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NASA NTRS2007

Hubble 2006: Science Year in Review

The 10 science articles selected for this years annual science report exemplify the range of Hubble research from the Solar System, across our Milky Way, and on to distant galaxies. The objects of study include a new feature on Jupiter, binaries in the Kuiper Belt, Cepheid variable stars, the Orion Nebula, distant transiting planets, lensing galaxies, active galactic nuclei, red-and-dead galaxies, and galactic outflows and jets. Each narrative strives to construct the readers understanding of the topics and issues, and to place the latest research in historical, as well as scientific, context. These essays reveal trends in the practice of astronomy. More powerful computers are permitting astronomers to study ever larger data sets, enabling the discovery of subtle effects and rare objects. (Two investigations created mosaic images that are among the largest produced to date.) Multiwavelength data sets from ground-based telescopes, as well as other great observatories Spitzer and Chandraare increasingly important for holistic interpretations of Hubble results. This yearbook also presents profiles of 12 individuals who work with Hubble, or Hubble data, on a daily basis. They are representative of the many students, scientists, engineers, and other professions who are proudly associated with Hubble. Their stories collectively communicate the excitement and reward of careers related to space science and technology.

Hubble space telescope↗
NASA NTRS1980

The detection of a companion star to the Cepheid variable Eta Aquilae

Ultraviolet spectra have been obtained with IUE of the classical Cepheid Eta Aquilae at several phases in the 7.18 day period. Significant ultraviolet emission is detected at wavelengths less than 1600 A, where little flux is expected from classical Cepheids. Furthermore, the emission at wavelengths less than about 1600 A does not vary with phase. Comparison with model atmosphere flux distributions shows that the nonvariable emission is consistent with the flux expected from a main-sequence companion star with an effective temperature of about 9500 K (A0 V). The observed ultraviolet flux and spectral type are used to compute a distance of 300 pc to the system, in agreement with the distance predicted using the period luminosity relation.

Mariska, J. T.↗
NASA NTRS1981

The detection of companion stars to the Cepheid variables ETA Aquilae and T Monocerotis

Ultraviolet spectra of the classical Cepheid variables eta Aq1 and T Mon at several phases in their periods were obtained with IUE. For eta Aq1 significant ultraviolet emission is detected at wavelengths less than 1600 A, where little flux is expected from classical Cepheids. Furthermore, the emission at wavelengths less than about 1600 A does not vary with phase. Comparison with model atmosphere flux distributions shows that the nonvariable emission is consistent with the flux expected from a main sequence companion star with an effective temperature of about 9500 K (AO V - A1 V). For T Mon a nonvarying component to the ultraviolet emission is observed for wavelengths less than 2600 A. Comparison with model atmosphere flux distributions suggests that the companion has an effective temperature of around 10,000 K (AO) and is near the main sequence.

Mariska, J. T.↗
NASA NTRS2003

HST Snapshot Study of Variable Stars in Globular Clusters: Inner Region of NGC 6441

We present the results of a Hubble Space Telescope snapshot program to survey the inner region of the metal-rich globular cluster NGC 6441 for its variable stars. A total of 57 variable stars was found including 38 RR Lyrae stars, 6 Population II Cepheids, and 12 long period variables. Twenty-four of the RR Lyrae stars and all of the Population II Cepheids were previously undiscovered in ground-based surveys. Of the RR Lyrae stars observed in h s survey, 26 are pulsating in the fundamental mode with a mean period of 0.753 d and 12 are first-overtone mode pulsators with a mean period of 0.365 d. These values match up very well with those found in ground-based surveys. Combining all the available data for NGC 6441, we find mean periods of 0.759 d and 0.375 d for the RRab and RRc stars, respectively. We also find that the RR Lyrae in this survey are located in the same regions of a period-amplitude diagram as those found in ground-based surveys. The overall ratio of RRc to total RR Lyrae is 0.33. Although NGC 6441 is a metal-rich globular cluster and would, on that ground, be expected either to have few RR Lyrae stars, or to be an Oosterhoff type I system, its RR Lyrae more closely resemble those in Oosterhoff type II globular clusters. However, even compared to typical Oosterhoff type II systems, the mean period of its RRab stars is unusually long. We also derived I-band period-luminosity relations for the RR Lyrae stars. Of the six Population II Cepheids, five are of W Virginis type and one is a BL Herculis variable star. This makes NGC 6441, along with NGC 6388, the most metal-rich globular cluster known to contain these types of variable stars. Another variable, V118, may also be a Population II Cepheid given its long period and its separation in magnitude from the RR Lyrae stars. We examine the period-luminosity relation for these Population II Cepheids and compare it to those in other globular clusters and in the Large Magellanic Cloud. We argue that there does not appear to be a change in the period-luminosity relation slope between the BL Herculis and W Virginis stars, but that a change of slope does occur when the RV Tauri stars are added to the period-luminosity relation.

Pritzl, Barton J.↗
DOE OSTI2023

The evolution of the Milky Way’s thin disc radial metallicity gradient with K2 asteroseismic ages

ABSTRACT The radial metallicity distribution of the Milky Way’s disc is an important observational constraint for models of the formation and evolution of our Galaxy. It informs our understanding of the chemical enrichment of the Galactic disc and the dynamical processes therein, particularly radial migration. We investigate how the metallicity changes with guiding radius in the thin disc using a sample of red giant stars with robust astrometric, spectroscopic, and asteroseismic parameters. Our sample contains 668 stars with guiding radii 4 < Rg < 11 kpc and asteroseismic ages covering the whole history of the thin disc with precision ${\approx} 25 {{\, \rm per\ cent}}$. We use MCMC analysis to measure the gradient and its intrinsic spread in bins of age and construct a hierarchical Bayesian model to investigate the evolution of these parameters independently of the bins. We find a smooth evolution of the gradient from ≈−0.07 dex kpc−1 in the youngest stars to ≈−0.04 dex kpc−1 in stars older than 10 Gyr, with no break at intermediate ages. Our results are consistent with those based on asteroseismic ages from CoRoT, with that found in Cepheid variables for stars younger than 1 Gyr, and with open clusters for stars younger than 6 Gyr. For older stars we find a significantly lower metallicity in our sample than in the clusters, suggesting a survival bias favouring more metal-rich clusters. We also find that the chemical evolution model of Chiappini '09 is too metal poor in the early stages of disc formation. Our results provide strong new constraints for the growth and enrichment of the thin disc and radial migration, which will facilitate new tests of model conditions and physics.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1966

Pulsation theory.

Pulsation in cepheid instability strip in H-R DIAGRAM, giving equations for spherically symmetric motion

BINARY STAR↗
NASA NTRS1982

BL Herculis stars - Theoretical models for field variables

Type II Cepheids with periods between 1 and 3 days, commonly designated as Bl Herculis stars, have been modeled here with the aim of interpreting the wide variety of light curves observed among the field variables. Previously modeled globular cluster members are used as standard calibration objects. The major finding is that only a small range of luminosities is capable of generating a large variety of light curve types at a given period. For a mass of approximately 0.60 solar mass, the models are able to reproduce the observed mean luminosities, dispersion of mean luminosities, periods, light amplitudes, light asymmetries, and phases of secondary features in the light curves of known BL Her stars. It is possible that the metal-rich variables (which are found only in the field) have luminosities lower than those of most metal-poor variables. The present revised mass for BL Her, a metal-rich object, is not significantly different from the mean mass of the metal-poor variables.

Carson, R.↗
NASA NTRS1993

The variable stars of the young LMC cluster NGC 2164

The present search of the LMC cluster NGC 2164 for variable stars has uncovered one new member classical Cepheid variable with 3.772-day period; attention is also given to photometry for a previously unknown field overtone Cepheid variable with 3.4626-day period, and the 10.6878-day period HV 12078, which may be a member of the young NGC 2156 cluster. The clear separation of fundamental and overtone pulsators in the period-luminosity-color relation of known LMC cluster Cepheids establishes that the NGC 2164 member is a true overtone.

Welch, Douglas L.↗
NASA NTRS1978

New Cepheid variables in the Crux-Centaurus region

Two star fields in the southern Milky Way, between galactic longitudes of approximately 294 and 320 deg, have been searched for new variables. At least three long-period (periods greater than 9 days) classical Cepheids have been tentatively identified, as well as one Virginis star. The resultant distribution of Cepheids along the Milky Way in the Crux-Centaurus region indicates a concentration of spiral tracers near a longitude of about 307 deg.

Grayzeck, E. J.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Analytic solutions of the radial pulsation equation for rotating and magnetic star models

Eddington's (1926) form of wave equation for small-amplitude, radial, adiabatic stellar pulsations of spherically symmetric, gaseous stars is generalized to include the effects of axial rotation and tangled magnetic fields. Equilibrium quantities possessing dimensions are affected, and the relative importance of rotation and magnetism in affecting pulsation characteristics of the models depends on the choices of gamma and the type of model. Solutions are obtained in closed form for adiabatic pulsation periods of fine analytic stellar models, and nonadiabatic stability criteria are determined by means of the one-zone stellar model. Results are discussed for a range of physical parameters such as rotational angular momenta, central condensations, and magnetic energies; and applications are made to the case of classical Cepheids and other variable giant stars.

Stothers, R.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Ultraviolet observations of astronomical phenomena

The purpose was to study various aspects of mass loss in stars of different types. The observational part of the research was directed at three Cepheid variables; the archival part of the research was directed at hot stars (for information on corotating interaction regions) and at cool giants (for study of variability in the mass losing part of the atmosphere).

Mullan, D. J.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Variable Stars in the Giant Satellite Galaxy Antlia 2

We report 350 pulsating variable stars found in four DECam fields (~12 deg 2 ) covering the Antlia 2 satellite galaxy. The sample of variables includes 318 RR Lyrae stars and eight anomalous Cepheids in the galaxy. Reclassification of several objects designated previously to be RR Lyrae as anomalous Cepheids get rid of the satellite's stars intervening along the line of sight. This in turn removes the need for prolific tidal disruption of the dwarf, in agreement with the recently updated proper motion and pericenter measurements based on Gaia EDR3. There are also several bright foreground RR Lyrae stars in the field, and two distant background variables located ~45 kpc behind Antlia 2. We found RR Lyrae stars over the full search area, suggesting that the galaxy is very large and likely extends beyond our observed area. The mean period of the RRab in Antlia 2 is 0.599 days, while the RRc have a mean period of 0.368 days, indicating the galaxy is an Oosterhoff-intermediate system. The distance to Antlia 2 based on the RR Lyrae stars is 124.1 kpc (μ 0 = 20.47) with a dispersion of 5.4 kpc. We measured a clear distance gradient along the semimajor axis of the galaxy, with the southeast side of Antlia 2 being ~13 kpc farther away from the northwest side. This elongation along the line of sight is likely due to the ongoing tidal disruption of Ant 2.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗