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Unraveling the Origins of Nearby Young Stars
A systematic search for close conjunctions and clusterings in the pastof nearby stars younger than the Pleiades is undertaken, which mayreveal the time, location, and mechanism of formation of these oftenisolated, disconnected from clusters and star-forming regions, objects.The sample under investigation includes 101 T Tauri, post-TT, andmain-sequence stars and stellar systems with signs of youth, culled fromthe literature. Their Galactic orbits are traced back in time and nearapproaches are evaluated in time, distance, and relative velocity.Numerous clustering events are detected, providing clues to the originof very young, isolated stars. Each star's orbit is also matched withthose of nearby young open clusters, OB and TT associations andstar-forming molecular clouds, including the Ophiuchus, Lupus, CoronaAustralis, and Chamaeleon regions. Ejection of young stars from openclusters is ruled out for nearly all investigated objects, but thenearest OB associations in Scorpius-Centaurus, and especially, the denseclouds in Ophiuchus and Corona Australis have likely played a major rolein the generation of the local streams (TWA, Beta Pic, andTucana-Horologium) that happen to be close to the Sun today. The core ofthe Tucana-Horologium association probably originated from the vicinityof the Upper Scorpius association 28 Myr ago. A few proposed members ofthe AB Dor moving group were in conjunction with the coeval Cepheus OB6association 38 Myr ago.
| Formation and Evolution of Planetary Systems: Upper Limits to the Gas Mass in Disks around Sun-like Stars
We have carried out a sensitive search for gas emission lines at IR andmillimeter wavelengths for a sample of 15 young Sun-like stars selectedfrom our dust disk survey with Spitzer. We have used mid-IR lines totrace the warm (300-100 K) gas in the inner disk and millimetertransitions of 12CO to probe the cold (~20 K) outer disk. Wereport no gas line detections from our sample. Line flux upper limitsare first converted to warm and cold gas mass limits using simpleapproximations allowing a direct comparison with values from theliterature. We also present results from more sophisticated modelsfollowing Gorti & Hollenbach that confirm and extend our simpleanalysis. These models show that the [S I] 25.23 μm line can setconstraining limits on the gas surface density at the disk inner radiusand traces disk regions up to a few AU. We find that none of the 15systems have more than 0.04MJ of gas within a few AU from thedisk inner radius for disk radii from 1 to ~40 AU. These gas mass upperlimits even in the eight systems younger than ~30 Myr suggest that mostof the gas is dispersed early. The gas mass upper limits in the 10-40 AUregion, which is mainly traced by our CO data, are <2M⊕. If these systems are analogs of the solar system,they either have already formed Uranus- and Neptune-like planets or willnot form them beyond 100 Myr. Finally, the gas surface density upperlimits at 1 AU are smaller than 0.01% of the minimum mass solar nebulafor most of the sources. If terrestrial planets form frequently andtheir orbits are circularized by gas, then circularization occurs early.
| Accretion Disks around Young Stars: Lifetimes, Disk Locking, and Variability
We report the findings of a comprehensive study of disk accretion andrelated phenomena in four of the nearest young stellar associationsspanning 6-30 million years in age, an epoch that may coincide with thelate stages of planet formation. We have obtained ~650 multiepochhigh-resolution optical spectra of 100 low-mass stars that are likelymembers of the η Chamaeleontis (~6 Myr), TW Hydrae (~8 Myr), βPictoris (~12 Myr), and Tucanae-Horologium (~30 Myr) groups. Our datawere collected over 12 nights between 2004 December and 2005 July on theMagellan Clay 6.5 m telescope. Based on Hα line profiles, alongwith a variety of other emission lines, we find clear evidence ofongoing accretion in 3 out of 11 η Cha stars and 2 out of 32 TWHydrae members. None of the 57 β Pic or Tuc-Hor members showsmeasurable signs of accretion. Together, these results imply significantevolution of the disk-accretion process within the first several Myr ofa low-mass star's life. While a few disks can continue to accrete for upto ~10 Myr, our findings suggest that disks accreting for beyond thattimescale are rather rare. This result provides an indirect constrainton the timescale for gas dissipation in inner disks and, in turn, ongas-giant planet formation. All accretors in our sample are slowrotators, whereas nonaccretors cover a large range in rotationalvelocities. This may hint at rotational braking by disks at ages up to~8 Myr. Our multiepoch spectra confirm that emission-line variability iscommon even in somewhat older T Tauri stars, among which accretors tendto show particularly strong variations. Thus, our results indicate thataccretion and wind activity undergo significant and sustained variationsthroughout the lifetime of accretion disks.
| Differential Radial Velocities and Stellar Parameters of Nearby Young Stars
Radial velocity searches for substellar-mass companions have focusedprimarily on stars older than 1 Gyr. Increased levels of stellaractivity in young stars hinders the detection of solar system analogs,and therefore until recently there has been a prejudice againstinclusion of young stars in radial velocity surveys. Adaptive opticssurveys of young stars have given us insight into the multiplicity ofyoung stars, but only for massive, distant companions. Understanding thelimit of the radial velocity technique, restricted to high-mass,close-orbiting planets and brown dwarfs, we began a survey of youngstars of various ages. While the number of stars needed to carry outfull analysis of the problems of planetary and brown dwarf populationand evolution is large, the beginning of such a sample is included here.We report on 61 young stars ranging in age from the β Pictorisassociation (~12 Myr) to the Ursa Major association (~300 Myr). Thisinitial search resulted in no stars showing evidence of companionslarger than ~1MJup-2MJup in short-period orbits atthe 3 σ level. We also present derived stellar parameters, as mosthave unpublished values. The chemical homogeneity of a cluster, andpresumably of an association, may help to constrain true membership, sowe present [Fe/H] abundances for the stars in our sample.
| Formation and Evolution of Planetary Systems (FEPS): Primordial Warm Dust Evolution from 3 to 30 Myr around Sun-like Stars
We present data obtained with the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) aboardthe Spitzer Space Telescope (Spitzer) for a sample of 74 young (t<30Myr old) Sun-like (0.7
| A Search for Hot Massive Extrasolar Planets around Nearby Young Stars with the Adaptive Optics System NACO
We report on a survey devoted to the search of exoplanets around youngand nearby stars carried out with NACO at the VLT. The detection limitfor 28 among the best available targets versus the angular separationfrom the star is presented. The nondetection of any planetary masscompanion in our survey is used to derive, for the first time, thefrequency of the upper limit of the projected planet-star separation. Inparticular, we find that in 50% of the cases, no 5MJ (or moremassive) planet has been detected at projected separations larger than14 AU, and no 10MJ (or more massive) planet has been detectedat projected separations larger than 8.5 AU. In 100% of the cases, thesevalues increase to 36 and 65 AU, respectively. The excellent sensitivityreached by our study leads to a much lower upper limit of the projectedplanet-star separation compared with previous studies. For example, forthe β Pictoris group (~12 Myr), we did not detect any10MJ planet at distances larger than 15 AU. A previous studycarried out with 4 m class telescopes put an upper limit for10MJ planets at ~60 AU. For our closest target (V2306 Oph;d=4.3 pc), it is shown that it would be possible to detect a10MJ planet at a minimum projected separation from the starof 1 AU and a 5MJ planet at a minimum projected separation of3.7 AU. Our results are discussed with respect to mechanisms explainingplanet formation and migration and forthcoming observational strategiesand future planet-finder observations from the ground.Based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory,Chile. Program 70.C-0777D, 70.C-0777E, and 71.C-0029A.
| Evolution of Cold Circumstellar Dust around Solar-type Stars
We present submillimeter (Caltech Submillimeter Observatory 350 μm)and millimeter (Swedish-ESO Submillimetre Telescope [SEST] 1.2 mm, OwensValley Radio Observatory [OVRO] 3 mm) photometry for 127 solar-typestars from the Formation and Evolution of Planetary Systems SpitzerLegacy program that have masses between ~0.5 and 2.0 Msolarand ages from ~3 Myr to 3 Gyr. Continuum emission was detected towardfour stars with a signal-to-noise ratio>=3: the classical T Tauristars RX J1842.9-3532, RX J1852.3-3700, and PDS 66 with SEST, and thedebris-disk system HD 107146 with OVRO. RX J1842.9-3532 and RXJ1852.3-3700 are located in projection near the R CrA molecular cloud,with estimated ages of ~10 Myr (Neuhäuser et al.), whereas PDS 66is a probable member of the ~20 Myr old Lower Centaurus-Crux subgroup ofthe Scorpius-Centaurus OB association (Mamajek et al.). The continuumemission toward these three sources is unresolved at the 24" SESTresolution and likely originates from circumstellar accretion disks,each with estimated dust masses of ~5×10-5Msolar. Analysis of the visibility data toward HD 107146(age~80-200 Myr) indicates that the 3 mm continuum emission is centeredon the star within the astrometric uncertainties and resolved with aGaussian-fit FWHM size of (6.5"+/-1.4")×(4.2"+/-1.3"), or185AU×120 AU. The results from our continuum survey are combinedwith published observations to quantify the evolution of dust mass withtime by comparing the mass distributions for samples with differentstellar ages. The frequency distribution of circumstellar dust massesaround solar-type stars in the Taurus molecular cloud (age~2 Myr) isdistinguished from that around 3-10 Myr and 10-30 Myr old stars at asignificance level of ~1.5 and ~3 σ, respectively. These resultssuggest a decrease in the mass of dust contained in small dust grainsand/or changes in the grain properties by stellar ages of 10-30 Myr,consistent with previous conclusions. Further observations are needed todetermine if the evolution in the amount of cold dust occurs on evenshorter timescales.
| Searching for massive extrasolar planets around young and nearby stars: from NACO to CHEOPS
We report on a survey devoted to the search of exo-planets around youngand nearby stars carried out with NACO at the VLT. The detection limitfor 28 among the best available targets vs. the angular separation fromthe star is presented. The non-detection of any planetary mass companionin our survey is used to derive, for the first time, the frequency ofthe upper limit of the projected separation planet/stars. In particular,we find that in 50% of cases, no 5MJ planet (or more massive)has been detected at projected separations larger than 14 AU and no10MJ planet (or more massive) has been detected at projectedseparations larger than 8.5 AU. The excellent sensitivity reached by ourstudy leads to a much lower upper limit of the projected separationplanet-star compared with previous studies. For our closest target(V2306 Oph - d = 4.3 pc) it is shown that it would be possible to detecta 10MJ planet at a minimum projected separation from the starof 1 AU and a 5MJ planet at a minimum projected separation of3.7 AU. Our results are discussed with respect to forthcomingobservational strategies (Simultaneous Differential Imaging technique)and future planet finder observations from the ground.
| Young Stars Near the Sun
Until the late 1990s the rich Hyades and the sparse UMa clusters werethe only coeval, comoving concentrations of stars known within 60 pc ofEarth. Both are hundreds of millions of years old. Then beginning in thelate 1990s the TW Hydrae Association, the Tucana/Horologium Association,the Pictoris Moving Group, and the AB Doradus Moving Group wereidentified within 60 pc of Earth, and the Chamaeleontis cluster wasfound at 97 pc. These young groups (ages 8 50 Myr), along with othernearby, young stars, will enable imaging and spectroscopic studies ofthe origin and early evolution of planetary systems.
| New Aspects of the Formation of the β Pictoris Moving Group
In a previous work, we explored the possibility that the β Pictorismoving group (BPMG), consisting of low-mass post-T Tauri stars, wasformed near the Scorpius-Centaurus OB association. The cause of theformation could be a Type II supernova exploding either in LowerCentaurus Crux (LCC) or the Upper Centaurus Lupus (UCL), the two oldersubgroups of that association. Here we present new results for BPMG. Amore detailed analysis of the orbit confinement in this group leads to astar distribution pattern at birth that can be considered as arepresentation of the density distribution in the natal cloud. We alsopropose a plausible origin for the supernova that could have triggeredthe star formation in BPMG by finding the past position of the runawaystar HIP 46950. We find that this scenario is capable of explaining theorigin of all the members of BPMG proposed by Zuckerman and coworkersand by Song and coworkers, with the exception of HIP 79881, which isprobably an old main-sequence interloper.
| Towards understanding the β Pictoris dust stream
The recent radar detection by \citet{baggaley-2000} of a collimatedstream of interstellar meteoroids postulated to be sourced at βPictoris, a nearby star with a prominent dust disk, presents a challengeto theoreticians. Two mechanisms of possible dust ejection from βPic have been proposed: ejection of dust by radiation pressure fromcomets in eccentric orbits and by gravity of a hypothetical planet inthe disk. Here we re-examine observational data and reconsidertheoretical scenarios, substantiating them with detailed modeling totest whether they can explain quantitatively and simultaneously themasses, speeds, and fluxes. Our analysis of the stream geometry andkinematics confirms that β Pic is the most likely source of thestream and suggests that an intensive dust ejection phase took place0.7 Myr ago. Our dynamical simulations show that high ejectionspeeds retrieved from the observations can be explained by bothplanetary ejection and radiation pressure mechanisms, providing,however, several important constraints. In the planetary ejectionscenario, only a ``hot Jupiter''-type planet with a semimajor axis ofless than 1 AU can be responsible for the stream, and only if the diskwas dynamically ``heated'' by a more distant massive planet. Theradiation pressure scenario also requires the presence of a relativelymassive planet at several AU or more, that had heated the cometesimaldisk before the ejection occurred. Finally, the dust flux measured atEarth can be brought into reasonable agreement with both scenarios,provided that β Pic's protoplanetary disk recently passed throughan intensive short-lasting (0.1 Myr) clearance stage by nascentgiant planets, similar to what took place in the early solar system.
| An infrared imaging search for low-mass companions to members of the young nearby β Pic and Tucana/Horologium associations
We present deep high dynamic range infrared images of young nearby starsin the Tucana/Horologium and β Pic associations, all 10 to 35Myrs young and at 10 to 60 pc distance. Such young nearby starsare well-suited for direct imaging searches for brown dwarf and evenplanetary companions, because young sub-stellar objects are stillself-luminous due to contraction and accretion. We performed ourobservations at the ESO 3.5m NTT with the normal infrared imagingdetector SofI and the MPE speckle camera Sharp-I. Three arc sec north ofGSC 8047-0232 in Horologium a promising brown dwarf companion candidateis detected, which needs to be confirmed by proper motion and/orspectroscopy. Several other faint companion candidates are alreadyrejected by second epoch imaging. Among 21 stars observed inTucana/Horologium, there are not more than one to five brown dwarfcompanions outside of 75 AU (1.5'' at 50 pc); most certainly only <=5% of the Tuc/HorA stars have brown dwarf companions (13 to 78 Jupitermasses) outside of 75 AU. For the first time, we can report an upperlimit for the frequency of massive planets ( 10 Mjup) atwide separations ( 100 AU) using a meaningfull and homogeneoussample: Of 11 stars observed sufficiently deep in β Pic (12 Myrs),not more than one has a massive planet outside of 100 AU, i.e.massive planets at large separations are rare (<= 9%).Based on observations obtained on La Silla, Chile, in ESO programs65.L-0144(B), 66.D-0135, 66.C-0310(A), 67.C-0209(B), 67.C-0213(A),68.C-0008(A), and 68.C-0009(A)} }
| Dependence of coronal X-ray emission on spot-induced brightness variations in cool main sequence stars
The maximum amplitude (Amax) of spot-induced brightnessvariations from long-term V-band photometry and the ratioLX/Lbol between X-ray and bolometric luminositiesare suitable indicators of the level of magnetic activity in thephotosphere and in the corona of late-type stars, respectively. By usingthese activity indicators we investigate the dependence of coronal X-rayemission on the level of photospheric starspot activity in a homogeneoussample of low mass main sequence field and cluster stars of differentages (IC 2602, IC 4665,IC 2391, alpha Persei,Pleiades and Hyades). First, theactivity-rotation connection at the photospheric level is re-analysed,as well as its dependence on spectral type and age. The upper envelopeof Amax increases monotonically with decreasing rotationalperiod (P) and Rossby number (R0) showing a break around 1.1d that separates two rotation regimes where the starspot activity showsdifferent behaviours. The Amax-P andAmax-R0 relations are fitted with linear,exponential and power laws to look for the function which bestrepresents the trend of the data. The highest values of Amaxare found among K-type stars and at the ages of alphaPersei and Pleiades. We also analyse theactivity-rotation connection at the coronal level as well as itsdependence on spectral type. The level of X-ray emission increases withincreasing rotation rate up to a saturation level. The rotational periodat which saturation occurs is colour-dependent and increases withadvancing spectral type. Also the LX/Lbol-P andLX/Lbol-R0 relations are fitted withlinear, exponential and power laws to look for the best fittingfunction. Among the fastest rotating stars (P<=0.3 d) there isevidence of super-saturation. Also the highest values ofLXLbol are found among K-type stars. Finally, thephotospheric-coronal activity connection is investigated by using forthe first time the largest ever sample of light curve amplitudes asindicators of the magnetic filling factor. The activity parametersLX/Lbol and Amax are found to becorrelated with each other, thus confirming the dependence of coronalactivity on photospheric magnetic fields. More precisely, theLX/Lbol-Amax distribution shows thepresence of an upper envelope, which is constant at theLX/Lbol =~ -3.0 saturation level, and of a lowerenvelope. The best fit to the lower envelope is given by a power lawwith steepness decreasing from F-G to M spectral types. However, it isconsidered a tentative result, since the fit reduced chi-squares arelarge. Such spectral-type dependence may be related to a colourdependence of Amax on the total starspot filling factor, aswell as to the coronal emission being possibly more sensitive tostarspot activity variations in F- and G-type than in M-type stars. TheLX/Lbol-Amax mean values for eachcluster in our sample decrease monotonically with increasing age,showing that the levels of photospheric and coronal activity evolve intime according to a single power law till the Sun's age.Tables of the photometric and X-ray data sets are 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/410/671
| The 100 Brightest X-Ray Stars within 50 Parsecs of the Sun
Based on the Hipparcos and Tycho-2 astrometric catalogs and the ROSATsurveys, a sample of 100 stars most luminous in X-rays within or arounda distance of 50 pc is culled. The smallest X-ray luminosity in thesample, in units of 1029 ergs s-1, isLX=9.8 the strongest source in the solar neighborhood is IIPeg, a RS CVn star, at LX=175.8. With respect to the originof X-ray emission, the sample is divided into partly overlapping classesof pre-main-sequence, post-T Tauri, and very young ZAMS objects (typeXY), RS CVn-type binary stars (type RS), other active short-periodbinaries, including binary BY Dra-type objects (type XO), apparentlysingle or long-period binary active evolved stars (type XG), contactbinaries of WU UMa kind (type WU), apparently single or long-periodbinary variable stars of BY Dra kind (type BY), and objects of unknownnature (type X?). Chromospherically active, short-period binaries (RSand XO) make up 40% of the brightest X-ray emitters, followed by youngstars (XY) at 30% and unknown sources (X?) at 15%. The fraction ofspectroscopically single evolved X-ray emitters of spectral classes IVand III is quite large (10%). The sources identified as RS CVn-typestars (RS, 23 objects) are considerably stronger in X-ray than theXY-objects and the other active binaries (XO and WU, 20 objects). Sevenobjects have LX>100, all RS except one XY, viz., BO Mic. Onlyfive (22%) RS objects have LX<25, while only three (10%)XY stars have LX>25. Formally, the limit of LX=25could serve as a statistical criterion to differentiate RS and XY stars.However, the other short-period binaries (including eclipsing stars ofAlgol and β Lyr type) have a distribution of LX verysimilar to the XY objects. The contact binaries (WU) appear to be muchweaker in X-rays than their detached counterparts of RS type, but thesample of the former is too small (three objects) to reach a firmconclusion. Sources matched with giants (either single or in binaries)are found to be significantly harder, with only 7% of hardness ratiosbelow 0, than subgiants (66% of HR1<0) and dwarfs (59% of HR1<0).Almost all objects in the sample are binary or multiple stars; thefraction of components (FC), defined as the total number of componentsin all binary and multiple systems divided by the sum of the totalnumber of components and single stars, is at least 0.90. The FC for theXY objects reaches 0.81, and for the unknown type 0.89. About 70% of RSobjects have also visual or astrometric companions, which makes themhierarchical multiple systems. The RS objects (mostly old, evolvedstars) and the XY stars have quite different kinematics. While the RSobjects move at considerable velocities in apparently random directionswith respect to the local standard of rest, the young stars have smallerand orderly velocities and tend to comprise expanding mini-associationssuch as the β Pic and the Tucana groups. The majority of the youngX-ray active stars belong to the Pleiades stream with the meanheliocentric velocity (U,V,W)=(-9.6,-21.8,-7.7) km s-1.
| A systematic study of X-ray variability in the ROSAT all-sky survey
We present a systematic search for variability among the ROSAT All-SkySurvey (RASS) X-ray sources. We generated lightcurves for about 30 000X-ray point sources detected sufficiently high above background. For ourvariability study different search algorithms were developed in order torecognize flares, periods and trends, respectively. The variable X-raysources were optically identified with counterparts in the SIMBAD, theUSNO-A2.0 and NED data bases, but a significant part of the X-raysources remains without cataloged optical counterparts. Out of the 1207sources classified as variable 767 (63.5%) were identified with stars,118 (9.8%) are of extragalactic origin, 10 (0.8%) are identified withother sources and 312 (25.8%) could not uniquely be identified withentries in optical catalogs. We give a statistical analysis of thevariable X-ray population and present some outstanding examples of X-rayvariability detected in the ROSAT all-sky survey. Most prominent amongthese sources are white dwarfs, apparently single, yet neverthelessshowing periodic variability. Many flares from hitherto unrecognisedflare stars have been detected as well as long term variability in theBL Lac 1E1757.7+7034.The complete version of Table 7 is only 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/403/247
| M-Type Vega-like Stars
We carried out a search for M-type Vega-like stars by correlating theIRAS Faint Source Catalog with Hipparcos-selected M-type stars. Threestars with apparent IRAS 25 μm excess emission are shown instead tobe non-IR-excess stars from ground-based 11.7 and 17.9 μm photometry.Two stars previously suggested to have Vega-like mid-IR excess are alsoshown to be nonexcess stars. These results imply that other suggestedmid-IR-excess stars in the literature may also be false excess stars.Detection threshold bias is apparently responsible for these bogus IRexcesses. Sixty micron excess emission from a previously known M-typeVega-like star (GJ 803) is identified again.
| New periodic variables from the Hipparcos epoch photometry
Two selection statistics are used to extract new candidate periodicvariables from the epoch photometry of the Hipparcos catalogue. Theprimary selection criterion is a signal-to-noise ratio. The dependenceof this statistic on the number of observations is calibrated usingabout 30000 randomly permuted Hipparcos data sets. A significance levelof 0.1 per cent is used to extract a first batch of candidate variables.The second criterion requires that the optimal frequency be unaffectedif the data are de-trended by low-order polynomials. We find 2675 newcandidate periodic variables, of which the majority (2082) are from theHipparcos`unsolved' variables. Potential problems with theinterpretation of the data (e.g. aliasing) are discussed.
| Late-type members of young stellar kinematic groups - I. Single stars
This is the first paper of a series aimed at studying the properties oflate-type members of young stellar kinematic groups. We concentrate ourstudy on classical young moving groups such as the Local Association(Pleiades moving group, 20-150Myr), IC 2391 supercluster (35Myr), UrsaMajor group (Sirius supercluster, 300Myr), and Hyades supercluster(600Myr), as well as on recently identified groups such as the Castormoving group (200Myr). In this paper we compile a preliminary list ofsingle late-type possible members of some of these young stellarkinematic groups. Stars are selected from previously established membersof stellar kinematic groups based on photometric and kinematicproperties as well as from candidates based on other criteria such astheir level of chromospheric activity, rotation rate and lithiumabundance. Precise measurements of proper motions and parallaxes takenfrom the Hipparcos Catalogue, as well as from the Tycho-2 Catalogue, andpublished radial velocity measurements are used to calculate theGalactic space motions (U, V, W) and to apply Eggen's kinematic criteriain order to determine the membership of the selected stars to thedifferent groups. Additional criteria using age-dating methods forlate-type stars will be applied in forthcoming papers of this series. Afurther study of the list of stars compiled here could lead to a betterunderstanding of the chromospheric activity and their age evolution, aswell as of the star formation history in the solar neighbourhood. Inaddition, these stars are also potential search targets for directimaging detection of substellar companions.
| The β Pictoris Moving Group
Following the 1983 IRAS detection and subsequent imaging of itsextensive dusty circumstellar disk, β Pictoris became theprototypical and most studied example of a potential forming planetarysystem. Here we report the identification of 17 star systems, each withone or more characteristics indicative of extreme youth, that are movingthrough space together with β Pic. This diverse set of ~12 millionyr old star systems, which includes a ~35 Jupiter mass brown dwarf, anda wide assortment of dusty circumstellar disks, is the comoving,youthful group closest to Earth. Their unique combination of youth andproximity to Earth makes group members-many of which have masses similarto that of the Sun-prime candidates for imaging of warm planets anddusty circumstellar disks with ground- and space-based telescopes.
| MSX, 2MASS, and the LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD: A Combined Near- and Mid-Infrared View
The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) has been observed by the MidcourseSpace Experiment (MSX) in the mid-infrared and the Two Micron All SkySurvey (2MASS) in the near-infrared. We have performed across-correlation of the 1806 MSX catalog sources and nearly 1.4 million2MASS cataloged point and extended sources and find 1664 matches. Usingthe available color information, we identify a number of stellarpopulations and nebulae, including main-sequence stars, giant stars, redsupergiants, carbon- and oxygen-rich asymptotic giant branch (AGB)stars, planetary nebulae, H II regions, and other dusty objects likelyassociated with early-type stars. A total of 731 of these sources haveno previous identification. We compile a listing of all objects, whichincludes photometry and astrometry. The 8.3 μm MSX sensitivity is thelimiting factor for object detection: only the brighter red objects,specifically the red supergiants, AGB stars, planetary nebulae, and H IIregions, are detected in the LMC. The remaining objects are likely inthe Galactic foreground. The spatial distribution of the infrared LMCsources may contribute to understanding stellar formation and evolutionand the overall galactic evolution. We demonstrate that a combined mid-and near-infrared photometric baseline provides a powerful means ofidentifying new objects in the LMC for future ground-based andspace-based follow-up observations.
| The ``rotation-activity connection'': Its extension to photospheric activity diagnostics
In this paper we present the results of a different approach in thestudy of the so-called rotation-activity connection, which is a wellestablished correlation between rotation and magnetic activity atchromospheric and outer atmospheric levels. The present study concernsthe photospheric level and was carried out by using V-band photometriclight curve amplitudes as indicators of starspot coverage and ofmagnetic activity. A high degree of correlation between the envelope ofmaximum V-band light curve amplitudes and the rotation period is foundfor the active star members of young open clusters (IC 2602, IC 2391,Alpha Persei, Pleiades and Hyades), as well as for active field stars.This correlation shows a different behaviour in two different rotationperiod ranges. Moreover, some evidence of a possible activity``saturation'' is found among the most rapidly rotating stars of thesample. Additional correlations between photospheric and other magneticactivity indicators in the chromosphere, transition region and coronaare also investigated. The results presented here can be considered asan extension of the well established rotation-activity connection validfrom the corona, transition region and chromosphere, down to thephotosphere.
| Dusty Circumstellar Disks
Dusty circumstellar disks in orbit around main-sequence stars werediscovered in 1983 by the infrared astronomical satellite. It was thefirst time material that was not another star had been seen in orbitaround a main-sequence star other than our Sun. Since that time,analyses of data from the infrared astronomical satellite, the infraredspace observatory, and ground-based telescopes have enabled astronomersto paint a picture of dusty disks around numerous main-sequence andpost-main-sequence stars. This review describes, primarily in anevolutionary framework, the properties of some dusty disks orbiting,first, pre-main-sequence stars, then main-sequence andpost-main-sequence stars, and ending with white dwarfs.
| A ROSAT PSPC catalogue of X-ray sources in the LMC region
We analyzed more than 200 ROSAT PSPC observations in a 10 by 10 degreefield centered on the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and performed between1990 and 1994 to derive a catalogue of X-ray sources. The list contains758 sources with their X-ray properties. From cross-correlations of thePSPC catalogue with the SIMBAD data base and literature searches we givelikely identifications for 144 X-ray sources based on positionalcoincidence, but taking into account X-ray properties like hardnessratios and source extent. 46 known sources are associated with supernovaremnants (SNRs) and candidates in the LMC, most of them already detectedby previous X-ray missions. Including the new candidates from\cite[Haberl & Pietsch (1999)]{HP99} based on variability studies ofthe sources in our PSPC catalogue, the number of X-ray binaries in theLMC increased to 17 and that of the supersoft sources (SSSs) to 9. Theremaining ~ 50% of the identified sources comprise mainly foregroundstars (up to 57) and background extragalactic objects (up to 15). Theoften distinguished X-ray properties of the different source types wereused for a first classification of new, unknown X-ray sources. Eight newPSPC sources are classified as SNRs from their hardness ratios and onepromising new SNR candidate with extended X-ray emission is foundfurther north than all known SNRs. Three soft X-ray sources havehardness ratios compatible to those of the known SSSs. A selection onhardness ratios and X-ray to optical flux ratio further suggests 27foreground stars and 3 AGN.
| Classification of EUV stellar sources detected by the ROSAT WFC. I. Photometric and radial velocity studies
We present the results of high-precision UBV(RI)_c photometricobservations and of spectroscopic radial velocity measurements obtainedat the European Southern Observatory for a sample of 51 cool starsdetected in the EUV by the ROSAT Wide Field Camera (WFC). Using alsorecent results from HIPPARCOS, we infer spectral types and investigatethe single or binary nature of the sample stars. Optical variability,with periods in the 0.4-13 day range, has been detected for the firsttime in 15 of these stars. based on data collected at the EuropeanSouthern Observatory, La Silla, Chile.}\fnmsep \thanks{Tables 1--5,Figs. 2-27 and the complete data set are available in electronic form atthe CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/Abstract.html}
| A Flux-limited Sample of Bright Clusters of Galaxies from the Southern Part of the ROSAT All-Sky Survey: The Catalog and LOG N-LOG S
We describe the selection of an X-ray flux-limited sample of brightclusters of galaxies in the southern hemisphere, based on the firstanalysis of the ROSAT All-Sky Survey data (RASS1). The sample isconstructed starting from an identification of candidate clusters inRASS1, after which their X-ray fluxes are remeasured using thesteepness-ratio technique. This method is better suited than the RASS1standard algorithm to measuring flux from extended sources. The finalsample is count-rate-limited in the ROSAT hard band (0.5-2.0 keV), sothat as a result of the distribution of N_H, its effective flux limitvaries between ~3 and 4x10^-12 ergs cm^-2 s^-1 over the selected area.This covers the delta<2.5d part of the south Galactic cap region(b<-20^deg), excluding patches of low RASS1 exposure time and of theMagellanic Clouds area, for a total of 8235 deg^2. One hundred andthirty candidate sources fulfill our selection criteria for bona fideclusters of galaxies in this area. Of these, 101 are Abell/ACO clusters,while 29 do not have a counterpart in these catalogs. Of these clusters,126 (97%) have a redshift, and for these we compute an X-ray luminosity.20% of the cluster redshifts come from new observations, as part of theESO Key Program survey of RASS clusters that is currently undercompletion. Considering the intrinsic biases and incompletenessesintroduced by the flux selection and source identification processes, weestimate the overall completeness to be better than 90%. The observednumber count distribution, log N-log S, is well fitted by a power lawwith slope alpha=1.34+/-0.15 and normalization A=11.87+/-1.04 sr^-1(10^-11 ergs cm^-2 s^-1)^alpha, in good agreement with othermeasurements.
| The 74th Special Name-list of Variable Stars
We present the Name-list introducing GCVS names for 3153 variable starsdiscovered by the Hipparcos mission.
| Identification of soft high galactic latitude RASS X-ray sources. I. A complete count-rate limited sample
We present a summary of spectroscopic identifications for a completesample of bright soft high galactic latitude X-ray sources drawn fromthe ROSAT All-Sky Survey which have PSPC count-rates CR > 0.5 {ctss}(-1) and hardness ratios HR1 < 0. Of a total of 397 sources, 270had catalogued counterparts although most of these were not previouslyknown as X-ray sources; of the remaining 127 sources neither X-ray noroptical properties were previously known. Of the whole sample of verysoft X-ray sources 155 were also discovered by the Wide-Field-Camera onboard ROSAT. We present spectroscopic identifications of 108 sources andother identifications for further 18 sources; 1 source remainsunidentified so far. In practically all cases a unique opticalcounterpart exists facilitating identification. The largest sourceclasses are AGN, magnetic cataclysmic variables, and hot white dwarfs.Based in part on observations with the ESO/MPI 2.2m telescope at LaSilla, Chile
| An Optical Atlas of Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) Sources
The Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) has been detecting EUV sourcessince its launch in June 1992. Positions of 540 sources have been madeavailable to the community by the EUVE team. We have extracted 7' X 7'images centered on these 540 EUVE sources from the Space TelescopeScience Institute digitized sky archives. We present these images asmosaic finder charts to aid observers trying to identify EUVE sources,or to characterize known sources. (SECTION: Atlases)
| An All-Sky Catalog of Faint Extreme Ultraviolet Sources
We present a list of 534 objects detected jointly in the ExtremeUltraviolet Explorer (EUVE) 100 Angstroms all-sky survey and in theROSAT X-Ray Telescope 0.25 keV band. The joint selection criterionpermits use of a low count rate threshold in each survey. This lowthreshold is roughly 60% of the threshold used in the previous EUVEall-sky surveys, and 166 of the objects listed here are new EUV sources,appearing in neither the Second EUVE Source Catalog nor the ROSAT WideField Camera Second Catalog. The spatial distribution of this all-skycatalog shows three features: an enhanced concentration of objects inUrsa Major, where the Galactic integrated H I column reaches its globalminimum; an enhanced concentration in the third quadrant of the Galaxy(lII from 180 deg to 270 deg) including the Canis Major tunnel, whereparticularly low H I columns are found to distances beyond 200 pc; and aparticularly low number of faint objects in the direction of the fourthquadrant of the Galaxy, where nearby intervening H I columns areappreciable. Of particular interest is the composition of the 166detections not previously reported in any EUV catalog. We offerpreliminary identifications for 105 of these sources. By far the mostnumerous (81) of the identifications are late-type stars (F, G, K, M),while 18 are other stellar types, only five are white dwarfs (WDs), andnone are extragalactic. The paucity of WDs and extragalactic objects maybe explained by a strong horizon effect wherein interstellar absorptionstrongly limits the effective new-source search volume and, thereby,selectively favors low-luminosity nearby sources over more luminous butdistant objects.
| The Second Extreme-Ultraviolet Explorer Source Catalog
We present the second catalog of extreme-ultraviolet objects detected bythe Extreme-Ultraviolet Explorer. The data include (1) all-sky surveydetections from the initial 6 month scanner-survey phase, (2) additionalscanner detections made subsequently during specially programmedobservations designed to fill in low-exposure sky areas of the initialsurvey, (3) sources detected with deep-survey-telescope observationsalong the ecliptic, (4) objects detected by the scanner telescopesduring targeted spectroscopy observations, and ( 3) other observations.We adopt an innovative source detection method that separates the usuallikelihood function into two parts: an intensity diagnostic and aprofile diagnostic. These diagnostics allow each candidate detection tobe tested separately for both signal-to-noise ratio and conformance withthe known instrumental point-spread function. We discuss the dependenceof the false-alarm rate and the survey's completeness on the survey'ssensitivity threshold. We provide three lists of the EUV sourcesdetected: the all-sky survey detections, the deep-survey detections, andsources detected during other phases of the mission. Each list givespositions and intensities in each wave band. The total number of objectslisted is 734. For approximately 65% of these we also provide plausibleoptical, UV, radio, and/or X-ray identifications.
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Observation and Astrometry data
| Constellation: | Τράπεζα |
| Right ascension: | 06h18m28.21s |
| Declination: | -72°02'41.4" |
| Apparent magnitude: | 9.995 |
| Distance: | 38.476 parsecs |
| Proper motion RA: | -8.5 |
| Proper motion Dec: | 75.7 |
| B-T magnitude: | 11.36 |
| V-T magnitude: | 10.108 |
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