- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+A/657/A93
- Title:
- Fornax globular clusters
- Short Name:
- J/A+A/657/A93
- Date:
- 22 Feb 2022
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- The Fornax cluster provides an unparalleled opportunity of investigating the formation and evolution of early-type galaxies in a dense environment in detail. We aim at kinematically characterising photometrically detected globular cluster (GC) candidates in the core of the cluster. We used VLT/VIMOS spectroscopic data from the FVSS survey in the Fornax cluster, covering one square degree around the central massive galaxy NGC 1399. We confirm a total of 777 GCs, almost doubling previously detected GCs, using the same dataset as was used before. Combined with previous literature radial velocity measurements of GCs in Fornax, we compile the most extensive spectroscopic GC sample of 2341 objects in this environment. We found that red GCs are mostly concentrated around major galaxies, while blue GCs are kinematically irregular and are widely spread throughout the core region of the cluster. The velocity dispersion profiles of blue and red GCs show a quite distinct behaviour. Blue GCs exhibit a sharp increase in the velocity dispersion profile from 250 to 400km/s within 5 arcminutes (~29kpc~1r_eff_ of NGC 1399) from the central galaxy. The velocity dispersion profile of red GCs follows a constant value between 200-300km/s until 8 arcminutes (~46kpc~1.6r_eff_, and then rises to 350km/s at 10 arcminutes (~58kpc~2r_eff_). Beyond 10 arcminutes and out to 40 arcminutes (~230kpc~8r_eff_), blue and red GCs show a constant velocity dispersion of 300+/-50km/s, indicating that both GC populations trace the cluster potential. We kinematically confirm and characterise the previously photometrically discovered overdensities of intra-cluster GCs. We found that these substructured intra-cluster regions in Fornax are dominated mostly by blue GCs.
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- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/AJ/110/1699
- Title:
- F-P observations of globular clusters
- Short Name:
- J/AJ/110/1699
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- Using the Rutgers Imaging Fabry-Perot Spectrophotometer on the CTIO 4-m telescope, we have measured radial velocities for 548 stars in 47 Tuc (NGC 104), 128 stars in NGC 6397, and 132 stars in M30 (NGC 7099), with uncertainties between 0.5 and 5km/s. In 47 Tuc and NGC 6397, the dispersion profiles at first increase with decreasing radii but then flatten in the central 0.4'. This is the same behavior seen in our previously published profile for M15. The measured stellar velocities show that 47 Tuc is rotating, with a projected rotation axis that is aligned with the isophotal minor axis. We also find a similar alignment for the rotation that we previously measured in M15. A map of the average velocity in the central regions derived from the integrated light shows rotation for NGC 6397 and 47 Tuc. For 47 Tuc, NGC 6397, and M15, the amplitude of the projected rotation measured at a radius of 0.6' using the individual stellar velocities is equal to, or smaller than, that measured at a radius of 0.2' using the integrated light. This is not consistent with the solid-body rotation usually assumed for the inner regions. To study further the form of the projected rotation we have used two-dimensional spline smoothing to derive a mean velocity map for 47 Tuc using the individual stellar velocities. This map shows that the projected rotation velocity reaches a plateau at a radius of 3' and that the radial dependence of the projected rotation velocity deviates significantly from solid body beyond 2'. We have repeat measurements of the two "high-velocity" stars of Meylan, Dubath, and Mayor. However, we detect more stars with similar large offsets from the cluster mean velocity. The number of stars that we measure with large velocity offsets is consistent with a normal distribution, so that there is no need to invoke a special creation mechanism for these stars.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/598/597
- Title:
- Frequency analysis of fundamental-mode RR Lyrae
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/598/597
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We have frequency-analyzed 6391 variables classified earlier as fundamental-mode RR Lyrae (RR0) stars in the MACHO database on the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). The overwhelming majority (i.e., 96%) of these variables have been proved to be indeed RR0 stars, whereas the remaining ones have fallen into one of the following categories: single- and double-mode Cepheids, binaries, first-overtone and double-mode RR Lyrae stars, and nonclassified variables. Special attention has been paid to the properties of the amplitude- and phase-modulated RR0 stars (the Blazhko stars). We found altogether 731 Blazhko variables showing either a doublet or an equidistant triplet pattern at the main pulsation component in their frequency spectra. This sample overwhelmingly exceeds the number of Blazhko stars known in all other systems combined. The incidence rate of the Blazhko variables among the RR0 stars in the LMC is 11.9%, which is 3 times higher than their rate among the first-overtone RR Lyrae stars. No difference is found in the average brightness between the single-mode and Blazhko variables. However, the latter ones show a somewhat lower degree of skewness in their average light curves and a concomitant lower total amplitude in their modulation-free light curves.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJS/193/23
- Title:
- Fundamental stellar parameters in 47 Tucanae
- Short Name:
- J/ApJS/193/23
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- Fundamental parameters and time evolution of mass loss are investigated for post-main-sequence stars in the Galactic globular cluster 47 Tucanae (NGC 104). This is accomplished by fitting spectral energy distributions (SEDs) to existing optical and infrared photometry and spectroscopy, to produce a true Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. We confirm the cluster's distance as d=4611^+213^_-200_pc and age as 12+/-1Gyr. Horizontal branch models appear to confirm that no more red giant branch mass loss occurs in 47 Tuc than in the more metal-poor {omega} Centauri, though difficulties arise due to inconsistencies between the models. Using our SEDs, we identify those stars that exhibit infrared excess, finding excess only among the brightest giants: dusty mass loss begins at a luminosity of ~1000L_{sun}_, becoming ubiquitous above L=2000L_{sun}_. Recent claims of dust production around lower-luminosity giants cannot be reproduced, despite using the same archival Spitzer imagery.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/AJ/162/126
- Title:
- FUV and optical absorption in 47 Tucanae
- Short Name:
- J/AJ/162/126
- Date:
- 14 Mar 2022 08:43:21
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- The Bright Star in the globular cluster 47Tucanae (NGC104) is a post-asymptotic giant branch (post-AGB) star of spectral type B8III. The ultraviolet spectra of late-B stars exhibit myriad absorption features, many due to species unobservable from the ground. The Bright Star thus represents a unique window into the chemistry of 47Tuc. We have analyzed observations obtained with the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer, the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph aboard the Hubble Space Telescope, and the Magellan Inamori Kyocera Echelle Spectrograph on the Magellan Telescope. By fitting these data with synthetic spectra, we determine various stellar parameters (Teff=10850{+/-}250K, logg=2.20{+/-}0.13) and the photospheric abundances of 26 elements, including Ne, P, Cl, Ga, Pd, In, Sn, Hg, and Pb, which have not previously been published for this cluster. Abundances of intermediate-mass elements (Mg through Ga) generally scale with Fe, while the heaviest elements (Pd through Pb) have roughly solar abundances. Its low C/O ratio indicates that the star did not undergo third dredge-up and suggests that its heavy elements were made by a previous generation of stars. If so, this pattern should be present throughout the cluster, not just in this star. Stellar-evolution models suggest that the Bright Star is powered by a He-burning shell, having left the AGB during or immediately after a thermal pulse. Its mass (0.54{+/-}0.16M{sun}) implies that single stars in 47Tuc lose 0.1-0.2M{sun} on the AGB, only slightly less than they lose on the red giant branch.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/625/156
- Title:
- FUV-NUV observations of NGC 2808
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/625/156
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We present a reanalysis of far-ultraviolet (FUV) observations of the globular cluster NGC 2808 obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope. These data were first analyzed by Brown and coworkers (2001, Cat. <J/ApJ/562/368>), with an emphasis on the bright, blue horizontal-branch (HB) stars in this cluster. Here, our focus is on the population of fainter FUV sources, which include white dwarfs (WDs), blue stragglers (BSs), and cataclysmic variables (CVs).
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/AJ/135/2141
- Title:
- F814W+F606W photometry of NGC 6397 faint stars
- Short Name:
- J/AJ/135/2141
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We present the color-magnitude diagram (CMD) from deep Hubble Space Telescope imaging in the globular cluster NGC 6397. The Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) was used for 126 orbits to image a single field in two colors (F814W, F606W) 5' SE of the cluster center. The field observed overlaps that of archival WFPC2 data from 1994 and 1997 which were used to proper motion (PM) clean the data. Applying the PM corrections produces a remarkably clean CMD which reveals a number of features never seen before in a globular cluster CMD. In our field, the main-sequence stars appeared to terminate close to the location in the CMD of the hydrogen-burning limit predicted by two independent sets of stellar evolution models.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/MNRAS/489/3093
- Title:
- Gaia DR2 parallax of globular clusters
- Short Name:
- J/MNRAS/489/3093
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We have established a mixture model approach to derive the parallax of the MilkyWay globular clusters. It avoids the problem of cluster membership determination and provides a completely independent astrometrical solution by purely using the parallax data. This method is validated with simulated clusters of Pancino et al.. We have resolved 120 real globular clusters by the mixture model using parallaxes of the second data release of Gaia. They construct the largest direct parallax sample up to now. In comparison with other direct parallax results based on cluster members, including 75 clusters of Gaia Collaboration, our method presents its accuracy, especially for some particular clusters. A systematic offset of -27.6+/-1.7 uas, together with a scatter of 22.8+/-1.3 uas is found in comparison with other indirect parallax measurements. They are consistent with the global value and the variation of the zero-point of current Gaia parallaxes. Distances of several specific nearby globular clusters are discussed while the closest ones can reach high precisions, even taking the systematic error into account.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+A/616/A12
- Title:
- Gaia DR2 sources in GC and dSph
- Short Name:
- J/A+A/616/A12
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- The goal of this paper is to demonstrate the outstanding quality of the second data release of the Gaia mission and its power for constraining many different aspects of the dynamics of the satellites of the Milky Way. We focus here on determining the proper motions of 75 Galactic globular clusters, nine dwarf spheroidal galaxies, one ultra-faint system, and the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. Using data extracted from the Gaia archive, we derived the proper motions and parallaxes for these systems, as well as their uncertainties. We demonstrate that the errors, statistical and systematic, are relatively well understood. We integrated the orbits of these objects in three different Galactic potentials, and characterised their properties. We present the derived proper motions, space velocities, and characteristic orbital parameters in various tables to facilitate their use by the astronomical community. Our limited and straightforward analyses have allowed us for example to (i) determine absolute and very precise proper motions for globular clusters; (ii) detect clear rotation signatures in the proper motions of at least five globular clusters; (iii) show that the satellites of the Milky Way are all on high-inclination orbits, but that they do not share a single plane of motion; (iv) derive a lower limit for the mass of the Milky Way of 9.8^+6.7^_-2.7_x10^11^M_{sun}_ based on the assumption that the Leo~I dwarf spheroidal is bound; (v) derive a rotation curve for the Large Magellanic Cloud based solely on proper motions that is competitive with line-of-sight velocity curves, now using many orders of magnitude more sources; and (vi) unveil the dynamical effect of the bar on the motions of stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud. All these results highlight the incredible power of the Gaia astrometric mission, and in particular of its second data release.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/899/140
- Title:
- 632 Gaia Ultracompact Dwarf galaxy candidates
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/899/140
- Date:
- 14 Mar 2022 00:54:57
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- Tidally stripped galaxy nuclei and luminous globular clusters (GCs) are important tracers of the halos and assembly histories of nearby galaxies, but are difficult to reliably identify with typical ground-based imaging data. In this paper we present a new method to find these massive star clusters using Gaia DR2, focusing on the massive elliptical galaxy Centaurus A (Cen A). We show that stripped nuclei and GCs are partially resolved by Gaia at the distance of Cen A, showing characteristic astrometric and photometric signatures. We use this selection method to produce a list of 632 new candidate luminous clusters in the halo of Cen A out to a projected radius of 150kpc. Adding in broadband photometry and visual examination improves the accuracy of our classification. In a spectroscopic pilot program we have confirmed five new luminous clusters, which includes the 7th and 10th most luminous GC in Cen A. Three of the newly discovered GCs are further away from Cen A than all previously known GCs. Several of these are compelling candidates for stripped nuclei. We show that our novel Gaia selection method retains at least partial utility out to distances of ~25Mpc and hence is a powerful tool for finding and studying star clusters in the sparse outskirts of galaxies in the local universe.