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The Geneva-Copenhagen survey of the solar neighbourhood. III. Improved distances, ages, and kinematics
Context: Ages, chemical compositions, velocity vectors, and Galacticorbits for stars in the solar neighbourhood are fundamental test datafor models of Galactic evolution. The Geneva-Copenhagen Survey of theSolar Neighbourhood (Nordström et al. 2004; GCS), amagnitude-complete, kinematically unbiased sample of 16 682 nearby F andG dwarfs, is the largest available sample with complete data for starswith ages spanning that of the disk. Aims: We aim to improve theaccuracy of the GCS data by implementing the recent revision of theHipparcos parallaxes. Methods: The new parallaxes yield improvedastrometric distances for 12 506 stars in the GCS. We also use theparallaxes to verify the distance calibration for uvby? photometryby Holmberg et al. (2007, A&A, 475, 519; GCS II). We add newselection criteria to exclude evolved cool stars giving unreliableresults and derive distances for 3580 stars with large parallax errorsor not observed by Hipparcos. We also check the GCS II scales of T_effand [Fe/H] and find no need for change. Results: Introducing thenew distances, we recompute MV for 16 086 stars, and U, V, W,and Galactic orbital parameters for the 13 520 stars that also haveradial-velocity measurements. We also recompute stellar ages from thePadova stellar evolution models used in GCS I-II, using the new valuesof M_V, and compare them with ages from the Yale-Yonsei andVictoria-Regina models. Finally, we compare the observed age-velocityrelation in W with three simulated disk heating scenarios to show thepotential of the data. Conclusions: With these revisions, thebasic data for the GCS stars should now be as reliable as is possiblewith existing techniques. Further improvement must await consolidationof the T_eff scale from angular diameters and fluxes, and the Gaiatrigonometric parallaxes. We discuss the conditions for improvingcomputed stellar ages from new input data, and for distinguishingdifferent disk heating scenarios from data sets of the size andprecision of the GCS.Full Table 1 is only available in electronic form at the CDS viaanonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/501/941
| Cool Subdwarf Investigations. II. Multiplicity
Cool subdwarfs of types K and M are the fainter counterparts of coolmain-sequence dwarfs that dominate the Galactic population. In thispaper, we present the results of an optical speckle survey of 62confirmed cool subdwarf systems within 60 pc. We have resolved twonew companions and confirmed two previously known companions withseparations 0farcs13-3farcs29. After including previously known widecompanions and all known spectroscopic binaries, we determine themultiplicity rate of cool subdwarfs to be 26% ± 6%, which issomewhat lower than comparable main-sequence stars that have amultiplicity rate of 37% ± 5%. We find that only 3% of the coolsubdwarfs surveyed have companions within 10 AU, 3% have companionsbetween 10 and 100 AU, and 14% have companions beyond 100 AU.The other 6% of cool subdwarfs are spectroscopic binaries. This is verydifferent from K/M dwarfs that have most companions (13%) at separationscloser than 10 AU. However, because a search for close binariesamong a large sample of nearby cool subdwarfs remains elusive, it is notyet settled whether or not the multiplicity rates are significantlydifferent. Nonetheless, several different observational results andtheories pointing to a possible dearth of subdwarf multiples arediscussed.
| Chemical abundances of 451 stars from the HARPS GTO planet search program. Thin disc, thick disc, and planets
We present a uniform study of the chemical abundances of 12 elements(Si, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Na, Mg, and Al) derived from thespectra of 451 stars observed as part of one of the HARPS GTO planetsearch programs. Sixty eight of these are planet-bearing stars. The maingoals of our work are: i) the investigation of possible differencesbetween the abundances of stars with and without planets; ii) the studyof the possible differences in the abundances of stars in the thin andthe thick disc. We confirm that there is a systematically highermetallicity in planet host stars, when compared to non planet-hosts,common to all studied species. We also found that there is no differencein the galactic chemical evolution trends of the stars with and withoutplanets. Stars that harbour planetary companions simply appear to be inthe high metallicity tail of the distribution. We also confirm thatNeptunian and super-Earth class planets may be easier to find at lowermetallicities. A statistically significative abundance differencebetween stars of the thin and the thick disc was found for [ Fe/H] <0. However, the populations from the thick and the thin disc cannot beclearly separated.Based on observations collected at the La Silla Parana Observatory, ESO(Chile) with the HARPS spectrograph at the 3.6 m telescope, under theGTO program 072.C-0488. Full Tables 1 and 3 are only available inelectronic form at the 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/497/563
| Spectroscopic parameters for 451 stars in the HARPS GTO planet search program. Stellar [Fe/H] and the frequency of exo-Neptunes
To understand the formation and evolution of solar-type stars in thesolar neighborhood, we need to measure their stellar parameters to highaccuracy. We present a catalogue of accurate stellar parameters for 451stars that represent the HARPS Guaranteed Time Observations (GTO)“high precision” sample. Spectroscopic stellar parameterswere measured using high signal-to-noise (S/N) spectra acquired with theHARPS spectrograph. The spectroscopic analysis was completed assumingLTE with a grid of Kurucz atmosphere models and the recent ARES code formeasuring line equivalent widths. We show that our results agree wellwith those ones presented in the literature (for stars in common). Wepresent a useful calibration for the effective temperature as a functionof the index color B-V and [Fe/H]. We use our results to study themetallicity-planet correlation, namely for very low mass planets. Theresults presented here suggest that in contrast to their joviancouterparts, neptune-like planets do not form preferentially aroundmetal-rich stars. The ratio of jupiter-to-neptunes is also an increasingfunction of stellar metallicity. These results are discussed in thecontext of the core-accretion model for planet formation.Based on observations collected at La Silla Observatory, ESO, Chile,with the HARPS spectrograph at the 3.6-m telescope (072.C-0488(E)). FullTables 1 and 3 are only available in electronic form at the CDS vianonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/487/373
| Metallicities and activities of southern stars
Aims. We present the results from high-resolution spectroscopicmeasurements to determine metallicities and activities of bright starsin the southern hemisphere. Methods: We measured the iron abundances([Fe/H]'s) and chromospheric emission indices (log h{R}'{HK})of 353 solar-type stars with V = 7.5-9.5. [Fe/H] abundances aredetermined using a custom χ2 fitting procedure within alarge grid of Kurucz model atmospheres. The chromospheric activitieswere determined by measuring the amount of emission in the cores of thestrong Caii HK lines. Results: Our comparison of the metallicity sampleto other [Fe/H] determinations was found to agree at the ±0.05dex level for spectroscopic values and at the ±0.1 dex level forphotometric values. The distribution of chromospheric activities isdescribed by a bimodal distribution, agreeing with the conclusions fromother works. Also an analysis of Maunder minimum status was attempted,and it was found that 6 ± 4 stars in the sample could be in aMaunder minimum phase of their evolution and hence the Sun should onlyspend a few per cent of its main sequence lifetime in Maunder minimum.Based on observations made with the ESO telescopes at the La SillaParanal observatory under programme ID's 076.C-0578(B) and077.C-0192(A). Table 4 is only available in electronic form at the CDSvia anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/485/571
| Pulkovo compilation of radial velocities for 35495 stars in a common system.
Not Available
| Contributions to the Nearby Stars (NStars) Project: Spectroscopy of Stars Earlier than M0 within 40 pc-The Southern Sample
We are obtaining spectra, spectral types, and basic physical parametersfor the nearly 3600 dwarf and giant stars earlier than M0 in theHipparcos catalog within 40 pc of the Sun. Here we report on resultsfor 1676 stars in the southern hemisphere observed at Cerro TololoInter-American Observatory and Steward Observatory. These resultsinclude new, precise, homogeneous spectral types, basic physicalparameters (including the effective temperature, surface gravity, andmetallicity [M/H]), and measures of the chromospheric activity of ourprogram stars. We include notes on astrophysically interesting stars inthis sample, the metallicity distribution of the solar neighborhood, anda table of solar analogs. We also demonstrate that the bimodal nature ofthe distribution of the chromospheric activity parameterlogR'HK depends strongly on the metallicity, andwe explore the nature of the ``low-metallicity'' chromosphericallyactive K-type dwarfs.
| Effective temperature scale and bolometric corrections from 2MASS photometry
We present a method to determine effective temperatures, angularsemi-diameters and bolometric corrections for population I and II FGKtype stars based on V and 2MASS IR photometry. Accurate calibration isaccomplished by using a sample of solar analogues, whose averagetemperature is assumed to be equal to the solar effective temperature of5777 K. By taking into account all possible sources of error we estimateassociated uncertainties to better than 1% in effective temperature andin the range 1.0-2.5% in angular semi-diameter for unreddened stars.Comparison of our new temperatures with other determinations extractedfrom the literature indicates, in general, remarkably good agreement.These results suggest that the effective temperaure scale of FGK starsis currently established with an accuracy better than 0.5%-1%. Theapplication of the method to a sample of 10 999 dwarfs in the Hipparcoscatalogue allows us to define temperature and bolometric correction (Kband) calibrations as a function of (V-K), [m/H] and log g. Bolometriccorrections in the V and K bands as a function of T_eff, [m/H] and log gare also given. We provide effective temperatures, angularsemi-diameters, radii and bolometric corrections in the V and K bandsfor the 10 999 FGK stars in our sample with the correspondinguncertainties.
| The Geneva-Copenhagen survey of the Solar neighbourhood. Ages, metallicities, and kinematic properties of 14 000 F and G dwarfs
We present and discuss new determinations of metallicity, rotation, age,kinematics, and Galactic orbits for a complete, magnitude-limited, andkinematically unbiased sample of 16 682 nearby F and G dwarf stars. Our63 000 new, accurate radial-velocity observations for nearly 13 500stars allow identification of most of the binary stars in the sampleand, together with published uvbyβ photometry, Hipparcosparallaxes, Tycho-2 proper motions, and a few earlier radial velocities,complete the kinematic information for 14 139 stars. These high-qualityvelocity data are supplemented by effective temperatures andmetallicities newly derived from recent and/or revised calibrations. Theremaining stars either lack Hipparcos data or have fast rotation. Amajor effort has been devoted to the determination of new isochrone agesfor all stars for which this is possible. Particular attention has beengiven to a realistic treatment of statistical biases and errorestimates, as standard techniques tend to underestimate these effectsand introduce spurious features in the age distributions. Our ages agreewell with those by Edvardsson et al. (\cite{edv93}), despite severalastrophysical and computational improvements since then. We demonstrate,however, how strong observational and theoretical biases cause thedistribution of the observed ages to be very different from that of thetrue age distribution of the sample. Among the many basic relations ofthe Galactic disk that can be reinvestigated from the data presentedhere, we revisit the metallicity distribution of the G dwarfs and theage-metallicity, age-velocity, and metallicity-velocity relations of theSolar neighbourhood. Our first results confirm the lack of metal-poor Gdwarfs relative to closed-box model predictions (the ``G dwarfproblem''), the existence of radial metallicity gradients in the disk,the small change in mean metallicity of the thin disk since itsformation and the substantial scatter in metallicity at all ages, andthe continuing kinematic heating of the thin disk with an efficiencyconsistent with that expected for a combination of spiral arms and giantmolecular clouds. Distinct features in the distribution of the Vcomponent of the space motion are extended in age and metallicity,corresponding to the effects of stochastic spiral waves rather thanclassical moving groups, and may complicate the identification ofthick-disk stars from kinematic criteria. More advanced analyses of thisrich material will require careful simulations of the selection criteriafor the sample and the distribution of observational errors.Based on observations made with the Danish 1.5-m telescope at ESO, LaSilla, Chile, and with the Swiss 1-m telescope at Observatoire deHaute-Provence, France.Complete Tables 1 and 2 are only available in electronic form at the CDSvia anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/418/989
| Distances and ages of NGC 6397, NGC 6752 and 47 Tuc
New improved distances and absolute ages for the Galactic globularclusters NGC 6397, NGC 6752, and 47 Tuc are obtained using the MainSequence Fitting Method. We derived accurate estimates of reddening andmetal abundance for these three clusters using a strictly differentialprocedure, where the Johnson B-V and Strömgren b-y colours and UVEShigh resolution spectra of turn-off stars and early subgiants belongingto the clusters were compared to similar data for field subdwarfs withaccurate parallaxes measured by Hipparcos. The use of a reddening freetemperature indicator (the profile of Hα ) allowed us to reducethe error bars in reddening determinations to about 0.005 mag, and inmetal abundances to 0.04 dex, in the scales defined by the localsubdwarfs. Error bars in distances are then reduced to about 0.07 magfor each cluster, yielding ages with typical random errors of about 1Gyr. We find that NGC 6397 and NGC 6752 have ages of 13.9+/- 1.1 and13.8+/- 1.1 Gyr respectively, when standard isochrones withoutmicroscopic diffusion are used, while 47 Tuc is probably about 2.6 Gyryounger, in agreement with results obtained by other techniquessensitive to relative ages. If we use models that include the effects ofsedimentation due to microscopic diffusion in agreement with ourobservations of NGC 6397, and take into account various sources ofpossible systematic errors with a statistical approach, we conclude thatthe age of the oldest globular clusters in the Galaxy is 13.4+/- 0.8+/-0.6 Gyr, where the first error bar accounts for random effects, and thesecond one for systematic errors. This age estimate is fully compatiblewith the very recent results from WMAP, and indicates that the oldestGalactic globular clusters formed within the first 1.7 Gyr after the BigBang, corresponding to a redshift of z>= 2.5, in a standard LambdaCDM model. The epoch of formation of the (inner halo) globular clusterslasted about 2.6 Gyr, ending at a time corresponding to a redshift ofz>= 1.3. On the other hand, our new age estimate once combined withvalues of H_0 given by WMAP and by the HST Key Project, provides arobust upper limit at 95% level of confidence of Omega_M <0.57,independently of type Ia SNe, and strongly supports the need for a darkenergy. The new cluster distances lead to new estimates of thehorizontal branch luminosity, that may be used to derive the zero pointof the relation between the horizontal branch absolute magnitude andmetallicity: we obtain M_V(HB)=(0.22+/- 0.05)([Fe/H]+1.5)+(0.56+/-0.07). This zero point is 0.03 mag shorter than obtained by Carretta etal. (\cite{Carretta2000}) and within the error bar it agrees with, butit is more precise than most of the previous individual determinationsof the RR Lyrae absolute magnitude. When combined with the apparentaverage luminosity of the RR Lyrae stars in the LMC by Clementini et al.(\cite{Clementini2003}), this zero point provides a new estimate of thedistance modulus to the LMC: (m-M)_0=18.50+/- 0.09.Based on data collected at the European Southern Observatory, Chile,telescopes (program 165.L-0263).
| Improved Astrometry and Photometry for the Luyten Catalog. II. Faint Stars and the Revised Catalog
We complete construction of a catalog containing improved astrometry andnew optical/infrared photometry for the vast majority of NLTT starslying in the overlap of regions covered by POSS I and by the secondincremental Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) release, approximately 44%of the sky. The epoch 2000 positions are typically accurate to 130 mas,the proper motions to 5.5 mas yr-1, and the V-J colors to0.25 mag. Relative proper motions of binary components are measured to 3mas yr-1. The false-identification rate is ~1% for11<~V<~18 and substantially less at brighter magnitudes. Theseimprovements permit the construction of a reduced proper-motion diagramthat, for the first time, allows one to classify NLTT stars intomain-sequence (MS) stars, subdwarfs (SDs), and white dwarfs (WDs). We inturn use this diagram to analyze the properties of both our catalog andthe NLTT catalog on which it is based. In sharp contrast to popularbelief, we find that NLTT incompleteness in the plane is almostcompletely concentrated in MS stars, and that SDs and WDs are detectedalmost uniformly over the sky δ>-33deg. Our catalogwill therefore provide a powerful tool to probe these populationsstatistically, as well as to reliably identify individual SDs and WDs.
| The ages of the globular clusters M 71 and 47 Tuc from Strömgren uvby photometry. Evidence for high ages
New uvby CCD photometry for the fairly metal-rich globular clusters M 71(NGC 6838) and 47 Tuc (NGC 104) is presented. We derive the clusterdistances using a sample of field subdwarfs with metallicitiesdetermined from uvby photometry and accurate parallaxes from theHipparcos mission. The biases associated with the main-sequence fittingtechnique are discussed and only that due to metallicity is found to besignificant, corresponding to a -0.05 mag change in distance modulus.Our main results are that: 1) The distance moduli of 47 Tuc and M 71 aresomewhat shorter than that derived by Reid (\cite{Rei98}, AJ 115, 204).For M 71 and 47 Tuc we find (metallicity corrected) (m-M)V =13.71+/- 0.04+/- 0.1 and (m-M)V = 13.33+/- 0.04+/- 0.1, foradopted reddenings of E(B-V) = 0.28 and E(B-V) = 0.04 respectively(first errorbar denotes random errors and the second systematic errors).The main source of difference with Reid is the selection of subdwarfswith this study having more intrinsically faint field subdwarfs; 2)These values lead to ages of nearly 12 Gyr when using the isochrones ofVandenBerg et al. (\cite{Vane00}, ApJ, 532, 430); this estimate does notinclude the effects of He diffusion. 3) A differential comparison of thecluster colour-magnitude diagrams show that the age difference betweenthe two is very small - less than one billion years. 4) The observedscatter in the c1 index (due to star-to-star nitrogenvariations) among main-sequence stars does not allow us to use the[(v-y)0, c0] diagram for a distance-independentage determination. Based on observations made with the Nordic OpticalTelescope, operated on the island of La Palma jointly by Denmark,Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, in the Spanish Observatorio delRoque de los Muchachos of the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias.Based on observations obtained with the Danish 1.5 m telescope at theEuropean Southern Observatory, La Silla, Chile.
| HIPPARCOS age-metallicity relation of the solar neighbourhood disc stars
We derive age-metallicity relations (AMRs) and orbital parameters forthe 1658 solar neighbourhood stars to which accurate distances aremeasured by the HIPPARCOS satellite. The sample stars comprise 1382 thindisc stars, 229 thick disc stars, and 47 halo stars according to theirorbital parameters. We find a considerable scatter for thin disc AMRalong the one-zone Galactic chemical evolution (GCE) model. Orbits andmetallicities of thin disc stars show now clear relation each other. Thescatter along the AMR exists even if the stars with the same orbits areselected. We examine simple extension of one-zone GCE models whichaccount for inhomogeneity in the effective yield and inhomogeneous starformation rate in the Galaxy. Both extensions of the one-zone GCE modelcannot account for the scatter in age - [Fe/H] - [Ca/Fe] relationsimultaneously. We conclude, therefore, that the scatter along the thindisc AMR is an essential feature in the formation and evolution of theGalaxy. The AMR for thick disc stars shows that the star formationterminated 8 Gyr ago in the thick disc. As already reported by Grattonet al. (\cite{Gratton_et.al.2000}) and Prochaska et al.(\cite{Prochaska_et.al.2000}), thick disc stars are more Ca-rich thanthin disc stars with the same [Fe/H]. We find that thick disc stars showa vertical abundance gradient. These three facts, the AMR, verticalgradient, and [Ca/Fe]-[Fe/H] relation, support monolithic collapseand/or accretion of satellite dwarf galaxies as likely thick discformation scenarios. Tables 2 and 3 are only available in electronicform at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5)or via http:/ /cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/ cgi-bin/qcat?J/ A+A/394/927
| Revised Coordinates and Proper Motions of the Stars in the Luyten Half-Second Catalog
We present refined coordinates and proper-motion data for the highproper-motion (HPM) stars in the Luyten Half-Second (LHS) catalog. Thepositional uncertainty in the original Luyten catalog is typicallygreater than 10" and is often greater than 30". We have used the digitalscans of the POSS I and POSS II plates to derive more accurate positionsand proper motions of the objects. Out of the 4470 candidates in the LHScatalog, 4323 objects were manually reidentified in the POSS I and POSSII scans. A small fraction of the stars were not found because of thelack of finder charts and digitized POSS II scans. The uncertainties inthe revised positions are typically ~2" but can be as high as ~8" in afew cases, which is a large improvement over the original data.Cross-correlation with the Tycho-2 and Hipparcos catalogs yielded 819candidates (with mR<~12). For these brighter sources, theposition and proper-motion data were replaced with the more accurateTycho-2/Hipparcos data. In total, we have revised proper-motionmeasurements and coordinates for 4040 stars and revised coordinates for4330 stars. The electronic version of the paper5 contains the updated information on all 4470stars in the LHS catalog.
| Resolving the 47 Tucanae Distance Problem
We present new B-, V-, and I-band photometry for a sample of 43 localsubdwarfs with Hipparcos parallax errors less than 13%, in themetallicity range -1.0<[Fe/H]<-0.3, which we use to performmain-sequence (MS) fitting to the Galactic globular cluster 47 Tuc. Thissample is many times larger than those used in previous MS-fittingstudies and also enables us to fit in two color planes, V/(B-V) andV/(V-I). With this enlarged subdwarf sample we investigate whether thecurrent discrepancy in empirical distance estimates for 47 Tuc, arisingfrom recent MS-fitting and white dwarf fitting results, is due toinaccuracies in the MS-fitting method. Comparison of publishedphotometries for 47 Tuc has revealed systematic offsets, which meansthat the (B-V) main line used in previous studies may be too blue by~0.02 mag, which would have the effect of making any derived distancemodulus too large by around 0.1 mag. Preliminary work has alsohighlighted discrepancies between results obtained in the two colorplanes, V/(B-V) and V/(V-I). We have derived main lines in V/(B-V) andV/(V-I) from the data of Kaluzny et al., which we have recalibrated fromthe ``secondary'' standards in 47 Tuc of Stetson (2000). Using anassumed cluster reddening of E(B-V)=0.04, our best-fit apparent distancemodulus is (m-M)V=13.37+0.10-0.11 inboth color planes, which implies a cluster age of 11.0+/-1.4 Gyr andleads to a dereddened distance modulus of(m-M)0=13.25+0.06-0.07. Comparison withprevious work shows that our apparent distance modulus is ~0.2 magsmaller than those derived in previous MS-fitting studies. Thedifference is accounted for by our preferred cluster reddening and therecalibration of the cluster photometry, which has made the main lineredder by an average of 0.02 mag in (B-V). Our derived distance modulusis also now plausibly consistent with the short distance recentlyderived from white dwarf fitting. Independent support for our MS-fittingdistance comes from consideration of the red clump in the cluster, fromwhich we derive a dereddened distance modulus of(m-M)0=13.31+/-0.05, which is in agreement with theMS-fitting result.
| Wide binaries among high-velocity and metal-poor stars
A catalogue of 122 wide binaries is presented. The list was compiled bysearching for common proper-motion companions to the more than 1200high-velocity and metal-poor stars of Schuster and collaborators. Westudy the separations for the wide binaries (< a> > 25 AU), andfind that they follow Oepik's distribution all the way up to 10 000 AU.A subgroup of them, the ones with the most halo-like orbits, followOepik's distribution up to 20 000 AU. The galactic orbits of all systemsare calculated, and galactic orbital parameters are used, along with themetallicites, to assign each one to the old thin disk, the thick disk,or the halo population. Table~2 is only available in electronic form atthe CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u.strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/Abstract.html
| Kinematics and Metallicity of Stars in the Solar Region
Several samples of nearby stars with the most accurate astrometric andphotometric parameters are searched for clues to their evolutionaryhistory. The main samples are (1) the main-sequence stars with b - ybetween 0.29 and 0.59 mag (F3 to K1) in the Yale parallax catalog, (2) agroup of high-velocity subgiants studied spectroscopically by Ryan &Lambert, and (3) high-velocity main-sequence stars in the extensiveinvestigation by Norris, Bessel, & Pickles. The major conclusionsare as follows: (1) The oldest stars (halo), t >= 10-12 Gyr, haveV-velocities (in the direction of Galactic rotation and referred to theSun) in the range from about -50 to -800 km s^-1 and have aheavy-element abundance [Fe/H] of less than about -0.8 dex. The agerange of these objects depends on our knowledge of globular clusterages, but if age is correlated with V-velocity, the youngest may be M22and M28 (V ~ -50 km s^-1) and the oldest NGC 3201 (V ~ -500 km s^-1) andassorted field stars. (2) The old disk population covers the large agerange from about 2 Gyr (Hyades, NGC 752) to 10 or 12 Gyr (Arcturusgroup, 47 Tuc), but the lag (V) velocity is restricted to less thanabout 120 km s^-1 and [Fe/H] >= -0.8 or -0.9 dex. The [Fe/H] ~ -0.8dex division between halo and old disk, near t ~ 10-12 Gyr, is marked bya change in the character of the CN index (C_m) and of the blanketingparameter K of the DDO photometry. (3) The young disk population, t <2 Gyr, is confined exclusively to a well-defined area of the (U, V)velocity plane. The age separating young and old disk stars is also thatseparating giant evolution of the Hyades (near main-sequence luminosity)and M67 (degenerate helium cores and a large luminosity rise) kinds. Thetwo disk populations are also separated by such indexes as the g-indexof Geveva photometry. There appears to be no obvious need to invokeexogeneous influences to understand the motion and heavy-elementabundance distributions of the best-observed stars near the Sun.Individual stars of special interest include the parallax star HD 55575,which may be an equal-component binary, and the high-velocity star HD220127, with a well-determined space velocity near 1000 km s^-1.
| Astrometric positions of stars with high proper motions in the Southern Hemisphere
Several stars with large proper motions, cited by W.J. Luyten, wereincluded in the preliminary programme for the HIPPARCOS mission. Whenperforming preparatory measurements of plates, difficulties wereencountered in identifying certain of these stars when relying only onpublished coordinates. We have taken advantage of this work whichrelates to the southern sky in order to determine the astrometricposition of the greatest possible number of these objects, even forthose which were not included in the programme. Catalogue 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/Abstract.html
| Vitesses radiales. Catalogue WEB: Wilson Evans Batten. Subtittle: Radial velocities: The Wilson-Evans-Batten catalogue.
We give a common version of the two catalogues of Mean Radial Velocitiesby Wilson (1963) and Evans (1978) to which we have added the catalogueof spectroscopic binary systems (Batten et al. 1989). For each star,when possible, we give: 1) an acronym to enter SIMBAD (Set ofIdentifications Measurements and Bibliography for Astronomical Data) ofthe CDS (Centre de Donnees Astronomiques de Strasbourg). 2) the numberHIC of the HIPPARCOS catalogue (Turon 1992). 3) the CCDM number(Catalogue des Composantes des etoiles Doubles et Multiples) byDommanget & Nys (1994). For the cluster stars, a precise study hasbeen done, on the identificator numbers. Numerous remarks point out theproblems we have had to deal with.
| Ca II H and K Filter Photometry on the UVBY System. II. The Catalog of Observations
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1995AJ....109.2828T&db_key=AST
| Subdwarf studies. II - Abundances and kinematics from medium resolution spectra. III - The halo metallicity distribution
Stars previously identified as having UV excesses are observed at 1-Aresolution in the Ca II K-line region. Comparisons of these data withother samples and with Monte Carlo simulations involving a singlecomponent halo have yielded estimates of halo velocity dispersions androtation velocity, corrected for the kinematic biases in the sample. Itis suggested that the data are not consistent with a model in which thehalo formed from star formation in a dissipating, collapsing cloud; theyare, however, reconcilable with the formation of the halo stars bynumerous, independently evolving gas clouds. The metallicitydistribution of a sample of 372 kinematically selected halo stars isthen constructed, with a view to selection effects in the data. Goodagreement is noted between the globular cluster metallicity distributionand a stochastic model with a mean of 10 enrichments/fragment.
| Subdwarf studies. I - UBVRI photometry of NLTT stars
UBVRI photometry is presented for a sample of 1656 southern stars,including 1211 that were previously unmeasured, drown from the NLTTproper-motion catalog. The catalog is shown to be a rich source ofsubdwarfs. The normalized ultraviolet excess delta (U - B)0.6,photometric parallax, and interstellar reddening are calculated for eachstar when possible. Photometric parallaxes are compared withtrigonometric parallaxes from the literature. It is found that theformer do not have systematic errors greater than about 25 percent. Inagreement with other studies, the bluest subdwarfs are found at B - V =0.35. The selection of the program stars on the basis of large reducedproper motions restricted subgiant contamination of the sample to about5 percent and increased the discovery fraction of halo stars relative todisk stars. The claim is made here that the sample can be used toinvestigate the abundance distribution of the halo. The sample includesstars with ultraviolet excesses characteristic of disk abundances butwith velocities up to 150 km/s. These are believed to be stars that,quite expectedly, reside in the high-velocity tail of the disk velocitydistribution.
| Four-color UVBY and H-beta photometry of high-velocity and metal-poor stars. I - The catalogue of observations
A catalog of four-color uvby and H-beta photometry for 711 high-velocityand metal-poor stars is given. The selection of the stars and theobserving and reduction techniques used to obtain these data arediscussed. The photometry has been transformed closely onto the standarduvby-beta system. The errors of the data have been estimated using bothinternal and external comparisons. The data are uniform over the sky;that is, there are no significant north-south differences. For the largemajority of stars the mean errors of V, m1, c1, and beta are less than +or - 0.008 mag, and the error of b-y is less than + or - 0.005 mag.Values of V, b-y and beta and rough photometric classifications aregiven for 63 red and/or evolved stars that fall outside the range of thephotometric transformations.
| New subdwarfs. VI - Kinematics of 1125 high-proper-motion stars and the collapse of the Galaxy
The UVW velocity components, planar eccentricities, and angular momentaof 878 high-proper-motion stars are determined using the radial-velocitydata of Fouts and Sandage (1986) and compared with chemical abundancesand photometric parallaxes from the UBV photometry of Sandage and Kowal(1986). The results are presented, along with published data on 247additional stars, in extensive tables and graphs and characterized indetail. Two approximately equal components are differentiated: alow-velocity component identified as part of the thick disk described byGilmore and Reid (1983) and a high-velocity halo component. The data arefound to support a model of Galactic collapse (with concomitant spinupand progressive chemical enrichment) which includes a rotating bulge(the thick disk) with kinematic and metallicity properties between thoseof the old thin disk and the halo.
| G. P. Kuiper's spectral classifications of proper-motion stars
Spectral classifications are listed for over 3200 stars, mainly of largeproper motion, observed and classified by Kuiper during the years1937-1944 at the Yerkes and McDonald Observatories. While Kuiper himselfpublished many of his types, and while improved classifications are nowavailable for many of these stars, much of value remains. For many ofthe objects, no other spectral data exist.
| Abundances in field dwarf stars. I - Atmospheric parameters
Atmospheric parameters have been determined for a sample of 116 fielddwarf stars, plus 10 faint field giants and three Hyades dwarfs.Effective temperatures were found from new R-I photometry, plus R-I,b-y, and V-K colors and some spectrophotometric scans from theliterature. Surface gravities and metallicities were derived fromStromgren photometry from the literature and intermediate dispersionspectra. Empirical spectral indices and the Stromgren photometry werecalibrated using results of published high dispersion abundanceanalyses, supplemented with gravities based on parallax data andestimated masses. Stromgren c(1) and m(1) indices were found to remainuseful for G-type stars. Estimated random errors in the final parametersfor an individual star are + or - 70 K in T(eff), + or - 0.15 in log g,and + or - 0.10 in Fe/H.
| Abundances in field dwarf stars. II - Carbon and nitrogen abundances
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1985ApJ...289..556L&db_key=AST
| The nature of the Yale Common Proper Motion groups of stars
Attention is given to a large group of approximately 90 stars, twogroups of 20-30 stars, and 12 groups of a few stars each, taken from DDOsystem image tube spectral classification and intermediate bandphotometry for the Yale Common Proper Motion groups of 180 southernstars. Spectroscopic and photometric analyses of these groups haveindicated a very scattered Pop I main sequence in their color-magnitudediagrams. Distance moduli of 5 or less were derived from the averagespectroscopic parallaxes, in keeping with the proper motion amplitude of0.1 arcsec/year. The main sequence of each group shows scatter whenplotted in an HR diagram, indicating that they are probably nothomogeneous groups of stars sharing common physical origins.
| Three-dimensional motion of dwarf stars and RR Lyrae variables
A collection of 220 high-velocity dwarfs, 532 low-velocity dwarfs, and114 RR Lyrae variables is given in tables with calculations ofkinematical quantities in a three-dimensional model of galactic space. Ametal indicator, Delta-S, for RR Lyrae variables is transformed into theultraviolet excess, delta (0.6), which is utilized for a statisticalstudy of kinematics under the same metallicity classification. It isfound that the primordial Galaxy contracted by a factor of at least 20in the radial direction as compared to at least 50 in the Z direction.
| A photoelectric measurement of magnesium for late-type stars
A photoelectric index of MgH + Mg b for late-type stars has been createdby the addition of one filter bandpass to the DDO system. Measurementsshow that this index has good sensitivity to surface gravity for Kstars, and suggest that it can differentiate metal-poor halo giants fromdisk stars. From this index, involving measurement through two filtersalone, it appears that membership can be determined for stars on thegiant branch of globular clusters. It is possible that the index couldbe used, after calibration with cluster giants, to determine ages ofgiant stars in the field.
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Observation and Astrometry data
| Constellation: | Centaurus |
| Right ascension: | 11h58m28.01s |
| Declination: | -41°55'19.2" |
| Apparent magnitude: | 8.915 |
| Distance: | 31.898 parsecs |
| Proper motion RA: | -769.4 |
| Proper motion Dec: | -265.3 |
| B-T magnitude: | 9.892 |
| V-T magnitude: | 8.996 |
Catalogs and designations:
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INHABITED SKY
