| 1. |
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| 2. |
- Adén, Daniel, et al.
(författare)
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A photometric and spectroscopic study of the new dwarf spheroidal galaxy in Hercules. Metallicity, velocities and a clean list of RGB members
- 2009
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Ingår i: Astronomy & Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 506:3, s. 1147-1168
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Our aim is to provide as clean and as complete a sample as possible of red giant branch stars that are members of the Hercules dSph galaxy. With this sample we explore the velocity dispersion and the metallicity of the system. Stromgren photometry and multi-fibre spectroscopy are combined to provide information about the evolutionary state of the stars (via the Stromgren c_1 index) and their radial velocities. Based on this information we have selected a clean sample of red giant branch stars, and show that foreground contamination by Milky Way dwarf stars can greatly distort the results. Our final sample consists of 28 red giant branch stars in the Hercules dSph galaxy. Based on these stars we find a mean photometric metallicity of -2.35 dex which is consistent with previous studies. We find evidence for an abundance spread. Using those stars for which we have determined radial velocities we find a systemic velocity of 45.2 km/s with a dispersion of 3.72 km/s, this is lower than values found in the literature. Furthermore we identify the horizontal branch and estimate the mean magnitude of the horizontal branch of the Hercules dSph galaxy to be V_0=21.17, which corresponds to a distance of 147 kpc. We have shown that a proper cleaning of the sample results in a smaller value for the velocity dispersion of the system. This has implications for galaxy properties derived from such velocity dispersions.
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| 3. |
- Aldenius, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Accurate Ritz wavelengths of parity-forbidden [FeII], [TiII] and [CrII] infrared lines of astrophysical interest
- 2007
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Ingår i: Astronomy & Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 467, s. 152-753
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context: With new astronomical infrared spectrographs the demands of accurate atomic data in the infrared have increased. In this region there is a large amount of parity-forbidden lines, which are of importance in diagnostics of low-density astrophysical plasmas. Aims: We present improved, experimentally determined, energy levels for the lowest even LS terms of Fe ii, Ti ii and Cr ii, along with accurate Ritz wavelengths for parity-forbidden transitions between and within these terms. Methods: Spectra of Fe ii, Ti ii and Cr ii have been produced in a hollow cathode discharge lamp and acquired using high-resolution Fourier Transform (FT) spectrometry. The energy levels have been determined by using observed allowed ultraviolet transitions connecting the even terms with upper odd terms. Ritz wavelengths of parity-forbidden lines have then been determined. Results: Energy levels of the four lowest Fe ii terms (a6D, a4F, a4D and a4P) have been determined, resulting in 97 different parityforbidden transitions with wavelengths between 0.74 and 87 µm. For Ti ii the energy levels of the two lowest terms (a4F and b4F) have been determined, resulting in 24 different parity-forbidden transitions with wavelengths between 8.9 and 130 µm. Also for Cr ii the energy levels of the two lowest terms (a6S and a6D) have been determined, in this case resulting in 12 different parity-forbidden transitions with wavelengths between 0.80 and 140 µm.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Aldenius, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Experimental Mg I oscillator strengths and radiative lifetimes for astrophysical applications on metal-poor stars - New data for the MgI b triplet
- 2007
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Ingår i: Astronomy & Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 461:2, s. 767-773
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. The stellar abundance ratio of Mg/Fe is an important tool in diagnostics of galaxy evolution. In order to make reliable measurements of the Mg abundance of stars, it is necessary to have accurate values for the oscillator strength (f- value) of each of the observable transitions. In metal-poor stars the MgI 3p-4s triplet around 5175 angstrom (Fraunhofer's so-called b lines) are the most prominent magnesium lines. The lines also appear as strong features in the solar spectrum. Aims. We present new and improved experimental oscillator strengths for the optical MgI 3p-4s triplet, along with experimental radiative lifetimes for six terms in Mg I. With these data we discuss the implications on previous and future abundance analyses of metal-poor stars. Methods. The oscillator strengths have been determined by combining radiative lifetimes with branching fractions, where the radiative lifetimes are measured using the laser induced fluorescence technique and the branching fractions are determined using intensity calibrated Fourier Transform (FT) spectra. The FT spectra are also used for determining new accurate laboratory wavelengths for the 3p-4s transitions. Results. The f-values of the MgI 3p-4s lines have been determined with an absolute uncertainty of 9%, giving an uncertainty of +/- 0.04 dex in the log g f values. Compared to values previously used in abundance analyses of metal-poor stars, rescaling to the new values implies an increase of typically 0.04 dex in the magnesium abundance.
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| 6. |
- Bensby, Thomas, et al.
(författare)
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alpha-, r-, and s-process element trends in the Galactic thin and thick disks
- 2005
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 1432-0746 .- 0004-6361. ; 433, s. 185-203
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- From a detailed elemental abundance analysis of 102 F and G dwarf starswe present abundance trends in the Galactic thin and thick disks for 14elements (O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Ti, Cr, Fe, Ni, Zn, Y, Ba, and Eu).Stellar parameters and elemental abundances (except for Y, Ba and Eu)for 66 of the 102 stars were presented in our previous studies (Bensbyet al. 2003, 2004a). The 36 stars that are new in this study extend andconfirm our previous results and allow us to draw further conclusionsregarding abundance trends. The s-process elements Y and Ba, and ther-element Eu have also been considered here for the whole sample for thefirst time. With this new larger sample we now have the followingresults: 1) Smooth and distinct trends that for the thin and thick disksare clearly separated; 2) The alpha-element trends for the thick diskshow typical signatures from the enrichment of SNIa; 3) The thick diskstellar sample is in the mean older than the thin disk stellar sample;4) The thick disk abundance trends are invariant with galactocentricradii (R_m); 5) The thick disk abundance trends appear to be invariantwith vertical distance (Z_max) from the Galactic plane. Adding furtherevidence from the literaure we argue that a merger/interacting scenariowith a companion galaxy to produce a kinematical heating of the stars(that make up today's thick disk) in a pre-existing old thin disk is themost likely formation scenario for the Galactic thick disk.
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| 7. |
- Bjerkeli, Per, 1977, et al.
(författare)
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Odin observations of water in molecular outflows and shocks
- 2009
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 507:3, s. 1455-1466
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims: We investigate the ortho-water abundance in outflows and shocks in order to improve our knowledge of shock chemistry and of the physics behind molecular outflows.Methods: We used the Odin space observatory to observe the H2O(110-101) line. We obtain strip maps and single pointings of 13 outflows and two supernova remnants where we report detections for eight sources. We used RADEX to compute the beam averaged abundances of o-H2O relative to H2. In the case of non-detection, we derive upper limits on the abundance.Results: Observations of CO emission from the literature show that the volume density of H2 can vary to a large extent, a parameter that puts severe uncertainties on the derived abundances. Our analysis shows a wide range of abundances reflecting the degree to which shock chemistry affects the formation and destruction of water. We also compare our results with recent results from the SWAS team.Conclusions: Elevated abundances of ortho-water are found in several sources. The abundance reaches values as high as what would be expected from a theoretical C-type shock where all oxygen, not in the form of CO, is converted to water. However, the high abundances we derive could also be due to the low densities (derived from CO observations) that we assume. The water emission may in reality stem from high density regions much smaller than the Odin beam. We do not find any relationship between the abundance and the mass loss rate. On the other hand, there is a relation between the derived water abundance and the observed maximum outflow velocity.Odin is a Swedish-led satellite project funded jointly by the Swedish National Space Board (SNSB), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), the National Technology Agency of Finland (Tekes) and Centre National d'Étude Spatiale (CNES).The Swedish ESO Submillimetre Telescope (SEST) located at La Silla, Chile was funded by the Swedish Research Council (VR) and the European Southern Observatory. It was decommissioned in 2003. Appendix B is only available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org
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| 8. |
- Cowley, CR, et al.
(författare)
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Abundances of vanadium and bromine in 3 Centauri A - Additional odd-Z anomalies
- 2006
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Ingår i: Astronomy & Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 447:2, s. 681-684
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report abundance excesses of 1.2 and 2.6 dex, respectively, for vanadium and bromine in the hot, peculiar star 3 Cen A. Abundances for these two odd-Z elements have not been previously reported for this star. Taken with previous work, they strengthen the case of the origin of the abundance peculiarities by diffusion.
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| 9. |
- De Marchi, F., et al.
(författare)
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Search and analysis of blue straggler stars in open clusters
- 2006
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Ingår i: Astronomy & Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 459:2, s. 489-497
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims. This paper presents a new homogeneous catalogue of blue straggler stars ( BSS) in Galactic open clusters. Methods. Photometric data for 216 clusters were collected from the literature and 2782 BSS candidates were extracted from 76 of them. Results. We found that the anticorrelation of BSS frequency vs. total magnitude identified in similar studies conducted on Galactic globular clusters extends to the open cluster regime: clusters with smaller total magnitude tend to have higher BSS frequencies. Moreover, a clear correlation between the BSS frequency ( obtained normalising the total number of BSS either to the total cluster mass or, for the older clusters, to the total number of clump stars) and the age of the clusters was found. A simple model is developed here to try to explain this last and new result. The model allows us to ascertain the important effect played by mass loss in the evolution of open clusters.
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| 10. |
- Decin, L., et al.
(författare)
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Probing the mass-loss history of the unusual Mira variable R Hydrae through its infrared CO wind
- 2008
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 484:2, s. 401-U55
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. The unusual Mira variable R Hya is well known for its declining period between ad 1770 and 1950, which is possibly attributed to a recent thermal pulse. Aims. The goal of this study is to probe the circumstellar envelope (CSE) around R Hya and to check for a correlation between the derived density structure and the declining period. Methods. We investigate the CSE around R Hya by performing an in-depth analysis of (1.) the photospheric light scattered by three vibration-rotation transitions in the fundamental band of CO at 4.6 mu m; and (2.) the pure rotational CO J = 1-0 through 6-5 emission lines excited in the CSE. The vibrational-rotational lines trace the inner CSE within 3.5 '', whereas the pure rotational CO lines are sensitive probes of the cooler gas further out in the CSE. Results. The combined analysis bear evidence of a change in mass-loss rate some 220 yr ago (at similar to 150 R-* or similar to 1.9 arcsec from the star). While the mass-loss rate before ad 1770 is estimated to be similar to 2 x 10(-7) M-circle dot/yr, the present day mass-loss rate is a factor of similar to 20 lower. The derived mass-loss history nicely agrees with the mass-loss rate estimates by Zijlstra et al. (2002) on the basis of the period decline. Moreover, the recent detection of an AGB-ISM bow shock around R Hya at 100 arcsec to the west by Wareing et al. (2006) shows that the detached shell seen in the 60 mu m IRAS images can be explained by a slowing-down of the stellar wind by surrounding matter and that no extra mass-loss modulation around 1-2 arcmin needs to be invoked. Conclusions. Our results give empirical evidence to the thermal-pulse model, which is capable of explaining both the period evolution and the mass-loss history of R Hya.
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