New Aspects of Extragalactic Globular Clusters

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Globular clusters and the Mira period–luminosity relation

A globular cluster distance scale based on Hipparcos parallaxes of subdwarfs has been used to derive estimates of M _K for cluster Miras, including one in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) globular cluster NGC 121. These lead to a zero-point of the Mira infrared period–luminosity (PL) relation, PL( K ), in good agreement with that derived from Hipparcos parallaxes of nearby field Miras. The mean of these two estimates together with data on LMC Miras yields a Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) distance modulus of     in evident agreement with a metallicity-corrected Cepheid modulus     .
The use of luminous asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars as extragalactic population indicators is also discussed.     

AGB stars in the Magellanic Clouds

The stars that will be detectable in the Magellanic Clouds by the DENIS and 2MASS near infrared surveys are enumerated. All thermally-pulsing AGB stars will be observable in I, J, H and K, along with the top two magnitudes of both the early-AGB and the first giant branch. All carbon stars will be visible, and normal (N type) C stars will be easily distinguished by their large J-K colours. However, it will not be possible to separate faint, warm C stars from K and M stars using the photometry alone. Photometry of AGB stars in clusters will allow an accurate evaluation of the AGB tip luminosities as a function of initial mass. Random phase K magnitudes of LPVs and Cepheids should provide a better measure of the LMC tilt and distortions in the SMC. The K survey should turn up 100 to 150 objects undergoing superwind mass loss, these objects being OH/IR stars and the dust-enshrouded C star equivalents of OH/IR stars. It is shown that crowding should not be a problem even in the LMC bar.     

Abundances in intermediate-mass AGB stars undergoing third dredge-up and hot-bottom burning

High-dispersion near-infrared spectra have been taken of seven highly evolved, variable, intermediate-mass (4–6 M_⊙) asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud and Small Magellanic Cloud in order to look for C, N and O variations that are expected to arise from third dredge-up and hot-bottom burning. The pulsation of the objects has been modelled, yielding stellar masses, and spectral synthesis calculations have been performed in order to derive abundances from the observed spectra. For two stars, abundances of C, N, O, Na, Al, Ti, Sc and Fe were derived and compared with the abundances predicted by detailed AGB models. Both stars show very large N enhancements and C deficiencies. These results provide the first observational confirmation of the long-predicted production of primary nitrogen by the combination of third dredge-up and hot-bottom burning in intermediate-mass AGB stars. It was not possible to derive abundances for the remaining five stars: three were too cool to model, while another two had strong shocks in their atmospheres which caused strong emission to fill the line cores and made abundance determination impossible. The latter occurrence allows us to predict the pulsation phase interval during which observations should be made if successful abundance analysis is to be possible.     

Variability and evolution in various classes of post‐AGB stars

We aim to compare properties of early‐type post‐asymptotic giant‐branch (post‐AGB) stars, including normal first‐time B‐type post‐AGB stars, and extreme helium stars (EHes). Hipparcos photometry for 12 post‐AGB stars and 7 EHe stars has been analyzed; 5 post‐AGB stars are clearly variable. The Hipparcos data are not sufficiently sensitive to detect variability in any of the EHes. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Regular and Chaotic Motion in Globular Clusters

As a first step towards a comprehensive investigation of stellar motions within globular clusters, we present here the results of a study of stellar orbits in a mildly triaxial globular cluster that follows a circular orbit inside a galaxy. The stellar orbits were classified using the frequency analysis code of Carpintero and Aguilar and, as a check, the Liapunov characteristic exponents were also computed in some cases. The orbit families were obtained using different start spaces. Chaotic orbits turn out to be very common and while, as could be expected, they are particularly abundant in the outer parts of the cluster, they are still significant in the innermost regions. Their relevance for the structure of the cluster is discussed. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

G298 – A New Candidate γ Doradus Star in the Direction of the Globular Cluster M4

G298 = L3216 (V = 12.68, B?V = 0.59) is a field star in the direction of the globular cluster M4. It was used as one of our comparison stars in the past, now it is shown that G298 is a new γ Dor variable star with a period of 1.03099 day and peak to peak amplitude of about 0.02 mag in V. Its spectral type is F2 (IV ?).     

AGB星氦燃烧壳层源出现非稳定热核反应的判据

建立了热脉动AGB星氦燃烧壳层源出现非稳定热核反应的判据,新判据包含 了丰富的物理信息,它不仅与热脉动AGB星氦燃烧壳层源的几何性质有关,而且与氦燃 烧壳层源的力学、热学和化学的性质都有关． 提出了热脉动AGB星氦燃烧壳层源非稳定热核反应的发生和消失的机理,它可表述 为:热脉动AGB星氦燃烧壳层源的局部区域出现对流不稳定区会触发非稳定热核反应的 发生,非稳定热核反应会促使氦燃烧壳层源急速膨胀,氦燃烧壳层源的急速几何形变会消 除非稳定热核反应． 用改进后的Kippenhahn恒星演化程序对5M(?)恒星进行了从主序星到热脉动AGB 星的演化模型计算,结果表明新判据能很好地反映5M(?)AGB星氦燃烧壳层源的热核反应 情况．并得出5M(?)热脉动AGB星在第6次热脉动周期阶段,被挖掘到热脉动AGB星 表面的元素主要是在温度lgT2／K<8．155和密度4．0相似文献   

用主成分分析法研究星团谱线的等值宽度

利用主成分分析法（Principal Component Analysis,PCA)，分析了41个银河系球状星团和22个年轻星团光学谱线的等值宽度，发现了一些对金属丰度比较敏感的特征谱线，如CN、CaⅡK、CaⅡH，MgⅠ MgH等，以及一些可作为年龄指标的谱线，如Hδ、Hγ、Hβ、Hα等，这些谱线将有助于区分星团年龄和金属丰度的耦合效应。     

A New Formula for Computing Mean Neutron Exposure

We have investigated the characteristics of the distribution of neutron exposures (“DNE” hereafter) in the He-shell nucleosynthesis regions in the model of s-process nucleosynthesis in low-mass AGB (Asymptotic Giant Branch) stars in ¹³C radiatively burning conditions. The result indicates that although the DNE obtained with this model is still approximately exponential, like those of the previous convective s-process scenarios, the relation between the neutron exposure Δτ of each pulse and the mean neutron exposure τ₀ is no longer τ₀ = −Δτ/ln r, rather, it is now approximately τ0 = −Δτ/ ln{q[1.0020 + 0.6602(r − q) + 4.6125(r − q)²− 10.8962(r − q)³+ 13.9138(r − q)⁴]} (r is the overlap factor, q is the mass ratio of the ¹³C shell to the He shell). This formula unifies the stellar model of radiative s-process with the classical model from the angle of DNE.     

Self-enrichment by asymptotic giant branch stars in globular clusters: comparison between intermediate and high metallicities

We present theoretical evolutionary sequences of intermediate-mass stars  ( M = 3 − 6.5 M_⊙)  with metallicity   Z = 0.004  . Our goal is to test whether the self-enrichment scenario by massive asymptotic giant branch stars may work for the high-metallicity globular clusters, after previous works by the same group showed that the theoretical yields by this class of objects can reproduce the observed trends among the abundances of some elements, namely the O–Al and O–Na anticorrelations, at intermediate metallicities, i.e.  [Fe/H]=−1.3  . We find that the increase in the metallicity favours only a modest decrease of the luminosity and the temperature at the bottom of the envelope for the same core mass, and also the efficiency of the third dredge-up is scarcely altered. On the contrary, differences are found in the yields, due to the different impact that processes with the same efficiency have on the overall abundance of envelopes with different metallicities. We expect the same qualitative patterns as in the intermediate-metallicity case, but the slopes of some of the relationships among the abundances of some elements are different. We compare the sodium–oxygen anticorrelation for clusters of intermediate metallicity ( Z ≈ 10⁻³) and clusters of metallicity large as in these new models. Although the observational data are still too scarce, the models are consistent with the observed trends, provided that only stars of   M ≳ 5 M_⊙  contribute to self-enrichment.     

Understanding the chemical complexity in Circumstellar Envelopes of C-Rich AGB stars: the case of IRC +10216

The circumstellar envelopes of carbon-rich AGB stars show a chemical complexity that is exemplified by the prototypical object IRC +10216, in which about 60 different molecules have been detected to date. Most of these species are carbon chains of the type C _n H, C _n H₂, C _n N, HC _n N. We present the detection of new species (CH₂CHCN, CH₂CN, H₂CS, CH₃CCH and C₃O) achieved thanks to the systematic observation of the full 3 mm window with the IRAM 30m telescope plus some ARO 12m observations. All these species, known to exist in the interstellar medium, are detected for the first time in a circumstellar envelope around an AGB star. These five molecules are most likely formed in the outer expanding envelope rather than in the stellar photosphere. A pure gas phase chemical model of the circumstellar envelope is reasonably successful in explaining the derived abundances, and additionally allows to elucidate the chemical formation routes and to predict the spatial distribution of the detected species.     

银河系中球状星团的空间分布和运动轨道

选用银河系中29个累积光谱型为F型的球状星团样本。根据它们的视向速度，绝对自行等参数，归算处理后得出了各样本星团的空间分布和运动速度。并以此作为初始条件，在给定的3种银河系引力势模型中，采用数值积分方法计算出各样本星团的运动轨道。计算结果表明：（1）大部分样本星团都位于银心距5kpc-10kpc的范围内，相对于银心呈球对称分布，它们的速度也呈椭球分布；（2）29个样本星团按其金属度大小和基本性发类，可分属HB和MP两个次系，且样本星团数随金属度[Fe/H]而变化，在[Fe/H]＝－1．6处出现一个峰值；（3）所有样本星团的轨道运动都呈周期性，大都在一个有界而不封闭的周期轨道上运动，其最大银心距大都在40kpc以内。不同的引力势模型对球状星团轨道的具体形态影响不大，在给定的引力势模型下，当某些星团的运动轨道穿越距银心1kpc附近的区域时会出现“混沌”行为。而样本星团的金属度与其轨道形态之间的相关性并不明显；（4）29个样本星团的轨道半长轴、远银心距和方位周期随金属度的变化规律基本相似。轨道偏心率与金属度有关，对于所选的晕族样本星团而言，大约有24％的样本星团的轨道偏心率低于0．4，不同的引力势模型对近银心距、偏心率和参数的不确定度等量影响较小，但是对远银心距、径向周期和方位周期等参数影响较为明显。     

银河系球状星团轨道参数分布的Monte Carlo模拟

选取前文中所列出的29个累积光谱型为F型的球状星团中的3个作为样本，深入研究了初始观测资料的不确定性和选用不同的银河系引力势模型，对样本星团轨道参数的影响。首先采用Monte Carlo方法产生3个样本球状星团的模拟初始观测数据，而后，以这些模拟数据为初始条件，在3种不同的银河系引力势模型下进行轨道计算，得到此3个样本的模拟轨道参数。模拟计算的结果表明：根据模拟初始数据生成的样本轨道参数分布形态大致可分为高斯分布、准高斯分布和非高斯分布等3类；初始观测数据的不确定性对样本轨道参数分布的影响，与样本星团的选择和轨道参数的类型有关；选用不同的银河系引力势模型，对3个样本星团的各个轨道参数的分布和形态结构也会产生不同程度的影响。该工作的结果，可供深入研究球状星团的整体运动和动力学性质等问题参考。     

银河系球状星团射电脉冲星的统计研究

球状星团是银河系中最古老的天体系统之一,其恒星密度极端高的核心有利于创造双星之间进行物质交换的环境,从而形成毫秒脉冲星双星、掩食脉冲双星、主序-毫秒脉冲双星、高轨道偏心率双星等双星系统,通过对这些系统进行研究有助于进一步认识球状星团的动力学、双星系统的演化和星际介质等相关问题。自30年前在球状星团中发现第一颗射电脉冲星至今,随着较高灵敏度射电望远镜的不断建成和使用,以及数据数字化处理能力的提高,天文学家在球状星团射电脉冲星的观测和理论研究方面取得很大进展。收集并分析了最新的球状星团脉冲星的数据,研究了球状星团射电脉冲星的自转周期和轨道周期的基本性质,讨论了球状星团脉冲星的搜寻,最后统计分析了双星系统,包括不同伴星类型的脉冲星的分布以及掩食双星系统的性质。     

A study of faint young open clusters as tracers of spiral features in our galaxy paper 3: Collinder 97 (OC1 506)

Photoelectric and photographic photometry of twenty-nine stars was done in the field of the open cluster Collinder 97 ≡ OC1 506. Of these stars, a total of twenty-four have been found to be possible members. There is apparently no interstellar extinction in the direction of this cluster which is in the constellation of Monoceros: itsE(B-V) = 0.0 mag. This cluster is situated at a distance of 0.63 ± 0.01 kpc, which is well within the local arm of our Galaxy. The age of this cluster is in the range of 1 × 10⁸ to 5.9 × l0⁸ yr, which puts it in an older age group. Thus, it cannot be specifically considered as a spiral-arm tracer in the study of our Galaxy.