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27 records · Page 2

Census of the Young Stellar Population in the Galactic H ii Region Sh2-242

We present here identification and characterization of the young stellar population associated with an active star-forming site Sh2-242. We used our own new optical imaging and spectroscopic observational data, as well as several archival catalogs, e.g., Pan-STARRS 1, Gaia DR2, IPHAS, Wide-field InfraRed Camera, 2MASS, and Spitzer. Slit spectroscopic results confirm the classification of the main ionizing source BD+26 980 as an early-type star of spectral type B0.5 V. The spectrophotometric distance of the star is estimated as 2.08 ± 0.24 kpc, which confirms the source as a member of the cluster. An extinction map covering a large area (diameter ∼50′) is generated with H and K photometry toward the region. From the map, three distinct locations of peak extinction complexes (A {sub V} ≃ 7–17 mag) are identified for the very first time. Using the infrared color excess, a total of 33 Class I and 137 Class II young objects are classified within the region. The IPHAS photometry reveals classification of 36 Hα emitting sources, which might be class II objects. Among 36 Hα emitting sources, 5 are already identified using infrared excess emission. In total, 201 young objects are classified toward S242 from this study. The membership status of the young sources is further windowed with the inclusion of parallax from the Gaia DR2 catalog. Using the optical and infrared color–magnitude diagrams, the young stellar objects are characterized with an average age of ∼1 Myr and masses in the range 0.1–3.0 M {sub ☉}. The census of the stellar content within the region is discussed using combined photometric and spectroscopic data.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Obliquity Constraints on an Extrasolar Planetary-mass Companion

We place the first constraints on the obliquity of a planetary-mass companion outside of the solar system. Our target is the directly imaged system 2MASS J01225093–2439505 (2M0122), which consists of a 120 Myr 0.4 M {sub ⊙} star hosting a 12–27 M {sub J} companion at 50 au. We constrain all three of the system’s angular-momentum vectors: how the companion spin axis, the stellar spin axis, and the orbit normal are inclined relative to our line of sight. To accomplish this, we measure projected rotation rates (v sin i) for both the star and the companion using new near-infrared high-resolution spectra with NIRSPEC at Keck Observatory. We combine these with a new stellar photometric rotation period from TESS and a published companion rotation period from Hubble Space Telescope to obtain spin-axis inclinations for both objects. We also fitted multiple epochs of astrometry, including a new observation with NIRC2/Keck, to measure 2M0122b’s orbital inclination. The three line-of-sight inclinations place limits on the true de-projected companion obliquity and stellar obliquity. We find that while the stellar obliquity marginally prefers alignment, the companion obliquity tentatively favors misalignment. We evaluate possible origin scenarios. While collisions, secular spin–orbit resonances, and Kozai–Lidov oscillations are unlikely, formation by gravitational instability in a gravito-turbulent disk—the scenario favored for brown dwarf companions to stars—appears promising.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

An Investigation of Poorly Studied Open Cluster NGC 4337 Using Multicolor Photometric and Gaia DR2 Astrometric Data

We present a comprehensive analysis (photometric and kinematical) of the poorly studied open cluster NGC 4337 using 2MASS, WISE, APASS, and Gaia DR2 databases. By determining the membership probabilities of stars, we identified the 624 most probable members with membership probability higher than 50% by using proper motion and parallax data taken from Gaia DR2. The mean proper motion of the cluster is obtained as μ{sub x}=−8.83±0.01 and μ {sub y} = 1.49 ± 0.006 mas yr{sup −1}. We find the normal interstellar extinction toward the cluster region. The radial distribution of members provides a cluster radius of 7.′75 (5.63 pc). The estimated age of 1600 ± 180 Myr indicates that NGC 4337 is an old open cluster with a bunch of red giant stars. The overall mass function slope for main-sequence stars is found as 1.46±0.18 within the mass range 0.75−2.0 M{sub ⊙}, which is in fair agreement with Salpeter’s value (x = 1.35) within uncertainty. The present study demonstrates that NGC 4337 is a dynamically relaxed open cluster. Using the Galactic potential model, Galactic orbits are obtained for NGC 4337. We found that this object follows a circular path around the Galactic center. Under the kinematical analysis, we compute the apex coordinates (A, D) by using two methods: (i) the classical convergent point method and (ii) the AD-diagram method. The obtained coordinates are (A {sub conv}, D {sub conv}) = (96.°27 ± 0.°10, 13.°14 ± 0.°27) and (A {sub ◦}, D {sub ◦}) = (100.°282 ± 0.°10, 9.°577 ± 0.°323) respectively. We also computed the Velocity Ellipsoid Parameters, matrix elements (μ {sub ij}), direction cosines (l {sub j}, m {sub j}, n {sub j}), and the Galactic longitude of the vertex (l {sub 2}).

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

TOI 540 b: A Planet Smaller than Earth Orbiting a Nearby Rapidly Rotating Low-mass Star

We present the discovery of TOI 540 b, a hot planet slightly smaller than Earth orbiting the low-mass star 2MASS J05051443-4756154. The planet has an orbital period of P = 1.239149 days (±170 ms) and a radius of r=0.903±0.052R{sub ⊕}, and is likely terrestrial based on the observed mass–radius distribution of small exoplanets at similar insolations. The star is 14.008 pc away and we estimate its mass and radius to be M=0.159±0.014 M{sub ⊙} and R=0.1895±0.0079R{sub ⊙}, respectively. The star is distinctive in its very short rotational period of P{sub rot}=17.4264±0.0094 hr and correspondingly small Rossby number of 0.007 as well as its high X-ray-to-bolometric luminosity ratio of L{sub X}/L{sub bol}=0.0028 based on a serendipitous XMM-Newton detection during a slew operation. This is consistent with the X-ray emission being observed at a maximum value of L{sub X}/L{sub bol}≃10{sup −3} as predicted for the most rapidly rotating M dwarfs. TOI 540 b may be an alluring target to study atmospheric erosion due to the strong stellar X-ray emission. It is also among the most accessible targets for transmission and emission spectroscopy and eclipse photometry with the James Webb Space Telescope, and may permit Doppler tomography with high-resolution spectroscopy during transit. This discovery is based on precise photometric data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite and ground-based follow-up observations by the MEarth team.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

TOI-1231 b: A Temperate, Neptune-sized Planet Transiting the Nearby M3 Dwarf NLTT 24399

We report the discovery of a transiting, temperate, Neptune-sized exoplanet orbiting the nearby (d = 27.5 pc), M3V star TOI-1231 (NLTT 24399, L 248-27, 2MASS J10265947-5228099). The planet was detected using photometric data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite and followed up with observations from the Las Cumbres Observatory and the Antarctica Search for Transiting ExoPlanets program. Combining the photometric data sets, we find that the newly discovered planet has a radius of 3.65{sub −0.15}{sup +0.16} R{sub ⊕} and an orbital period of 24.246 days. Radial velocity measurements obtained with the Planet Finder Spectrograph on the Magellan Clay telescope confirm the existence of the planet and lead to a mass measurement of 15.5 ± 3.3 M {sub ⊕}. With an equilibrium temperature of just 330 K, TOI-1231 b is one of the coolest small planets accessible for atmospheric studies thus far, and its host star’s bright near-infrared brightness (J = 8.88, K {sub s} = 8.07) makes it an exciting target for the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope. Future atmospheric observations would enable the first comparative planetology efforts in the 250–350 K temperature regime via comparisons with K2-18 b. Furthermore, TOI-1231's high systemic radial velocity (70.5 km s{sup −1}) may allow for the detection of low-velocity hydrogen atoms escaping the planet by Doppler, shifting the H i Lyα stellar emission away from the geocoronal and interstellar medium absorption features.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

X-Rays in Cepheids: XMM-Newton Observations of η Aql

X-ray bursts have recently been discovered in the Cepheids δ Cep and β Dor modulated by the pulsation cycle. We have obtained an observation of the Cepheid η Aql with the XMM-Newton satellite at the phase of maximum radius; the phase at which there is a burst of X-rays in δ Cep. No X-rays were seen from the Cepheid η Aql at this phase, and the implications for Cepheid upper atmospheres are discussed. We have also used the combination of X-ray sources, as well as Gaia and 2MASS data, to search for a possible grouping around the young intermediate mass Cepheid. No indication of such a group was found.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

A Cross-correlation Study of High-energy Neutrinos and Tracers of Large-scale Structure

The origin of the bulk of the astrophysical neutrinos detected by the IceCube Observatory remains a mystery. Previous source-finding analyses compared the directions of IceCube events and individual sources in astrophysical catalogs. The source association method is technically challenging when the number of source candidates is much larger than the number of the observed astrophysical neutrinos. In this paper, we show that in this large source number regime, a two-point cross-correlation analysis of neutrino data and source catalog can instead be used to constrain potential source populations for the high-energy astrophysical neutrinos, and provide spatial evidence for the existence of astrophysical neutrinos. We present an analysis of the cross-correlation of the IceCube 2010–2012 point-source data and a WISE–2MASS galaxy sample. While we find no significant detection of cross-correlation with the publicly available neutrino data set, we show that, when applied to the full IceCube data, which has a longer observation time and higher astrophysical neutrino purity, our method has sufficient statistical power to detect a cross-correlation signal if the neutrino sources trace the large-scale structure of the universe.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Constraints on the Correlation of IceCube Neutrinos with a Tracer of Nearby Large-scale Structure

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory has observed extragalactic astrophysical neutrinos with an apparently isotropic distribution. Only a small fraction of the observed astrophysical neutrinos can be explained by known sources. Neutrino production is thought to occur in energetic environments that are ultimately powered by the gravitational collapse of dense regions of the large-scale mass distribution in the universe. Whatever their identity, neutrino sources likely trace this large-scale mass distribution. The clustering of neutrinos with a tracer of the large-scale structure may provide insight into the distribution of neutrino sources with respect to redshift and the identity of neutrino sources. We implement a two-point angular cross correlation of the Northern sky track events with an infrared galaxy catalog derived from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) and Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) source catalogs, which trace the nearby large-scale structure. No statistically significant correlation is found between the neutrinos and this infrared galaxy catalog. We find that ≤54% of the diffuse muon neutrino flux can be attributed to sources correlated with the galaxy catalog with 90% confidence. Additionally, when assuming that the neutrino source comoving density evolves following a power law in redshift, dN s /dV ∝ (1 + z) k , we find that sources with negative evolution, in particular k < −1.75, are disfavored at the 90% confidence level.

Abbasi, R. [Loyola University, Chicago, IL (United↗

The ‘Giraffe’: discovery of a stripped red giant in an interacting binary with an ∼2 M ⊙ lower giant

We report the discovery of a stripped giant + lower giant Algol-type binary, 2M04123153+6738486 (2M0412), identified during a search for non-interacting compact object – star binaries. 2M0412 is an evolved ( T eff, giant ≃ 4000 K), luminous ( L giant ≃ 150 L ⊙ ) red giant in a circular P = 81.2 d binary. 2M0412 is a known variable star previously classified as a semiregular variable. The cross-correlation functions of follow-up Keck/HIRES and LBT/Potsdam Echelle Polarimetric and Spectroscopic Instrument (PEPSI) spectra show an radial velocity variable second component with implied mass ratio q = M giant / M comp ≃ 0.20 ± 0.01. The All-Sky Automated Survey for SuperNovae (ASAS-SN), Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), Transiting Exoplanet Survey Telescope ( TESS ), and Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) light curves show that the giant is a Roche lobe filling ellipsoidal variable with an inclination of 49.4 ± 0.3°, and a giant mass of M giant = 0.38 ± 0.01 M ⊙ for a distance of ≃ 3.7 kpc. The mass of the giant indicates that its envelope has been partially stripped. The giant companion on the lower red giant branch has a mass of M comp = 1.91 ± 0.03 M ⊙ with T eff, comp ≃ 5000 K, L comp ≃ 60 L ⊙ , and R comp ≃ 11 R ⊙ . The lower giant contributes ${\sim }35{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ of the flux in the V band. We also identify an orbital phase dependent, broad $\rm H\,\alpha$ emission line which could indicate ongoing accretion from the stripped red giant on to the companion.

(stars:) binaries: spectroscopic↗