in the magnitude range 13.0<V<16.5. For a small number of additional stars only (u-B)_K_ was obtained. Among the AF stars that are fainter than B=13 and bluer than (B-V)_0_=+0.23, about half of those in the SA 57 field and about one third of those in the lower latitude RR 7 field are BHB stars. Isoabundance contours were located empirically in plots of the pseudoequivalent width versus (B-V)_0_ for the lines of Mg II A4481{AA}, Ca II A3933 {AA} and Fe I A4272{AA}. Solar abundances were defined by the data from main sequence stars in the Pleiades and Coma open clusters. Data from the BHB stars in M3 and M92 defined the [Fe/H]=1.5 and -2.2 isoabundance contours, respectively. Metallicities of all stars were estimated by interpolating the measured pseudoequivalent widths in these diagrams at the observed (B-V)_0_. The distribution of [Fe/H] found for the BHB stars in this way is very similar to that which we found for the RR Lyrae stars in the same fields using the Preston AS method. The space densities of these BHB stars were analyzed both separately and together with earlier observations of field BHB stars given by Arnold & Gilmore (1992MNRAS.257..225A), Sommer-Larsen & Christensen (1986MNRAS.219..537S), and Preston et al. (1991ApJ...375..121P). This analysis supports a two-component model for the halo of our Galaxy that is similar in many respects to that proposed by Hartwick [The Galaxy (Reidel, Dordrecht 1987)] although our discussion refers only to the region outside the solar circle. For Z>=35kpc, a classical spherical halo dominates which follows a R_gal_^-3.5^ space-density law and which has a HB morphology like that of the globular cluster M3 (i.e., approximately equal numbers of BHB and RR Lyrae stars). Closer to the galactic plane, there is an additional component with a much flatter galactic distribution (scale height ~2.2kpc near the Sun). The stars of the two components do not have significantly different metallicity distributions but do have slightly different distributions of the A parameter which measures the steepness of the Balmer jump; this is the only physical criterion (independent of spatial or kinematic considerations) which distinguishes between the two components. If present estimates of the local RR Lyrae star space density are correct, then the ratio of BHB stars to RR Lyrae stars is higher in the flatter halo component. The flat component would then have a bluer HB morphology (which could be interpreted as making it older) than the spherical component. In the solar neighborhood about 80 percent of the BHB stars come from the flat component and about 20 percent from the spherical component. More than half of the AF stars with V>13.0 and (B-V)_0_<+0.23 are not BHB stars but have surface gravities that are more like those expected for main sequence stars. Their measured metallicities lie in the range -0.2<[Fe/H]<-2.3. The more metal-poor of these stars are probably similar to the blue metal-poor stars that have been discussed by Preston et al. (1994AJ....108..538P) which, while they probably include globular cluster blue stragglers as a subset, must also comprise stars of other types.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+AS/109/171
- Title:
- Blue horizontal branch stars catalog
- Short Name:
- J/A+AS/109/171
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- (no description available)
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/632/894
- Title:
- Blue stragglers, HB and turnoff stars in 4 GC
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/632/894
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We present a spectroscopic analysis of HST STIS and FOS low- and intermediate-resolution spectroscopy of 55 stars in four globular clusters (47 Tucanae, M3, NGC 6752, and NGC 6397). Stars hotter than T_eff_=5750K and with a signal-to-noise ratio larger than 15 were analyzed with non-local thermodynamic equilibrium model atmospheres, and values for their effective temperatures and gravities were obtained. Using photometric fluxes, we also obtained radii, luminosities, and spectroscopic masses. Twenty-four stars in our sample are blue stragglers (BSs). Their photometric colors and magnitudes place these BSs above and redward of the clusters' zero-age main sequence: this is consistent with the gravities we find for these stars, which are lower than zero-age main-sequence gravities. A comparison with stellar evolutionary tracks shows that almost all of our BSs are in the Hertzsprung gap. This is contrary to theory, because of the short timescale expected for stars in this evolutionary phase. The mean BS mass is 1.04M_{sun}_for 14 nonvariable stars, or 1.07M_{sun}_counting all 24 BSs in our sample. For the nonvariable stars the mean BS masses for individual clusters are 1.73, 1.01, 0.95, and 0.72M_{sun}_for NGC 6397, NGC 6752, 47 Tuc, and M3, respectively. Adding the variable stars (which improves the statistics but increases the uncertainty), the mean masses become 1.27, 1.05, 0.99, and 0.99M_{sun}_, respectively. Although there is considerable scatter, the BS spectroscopic masses correlate with both effective temperature and brightness of the stars, as expected. The mean nonvariable turnoff star mass (0.58M_{sun}_) is significantly below the values determined for the BSs and below the main-sequence turnoff mass. The mean nonvariable horizontal-branch (HB) star mass is higher than expected (0.79M_{sun}_). In particular, several HB stars have masses well above the main-sequence turnoff mass. Some of these HB stars are suspected of actually being BSs, since most of them reside at ambiguous locations on the CMD, making them prone to misclassification. Values and limits to the stellar rotation rates (vsini) are imposed by fitting weak metal lines, the Ca II K line wings, or the helium lines for the hotter stars. Five BSs with reasonably constrained rotations show average and median vsini values of 109 and 100km/s, respectively, suggesting v~160km/s. At least some GC BSs are very rapid rotators, but this information cannot yet constrain their origin as stellar collision or binary mergers because of the lack of clear theoretical predictions. Six extreme HB stars have rotation rates vsini between 50 and 200km/s, which are high for these stars and might indicate a binary origin. De Marco et al. found that four BSs and two HB stars in our sample have Balmer jumps that are too large for the effective temperatures implied by the slopes of their Paschen continua. Two additional HB stars are now identified in the current study as having the same feature. For these stars, the presence of a disk of partly ionized material is suspected, although high stellar rotation rates could also partly explain the data.
