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An Extended FUSE Survey of Diffuse O VI Emission in the Interstellar Medium
We present a survey of diffuse O VI emission in the interstellar medium(ISM) obtained with the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE).Spanning 5.5 yr of FUSE observations, from launch through 2004 December,our data set consists of 2925 exposures along 183 sight lines, includingall of those with previously published O VI detections. The data wereprocessed using an implementation of CalFUSE version 3.1 modified tooptimize the signal-to-noise ratio and velocity scale of spectra from anaperture-filling source. Of our 183 sight lines, 73 show O VIλ1032 emission, 29 at >3 σ significance. Six of the 3σ features have velocities |vLSR|>120 kms-1, while the others have |vLSR|<=50 kms-1. Measured intensities range from 1800 to 9100 LU (lineunit; 1 photon cm-2 s-1 sr-1), with amedian of 3300 LU. Combining our results with published O VI absorptiondata, we find that an O VI-bearing interface in the local ISM yields anelectron density ne=0.2-0.3 cm-3 and a path lengthof 0.1 pc, while O VI-emitting regions associated with high-velocityclouds in the Galactic halo have densities an order of magnitude lowerand path lengths 2 orders of magnitude longer. Although the O VIintensities along these sight lines are similar, the emission isproduced by gas with very different properties.Based on observations made with the NASA-CNES-CSA Far UltravioletSpectroscopic Explorer. FUSE is operated for NASA by Johns HopkinsUniversity under NASA contract NAS5-32985.
| Atlas and Catalog of Dark Clouds Based on Digitized Sky Survey I
We present a quantitative atlas and catalog of dark clouds derived byusing the optical database ``Digitized Sky Survey I''. Applying atraditional star-count technique to 1043 plates contained in thedatabase, we produced an AV map covering the entire region inthe galactic latitude range |b| ≤ 40°. The map was drawn at twodifferent angular resolutions of 6' and 18', and is shown in detail in aseries of figures in this paper. Based on the AV map, weidentified 2448 dark clouds and 2841 clumps located inside them. Somephysical parameters, such as the position, extent, and opticalextinction, were measured for each of the clouds and clumps. We alsosearched for counterparts among already known dark clouds in theliterature. The catalog of dark clouds presented in this paper lists thecloud parameters as well as the counterparts.
| The Discovery of Oxygen-rich Chromospheres in Two Massive DQ White Dwarfs
We present HST observations of the massive DQ white dwarfs G227-5 andG35-26 in which we find the first clear evidence of chromosphericactivity in cool field white dwarfs. The chromospheric spectra, obtainedover a very narrow wavelength range, show lines of the usually expectedspecies O I, N I, C II, and possibly Si III and Mg II. The O I/C II linestrengths are considerably higher than usually found in main-sequencechromospheres. However, the hypothesis that these high line strengthsrepresent a genuine oxygen overabundance in these stars is less likelythan the interpretation that the oxygen abundance is enhanced by one ormore of the well-known effects that can alter chromospheric abundances.
| 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.
| VLA Observations of ζ Aurigae: Confirmation of the Slow Acceleration Wind Density Structure
Studies of the winds from single K and early M evolved stars indicatethat these flows typically reach a significant fraction of theirterminal velocity within the first couple of stellar radii. The mostdetailed spatially resolved information of the extended atmospheres ofthese spectral types comes from the ζ Aur eclipsing binaries.However, the wind acceleration inferred for the evolved primaries inthese systems appears significantly slower than for stars of similarspectral type. Since there are no successful theories for mass loss fromK and early M evolved stars, it is important to place strong empiricalconstraints on potential models and determine whether this difference inacceleration is real or an artifact of the analyses. We have undertakena radio continuum monitoring study of ζ Aurigae (K4 Ib + B5 V)using the Very Large Array to test the wind density model of Baade etal. that is based on Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Goddard HighResolution Spectrograph ultraviolet spectra. ζ Aur was monitored atcentimeter wavelengths over a complete orbital cycle, and fluxvariations during the orbit are found to be of similar magnitude tovariations at similar orbital phases in the adjacent orbit. Duringeclipse, the flux does not decrease, showing that the radio emissionoriginates from a volume substantially larger thanR3K~(150Rsolar)3 surroundingthe B star. Using the one-dimensional density model of the K4 Ibprimary's wind derived from HST spectral line profile modeling andelectron temperature estimates from previous optical and new HSTstudies, we find that the predicted radio fluxes are consistent withthose observed. Three-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations indicate thatthe accretion flow perturbations near the B star do not contributesignificantly to the total radio flux from the system, consistent withthe radio eclipse observations. Our radio observations confirm the slowwind acceleration for the evolved K4 Ib component. ζ Aur's velocitystructure does not appear to be typical of single stars with similarspectral types. This highlights the need for more comprehensivemultiwavelength studies for both single stars, which have been sadlyneglected, and other ζ Aur systems to determine if its windproperties are typical.
| 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.
| The orbits of southern binary Cepheids
High-resolution spectroscopic observations have been made of a number ofsouthern Cepheids. The stars studied were part of a long-term programmeto observe southern variable stars and to complete a data base of radialvelocities over a long time interval. The radial velocities have aprecision of ~300 m s-1, allowing the detection of velocitydifferences of ~1 km s-1 with confidence. Our new dataprovide a consistent set of data against which other sources of data canbe compared.Masses were determined for two systems, the 9-d Cepheid S Mus (6.2 +/-0.2 Msolar) and the 5-d Cepheid V350 Sgr (6.0 +/- 0.9Msolar). For another seven Cepheids (Y Car, YZ Car, AX Cir,BP Cir, V636 Sco, W Sgr and T Mon), new or improved orbital solutionswere found.New results presented here include the first orbital solution for AXCir, a completely revised orbital solution for YZ Car, which establishedits eccentricity and orbital motion, and a new pulsation period (2.39819 d) for BP Cir. The pulsational mass determinations provide furtherconfirmation of the convergence of mass determinations between dynamicaland evolutionary methods.
| Constraining the Lifetime of Circumstellar Disks in the Terrestrial Planet Zone: A Mid-Infrared Survey of the 30 Myr old Tucana-Horologium Association
We have conducted an N-band survey of 14 young stars in the ~30 Myr oldTucana-Horologium association to search for evidence of warm,circumstellar dust disks. Using the MIRAC-BLINC camera on the Magellan I(Baade) 6.5 m telescope, we find that none of the stars have astatistically significant N-band excess compared to the predictedstellar photospheric flux. Using three different sets of assumptions,this null result rules out the existence of the following around thesepost-T Tauri stars: (1) optically thick disks with inner hole radii of<~0.1 AU, (2) optically thin disks with masses of less than10-6 M⊕ (in ~1 μm sized grains) within<~10 AU of these stars, and (3) scaled-up analogs of the solar systemzodiacal dust cloud with more than 4000 times the emitting area. Oursurvey was sensitive to dust disks in the terrestrial planet zone withfractional luminosity oflog(Ldust/L*)~10-2.9, yet none werefound. Combined with results from previous surveys, these data suggestthat circumstellar dust disks become so optically thin as to beundetectable at N band before age ~20 Myr. We also present N-bandphotometry for several members of other young associations and asubsample of targets that will be observed with the Spitzer SpaceTelescope by the Formation and Evolution of Planetary Systems LegacyScience Program. Finally, we present an absolute calibration ofMIRAC-BLINC for four filters (L, N, 11.6, and Qs) on theCohen-Walker-Witteborn system.
| A Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer Survey of Coronal Forbidden Lines in Late-Type Stars
We present a survey of coronal forbidden lines detected in FarUltraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) spectra of nearby stars. Twostrong coronal features, Fe XVIII λ974 and Fe XIX λ1118,are observed in 10 of the 26 stars in our sample. Various other coronalforbidden lines, observed in solar flares, also were sought but notdetected. The Fe XVIII feature, formed at logT=6.8 K, appears to be freeof blends, whereas the Fe XIX line can be corrupted by a C I multiplet.FUSE observations of these forbidden iron lines at spectral resolutionλ/Δλ~15,000 provides the opportunity to studydynamics of hot coronal plasmas. We find that the velocity centroid ofthe Fe XVIII feature deviates little from the stellar rest frame,confirming that the hot coronal plasma is confined. The observed linewidths generally are consistent with thermal broadening at the hightemperatures of formation and show little indication of additionalturbulent broadening. The fastest rotating stars, 31 Com, α AurAb, and AB Dor, show evidence for excess broadening beyond the thermalcomponent and the photospheric vsini. The anomalously large widths inthese fast-rotating targets may be evidence for enhanced rotationalbroadening, consistent with emission from coronal regions extending anadditional ΔR~0.4-1.3R* above the stellar photosphere,or represent the turbulent broadening caused by flows along magneticloop structures. For the stars in which Fe XVIII is detected, there isan excellent correlation between the observed Röntgensatellit(ROSAT) 0.2-2.0 keV soft X-ray flux and the coronal forbidden line flux.As a result, Fe XVIII is a powerful new diagnostic of coronal thermalconditions and dynamics that can be utilized to study high-temperatureplasma processes in late-type stars. In particular, FUSE provides theopportunity to obtain observations of important transition region linesin the far-UV, as well as simultaneous measurements of soft X-raycoronal emission, using the Fe XVIII coronal forbidden line.
| Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph Survey of Far-Ultraviolet Coronal Forbidden Lines in Late-Type Stars
We describe an extensive search with the Space Telescope ImagingSpectrograph (STIS) for ultraviolet coronal (T>106 K)forbidden lines in a sample of 29 F-M dwarfs, giants, and supergiants.Measuring coronal lines in the 1150-1700 Å band with STIS hasimportant advantages of superior velocity resolution and an absolutewavelength calibration compared with using the Chandra or XMM-Newtongrating spectrometers to observe permitted transitions of the same ionstages in the kilovolt X-ray region. Fe XII λλ1242, 1349(T~2×106 K) and Fe XXI λ1354 (107 K)are well known from solar studies and have been reported in previousstellar work. A search for other coronal forbidden lines in the1200-1600 Å region was largely negative. The few candidateidentifications (e.g., Ar XIII λ1330 and Ca XV λ1375) aretoo faint to be diagnostically useful. We add new dwarfs to the list ofFe XII detections, including the nearby solar twin α Cen A (G2 V).Clear detections of Fe XXI were obtained in dMe stars, active giants, ashort-period RS CVn binary, and possibly in active solar-type dwarfs. Wedeveloped a semiempirical method for removing the C I blend thatpartially affects the Fe XXI λ1354 profile. As discussed recentlyby Johnson et al., Capella (α Aur; G8 III+G1 III) displays clearFe XXI variability between Goddard High-Resolution Spectograph (GHRS)and STIS observations 4 yr apart, which is apparently due to asubstantial decline in the contribution from the G8 primary. We presentan alternative model of the GHRS and STIS era profiles using informationin the two sets of line shapes jointly, as well as knowledge of thebehavior of Fe XXI profiles of other late-G ``clump'' giants similar toCapella G8. The full survey sample also provides a context for theapparent variability: the Fe XXI flux of the G8 star in the GHRSspectrum is nearly identical (in LFeXXI/Lbol) toother clump giants of similar LX/Lbol, but it haddropped at least a factor of 6 in the STIS measurement. The He IIλ1640 Bα feature-which is thought to be responsive tocoronal irradiation-also showed significant changes between the GHRS andSTIS epochs, but the decrease in the G8 star was much smaller than FeXXI. The Fe XII flux displays a correlation with the ROSAT 0.2-2 keVX-ray flux that can be described by an α=0.5 power law. Fe XXIexhibits a steeper, perhaps linear (α=1), correlation with theROSAT flux down to an activity level ofLX/Lbol~10-5, below which detections ofthe coronal forbidden line are rare. There is no evidence of large,systematic Doppler shifts in either Fe XII λ1242 or Fe XXIλ1354. This suggests that the emissions arise dominantly inconfined structures, analogous to magnetic loops on the Sun, ratherthan, say, in a hot wind. The Fe XII and Fe XXI line widths generallyare close to thermal (FWHM~40-90 km s-1 atT~106.2-107.0 K), except for the Hertzsprung-gapgiants 31 Comae (G0 III) and Capella G1 and the K1 subgiant primary ofHR 1099, all of which show evidence for excess broadening in Fe XXI (FeXII is obscured in these objects by broad N V λ1242 features). Ifthe excess broadening is rotational, it implies that the hot coronae of``X-ray-deficient'' 31 Com and Capella G1 are highly extended, contraryto the compact structures suggested by recent density estimates in anumber of active coronal sources.
| A statistical search for supermetallicity in F, G and K stars
High-dispersion and low-resolution data are combined to search forsuper-metal-rich (SMR) FGK stars in the solar neighbourhood and Baade'sWindow. The data are assessed by using statistical analysis, with theirrms errors playing a key role. A star is considered to be SMR if itsvalue of [Fe/H]>+0.2dex, while `borderline' SMR status may beassigned if +0.1<[Fe/H]<=+0.2dex. Borderline SMR status isassigned to μ Leo and three other giants, but no full-fledged SMRgiants are found in either Baade's Window or the solar neighbourhood. Bycontrast, the existence of SMR class IV-V stars turns out to be wellestablished, with values found for [Fe/H] that are as large as ~+0.4dex.It is concluded that this apparent contrast between class IV-V stars andgiants should not be interpreted in astrophysical terms at presentbecause of marked shortcomings in the available data base for giants.Recommendations are made about future research that may cure thisproblem and extend present knowledge about SMR dwarfs.
| Search for the General Magnetic Fields in Late-Type Giants
Surface-averaged longitudinal magnetic-field components (by analogy withthe Sun called the general magnetic field) have been measured for 15late-type giants with an accuracy of several Gauss. Statisticallysignificant fields were detected for nine of these stars. Themagnetic-field values obtained suggest the existence of general magneticfields in these giants.
| The Far-Ultraviolet Spectrum of T Tauri between 912 and 1185 Å
We report on a Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE)spectroscopic observation of the pre-main-sequence star T Tauri, thedefining object of pre-main-sequence stars. The FUSE satellite is theonly UV instrument currently available that can acquire high-qualityspectra between 912 and 1185 Å. The spectrum of T Tau was acquiredbetween 2000 January 15 and 16. Serendipitous observing conditionsresulted in a very low noise spectrum that allowed the detection ofseveral weak features, including the first detection of H2Werner-band emission in an extrasolar object. Based on observations madewith the NASA-CNES-CSA Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer. FUSE isoperated for NASA by Johns Hopkins University under NASA contract NAS5-32985.
| XMM-NEWTON/RGS First View of Coronas of Two Luminous Cool Stars
Two single cool stars, β Dra (G2Ib--IIa, HD 159181) and α TrA(K2 II--III, HD 150798) offer a contrast in the structure and evolutionof their outer atmospheres. Alpha TrA is a well-known hybrid object,from a class of cool luminous single stars originally identified basedon the presence of strong C IV emission accompanied by absorptionfeatures at low and high velocities indicating a massive stellar windand circumstellar material. The atmosphere of Beta Dra appears to besimilar to the solar coronal example with high temperature emission, butlacking a massive cool wind. X-Ray observations can help to delineatestructure and evolution of stellar coronae from the solar examplethrough the intermediate hybrid configuration. Spectra of these starsobtained with XMM/Newton under the Guest Investigator program containemission lines of many elements and ionic species. An emission measuredistribution is constructed from a line-based analysis. Differences instructure, density, and element abundance between the coronas of theseluminous stars are quantified. This research is supported in part by aNASA Grant NAG5-9977 to the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.
| A catalogue of calibrator stars for long baseline stellar interferometry
Long baseline stellar interferometry shares with other techniques theneed for calibrator stars in order to correct for instrumental andatmospheric effects. We present a catalogue of 374 stars carefullyselected to be used for that purpose in the near infrared. Owing toseveral convergent criteria with the work of Cohen et al.(\cite{cohen99}), this catalogue is in essence a subset of theirself-consistent all-sky network of spectro-photometric calibrator stars.For every star, we provide the angular limb-darkened diameter, uniformdisc angular diameters in the J, H and K bands, the Johnson photometryand other useful parameters. Most stars are type III giants withspectral types K or M0, magnitudes V=3-7 and K=0-3. Their angularlimb-darkened diameters range from 1 to 3 mas with a median uncertaintyas low as 1.2%. The median distance from a given point on the sky to theclosest reference is 5.2degr , whereas this distance never exceeds16.4degr for any celestial location. The catalogue is 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/393/183
| 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.
| The ASCA Medium Sensitivity Survey (the GIS Catalog Project): Source Catalog
We present the first X-ray source catalog of the ASCA Medium SensitivitySurvey (AMSS, or the GIS catalog project), constructed from data atGalactic latitudes b>10deg observed between 1993 May and 1996December. The catalog utilizes 368 combined fields and contains 1343sources with the detection significance above 5 σ either in thesurvey bands of 0.7-7 keV, 2-10 keV, or 0.7-2 keV, including targetsources. For each source, the ASCA source name, position, a 90% errorradius, count rates in the three bands, detection significances, fluxes,and a hardness ratio are provided. With extensive simulations, wecarefully evaluate the data quality of the catalog. Results fromcross-correlation with other existing catalogs are briefly summarized.
| Identification of Fe II Emission Lines in FUSE Stellar Spectra
We identify two complexes of Fe II emission lines in far-ultravioletspectra of the stars α TrA and HD 104237. Using spectra from boththe Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) and the SpaceTelescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) on board the Hubble SpaceTelescope (HST), we show that these emission lines, which represent themajority of previously unidentifed emission features in cool starspectra between 912 and 1180 Å, are fluorescent decays in Fe IIfollowing excitation by H Lyα. Specifically, followingphotoexcitation from the third term (4s a 4D) of Fe II,subsequent decays are observed to the two lowest terms (4s a6D and 3d7 a 4F) which are observednear 1100 and 1135 Å, respectively. Decays to higher terms, andhence longer wavelengths, also are clearly seen in the STIS spectra.Differences in the fluorescent Fe II spectra of α TrA and HD104237 are tentatively identified as resulting from differences in theintrinsic width of the density-weighted H Lyα radiation fields.The additional Fe II lines observed in α TrA result from abroadened H Lyα profile. Two features near 1060 Å appear tobe fluorescent lines of Cr II, also excited by H Lyα.
| Analysis of Energy Spectra with Low Photon Counts via Bayesian Posterior Simulation
Over the past 10 years Bayesian methods have rapidly grown more popularin many scientific disciplines as several computationally intensivestatistical algorithms have become feasible with increased computerpower. In this paper we begin with a general description of the Bayesianparadigm for statistical inference and the various state-of-the-artmodel-fitting techniques that we employ (e.g., the Gibbs sampler and theMetropolis-Hastings algorithm). These algorithms are very flexible andcan be used to fit models that account for the highly hierarchicalstructure inherent in the collection of high-quality spectra and thuscan keep pace with the accelerating progress of new space telescopedesigns. The methods we develop, which will soon be available in theChandra Interactive Analysis of Observations (CIAO) software, explicitlymodel photon arrivals as a Poisson process and thus have no difficultywith high-resolution low-count X-ray and γ-ray data. We expectthese methods to be useful not only for the recently launched ChandraX-Ray Observatory and XMM but also for new generation telescopes such asConstellation X, GLAST, etc. In the context of two examples (quasar S50014+813 and hybrid-chromosphere supergiant star α TrA), weillustrate a new highly structured model and how Bayesian posteriorsampling can be used to compute estimates, error bars, and credibleintervals for the various model parameters. Application of our method tothe high-energy tail of the ASCA spectrum of α TrA confirms thateven at a quiescent state, the coronal plasma on thishybrid-chromosphere star is indeed at high temperatures (>10 MK) thatnormally characterize flaring plasma on the Sun. We are also able toconstrain the coronal metallicity and find that although it is subjectto large uncertainties, it is consistent with the photosphericmeasurements.
| The warm circumstellar envelope and wind of the G9 IIb star HR 6902
IUE observations of the eclipsing binary system HR 6902 obtained atvarious epochs spread over four years indicate the presence of warmcircumstellar material enveloping the G9 IIb primary. The spectra showSi Iv and C Iv absorption up to a distance of 3.3 giant radii(Rg). Line ratio diagnostics yields an electron temperatureof ~ 78 000 K which appears to be constant over the observed heightrange. Applying a least square fit absorption line analysis we derivecolumn densities as a function of height. We find that the innerenvelope (< 3;Rg) of the bright giant is consistent with ahydrostatic density distribution. The derived line broadening velocityof ~ 70 km s-1 is sufficient to provide turbulent pressuresupport for the required scale height. However, an improved agreementwith observations over the whole height regime including the emissionline region is obtained with an outflow model. We demonstrate that thecommon β power-law as well as a P ∝ ρ wind yieldappropriate fit models. Adopting a continuous mass outflow we obtain amass-loss rate of Mȯ=0.8 - 3.4 × 10-11Msolar yr-1 depending on the particular windmodel. The emission lines observed during total eclipse are attributedmostly to resonance scattering of B star photons in the extendedenvelope of the giant. By means of a multi-dimensional line formationstudy we show that the global envelope properties are consistent withthe wind models derived from the absorption line analysis. We argue thatfuture high resolution UV spectroscopy will resolve the large-scalevelocity structure of the circumstellar shell. As an illustration wepresent theoretical Si Iv and C Iv emission profiles showingmodel-dependent line shifts and asymmetries.
| On the Wilson-Bappu relationship in the Mg II k line
An investigation is carried out on the Wilson-Bappu effect in the Mg Iik line at 2796.34 Å. The work is based on a selection of 230 starsobserved by both the IUE and HIPPARCOS satellites, covering a wide rangeof spectral types (F to M) and absolute visual magnitudes (-5.4<=MV <=9.0). A semi-automatic procedure is used to measurethe line widths, which applies also in the presence of strong centralabsorption reversal. The Wilson-Bappu relationship here provided isconsidered to represent an improvement over previous recent results forthe considerably larger data sample used, as well as for a properconsideration of the measurement errors. No evidence has been found fora possible dependence of the WB effect on stellar metallicity andeffective temperature.
| Catalogue of Apparent Diameters and Absolute Radii of Stars (CADARS) - Third edition - Comments and statistics
The Catalogue, available at the Centre de Données Stellaires deStrasbourg, consists of 13 573 records concerning the results obtainedfrom different methods for 7778 stars, reported in the literature. Thefollowing data are listed for each star: identifications, apparentmagnitude, spectral type, apparent diameter in arcsec, absolute radiusin solar units, method of determination, reference, remarks. Commentsand statistics obtained from CADARS are given. The Catalogue isavailable 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/qcar?J/A+A/367/521
| The proper motions of fundamental stars. I. 1535 stars from the Basic FK5
A direct combination of the positions given in the HIPPARCOS cataloguewith astrometric ground-based catalogues having epochs later than 1939allows us to obtain new proper motions for the 1535 stars of the BasicFK5. The results are presented as the catalogue Proper Motions ofFundamental Stars (PMFS), Part I. The median precision of the propermotions is 0.5 mas/year for mu alpha cos delta and 0.7mas/year for mu delta . The non-linear motions of thephotocentres of a few hundred astrometric binaries are separated intotheir linear and elliptic motions. Since the PMFS proper motions do notinclude the information given by the proper motions from othercatalogues (HIPPARCOS, FK5, FK6, etc.) this catalogue can be used as anindependent source of the proper motions of the fundamental stars.Catalogue (Table 3) is only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp tocdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strastg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/365/222
| High-Precision Radial Velocity Measurements of Some Southern Stars
Precise absolute radial velocities have been obtained at Mount JohnUniversity Observatory for a number of southern stars, using the 1 mtelescope and fiber-fed echelle spectrograph. Only the stars that havebeen observed three or more times are presented, including 14 IAUstandards and 11 program stars. Six echelle orders in the green(5000-5600 Å) are used. Many delicate steps have been undertakenin order to maintain the same conditions in both recording and reducingthe spectra over a period of 27 months. The Th-Ar lamp has been used forthe wavelength calibration. The absolute radial velocities have beendetermined by cross-correlation with synthetic spectra computed by R. L.Kurucz. The zero point has been adjusted using blue-sky spectra. Anadditional strong correlation, between the measured velocities andphoton counts in stellar and Th-Ar spectra, has been detected for thePM3000 CCD camera and has been eliminated. A resulting precision ofabout 20-30 m s-1 has been obtained. The overall uncertaintyof the absolute radial velocities was estimated to be about 100-200 ms-1. The present paper is a continuation of our recentprevious work, including more details on the reduction process and thepresentation of the radial velocities for more stars.
| Ca II activity and rotation in F-K evolved stars
Ca II H and K high resolution observations for 60 evolved stars in thefield and in 5 open clusters are presented. From these spectrachromospheric fluxes are derived, and a homogeneous sample of more than100 giants is built adding data from the literature. In addition, formost stars, rotational velocities were derived from CORAVELobservations. By comparing chromospheric emission in the cluster starswe confirm the results of Pasquini & Brocato (1992): chromosphericactivity depends on the stellar effective temperature, and mass, whenintermediate mass stars (M ~ 4 Msun) are considered. TheHyades and the Praesepe clump giants show the same level of activity, asexpected from stars with similar masses and effective temperatures. Adifference of up to 0.4 dex in the chromospheric fluxes among the Hyadesgiants is recorded and this sets a clear limit to the intrinsic spreadof stellar activity in evolved giants. These differences in otherwisevery similar stars are likely due to stellar cycles and/or differencesin the stellar initial angular momentum. Among the field stars none ofthe giants with (V-R)o < 0.4 and Ia supergiants observedshows a signature of Ca II activity; this can be due either to the realabsence of a chromosphere, but also to other causes which preclude theappearance of Ca II reversal. By analyzing the whole sample we find thatchromospheric activity scales linearly with stellar rotational velocityand a high power of stellar effective temperature: F'k ~Teff7.7 (Vsini)0.9. This result can beinterpreted as the effect of two chromospheric components of differentnature: one mechanical and one magnetic. Alternatively, by using theHipparcos parallaxes and evolutionary tracks, we divide the sampleaccording to the stellar masses, and we follow the objects along anevolutionary track. For each range of masses activity can simply beexpressed as a function of only one parameter: either theTeff or the angular rotation Omega , with laws F'k~ Omega alpha , because angular velocity decreases witheffective temperature along an evolutionary track. By using theevolutionary tracks and the observed Vsini we investigate the evolutionof the angular momentum for evolved stars in the range 1-5Msun. For the 1.6-3 solar mass stars the data are consistentwith the IOmega =const law while lower and higher masses follow a lawsimilar to IOmega 2=const, where I is the computed stellarmomentum of inertia. We find it intriguing that Vsini remains almostconstant for 1Msun stars along their evolution; if a similarbehavior is shared by Pop II stars, this could explain the relativelyhigh degree of activity observed in Pop II giants. Finally, through theuse of models, we have verified the consistency of the F'k ~Omega alpha and the IOmega beta = Const lawsderived, finding an excellent agreement. This representation, albeitcrude (the models do not consider, for instance, mass losses) representsthe evolution of Ca II activity and of the angular momentum in asatisfactory way in most of the portion of HR diagram analyzed.Different predictions could be tested with observations in selectedclusters. Based on observations collected at ESO, La Silla. Tables 1-3are only available 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
| Sixth Catalogue of Fundamental Stars (FK6). Part I. Basic fundamental stars with direct solutions
The FK6 is a suitable combination of the results of the HIPPARCOSastrometry satellite with ground-based data, measured over more than twocenturies and summarized in the FK5. Part I of the FK6 (abbreviatedFK6(I)) contains 878 basic fundamental stars with direct solutions. Suchdirect solutions are appropriate for single stars or for objects whichcan be treated like single stars. From the 878 stars in Part I, we haveselected 340 objects as "astrometrically excellent stars", since theirinstantaneous proper motions and mean (time-averaged) ones do not differsignificantly. Hence most of the astrometrically excellent stars arewell-behaving "single-star candidates" with good astrometric data. Thesestars are most suited for high-precision astrometry. On the other hand,199 of the stars in Part I are Δμ binaries in the sense ofWielen et al. (1999). Many of them are newly discovered probablebinaries with no other hitherto known indication of binarity. The FK6gives, besides the classical "single-star mode" solutions (SI mode),other solutions which take into account the fact that hidden astrometricbinaries among "apparently single-stars" introduce sizable "cosmicerrors" into the quasi-instantaneously measured HIPPARCOS proper motionsand positions. The FK6 gives in addition to the SI mode the "long-termprediction (LTP) mode" and the "short-term prediction (STP) mode". TheseLTP and STP modes are on average the most precise solutions forapparently single stars, depending on the epoch difference with respectto the HIPPARCOS epoch of about 1991. The typical mean error of anFK6(I) proper motion in the single-star mode is 0.35 mas/year. This isabout a factor of two better than the typical HIPPARCOS errors for thesestars of 0.67 mas/year. In the long-term prediction mode, in whichcosmic errors are taken into account, the FK6(I) proper motions have atypical mean error of 0.50 mas/year, which is by a factor of more than 4better than the corresponding error for the HIPPARCOS values of 2.21mas/year (cosmic errors included).
| The Rise and Fall of μ Velorum: A Remarkable Flare on a Yellow Giant Star Observed with the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer
The close visual double μ Velorum (HD 93497; G6 III+dF) consists of ayellow giant and a fainter companion currently 2" apart. Recently μVel was the source of a large flare recorded by the Extreme UltravioletExplorer. The long 1.5 day decay phase was like the extremes seen onhyperactive RS CVn-type binaries. The primary, μ Vel A is a 3Msolar star, in the ``rapid braking zone'' redward of G0 III.Yellow giants are not commonly reported as flare stars, perhaps becausethe first-crossers are relatively rare and not well represented in theobservational samples. The secondary star is classified G2 V, but the1700 Å energy distribution places it earlier on the main sequence,probably F4 or F5 V, in a class also not usually known for coronalvariability. The long duration of the μ Vel event suggests that itoccurred in a significantly elongated structure of moderate density,ne<~109 cm-3. If it was a magneticplasmoid, like a coronal mass ejection on the Sun, then such eventsmight play a role in shedding angular momentum from active evolvedstars. The associated spin-down could control the activity survival timeof red giants (in later stages of evolution than the first-crosser μVel) whose dynamos were rejunvenated by dredge-up of angular momentumfrom the interior, or more exotic sources, such as cannibalism ofclose-in substellar companions during the first or second ascent.
| Spectral Irradiance Calibration in the Infrared. X. A Self-Consistent Radiometric All-Sky Network of Absolutely Calibrated Stellar Spectra
We start from our six absolutely calibrated continuous stellar spectrafrom 1.2 to 35 μm for K0, K1.5, K3, K5, and M0 giants. These wereconstructed as far as possible from actual observed spectral fragmentstaken from the ground, the Kuiper Airborne Observatory, and the IRAS LowResolution Spectrometer, and all have a common calibration pedigree.From these we spawn 422 calibrated ``spectral templates'' for stars withspectral types in the ranges G9.5-K3.5 III and K4.5-M0.5 III. Wenormalize each template by photometry for the individual stars usingpublished and/or newly secured near- and mid-infrared photometryobtained through fully characterized, absolutely calibrated,combinations of filter passband, detector radiance response, and meanterrestrial atmospheric transmission. These templates continue ourongoing effort to provide an all-sky network of absolutely calibrated,spectrally continuous, stellar standards for general infrared usage, allwith a common, traceable calibration heritage. The wavelength coverageis ideal for calibration of many existing and proposed ground-based,airborne, and satellite sensors, particularly low- tomoderate-resolution spectrometers. We analyze the statistics of probableuncertainties, in the normalization of these templates to actualphotometry, that quantify the confidence with which we can assert thatthese templates truly represent the individual stars. Each calibratedtemplate provides an angular diameter for that star. These radiometricangular diameters compare very favorably with those directly observedacross the range from 1.6 to 21 mas.
| Catalogs of temperatures and [Fe/H] averages for evolved G and K stars
A catalog of mean values of [Fe/H] for evolved G and K stars isdescribed. The zero point for the catalog entries has been establishedby using differential analyses. Literature sources for those entries areincluded in the catalog. The mean values are given with rms errors andnumbers of degrees of freedom, and a simple example of the use of thesestatistical data is given. For a number of the stars with entries in thecatalog, temperatures have been determined. A separate catalogcontaining those data is briefly described. Catalog only available atthe CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/Abstract.html
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Observation and Astrometry data
| Constellation: | Triangle austral |
| Right ascension: | 16h48m39.90s |
| Declination: | -69°01'40.0" |
| Apparent magnitude: | 1.92 |
| Distance: | 127.389 parsecs |
| Proper motion RA: | 17.3 |
| Proper motion Dec: | -32.7 |
| B-T magnitude: | 3.79 |
| V-T magnitude: | 2.052 |
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