The Be/X-ray binary SXP 1062 is of especial interest owing to the large spin period of the neutron star, its large spin-down rate, and the association with a supernova remnant constraining its age. This makes the source an important probe for accretion physics. To investigate the long-term evolution of the spin period and associated spectral variations, we performed an XMM-Newton target-of-opportunity observation of SXP 1062 during X-ray outburst. Spectral and timing analysis of the XMM-Newton data was compared with previous studies, as well as complementary Swift/XRT monitoring and optical spectroscopy with the SALT telescope were obtained. The spin period was measured to be Ps=(1071.01+/-0.16)s on 2012 Oct 14. The X-ray spectrum is similar to that of previous observations. No convincing cyclotron absorption features, which could be indicative for a high magnetic field strength, are found. The high-resolution RGS spectra indicate the presence of emission lines, which may not completely be accounted for by the SNR emission. The comparison of multi-epoch optical spectra suggest an increasing size or density of the decretion disc around the Be star. SXP 1062 showed a net spin-down with an average of dPs/dt=(2.27+/-0.44)s/yr over a baseline of 915 days.
HD 19467 observations were performed with the VLT exoplanet imager SPHERE and the VLT adaptive optics camera NaCo to further characterize the spectral and orbital properties of the known T-type brown dwarf companion.
We present a sample of 329 low-to intermediate-redshift (0.05<z<0.3) brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) in X-ray-selected clusters from the SPectroscopic IDentification of eRosita Sources survey, a spectroscopic survey within Sloan Digital Sky Survey-IV (SDSS-IV). We define our BCGs by simultaneous consideration of legacy X-ray data from ROSAT, maximum-likelihood outputs from an optical cluster-finder algorithm and visual inspection. Using SDSS imaging data, we fit Sersic profiles to our BCGs in three bands (g, r, i) with SIGMA a GALFIT-based software wrapper. We examine the reliability of our fits by running our pipeline on ~10^4^ point spread function-convolved model profiles injected into eight random cluster fields; we then use the results of this analysis to create a robust subsample of 198 BCGs. We outline three cluster properties of interest: overall cluster X-ray luminosity (L_X_), cluster richness as estimated by REDMAPPER ({lambda}),and cluster halo mass (M_200_), which is estimated via velocity dispersion. In general, there are significant correlations with BCG stellar mass between all three environmental properties, but no significant trends arise with either Sersic index or effective radius. There is no major environmental dependence on the strength of the relation between effective radius and BCG stellar mass. Stellar mass therefore arises as the most important factor governing BCG morphology. Our results indicate that our sample consists of a large number of relaxed, mature clusters containing broadly homogeneous BCGs up to z~0.3, suggesting that there is little evidence for much ongoing structural evolution for BCGs in these systems.
This is a revised catalog of spiral winding direction of SDSS spiral galaxies published by Shamir (2017PASA...34...11S). Whether the spiral pattern as projected on the sky is S-wise or Z-wise (Shamir called them counter clock wise and clockwise, respectively) can be an unambiguous tool to identify whether the galaxy spin vector is pointing toward or away from us as all the spirals are safely regarded as trailing spirals (Iye et al., 2019ApJ...886..113S). We used Shamir's catalog to analyze the dipole anisotropy in their large-scale structure and found that there exist rather massive duplicated entries and a few other minor errors in the original catalog. In this revised version those duplicated entries are cleaned keeping the judgment of the spiral winding direction due to Shamir (2017PASA...34...11S) except for a several obviously inconsistent cases. These corrections were necessary to make analysis of the large scale distribution of spin vectors of galaxies of the SDSS sample in our paper.
We present one of the largest homogeneous sets of spiral and lenticular galaxy brightness profile decompositions completed to date. The 659 galaxies in our sample have been fitted with a de Vaucouleurs law for the bulge component and an inner-truncated exponential for the disk component. Of the 659 galaxies in the sample, 620 were successfully fitted with the chosen fitting functions. The fits are generally well defined, with more than 90% having rms deviations from the observed profile of less than 0.35mag. We find no correlations of fitting quality, as measured by these rms residuals, with either morphological type or inclination. Similarly, the estimated errors of the fitted coefficients show no significant trends with type or inclination. These decompositions form a useful basis for the study of the light distributions of spiral and lenticular galaxies. The object base is sufficiently large that well-defined samples of galaxies can be selected from it.
Using the astrometry and integrated photometry from the Gaia Early Data Release 3 (EDR3), we map the density variations in the distribution of young Upper Main Sequence (UMS) stars, open clusters and classical Cepheids in the Galactic disk within several kiloparsecs of the Sun. Maps of relative over/under-dense regions for UMS stars in the Galactic disk are derived, using both bivariate kernel density estimators and wavelet transformations. The resulting overdensity maps exhibit large-scale arches, that extend in a clumpy but coherent way over the entire sampled volume, indicating the location of the spiral arms segments in the vicinity of the Sun. Peaks in the UMS overdensity are well-matched by the distribution of young and intrinsically bright open clusters. By applying a wavelet transformation to a sample of classical Cepheids, we find that their overdensities possibly extend the spiral arm segments on a larger scale (~10kpc from the Sun). While the resulting map based on the UMS sample is generally consistent with previous models of the Sagittarius-Carina spiral arm, the geometry of the arms in the III quadrant (galactic longitudes 180{deg}<l<270{deg}) differs significantly from many previous models. In particular we find that our maps favour a larger pitch angle for the Perseus arm, and that the Local Arm extends into the III quadrant at least 4kpc past the Sun's position, giving it a total length of at least 8kpc.
We present the analysis of the rotation curves of a sample of 32 spiral galaxies derived from the spectroscopic observations of a sample of 47 galaxies.
The morphology and kinematics of the spiral structure of the Milky Way are long-standing problems in astrophysics. In this review we firstly summarize various methods with different tracers used to solve this puzzle. The astrometry of Galactic sources is gradually alleviating this difficult situation caused mainly by large distance uncertainties, as we can currently obtain accurate parallaxes (a few {mu}as) and proper motions (~1km/s) by using Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI). On the other hand, the Gaia mission is providing the largest, uniform sample of parallaxes for O-type stars in the entire Milky Way. Based upon the VLBI maser and Gaia O-star parallax measurements, nearby spiral structures of the Perseus, Local, Sagittarius and Scutum Arms are determined in unprecedented detail. Meanwhile, we estimate fundamental Galactic parameters of the distance to the Galactic center, R_0_, to be 8.35+/-0.18kpc, and circular rotation speed at the Sun, {THETA}_0_, to be 240+/-10km/s. We found kinematic differences between O stars and interstellar masers: the O stars, on average, rotate faster, >8km/s than maser-traced high-mass star forming regions.
We examine the light and color evolution of the T Tauri binary KH 15D through photometry obtained at wavelengths between 0.55 and 8.0{mu}m. The data were collected with A Novel Dual Imaging CAMera (ANDICAM) on the 1.3m SMARTS telescope at Cerro-Tololo Inter-American Observatory and with InfraRed Array Camera on the Spitzer Space Telescope. We show that the system's circumbinary ring, which acts as a screen that covers and uncovers different portions of the binary orbit as the ring precesses, has reached an orientation where the brighter component (star B) fully or nearly fully emerges during each orbital cycle. The fainter component (star A) remains fully occulted by the screen at all phases. The leading and trailing edges of the screen move across the sky at the same rate of ~15m/s, consistent with expectation for a ring with a radius and width of ~4 au and a precession period of ~6500 years. Light and color variations continue to indicate that the screen is sharp edged and opaque at VRIJH wavelengths. However, we find an increasing transparency of the ring edge at 2.2, 3.6, and 4.5{mu}m. Reddening seen at the beginning of the eclipse that occurred during the CSI 2264 campaign particularly suggests selective extinction by a population of large dust grains. Meanwhile, the gradual bluing observed while star B is setting is indicative of forward scattering effects at the edge of the ring. The spectral energy distribution of the system at its bright phase shows no evidence of infrared excess emission that can be attributed to radiation from the ring or other dust component out to 8{mu}m.
We analyze very deep Infrared Array Camera and Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer (MIPS) photometry of ~12500 members of the 14 Myr old Double Cluster, h and {chi} Persei, building upon our earlier, shallower Spitzer Cycle 1 studies. Numerous likely members show infrared (IR) excesses at 8 {mu}m and 24 {mu}m, indicative of circumstellar dust. The frequency of stars with 8 {mu}m excess is at least 2% for our entire sample, slightly lower (higher) for B/A stars (later type, lower mass stars). Optical spectroscopy also identifies gas in about 2% of systems, but with no clear trend between the presence of dust and gas. Spectral energy distribution modeling of 18 sources with detections at optical wavelengths through MIPS 24 {mu}m reveals a diverse set of disk evolutionary states, including a high fraction of transitional disks, though similar data for all disk-bearing members would provide constraints. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we combine our results with those for other young clusters to study the global evolution of dust/gas disks. For nominal cluster ages, the e-folding times ({tau}_0_) for the frequency of warm dust and gas are 2.75 Myr and 1.75 Myr, respectively. Assuming a revised set of ages for some clusters, these timescales increase to 5.75 and 3.75 Myr, respectively, implying a significantly longer typical protoplanetary disk lifetime than previously thought. In both cases, the transitional disk duration, averaged over multiple evolutionary pathways, is ~1 Myr. Finally, 24 {mu}m excess frequencies for 4-6 M_{sun}_ stars appear lower than for 1-2.5 M_{sun}_ stars in other 10-30 Myr old clusters.
