Does the LMC possess a dark bulge?

A series of numerical dynamical models for the LMC are constructed in order to fit the observed rotational velocities and stellar velocity dispersions at various galactocentric distances. The models include a three-dimensional spherical disk and nonevolving spherical components with various relative masses. The two LMC rotation curves presented by Kim et al. (1998) and Sofue (2000), which differ strongly in the inner region of the galaxy, are compared. The latter curve requires the presence of a massive dark bulge. Models based on the rotation curve of Sofue (2000) cannot account for the observed velocity dispersion or the presence of a long-lived bar in the galaxy. A model with no dark bulge is in good agreement with the observations if we assume that the disk dominates over the halo in terms of the mass within the optical radius (about 7 kpc).     

The mass of the black hole in the X-ray binary LMC X-1

A dynamical estimate of the mass of the black hole in the LMC X-1 binary system is obtained in the framework of a Roche model for the optical star, based on fitting of the He I 4471 Å and He II 4200 Å absorption lines assuming LTE. The mass of the black hole derived from the radial-velocity curve for the He II 4200 Å line is m_x = 10.55 M_⊙, close to the value found earlier based on a model with two point bodies [1].     

Analysis of the Distance Scales by Cepheids from the Gaia EDR3 Catalogue Data

Astronomy Reports - We study the kinematics of a sample of classical Cepheids younger than 120 Myr. For these stars, the estimates of distances taken from Skowron et al., which are based on the...     

A search for evolutionary period variations of Cepheids using the Harvard plate stacks: FF Aql

Photographic plates of the Harvard Observatory stacks have been used to obtain 1261 brightness estimates for the low-amplitude Cepheid FF Aql (P = 4.47 days). Combined with published visual, photoelectric, and CCD observations, these data enable the construction of an O-C diagram spanning 122 years. The resulting O-C diagram is parabola-shaped, enabling the determination of quadratic brightness elements for the first time. The evolutionary rate of increase of the period, dP/dt = 0.072 ± 0.011 s/year, is in agreement with theoretical computations for the third crossing of the instability strip. The available data, reduced using the technique of by Eddington and Plakidis, reveal the presence of small, random period fluctuations, ? = 0.0061^d ± 0.0044^d, that do not distort the evolutionary trend of the O-C residuals.     

A search for evolutionary period variations of Cepheids using the Harvard plates: V396 Cyg

We obtained 503 photographic brightness estimates for the long-period classical Cepheid V396 Cyg (P = 33.3 days) from the plates of the Harvard Observatory and the Sternberg Astronomical Institute (SAI). Combined with published photoelectric observations, these data were used to plot an O-C diagram covering a time interval of 108 years. The O-C diagram is parabolic in shape, enabling the first determination of quadratic light elements and calculation of the evolutionary rate of decrease of the period, dP/dt = 14.1(±0.8) s per year (log(?/P) = ?6.35), in agreement with theoretical computations for the second crossing of the instability strip. The available data, reduced using the method introduced by Eddington and Plakidis, demonstrate the presence of small random period fluctuations that do not distort the evolutionary changes of the O-C residuals.     

A search for evolutionary period variations of Cepheids using the harvard plate stacks: II Carinae

We obtained 380 photographic brightness estimates for the long-period classical Cepheid II Car (P = 64.4 days) from the plate stacks of the Harvard College Observatory. Combined with the published photoelectric and CCD observations, these data enable the construction of an O-C diagram covering 120 years. The O-C diagram is parabolic, making it possible for the first time to determine the quadratic light-curve elements and calculate the evolutionary rate of increase of the period, dP/dt = 719(±15) s/year (log(Ṗ/P) = −4.64), in agreement with theoretical computations for the third crossing of the instability strip. The available data, reduced using the method described by Eddington and Plakidis, demonstrate the presence of small random period fluctuations that do not distort the evolutionary changes of the O-C residuals.     

Dust in galaxy clusters

The conditions for the destruction of dust in hot gas in galaxy clusters are investigated. It is argued that extinction measurements can be subject to selection effects, hindering their use in obtaining trustworthy estimates of dust masses in clusters. It is shown, in particular, that the ratio of the dust mass to the extinction M _d /S _d increases as dust grains are disrupted, due to the rapid destruction of small grains. Over long times, this ratio can asymptotically reach values a factor of three higher than the mean value in the interstellar medium in the Galaxy. This lowers dust-mass estimates based on measurements of extinction in galaxy clusters. The characteristic lifetime of dust in hot cluster gas is determined by its possible thermal isolation by the denser medium of gas fragments within which the dust is ejected from galaxies, and can reach 100–300 million years, depending on the kinematics and morphology of the fragments. As a result, the mass fraction of dust in hot cluster gas can reach 1–3% of the Galactic value. Over its lifetime, dust can also be manifest through its far-infrared emission. The emission characteristics of the dust change as it is disrupted, and the ratio of the fluxes at 350 and 850 μm can increase appreciably. This can potentially serve as an indicator of the state of the dust and ambient gas.     

On the dynamics of open clusters

The kinematics of stars in open-cluster models are investigated. The central regions of these model clusters are fairly “cool, ” leading to gravitational instability in the cluster cores. A temporary virilization is observed in the model clusters, during which an appreciable fraction of the fluctuation energy of the cluster is temporarily transformed into the kinetic energy of the peculiar motions of stars. The duration of this stage can reach ∼10⁸ yr. The origins of this temporary virialization of the model clusters are discussed. The instability of the intrinsic fluctuations of the phase density in the centers of six clusters and model clusters is investigated. Several new regions of unstable phase-density fluctuations are found, in addition to those already known. The observed and model clusters can move toward a stable equilibrium state when the density of the cluster core both decreases and increases. The structure of regions of instability of the phase-density fluctuations in the centers of the six clusters is studied. Resonance curves for the amplitudes of steady-state phase-density fluctuations in the center of NGC 6705 are constructed. Analysis of the structure of the regions of instability indicates an appreciable rate of fluctuation-energy loss due to relaxation effects. The instability increments and widths of regions of instability fall off with increasing distance of the cluster from the Galactic center. An important role in the formation of regions of instability may be played by resonances between the frequency of the orbital motion of the cluster in the Galaxy and the frequencies of intrinsic phase-density fluctuations in the centers of the clusters considered.     

On minimum spanning trees and the intergradation of clusters

Cluster analysis groups samples, but does not generally show gradations between clusters. To illustrate these relationships, principal-coordinate analysis and multidimensional scaling can be employed, but these methods may not be appropriate due to structural distortion. A minimum spanning tree (MST) computes a point-to-point path through the original matrix, and clusters are mapped on the MST diagram. The MST linkages, therefore, provide a natural continuum between the clusters, without distortion. Forty-six Silurian Tonoloway Limestone samples were analyzed for 16 sedimentary features indicative of subaerial exposure. Cluster analysis identified nine clusters which were reduced to five final, ordered groups by MST.     

Galactic orbits of globular clusters in the region of the Galactic bulge

Galactic orbits have been constructed over long time intervals for ten globular clusters located near the Galactic center. A model with an axially symmetric gravitational potential for the Galaxy was initially applied, after which a non-axially symmetric potential corresponding to the central bar was added. Variations in the trajectories of all these globular clusters in the XY plane due to the influence of the bar were detected. These were greatest for the cluster Terzan 4 in the meridional (RZ) plane. The globular clusters Terzan 1, Terzan 2, Terzan 4, Terzan 9, NGC 6522, and NGC 6558 always remained within the Galactic bulge, no farther than 4 kpc from the Galactic center.     

Multiplicity of main-sequence turn-offs in globular clusters

We present color-magnitude diagrams of globular clusters for models with self-enrichment and primordial enrichment. The models with self-enrichment turn out to have two or more main-sequence turn-off points in the color-magnitude diagram if the fraction of mass lost by the globular cluster as a result of supernova explosions does not exceed 95–97%. The models with primordial enrichment can have only one main-sequence turn-off point. We argue that the cluster ω Cen evolved according to a self-enrichment scenario.     

Formation and emergence of ICT clusters in India: the case of Bangalore and Hyderabad

Since the 1990s, information and communication technologies clusters (ICT clusters) have been created in developing countries, especially in Asia, where India is one of the most dynamic countries. Bangalore and Hyderabad are two important examples of Indian clusters. This article aims to analyze the characteristics of ICT clusters, Indian policies to develop IC technologies, the formation and emergence of the Bangalore and Hyderabad clusters and their impacts on the population, as well as to show that ICT development is a strategic issue for India but does not benefit all of its population.     

Red giants in the vicinity of open clusters. Field stars

We present a comparative analysis of the atmospheric abundances of red giants in the vicinity of open clusters. The atmospheric parameters, atmospheric abundances, masses, ages, Galactic velocities, and elements of the Galactic orbits are derived for all the studied stars. We have discovered high metal abundances (close to 0.3dex) for five stars, which we classify as super-metal-rich stars. Several stars have lower [Na/Fe] than normal red giants with similar atmospheric parameters. The kinematic characteristics of these stars are somewhat different from those for objects in the Galactic thin disk. We suggest that the observed effect can be explained by inhomogeneity of the chemical composition of gas-dust clouds, which could be due to different rates of SNe II supernovae in different regions of the Galaxy.     

Parameters of radio pulsars in binary systems and globular clusters

The parameters of radio pulsars in binary systems and globular clusters are investigated. It is shown that such pulsars tend to have short periods (of the order of several milliseconds). Themagnetic fields of most of the pulsars considered are weak (surface fields of the order of 10⁸?10⁹ G). This corresponds to the generally accepted view that short-period neutron stars are spun up by angular momentum associated with the stellar wind from a companion. However, the fields at the light cylinders in these objects are two to three orders of magnitude higher than for the main population of single neutron stars. The dependence of the pulse width on the period does not differ from the corresponding dependences for single pulsars, assuming the emission is generated inside the polar cap, at moderate distances from the surface or near the light cylinder. The radio luminosities of pulsars in binary systems do not show the correlation with the rate of loss of rotational energy that is characteristic for single pulsars, probably due to the influence of accreting matter from a companion. Moreover, accretion apparently decreases the power of the emergent radiation, and can explain the observed systematic excess of the radio luminosity of single pulsars compared to pulsars in binary systems. The distributions and dependences presented in the article support generally accepted concepts concerning the processes occurring in binary systems containing neutron stars.     

Evolution of galaxies and the Tully-Fisher relation

We study the evolution of the [O/Fe]-[Fe/H] relation and the dependence of the iron abundance on distance from the galactic plane z in a one-zone model for a disk galaxy, starting from the beginning of star formation. We obtain good agreement with the observational data, including, for the first time, agreement for the [Fe/H]-z relation out to heights of 16 kpc. We also study the influence of the presence of dark matter in the galaxies on the star-formation rate. Comparison of the observed luminosity of the Galaxy with the model prediction places constraints on the fractional mass of dark matter, which cannot be much larger than the fractional mass of visible matter, at least within the assumed radius of the Galaxy, ～20 kpc. We studied the evolution of disk galaxies with various masses, which should obey the Tully-Fisher relation, M ? R². The Tully-Fisher relation can be explained as a combination of a selection effect related to the observed surface brightnesses of galaxies with large radii and the conditions for the formation for elliptical galaxies.     

Peculiarities of the abundances of neutron-capture elements in Galactic open clusters

The properties of the relative abundances of rapid and slow neutron-capture elements are studied using a catalog containing spectroscopic abundance determinations for 14 elements produced in various nuclear-synthesis processes for 90 open clusters. The catalog also contains the positions, ages, velocities, and elements of the Galactic orbits of the clusters. The relative abundances of both r-elements (Eu) and s-elements (Y, Ba, La, and Ce) in clusters with high, elongated orbits and in field stars of the Galactic thin disk display different dependences on metallicity, age, Galactocentric distance, and the elements of the Galactic orbits, supporting the view that these objects have different natures. In young clusters, not only barium, but also the three other studied s-elements display significantly higher relative abundances than field stars of the same metallicity. The relative abundances of Eu are lower in highmetallicity clusters ([Fe/H] > -0.1) with high, elongated orbits than in field giants, on average, while the [Eu/Fe] ratios in lower-metallicity clusters are the same as those in field stars, on average, although with a large scatter. The metallicity dependence of the [O, Mg/Eu] ratios in clusters with high, elongated orbits and in field stars are substantially different. These and other described properties of the Eu abundances, together with the properties of the abundances of primary a-elements, can be understood in a natural way if clusters with high, elongated orbits with different metallicities formed as a result of interactions of two types of high-velocity clouds with the interstellar medium of the Galactic disk: low-metallicity highvelocity clouds that formed from “primordial” gas, and high-metallicity clouds with intermediate velocities that formed in “Galactic fountains.”     

A method for testing the distinctness of clusters: A test of the disjunction of two clusters in Euclidean space as measured by their overlap

A method is described for testing the distinctness of two clusters in Euclidean space. One first calculates the projections, q,of the N₁ and N₂ members of the clusters onto the line joining the cluster centroids. From the distributions of qan index of disjunction, W,is calculated, which corresponds to an index of overlap, V_G.The quantity W√(N₁+N₂)is distributed as noncentral tsubject to assumptions on the multivariate normal distribution of the clusters. This allows a test of whether the observed disjunction is significantly greater than a chosen figure, which is equivalent to testing whether the overlap of the clusters is significantly less than a corresponding value of V_G.Two clusters that appear distinct may be produced simply by the partitioning of a homogeneous swarm into two contiguous regions. Provided that the clusters form a dichotomy in a dendrogram, and that the clustering method yields geometrically convex clusters, a conservative test of this situation can be derived by determining the excess of Wover the value expected for a rectangular distribution.     

Proper motions of open star clusters and the rotation rate of the galaxy

The mean proper motions of 167 Galactic open clusters with radial-velocity measurements are computed from the data of the Tycho-2 catalog using kinematic and photometric cluster membership criteria. The resulting catalog is compared to the results of other studies. The new proper motions are used to infer the Galactic rotation rate at the solar circle, which is found to be ω₀=+24.6±0.8 km s^?1 kpc^?1. Analysis of the dependence of the dispersion of ω₀ estimates on heliocentric velocity showed that even the proper motions of clusters with distances r>3 kpc contain enough useful information to be used in kinematic studies demonstrating that the determination of proper motions is quite justified even for very distant clusters.