| 1. |
- Andriantsaralaza, Miora, et al.
(författare)
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DEATHSTAR: Nearby AGB stars with the Atacama Compact Array: II. CO envelope sizes and asymmetries: The S-type stars
- 2021
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 653
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims. We aim to constrain the sizes of, and investigate deviations from spherical symmetry in, the CO circumstellar envelopes (CSEs) of 16 S-type stars, along with an additional 7 and 4 CSEs of C-type and M-type AGB stars, respectively. Methods. We map the emission from the CO J = 2-1 and 3-2 lines observed with the Atacama Compact Array (ACA) and its total power (TP) antennas, and fit with a Gaussian distribution in the uv- and image planes for ACA-only and TP observations, respectively. The major axis of the fitted Gaussian for the CO(2-1) line data gives a first estimate of the size of the CO-line-emitting CSE. We investigate possible signs of deviation from spherical symmetry by analysing the line profiles and the minor-to-major axis ratio obtained from visibility fitting, and by investigating the deconvolved images. Results. The sizes of the CO-line-emitting CSEs of low-mass-loss-rate (low-MLR) S-type stars fall between the sizes of the CSEs of C-stars, which are larger, and those of M-stars, which are smaller, as expected because of the differences in their respective CO abundances and the dependence of the photodissociation rate on this quantity. The sizes of the low-MLR S-type stars show no dependence on circumstellar density, as measured by the ratio of the MLR to terminal outflow velocity, irrespective of variability type. The density dependence steepens for S-stars with higher MLRs. While the CO(2-1) brightness distribution size of the low-density S-stars is in general smaller than the predicted photodissociation radius (assuming the standard interstellar radiation field), the measured size of a few of the high-density sources is of the same order as the expected photodissociation radius. Furthermore, our results show that the CO CSEs of most of the S-stars in our sample are consistent with a spherically symmetric and smooth outflow. For some of the sources, clear and prominent asymmetric features are observed which are indicative of intrinsic circumstellar anisotropy. Conclusions. As the majority of the S-type CSEs of the stars in our sample are consistent with a spherical geometry, the CO envelope sizes obtained in this paper will be used to constrain detailed radiative transfer modelling to directly determine more accurate MLR estimates for the stars in our sample. For several of our sources that present signs of deviation from spherical symmetry, further high-resolution observations would be necessary to investigate the nature of, and the physical processes behind, these asymmetrical structures. This will provide further insight into the mass-loss process and its related chemistry in S-type AGB stars.
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| 2. |
- Andriantsaralaza, Miora, et al.
(författare)
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DEATHSTAR—CO Envelope Size and Asymmetry of Nearby AGB Stars
- 2022
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Ingår i: Galaxies. - : MDPI AG. - 2075-4434. ; 10:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Low-and intermediate-mass stars evolve into asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars near the end of their lives, losing mass through slow and massive winds. The ejected material creates a chemically-rich expanding envelope around the star, namely the circumstellar envelope (CSE). Investigating the anisotropy of the mass-loss phenomenon on the AGB is crucial in gaining a better understanding of the shaping of the CSE during the transition from AGB star to planetary nebula (PN). We investigate possible signs of deviation from spherical symmetry in the CO-emitting CSEs of 70 AGB stars by analysing their emission maps in CO J = 2 − 1 and 3 − 2 observed with the Atacama Compact Array, as part of the DEATHSTAR project. We find that about one third of the sources are likely aspherical, as they exhibit large-scale asymmetries that are unlikely to have been created by a smooth wind. Further high-resolution observations would be necessary to investigate the nature of, and the physical processes behind, these asymmetrical structures.
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| 3. |
- Andriantsaralaza, Miora, et al.
(författare)
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Distance estimates for AGB stars from parallax measurements
- 2022
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 667
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. Estimating the distances to asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars using optical measurements of their parallaxes is not straightforward because of the large uncertainties introduced by their dusty envelopes, their large angular sizes, and their surface brightness variability. Aims. This paper aims to assess the reliability of the distances derived with Gaia DR3 parallaxes for AGB stars, and provide a new distance catalogue for a sample of similar to 200 nearby AGB stars. Methods. We compared the parallaxes from Gaia DR3 with parallaxes measured with maser observations with very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) to determine a statistical correction factor for the DR3 parallaxes using a sub-sample of 33 maser-emitting oxygen-rich nearby AGB stars. We then calculated the distances of a total of similar to 200 AGB stars in the DEATHSTAR project using a Bayesian statistical approach on the corrected DR3 parallaxes and a prior based on the previously determined Galactic distribution of AGB stars. We performed radiative transfer modelling of the stellar and dust emission to determine the luminosity of the sources in the VLBI sub-sample based on the distances derived from maser parallaxes, and derived a new bolometric period-luminosity relation for Galactic oxygen-rich Mira variables. Results. We find that the errors on the Gaia DR3 parallaxes given in the Gaia DR3 catalogue are underestimated by a factor of 5.44 for the brightest sources (G < 8 mag). Fainter sources (8 <= G < 12) require a lower parallax error inflation factor of 2.74. We obtain a Gaia DR3 parallax zero-point offset of -0.077 mas for bright AGB stars. The offset becomes more negative for fainter AGB stars. After correcting the DR3 parallaxes, we find that the derived distances are associated with significant, asymmetrical errors for more than 40% of the sources in our sample. We obtain a PL relation of the form Mbol = (- 3.31 +/- 0.24) [log P - 2.5]+(-4.317 +/- 0.060) for the oxygen-rich Mira variables in the Milky Way. A new distance catalogue based on these results is provided for the sources in the DEATHSTAR sample. Conclusions. The corrected Gaia DR3 parallaxes can be used to estimate distances for AGB stars using the AGB prior, but we confirm that one needs to be careful when the uncertainties on parallax measurements are larger than 20%, which can result in model-dependent distances and source-dependent offsets. We find that a RUWE (re-normalised unit weight error) below 1.4 does not guarantee reliable distance estimates and we advise against the use of only the RUWE to measure the quality of Gaia DR3 astrometric data for individual AGB stars.
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| 4. |
- Binggeli, Christian, et al.
(författare)
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A puzzling non-detection of [O III] and [C II] from a z ≈ 7.7 galaxy observed with ALMA
- 2021
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 646
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. Characterizing the galaxy population in the early Universe holds the key to understanding the evolution of these objects and the role they played in cosmic reionization. However, there have been very few observations at the very highest redshifts to date. Aims. In order to shed light on the properties of galaxies in the high-redshift Universe and their interstellar media, we observe the Lyman-α emitting galaxy z7_GSD_3811 at z = 7.664 with bands 6 and 8 at the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). Methods. We target the far-infrared [O iii] 88 µm and [C ii] 158 µm emission lines and dust continuum in the star-forming galaxy z7_GSD_3811 with ALMA. We combine these measurements with earlier observations in the rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) in order to characterize the object and compare the results to those of earlier studies that observed [O iii] and [C ii] emission in high-redshift galaxies. Results. The [O iii] 88 µm and [C ii] 158 µm emission lines are undetected at the position of z7_GSD_3811, with 3σ upper limits of 1.6 × 108 L and 4.0 × 107 L, respectively. We do not detect any dust continuum in band 6 nor band 8. The measured rms in the band 8 and band 6 continua are 26 and 9.9 µJy beam−1, respectively. Similar to several other high-redshift galaxies, z7_GSD_3811 exhibits low [C ii] emission for its star formation rate compared to local galaxies. Furthermore, our upper limit on the [O iii] line luminosity is lower than the previously observed [O iii] lines in high-redshift galaxies with similar UV luminosities. Our ALMA band 6 and 8 dust continuum observations imply that z7_GSD_3811 likely has a low dust content, and our non-detections of the [O iii] and [C ii] lines could indicate that z7_GSD_3811 has a low metallicity (Z. 0.1 Z).
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| 5. |
- Binggeli, Christian, 1989-
(författare)
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Galaxies in the epoch of reionization : Investigating the high-redshift galaxy population through simulations and observations
- 2021
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The cosmic reionization is the last major gas phase transition in cosmic history, yet it remains poorly understood. Current constraints indicate that early star-forming galaxies drove the reionization process through producing and releasing large numbers of ionizing photons into the intergalactic medium. However, our understanding of the ionizing escape fraction (fesc) and the general properties of high-redshift galaxies is still limited.In this thesis, simulated galaxies and observations are used to investigate epoch-of-reionization galaxies and to explore methods that can aid future investigations of such objects. Using simulations, we have shown that it may be possible to constrain fesc in epoch-of-reionization galaxies using quite simple diagnostics that should be observable with the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). We also show that variations in star formation activity larger than those predicted in our simulations may lead to a possible degeneracy with high fesc. However, auxiliary information obtained with the JWST may allow us to disentangle variations in the star formation activity from high fesc.We compare galaxies from several simulations to the recently spectroscopically confirmed z=9.1096 galaxy MACS1149-JD1. We find that none of the simulations are able to reproduce the large Balmer break observed in MACS1149-JD1, and argue that unless it represents an outlier in the high-redshift galaxy population, this may indicate that the simulations fail to capture some key physics. Finally, we present ALMA observations of the z=7.6637 galaxy z7_GSD_3811. This object remains undetected in several commonly detected FIR emission lines and FIR dust emission. Using SED-fitting and by comparing our observations to models and low-redshift observations, we show that our non-detections could indicate that the object is poor in metals and dust.Our findings could help future observers to further constrain the nature of high-redshift galaxies and their role in reionization.
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| 6. |
- Brunner, M., et al.
(författare)
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Molecular line study of the S-type AGB star W Aquilae: ALMA observations of CS, SiS, SiO and HCN
- 2018
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 617
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. With the outstanding spatial resolution and sensitivity of the Atacama Large Millimeter/sub-millimeter Array (ALMA), molecular gas other than the abundant CO can be observed and resolved in circumstellar envelopes (CSEs) around evolved stars, such as the binary S-type asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star W Aquilae. Aims. We aim to constrain the chemical composition of the CSE and determine the radial abundance distribution, the photospheric peak abundance, and isotopic ratios of a selection of chemically important molecular species in the innermost CSE of W Aql. The derived parameters are put into the context of the chemical evolution of AGB stars and are compared with theoretical models. Methods . We employ one-dimensional radiative transfer modeling - with the accelerated lambda iteration (ALI) radiative transfer code-of the radial abundance distribution of a total of five molecular species (CS, SiS, (SiS)-Si-30, (SiO)-Si-29 and (HCN)-C-13) and determine the best fitting model parameters based on high-resolution ALMA observations as well as archival single-dish observations. The additional advantage of the spatially resolved ALMA observations is that we can directly constrain the radial profile of the observed line transitions from the observations. Results . We derive abundances and e-folding radii for CS, SiS, (SiS)-Si-30, (SiO)-Si-29 and (HCN)-C-13 and compare them to previous studies, which are based only on unresolved single-dish spectra. Our results are in line with previous results and are more accurate due to resolution of the emission regions.
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| 7. |
- Bujarrabal, V., et al.
(författare)
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High-resolution observations of the symbiotic system R Aqr Direct imaging of the gravitational effects of the secondary on the stellar wind
- 2018
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP SCIENCES S A. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 616
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We have observed the symbiotic stellar system R Aqr, aiming to describe the gravitational interaction between the white dwarf (WD) and the wind from the Mira star, the key phenomenon driving the symbiotic activity and the formation of nebulae in such systems. We present high-resolution ALMA maps of the (CO)-C-12 and (CO)-C-13 J = 3-2 lines, the 0.9 mm continuum distribution, and some high-excitation molecular lines in R Aqr. The maps, which have resolutions ranging between 40 mas and less than 20 mas probe the circumstellar regions at suborbital scales as the distance between the stars is similar to 40 mas. Our observations show the gravitational effects of the secondary on the stellar wind. The AGB star was identified in our maps from the continuum and molecular line data, and we estimated the probable position of the secondary from a new estimation of the orbital parameters. The (preliminary) comparison of our maps with theoretical predictions is surprisingly satisfactory and the main expected gravitational effects are directly mapped for the first time. We find a strong focusing in the equatorial plane of the resulting wind, which shows two plumes in opposite directions that have different velocities and very probably correspond to the expected double spiral due to the interaction. Our continuum maps show the very inner regions of the nascent bipolar jets, at scales of some AU. Continuum maps obtained with the highest resolution show the presence of a clump that very probably corresponds to the emission of the ionized surroundings of the WD and of a bridge of material joining both stars, which is likely material flowing from the AGB primary to the accretion disk around the WD secondary.
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| 8. |
- Danilovich, Taissa, 1987, et al.
(författare)
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Detailed Modelling of the Circumstellar Envelope of the S-type AGB Star W Aquilae
- 2015
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Ingår i: Why Galaxies Care About AGB Stars III: A Closer Look in Space and Time, Conference on Why Galaxies Care About AGB Stars III: A Closer Look in Space and Time, Vienna JUL 28-AUG 01, 2014. - : ASTRONOMICAL SOC PACIFIC. - 9781583818794 ; 497, s. 219-220
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present new Herschel(1) HIFI (de Graauw et al. 2010) and PACS (Poglitsch et al. 2010) sub-millimeter and far-infrared line observations of several molecular species towards the S-type AGB star W Aql. We use these observations, which probe a wide range of gas temperatures, to constrain the circumstellar properties of W Aql, including mass-loss rate and molecular abundances.
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| 9. |
- Danilovich, Taissa, 1987, et al.
(författare)
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Detailed modelling of the circumstellar molecular line emission of the S-type AGB star W Aquilae
- 2014
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 569, s. Art. no. A76-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. S-type AGB stars have a C/O ratio which suggests that they are transition objects between oxygen-rich M-type stars and carbon-rich C-type stars. As such, their circumstellar compositions of gas and dust are thought to be sensitive to their precise C/O ratio, and it is therefore of particular interest to examine their circumstellar properties. Aims. We present new Herschel HIFI and PACS sub-millimetre and far-infrared line observations of several molecular species towards the S-type AGB star W Aql. We use these observations, which probe a wide range of gas temperatures, to constrain the circumstellar properties of W Aql, including mass-loss rate and molecular abundances. Methods. We used radiative transfer codes to model the circumstellar dust and molecular line emission to determine circumstellar properties and molecular abundances. We assumed a spherically symmetric envelope formed by a constant mass-loss rate driven by an accelerating wind. Our model includes fully integrated H2O line cooling as part of the solution of the energy balance. Results. We detect circumstellar molecular lines from CO, H2O, SiO, HCN, and, for the first time in an S-type AGB star, NH3. The radiative transfer calculations result in an estimated mass-loss rate for W Aql of 4.0 x 10(-6) M-circle dot yr(-1) based on the (CO)-C-12 lines. The estimated (CO)-C-12/(CO)-C-13 ratio is 29, which is in line with ratios previously derived for S-type AGB stars. We find an H2O abundance of 1.5 x 10(-5), which is intermediate to the abundances expected for M and C stars, and an ortho/para ratio for H2O that is consistent with formation at warm temperatures. We find an HCN abundance of 3 x 10(-6), and, although no CN lines are detected using HIFI, we are able to put some constraints on the abundance, 6 x 10(-6), and distribution of CN in W Aql's circumstellar envelope using ground-based data. We find an SiO abundance of 3 x 10(-6), and an NH3 abundance of 1.7 x 10(-5), confined to a small envelope. If we include uncertainties in the adopted circumstellar model - in the adopted abundance distributions, etc. - the errors in the abundances are of the order of factors of a few. The data also suggest that, in terms of HCN, S-type and M-type AGB stars are similar, and in terms of H2O, S-type AGB stars are more like C-type than M-type AGB stars. We detect excess blue-shifted emission in several molecular lines, possibly due to an asymmetric outflow. Conclusions. The estimated abundances of circumstellar HCN, SiO and H2O place W Aql in between M-and C-type AGB stars, i.e., the abundances are consistent with an S-type classification.
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| 10. |
- Danilovich, T., et al.
(författare)
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Sulphur-bearing molecules in AGB stars
- 2017
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP SCIENCES S A. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 606
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. Sulphur is a relatively abundant element in the local Galaxy that is known to form a variety of molecules in the circumstellar envelopes of AGB stars. The abundances of these molecules vary based on the chemical types and mass-loss rates of AGB stars. Aims. Through a survey of (sub-) millimetre emission lines of various sulphur-bearing molecules, we aim to determine which molecules are the primary carriers of sulphur in different types of AGB stars. In this paper, the first in a series, we investigate the occurrence of H2S in AGB circumstellar envelopes and determine its abundance, where possible. Methods. We surveyed 20 AGB stars with a range of mass-loss rates and different chemical types using the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) telescope to search for rotational transition lines of five key sulphur-bearing molecules: CS, SiS, SO, SO2, and H2S. Here we present our results for H2S, including detections, non-detections, and detailed radiative transfer modelling of the detected lines. We compared results based on various descriptions of the molecular excitation of H2S and different abundance distributions, including Gaussian abundances, where possible, and two different abundance distributions derived from chemical modelling results. Results. We detected H2S towards five AGB stars, all of which have high mass-loss rates of. M >= 5 x 10(-6) M-circle dot yr(-1) and are oxygen rich. H2S was not detected towards the carbon or S-type stars that fall in a similar mass-loss range. For the stars in our sample with detections, we find peak o-H2S abundances relative to H-2 between 4 x 10(-7) and 2.5 x 10(-5). Conclusions. Overall, we conclude that H2S can play a significant role in oxygen-rich AGB stars with higher mass-loss rates, but is unlikely to play a key role in stars of other chemical types or in lower mass-loss rate oxygen-rich stars. For two sources, V1300 Aql and GX Mon, H2S is most likely the dominant sulphur-bearing molecule in the circumstellar envelope.
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