Miras are long-period variables thought to be in the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) phase of evolution. In about one percent of known Miras, the pulsation period is changing. It has been speculated that this changing period is the consequence of a recent thermal pulse in these stars. We aim to clarify the evolutionary state of these stars, and to determine in particular whether or not they are in the thermally-pulsing (TP-)AGB phase. One important piece of information that has been neglected so far when determining the evolutionary state is the presence of the radio-active s-process element technetium (Tc). We obtained high-resolution, high signal-to-noise-ratio optical spectra of a dozen prominent Mira variables with changing pulsation period to search for this indicator of TPs and dredge-up. We also use the spectra to measure lithium (Li) abundances. Furthermore, we establish the evolutionary states of our sample stars by means of their present-day periods and luminosities. Among the twelve sample stars observed in this programme, five were found to show absorption lines of Tc. BH Cru is found to be a carbon-star, its period increase in the past decades possibly having stopped by now. We report a possible switch in the pulsation mode of T UMi from Mira-like to semi-regular variability in the past two years. R Nor, on the other hand, is probably a fairly massive AGB star, which could be true for all meandering Miras. Finally, we assign RU Vul to the metal-poor thick disk with properties very similar to the short-period, metal-poor Miras. We conclude that there is no clear correlation between period change type and Tc presence. The stars that are most likely to have experienced a recent TP are BH Cru and R Hya, although their rates of period change are quite different.
We present mid-resolution spectroscopic observations of four new planetary nebula (PN) candidates selected from the INT/WFC Photometric H-alpha Survey of the Northern Galactic Plane (IPHAS) and Deep Sky Hunter (DSH) catalogues. The PN status of these objects was confirmed by mid-resolution spectra. Based on the locations of these objects in the log(H-alpha/[NII]) versus log (H-alpha/[SII]) diagnostic diagram, these sources are evolved low- excitation PNs.
We study zCOSMOS-bright optical spectra for 609 Spitzer MIPS 24um-selected galaxies with S_24um_>0.30mJy and I<22.5 (AB mag) over 1.5deg^2^ of the COSMOS field.
We present a spectral atlas of the H{beta} region for 215 type 1 AGNs (luminous Seyfert 1/radio galaxy nuclei and low-z quasars) up to z~0.8. Line profiles and measures were derived from the database of intermediate resolution spectra (R>~1000) with average continuum level S/N ratio ~30. Parameters including rest frame equivalent width and FWHM are provided for the FeII_opt_ blend at {lambda}4570, H{beta}, HeII {lambda}4686, and the [OIII] {lambda}{lambda}4959, 5007 emission lines. We extract clean broad component H{beta} profiles and provide wavelength measurements at 0, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and 0.9 peak intensity levels in order to permit a quantitative definition of the H{beta} broad component for statistical studies. We also discuss sources of uncertainty, selection effects, and biases in our sample. The data are especially important for tests of the eigenvector 1 parameter space occupation and correlation. We show that the I Zw 1 template FeII_opt_ spectrum reproduces well the observed FeII_opt_ emission for a wide range of line width and strength. A detailed analysis of the data within the eigenvector 1 context is deferred to a companion paper.
We present an optical spectroscopic atlas for 123 core-dominated radio-loud active galactic nuclei with relativistic jets, drawn from the MOJAVE/2cm (Monitoring of Jets in AGN with VLBA Experiments) sample at 15GHz. It is the first time that spectroscopic and photometric parameters for a large sample of such type of AGN are presented.
These spectra are optical follow-up observations of the
X-ray sources detected in the 942 ks exposure of the
Chandra Deep Field-South (CDFS) using FORS.
We present results of a program of optical spectroscopy of radio galaxies in rich clusters. Redshifts are reported for 268 radio galaxies or close companions in Abell clusters and 36 objects which turned out to be foreground or background objects. Absolute line strengths are also reported for the 3727{AA} [OII] line and the [NII]/H{alpha} complex. We find no evidence that the radio activity in our sample of mostly FR I radio galaxies is associated with emission-line luminosities above those found in "normal" galaxies of the same absolute magnitude and optical type. We also find that the radial velocity differences between radio galaxies and the cluster mean seem mainly to be a function of galaxy absolute magnitude rather than radio properties.
We present the results of a program to acquire high-quality optical spectra of X-ray sources detected in the Extended-Chandra Deep Field-South (E-CDF-S) and its central 2Ms area. New spectroscopic redshifts, up to z=4, are measured for 283 counterparts to Chandra sources with deep exposures (t~2-9hr per pointing) using multi-slit facilities on both VLT (VIMOS) and Keck (DEIMOS), thus bringing the total number of spectroscopically identified X-ray sources to over 500 in this survey field. Since our new spectroscopic identifications are mainly associated with X-ray sources in the shallower 250ks coverage, we provide a comprehensive catalog of X-ray sources detected in the E-CDF-S including the optical and near-infrared counterparts, determined by a likelihood routine, and redshifts (both spectroscopic and photometric), that incorporate published spectroscopic catalogs, thus resulting in a final sample with a high fraction (80%) of X-ray sources having secure identifications. Our redshift catalog includes 17 type-2 QSOs at 1<~z<~3.5. Based on our deepest (9 hr) VLT/VIMOS observation, we identify "elusive" optically faint galaxies (Rmag~25) at z~2-3 based upon the detection of interstellar absorption lines (e.g., OII+SiIV, CII], CIV).
We present spectra of 59 nearby star candidates, M dwarfs and white dwarfs, previously identified using high proper motion catalogues and the DENIS database. We review the existing spectral classification schemes and spectroscopic parallax calibrations in the near-infrared J band and derive spectral types and distances of the nearby candidates. Forty-two stars have spectroscopic distances smaller than 25pc, three of them being white dwarfs. Two targets lie within 10pc, one M8 star at 10.0pc (APMPM J0103-3738), and one M4 star at 8.3pc (L 225-57). One star, LHS 73, is found to be among the few subdwarfs lying within 20pc. Furthermore, together with LHS 72, it probably belongs to the closest pair of subdwarfs we know.
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