| 1. |
- Weigelt, G., et al.
(författare)
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VLTI-MATISSE chromatic aperture-synthesis imaging of eta Carinae's stellar wind across the Br alpha line Periastron passage observations in February 2020
- 2021
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 652
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. Eta Carinae is a highly eccentric, massive binary system (semimajor axis similar to 15.5 au) with powerful stellar winds and a phase-dependent wind-wind collision (WWC) zone. The primary star, eta Car A, is a luminous blue variable (LBV); the secondary, eta Car B, is a Wolf-Rayet or O star with a faster but less dense wind. Aperture-synthesis imaging allows us to study the mass loss from the enigmatic LBV eta Car. Understanding LBVs is a crucial step toward improving our knowledge about massive stars and their evolution. Aims. Our aim is to study the intensity distribution and kinematics of eta Car's WWC zone. Methods. Using the VLTI-MATISSE mid-infrared interferometry instrument, we perform Br alpha imaging of eta Car's distorted wind. Results. We present the first VLTI-MATISSE aperture-synthesis images of eta Car A's stellar windin several spectral channels distributed across the Br alpha 4.052 mu m line (spectral resolving power R similar to 960). Our observations were performed close to periastron passage in February 2020 (orbital phase similar to 14.0022). The reconstructed iso-velocity images show the dependence of the primary stellar wind on wavelength or line-of-sight (LOS) velocity with a spatial resolution of 6 mas (similar to 14 au). The radius of the faintest outer wind regions is similar to 26 mas (similar to 60 au). At several negative LOS velocities, the primary stellar wind is less extended to the northwest than in other directions. This asymmetry is most likely caused by the WWC. Therefore, we see both the velocity field of the undisturbed primary wind and the WWC cavity. In continuum spectral channels, the primary star wind is more compact than in line channels. A fit of the observed continuum visibilities with the visibilities of a stellar wind CMFGEN model (CMFGEN is an atmosphere code developed to model the spectra of a variety of objects) provides a full width at half maximum fit diameter of the primary stellar wind of 2.84 +/- 0.06 mas (6.54 +/- 0.14 au). We comparethe derived intensity distributions with the CMFGEN stellar wind model and hydrodynamic WWC models.
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| 2. |
- Chiavassa, A., et al.
(författare)
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The extended atmosphere and circumstellar environment of the cool evolved star VX Sagittarii as seen by MATISSE star
- 2022
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 658
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. VX Sgr is a cool, evolved, and luminous red star whose stellar parameters are difficult to determine, which affects its classification.Aims. We aim to spatially resolve the photospheric extent as well as the circumstellar environment.Methods. We used interferometric observations obtained with the MATISSE instrument in the L (3-4 mu m), M (4.5-5 mu m), and N (8-13 mu m) bands. We reconstructed monochromatic images using the MIRA software. We used 3D radiation-hydrodynamics simulations carried out with (COBOLD)-B-5 and a uniform disc model to estimate the apparent diameter and interpret the stellar surface structures. Moreover, we employed the radiative transfer codes OPTIM3D and RADMC3D to compute the spectral energy distribution for the L, M, and N bands, respectively.Results. MATISSE observations unveil, for the first time, the morphology of VX Sgr across the L, M, and N bands. The reconstructed images show a complex morphology with brighter areas whose characteristics depend on the wavelength probed. We measured the angular diameter as a function of the wavelength and showed that the photospheric extent in the L and M bands depends on the opacity through the atmosphere. In addition to this, we also concluded that the observed photospheric inhomogeneities can be interpreted as convection-related surface structures. The comparison in the N band yielded a qualitative agreement between the N-band spectrum and simple dust radiative transfer simulations. However, it is not possible to firmly conclude on the interpretation of the current data because of the difficulty in constraing the model parameters using the limited accuracy of our absolute flux calibration.Conclusions. MATISSE observations and the derived reconstructed images unveil the appearance of VX Sgr's stellar surface and circumstellar environment across a very large spectral domain for the first time.
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| 3. |
- Nilsson, K. K., et al.
(författare)
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Evolution in the properties of Lyman-α emitters from redshifts z ~ 3 to z ~ 2
- 2009
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 498:1, s. 13-23
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context: Narrow-band surveys to detect Lyα emitters are powerful tools for identifying high, and very high, redshift galaxies. Although samples are increasing at redshifts z = 3 {-} 6, the nature of these galaxies is still poorly known. The number of galaxies detected at redshifts below z ˜ 3 are also small. Aims: We study the properties of z = 2.25 Lyα emitters and compare them with those of z > 3 Lyα emitters. Methods: We present narrow-band imaging made with the MPG/ESO 2.2m telescope and the WFI (Wide Field Imager) detector. Using this data, we have searched for emission-line objects. We find 170 candidate typical Lyα emitters and 17 candidates that we regard as high UV-transmission Lyα emitters. We have derived the magnitudes of these objects in 8 photometric bands from u* to K_s, and studied whether they have X-ray and/or radio counterparts. Results: We demonstrate that there has been significant evolution in the properties of Lyα emitters between redshift z ˜ 3 and z = 2.25. The spread in spectral energy distributions (SEDs) at the lower redshift is larger and we detect a significant AGN contribution in the sample. The distribution of the equivalent widths is narrower than at z ˜ 3, with only a few candidates with rest-frame equivalent width above the predicted limit of 240 Å. The star formation rates derived from the Lyα emission compared to those derived from the UV emission are lower by on average a factor of ˜ 1.8, indicative of a significant absorption by dust. Conclusions: Lyα emitters at redshift z = 2.25 may be more evolved than Lyα emitters at higher redshift. The red SEDs imply more massive, older and/or dustier galaxies at lower redshift than observed at higher redshifts. The decrease in equivalent widths and star formation rates indicate more quiescent galaxies, with in general less star formation than in higher redshift galaxies. At z = 2.25, AGN appear to be more abundant and also to contribute more to the Lyα emitting population. Full Table 2 is only available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org
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| 4. |
- Fremat, Y., et al.
(författare)
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A test field for Gaia Radial velocity catalogue of stars in the South Ecliptic Pole
- 2017
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 597
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. Gaia is a space mission that is currently measuring the five astrometric parameters, as well as spectrophotometry of at least 1 billion stars to G = 20.7 mag with unprecedented precision. The sixth parameter in phase space (i.e., radial velocity) is also measured thanks to medium-resolution spectroscopy that is being obtained for the 150 million brightest stars. During the commissioning phase, two fields, one around each ecliptic pole, have been repeatedly observed to assess and to improve the overall satellite performances, as well as the associated reduction and analysis software. A ground-based photometric and spectroscopic survey was therefore initiated in 2007, and is still running to gather as much information as possible about the stars in these fields. This work is of particular interest to the validation of the radial velocity spectrometer outputs.Aims. The paper presents the radial velocity measurements performed for the Southern targets in the 12-17 R magnitude range on high-to mid-resolution spectra obtained with the GIRAFFE and UVES spectrographs.Methods. Comparison of the South Ecliptic Pole (SEP) GIRAFFE data to spectroscopic templates observed with the HERMES (Mercator in La Palma, Spain) spectrograph enabled a first coarse characterisation of the 747 SEP targets. Radial velocities were then obtained by comparing the results of three different methods.Results. In this paper, we present an initial overview of the targets to be found in the 1 sq. deg SEP region that was observed repeatedly by Gaia ever since its commissioning. In our representative sample, we identified one galaxy, six LMC S-stars, nine candidate chromospherically active stars, and confirmed the status of 18 LMC Carbon stars. A careful study of the 3471 epoch radial velocity measurements led us to identify 145 RV constant stars with radial velocities varying by less than 1 km s(-1). Seventy-eight stars show significant RV scatter, while nine stars show a composite spectrum. As expected, the distribution of the RVs exhibits two main peaks that correspond to Galactic and LMC stars. By combining [Fe/H] and log g estimates, and RV determinations, we identified 203 members of the LMC, while 51 more stars are candidate members.Conclusions. This is the first systematic spectroscopic characterisation of faint stars located in the SEP field. During the coming years, we plan to continue our survey and gather additional high-and mid-resolution data to better constrain our knowledge on key reference targets for Gaia.
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| 5. |
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Understanding Lyα emitters
- 2009
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Proceedings (redaktörskap) (populärvet., debatt m.m.)abstract
- This publication contains the conference summary of the Understanding Lyman-alpha Emitters conference held at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg October 6 - 10, 2008. The scope of the conference was to bring together most of the scientists working in the field of Lyman-alpha emitters, whether at low or high redshift, or on observational or theoretical aspects, and to summarise how far the field of study of galaxies with Lyman-alpha emission has come. An outlook towards the future of the field was also desired. As part of the conference, two days were dedicated to in total six discussion sessions. The topics were i) new methods and selection methods, ii) morphology, iii) what can the local Universe observations tell us about the high redshift Universe?, iv) clustering, v) SED fitting and vi) Ly-alpha blobs. The chairs of those sessions were asked to summarise the discussions, as presented in these proceedings.
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