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A high-resolution spectroscopy survey of β Cephei pulsations in bright stars
We present a study of absorption line-profile variations in early-B typenear-main-sequence stars without emission lines. We have surveyed atotal of 171 bright stars using the Nordic Optical Telescope (NOTSA),William Herschel Telescope (ING) and Coudé Auxiliary Telescope(ESO). Our sample contains 75% of all O9.5-B2.5 III-V non-emission-linestars brighter than 5.5 mag. We obtained high signal-to-noise,high-resolution spectra of the SiIII λ4560 triplet - for 125stars of our sample we obtained more than one spectrum - and examinedthese for pulsational-like line-profile variations and/or structure. Weconclude that about half of our sample stars show evidence forline-profile variations (LPV). We find evidence for LPV in about 65% ofour sample stars brighter than V=5.5. For stars with rotationalbroadening V sin i 100 km s-1, we find evidence for LPVin about 75% of the cases. We argue that it is likely that these LPV areof pulsational origin, and that hence more than half of thesolar-neighbourhood O9.5-B2.5 III-V stars is pulsating in modes that canbe detected with high-resolution spectroscopy. We detected LPV in 64stars previously unknown to be pulsators, and label these stars as newβ Cep candidates. We conclude that there is no obvious differencein incidence of (pulsational) LPV for early-B type near-main-sequencestars in binaries or in OB associations, with respect to single fieldstars.
| Searching for links between magnetic fields and stellar evolution. I. A survey of magnetic fields in open cluster A- and B-type stars with FORS1
Context: .About 5% of upper main sequence stars are permeated by astrong magnetic field, the origin of which is still matter of debate. Aims: . With this work we provide observational material to studyhow magnetic fields change with the evolution of stars on the mainsequence, and to constrain theory explaining the presence of magneticfields in A and B-type stars. Methods: . Using FORS1 inspectropolarimetric mode at the ESO VLT, we have carried out a survey ofmagnetic fields in early-type stars belonging to open clusters andassociations of various ages. Results: . We have measured themagnetic field of 235 early-type stars with a typical uncertainty of 100 G. In our sample, 97 stars are Ap or Bp stars. For thesetargets, the median error bar of our field measurements was 80 G.A field has been detected in about 41 of these stars, 37 of which werenot previously known as magnetic stars. For the 138 normal A and B-typestars, the median error bar was 136 G, and no field was detected in anyof them.
| Surface abundances of light elements for a large sample of early B-type stars - IV. The magnesium abundance in 52 stars - a test of metallicity
From high-resolution spectra a non-local thermodynamic equilibriumanalysis of the MgII 4481.2-Åfeature is implemented for 52 earlyand medium local B stars on the main sequence (MS). The influence of theneighbouring line AlIII 4479.9-Åis considered. The magnesiumabundance is determined; it is found that logɛ(Mg) = 7.67 +/-0.21 on average. It is shown that uncertainties in the microturbulentparameter Vt are the main source of errors inlogɛ(Mg). When using 36 stars with the most reliableVt values derived from OII and NII lines, we obtain the meanabundance logɛ(Mg) = 7.59 +/- 0.15. The latter value isprecisely confirmed for several hot B stars from an analysis of the MgII7877-Åweak line. The derived abundance logɛ(Mg) = 7.59 +/-0.15 is in excellent agreement with the solar magnesium abundancelogɛsolar (Mg) = 7.55 +/- 0.02, as well as with theproto-Sun abundance logɛps(Mg) = 7.62 +/- 0.02. Thus,it is confirmed that the Sun and the B-type MS stars in ourneighbourhood have the same metallicity.
| B Star Rotational Velocities in h and χ Persei: A Probe of Initial Conditions during the Star Formation Epoch?
Projected rotational velocities (vsini) have been measured for 216 B0-B9stars in the rich, dense h and χ Persei double cluster and comparedwith the distribution of rotational velocities for a sample of fieldstars having comparable ages (t~12-15 Myr) and masses (M~4-15Msolar). For stars that are relatively little evolved fromtheir initial locations on the zero-age main sequence (ZAMS) (those withmasses M~4-5 Msolar), the mean vsini measured for the h andχ Per sample is slightly more than 2 times larger than the meandetermined for field stars of comparable mass, and the cluster and fieldvsini distributions differ with a high degree of significance. Forsomewhat more evolved stars with masses in the range 5-9Msolar, the mean vsini in h and χ Per is 1.5 times thatof the field; the vsini distributions differ as well, but with a lowerdegree of statistical significance. For stars that have evolvedsignificantly from the ZAMS and are approaching the hydrogen exhaustionphase (those with masses in the range 9-15 Msolar), thecluster and field star means and distributions are only slightlydifferent. We argue that both the higher rotation rates and the patternof rotation speeds as a function of mass that differentiatemain-sequence B stars in h and χ Per from their field analogs werelikely imprinted during the star formation process rather than a resultof angular momentum evolution over the 12-15 Myr cluster lifetime. Wespeculate that these differences may reflect the effects of the higheraccretion rates that theory suggests are characteristic of regions thatgive birth to dense clusters, namely, (1) higher initial rotationspeeds; (2) higher initial radii along the stellar birth line, resultingin greater spin-up between the birth line and the ZAMS; and (3) a morepronounced maximum in the birth line radius-mass relationship thatresults in differentially greater spin-up for stars that become mid- tolate-B stars on the ZAMS.
| Surface abundances of light elements for a large sample of early B-type stars - III. An analysis of helium lines in spectra of 102 stars
Non-local thermodynamic equilibrium analysis of He I lines in spectraof 102 B stars is implemented in order to derive the helium abundanceHe/H, the microturbulent parameter Vt and the projectedrotation velocity v sini. A simultaneous determination of He/H andVt for the stars is effected by analysing equivalent widthsof the 4471- and 4922-Å lines primarily as indicators of He/H andthe 4713-, 5016-, 5876- and 6678-Å lines primarily as indicatorsof Vt. The rotation velocities v sini are found from profilesof the same lines. It is shown that, when Vt > 7 kms-1, the Vt(He I) values determined from He Ilines are systematically overestimated as compared with theVt(OII, NII) values derived from OII and NII lines. Thisdiscrepancy is especially appreciable for hot evolved B giants withVt(He I) = 16-23 km s-1 and may indicate a failureof classical model atmospheres to represent the strong He I lines forthese stars.Two programme stars, HR 1512 and 7651, are found to be helium-weakstars. The remaining 100 stars are divided into three groups accordingto their masses M. The microturbulent parameter Vt(He I) islow for all stars of group A (M= 4.1-6.9 Msolar) and for allstars with the relative ages t/tMS < 0.8 of group B (M=7.0-11.2 Msolar). Their Vt(He I) values are withinthe 0 to 5 km s-1 range, as a rule; the mean value isVt= 1.7 km s-1. Only evolved giants of group B,which are close to the termination of the main-sequence (MS)evolutionary phase (t/tMS > 0.8), show Vt(He I)up to 11 km s-1. The helium abundance He/H is correlated withthe relative age t/tMS in both groups; the averaged He/Henhancement during the MS phase is 26 per cent. For group C, containingthe most massive stars (M= 12.4-18.8 Msolar), theVt(He I) values display a correlation with t/tMS,varying from 4 to 23 km s-1. The He/H determination for hotevolved B giants of the group with Vt(He I) > 15 kms-1 depends on a choice between the Vt(He I) andVt(OII, NII) scales. The mean He/H enrichment by 67 per centduring the MS phase is found, if the abundances He/H are based on theVt(OII, NII) scale; however, two evolved giants withespecially high v sini, HR 7446 and 7993, show the He/H enhancement byabout a factor of 2.5. When using the same Vt scale, we founda trend of He/H with projected rotational velocities v sini a largedispersion for v sini > 150 km s-1 can result fromdifferences in masses M.A comparison with the stellar model computations with rotationallyinduced mixing shows that the observed helium enrichment during the MSphase can be explained by rotation with initial velocities 250-400 kms-1. The He/H distribution on M and v sini based on theVt(OII, NII) scale seems to be in better agreement with thetheory than one based on the Vt(He I) scale. The mean valueHe/H = 0.10 derived for stars in the zero age main sequence (ZAMS)vicinity can be adopted as the typical initial helium abundance forearly B stars in the solar neighbourhood.
| The Angular Momentum Evolution of 0.1-10 Msolar Stars from the Birth Line to the Main Sequence
Projected rotational velocities (vsini) have been measured for a sampleof 145 stars with masses between 0.4 and greater than 10Msolar (median mass 2.1 Msolar) located in theOrion star-forming complex. These measurements have been supplementedwith data from the literature for Orion stars with masses as low as 0.1Msolar. The primary finding from analysis of these data isthat the upper envelope of the observed values of angular momentum perunit mass (J/M) varies as M0.25 for stars on convectivetracks having masses in the range ~0.1 to ~3 Msolar. Thispower law extends smoothly into the domain of more massive stars (3-10Msolar), which in Orion are already on the zero-age mainsequence. This result stands in sharp contrast to the properties ofmain-sequence stars, which show a break in the power law and a sharpdecline in J/M with decreasing mass for stars with M<2Msolar. A second result of our study is that this break isseen already among the pre-main-sequence stars in our Orion sample thatare on radiative tracks, even though these stars are only a few millionyears old. A comparison of rotation rates seen for stars on either sideof the convective-radiative boundary shows that stars do not rotate assolid bodies during the transition from convective to radiative tracks.As a preliminary demonstration of how observations can be used toconstrain the processes that control early stellar angular momentum, weshow that the broad trends in the data can be accounted for by simplemodels that posit that stars (1) lose angular momentum before they aredeposited on the birth line, plausibly through star-disk interactions;(2) undergo additional braking as they evolve down their convectivetracks; and (3) are subject to core-envelope decoupling during theconvective-radiative transition.
| Observations of Star-Forming Regions with the Midcourse Space Experiment
We have imaged seven nearby star-forming regions, the Rosette Nebula,the Orion Nebula, W3, the Pleiades, G300.2-16.8, S263, and G159.6-18.5,with the Spatial Infrared Imaging Telescope on the Midcourse SpaceExperiment (MSX) satellite at 18" resolution at 8.3, 12.1, 14.7, and21.3 μm. The large angular scale of the regions imaged (~7.2-50deg2) makes these data unique in terms of the combination ofsize and resolution. In addition to the star-forming regions, twocirrus-free fields (MSXBG 160 and MSXBG 161) and a field near the southGalactic pole (MSXBG 239) were also imaged. Point sources have beenextracted from each region, resulting in the identification over 500 newsources (i.e., no identified counterparts at other wavelengths), as wellas over 1300 with prior identifications. The extended emission from thestar-forming regions is described, and prominent structures areidentified, particularly in W3 and Orion. The Rosette Nebula isdiscussed in detail. The bulk of the mid-infrared emission is consistentwith that of photon-dominated regions, including the elephant trunkcomplex. The central clump, however, and a line of site toward thenorthern edge of the cavity show significantly redder colors than therest of the Rosette complex.
| Interstellar Silicon Abundance
We present 34 measurements of silicon gas phase column densities in theinterstellar medium. We have used spectra containing the SiII 1808 Angline which were obtained with the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph(GHRS) aboard the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Extinction curveparameters are determined for analyzed lines of sight and relationbetween Si/H ratio and extinction parameters is discussed. We find theabundance of gas phase silicon in diffuse clouds to be lower than thesolar value by a factor of four.
| On the behavior of the Cii 4267.261, 6578.052 and 6582.882 Å lines in chemically peculiar and standard stars
With the aim of investigating the possible particular behavior of carbonin a sample of chemically peculiar stars of the main sequence withoutturning to modeling, we performed spectroscopic observations of threeimportant and usually prominent single ionized carbon lines: 4267.261,6578.052 and 6582.882 Å. In addition, we observed a large numberof standard stars in order to define a kind of normality strip, usefulfor comparing the observed trend for the peculiar stars. We paidparticular attention to the problem of the determination of fundamentalatmospheric parameters, especially for the chemically peculiar stars forwhich the abundance anomalies change the flux distribution in such a waythat the classical photometric methods to infer effective temperaturesand gravities parameter cannot be applied. Regarding CP stars, we founda normal carbon abundance in Hg-Mn, Si (with some exceptions) and Hestrong stars. He weak stars are normal too, but with a large spread outof the data around the mean value. A more complicated behavior has beennoted in the group of SrCrEu stars: four out of seven show a strongoverabundance, being the others normal.
| Surface abundances of light elements for a large sample of early B-type stars - II. Basic parameters of 107 stars
Effective temperatures Teff, surface gravities logg andinterstellar extinctions AV are found for 107 B stars.Distances d of the stars, which are based on the derivedTeff, logg and AV values, show good agreement withthose obtained from the Hipparcos parallaxes. Comparing theTeff and logg values with evolutionary computations, we infermasses, radii, luminosities, ages and relative ages of the stars.Empirical relations between the Teff and logg parameters, onthe one hand, and the photometric indices Q, [c1] and β,on the other hand, are constructed; these relations give a fast methodfor the Teff and logg estimation of early and medium B stars.Inclusion of the infrared J, H and K colours into the Teff,logg and AV determination shows that (i) the Teffand logg parameters are altered only slightly; (ii) the AVvalue is rather sensitive to these colours, so an accuracy better than0.05mag in the JHK data is necessary for precise AVevaluation.
| Rotational Velocities of B Stars
We measured the projected rotational velocities of 1092 northern B starslisted in the Bright Star Catalogue (BSC) and calibrated them againstthe 1975 Slettebak et al. system. We found that the published values ofB dwarfs in the BSC average 27% higher than those standards. Only 0.3%of the stars have rotational velocities in excess of two-thirds of thebreakup velocities, and the mean velocity is only 25% of breakup,implying that impending breakup is not a significant factor in reducingrotational velocities. For the B8-B9.5 III-V stars the bimodaldistribution in V can be explained by a set of slowly rotating Ap starsand a set of rapidly rotating normal stars. For the B0-B5 III-V starsthat include very few peculiar stars, the distributions in V are notbimodal. Are the low rotational velocities of B stars due to theoccurrence of frequent low-mass companions, planets, or disks? Therotational velocities of giants originating from late B dwarfs areconsistent with their conservation of angular momentum in shells.However, we are puzzled by why the giants that originate from the earlyB dwarfs, despite having 3 times greater radii, have nearly the samerotational velocities. We find that all B-type primaries in binarieswith periods less than 2.4 days have synchronized rotational and orbitalmotions; those with periods between 2.4 and 5.0 days are rotating withina factor 2 of synchronization or are ``nearly synchronized.'' Thecorresponding period ranges for A-type stars are 4.9 and 10.5 days, ortwice as large. We found that the rotational velocities of the primariesare synchronized earlier than their orbits are circularized. The maximumorbital period for circularized B binaries is 1.5 days and for Abinaries is 2.5 days. For stars of various ages from 107.5 to1010.2 yr the maximum circularized periods are a smoothexponential function of age.
| Boron Abundances in B-Type Stars: A Test of Rotational Depletion during Main-Sequence Evolution
Boron abundances have been derived for seven main-sequence B-type starsfrom Hubble Space Telescope STIS spectra around the B III λ2066line. In two stars, boron appears to be undepleted with respect to thepresumed initial abundance. In one star, boron is detectable but isclearly depleted. In the other four stars, boron is undetectable,implying depletions of 1-2 dex. Three of these four stars are nitrogenenriched, but the fourth shows no enrichment of nitrogen. Onlyrotationally induced mixing predicts that boron depletions areunaccompanied by nitrogen enrichments. The inferred rate of borondepletion from our observations is in good agreement with thesepredictions. Other boron-depleted nitrogen-normal stars are identifiedfrom the literature. In addition, several boron-depleted nitrogen-richstars are identified, and while all fall on the boron-nitrogen trendpredicted by rotationally induced mixing, a majority have nitrogenenrichments that are not uniquely explained by rotation. The spectrahave also been used to determine iron group (Cr, Mn, Fe, and Ni)abundances. The seven B-type stars have near-solar iron groupabundances, as expected for young stars in the solar neighborhood. Wehave also analyzed the halo B-type star PG 0832+676. We find[Fe/H]=-0.88+/-0.10, and the absence of the B III line gives the upperlimit [B/H]<-2.5. These and other published abundances are used toinfer the star's evolutionary status as a post-asymptotic giant branchstar. Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble SpaceTelescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which isoperated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy,Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. These observations are associatedwith proposal GO 07400.
| Wind variability of B supergiants. IV. A survey of IUE time-series data of 11 B0 to B3 stars
We present the most suitable data sets available in the InternationalUltraviolet Explorer (IUE) archive for the study of time-dependentstellar winds in early B supergiants. The UV line profile variability in11 B0 to B3 stars is analysed, compared and discussed, based on 16separate data sets comprising over 600 homogeneously reducedhigh-resolution spectrograms. The targets include ``normal'' stars withmoderate rotation rates and examples of rapid rotators. A gallery ofgrey-scale images (dynamic spectra) is presented, which demonstrates therichness and range of wind variability and highlights differentstructures in the winds of these stars. This work emphasises thesuitability of B supergiants for wind studies, under-pinned by the factthat they exhibit unsaturated wind lines for a wide range of ionization.The wind activity of B supergiants is substantial and has highly variedcharacteristics. The variability evident in individual stars isclassified and described in terms of discrete absorption components,spontaneous absorption, bowed structures, recurrence, and ionizationvariability and stratification. Similar structures can occur in stars ofdifferent fundamental parameters, but also different structures mayoccur in the same star at a given epoch. We discuss the physicalphenomena that may be associated with the spectral signatures. Thediversity of wind patterns evident likely reflects the role of stellarrotation and viewing angle in determining the observationalcharacteristics of azimuthally extended structure rooted at the stellarsurface. In addition, SEI line-synthesis modelling of the UV wind linesis used to provide further information about the state of the winds inour program stars. Typically the range, implied by the line profilevariability, in the product of mass-loss rate and ion fraction (mdotq_i) is a factor of ~ 1.5, when integrated between 0.2 and 0.9 v_infty ;it can however be several times larger over localised velocity regions.At a given effective temperature the mean relative ion ratios can differby a factor of 5. The general excess in predicted (forward-scattered)emission in the low velocity regime is discussed in terms of structuredoutflows. Mean ion fractions are estimated over the B0 to B1 spectralclasses, and trends in the ionic ratios as a function of wind velocityare described. The low values obtained for the ion fractions of UVresonance lines may reflect the role of clumping in the wind.
| Boron Abundances in Early B Stars: Results from the B III Resonance Line in IUE Data
We have used archival International Ultraviolet Explorer high-dispersionSWP spectra to study the B III resonance line at 2065.8 Å in 44early B stars. We find a median boron abundance about half that of solarsystem meteoritic material, consistent with the values found fromprevious studies of boron in early B stars. About one-third of the starsstudied appear to have boron abundances that are a factor of 4 or morelower than this median. Many of these are stars with enhanced nitrogenabundances, confirming the belief that deep envelope mixing can occur inmain-sequence B stars. A few stars with low boron abundances have normalN/C ratios. It is unclear whether all of these can be explained as starswhere mixing depleted the boron but did not go deep enough to bringCN-processed material to the surface or if some stars were actuallyformed with an unusually low boron abundance.
| Surface abundances of light elements for a large sample of early B-type stars - I. Spectral observations of 123 stars; measurements of hydrogen and helium lines; infrared photometry
High-resolution spectral observations of 123 B0-B5 stars in the mainsequence evolutionary phase were obtained at two observatories, namelythe McDonald Observatory (McDO) and the Crimean AstrophysicalObservatory (CrAO). Accurate equivalent widths W of two Balmer lines,Hβ and Hγ, and ten Hei lines were obtained for all the stars,as well as of the Heiiλ4686 line for the hottest ones. A carefulanalysis of the measured equivalent widths was performed. It is shownthat there is a very good agreement between the W values derived fromthe McDO and CrAO spectra for 14 common stars. A comparison withpublished data leads to the conclusion that the W values measuredearlier by some authors for strong Hei lines are very likely to beunderestimated. Infrared photometric observations in the J, H, and Kbands were performed for 70 programme stars. All these data will be usedin other papers: in particular for the Teff and loggdetermination and for the He, C, N and O abundance analyses.
| Ultraviolet and Optical Line Profile Variations in the Spectrum of ɛ Persei
The rapid variable star, ɛ Per (B0.5 IV-III), displays thelargest amplitude profile fluctuations known among the growing number ofmassive, spectrum-variable stars. Here we present an analysis of acontinuous 5 day run of IUE UV spectroscopy, and we show for the firsttime that the systematic, blue-to-red moving patterns observed inhigh-quality optical spectra are also present in the UV photosphericlines. We present cross-correlation functions of the individual spectrawith that of a narrow-lined standard that produce a high signal-to-noiseratio representation of the blue-to-red moving bump patterns found inindividual lines. We then use time series analysis methods to determinethe periodic components of the profile variations (after reregisteringthe spectra to correct for binary motion). There are at least sixperiods present (ranging from 8.46 to 2.27 hr), and most of thesesignals are also found in optical line variations observed in 1986(although the relative amplitudes have changed significantly).Furthermore, analysis of a shorter time series of IUE spectra from 1984shows that similar periods were present then. We also present Hαand He I λ6678 profiles obtained with the Georgia StateUniversity Multi-Telescope Telescope, which were made simultaneouslywith IUE, and we show that the profile variations are essentiallyidentical in the UV and optical ranges. We rule out rotationalmodulation and circumstellar gas obscuration as possible causes, and wesuggest instead that the variations are the result of photosphericnonradial pulsations of relatively low degree (l=3-5). There weresignificant changes (~10%) in the equivalent widths of the UV stellarwind lines during the IUE run, and we suggest that wind strengtheningevents are related to episodes of large-amplitude, constructiveinterference between the NRP modes. Thus, intermode beating may play animportant role in promoting wind loss from massive stars.
| The chemical composition of the young, Inter-Cloud population
High-resolution AAT spectroscopy and lower resolution spectrophotometryare presented for three early B-type stars that are members of theyoung, Inter-Cloud population between the Magellanic Clouds. Thesespectra have been analyzed using LTE model-atmosphere techniques, toderive the stellar atmospheric parameters and photospheric chemicalcompositions. The latter should reflect that of the present-dayinterstellar medium (ISM) within the Inter-Cloud Region (ICR). From adifferential analysis, the three ICR stars appear to have a mean metalabundance of ~ 1.1 dex lower than their Population i Galactic analogues,and 0.5 dex lower than the SMC star (AV 304). Hence, the ICR gas doesnot reflect the present-day composition of either the SMC (or LMC) ISM.Age (and distance) estimates were obtained using the theoreticalisochrones of Bertelli et al. (\cite{ber94}); these imply that theyoung, Inter-Cloud population has an age dispersion of at least 10-40Myr, and provide evidence for a distance gradient across the ICR. Wediscuss our results within the context of recent numerical simulationsof the gravitational interactions between the Galaxy-LMC-SMC, thatpredict that the ICR was tidally disrupted from the SMC some 200 Myrago. If the SMC was chemically homogeneous, a comparison of the ICRabundance determinations with the SMC age-metallicity relationship wouldthen imply that the formation of the ICR must have occurred ~ 8.5 Gyrago. Alternatively and more plausible, we postulate that the ICR gasformed from a mixture of SMC gas and an unenriched component. This isconsistent with model-predictions that both a halo and disc componentshould have contributed to the material within the ICR during the tidaldisruption.
| Supplementary southern standards for UBV(RI)c photometry
We present UBV(RI)c photometry for 80 southern red and blue stars foruse as additional standards. The data are tied to the Johnson UBV andCousins (RI)c systems and extend the range of the available stars forcolor equation determination, especially in (U-B) for blue stars and(V-R) and (V-I) for red stars. Comparisons with published data are madeand particularly good agreement is found with Bessell for the red(Gliese) stars.
| Near-Infrared H-Band Features in Late O and B Stars
We examine the spectral characteristics of normal OB stars withhigh-signal-to-noise ratio (>120) H-band (1.6 μm) spectra at aresolution of 2000. We find that several atomic lines vary smoothly withstellar temperature, as first shown by Blum et al. However, we find apreviously unreported, significant variation in the strength of some ofthese lines with stellar luminosity. B supergiant stars show stronger Hei and weaker Br 11 as compared with low-luminosity B dwarf stars of thesame spectral class. It is for this reason that luminosity class mustalso be determined to obtain an accurate spectral type for a given starusing H-band spectra. We suggest a method for estimating the spectraltype and luminosity of an OB star over the wavelength range from 1.66 to1.72 μm using hydrogen Br 11 at 1.681 mum, He i at 1.700 mum, and Heii at 1.693 mum. The use of the near-infrared spectral range forclassification has obvious advantages over optical classification whenapplied to heavily reddened stars, such as in star-forming regions ordeeply embedded lines of sight within the plane of the Galaxy, such asthe Galactic center. Furthermore, the H band is less likely to becontaminated by infrared excess emission, which is frequently seenaround massive young stellar objects beyond 2 mum.
| An extensive Delta a-photometric survey of southern B and A type bright stars
Photoelectric photometry of 803 southern BS objects in the Deltaa-system as detection tool for magnetic chemically peculiar (=CP2) starshas been carried out and compared to published spectral types. Thestatistical yield of such objects detected by both techniques ispractically the same. We show that there are several factors whichcontaminate the search for these stars, but this contamination is onlyof the order of 10% in both techniques. We find a smooth transition fromnormal to peculiar stars. Our sample exhibits the largest fraction ofCP2 stars at their bluest colour interval, i.e. 10% of all stars in thecolour range -0.19 <= B-V < -0.10 or -0.10 <= b-y < -0.05.No peculiar stars based on the Delta a-criterion were found at bluercolours. Towards the red side the fraction of CP2 stars drops to about3% for positive values of B-V or b-y with red limits roughlycorresponding to normal stars of spectral type A5. The photometricbehaviour of other peculiar stars: Am, HgMn, delta Del, lambda Boo, Heabnormal stars, as well as Be/shell stars and supergiants shows someslight, but definite deviations from normal stars. Spectroscopic andvisual binaries are not distinguished from normal stars in their Delta abehaviour. The results of this work justify larger statistical work(e.g. in open clusters) employing more time-saving photometric methods(CCD). \newpage Based on observations obtained at the European SouthernObservatory, La Silla, Chile. This research has made use of the Simbaddatabase, operated at CDS, Strasbourg, France. Table 2 is only availablein electronic form via anonymous ftp 130.79.128.5 orhttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/Abstract.html
| Long-term visual spectrophotometric behaviour of Be stars
The long-term spectrophotometric variations of 49 Be stars are studiedusing the U and V magnitudes of the UBV system, the total Balmerdiscontinuity D and the visible gradient Phi _rb. BCD spectrophotometricand photometric data in five different photometric systems, obtained inmost cases since 1950 and reduced to the BCD system, were used. The(U,D), (V,D), (Phi _rb,D) and (Phi _rb,V) correlations obtained differfrom star to star and they can be single or double-valued. They differclearly for Be phases or Be-shell phases. Be stars with small Vsin ishowing the ``spectrophotometric shell behaviour'': D > D_*, werefound. This finding implies either that strongly flattened models ofcircumstellar envelopes are in doubt for these stars, or that not all Bestars are rapid rotators. Comparison of observed variations with thosepredicted for model Be stars with spherical circumstellar envelopes ofvariable densities and dimensions implies that spectrophotometricpatterns of Be phases are due to circumstellar envelopes in low opacityregimes, while those of spectrophotometric shell phases are due tocircumstellar envelopes in high opacity regimes. In a given star, theenvelope regions responsible for the observed variations of D and Phi_rbin spectrophotometric shell phases seem to be smaller and denser thanthose producing the observed variations of these parameters inspectrophotometric Be phases. The high positive RV found in strong shellphases might favor the formation of compact circumstellar layers nearthe star. Figure 6 is only available in electronic form at CDS viaanonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/Abstract.html
| B stars and the chemical evolution of the Galactic disk
We determine stellar parameters and He, C, N, O, Mg, Al, and Siabundances of a sample of 16 early B main-sequence stars ingalactocentric distances of RGC=5-14 kpc by reanalyzing andextending the observations of Kaufer et al. (1994) towards the Galacticcenter. The analysis uses Kurucz atlas 9 lte atmospheres andGiddings-Butler detail/surface non-lte line formation. It is shown thatbeside non-lte effects the metallicity of the underlying atmosphere hasa non-negligible impact on the temperature structure and the subsequentline formation. The local field is found to have an underabundance ofabout -0.2\:{dex} relative to the Sun. Contrary to part of recent B-starand H ii-region determinations we derive an oxygen abundance gradientDelta [O/H]/Delta RGC=(-0.07+/- 0.02)\:{dex/kpc} for theGalactic disk, typical for normal spiral galaxies of similar Hubbletype. This steep gradient is in contrast to the recent evidence that (a)our Milky Way is actually a barred spiral galaxy, and (b) barredgalaxies generally have almost flat abundance gradients throughout theirdisks. Comparing our results with numerical models of the chemodynamicalevolution of barred galaxies we derive an age of about 1 Gyr for thecentral bar structure of the Galaxy. We argue that our bar is still tooyoung to exert a notable flattening effect on the chemical abundancegradient of the Galactic disk. Based on observations collected at theEuropean Southern Observatory, La Silla, Chile, and at theGerman-Spanish Astronomical Center, Calar Alto, Spain.
| The HR-diagram from HIPPARCOS data. Absolute magnitudes and kinematics of BP - AP stars
The HR-diagram of about 1000 Bp - Ap stars in the solar neighbourhoodhas been constructed using astrometric data from Hipparcos satellite aswell as photometric and radial velocity data. The LM method\cite{luri95,luri96} allows the use of proper motion and radial velocitydata in addition to the trigonometric parallaxes to obtain luminositycalibrations and improved distances estimates. Six types of Bp - Apstars have been examined: He-rich, He-weak, HgMn, Si, Si+ and SrCrEu.Most Bp - Ap stars lie on the main sequence occupying the whole width ofit (about 2 mag), just like normal stars in the same range of spectraltypes. Their kinematic behaviour is typical of thin disk stars youngerthan about 1 Gyr. A few stars found to be high above the galactic planeor to have a high velocity are briefly discussed. Based on data from theESA Hipparcos astrometry satellite and photometric data collected in theGeneva system at ESO, La Silla (Chile) and at Jungfraujoch andGornergrat Observatories (Switzerland). Tables 3 and 4 are onlyavailable in electronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp tocdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/Abstract.html
| UV Spectral Classification of O and B Stars in the Small Magellanic =
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1997AJ....114.1951N&db_key=AST
| Accurate Two-dimensional Classification of Stellar Spectra with Artificial Neural Networks
We present a solution to the long-standing problem of automaticallyclassifying stellar spectra of all temperature and luminosity classeswith the accuracy shown by expert human classifiers. We use the 15Angstroms resolution near-infrared spectral classification systemdescribed by Torres-Dodgen & Weaver in 1993. Using the spectrum withno manual intervention except wavelength registration, artificial neuralnetworks (ANNs) can classify these spectra with Morgan-Keenan types withan accuracy comparable to that obtained by human experts using 2Angstroms resolution blue spectra, which is about 0.5 types (subclasses)in temperature and about 0.25 classes in luminosity. Accuratetemperature classification requires a hierarchy of ANNs, whileluminosity classification is most successful with a single ANN. Wepropose an architecture for a fully automatic classification system.
| A catalogue of [Fe/H] determinations: 1996 edition
A fifth Edition of the Catalogue of [Fe/H] determinations is presentedherewith. It contains 5946 determinations for 3247 stars, including 751stars in 84 associations, clusters or galaxies. The literature iscomplete up to December 1995. The 700 bibliographical referencescorrespond to [Fe/H] determinations obtained from high resolutionspectroscopic observations and detailed analyses, most of them carriedout with the help of model-atmospheres. The Catalogue is made up ofthree formatted files: File 1: field stars, File 2: stars in galacticassociations and clusters, and stars in SMC, LMC, M33, File 3: numberedlist of bibliographical references The three files are only available inelectronic form at the Centre de Donnees Stellaires in Strasbourg, viaanonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5), or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/Abstract.html
| A Spectral Atlas of Hot, Luminous Stars at 2 Microns
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1996ApJS..107..281H&db_key=AST
| Be stars in open clusters I. uvbyβ photometry.
We present uvbyβ photometry for Be stars in eight open clusters andtwo OB associations. It is shown that Be stars occupy anomalouspositions in the photometric diagrams, which can be explained in termsof the circumstellar continuum radiation contribution to the photometricindices. In the (b-y)_0_-M_V_ plane Be stars appear redder than the nonemission B stars, due to the additional reddening caused by the hydrogenfree-bound and free-free recombination in the circumstellar envelope. Inthe c_0_-M_V_ plane the earlier Be stars present lower c_0_ values thanabsorption-line B stars, which is caused by emission in the Balmerdiscontinuity, while the later Be stars deviate towards higher c_0_values, indicating absorption in the Balmer discontinuity ofcircumstellar origin.
| Proper motions of stars in the region of the Orion Nebula cluster (C 0532-054).
Relative proper motions and membership probabilities for 333 starswithin an area of 1.6deg by 1.8deg centred on the Orion Nebula M 42 aredetermined using plates taken over a period of 83 years with the doubleastrograph of Shanghai Observatory (scale of 30"/mm). The plates weremeasured with the ASTROSCAN automatic plate-measuring machine of LeidenObservatory. The average proper motion accuracy obtained for stars inthe photographic magnitude range 7 to 14 is 0.3mas/yr. Errors aresomewhat larger towards fainter and brighter magnitude, but the majoritylie well below 1mas/yr. 64% of the stars have been measured successfullyon at least 13 out of 18 plates. The number of stars with membershipprobabilities higher than 0.7 is 184. It is shown by a detaileddiscussion that the proper motions and membership probabilities of thestars determined in this paper are in good agreement with the resultspresented recently by other authors. Although there is a clearconcentration in the proper motion diagram, both the remainingdispersion of the internal motions and the distribution of "members" asprojected on the sky indicate that the stars in this region are notbound as one system, but do have a common origin. A similar conclusioncan be drawn from a comparison with spectroscopic and radial velocitydata.
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Observation and Astrometry data
| Constellation: | Orion |
| Right ascension: | 05h35m02.70s |
| Declination: | -06°00'07.0" |
| Apparent magnitude: | 4.78 |
| Distance: | 571.429 parsecs |
| Proper motion RA: | 0.9 |
| Proper motion Dec: | 3.9 |
| B-T magnitude: | 4.436 |
| V-T magnitude: | 4.702 |
Catalogs and designations:
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