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The Chandra Variable Guide Star Catalog
Variable stars have been identified among the optical-wavelength lightcurves of guide stars used for pointing control of the Chandra X-rayObservatory. We present a catalog of these variable stars along withtheir light curves and ancillary data. Variability was detected to alower limit of 0.02 mag amplitude in the 4000-10000 Å range usingthe photometrically stable Aspect Camera on board the Chandraspacecraft. The Chandra Variable Guide Star Catalog (VGUIDE) contains827 stars, of which 586 are classified as definitely variable and 241are identified as possibly variable. Of the 586 definite variable stars,we believe 319 are new variable star identifications. Types of variablesin the catalog include eclipsing binaries, pulsating stars, and rotatingstars. The variability was detected during the course of normalverification of each Chandra pointing and results from analysis of over75,000 guide star light curves from the Chandra mission. The VGUIDEcatalog represents data from only about 9 years of the Chandra mission.Future releases of VGUIDE will include newly identified variable guidestars as the mission proceeds. An important advantage of the use ofspace data to identify and analyze variable stars is the relatively longobservations that are available. The Chandra orbit allows forobservations up to 2 days in length. Also, guide stars were often usedmultiple times for Chandra observations, so many of the stars in theVGUIDE catalog have multiple light curves available from various timesin the mission. The catalog is presented as both online data associatedwith this paper and as a public Web interface. Light curves with data atthe instrumental time resolution of about 2 s, overplotted with the databinned at 1 ks, can be viewed on the public Web interface and downloadedfor further analysis. VGUIDE is a unique project using data collectedduring the mission that would otherwise be ignored. The stars availablefor use as Chandra guide stars are generally 6-11 mag and are commonlyspectral types A and later. Due to the selection of guide stars entirelyfor positional convenience, this catalog avoids the possible bias ofsearching for variability in objects where it is to be expected.Statistics of variability compared to spectral type indicate theexpected dominance of A-F stars as pulsators. Eclipsing binaries areconsistently 20%-30% of the detected variables across all spectraltypes.
| Pulkovo compilation of radial velocities for 35495 stars in a common system.
Not Available
| Young Stars far from the Galactic Plane: Runaways from Clusters
Quite recently, a significant number of OB stars far from the galacticplane have been found, situated at z-distances ranging from severalhundreds of pc to several kpc. The short lifetimes of these stars poseproblems for their interpretation in terms of the standard picture ofstar formation. Different mechanisms have been put forward to explainthe existence of these stars, either within the conventional view, orpostulating star formation in the galactic halo itself. These mechanismsrange from arguing that they are misidentified evolved or abnormalstars, to postulating powerful ejection mechanisms for young disk stars;in situ formation also admits several variants. We have collected fromthe literature a list of young stars far from the plane, for which theevidence of youth seems convincing. We discuss two possible formationmechanisms for these stars: ejection from the plane as the result ofdynamical evolution of small clusters (Poveda et al. 1967) and in situformation, via induced shocks created by spiral density waves (Martos etal. 1999). We compute galactic orbits for these stars, and identify thestars that could be explained by one or the other mechanism. We findthat about 90 percent of the stars can be accounted for by the clusterejection mechanism, that is, they can be regarded as runaway stars inthe galactic halo.
| 3D mapping of the dense interstellar gas around the Local Bubble
We present intermediate results from a long-term program of mapping theneutral absorption characteristics of the local interstellar medium,motivated by the availability of accurate and consistent parallaxes fromthe Hipparcos satellite. Equivalent widths of the interstellar NaID-line doublet at 5890 Å are presented for the lines-of-sighttowards some 311 new target stars lying within ~ 350 pc of the Sun.Using these data, together with NaI absorption measurements towards afurther ~ 240 nearby targets published in the literature (for many ofthem, in the directions of molecular clouds), and the ~ 450lines-of-sight already presented by (Sfeir et al. \cite{sfeir99}), weshow 3D absorption maps of the local distribution of neutral gas towards1005 sight-lines with Hipparcos distances as viewed from a variety ofdifferent galactic projections.The data are synthesized by means of two complementary methods, (i) bymapping of iso-equivalent width contours, and (ii) by densitydistribution calculation from the inversion of column-densities, amethod devised by Vergely et al. (\cite{vergely01}). Our present dataconfirms the view that the local cavity is deficient in cold and neutralinterstellar gas. The closest dense and cold gas ``wall'', in the firstquadrant, is at ~ 55-60 pc. There are a few isolated clouds at closerdistance, if the detected absorption is not produced by circumstellarmaterial.The maps reveal narrow or wide ``interstellar tunnels'' which connectthe Local Bubble to surrounding cavities, as predicted by the model ofCox & Smith (1974). In particular, one of these tunnels, defined bystars at 300 to 600 pc from the Sun showing negligible sodiumabsorption, connects the well known CMa void (Gry et al. \cite{gry85}),which is part of the Local Bubble, with the supershell GSH 238+00+09(Heiles \cite{heiles98}). High latitude lines-of-sight with the smallestabsorption are found in two ``chimneys'', whose directions areperpendicular to the Gould belt plane. The maps show that the LocalBubble is ``squeezed'' by surrounding shells in a complicated patternand suggest that its pressure is smaller than in those expandingregions.We discuss the locations of several HI and molecular clouds. Usingcomparisons between NaI and HI or CO velocities, in some cases we areable to improve the constraints on their distances. According to thevelocity criteria, MBM 33-37, MBM 16-18, UT 3-7, and MBM 54-55 arecloser than ~ 100 pc, and MBM 40 is closer than 80 pc. Dense HI cloudsare seen at less than 90 pc and 85 pc in the directions of the MBM 12and MBM 41-43 clouds respectively, but the molecular clouds themselvesmay be far beyond. The above closest molecular clouds are located at theneutral boundary of the Bubble. Only one translucent cloud, G192-67, isclearly embedded within the LB and well isolated.These maps of the distribution of local neutral interstellar NaI gas arealso briefly compared with the distribution of both interstellar dustand neutral HI gas within 300 pc.Tables 1 and 2 are only available in electronic form at the CDS viaanonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp:cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/411/447
| High-resolution observations of interstellar NaI and CaII towards the southern opening of the `Local Interstellar Chimney': probing the disc-halo connection
We present high-resolution (R= 400 000) observations of interstellarCaII and NaI absorption lines towards seven stars in the direction ofthe southern opening of the recently identified Local InterstellarChimney. These lines of sight probe the lower Galactic halo (0.3<~|z|<~ 2.5 kpc), without the complication of sampling denseforeground interstellar material. In addition to components withvelocities expected from Galactic rotation, these stars also exhibitcomponents with negative local standard of rest velocities, which arecontrary to the sense of Galactic rotation for the sightlines observed.After a discussion of possible origins for these peculiar velocities, weconclude that at least some of them result from gas falling towards theGalactic plane from distances of |z|>~ 300 pc. The narrow linewidthsare generally inconsistent with temperatures as high as the ~6000 Kgenerally assumed for the so-called Lockman layer. Rather, the picturethat emerges is one of a scattered, generally infalling, population ofhigh-|z| diffuse clouds, seemingly not very different from thoseencountered in the local interstellar medium. Overall, we argue that ourresults are most consistent with a `Galactic fountain' model.
| A high-resolution optical and radio study of Milky Way halo gas
Optical interstellar absorption lines of Ti II and Ca II and the 21 cmemission line of H I were observed at high-resolution (6 and 1 km/s,respectively) and high detection sensitivity along 25 lines of sight inthe Galactic halo. The sample includes 16 distant halo stars matchedwith one or more nearly aligned foreground stars as well as local starsalong five extragalactic sight lines. The data show substantialinterstellar material, at both low and intermediate velocities, between250 and 1000 pc beyond the Galactic plane. As much as one-third of thetotal gas observed in Ca II absorption may be beyond 1 kpc, and thegaseous Ti II may lie in an even thicker layer. The directly determinedgaseous Ti abundance above the Galactic plane exceeds that in the disk,on the average, by a factor of 4 to 6 and, for individual cloudcomponents, is further enhanced at higher LSR velocity. Thirty threediscrete high-latitude clouds are detected in Ca II absorption, and 17discrete clouds, including three high-velocity clouds, are identified inH I emission. The kinematics of the high-latitude gas observed in Ti IIand Ca II absorption is characterized by significant peculiar velocitieswith respect to a model corotating halo.
| The pulsations of yellow semiregular variables. I - Double-mode behaviour of UU Herculis
Long series of visual and photoelectric observations of UU Her since1908 has been analyzed. It is shown that UU Her is a double-modesemiregular variable, the two excited modes of pulsation are probablythe fundamental and the first overtone. A simple model is presented toexplain the amplitude variations observed in both modes. The model whichassumes pure sinusoidal amplitude variation is quite successful inexplaining the power spectrum of the variable. The question of the massof UU Her is also discussed. It is argued that no observation of thestar so far points unambiguously to its having a low mass.
| Infrared observations of high galactic latitude early-type stars
Infrared photometry of four relatively faint (V = 8.5 - 11.0) early-typestars at high galactic latitude has been made in the J, H, K, L-primeand narrow-band M wavelengths. This has been combined with previouslypublished ultraviolet and visible observations to enable a comparisonwith LTE model atmosphere fluxes. The results imply that at least threeof the stars are normal main-sequence B-stars at large distances fromthe galactic plane.
| The runaway nature of distant early-type stars in the galactic halo
The kinematics of a sample of 32 distant halo B-stars with masses in therange 3-21 solar masses are investigated using the current 'runawaystar' hypotheses to establish if they belong to this group of stars.Whether postmass transfer secondaries in evolved massive close binariescan be normal low mass B-stars is discussed, but support for this ideais not found. Thus it appears that the lower mass stars could not havebeen ejected out of the disk as a result of supernova explosions inmassive close binaries, while the higher mass objects do not in generalreveal a binary nature as expected from this theory. The results ofrecent N-body simulations of the purely dynamical ejection of runawaystars from young galactic star clusters are in excellent agreement withthe observations. Thus it appears that these halo stars are the mostdistant subgroup of OB runaways produced by cluster ejection yetobserved.
| Runaway stars from young star clusters containing initial binaries. II - A mass spectrum and a binary energy spectrum
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1990AJ.....99..608L&db_key=AST
| Estimation of the equivalent width of the interstellar CA II K absorption line
Literature values for the equivalent width of the interstellarabsorption line of Ca II K (3933 A) are used to constrain a simpleempirical model for the strength of this line as a function of distancefrom the galactic plane. The best-fit model has an integrated Ca II Kequivalent width in the direction perpendicular to the galactic plane ofapproximately 200 mA and a 'scale height' of approximately 1100 pc. Sucha model is useful for estimating (and correcting for) the contributionof the interstellar Ca II K feature to the total observed Ca II K linestrength in the spectra of metal-deficient stars in the galactic halo.
| Interstellar CA II absorption toward early-type stars at high Galactic latitudes
New high resolution AAT and INT observations of the Ca II 3933 Åinterstellar line towards nine early-type stars at high galacticlatitudes are presented. These are combined with the authors' earlierAAT data to investigate the distribution of Ca II in the galactic halo.A comparison of these results with Ca II equivalent widths forextragalactic sightlines implies that there is a significant amount ofthis ion out to z ≅ 1 kpc, but not much beyond z ≅ 2 kpc. Nocoincident high velocity Ca II absorption is detected in the spectra ofstars near known high velocity clouds (HVC). Although this may indicatethat the HVCs are either at greater distances than the stars or haveangular extents smaller than the separations of the stellar and HVCsightlines, it is also possible that they are nearby but contain toolittle Ca II to produce an observable absorption line.
| Observations of early-type stars at high galactic latitudes
Using equivalent widths and line profiles measured from high resolutionAAT spectra in conjunction with model atmosphere calculations, it isshown that a sample of eleven high galactic latitude early-type starsare normal, distant objects. Stellar velocities in the z-directiondetermined from the spectra, coupled with the galactic gravitationalfield g(z), allow the times the stars would have taken to reach theirpresent positions if they were ejected from the disc to be derived. Acomparison of these times with the evolutionary ages indicate that atleast four of the stars have been formed in situ, possibly from galacticfountain material.
| Interstellar CA II and NA I line profiles towards halo OB stars
High resolution Ca II and Na I interstellar line profiles towardsseveral halo OB stars are presented. The profiles have been correctedwhere necessary for the presence of stellar features, and analyzed usingmulticomponent models to derive information on the radial velocities,internal velocity dispersions, and column densities of individualinterstellar clouds. A method is described for estimating peculiarvelocities for the clouds, and a significant trend of decreasing R =N(Na I)/N(Ca II) with increasing peculiar velocity is found. The ratio,R, is also shown to be generally smaller in the halo than in the plane,implying that many of the halo clouds may have peculiar velocities. Thedata indicate that there are both few clouds and a small Ca II densitybeyond the absolute z value of 2 kpc.
| Atmospheric parameters and chemical compositions of eighteen halo OB stars
Stellar equivalent widths and He line profiles, measured from 5 and 10A/mm IPCS spectra obtained at the AAT, are presented for 18 halo OBstars. Effective temperatures and gravities have been estimated usingStromgren and H-beta photometry in conjunction with these data. Alsoderived are the abundances relative to hydrogen of helium, carbon,nitrogen, oxygen and calcium. From the normal chemical compositions andatmospheric parameters obtained, it is concluded that the stars are notsubluminous and show no evidence of any other peculiarities. Usingconservative and nonconservative evolutionary tracks, masses, ages anddistances are deduced for the stars, implying that several of them havebeen ejected from the galactic plane with velocities in excess of 100km/s.
| Four-colour and H beta photometry of southern B stars at high galactic latitudes
Four-color and H beta photometry has been obtained for 105 early-type HDstars with galactic latitudes less than -45 deg. They are mostly late Bstars of luminosity class V to III. Two new Am stars and several Ap orBp stars are detected photometrically. Absolute magnitudes aredetermined from the photometry and from MK types where available. Theinterstellar reddening of many of the more distant stars is very small,suggesting either the existence of undetected peculiar stars in thesample or that there are areas of effectively zero reddening at highsouthern galactic latitudes.
| On the origin of intermediate-latitude OB stars
An attempt is made to trace the origin of early-type stars observed atappreciable distances from the galactic plane. Because uncertainties inthe proper motions make space motions and hence dynamical lifetimesrather inaccurate, a theory of oscillations normal to the plane has beenused to compute radial velocities for 138 intermediate-latitude OBstars. These theoretical values are then compared with the observedradial velocities, and it is found that the low-velocity stars wereprobably ejected from the plane some time after formation, while thehigh-velocity stars were ejected very soon after formation. Velocitiesof ejection perpendicular to the plane are computed and show a narrowdistribution with a mean absolute value of 7 km/s together with a spreadof velocities from about 40 to over 200 km/s. The data are in reasonableagreement with a 'sling' effect and 'runaway' origin for the stars inthe sample.
| H-beta photometry of southern early-type stars and galactic structure away from the plane
H-beta photoelectric photometry is reported for 165 early-type stars atintermediate and high galactic latitudes. The data are combined withearlier UBV and spectroscopic results to determine the stellar spacedistribution. Stars of type B2 and earlier, at distances of up to 1 kpcfrom the galactic plane, appear to follow spiral structure in the plane.The available material, particularly the derived color excesses, is usedto select a number of blue stars which may be subluminous.
| Photometry and spectral classification of early-type stars away from the galactic plane.
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1970MNRAS.150...23H&db_key=AST
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Observation and Astrometry data
| Constellation: | Ιχθύς Νότιος |
| Right ascension: | 21h55m22.19s |
| Declination: | -30°02'05.9" |
| Apparent magnitude: | 8.531 |
| Distance: | 613.497 parsecs |
| Proper motion RA: | 9.5 |
| Proper motion Dec: | -8.8 |
| B-T magnitude: | 8.348 |
| V-T magnitude: | 8.516 |
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