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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 73 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2015

Wide field near-infrared photometry of 12 galactic globular clusters: Observations versus models on the red giant branch

We present wide field near-infrared (near-IR) photometry of 12 Galactic globular clusters, typically extending from the tip of the cluster red giant branch (RGB) to the main sequence turnoff. Using recent homogenous values of cluster distance, reddening and metallicity, the resulting photometry is directly compared to the predictions of several recent libraries of stellar evolutionary models. Of the sets of models investigated, Dartmouth and Victoria-Regina models best reproduce the observed RGB morphology, albeit with offsets in J−K{sub S} color which vary in their significance in light of all sources of observational uncertainty. Therefore, we also present newly recalibrated relations between near-IR photometric indices describing the upper RGB versus cluster iron abundance as well as global metallicity. The influence of enhancements in alpha elements and helium are analyzed, and we find that the former affect the morphology of the upper RGB in accord with model predictions. Meanwhile, the empirical relations we derive are in good agreement with previous results, and minor discrepancies can likely be attributed to differences in the assumed cluster distances and reddenings. In addition, we present measurements of the horizontal branch (HB) and RGB bump magnitudes, finding a non-negligible dependence of the near-IR HB magnitude on cluster metallicity. Lastly, we discuss the influence of assumed cluster distances, reddenings and metallicities on our results, finding that our empirical relations are generally insensitive to these factors to within their uncertainties.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Properties of the open cluster Tombaugh 1 from high-resolution spectroscopy and uvbyCaHβ photometry

Open clusters can be the key to deepening our knowledge on various issues involving the structure and evolution of the Galactic disk and details of stellar evolution because a cluster’s properties are applicable to all its members. However, the number of open clusters with detailed analysis from high-resolution spectroscopy or precision photometry imposes severe limitations on studies of these objects. To expand the number of open clusters with well-defined chemical abundances and fundamental parameters, we investigate the poorly studied, anticenter open cluster Tombaugh 1. Using precision uvbyCaHβ photometry and high-resolution spectroscopy, we derive the cluster’s reddening, obtain photometric metallicity estimates, and, for the first time, present a detailed abundance analysis of 10 potential cluster stars (nine clump stars and one Cepheid). Using the radial position from the cluster center and multiple color indices, we have isolated a sample of unevolved, probable single-star members of Tombaugh 1. From 51 stars, the cluster reddening is found to be E(b−y) = 0.221 ± 0.006 or E(B−V) = 0.303 ± 0.008, where the errors refer to the internal standard errors of the mean. The weighted photometric metallicity from m{sub 1} and hk is [Fe/H] = −0.10 ± 0.02, while a match to the Victoria-Regina Strömgren isochrones leads to an age of 0.95 ± 0.10 Gyr and an apparent modulus of (m−M) = 13.10 ± 0.10. Radial velocities identify six giants as probable cluster members, and the elemental abundances of Fe, Na, Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Ti, Cr, Ni, Y, Ba, Ce, and Nd have been derived for both the cluster and the field stars. Tombaugh 1 appears to be a typical inner thin disk, intermediate-age open cluster of slightly subsolar metallicity, located just beyond the solar circle, with solar elemental abundance ratios except for the heavy s-process elements, which are a factor of two above solar. Its metallicity is consistent with a steep metallicity gradient in the galactocentric region between 9.5 and 12 kpc. Our study also shows that Cepheid XZ CMa is not a member of Tombaugh 1 and reveals that this Cepheid presents signs of barium enrichment, making it a probable binary star.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

REVERBERATION MAPPING WITH INTERMEDIATE-BAND PHOTOMETRY: DETECTION OF BROAD-LINE Hα TIME LAGS FOR QUASARS AT 0.2 < z < 0.4

We present a reverberation mapping (RM) experiment that combines broad- and intermediate-band photometry; it is the first such attempt targeting 13 quasars at 0.2 < z < 0.9. The quasars were selected to have strong Hα or Hβ emission lines that are located in one of three intermediate bands (with FWHM around 200 Å) centered at 8045, 8505, and 9171 Å. The imaging observations were carried out in the intermediate bands and the broad i and z bands using the prime-focus imager 90Prime on the 2.3 m Bok telescope. Because of the large (∼1 deg{sup 2}) field of view (FOV) of 90Prime, we included the 13 quasars within only five telescope pointings or fields. The five fields were repeatedly observed over 20–30 epochs that were unevenly distributed over a duration of 5–6 months. The combination of the broad- and intermediate-band photometry allows us to derive accurate light curves for both optical continuum emission (from the accretion disk) and line emission (from the broad-line region, or BLR). We detect Hα time lags between the continuum and line emission in six quasars. These quasars are at relatively low redshifts 0.2 < z < 0.4. The measured lags are consistent with the current BLR size–luminosity relation for Hβ at z < 0.3. While this experiment appears successful in detecting lags of the bright Hα line, further investigation is required to see if it can also be applied to the fainter Hβ line for quasars at higher redshifts. Finally we demonstrate that, by using a small telescope with a large FOV, intermediate-band photometric RM can be efficiently executed for a large sample of quasars at z > 0.2.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Standard Galactic Field RR Lyrae. I. Optical to Mid-infrared Phased Photometry

We present a multi-wavelength compilation of new and previously published photometry for 55 Galactic field RR Lyrae variables. Individual studies, spanning a time baseline of up to 30 years, are self-consistently phased to produce light curves in 10 photometric bands covering the wavelength range from 0.4 to 4.5 microns. Data smoothing via the GLOESS technique is described and applied to generate high-fidelity light curves, from which mean magnitudes, amplitudes, rise times, and times of minimum and maximum light are derived. 60,000 observations were acquired using the new robotic Three-hundred MilliMeter Telescope (TMMT), which was first deployed at the Carnegie Observatories in Pasadena, CA, and is now permanently installed and operating at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile. We provide a full description of the TMMT hardware, software, and data reduction pipeline. Archival photometry contributed approximately 31,000 observations. Photometric data are given in the standard Johnson UBV, Kron–Cousins R{sub C}I{sub C}, 2MASS JHK, and Spitzer [3.6] and [4.5] bandpasses.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Col-OSSOS: z-Band Photometry Reveals Three Distinct TNO Surface Types

Several different classes of trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) have been identified based on their optical and near-infrared colors. As part of the Colours of the Outer Solar System Origins Survey (Col-OSSOS), we have obtained g-, r-, and z-band photometry of 26 TNOs using Subaru and Gemini Observatories. Previous color surveys have not utilized z-band reflectance, and the inclusion of this band reveals significant surface reflectance variations between sub-populations. The colors of TNOs in g − r and r − z show obvious structure, and appear consistent with the previously measured bi-modality in g − r. The distribution of colors of the two dynamically excited surface types can be modeled using the two-component mixing models from Fraser and Brown. With the combination of g − r and r − z, the dynamically excited classes can be separated cleanly into red and neutral surface classes. In g − r and r − z, the two dynamically excited surface groups are also clearly distinct from the cold classical TNO surfaces, which are red, with g−r≳0.85 and r − z ≲ 0.6, while all dynamically excited objects with similar g − r colors exhibit redder r − z colors. The z-band photometry makes it possible for the first time to differentiate the red excited TNO surfaces from the red cold classical TNO surfaces. The discovery of different r − z colors for these cold classical TNOs makes it possible to search for cold classical surfaces in other regions of the Kuiper Belt and to completely separate cold classical TNOs from the dynamically excited population, which overlaps in orbital parameter space.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Exoplanets in the Antarctic Sky. IV. Dual-band Photometry of Variables Found by the CSTAR-II Commissioning Survey at the North Sky

From the experiences learned in three decades of exoplanet search, wide-field transit surveys have proven to be one of the most effective ways to detect exoplanets. Wide field of view, however, suffers from high false-positive rates caused by blended eclipsing binaries. The chromaticity in eclipse depth is an effective feature to distinguish low-depth eclipsing binaries from transiting exoplanets, making multiple-band photometry follow-up advantageous before a target is passed onto more expensive spectroscopic follow-up. Moreover, a multiple-band photometric survey is itself a powerful method to find and vet planetary candidates and narrow down the candidate list of high-priority targets. In this work, we report the first results of a dual-band (Sloan-g and -i) wide-field photometry survey—the Chinese Small Telescope ARray II (CSTAR-II), an updated version of the original CSTAR. As a key component of the Chinese Exoplanet Searching Program from Antarctica, CSTAR-II has been tested thoroughly at a remote arctic site near Mohe during the winter of 2014. In total, 13,531 light curves with the best overall photometric precision of ∼3 mmag were extracted from 7721 stars in the Sloan-g and -i bands. Using a robust method, we have detected 63 variables, of which 48 are newly discovered. The dual-band photometric results as well as the stellar properties of the detected sources are provided in this work.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

RETURN OF THE KING: TIME-SERIES PHOTOMETRY OF FO AQUARII’S INITIAL RECOVERY FROM ITS UNPRECEDENTED 2016 LOW STATE

In 2016 May, the intermediate polar FO Aqr was detected in a low state for the first time in its observational history. We report time-resolved photometry of the system during its initial recovery from this faint state. Our data, which includes high-speed photometry with cadences of just 2 s, show the existence of very strong periodicities at 22.5 and 11.26 minutes, equivalent to the spin–orbit beat frequency and twice its value, respectively. A pulse at the spin frequency is also present but at a much lower amplitude than is normally observed in the bright state. By comparing our power spectra with theoretical models, we infer that a substantial amount of accretion was stream-fed during our observations, in contrast to the disk-fed accretion that dominates the bright state. In addition, we find that FO Aqr’s rate of recovery has been unusually slow in comparison to rates of recovery seen in other magnetic cataclysmic variables, with an e -folding time of 115 ± 7 days. The recovery also shows irregular variations in the median brightness of as much as 0.2 mag over a 10-day span. Finally, we show that the arrival times of the spin pulses are dependent upon the system’s overall brightness.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Updated 34-band Photometry for the SINGS/KINGFISH Samples of Nearby Galaxies

We present an update to the ultraviolet-to-radio database of global broadband photometry for the 79 nearby galaxies that comprise the union of the KINGFISH (Key Insights on Nearby Galaxies: A Far-Infrared Survey with Herschel ) and SINGS ( Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxies Survey) samples. The 34-band data set presented here includes contributions from observational work carried out with a variety of facilities including GALEX , SDSS, Pan-STARRS1, NOAO , 2MASS, Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer , Spitzer , Herschel , Planck , JCMT , and the VLA. Improvements of note include recalibrations of previously published SINGS BVR {sub C} I {sub C} and KINGFISH far-infrared/submillimeter photometry. Similar to previous results in the literature, an excess of submillimeter emission above model predictions is seen primarily for low-metallicity dwarf or irregular galaxies. This 33-band photometric data set for the combined KINGFISH+SINGS sample serves as an important multiwavelength reference for the variety of galaxies observed at low redshift. A thorough analysis of the observed spectral energy distributions is carried out in a companion paper.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Spectroscopy and Photometry of Multiple Populations along the Asymptotic Giant Branch of NGC 2808 and NGC 6121 (M4)

We present a photometric and spectroscopic study of multiple populations along the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) of the intermediate-metallicity globular clusters (GCs) NGC 2808 and NGC 6121 (M4). Chemical abundances of O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn, Y, and Ce in AGB stars from high-resolution FLAMES+UVES@VLT spectra are reported for both clusters. Our spectroscopic results have been combined with multiwavelength photometry from the Hubble Space Telescope UV survey of Galactic GCs and ground-based photometry, as well as proper motions derived by combining stellar positions from ground-based images and Gaia DR1. Our analysis reveals that the AGBs of both clusters host multiple populations with different chemical compositions. In M4, we have identified two main populations of stars with different Na/O content lying on distinct AGBs in the m{sub F438W} versus C{sub F275W,F336W,F438W} and the V versus C{sub U,B,I} pseudo-color–magnitude diagrams. In the more massive and complex GC NGC 2808, three groups of stars with different chemical abundances occupy different locations on the so-called “chromosome map” photometric diagram constructed for AGB stars. The spectroscopic + photometric comparison of stellar populations along the AGB and the red giants of this GC suggests that the AGB hosts stellar populations with a range in helium abundances from primordial to high contents of Y∼0.32. By contrast, from our data set, there is no evidence for stars with extreme helium abundance (Y∼0.38) on the AGB, suggesting that the most He-rich stars of NGC 2808 do not reach this phase.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Polarimetry and Photometry of Gamma-Ray Bursts with RINGO2

We present a catalog of early-time (∼10{sup 2}−10{sup 4} s) photometry and polarimetry of all gamma-ray burst (GRB) optical afterglows observed with the RINGO2 imaging polarimeter on the Liverpool Telescope. Of the 19 optical afterglows observed, the following nine were bright enough to perform photometry and attempt polarimetry: GRB 100805A, GRB 101112A, GRB 110205A, GRB 110726A, GRB 120119A, GRB 120308A, GRB 120311A, GRB 120326A, and GRB 120327A. We present multiwavelength light curves for these 9 GRBs, together with estimates of their optical polarization degrees and/or limits. We carry out a thorough investigation of detection probabilities, instrumental properties, and systematics. Using two independent methods, we confirm previous reports of significant polarization in GRB 110205A and 120308A, and report the new detection of P=6{sub −2}{sup +3}% in GRB101112A. We discuss the results for the sample in the context of the reverse- and forward-shock afterglow scenario, and show that GRBs with detectable optical polarization at early time have clearly identifiable signatures of reverse-shock emission in their optical light curves. This supports the idea that GRB ejecta contain large-scale magnetic fields, and it highlights the importance of rapid-response polarimetry.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Photometry on Structured Backgrounds: Local Pixel-wise Infilling by Regression

Photometric pipelines struggle to estimate both the flux and flux uncertainty for stars in the presence of structured backgrounds such as filaments or clouds. However, it is exactly stars in these complex regions that are critical to understanding star formation and the structure of the interstellar medium. We develop a method, similar to Gaussian process regression, which we term local pixel-wise infilling (LPI). Using a local covariance estimate, we predict the background behind each star and the uncertainty of that prediction in order to improve estimates of flux and flux uncertainty. We show the validity of our model on synthetic data and real dust fields. We further demonstrate that the method is stable even in the crowded field limit. While we focus on optical-IR photometry, this method is not restricted to those wavelengths. We apply this technique to the 34 billion detections in the second data release of the Dark Energy Camera Plane Survey. In addition to removing many >3σ outliers and improving uncertainty estimates by a factor of ~2–3 on nebulous fields, we also show that our method is well behaved on uncrowded fields. The entirely post-processing nature of our implementation of LPI photometry allows it to easily improve the flux and flux uncertainty estimates of past as well as future surveys.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2004

L' AND M' Photometry Of Ultracool Dwarfs

We have compiled L' (3.4-4.1 microns) and M' (4.6- 4.8 microns) photometry of 63 single and binary M, L, and T dwarfs obtained at the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope using the Mauna Kea Observatory filter set. This compilation includes new L' measurements of eight L dwarfs and 13 T dwarfs and new M' measurements of seven L dwarfs, five T dwarfs, and the M1 dwarf Gl 229A. These new data increase by factors of 0. 6 and 1.6, respectively, the numbers of ultracool dwarfs T (sub eff) </= 2400 K for which L' and M' measurements have been reported. We compute L(sub bol), BC(sub K), and T(sub eff) for 42 dwarfs whose flux-calibrated JHK spectra, L' photometry, and trigonometric parallaxes are available, and we estimate these quantities for nine other dwarfs whose parallaxes and flux-calibrated spectra have been obtained. BC(SUB K) is a well-behaved function of near-infrared spectral type with a dispersion of approx. 0.1 mag for types M6-T5 it is significantly more scattered for types T5-T9. T (sub eff) declines steeply and monotonically for types M6-L7 and T4-T9, but it is nearly constant at approx. 1450 K for types L7-T4 with assumed ages of approx. 3 Gyr. This constant T(sub eff) is evidenced by nearly unchanging values of L'-M' between types L6 and T3. It also supports recent models that attribute the changing near-infrared luminosities and spectral features across the L-T transition to the rapid migration, disruption, and/or thinning of condensate clouds over a narrow range of T(sub eff). The L' and M' luminosities of early-T dwarfs do not exhibit the pronounced humps or inflections previously noted in l through K bands, but insufficient data exist for types L6-T5 to assert that M(Sub L') and M(sub M') are strictly monotonic within this range of typew. We compare the observed K, L', and M' luminosities of L and T dwarfs in our sample with those predicted by precipitation-cloud-free models for varying surface gravities and sedimentation efficiencies.

COOL STARS↗
NASA NTRS2020

Photometry of Asteroid (101955) Bennu with OVIRS on OSIRIS-REx

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft arrived at its sampling target, asteroid (101955) Bennu, in December 2018 and started a series of global observation campaigns. Here we investigate the global photometric properties of Bennu as observed by the OSIRIS-REx Visible and InfraRed Spectrometer (OVIRS) over the time period December 9, 2018, to September 26, 2019. In this study we used observations obtained over wavelengths ranging from 0.4 to 3.7 μm, with a solar phase angle range of 5.3° to 132.6°. Our aim is to characterize the global average disk-resolved photometric properties of Bennu with multiple models. The best-fit model is a McEwen model with an exponential phase function and an exponential polynomial partition function. We use this model to correct the OVIRS spectra of Bennu to a standard reference viewing and illumination geometry at visible to infrared wavelengths for the purposes of global spectral mapping. We derive a bolometric Bond albedo map in which Bennu’s surface values range from 0.021 to 0.027. We find a phase reddening effect, and our model is effective at removing this phase reddening. Our average model albedo shows a blueish spectrum with a >10% absorption feature centered at 2.74 μm. Of all comparisons with previously visited asteroids and comets, only 28P/Neujmin, 2P/Encke, and (162173) Ryugu are darker than Bennu. We find that Bennu is a few percent brighter than Ryugu in the wavelengths respectively observed by the OSIRIS-REx and Hayabusa2 missions (from 0.48 to 0.86 μm). We also compare our spectroscopic photometry of Bennu with the OSIRIS-REx imaging photometry and with ground-based predictions.

Asteroid Bennu↗
DOE OSTI2020

Clues on the history of early-type galaxies from SDSS spectra and GALEX photometry

ABSTRACT Stellar population studies of early-type galaxies (ETGs) based on their optical stellar continuum suggest that these are quiescent systems. However, emission lines and ultraviolet photometry reveal a diverse population. We use a new version of the starlight spectral synthesis code and state-of-the-art stellar population models to simultaneously fit Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectra and Galaxy Evolution Explorer photometry for a sample of 3453 galaxies at z < 0.1 with near ultraviolet (NUV) − r > 5 that are classified as elliptical by Galaxy Zoo. We reproduce far ultraviolet (FUV) magnitudes for 80 per cent of UV upturn galaxies selected using criteria from the literature, suggesting that additional stellar population ingredients such as binaries and extreme horizontal branch stars may have a limited contribution to the UV upturn. The addition of ultraviolet data leads to a broadening of the distributions of mean stellar ages, metallicities, and attenuation. Stellar populations younger than $1\,$ Gyr are required to reproduce the ultraviolet emission in 17 per cent of our sample. These systems represent 43 per cent of the sample at 5 < NUV − r < 5.5 and span the same stellar mass range as other ETGs in our sample. ETGs with young stellar components have larger H α equivalent widths (WH α) and larger dust attenuation. Emission line ratios and WH α indicate that the ionizing source in these systems is a mixture of young and old stellar populations. Their young stellar populations are metal-poor, especially for high-mass galaxies, indicating recent star formation associated with rejuvenation events triggered by external processes, such as minor mergers.

Werle, A.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam Survey of Cygnus OB2 Complex – I. Introduction, photometry, and source catalogue

ABSTRACT Low-mass star formation inside massive clusters is crucial to understand the effect of cluster environment on processes like circumstellar disc evolution, planet, and brown dwarf formation. The young massive association of Cygnus OB2, with a strong feedback from massive stars, is an ideal target to study the effect of extreme environmental conditions on its extensive low-mass population. We aim to perform deep multiwavelength studies to understand the role of stellar feedback on the IMF, brown dwarf fraction and circumstellar disc properties in the region. We introduce here, the deepest and widest optical photometry of 1.5○ diameter region centred at Cygnus OB2 in r2, i2, z, and Y-filters, using Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC). This work presents the data reduction, source catalogue generation, data quality checks, and preliminary results about the pre-main sequence sources. We obtain 713 529 sources in total, with detection down to ∼28, 27, 25.5, and 24.5 mag in r2, i2, z, and Y-band, respectively, which is ∼3 – 5 mag deeper than the existing Pan-STARRS and GTC/OSIRIS photometry. We confirm the presence of a distinct pre-main sequence branch by statistical field subtraction of the central 18 arcmin region. We find the median age of the region as ∼5 ± 2 Myr with an average disc fraction of ∼9 per cent. At this age, combined with A $_V\, \sim$ 6 – 8 mag, we detect sources down to a mass range of ∼0.01–0.17 M⊙. The deep HSC catalogue will serve as the groundwork for further studies on this prominent active young cluster.

Gupta, Saumya (ORCID:0000000161843958)↗
NASA NTRS1972

Ultraviolet photometry of globular clusters

Filter photometry measurements of the integrated light from several globular clusters between 1500 and 4000 A are discussed. The techniques and problems associated with carrying out photometry of faint extended sources with the OAO-2 instrumentation are described first. The energy distribution for globular clusters determined from these data are corrected for interstellar extinction on the basis of B-V color excesses and a mean ultraviolet extinction curve. The results are compared with synthetic cluster calculations. The ultraviolet energy distribution is primarily determined by the number of stars at the blue end of the horizontal branch.

Welch, G. A.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Television photometry - The Mariner 9 experience

Television photometry is compared to conventional techniques. Reduced data from Mariner 9 cameras should, under optimum conditions, have been accurate to a few percent. However, a combination of unstable camera properties and various unfortunate circumstances produced serious nonlinearities and other systematic errors. The means of estimating these errors are described in detail; they lean heavily on the fortuitous presence of a few specks of dust on the faceplate of one vidicon. Crude corrections will probably improve the photometric quality for the two most-used filter positions of the A camera. It would be very difficult to improve the photometry further. In view of their low photometric accuracy and detective quantum efficiency vidicons do not seem likely to replace conventional photography, except for special applications.

Young, A. T.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Four-color photometry of the Galilean satellites

Photometry obtained in 1973 on the uvby system yields high-precision rotational light curves for Io, Europa, and Ganymede at a mean phase angle of about 6 deg. By combining our observations with photometry obtained by others over a broader range of phase angle, we also derive improved values for the phase coefficients and opposition surges of the four Galilean satellites. The values of V(1, 0) obtained by linear extrapolation to zero phase are accurate to + or - 0.03 magnitudes. We also derive the colors of the sun on the uvby system and use these to obtain albedos of the satellites in four colors.

Morrison, D.↗