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At least 235 records · Page 13
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Angular Momentum Variation of the Milky Way Thick Disk: The Dependence of Chemical Abundance and Evidence of the Inside-out Formation Scenario

We investigate the angular momentum of mono-abundance populations (MAPs) of the Milky Way thick disk by using a sample of 26,076 giant stars taken from APOGEE Data Release (DR) 17 and Gaia early DR3. The vertical and perpendicular angular momentum components, L Z and L P , of the MAPs in narrow bins have significant variations across the [α/M]–[M/H] plane. L Z and L P systematically change with [M/H] and [α/M] and can be alternatively quantified by the chemical gradients: d[M/H]/dL Z = 1.2 × 10 -3 dex kpc -1 km -1 s, d[M/H]/dL P = -5.0 × 10 -3 dec kpc -1 km -1 s, and d[α/M]/dL Z = -3.0 × 10 -4 dex kpc -1 km -1 s, d[α/M]/dL P = 1.2 × 10 -3 dec kpc -1 km -1 s. These correlations can also be explained as the chemical dependence of the spatial distribution shape of the MAPs. We also exhibit the corresponding age dependence of the angular momentum components. Under the assumption that the guiding radius (R g ) is proportional to L Z , this provides direct observational evidence of the inside-out structure formation scenario of the thick disk, with dR g /dAge = -1.9 kpc Gyr -1 . The progressive changes in the disk thickness can be explained by the upside-down formation or/and the consequent kinematical heating.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

A Tale of Two Disks: Mapping the Milky Way with the Final Data Release of APOGEE

We present new maps of the Milky Way disk showing the distribution of metallicity ([Fe/H]), α-element abundances ([Mg/Fe]), and stellar age, using a sample of 66,496 red giant stars from the final data release (DR17) of the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment survey. We measure radial and vertical gradients, quantify the distribution functions for age and metallicity, and explore chemical clock relations across the Milky Way for the low-α disk, high-α disk, and total population independently. The low-α disk exhibits a negative radial metallicity gradient of -0.06 ± 0.001 dex kpc -1 , which flattens with distance from the midplane. The high-α disk shows a flat radial gradient in metallicity and age across nearly all locations of the disk. The age and metallicity distribution functions shift from negatively skewed in the inner Galaxy to positively skewed at large radius. Significant bimodality in the [Mg/Fe]–[Fe/H] plane and in the [Mg/Fe]–age relation persist across the entire disk. The age estimates have typical uncertainties of ~0.15 in log(age) and may be subject to additional systematic errors, which impose limitations on conclusions drawn from this sample. Nevertheless, these results act as critical constraints on galactic evolution models, constraining which physical processes played a dominant role in the formation of the Milky Way disk. We discuss how radial migration predicts many of the observed trends near the solar neighborhood and in the outer disk, but an additional more dramatic evolution history, such as the multi-infall model or a merger event, is needed to explain the chemical and age bimodality elsewhere in the Galaxy.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1966

The opacity of hot water vapor.

Hot water vapor opacity effects on dispersion spectra of red giant stars, constructing stellar atmospheric models

Auman, J. R., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Velocity dispersions in galaxies: 1: The SO galaxy NGC 7332

A Coude spectrum of the SO galaxy NGC 7332 with 0.9 A resolution from 4186 to 4364 A was obtained with the SEC vidicon television camera and the Hale telescope. Comparisons with spectra of G and K giant stars, numerically broadened for various Maxwellian velocity distributions, give a dispersion velocity in the line of sight of 160 + or - 20 km/sec with the best fit at G8III. The dispersion appears to be constant within + or - 35 km/sec out to 1.4 kpc (H = 100 km/sec/mpc). After correction for projection, the rotation curve has a slope of 0.16 km/sec/pc at the center and a velocity of 130 km/sec at 1.4 kpc where it is still increasing. For an estimated effective radius of 3.5 kpc enclosing half the light, the virial theorem gives a mass of 1.4 x 10 to the 11th power solar masses if the mass-to-light ratio is constant throughout the galaxy. The photographic luminosity is 8.3 x 10 to the 9th power solar luminosities so that the M/L ratio is 17.

Morton, D. C.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Velocity dispersions in galaxies. I - The E7 galaxy NGC 7332.

A coude spectrum of the E7 galaxy NGC 7332 with 0.9 A-resolution from 4186 to 4364 A was obtained with the Princeton SEC vidicon television camera and the Hale telescope. Comparisons with spectra of G and K giant stars, numerically broadened for various Maxwellian velocity distributions, give a dispersion velocity in the line of sight of 160 (plus or minus 20) km/sec with the best fit at G8 III. The dispersion appears to be constant within plus or minus 35 km/sec out to 1.4 kpc. After correction for projection, the rotation curve has a slope of 0.18 km/sec per pc at the center and a velocity of 130 km/sec at 1.4 kpc where it is still increasing. For an estimated effective radius of 3.5 kpc enclosing half the light, the virial theorem gives a mass of 140 billion solar masses if the mass-to-light ratio is constant throughout the galaxy.

Morton, D. C.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Four stellar-diameter measurements by a new technique - Amplitude interferometry

Diameters are reported for four late-type giant stars, alpha Boo, alpha Ori, alpha Tau, and beta Peg. The diameters were obtained with a new kind of interferometer designed expressly to operate in the presence of atmospheric fluctuations. The new technique, called amplitude interferometry, is briefly described. The results include measurements of alpha Ori at several wavelengths.

Currie, D. G.↗
NASA NTRS1977

The Mg II features near 2800A and spectral classification

Relatively high-resolution (about 0.4 A) observations of the Mg II resonance lines at 2795.523 and 2802.698 A as well as their respective subordinate lines at 2797.989 and 2790.768 A are discussed for main-sequence stars, giants, and supergiants. The general behavior of the Mg II lines as a function of spectral type is described. An expression is obtained for the relationship between absolute magnitude and Mg II emission widths. The variation of the absorption widths of the Mg II features with spectral type and luminosity class is briefly summarized.

Kondo, Y.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Stellar model chromospheres. VII - Capella /G5 III +/, Pollux /K0 III/, and Aldebaran /K5 III/

Data from high-resolution SEC vidicon spectroscopy with a ground-based telescope (for the Ca II K line) and from spectral scans made with the BUSS ultraviolet balloon spectrograph (for the Mg II h and k lines) are used to derive models of the chromospheres and upper photospheres of three G-K giants. The models are based on partial-redistribution analyses of the Ca II K line wings and cores and on the fluxes in the Mg II lines. The photospheres thus computed are hotter than predicted by radiative-equilibrium models. The minimum-to-effective temperature ratio is found to decrease with decreasing effective temperature, while the mass column density at the top of the chromosphere increases with decreasing stellar surface gravity. The computed pressure at the chromosphere top in the primary member of the Capella spectroscopic binary system is 70 times smaller than the transition-region pressure derived by Haisch and Linsky (1976), which suggests that additional terms must be included in the transition-region energy equations for giant stars. Estimates of the Ca II and hydrogen column densities are made for the circumstellar envelope of Aldebaran.

Kelch, W. L.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Two-micron spectrophotometry of the galaxy NGC 253

A very strong Brackett-gamma hydrogen emission line, and the 2.3 micron CO stellar absorption feature were measured in NGC 253. The presence and strength of the CO feature indicates that late type giant stars produce most of the 2.2 micron continuum emission, while the rate of ionization implied by strength of the Brackett-gamma line indicates that much, perhaps all, of the luminosity detected at far infrared wavelengths originates from a large number of OB stars. As compared to the corresponding region of the Galaxy, the number of massive young stars in the central 200 pc of NGC 253 is thirty times greater, but the total mass of stars is roughly the same.

Wynn-Williams, C. G.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Two-micron spectrophotometry of the galaxy NGC 253

A very strong Brackett-gamma hydrogen emission line and the 2.3-micron CO stellar absorption feature have been measured in NGC 253. The presence and strength of the CO feature indicate that late-type giant stars produce most of the 2.2-micron continuum emission, while the rate of ionization implied by strength of the Brackett-gamma line indicates that much, perhaps all, of the luminosity detected at far-infrared wavelengths originates from a large number of OB stars. As compared with the corresponding region of the Galaxy, the number of massive young stars in the central 200 pc of NGC 253 is 30 times greater, but the total mass of stars is roughly the same.

Wynn-Williams, C. G.↗
NASA NTRS1980

The Barnes-Evans color-surface brightness relation: A preliminary theoretical interpretation

Model atmosphere calculations are used to assess whether an empirically derived relation between V-R and surface brightness is independent of a variety of stellar paramters, including surface gravity. This relationship is used in a variety of applications, including the determination of the distances of Cepheid variables using a method based on the Beade-Wesselink method. It is concluded that the use of a main sequence relation between V-R color and surface brightness in determining radii of giant stars is subject to systematic errors that are smaller than 10% in the determination of a radius or distance for temperature cooler than 12,000 K. The error in white dwarf radii determined from a main sequence color surface brightness relation is roughly 10%.

Shipman, H. L.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Orbits of nine Uranian rings

Observations of a stellar occultation by Uranus and its nine rings are presented and used to examine the structures and kinematics of the rings. The observations of the occultation of the K giant star KM 12 were obtained in the K band with the 4-m CTIO telescope at a signal-to-noise ratio higher than any previously obtained. Ring occultation profiles reveal the alpha ring to possibly have a double structure and less abrupt boundaries than the gamma ring, which exhibits diffraction fringes, while the eta ring is a broad ring with an unresolved narrow component at its inner edge. The present timing data, as well as previous occultation timings, are fit to a kinematic model in which all nine rings are treated as coplanar eclipses of zero inclination, precessing due to the zonal harmonics of the Uranian gravitational potential to obtain solutions for the ring orbits. Analysis of the residuals from the fitted orbits reveals that the proposed model is a good representation of ring kinematics. The reference system defined by the orbit solutions has also been used to obtain a value of 0.022 + or - 0.003 for the ellipticity of Uranus and a Uranian rotation period of 15.5 h.

Elliot, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Changes in the UV spectrum of HD 4174

It is noted that the symbiotic-like object HD 4174 (EG And) exhibits the optical spectrum of an M2 giant star, but also shows Balmer and nebular line emission. The first UV spectrum showed an intense far UV emission line spectrum typical of many symbiotic stars. A 470 day binary or pulsation period for this system, based on the changing strength and velocity of the H alpha emission. Preliminary indications are that the H alpha and far UV continuum are eclipsed near phase 0.6 (at maximum H alpha redshift), but that the correlation for the emission lines remains unclear and requires additional observations.

Stencel, R. E.↗
NASA NTRS1982

s-process studies in the light of new experimental cross sections - Distribution of neutron fluences and r-process residuals

A best set of neutron-capture cross sections has been evaluated for the most important s-process isotopes. With this data base, s-process studies have been carried out using the traditional model which assumes a steady neutron flux and an exponential distribution of neutron irradiations. The calculated sigma-N curve is in excellent agreement with the empirical sigma-N-values of pure s-process nuclei. Simultaneously, good agreement is found between the difference of solar and s-process abundances and the abundances of pure r-process nuclei. The abundance pattern of the iron group elements where s-process results complement the abundances obtained from explosive nuclear burning is discussed. The results obtained from the traditional s-process model such as seed abundances, mean neutron irradiations, or neutron densities are compared to recent stellar model calculations which assume the He-burning shells of red giant stars as the site for the s-process.

Kaeppeler, F.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Discovery of three far-red objects in CCD images of the galactic center

Observations of the galactic center with a CCD camera in the far-red (9030-9270 A) have revealed three previously unknown objects which are designated FRS 1, FRS 2, and FRS 3. The three objects have magnitudes of 18.7, 19.5, and 19.7, respectively, and lie within 10 arcsec of the direction of Sgr A West, corresponding to a distance of about 1/2 pc at 10 kpc. FRS 1 lies within the extended 2.2-micron infrared source IRS 16, which may coincide with the dynamical center of the Galaxy. Two interpretations of these far-red objects which have been considered are that (1) they are compact clusters of giant stars, earlier than M0 or (2) they are extremely compact H II regions observed in the forbidden emission of doubly ionized sulfur. Observational tests of these two hypotheses are suggested.

Ricker, G. R.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Laboratory submillimeter transition frequencies of Li-7H and Li-6H

The fundamental (J = 1 - 0) rotational transition frequencies of Li-7H and Li-6H in their ground (v = 0) vibrational states and of Li-7H in its first excited (v = 1) vibrational state have been measured in the laboratory. Use of these transition frequencies should permit astronomical investigations of LiH abundances in red giant stars of high lithium abundance.

Plummer, G. M.↗