Anti-solar differential rotation and surface flow pattern on UZ Libræ

We re-investigate UZ Libræ spectra obtained at KPNO in 1998 and 2000. From the 1998 data we compose 11 consecutive Doppler images using the Ca I-6439, Fe I-6393 and Fe I-6411 lines. Applying the method of average cross-correlation of contiguous Doppler images we find anti-solar differential rotation with a surface shear of α ≈ –0.03. The pilot application of the local correlation tracking technique for the same data qualitatively confirms this result and indicates complex flow pattern on the stellar surface. From the cross-correlation of the two available Doppler images in 2000 we also get anti-solar differential rotation but with a much weaker shear of α ≈ –0.004. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The precision of radial-velocity determinations of solar-type stars by cross-correlation

The theoretical limit to the precision (defined as the inverse of the square of the random error) of a radial-velocity determination of a solar-type star obtained from the technique of digital cross-correlation is constructed as a function of simple parameters of the recording of a stellar spectrum.The relationship is used to establish conditions for maximizing the precision for a given object, exposure time, and observing instrument. Both fibre-fed and Cassegrain-mounted spectrographs are considered.     

On the potential of transit surveys in star clusters: impact of correlated noise and radial velocity follow-up

We present an extension of the formalism recently proposed by Pepper and Gaudi to evaluate the yield of transit surveys in homogeneous stellar systems, incorporating the impact of correlated noise on transit time-scales on the detectability of transits, and simultaneously incorporating the magnitude limits imposed by the need for radial velocity (RV) follow-up of transit candidates. New expressions are derived for the different contributions to the noise budget on transit time-scales and the least-squares detection statistic for box-shaped transits, and their behaviour as a function of stellar mass is re-examined. Correlated noise that is constant with apparent stellar magnitude implies a steep decrease in detection probability at the high -mass end which, when considered jointly with the RV requirements, can severely limit the potential of otherwise promising surveys in star clusters. However, we find that small-aperture, wide-field surveys may detect hot Neptunes whose RV signal can be measured with present-day instrumentation in very nearby (<100 pc) clusters.     

两种快速星像匹配算法的比较

星像的位置和亮度等信息对天文研究和空间导航具有基础意义。人们常常需要快速匹配从密集星场CCD图像中提取的信息来获取与星表中对应的信息(如位置、光度等),因此开发出了多种星像匹配算法。重点比较了两种最新的星像匹配算法:i)基于向量的方法;ii)基于径向和环向特征的方法。通过对云南天文台1m望远镜观测的CCD图像进行实际匹配,结果表明基于向量的方法更优,它是一种快速的、接近常数时间的匹配算法。     

Stellar CCD Photometry: New Approach Principles and Application

A new approach is proposed and developed to handle pre-processed CCD frames in order to identify stellar images and derive their relevant parameters. The present method relies on: 1) identifying stellar images and assigning approximate positions of their centres using artificial intelligence techniques, 2) accurate determination of the centre coordinates applying an elementary statistical concept and 3) estimating the image peak intensity as a stellar magnitude measure employing a simple numerical analysis approach. The method has been coded for personal computer users. A CCD frame of the star cluster M67 was adopted as a test case. The results obtained are discussed in comparison with the DAOPHOTII ones and the corresponding published data. Exact coincidence has been found between both results except very few cases. These exceptions have been discussed in view of both methods' bases and the cluster plates. It has been realized that the method suggested exhibits very simple, extremely fast and high precise approach in stellar CCD photometry domain. Moreover, it is more capable for handling blended and distorted stellar images than the DAOPHOTII. These characteristics show the usefulness of the present method in some astronomical applications such as auto-focusing and auto-guiding sensing approaches beside the main purpose, viz. stellar photometry. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A Constant Elevation Search Method for Narrow Beam Radar to Capture Space Targets

Position prediction is the basis of guiding radar to seek, capture, and track space targets, although there’s a risk of insufficient accuracy for narrow beam radar due to the influence of orbit determination and propagation error. Since the along-track error is the main factor that affects the accuracy of position prediction, this paper proposed a Constant Elevation Search (CES) method for narrow beam radar, based on the idea of along-track error compensation, to seek and capture transit targets. With along-track error estimation, all possible positions on a specified elevation can be observed, thus the success rate of capturing transit targets will be improved. Simulation shows that when the position prediction method fails, the CES method still works.     

The photometric method of detecting other planetary systems

The photometric method detects planets orbiting other stars by searching for the reduction in the light flux or the change in the color of the stellar flux that occurs when a planet transits a star. A transit by Jupiter or Saturn would reduce the stellar flux by approximately 1% while a transit by Uranus or Neptune would reduce the stellar flux by 0.1%. A highly characteristic color change with an amplitude approximately 0.1 of that for the flux reduction would also accompany the transit and could be used to verify that the source of the flux reduction was a planetary transit rather than some other phenomenon. Although the precision required to detect major planets is already available with state-of-the-art photometers, the detection of terrestrial-sized planets would require a precision substantially greater than the state-of-the-art and a spaceborne platform to avoid the effects of variations in sky transparency and scintillation. Because the probability is so small of observing a planetary transit during a single observation of a randomly chosen star, the search program must be designed to continuously monitor hundreds or thousands of stars. The most promising approach is to search for large planets with a photometric system that has a single-measurement precision of 0.1%. If it is assumed that large planets will have long-period orbits, and that each star has an average of one large planet, then approximately 10⁴ stars must be monitored continuously. To monitor such a large groups of stars simultaneously while maintaining the required photometric precision, a detector array coupled by a fiber-optic bundle to the focal plane of a moderate aperture (≈ 1 m), wide field of view (≈50°) telescope is required. Based on the stated assumptions, a detection rate of one planet per year of observation appears possible.     

MDia and POTS

We describe the Munich Difference Imaging Analysis pipeline that we developed and implemented in the framework of the Astro-WISE¹ package to automatically measure high precision light curves of a large number of stellar objects using the difference imaging approach. Combined with programs to detect time variability, this software can be used to search for planetary systems or binary stars with the transit method and for variable stars of different kinds. As a first scientific application, we discuss the data reduction and analysis performed with Astro-WISE on the pre-OmegaTranS data set, that we collected during a monitoring campaign of a dense stellar field with the Wide Field Imager at the ESO 2.2 m telescope.     

重新审查昴星团成员星锂丰度的弥散

重新审查了昴星团成员星的活动性和在同一颜色处Li丰度的弥散．发现大多数的研究者低估了昴星团恒星的活动性．重新研究了恒星的活动性(包括黑子活动)和星团中恒星的不均匀红化效应对Li丰度弥散的影响．得到的主要结论是：没有坚实的证据说明观测到的Li丰度弥散是代表具相同有效温度星团成员大气Li丰度存在真实的差异．相反，假若不是全部，其大部的视Li丰度弥散是活动星的大气效应所致．Li丰度一恒星自转关联很可能只是Li丰度-恒星活动性关联的一种反映。     

Estimations of orbital parameters of exoplanets from transit photometry by using dynamical constraints

The probability of the detection of Earth-like exoplanets may increase in the near future after the launch of the space missions using the transit photometry as observation method. By using this technique only the semi-major axis of the detected planet can be determined, and there will be no information on the upper limit of its orbital eccentricity. However, the orbital eccentricity is a very important parameter, not only from a dynamical point of view, since it gives also information on the climate and the habitability of the Earth-like planets. In this paper a possible procedure is suggested for confining the eccentricity of an exoplanet discovered by transit photometry if an already known giant planet orbits also in the system.     

Observations of extrasolar planet transits with the automated telescopes of the Pulkovo Astronomical Observatory

Exoplanet observations have been performed on the automated Pulkovo Observatory telescopes. We have obtained 33 transit light curves for 16 known exoplanets and six transit observations for three exoplanet candidates discovered by the Kepler telescope. Based on our observations, we have reliably confirmed the existence of an exoplanet with an extremely large radius, R _pl = 1.83 ± 0.16R _Jup, in the system KOI 256 and detected a strong deviation of its orbital revolution from the theoretically predicted one. During the transit of the exoplanet WASP-12b across the stellar disk, we detected bursts that could be caused by the planet transit across spots on the star or by the presence of a satellite around this exoplanet. We detected possible periodic variations in the duration of the exoplanet transit across the stellar disk with time for HAT-P-12b that could be caused by variations in orbital inclination. The transit duration and depth, the central transit time, and the radius and orbital inclination of the planet have been estimated. The equilibrium temperature and albedo have been estimated for several exoplanets.     

Search for star clustering: methodology and application to the Two Micron Galactic Survey

A new approach to the study of the large-scale stellar cluster distribution in the Galaxy based on two-point correlation techniques is presented. The basic formalism for this method is outlined, and its applications are then investigated by the use of a simple model of cluster distribution in the Galaxy. This provides an estimate of the potentials of the two-point correlation function for indicating clustering in the measured star positions, which can be related to the presence of star clusters in the observed field. This technique is then applied to several areas of the Two Micron Galactic Survey catalogue, from which information is obtained on the distribution of clusters according to position in the Galaxy, as well as about age, density of stars, etc.     

Abundances and absolute stellar magnitudes for F and G supergiants of Magellanic Clouds

Using high-resolution spectra, we study 31 yellow supergiants of the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds by the method of atmosphere models. Abundance values of 20 chemical elements are determined. It is shown that ??-elements are in a slight excess and neutron-capture elements have an excess up to 0.60 dex. Approbation of a new technique for the determination of absolute stellar magnitudes of late-type supergiants is performed. The technique is based on the use of the spectroscopic criterion, namely, depth-line ratios for iron. Absolute stellar magnitudes of nine supergiants of the Large Magellanic Cloud are calculated using this technique. A value of the distance modulus of the Large Magellanic Cloud is estimated: m ? M = 18.4 ± 0.3 ^m .     

Pulsations and planets: The asteroseismology‐extrasolar‐planet connection

The disciplines of asteroseismology and extrasolar planet science overlap methodically in the branch of high‐precision photometric time series observations. Light curves are, amongst others, useful to measure intrinsic stellar variability due to oscillations, as well as to discover and characterize those extrasolar planets that transit in front of their host stars, periodically causing shallow dips in the observed brightness. Both fields ultimately derive fundamental parameters of stellar and planetary objects, allowing to study for example the physics of various classes of pulsating stars, or the variety of planetary systems, in the overall context of stellar and planetary system formation and evolution. Both methods typically also require extensive spectroscopic follow‐up to fully explore the dynamic characteristics of the processes under investigation. In particularly interesting cases, a combination of observed pulsations and signatures of a planet allows to characterize a system's components to a very high degree of completeness by combining complementary information. The planning of the relevant space missions has consequently converged with respect to science cases, where at the outset there was primarily a coincidence in instrumentation and techniques. Whether space‐ or ground‐based, a specific type of stellar pulsations can themselves be used in an innovative way to search for extrasolar planets. Results from this additional method at the interface of stellar pulsation studies and exoplanet hunts in a beyond‐mainstream area are presented (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

年轻星天体的质量

质量是恒星最基本、最重要的物理量之一,它在恒星形成和演化过程中起着至关重要的作用.年轻星天体的形成机制以及早期演化过程是彻底解决恒星形成问题的关键所在,而年轻星天体形成过程中的物质下落、质量吸积以及外流等物理过程都与年轻星天体的质量密切相关.该文介绍了确定年轻星天体质量的一些常用方法,包括利用开普勒定律的动力学方法、赫罗图方法、年轻星天体脉动方法和磁层吸积方法等.并对这些方法的适用范围及测量精度进行了评述,还综述了各种方法的研究进展及未来可能的发展.     

研制低纬子午环初衷的沿革

介绍了在低纬子午环研制过程中，如何跟踪国内外测量方法和科学技术的发展，调整该仪器的主要课题目标：开始时仅计划在低纬度地区进行天体位置的绝对测定，改善基本星表系统；在１ｍ望远镜试验ＣＣＤ底片重迭法成功后，打算把该仪器绝对测定的恒星位置与河外天体联系起来，间接地建立准惯性天球参考架；当国外传统子午环配备ＣＣＤ测微器作相对测量后，提出了在该仪器上配备ＣＣＤ测微器作绝对测定的方法，用其观测数据直接建立实用的准惯性天球参考架，并为太阳系和银河系研究提供有用数据的总体目标。     

水平子午环气象资料自动采集系统

大气折射是天体测量最基本的问题之一，它影响着天体位置测定的精度。气象资料自动采集系统是自动计算大气折射必不可少的仪器，为观测结果和气象的相关分析提供了可能．本文介绍的气象资料自动采集系统，可实时采集并可用于其它天文观测仪器．     

Estimating stellar effective temperatures and detected angular parameters using stochastic particle swarm optimization

Considering features of stellar spectral radiation and sky surveys, we established a computational model for stellar effective temperatures, detected angular parameters and gray rates. Using known stellar flux data in some bands, we estimated stellar effective temperatures and detected angular parameters using stochastic particle swarm optimization(SPSO). We first verified the reliability of SPSO, and then determined reasonable parameters that produced highly accurate estimates under certain gray deviation levels.Finally, we calculated 177 860 stellar effective temperatures and detected angular parameters using data from the Midcourse Space Experiment(MSX) catalog. These derived stellar effective temperatures were accurate when we compared them to known values from literatures. This research makes full use of catalog data and presents an original technique for studying stellar characteristics. It proposes a novel method for calculating stellar effective temperatures and detecting angular parameters, and provides theoretical and practical data for finding information about radiation in any band.     

Observations of circumstellar disks with infrared interferometry

The study of circumstellar disks around young stellar objects is arguably the area of astrophysics on which the technique of infrared interferometry has had the biggest impact. Here I will review the existing set of observations in this field, concentrating on disks but also including jets/winds and stellar properties. At the end, there is a brief discussion of how ongoing technical developments and observational improvements will expand the impact of infrared interferometry on the study of star formation.