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At least 577 records · Page 32

FUNDAMENTAL PARAMETERS OF KEPLER ECLIPSING BINARIES. I. KIC 5738698

Eclipsing binaries serve as a valuable source of stellar masses and radii that inform stellar evolutionary models and provide insight into additional astrophysical processes. The exquisite light curves generated by space-based missions such as Kepler offer the most stringent tests to date. We use the Kepler light curve of the 4.8 day eclipsing binary KIC 5739896 with ground based optical spectra to derive fundamental parameters for the system. We reconstruct the component spectra to determine the individual atmospheric parameters, and model the Kepler photometry with the binary synthesis code Eclipsing Light Curve to obtain accurate masses and radii. The two components of KIC 5738698 are F-type stars with M{sub 1} = 1.39±0.04 M{sub ⊙}, M{sub 2} = 1.34±0.06 M{sub ⊙}, and R{sub 1} = 1.84±0.03 R{sub ⊙}, R{sub 2} = 1.72±0.03 R{sub ⊙}. We also report a small eccentricity (e≲0.0017) and unusual albedo values that are required to match the detailed shape of the Kepler light curve. Comparison with evolutionary models indicate an approximate age of 2.3 Gyr for the system.

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THE PAN-PACIFIC PLANET SEARCH. V. FUNDAMENTAL PARAMETERS FOR 164 EVOLVED STARS

We present spectroscopic stellar parameters for the complete target list of 164 evolved stars from the Pan-Pacific Planet Search, a five-year radial velocity campaign using the 3.9 m Anglo-Australian Telescope. For 87 of these bright giants, our work represents the first determination of their fundamental parameters. Our results carry typical uncertainties of 100 K, 0.15 dex, and 0.1 dex in T {sub eff}, log g, and [Fe/H] and are consistent with literature values where available. The derived stellar masses have a mean of 1.31{sub −0.25}{sup +0.28} M {sub ⊙}, with a tail extending to ∼2 M {sub ⊙}, consistent with the interpretation of these targets as “retired” A-F type stars.

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THE STELLAR MASS FUNDAMENTAL PLANE AND COMPACT QUIESCENT GALAXIES AT z < 0.6

We examine the evolution of the relation between stellar mass surface density, velocity dispersion, and half-light radius—the stellar mass fundamental plane (MFP)—for quiescent galaxies at z < 0.6. We measure the local relation from galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and the intermediate redshift relation from ∼500 quiescent galaxies with stellar masses 10 ≲ log( M {sub *}/ M {sub ⊙}) ≲ 11.5. Nearly half of the quiescent galaxies in our intermediate redshift sample are compact. After accounting for important selection and systematic effects, the velocity dispersion distribution of galaxies at intermediate redshifts is similar to that of galaxies in the local universe. Galaxies at z < 0.6 appear to be smaller (≲0.1 dex) than galaxies in the local sample. The orientation of the stellar MFP is independent of redshift for massive quiescent galaxies at z < 0.6 and the zero-point evolves by ∼0.04 dex. Compact quiescent galaxies fall on the same relation as the extended objects. We confirm that compact quiescent galaxies are the tail of the size and mass distribution of the normal quiescent galaxy population.

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( AKARI AKARI) near-infrared spectroscopy of the extended green object G318.05+0.09: detection of CO fundamental RO-vibrational emission

We present the results of near-infrared (2.5–5.4 μm) long-slit spectroscopy of the extended green object (EGO) G318.05+0.09 with AKARI. Two distinct sources are found in the slit. The brighter source has strong red continuum emission with H{sub 2}O ice, CO{sub 2} ice, and CO gas and ice absorption features at 3.0, 4.25 μm, 4.67 μm, respectively, while the other greenish object shows peculiar emission that has double peaks at around 4.5 and 4.7 μm. The former source is located close to the ultra compact H ii region IRAS 14498−5856 and is identified as an embedded massive young stellar object (YSO). The spectrum of the latter source can be interpreted by blueshifted (−3000 ∼ −6000 km s{sup −1}) optically thin emission of the fundamental ro-vibrational transitions (v=1--0) of CO molecules with temperatures of 12000–3700 K without noticeable H{sub 2} and H i emission. We discuss the nature of this source in terms of outflow associated with the young stellar object and supernova ejecta associated with a supernova remnant.

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STELLAR ATMOSPHERES, ATMOSPHERIC EXTENSION, AND FUNDAMENTAL PARAMETERS: WEIGHING STARS USING THE STELLAR MASS INDEX

One of the great challenges of understanding stars is measuring their masses. The best methods for measuring stellar masses include binary interaction, asteroseismology, and stellar evolution models, but these methods are not ideal for red giant and supergiant stars. In this work, we propose a novel method for inferring stellar masses of evolved red giant and supergiant stars using interferometric and spectrophotometric observations combined with spherical model stellar atmospheres to measure what we call the stellar mass index, defined as the ratio between the stellar radius and mass. The method is based on the correlation between different measurements of angular diameter, used as a proxy for atmospheric extension, and fundamental stellar parameters. For a given star, spectrophotometry measures the Rosseland angular diameter while interferometric observations generally probe a larger limb-darkened angular diameter. The ratio of these two angular diameters is proportional to the relative extension of the stellar atmosphere, which is strongly correlated to the star’s effective temperature, radius, and mass. We show that these correlations are strong and can lead to precise measurements of stellar masses.

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Unification of the fundamental plane and super massive black hole masses

According to the virial theorem, all gravitational systems in equilibrium sit on a plane in the three-dimensional parameter space defined by their mass, size, and second moment of the velocity tensor. While these quantities cannot be directly observed, there are suitable proxies: the luminosity L {sub k}, half-light radius R {sub e}, and dispersion σ{sub e}. These proxies indeed lie on a very tight fundamental plane (FP). How do the black holes (BHs) in the centers of galaxies relate to the FP? Their masses are known to exhibit no strong correlation with total galaxy mass, but they do correlate weakly with bulge mass (when present), and extremely well with the velocity dispersion through the M{sub ∙}∝σ{sub e}{sup 5.4} relation. These facts together imply that a tight plane must also exist defined by BH mass, total galaxy mass, and size. Here, I show that this is indeed the case using a heterogeneous set of 230 BHs. The sample includes BHs from zero to 10 billion solar masses and host galaxies ranging from low surface brightness dwarfs, through bulgeless disks, to brightest cluster galaxies. The resulting BH–size–luminosity relation M{sub ∙}∝(L{sub k}/R{sub e}){sup 3.8} has the same amount of scatter as the M {sub •}–σ relation and is aligned with the galaxy FP, such that it is just a reprojection of σ{sub e}. The inferred BH–size–mass relation is M{sub ∙}∝(M{sub ⋆}/R{sub e}){sup 2.9}. These relationships are universal and extend to galaxies without bulges. This implies that the BH is primarily correlated with its global velocity dispersion and not with the properties of the bulge. I show that the classical bulge–mass relation is a projection of the M {sub •}–σ relation. When the velocity dispersion cannot be measured (at high z or low dispersions), the BH–size–mass relation should be used as a proxy for BH mass in favor of just galaxy or bulge mass.

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Fundamental Properties of Co-moving Stars Observed by Gaia

We have estimated fundamental parameters for a sample of co-moving stars observed by Gaia and identified by Oh et al. We matched the Gaia observations to the 2MASS and Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer catalogs and fit MIST isochrones to the data, deriving estimates of the mass, radius, [Fe/H], age, distance, and extinction to 9754 stars in the original sample of 10606 stars. We verify these estimates by comparing our new results to previous analyses of nearby stars, examining fiducial cluster properties, and estimating the power-law slope of the local present-day mass function. A comparison to previous studies suggests that our mass estimates are robust, while metallicity and age estimates are increasingly uncertain. We use our calculated masses to examine the properties of binaries in the sample and show that separation of the pairs dominates the observed binding energies and expected lifetimes.

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New Determination of Fundamental Properties of Palomar 5 Using Deep DESI Imaging Data

The legacy imaging surveys for the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument project provides multiple-color photometric data, which are about 2 mag deeper than those from the SDSS. In this study, we redetermine the fundamental properties for an old halo globular cluster of Palomar 5 based on these new imaging data, including structure parameters, stellar population parameters, and luminosity and mass functions. These characteristics, together with its tidal tails, are key for dynamical studies of the cluster and constraining the mass model of the Milky Way. By fitting the King model to the radial surface density profile of Palomar 5, we derive the core radius of [[Formula]], tidal radius of [[Formula]], and concentration parameter of c = 0.78 ± 0.04. We apply a Bayesian analysis method to derive the stellar population properties and get an age of 11.508 ± 0.027 Gyr, metallicity of [Fe/H] = −1.798 ± 0.014, reddening of E(B − V) = 0.0552 ± 0.0005, and distance modulus of (m−M){sub 0} = 16.835±0.006. The main-sequence luminosity and mass functions for both the cluster center and tidal tails are investigated. The luminosity and mass functions at different distances from the cluster center suggest that there is obvious spatial mass segregation. Many faint low-mass stars have been evaporated at the cluster center, and the tidal tails are enhanced by low-mass stars. Both the concentration and relaxation times suggest that Palomar 5 is a totally relaxed system.

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On the Origin of the Fundamental Plane and Faber–Jackson Relations: Implications for the Star Formation Problem

We provide an explanation of the properties of the fundamental plane (FP) relation and its observed projections for a sample of nearby early-type galaxies (ETGs) in terms of a fine-tuning between the time-averaged star formation rate 〈Ψ〉 and their structural and dynamical characteristics. Their total V luminosity is linked with 〈Ψ〉 and the central velocity dispersion σ through the relation log(L)=0.48(±0.06)log(〈Ψ〉)+1.00 (±0.13)log(σ)+7.81(±0.26), with an rms = 0.215 (R = 0.64 and P<1.2×10{sup −16}). This fine-tuning permits us to obtain the FP in terms of two distinct “virtual planes” in the log(R{sub e})--log(〈I{sub e}〉)--log(σ) space. The first one (the virial plane; VP) represents the total galaxy mass derived from the scalar virial theorem and the mass-to-light ratio M/L, while the second plane comes from the relation L=L{sub 0}{sup ′}σ{sup −2}, where L{sub 0}{sup ′} is a parameter connected with 〈Ψ〉. This is a mathematically convenient way for expressing the independence of the galaxy light from the virial equilibrium. Each galaxy in the log(R{sub e})--log(〈I{sub e}〉)--log(σ) space is identified by the intersection of these two planes. A posteriori, we show that the properties of the FP (tilt and scatter) and the zone of exclusion visible in the FP projections are consequences of this fine-tuning. The link between the FP properties and the SFR of galaxies provides a new view of the star formation phenomenon. The star formation history of an unperturbed galaxy seems to be driven by the initial conditions in the protogalaxies and is regulated across cosmic epochs by the variation of the main galaxy parameters (mass, luminosity, structural shape, and velocity dispersion).

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Formation of Methylamine and Ethylamine in Extraterrestrial Ices and Their Role as Fundamental Building Blocks of Proteinogenic α -amino Acids

The –CH–NH{sub 2} moiety represents the fundamental building block of all proteinogenic amino acids, with the cyclic amino acid proline being a special case (–CH–NH– in proline). Exploiting a chemical retrosynthesis, we reveal that methylamine (CH{sub 3}NH{sub 2}) and/or ethylamine (CH{sub 3}CH{sub 2}NH{sub 2}) are essential precursors in the formation of each proteinogenic amino acid. In the present study we elucidate the abiotic formation of methylamine and ethylamine from ammonia (NH{sub 3}) and methane (CH{sub 4}) ices exposed to secondary electrons generated by energetic cosmic radiation in cometary and interstellar model ices. Our experiments show that methylamine and ethylamine are crucial reaction products in irradiated ices composed of ammonia and methane. Using isotopic substitution studies we further obtain valuable information on the specific reaction pathways toward methylamine. The very recent identification of methylamine and ethylamine together with glycine in the coma of 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko underlines their potential to the extraterrestrial formation of amino acids.

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The KMOS Cluster Survey (KCS). I. The Fundamental Plane and the Formation Ages of Cluster Galaxies at Redshift 1.4 < Z < 1.6

We present the analysis of the fundamental plane (FP) for a sample of 19 massive red-sequence galaxies (M{sub ⋆}>4×10{sup 10} M{sub ⊙}) in three known overdensities at 1.39 11) in our sample, we translate the FP zero-point evolution into a mass-to-light-ratio M/L evolution, finding ΔlogM/L{sub B}=(−0.46±0.10)z, ΔlogM/L{sub B}=(−0.52±0.07)z, to ΔlogM/L{sub B}=(−0.55±0.10)z, respectively. We assess the potential contribution of the galaxy structural and stellar velocity dispersion evolution to the evolution of the FP zero-point and find it to be ∼6%–35% of the FP zero-point evolution. The rate of M/L evolution is consistent with galaxies evolving passively. Using single stellar population models, we find an average age of 2.33{sub −0.51}{sup +0.86} Gyr for the logM{sub ⋆}/M{sub ⊙}>11 galaxies in our massive and virialized cluster at z = 1.39, 1.59{sub −0.62}{sup +1.40} Gyr in a massive but not virialized cluster at z = 1.46, and 1.20{sub −0.47}{sup +1.03} Gyr in a protocluster at z = 1.61. After accounting for the difference in the age of the universe between redshifts, the ages of the galaxies in the three overdensities are consistent within the errors, with possibly a weak suggestion that galaxies in the most evolved structure are older.

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A Fundamental Test for Galaxy Formation Models: Matching the Lyman- α Absorption Profiles of Galactic Halos Over Three Decades in Distance

Galaxy formation depends critically on the physical state of gas in the circumgalactic medium (CGM) and its interface with the intergalactic medium (IGM), determined by the complex interplay between inflow from the IGM and outflows from supernovae and/or AGN feedback. The average Lyα absorption profile around galactic halos represents a powerful tool to probe their gaseous environments. We compare predictions from Illustris and Nyx hydrodynamical simulations with the observed absorption around foreground quasars, damped Lyα systems, and Lyman-break galaxies. We show how large-scale BOSS and small-scale quasar pair measurements can be combined to precisely constrain the absorption profile over three decades in transverse distance 20 kpc ≲ b ≲ 20 Mpc. Far from galaxies, ≲ 2 Mpc, the simulations converge to the same profile and provide a reasonable match to the observations. This asymptotic agreement arises because the ΛCDM model successfully describes the ambient IGM and represents a critical advantage of studying the mean absorption profile. However, significant differences between the simulations, and between simulations and observations, are present on scales 20 kpc ≲ b ≲ 20 Mpc, illustrating the challenges of accurately modeling and resolving galaxy formation physics. It is noteworthy that these differences are observed as far out as ~2 Mpc, indicating that the "sphere of influence" of galaxies could extend to approximately ~7 times the halo virial radius. Current observations are very precise on these scales and can thus strongly discriminate between different galaxy formation models. We demonstrate that the Lyα absorption profile is primarily sensitive to the underlying temperature-density relationship of diffuse gas around galaxies, and argue that it thus provides a fundamental test of galaxy formation models.

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Mass–Metallicity Relation and Fundamental Metallicity Relation of Metal-poor Star-forming Galaxies at 0.6<$Z$<0.9 from the eBOSS Survey

The stellar mass–metallicity relation (M * –Z; MZR) indicates that the metallicities of galaxies increase with increasing stellar masses. The fundamental metallicity relation (FMR) suggests that galaxies with higher star formation rates (SFRs) tend to have lower metallicities for a given stellar mass. To examine whether the MZR and FMR still hold at poorer metallicities and higher redshifts, we compile a sample of 35 star-forming galaxies (SFGs) at 0.6 < $z$ < 0.9 using the public spectral database (v5_10_0) of emission-line galaxies from the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey. These galaxies are identified for their significant auroral [O iii]λ4363 emission line (S/N $\leqslant$ 3). With the electronic temperature metallicity calibration, we find nine SFGs that are extremely metal-poor galaxies with 12 + log(O/H) $\leqslant$ 7.69 (1/10 Z ⊙ ). The metallicity of the most metal-deficient galaxy is 7.35 ± 0.09 (about 1/20 Z ⊙ ). Compared to the SFGs with normal metallicities in the local and high-redshift universe, our metal-poor SFGs have more than 10 times higher SFRs at a fixed stellar mass. We create a new mass–SFR relation for these metal-poor galaxies at 0.6 < $z$ < 0.9. Due to the higher SFRs and younger stellar ages, our metal-poor SFGs deviate from the MZR and FMR in the local universe toward lower metallicities, confirming the existence of FMR, as well as the cosmic evolution of MZR and FMR with redshift.

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HIDE-AND-SEEK WITH THE FUNDAMENTAL METALLICITY RELATION

We use ∼83,000 star-forming galaxies at 0.04 < z < 0.3 from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey to study the so-called fundamental metallicity relation (FMR) and report on the disappearance of its anti-correlation between metallicity and star formation rate (SFR) when using the new metallicity indicator recently proposed by Dopita et al. In this calibration, metallicity is primarily sensitive to the emission line ratio [N ii] λ 6584/[S ii] λλ 6717, 6731 that is insensitive to dilution by pristine infalling gas that may drive the FMR anti-correlation with SFR. Therefore, we conclude that the apparent disappearance of the FMR (using this new metallicity indicator) does not rule out its existence.

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A fundamental plane for long gamma-ray bursts with X-ray plateaus

A class of long gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) presenting light curves with an extended plateau phase in their X-ray afterglows obeys a correlation between the rest-frame end-time of the plateau, T {sub a}, and its corresponding X-ray luminosity, L {sub a}, (Dainotti et al). In this work we perform an analysis of a total sample of 176 Swift GRBs with known redshifts, exhibiting afterglow plateaus. By adding a third parameter that is the peak luminosity in the prompt emission, L {sub peak}, we discover the existence of a new three-parameter correlation. The scatter of data about this plane becomes smaller when a class-specific GRB sample is defined. This sample of 122 GRBs is selected from the total sample by excluding GRBs with associated supernovae (SNe), X-ray flashes and short GRBs with extended emission. With this sample the three-parameter correlation identifies a GRB “fundamental plane.” Moreover, we further limit our analysis to GRBs with light curves with good data coverage and almost flat plateaus, 40 GRBs forming our “gold sample.” The intrinsic scatter, σ{sub int}=0.27±0.04, for the three-parameter correlation for this last sub-class is more than two times smaller than the value for the L{sub a}−T{sub a} one, making this the tightest three-parameter correlation that involves the afterglow plateau phase. Finally, we also show that a slightly less tight correlation is present between L {sub peak} and a proxy for the total energy emitted during the plateau phase, L{sub a}T{sub a}, confirming the existence of an energy scaling between the prompt and afterglow phases.

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