| 1. |
- Fomalont, E. B., et al.
(författare)
-
THE 2014 ALMA LONG BASELINE CAMPAIGN: AN OVERVIEW
- 2015
-
Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal Letters. - : American Astronomical Society. - 2041-8213 .- 2041-8205. ; 808:1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A major goal of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) is to make accurate images with resolutions of tens of milliarcseconds, which at submillimeter (submm) wavelengths requires baselines up to similar to 15 km. To develop and test this capability, a Long Baseline Campaign (LBC) was carried out from 2014 September to late November, culminating in end-to-end observations, calibrations, and imaging of selected Science Verification (SV) targets. This paper presents an overview of the campaign and its main results, including an investigation of the short-term coherence properties and systematic phase errors over the long baselines at the ALMA site, a summary of the SV targets and observations, and recommendations for science observing strategies at long baselines. Deep ALMA images of the quasar 3C 138 at 97 and 241 GHz are also compared to VLA 43 GHz results, demonstrating an agreement at a level of a few percent. As a result of the extensive program of LBC testing, the highly successful SV imaging at long baselines achieved angular resolutions as fine as 19 mas at similar to 350 GHz. Observing with ALMA on baselines of up to 15 km is now possible, and opens up new parameter space for submm astronomy.
|
|
| 2. |
|
|
| 3. |
|
|
| 4. |
- Khouri, T., et al.
(författare)
-
The wind of W Hydrae as seen by Herschel I. The CO envelope
- 2014
-
Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 561, s. Article no. A5-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. Asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars lose their envelopes by means of a stellar wind whose driving mechanism is not understood well. Characterizing the composition and thermal and dynamical structure of the outflow provides constraints that are essential for understanding AGB evolution, including the rate of mass loss and isotopic ratios. Aims. We characterize the CO emission from the wind of the low mass-loss rate oxygen-rich AGB star W Hya using data obtained by the HIFI, PACS, and SPIRE instruments on board the Herschel Space Observatory and ground-based telescopes. (CO)-C-12 and (CO)-C-13 lines are used to constrain the intrinsic C-12/C-13 ratio from resolved HIFI lines. Methods. We combined a state-of-the-art molecular line emission code and a dust continuum radiative transfer code to model the CO lines and the thermal dust continuum. Results. The acceleration of the outflow up to about 5.5 km s(-1) is quite slow and can be represented by a beta-type velocity law with index beta = 5. Beyond this point, acceleration up the terminal velocity of 7 km s(-1) is faster. Using the J = 10-9, 9-8, and 6-5 transitions, we find an intrinsic C-12/C-13 ratio of 18 +/- 10 for W Hya, where the error bar is mostly due to uncertainties in the (CO)-C-12 abundance and the stellar flux around 4.6 mu m. To match the low-excitation CO lines, these molecules need to be photo-dissociated at similar to 500 stellar radii. The radial dust emission intensity profile of our stellar wind model matches PACS images at 70 mu m out to 20 '' (or 800 stellar radii). For larger radii the observed emission is substantially stronger than our model predicts, indicating that at these locations there is extra material present. Conclusions. The initial slow acceleration of the wind may imply inefficient dust formation or dust driving in the lower part of the envelope. The final injection of momentum in the wind might be the result of an increase in the opacity thanks to the late condensation of dust species. The derived intrinsic isotopologue ratio for W Hya is consistent with values set by the first dredge-up and suggestive of an initial mass of 2 M-circle dot or more. However, the uncertainty in the isotopologic ratio is large, which makes it difficult to set reliable limits on W Hya's main-sequence mass.
|
|
| 5. |
- Lykou, F., et al.
(författare)
-
Dissecting the AGB star L-2 Puppis : a torus in the making
- 2015
-
Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 576
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims. The circumstellar environment of L-2 Pup, an oxygen-rich semiregular variable, was observed to understand the evolution of mass loss and the shaping of ejecta in the late stages of stellar evolution. Methods. High-angular resolution observations from a single 8 m telescope were obtained using aperture masking in the near-infrared (1.64, 2.30 and 3.74 mu m) on the NACO/VLT, both in imaging and polarimetric modes. Results. The aperture-masking images of L-2 Pup at 2.30 mu m show a resolved structure that resembles a toroidal structure with a major axis of similar to 140 milliarcseconds (mas) and an east-west orientation. Two clumps can be seen on either side of the star, similar to 65 mas from the star, beyond the edge of the circumstellar envelope (estimated diameter is similar to 27 mas), while a faint, hook-like structure appear toward the northeast. The patterns are visible both in the imaging and polarimetric mode, although the latter was only used to measure the total intensity (Stokes I). The overall shape of the structure is similar at the 3.74 mu m pseudo-continuum (dust emission), where the clumps appear to be embedded within a dark, dusty lane. The faint, hook-like patterns are also seen at this wavelength, extending northeast and southwest with the central, dark lane being an apparent axis of symmetry. We interpret the structure as a circumstellar torus with inner radius of 4.2 au. With a rotation velocity of 10 kms(-1) as suggested by the SiO maser profile, we estimate a stellar mass of 0.7 M-circle dot.
|
|
| 6. |
- Ramstedt, Sofia, et al.
(författare)
-
The wonderful complexity of the Mira AB system
- 2014
-
Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 570, s. Art. no. L14-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We have mapped the (CO)-C-12(3-2) line emission around the Mira AB system at 0 ''.5 resolution using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). The CO map shows amazing complexity. The circumstellar gas has been shaped by different dynamical actors during the evolution of the system, and several morphological components can be identified. The companion is marginally resolved in continuum emission and is currently at 0 ''.487 +/- 0 ''.006 separation. In the main line component, centered on the stellar velocity, spiral arcs around Mira A are found. The spiral appears to be relatively flat and oriented in the orbital plane. An accretion wake behind the companion is clearly visible, and the projected arc separation is about 5 ''. In the blue wing of the line emission, offset from the main line, several large (similar to 5-10 '') opposing arcs are found. We tentatively suggest that this structure is created by the wind of Mira B blowing a bubble in the expanding envelope of Mira A.
|
|
| 7. |
|
|
| 8. |
- Justtanont, Kay, 1965, et al.
(författare)
-
A HIFI preview of warm molecular gas around chi Cygni: first detection of H2O emission toward an S-type AGB star
- 2010
-
Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 521:1, s. Article Number: L6-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims. A set of new, sensitive, and spectrally resolved, sub-millimeter line observations are used to probe the warm circumstellar gas around the S-type AGB star chi Cyg. The observed lines involve high rotational quantum numbers, which, combined with previously obtained lower-frequency data, make it posible to study in detail the chemical and physical properties of, essentially, the entire circumstellar envelope of chi Cyg. Methods. The data were obtained using the HIFI instrument aboard Herschel, whose high spectral resolution provides valuable information about the line profiles. Detailed, non-LTE, radiative transfer modelling, including dust radiative transfer coupled with a dynamical model, has been performed to derive the temperature, density, and velocity structure of the circumstellar envelope. Results. We report the first detection of circumstellar H2O rotational emission lines in an S-star. Using the high-J CO lines to derive the parameters for the circumstellar envelope, we modelled both the ortho-and para-H2O lines. Our modelling results are consistent with the velocity structure expected for a dust-driven wind. The derived total H2O abundance (relative to H-2) is (1.1 +/- 0.2) x 10(-5), much lower than that in O-rich stars. The derived ortho-to-para ratio of 2.1 +/- 0.6 is close to the high-temperature equilibrium limit, consistent with H2O being formed in the photosphere.
|
|
| 9. |
- Justtanont, Kay, 1965, et al.
(författare)
-
Herschel/HIFI observations of O-rich AGB stars: molecular inventory
- 2012
-
Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 537, s. Article Number: A144 -
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims. Spectra, taken with the heterodyne instrument, HIFI, aboard the Herschel Space Observatory, of O-rich asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars which form part of the guaranteed time key program HIFISTARS are presented. The aim of this program is to study the dynamical structure, mass-loss driving mechanism, and chemistry of the outflows from AGB stars as a function of chemical composition and initial mass. Methods. We used the HIFI instrument to observe nine AGB stars, mainly in the H2O and high rotational CO lines. We investigate the correlation between line luminosity, line ratio and mass-loss rate, line width and excitation energy. Results. A total of nine different molecules, along with some of their isotopologues have been identified, covering a wide range of excitation temperature. Maser emission is detected in both the ortho-and para-H2O molecules. The line luminosities of ground state lines of ortho- and para-H2O, the high-J CO and NH3 lines show a clear correlation with mass-loss rate. The line ratios of H2O and NH3 relative to CO J = 6-5 correlate with the mass-loss rate while ratios of higher CO lines to the 6-5 is independent of it. In most cases, the expansion velocity derived from the observed line width of highly excited transitions formed relatively close to the stellar photosphere is lower than that of lower excitation transitions, formed farther out, pointing to an accelerated outflow. In some objects, the vibrationally excited H2O and SiO which probe the acceleration zone suggests the wind reaches its terminal velocity already in the innermost part of the envelope, i.e., the acceleration is rapid. Interestingly, for R Dor we find indications of a deceleration of the outflow in the region where the material has already escaped from the star.
|
|
| 10. |
- Khouri, T., et al.
(författare)
-
The wind of W Hydrae as seen by Herschel II. The molecular envelope of W Hydrae
- 2014
-
Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 570, s. Art. no. A67-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. The evolution of low- and intermediate-mass stars on the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) is mainly controlled by the rate at which these stars lose mass in a stellar wind. Understanding the driving mechanism and strength of the stellar winds of AGB stars and the processes enriching their surfaces with products of nucleosynthesis are paramount to constraining AGB evolution and predicting the chemical evolution of galaxies. Aims. In a previous paper we have constrained the structure of the outflowing envelope of W Hya using spectral lines of the (CO)-C-12 molecule. Here we broaden this study by including an extensive set of H2O and (SiO)-Si-28 lines. It is the first time such a comprehensive study is performed for this source. The oxygen isotopic ratios and the (SiO)-Si-28 abundance profile can be connected to the initial stellar mass and to crucial aspects of dust formation at the base of the stellar wind, respectively. Methods. We model the molecular emission observed by the three instruments on board Herschel Space Observatory using a state-of-the-art molecular excitation and radiative transfer code. We also account for the dust radiation field in our calculations. Results. We find an H2O ortho-to-para ratio of 2.5(-1.0)(+2.5), consistent with what is expected for an AGB wind. The O-16/O-17 ratio indicates that W Hya has an initial mass of about 1.5 M-circle dot. Although the ortho-and para-H2O lines observed by HIFI appear to trace gas of slightly different physical properties, we find that a turbulence velocity of 0.7 +/- 0.1 km s(-1) fits the HIFI lines of both spin isomers and those of (SiO)-Si-28 well. Conclusions. The modelling of H2O and (SiO)-Si-28 confirms the properties of the envelope model of W Hya, as derived from (CO)-C-12 lines, and allows us to constrain the turbulence velocity. The ortho-and para-(H2O)-O-16 and (SiO)-Si-28 abundances relative to H-2 are (6(2)(+3)) x 10(-4), (3(-1)(+2)) x 10(-4), and (3.3 +/- 0.8) x 10(-5), respectively, in agreement with expectations for oxygen-rich AGB outflows. Assuming a solar silicon-to-carbon ratio, the (SiO)-Si-28 line emission model is consistent with about one-third of the silicon atoms being locked up in dust particles.
|
|
