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Resolving the Dusty Circumstellar Structure of the Enigmatic Symbiotic Star CH Cygni with the MMT Adaptive Optics System
We imaged the symbiotic star CH Cyg and two PSF calibration stars usingthe unique 6.5 m MMT deformable secondary adaptive optics system. Ourhigh-resolution (FWHM = 0.3"), very high Strehl (98%+/-2%), mid-infrared(9.8 and 11.7 μm) images of CH Cyg allow us to probe finer lengthscales than ever before for this object. CH Cyg is significantlyextended compared to our unresolved PSF calibration stars (μ UMa andα Her) at 9.8 and 11.7 μm. We estimated the size of theextension by convolving a number of simple Gaussian models with the μUMa PSF and determining which model provided the best fit to the data.Adopting the Hipparcos distance for this object of 270 pc, we found anearly Gaussian extension with a FWHM at 9.8 μm of ~40.5+/-2.7 AU(0.15"+/-0.01") and a FWHM at 11.7 μm of 45.9+/-2.7 AU(0.17"+/-0.01"). After subtracting out the Gaussian component of theemission (convolved with our PSF), we found a faint ~ 0.7" asymmetricextension, which peaks in flux ~0.5" north of the stars. This extensionis roughly coincident with the northern knotlike feature seen in HSTWFPC2 images obtained in 1999.The results presented here made use of the of MMT Observatory, afacility jointly operated by the University of Arizona and theSmithsonian Institution.
| Investigating Disk Evolution: A High Spatial Resolution Mid-Infrared Survey of T Tauri Stars
We present a high spatial resolution, 10-20 μm survey of 65 T Tauribinary stars in Taurus, Ophiuchus, and Corona Australis using the Keck10 m telescopes. Designed to probe the inner ~1 AU region of thecircumstellar disks around the individual stellar components in thesebinary systems, this study increases the number of binaries withspatially resolved measurements at 10 μm by a factor of ~5. Combinedwith resolved near-infrared photometry and spectroscopic accretiondiagnostics, we find that ~10% of stars with a mid-infrared excess donot appear to be accreting. In contrast to an actively accreting disksystem, these passive disks have significantly lower near-infraredcolors that are, in most cases, consistent with photospheric emission,suggesting the presence of an inner disk hole. In addition, thereappears to be a spectral type/mass dependence associated with thepresence of a passive disk, with all passive disks occurring aroundM-type stars. The presence of a passive disk does not appear to berelated to the fact that these objects are in visual binary systems; thepassive disk systems span the entire range of binary separations presentin the sample, and a similar fraction of passive disks is observed in asample of single stars. The possibility that the passive disks arecaused by the presence of an as yet undetected companion at a smallseparation (0.3-3 AU) is possible for any individual system; however, itcannot account for the spectral type dependence of the passive disksample as a whole. We propose that these passive disks represent asubset of T Tauri stars that are undergoing significant disk evolution.The fraction of observed passive disks and the observed spectral typedependence can both be explained by models of disk evolution thatinclude disk photoevaporation from the central star.
| A Mid-Infrared Imaging Survey of Embedded Young Stellar Objects in the ρ Ophiuchi Cloud Core
Results of a comprehensive, new, ground-based mid-infrared imagingsurvey of the young stellar population of the ρ Ophiuchi cloud arepresented. Data were acquired at the Palomar 5 m and at the Keck 10 mtelescopes with the MIRLIN and LWS instruments, at 0.5" and 0.25"resolutions, respectively. Of 172 survey objects, 85 were detected.Among the 22 multiple systems observed, 15 were resolved and theirindividual component fluxes determined. A plot of the frequencydistribution of the detected objects with SED spectral slope shows thatYSOs spend ~4×105 yr in the flat-spectrum phase,clearing out their remnant infall envelopes. Mid-infrared variability isfound among a significant fraction of the surveyed objects and is foundto occur for all SED classes with optically thick disks. Large-amplitudenear-infrared variability, also found for all SED classes with opticallythick disks, seems to occur with somewhat higher frequency at theearlier evolutionary stages. Although a general trend of mid-infraredexcess and near-infrared veiling exists progressing through SED classes,with Class I objects generally exhibiting rK>=1,flat-spectrum objects with rK>=0.58, and Class III objectswith rK=0, Class II objects exhibit the widest range ofrK values, ranging from 0<=rK<=4.5. However,the highly variable value of veiling that a single source can exhibit inany of the SED classes in which active disk accretion can take place isstriking and is direct observational evidence for highly time-variableaccretion activity in disks. Finally, by comparing mid-infrared versusnear-infrared excesses in a subsample with well-determined effectivetemperatures and extinction values, disk-clearing mechanisms areexplored. The results are consistent with disk clearing proceeding fromthe inside out.
| High-Resolution Mid-Infrared Imaging of the Asymptotic Giant Branch Star RV Bootis with the Steward Observatory Adaptive Optics System
We present high-resolution (~0.1"), very high Strehl ratio (0.97+/-0.03)mid-IR adaptive optics (AO) images of the asymptotic giant branch (AGB)star RV Boo utilizing the MMT adaptive secondary AO system. RV Boo wasobserved at a number of wavelengths over two epochs (9.8 μm in 2003May and 8.8, 9.8, and 11.7 μm in 2004 February) and appeared slightlyextended at all wavelengths. While the extension is very slight at 8.8and 11.7 μm, the extension is somewhat more pronounced at 9.8 μm.With such high Strehl ratios, we can achieve superresolutions of 0.1" bydeconvolving RV Boo with a point-spread function (PSF) derived from anunresolved star. We tentatively resolve RV Boo into a 0.16" FWHMextension at a position angle of 120°. At a distance of390+250-100 pc, this corresponds to a FWHM of60+40-15 AU. We measure a total flux at 9.8 μmof 145+/-24 Jy for the disk and star. Based on a dust thermal emissionmodel for the observed IR spectral energy distribution and the 9.8 μmAO image, we derive a disk dust mass of 1.6×10-6Msolar and an inclination of 30°-45° from edge-on. Wediscuss whether the dust disk observed around RV Boo is an example ofthe early stages in the formation of asymmetric structure in planetarynebulae.
| X-Rays from Hybrid Stars
The late-type giants and supergiants of the ``hybrid chromosphere''class display signatures of cool (T<~2×104 K) windstogether with hot emission lines from species like C IV(T~105 K). A survey of such stars by Reimers et al. usingROSAT reported numerous X-ray detections (T~106 K),strengthening the (then heretical) idea that hot coronae and cool windscan coexist in luminous giants. However, several of the candidatesources were offset from the predicted stellar coordinates, calling intoquestion the identifications. In an effort to secure better knowledge ofthe X-ray luminosities of the hybrids, the ROSAT fields from the Reimerset al. survey were reexamined, exploiting the USNO-A2.0 astrometriccatalog to register the pointings to a few arcseconds accuracy. On thebasis of positional mismatches, at least two of the previously reporteddetections of key hybrid stars-γ Dra (K5 III) and β Aqr (G0Ib)-must be rejected. The new X-ray upper limits for these stars,combined with the remaining candidate detections (and nondetections)from the original survey, place the hybrids into the same ``X-raydeficient'' category as the ``noncoronal'' red giants like Arcturus(α Boo: K1.5 III) and Aldebaran (α Tau: K5 III). A few ofthe hybrid X-ray sources are exceptional, however. The archetype αTrA (K2 II-III), in particular, is securely detected in terms ofpositional coincidence, but its anomalous, contradictory coronalproperties suggest that an unseen companion-a young hyperactive Gdwarf-might dominate the X-ray emission.
| The Orion Nebula in the Mid-Infrared
We present two wide-field (~5'×3&farcm;5),diffraction-limited (λ/D~=0.5" at 10 μm), broadband 10 and 20μm images of the Orion Nebula, plus six 7-13 μm narrowband(λ/Δλ~=1) images of the BN/KL complex taken at the3.8 m UKIRT telescope with the MPIA MAX camera. The wide-field images,centered on the Trapezium and BN/KL regions, are mosaics of35''×35'' frames obtained with standardchopping and nodding techniques and reconstructed using a newrestoration method developed for this project. They show the filamentarystructure of the dust emission from the walls of the H II region andreveal a new remarkable group of arclike structures ~1' to the south ofthe Trapezium. The morphology of the Ney-Allen Nebula, produced bywind-wind interaction in the vicinity of the Trapezium stars, suggests acomplex kinematical structure at the center of the cluster. We findindications that one of the most massive members of the cluster, theB0.5 V star θ1 Ori D, is surrounded by aphotoevaporated circumstellar disk. Among the four historic Trapezium OBstars, this is the only one without a binary companion, suggesting thatstellar multiplicity and the presence of massive circumstellar disks maybe mutually exclusive. In what concerns the BN/KL complex, we findevidence for extended optically thin silicate emission on top of thedeep 10 μm absorption feature. Assuming a simple two-component model,we map with ~=0.5" spatial resolution the foreground optical depth,color temperature, and mid-IR luminosity of the embedded sources. Weresolve a conspicuous point source at the location of the IRc2-A knot,approximately 0.5" north of the deeply embedded H II region ``I.'' Weanalyze the spectral profile of the 10 μm silicate absorption featureand find indication for grain crystallization in the harsh nebularenvironment. In the OMC-1 South region, we detect several point sourcesand discuss their association with the mass-loss phenomenology observedat optical and millimeter wavelengths. Finally, we list the position andphotometry of 177 point sources, the large majority of which aredetected for the first time in the mid-IR. Twenty-two of them lack acounterpart at shorter wavelengths and are therefore candidates fordeeply embedded protostars. The comparison of photometric data obtainedat two different epochs reveals that source variability at 10 μm ispresent up to a level of ~1 mag on a timescale of ~2 yr. With thepossible exception of a pair of OB stars, all point sources detected atshorter wavelengths display 10 μm emission well above thephotospheric level, which we attribute to disk circumstellar emission.The recent model of Robberto et al. provides the simplest explanationfor the observed mid-IR excess.
| Astrometric orbits of SB^9 stars
Hipparcos Intermediate Astrometric Data (IAD) have been used to deriveastrometric orbital elements for spectroscopic binaries from the newlyreleased Ninth Catalogue of Spectroscopic Binary Orbits(SB^9). This endeavour is justified by the fact that (i) theastrometric orbital motion is often difficult to detect without theprior knowledge of the spectroscopic orbital elements, and (ii) suchknowledge was not available at the time of the construction of theHipparcos Catalogue for the spectroscopic binaries which were recentlyadded to the SB^9 catalogue. Among the 1374 binaries fromSB^9 which have an HIP entry (excluding binaries with visualcompanions, or DMSA/C in the Double and Multiple Stars Annex), 282 havedetectable orbital astrometric motion (at the 5% significance level).Among those, only 70 have astrometric orbital elements that are reliablydetermined (according to specific statistical tests), and for the firsttime for 20 systems. This represents a 8.5% increase of the number ofastrometric systems with known orbital elements (The Double and MultipleSystems Annex contains 235 of those DMSA/O systems). The detection ofthe astrometric orbital motion when the Hipparcos IAD are supplementedby the spectroscopic orbital elements is close to 100% for binaries withonly one visible component, provided that the period is in the 50-1000 drange and the parallax is >5 mas. This result is an interestingtestbed to guide the choice of algorithms and statistical tests to beused in the search for astrometric binaries during the forthcoming ESAGaia mission. Finally, orbital inclinations provided by the presentanalysis have been used to derive several astrophysical quantities. Forinstance, 29 among the 70 systems with reliable astrometric orbitalelements involve main sequence stars for which the companion mass couldbe derived. Some interesting conclusions may be drawn from this new setof stellar masses, like the enigmatic nature of the companion to theHyades F dwarf HIP 20935. This system has a mass ratio of 0.98 but thecompanion remains elusive.
| CHARM2: An updated Catalog of High Angular Resolution Measurements
We present an update of the Catalog of High Angular ResolutionMeasurements (CHARM, Richichi & Percheron \cite{CHARM}, A&A,386, 492), which includes results available until July 2004. CHARM2 is acompilation of direct measurements by high angular resolution methods,as well as indirect estimates of stellar diameters. Its main goal is toprovide a reference list of sources which can be used for calibrationand verification observations with long-baseline optical and near-IRinterferometers. Single and binary stars are included, as are complexobjects from circumstellar shells to extragalactic sources. The presentupdate provides an increase of almost a factor of two over the previousedition. Additionally, it includes several corrections and improvements,as well as a cross-check with the valuable public release observationsof the ESO Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI). A total of 8231entries for 3238 unique sources are now present in CHARM2. Thisrepresents an increase of a factor of 3.4 and 2.0, respectively, overthe contents of the previous version of CHARM.The catalog is only available in electronic form at the CDS viaanonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/431/773
| Infrared Irradiance Calibration
Infrared astronomical measurements are calibrated against referencesources, usually primary standard stars that are, in turn, calibratedeither by direct or indirect means. A direct calibration compares thestar with a certified source, typically a blackbody. Indirect methodsextrapolate a direct measurement of the flux at one wavelength to theflux at another. Historically, α Lyr (Vega) has been used as theprimary standard as it is bright, easily accessible from the northernhemisphere, and is well calibrated in the visual. Until recently, thedirect absolute infrared calibrations of α Lyr and those derivedfrom the absolute solar flux scaled to the observed spectral energydistributions of solar type stars increasingly diverged with wavelengthfrom those obtained using a model atmosphere to extrapolate the absolutevisual flux of Vega into the infrared. The exception is the directcalibration by the 1996/97 Midcourse Space Experiment of the absolutefluxes for a number of the commonly used infrared standard stars,including Vega.
| Improved Baade-Wesselink surface brightness relations
Recent, and older accurate, data on (limb-darkened) angular diameters iscompiled for 221 stars, as well as BVRIJK[12][25] magnitudes for thoseobjects, when available. Nine stars (all M-giants or supergiants)showing excess in the [12-25] colour are excluded from the analysis asthis may indicate the presence of dust influencing the optical andnear-infrared colours as well. Based on this large sample,Baade-Wesselink surface brightness (SB) relations are presented fordwarfs, giants, supergiants and dwarfs in the optical and near-infrared.M-giants are found to follow different SB relations from non-M-giants,in particular in V versus V-R. The preferred relation for non-M-giantsis compared to the earlier relation by Fouqué and Gieren (basedon 10 stars) and Nordgren et al. (based on 57 stars). Increasing thesample size does not lead to a lower rms value. It is shown that theresiduals do not correlate with metallicity at a significant level. Thefinally adopted observed angular diameters are compared to thosepredicted by Cohen et al. for 45 stars in common, and there isreasonable overall, and good agreement when θ < 6 mas.Finally, I comment on the common practice in the literature to average,and then fix, the zero-point of the V versus V-K, V versus V-R and Kversus J-K relations, and then rederive the slopes. Such a commonzero-point at zero colour is not expected from model atmospheres for theV-R colour and depends on gravity. Relations derived in this way may bebiased.
| Detection of Cool Dust around the G2 V Star HD 107146
We report the detection of dust emission at submillimeter wavelengthsfrom HD 107146, a G2 V star with an age estimated to lie between 80 and200 Myr. The emission is resolved at 450 μm with a size300AU×210AU. A fit to the spectral energy distribution gives adust temperature of 51 K and a dust mass of 0.10M⊕. Noexcess emission above the photosphere was detected at 18 μm, showingthat there is very little warm dust and implying the presence of a largeinner hole, at least 31 AU (~1") in radius, around the star. Theproperties of this star-disk system are compared with similarobservations of other systems. We also discuss prospects for futureobservations that may be able to determine whether the inner hole ismaintained by the dynamical effect of an unseen orbiting companion.
| Globular Cluster Formation in M82
We present high-resolution mid-infrared (mid-IR 11.7 and 17.65 μm)maps of the central 400 pc region of the starburst galaxy M82. Sevenstar-forming clusters are identified, which together provide ~15% of thetotal mid-IR luminosity of the galaxy. We find that these young stellarclusters have inferred masses and sizes comparable to globular clusters.At least 20% of the star formation in M82 is found to occur in superstar clusters.
| Thermal Emission as a Test for Hidden Nuclei in Nearby Radio Galaxies
The clear sign of a hidden quasar inside a radio galaxy is theappearance of quasar spectral features in its polarized (scattered)light. However, that observational test requires suitably placedscattering material to act as a mirror, allowing us to see the nuclearlight. A rather robust and more general test for a hidden quasar is tolook for the predicted high mid-IR luminosity from the nuclear obscuringmatter. The nuclear waste heat is detected and well isolated in thenearest narrow-line radio galaxy, Cen A. This confirms other indicationsthat Cen A does contain a modest quasar-like nucleus. However, we showhere that M87 does not: at high spatial resolution, the mid-IR nucleusis seen to be very weak and consistent with simple synchrotron emissionfrom the base of the radio jet. This fairly robustly establishes thatthere are ``real'' narrow-line radio galaxies, without the putativeaccretion power and with essentially all the luminosity in kinetic form.Next, we show the intriguing morphology of Cygnus A, where all of themid-IR emission is consistent with reprocessing by the hidden quasarknown to exist from spectropolarimetry and other evidence.
| Further Results of TiO-Band Observations of Starspots
We present measurements of starspot parameters (temperature and fillingfactor) on five highly active stars, using absorption bands of TiO, fromobservations made between 1998 March and 2001 December. We determinedstarspot parameters by fitting TiO bands using spectra of inactive G andK stars as proxies for the unspotted photospheres of the active starsand spectra of M stars as proxies for the spots. For three evolved RSCVn systems, we find spot filling factors between 0.28 and 0.42 for DMUMa, 0.22 and 0.40 for IN Vir, and 0.31 and 0.35 for XX Tri; thesevalues are similar to those found by other investigators usingphotometry and Doppler imaging. Among active dwarfs, we measured a lowerspot temperature (3350 K) for EQ Vir than found in a previous study ofTiO bands, and for EK Dra a lower spot temperature (~3800 K) than foundthrough photometry. For all active stars but XX Tri, we achieved goodphase coverage through a stellar rotational period. We also present ourfinal, extensive grid of spot and nonspot proxy stars.This paper includes data taken at McDonald Observatory of the Universityof Texas at Austin.
| High-Precision Stellar Radial Velocities in the Galactic Center
We present radial velocities for 85 cool stars projected onto thecentral parsec of the Galaxy. The majority of these velocities haverelative errors of ~1 km s-1, or a factor of ~30-100 smallerthan those previously obtained with proper-motion or other radialvelocity measurements for a similar stellar sample. The error in atypical individual stellar velocity, including all sources ofuncertainty, is 1.7 km s-1. Two similar data sets wereobtained 1 month apart, and the total error in the relative velocitiesis 0.80 km s-1 in the case where an object is common to bothdata sets. The data are used to characterize the velocity distributionof the old population in the Galactic center. We find that the starshave a Gaussian velocity distribution with a mean heliocentric velocityof -10.1+/-11.0 km s-1 (blueshifted) and a standard deviationof 100.9+/-7.7 km s-1 the mean velocity of the sample isconsistent with no bulk line-of-sight motion with respect to the localstandard of rest. At the 1 σ level, the data are consistent with asymmetric velocity distribution about any arbitrary axis in the plane ofthe sky. We find evidence for a flattening in the distribution oflate-type stars within a radius of ~0.4 pc and infer a volume densitydistribution of r-1/4 in this region. Finally, we establish afirst epoch of radial velocity measurements that can be compared withsubsequent epochs to measure small accelerations (1 km s-1yr-1), corresponding to the magnitude expected over a timespan of several years for stars nearest to Sgr A*.Data presented herein were obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, whichis operated as a scientific partnership among the California Instituteof Technology, the University of California, and the NationalAeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possibleby the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation.
| Mid-Infrared Imaging of the Post-Asymptotic Giant Branch Star AC Herculis with the Multiple Mirror Telescope Adaptive Optics System
We utilized the unique 6.5 m Multiplie Mirror Telescope deformablesecondary adaptive optics (AO) system to produce high-resolution(FWHM=0.3"), very high Strehl mid-infrared (9.8, 11.7, and 18 μm)images of the post-asymptotic giant branch star AC Her. The very high(98%+/-2%) Strehls achieved with mid-IR AO led naturally to anultrastable point-spread function (PSF) independent of air mass, seeing,or location on the sky. We find no significant difference between ACHer's morphology and our unresolved PSF calibration stars (μ UMa andα Her) at 9.8, 11.7, and 18 μm. Our current observations do notconfirm any extended mid-IR structure around AC Her. These observationsare in conflict with previously reported Keck (seeing-limited) 11.7 and18 μm images that suggested the presence of a resolved ~0.6" edge-oncircumbinary disk. We conclude that AC Her has no extended mid-IRstructure on scales greater than 0.2" (R<75 AU). These first resultsof mid-IR AO science are very encouraging for future high-accuracymid-IR imaging with this technique.The results presented here made use of the of Multiple Mirror Telescope(MMT) Observatory, a facility jointly operated by the University ofArizona and the Smithsonian Institution.
| Resolved Mid-Infrared Emission in the Narrow-Line Region of NGC 4151
We present subarcsecond-resolution mid-infrared images of NGC 4151 at10.8 and 18.2 μm. These images were taken with the University ofFlorida mid-IR camera/spectrometer OSCIR at the Gemini North 8 mtelescope. We resolve emission at both 10.8 and 18.2 μm, extending~3.5" across at a P.A. of ~60°. This coincides with the narrow-lineregion of NGC 4151, as observed in [O III] by the Hubble SpaceTelescope. The most likely explanation for this extended mid-IR emissionis dust in the narrow-line region heated by a central engine. We find noextended emission associated with the proposed torus and place an upperlimit on its mid-IR size of <~35 pc.
| Angular Diameters of Stars from the Mark III Optical Interferometer
Observations of 85 stars were obtained at wavelengths between 451 and800 nm with the Mark III Stellar Interferometer on Mount Wilson, nearPasadena, California. Angular diameters were determined by fitting auniform-disk model to the visibility amplitude versus projected baselinelength. Half the angular diameters determined at 800 nm have formalerrors smaller than 1%. Limb-darkened angular diameters, effectivetemperatures, and surface brightnesses were determined for these stars,and relationships between these parameters are presented. Scatter inthese relationships is larger than would be expected from themeasurement uncertainties. We argue that this scatter is not due to anunderestimate of the angular diameter errors; whether it is due tophotometric errors or is intrinsic to the relationship is unresolved.The agreement with other observations of the same stars at the samewavelengths is good; the width of the difference distribution iscomparable to that estimated from the error bars, but the wings of thedistribution are larger than Gaussian. Comparison with infraredmeasurements is more problematic; in disagreement with models, coolerstars appear systematically smaller in the near-infrared than expected,warmer stars larger.
| The Albedo Distribution of Jovian Trojan Asteroids
We present radiometrically derived V-band geometric albedos andeffective radii for 32 Jovian Trojan asteroids, using near-simultaneousmid-infrared and visible observations. We sampled the large end of thegroup's size distribution, down to a radius of 25 km, using 14 objectsin the L4 swarm and 18 in the L5 swarm. We find that the albedodistribution is much narrower than previously derived from IRASmeasurements. The Trojans, for the most part, have very similar albedos.The actual mean and standard deviation of the distribution depend on theaverage Trojan beaming parameter η. The ``standard'' value of 0.756,which was used for the IRAS analysis, yields a mean albedo of0.056+/-0.003 and a standard deviation of 0.009. However, a value ofη=0.94, which we found represented our data better, yields0.041+/-0.002 and a standard deviation of just 0.007. The thermalbehavior of the Trojans seems to follow the ``slow rotator'' model, andthe thermal inertia itself can be no greater than about half the Moon'svalue. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to compare the Trojans'albedo distribution with that of cometary nuclei, dead-comet candidates,and outer solar system objects. We find that the Trojan distribution issimilar only to the cometary ones, and only if the Trojans' η~1.Observations of the binary (617) Patroclus reveal that its albedo israther typical among the distribution. We have also discovered that(4709) Ennomos has an extremely elevated albedo, about 0.15. This objectmay have a very unusual thermal behavior or have recently suffered alarge impact that excavated the surface down to a layer of highlyreflective, pristine ice.
| A Survey of Nearby Main-Sequence Stars for Submillimeter Emission
We searched for submillimeter emission around 10 Vega-type stars and oneHerbig Ae star with the four-color bolometer at 1300 μm and the 19channel bolometer array at 870 μm using the Heinrich Hertz Telescopeat the Submillimeter Telescope Observatory. All of our sources wereundetected at 870 μm. In the case of HD 131156, we have a 3 σdetection at 1300 μm. We report a flux of 6.25+/-1.88 mJy for the HD131156 disk and a corresponding dust mass of 2.4+/-0.7 lunar masses.However, we did not detect HD 131156 at 870 μm, so we are cautiousabout the 1300 μm detection. We performed follow-up infraredobservations of HD 131156 using MIRLIN at the Palomar 200 inchtelescope, which resolved both components of the binary. The data arephotospheric, implying that the system does not have a hot, inner dustcomponent. We report submillimeter upper limits on fluxes for theremaining systems.
| STELIB: A library of stellar spectra at R ~ 2000
We present STELIB, a new spectroscopic stellar library, available athttp://webast.ast.obs-mip.fr/stelib. STELIB consists of an homogeneouslibrary of 249 stellar spectra in the visible range (3200 to 9500Å), with an intermediate spectral resolution (la 3 Å) andsampling (1 Å). This library includes stars of various spectraltypes and luminosity classes, spanning a relatively wide range inmetallicity. The spectral resolution, wavelength and spectral typecoverage of this library represents a substantial improvement overprevious libraries used in population synthesis models. The overallabsolute photometric uncertainty is 3%.Based on observations collected with the Jacobus Kaptein Telescope,(owned and operated jointly by the Particle Physics and AstronomyResearch Council of the UK, The Nederlandse Organisatie voorWetenschappelijk Onderzoek of The Netherlands and the Instituto deAstrofísica de Canarias of Spain and located in the SpanishObservatorio del Roque de Los Muchachos on La Palma which is operated bythe Instituto de AstrofÃsica de Canarias), the 2.3 mtelescope of the Australian National University at Siding Spring,Australia, and the VLT-UT1 Antu Telescope (ESO).Tables \ref{cat1} to \ref{cat6} and \ref{antab1} to A.7 are onlyavailable in electronic form at http://www.edpsciences.org. The StellarLibrary STELIB library is also available at the CDS, via anonymous ftpto cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/402/433
| Hipparcos red stars in the HpV_T2 and V I_C systems
For Hipparcos M, S, and C spectral type stars, we provide calibratedinstantaneous (epoch) Cousins V - I color indices using newly derivedHpV_T2 photometry. Three new sets of ground-based Cousins V I data havebeen obtained for more than 170 carbon and red M giants. These datasetsin combination with the published sources of V I photometry served toobtain the calibration curves linking Hipparcos/Tycho Hp-V_T2 with theCousins V - I index. In total, 321 carbon stars and 4464 M- and S-typestars have new V - I indices. The standard error of the mean V - I isabout 0.1 mag or better down to Hp~9 although it deteriorates rapidly atfainter magnitudes. These V - I indices can be used to verify thepublished Hipparcos V - I color indices. Thus, we have identified ahandful of new cases where, instead of the real target, a random fieldstar has been observed. A considerable fraction of the DMSA/C and DMSA/Vsolutions for red stars appear not to be warranted. Most likely suchspurious solutions may originate from usage of a heavily biased color inthe astrometric processing.Based on observations from the Hipparcos astrometric satellite operatedby the European Space Agency (ESA 1997).}\fnmsep\thanks{Table 7 is onlyavailable in electronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp tocdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/397/997
| JHK Standards for Small Telescopes
The AAVSO Futures meeting, held in Madison, WI, in May 2001, proposedthat the AAVSO support near-infrared research with small telescopes. Aphotometer, the SSP-4, has been developed to provide J- and H-bandcapability for a reasonable cost. However, proper calibrated photometryrequires a set of standard stars. This paper describes such a set ofstars, suitable for small telescopes, and with accurate coordinates,proper motions, and high-quality magnitudes.
| First light observations with TIFR near-infrared camera.
The TIFR near-infrared camera (TIRCAM) is based on the SBRC InSb focalplane array (58×62 pixels) sensitive between 1-5 μm. TIRCAM hadits first engineering run at Gurusikhar 1.2 meter PRL telescope at MountAbu during March-April 2001. The first light observations with TIRCAMwere quite successful. Several infrared standard stars and the TrapeziumCluster in Orion region were observed in the J, H and K bands. In anarrow band at 3.9 μm (nbL), some bright stars could be detected fromthe Gurusikhar site. The performance of TIRCAM is discussed in the lightof preliminary observations in nbL band.
| Speckle Observations of Binary Stars with the WIYN Telescope. II. Relative Astrometry Measures during 1998-2000
Five hundred twelve relative astrometry measures are presented for 253double stars, including 53 double stars discovered by Hipparcos. In 15cases, relative astrometry is reported for the first time for newlyconfirmed pairs. In addition, 20 high-quality nondetections ofcompanions are reported for stars suspected of being nonsingle byHipparcos. Observations were taken using a fast-readout CCD camerasystem at the WIYN 3.5 m telescope at Kitt Peak, Arizona. In comparingthese measures with ephemeris predictions for binary stars with verywell known orbits, we find that the measurement precision is better than3 mas in separation and 1° in position angle per individualobservation. Measurement precision and detection capabilities are fullydiscussed, and confirmed orbital motion is reported in four cases of theHipparcos double star discoveries. The WIYN Observatory is a jointfacility of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Indiana University,Yale University, and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory.
| Velocity Observations of Multiple-Mode Asymptotic Giant Branch Variable Stars
Numerous infrared spectroscopic observations were obtained of nineasymptotic giant branch (AGB) field M giants that have multiple periodsof light variability. Each star has a short period of several months,which is typical of low amplitude pulsation for stars on the AGB, aswell as a long period of 1-3 yr, which is significantly longer than thepredicted fundamental-mode pulsations for these stars. The location ofthese stars in the AGB period-luminosity relation is discussed. For sixof the nine giants we found radial-velocity periods that confirm thelong-period light variability. Although we considered the possibilitythat the velocity variations result from orbital motion, we concludethat the long-period velocity changes in most, if not all of the samplestars, likely result from a currently unknown type of pulsation ratherthan duplicity.
| Infrared spectral classification of normal stars.
Moderate resolution (~400) 2.38-45.2 mu m infrared spectra of starswithout dust features were obtained with the Short WavelengthSpectrometer (SWS) on board the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO). Theobservations are part of a larger program with the objective to extendand refine the current infrared classification schemes. In particular,our data provide the basis for a more detailed classification of the1.N-1.NO sources (ordinary and oxygen rich naked stars) as defined byKraemer et al. (\cite{kraemer}) in a comprehensive classification of theISO-SWS spectra. For our analysis, the continuum was determined byfitting Engelke's function (Engelke \cite{engelke}) to the SWS data. Thestellar angular diameters derived from these estimates of the continuumare in good agreement with values obtained by other methods. Analysis ofthe equivalent widths of the CO fundamental and first overtone molecularbands, the SiO fundamental and first overtone, as well as theH2O bending mode band as a function of MK class, reveals thatthere is sufficient information in the SWS spectra to distinguishbetween hot (B, A, F) and cool stars. Furthermore, it is possible todetermine the spectral type for the G, K and M giants, and subtyperanges in a sequence of K and M giants. The equivalent widths of the COand SiO bands are found to be well correlated in K and M stars, suchthat the equivalent widths of the CO fundamental, the SiO first overtoneand the SiO fundamental can be reasonably well extrapolated from thedepth of the CO first overtone. We have identified two stars,HR 365 and V Nor, whosemid-infrared spectrum does not correspond to their respective opticalclassification. HR 365 may have a late M companion,which dominates the observed infrared spectrum while VNor is a late type giant that was included because itsspectrum was classified as featureless under the IRAS LRS scheme.According to Kraemer et al. (\cite{kraemer}), V Norhas a thin dust shell, which distorts the analysis of its mid-infraredabsorption bands. Based on observations with ISO, an ESA project withinstruments funded by ESA Member States (especially the PI countries:France, Germany, The Netherlands and the UK) and with the participationof ISAS and NASA.
| CHARM: A Catalog of High Angular Resolution Measurements
The Catalog of High Angular Resolution Measurements (CHARM) includesmost of the measurements obtained by the techniques of lunaroccultations and long-baseline interferometry at visual and infraredwavelengths, which have appeared in the literature or have otherwisebeen made public until mid-2001. A total of 2432 measurements of 1625sources are included, along with extensive auxiliary information. Inparticular, visual and infrared photometry is included for almost allthe sources. This has been partly extracted from currently availablecatalogs, and partly obtained specifically for CHARM. The main aim is toprovide a compilation of sources which could be used as calibrators orfor science verification purposes by the new generation of largeground-based facilities such as the ESO Very Large Interferometer andthe Keck Interferometer. The Catalog is available in electronic form atthe CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/386/492, and from theauthors on CD-Rom.
| Keck Diffraction-limited Imaging of the Young Quadruple Star System HD 98800
This paper presents diffraction-limited 1-18 μm images of the youngquadruple star system HD 98800 obtained with the W. M. Keck 10 mtelescopes using speckle and adaptive optics imaging at near-infraredwavelengths and direct imaging at mid-infrared wavelengths. The twocomponents of the visual binary, A and B, both themselves spectroscopicbinaries, were separable at all wavelengths, allowing us to determinetheir stellar and circumstellar properties. Combining these observationswith spectroscopic data from the literature, we derive an age of~107 yr, masses of 0.93 and 0.64 Msolar, and aninclination angle of 58° for the spectroscopic components of HD98800 B and an age of ~107 yr and a mass of 1.1Msolar for HD 98800 Aa. Our data confirm that the largemid-infrared excess is entirely associated with HD 98800 B. This excessexhibits a blackbody temperature of 150 K and a strong 10 μm silicateemission feature. The theoretical equilibrium radius of large, perfectlyabsorbing, 150 K grains around HD 98800 B is 2.4 AU, suggesting acircumspectroscopic binary distribution. Our observations set importantupper limits on the size of the inner dust radius of ~2 AU (from themid-infrared data) and on the quantity of scattered light of less than10% (from the H-band data). For an inner radius of 2 AU, the dustdistribution must have a height of at least 1 AU to account for thefractional dust luminosity of ~20% LB. Based on thescattered-light limit, the dust grains responsible for the excessemission must have an albedo of less than 0.33. The presence of theprominent silicate emission feature at 10 μm implies dust grain radiiof >~2 μm. The total mass of the dust is greater than 0.002M⊕. We conclude that the dust is located in acircumbinary disk around the HD 98800 B spectroscopic binary with aninner gap of ~2 AU and a height of >~1 AU, and we speculate that theA-Bc orbital dynamics are responsible for the characteristics of theobserved dust in the system.
| Comparison of Stellar Angular Diameters from the NPOI, the Mark III Optical Interferometer, and the Infrared Flux Method
The Navy Prototype Optical Interferometer (NPOI) has been used tomeasure the angular diameters of 41 late-type giant and supergiant starspreviously observed with the Mark III optical interferometer. Sixteen ofthese stars have published angular diameters based on model atmospheres(infrared flux method, IRFM). Comparison of these angular diametersshows that there are no systematic offsets between any pair of datasets. Furthermore, the reported uncertainties in the angular diametersmeasured using both interferometers are consistent with the distributionof the differences in the diameters. The distribution of diameterdifferences between the interferometric and model atmosphere angulardiameters are consistent with uncertainties in the IRFM diameters of1.4%. Although large differences in angular diameter measurements areseen for three stars, the data are insufficient to determine whetherthese differences are due to problems with the observations or are dueto temporal changes in the stellar diameters themselves.
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Observation and Astrometry data
| Constellation: | Άρκτος Μεγάλη |
| Right ascension: | 10h22m19.70s |
| Declination: | +41°29'58.0" |
| Apparent magnitude: | 3.05 |
| Distance: | 76.278 parsecs |
| Proper motion RA: | -80.4 |
| Proper motion Dec: | 34.3 |
| B-T magnitude: | 5.126 |
| V-T magnitude: | 3.216 |
Catalogs and designations:
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INHABITED SKY
