The formation of hot subdwarf stars and its implications for the UV-upturn phenomenon of elliptical galaxies

In this paper, we review the formation scenario for field hot subdwarf stars and extreme horizontal branch stars in globular clusters and discuss how the scenario helps us to understand the UV-upturn phenomenon of elliptical galaxies. It is widely accepted that field hot subdwarf stars originate from binary evolution via the following three channels, common envelope evolution channel for hot subdwarf binaries with short orbital periods, stable Roche lobe overflow channel for hot subdwarf binaries with long orbital periods, and the double helium white dwarf merger channel for single hot subdwarfs. Such a scenario can also explain the lack of binarity of extreme horizontal branch stars in globular clusters. We have applied, in an a priori way, the scenario to the study of UV-upturn phenomenon of elliptical galaxies via an evolutionary population synthesis approach and found that the UV-upturn can be naturally explained. This has major implications for understanding the evolution of UV-upturn and elliptical galaxies in general. In particular, it implies that the UV-upturn is not a sign of age, as had been postulated previously, and should not be strongly dependent on the metallicity of the population, but exists universally from dwarf ellipticals to giant ellipticals. The above a priori UV-upturn model is supported by recent GALEX observations and has been applied to naturally explain the colours of both dwarf ellipticals and giant ellipticals without the requirement of dichotomy between their stellar population properties.     

A phenomenological model for the precession of planets and bending of light

We presented a phenomenological mode that attributes the precession of perihelion of planets to the relativistic correction. This modifies Newton’s equation by adding an inversely cube term with distance. The total energy of the new system is found to be the same as the Newtonian one. Moreover, we have deduced the deflection of light formula from Rutherford scattering. The relativistic term can be accounted for quantum correction of the gravitational potential and/or self energy of objects.     

Effect of Coriolis force on the shapes of rotating stars and stars in binary systems

In this paper an attempt has been made to determine the effect of Coriolis force on the shapes of Roche equipotential surfaces of rotating stars and stars in binary systems. Equations of Roche equipotential surfaces have been obtained for rotating and binary stars which take into account the effects of Coriolis force besides the centrifugal and gravitational forces. Shapes of Roche equipotentials and values of Roche limits are obtained for different values of angular velocity of rotation for rotating stars and for different values of mass ratios for the binary stars. The obtained results have been compared with the corresponding results in which the effect of Coriolis force has not been considered.     

The properties of a large sample of OH/IR stars,S stars and C-rich AGB stars

We collected infrared and radio data on 110 OH/IR stars, 65 S stars and 184 C-rich stars from the literature. We analyzed their spectral energy distributions, bolometric magnitudes, infrared colors and mass-loss rates. Our study confirms that OH/IR stars and C-rich stars reach similarly high mass-loss rates at similar luminosities, supporting the idea that mass-loss rates are determined by internal stellar activities such as pulsation rather than the properties of their envelopes. The mass-loss rates of OH/IR stars and C-rich stars are strongly correlated with the color indices K-[A], K-[C], K-[D] and K-[E], and the two populations can be described with one formula. Our study also reveals that only those stars with color indices K-[A]<4 or K-[C]<5 have SEDs that peak in the near-infrared waveband.     

Neutron star sequences and the starquake glitch model for the Crab and the Vela pulsars

We construct for the first time, the sequences of stable neutron star (NS) models capable of explaining simultaneously, the glitch healing parameters, Q, of both the pulsars, the Crab (Q≥0.7) and the Vela (Q≤0.2), on the basis of starquake mechanism of glitch generation, whereas the conventional NS models cannot give such consistent explanation. Furthermore, our models also yield an upper bound on NS masses similar to those obtained in the literature for a variety of modern equations of state (EOSs) compatible with causality and dynamical stability. If the lower limit of the observational constraint of (i) Q≥0.7 for the Crab pulsar and (ii) the recent value of the moment of inertia for the Crab pulsar (evaluated on the basis of time-dependent acceleration model of the Crab Nebula), I _Crab,45≥1.93 (where I ₄₅=I/10⁴⁵ g cm²), both are imposed together on our models, the models yield the value of matching density, E _b =9.584×10¹⁴ g cm⁻³ at the core-envelope boundary. This value of matching density yields a model-independent upper bound on neutron star masses, M _max≤2.22M _⊙, and the strong lower bounds on surface redshift z _R ≃0.6232 and mass M≃2.11M _⊙ for the Crab (Q≃0.7) and the strong upper bound on surface redshift z _R ≃0.2016, mass M≃0.982M _⊙ and the moment of inertia I _Vela,45≃0.587 for the Vela (Q≃0.2) pulsar. However, for the observational constraint of the ‘central’ weighted mean value Q≈0.72, and I _Crab,45>1.93, for the Crab pulsar, the minimum surface redshift and mass of the Crab pulsar are slightly increased to the values z _R ≃0.655 and M≃2.149M _⊙ respectively, whereas corresponding to the ‘central’ weighted mean value Q≈0.12 for the Vela pulsar, the maximum surface redshift, mass and the moment of inertia for the Vela pulsar are slightly decreased to the values z _R ≃0.1645, M≃0.828M _⊙ and I _Vela,45≃0.459 respectively. These results set an upper and lower bound on the energy of a gravitationally redshifted electron-positron annihilation line in the range of about 0.309–0.315 MeV from the Crab and in the range of about 0.425–0.439 MeV from the Vela pulsar.     

The atomic physics underlying the spectroscopic analysis of massive stars and supernovae

We have developed a radiative transfer code, cmfgen, which allows us to model the spectra of massive stars and supernovae. Using cmfgen we can derive fundamental parameters such as effective temperatures and surface gravities, derive abundances, and place constraints on stellar wind properties. The last of these is important since all massive stars are losing mass via a stellar wind that is driven from the star by radiation pressure, and this mass loss can substantially influence the spectral appearance and evolution of the star. Recently we have extended cmfgen to allow us to undertake time-dependent radiative transfer calculations of supernovae. Such calculations will be used to place constraints on the supernova progenitor, to place constraints on the supernova explosion and nucleosynthesis, and to derive distances using a physical approach called the “Expanding Photosphere Method”. We describe the assumptions underlying the code and the atomic processes involved. A crucial ingredient in the code is the atomic data. For the modeling we require accurate transition wavelengths, oscillator strengths, photoionization cross-sections, collision strengths, autoionization rates, and charge exchange rates for virtually all species up to, and including, cobalt. Presently, the available atomic data varies substantially in both quantity and quality.     

Orbital elements of the mild and strong barium stars formed through a wind accretion scenario

Taking account of the metallicity dependence of the s-process nucleosynthesis in the AGB stars, we adopted the wind accretion model with the condition of total angular momentum conservation and used the Monte-Carlo method to study the variations and the distributions of the orbital elements of the mild and strong Ba stars. The calculated results show that the level of heavy-element overabundance in a Ba star depends on the orbital period. Since there is a strong dependence of s-process yields on the initial stellar metallicity of the AGB star and a strong increase of the s-process yields in AGB stars with decreasing metallicity, the calculated results strongly suggest that the initial metallicity of the Ba star systems is another important parameter for the level of heavy-element overabundance in a Ba star. The strong Ba stars generally have lower metallicities than mild Ba stars. The masses of AGB progenitor and Ba star are other two parameters which also have some impact on the heavy-element overabundance in the Ba star.     

Horizontal branch stars: the interplay between observations and theory,and insights into the formation of the Galaxy

We review and discuss horizontal branch (HB) stars in a broad astrophysical context, including both variable and non-variable stars. A reassessment of the Oosterhoff dichotomy is presented, which provides unprecedented detail regarding its origin and systematics. We show that the Oosterhoff dichotomy and the distribution of globular clusters in the HB morphology-metallicity plane both exclude, with high statistical significance, the possibility that the Galactic halo may have formed from the accretion of dwarf galaxies resembling present-day Milky Way satellites such as Fornax, Sagittarius, and the LMC—an argument which, due to its strong reliance on the ancient RR Lyrae stars, is essentially independent of the chemical evolution of these systems after the very earliest epochs in the Galaxy’s history. Convenient analytical fits to isochrones in the HB type–[Fe/H] plane are also provided. In this sense, a rediscussion of the second-parameter problem is also presented, focusing on the cases of NGC 288/NGC 362, M13/M3, the extreme outer-halo globular clusters with predominantly red HBs, and the metal-rich globular clusters NGC 6388 and NGC 6441. The recently revived possibility that the helium abundance may play an important role as a second parameter is also addressed, and possible constraints on this scenario discussed. We critically discuss the possibility that the observed properties of HB stars in NGC 6388 and NGC 6441 might be accounted for if these clusters possess a relatively minor population of helium-enriched stars. A technique is proposed to estimate the HB types of extragalactic globular clusters on the basis of integrated far-UV photometry. The importance of bright type II Cepheids as tracers of faint blue HB stars in distant systems is also emphasized. The relationship between the absolute V magnitude of the HB at the RR Lyrae level and metallicity, as obtained on the basis of trigonometric parallax measurements for the star RR Lyr, is also revisited. Taking into due account the evolutionary status of RR Lyr, the derived relation implies a true distance modulus to the LMC of (m–M)₀=18.44±0.11. Techniques providing discrepant slopes and zero points for the M _V (RRL)–[Fe/H] relation are briefly discussed. We provide a convenient analytical fit to theoretical model predictions for the period change rates of RR Lyrae stars in globular clusters, and compare the model results with the available data. Finally, the conductive opacities used in evolutionary calculations of low-mass stars are also investigated. M. Catelan is John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellow.     

Inclusion of sdBs in evolutionary population synthesis for binary stellar populations and the application: the determination of photo-z and galaxy morphology

Subdwarf B stars (sdBs) can significantly change the ultraviolet spectra of populations at age t～1 Gyr, and have been even included in the evolutionary population synthesis (EPS) models by Han et al. (Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 380:1098, 2007). In this study we present the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of binary stellar populations (BSPs) by combining the EPS models of Han et al. (Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 380:1098, 2007) and those of the Yunnan group (Zhang et al. in Astron. Astrophys. 415:117, 2004; Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 357:1088, 2005), which have included various binary interactions (except sdBs) in EPS models. This set of SEDs is available upon request from the authors. Using this set of SEDs of BSPs we build the spectra of Burst, E, S0–Sd and Irr types of galaxies by using the package of Bruzual and Charlot (Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 344:1000, 2003). Combined with the photometric data (filters and magnitudes), we obtain the photometric redshifts and morphologies of 1502 galaxies by using the Hyperz code of Bolzonella et al. (Astron. Astrophys. 363:476, 2000). This sample of galaxies is obtained by removing those objects, mismatched with the SDSS/DR7 and GALEX/DR4, from the catalogue of Fukugita et al. (Astron. J. 134:579, 2007). By comparison the results with the SDSS spectroscopic redshifts and the morphological index of Fukugita et al. (Astron. J. 134:579, 2007), we find that the photo-z fluctuate with the SDSS spectroscopic redshifts, while the Sa–Sc galaxies in the catalogue of Fukugita et al. (Astron. J. 134:579, 2007) are classified earlier as Burst-E galaxies.     

Brightness of the Coronal Green Line and Prediction for Activity Cycles 23 and 24

Cyclic variations of the mean semi-annual intensities I of the coronal green line 530.3 nm are compared with the mean semi-annual variations of the Wolf numbers W during the period of 1943–1999 (activity cycles 18–23). The values of I in the equatorial zone proved to correlate much better with the Wolf numbers in a following cycle than in a given one (the correlation coefficient r is 0.86 and 0.755, respectively). Such increase of the correlation coefficient with a shift by one cycle differs in different phases of the cycle, being the largest at the ascending branch. The regularities revealed make it possible to predict the behaviour of W in the following cycle on the basis of intensities of the coronal green line in the preceding cycle. We predict the maximum semi-annual W in cycle 23 to be 110–122 and the epoch of minimum between cycles 23 and 24 to take place at 2006–2007. A slow increase of I in the current cycle 23 permits us to forecast a low-Wolf-number cycle 24 with the maximum W50 at 2010–2011. A scheme is proposed on the permanent transformation of the coronal magnetic fields of different scales explaining the found phenomenon.     

Population synthesis of Galactic subdwarf B stars

I briefly review the method of population synthesis of binary stars and discuss the preliminary results of a study of the Galactic population of subdwarf B stars. In particular I focus on the formation of (apparently) single sdB stars and their relation to (apparently) single helium-core white dwarfs. I discuss the merits of mergers of two helium white dwarfs and interactions with sub-stellar companions for explaining these single objects. A preliminary conclusion is that the current observations suggest both mechanisms may contribute, but that the helium white dwarfs are likely formed in majority from interactions with sub-stellar companions.     

Charged particles’ areas of three-dimensional motions in a system of two magnetic stars

We study the parametric evolution of the regions where three-dimensional motions of a charged particle are allowed in the combined electromagnetic field produced by two rotating magnetic stars. We discuss the changes in the topology of the zero-velocity surfaces, as well as in the trapping regions of the particle motion for various values of the dipoles’ magnetic moments.     

Prediction of the Maximum Amplitude and Timing of Sunspot Cycle 24

Precursor techniques, in particular those using geomagnetic indices, often are used in the prediction of the maximum amplitude for a sunspot cycle. Here, the year 2008 is taken as being the sunspot minimum year for cycle 24. Based on the average aa index value for the year of the sunspot minimum and the preceding four years, we estimate the expected annual maximum amplitude for cycle 24 to be about 92.8±19.6 (1-sigma accuracy), indicating a somewhat weaker cycle 24 as compared to cycles 21 – 23. Presuming a smoothed monthly mean sunspot number minimum in August 2008, a smoothed monthly mean sunspot number maximum is expected about October 2012±4 months (1-sigma accuracy).     

Spectroscopic mode identification of main-sequence non-radially pulsating stars

We are undertaking an extensive observational campaign of a number of non-radially pulsating stars using the high-resolution HERCULES spectrograph on the 1.0-m telescope at the Mt John University Observatory. This is part of a large world-wide multi-site campaign to improve mode-identification techniques in non-radially pulsating stars, particularly for g-mode pulsators. This paper outlines our campaign and presents preliminary results for one γ Doradus star, HD 40745, and one β Cephei star, HD 61068. We have used a representative cross-correlation line-profile technique presented by Wright in 2008 to extract line profiles and these have then been analyzed using the FAMIAS package due to Zima published in 2006 to derive a spectroscopic mode identification.     

Variety of well behaved exact solutions of Einstein–Maxwell field equations: an application to Strange Quark stars, Neutron stars and Pulsars

We present a variety of well behaved classes of Charge Analogues of Tolman’s iv (1939). These solutions describe charged fluid balls with positively finite central pressure, positively finite central density; their ratio is less than one and causality condition is obeyed at the centre. The outmarch of pressure, density, pressure-density ratio and the adiabatic speed of sound is monotonically decreasing, however, the electric intensity is monotonically increasing in nature. These solutions give us wide range of parameter for every positive value of n for which the solution is well behaved hence, suitable for modeling of super dense stars. keeping in view of well behaved nature of these solutions, one new class of solutions is being studied extensively. Moreover, this class of solutions gives us wide range of constant K (0.3≤K≤0.91) for which the solution is well behaved hence, suitable for modeling of super dense stars like Strange Quark stars, Neutron stars and Pulsars. For this class of solutions the mass of a star is maximized with all degree of suitability, compatible with Quark stars, Neutron stars and Pulsars. By assuming the surface density ρ _b =2×10¹⁴ g/cm³ (like, Brecher and Caporaso in Nature 259:377, 1976), corresponding to K=0.30 with X=0.39, the resulting well behaved model has the mass M=2.12M _Θ, radius r _b ≈15.27 km and moment of inertia I=4.482×10⁴⁵ g cm²; for K=0.4 with X=0.31, the resulting well behaved model has the mass M=1.80M _Θ, radius r _b ≈14.65 km and moment of inertia I=3.454×10⁴⁵ g cm²; and corresponding to K=0.91 with X=0.135, the resulting well behaved model has the mass M=0.83M _Θ, radius r _b ≈11.84 km and moment of inertia I=0.991×10⁴⁵ g cm². For n=0 we rediscovered Pant et al. (in Astrophys. Space Sci. 333:161, 2011b) well behaved solution. These values of masses and moment of inertia are found to be consistent with other models of Neutron stars and Pulsars available in the literature and are applicable for the Crab and the Vela Pulsars.     

Grand Minima of Solar Activity and the Mean-Field Dynamo

We demonstrate that a simple solar dynamo model, in the form of a Parker migratory dynamo with random fluctuations of the dynamo governing parameters and algebraic saturation of dynamo action, can at least qualitatively reproduce all the basic features of solar Grand Minima as they are known from direct and indirect data. In particular, the model successfully reproduces such features as an abrupt transition into a Grand Minimum and the subsequent gradual recovery of solar activity, as well as mixed-parity butterfly diagrams during the epoch of the Grand Minimum. The model predicts that the cycle survives in some form during a Grand Minimum, as well as the relative stability of the cycle inside and outside of a Grand Minimum. The long-term statistics of simulated Grand Minima appears compatible with the phenomenology of the Grand Minima inferred from the cosmogenic isotope data. We demonstrate that such ability to reproduce the Grand Minima phenomenology is not a general feature of the dynamo models but requires some specific assumption, such as random fluctuations in dynamo governing parameters. In general, we conclude that a relatively simple and straightforward model is able to reproduce the Grand Minima phenomenology remarkably well, in principle providing us with a possibility of studying the physical nature of Grand Minima.     

High-resolution mm interferometry and the search for massive protostellar disks: the case of Cep-A HW2

The direct detection of accretion onto massive protostars through rotating disks constitutes an important tile in the massive-star-formation-theory mosaic. This task is however observationally very challenging. A very interesting example is Cepheus A HW2. The properties of the molecular emission around this YSO seems to suggest the presence of a massive rotating disk (cf. Patel et al. in Nature 437:109, 2005). We have carried out sub-arcsec-resolution PdBI observations of high-density and shock tracers such as SO₂, SiO, CH₃CN, and CH₃OH towards the center of the outflow. A detailed analysis of the spatial distribution and of the velocity field traced by all observed species leads us to conclude that, on a ∼700 AU scale, the Cep-A “disk” is actually the result of the superposition of multiple hot-core-type objects, at least one of them ejecting an outflow at a small angle with respect to the line of sight. Together with the well-known large-scale outflow ejected by HW2, this setup makes for a very complex spatial and kinematic picture. Based on observations carried out with the IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer. IRAM is supported by INSU/CNRS (France), MPG (Germany) and IGN (Spain).     

EXOTIME: searching for planets around pulsating subdwarf B stars

In 2007, a companion with planetary mass was found around the pulsating subdwarf B star V391 Pegasi with the timing method, indicating that a previously undiscovered population of substellar companions to apparently single subdwarf B stars might exist. Following this serendipitous discovery, the EXOTIME (http://www.na.astro.it/~silvotti/exotime/) monitoring program has been set up to follow the pulsations of a number of selected rapidly pulsating subdwarf B stars on time scales of several years with two immediate observational goals:

1. determine $\dot{P}$ of the pulsational periods P
2. search for signatures of substellar companions in O–C residuals due to periodic light travel time variations, which would be tracking the central star’s companion-induced wobble around the centre of mass

These sets of data should therefore, at the same time, on the one hand be useful to provide extra constraints for classical asteroseismological exercises from the $\dot{P}$ (comparison with “local” evolutionary models), and on the other hand allow one to investigate the preceding evolution of a target in terms of possible “binary” evolution by extending the otherwise unsuccessful search for companions to potentially very low masses. While timing pulsations may be an observationally expensive method to search for companions, it samples a different range of orbital parameters, inaccessible through orbital photometric effects or the radial velocity method: the latter favours massive close-in companions, whereas the timing method becomes increasingly more sensitive toward wider separations. In this paper we report on the status of the on-going observations and coherence analysis for two of the currently five targets, revealing very well-behaved pulsational characteristics in HS?0444+0458, while showing HS?0702+6043 to be more complex than previously thought.     

An Analysis of the Sunspot Groups and Flares of Solar Cycle 23

Designing a statistical solar flare forecasting technique can benefit greatly from knowledge of the flare frequency of occurrence with respect to sunspot groups. This study analyzed sunspot groups and Hα and X-ray flares reported for the period 1997 – 2007. Annual catalogs were constructed, listing the days that numbered sunspot groups were observed (designated sunspot group-days, SSG-Ds) and for each day a record for each associated Hα flare of importance category one or greater and normal or bright brightness and for each X-ray flare of intensity C 5 or higher. The catalogs were then analyzed to produce frequency distributions of SSG-Ds by year, sunspot group class, likelihood of producing at least one flare overall and by sunspot group class, and frequency of occurrence of numbers of flares per day and flare intensity category. Only 3% of SSG-Ds produced a substantial Hα flare and 7% had a significant X-ray flare. We found that mature, complex sunspot groups were more likely than simple sunspot groups to produce a flare, but the latter were more prevalent than the former. More than half of the SSG-Ds with flares had a maximum intensity flare greater than the lowest category (C-class of intensity five and higher). The fact that certain sunspot group classes had flaring probabilities significantly higher than the combined probabilities of the intensity categories when all SSG-Ds were considered suggest that it might be best to first predict the flaring probability. For sunspot groups found likely to flare, a separate diagnosis of maximum flare intensity category appears feasible.     

Calibrating the Pointing and Optical Parameters of the STEREO Heliospheric Imagers

The Heliospheric Imager (HI) instruments on the Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO) observe solar plasma as it streams out from the Sun and into the heliosphere. The telescopes point off-limb (from about 4° to 90° elongation) and so the Sun is not in the field of view. Hence, the Sun cannot be used to confirm the instrument pointing. Until now, the pointing of the instruments have been calculated using the nominal preflight instrument offsets from the STEREO spacecraft together with the spacecraft attitude data. This paper develops a new method for deriving the instrument pointing solutions, along with other optical parameters, by comparing the locations of stars identified in each HI image with the known star positions predicted from a star catalogue. The pointing and optical parameters are varied in an autonomous manner to minimise the discrepancy between the predicted and observed positions of the stars. This method is applied to all HI observations from the beginning of the mission to the end of April 2008. For the vast majority of images a good attitude solution has been obtained with a mean-squared deviation between the observed and predicted star positions of one image pixel or less. Updated values have been obtained for the instrument offsets relative to the spacecraft, and for the optical parameters of the HI cameras. With this method the HI images can be considered as “self-calibrating,” with the actual instrument offsets calculated as a byproduct. The updated pointing results and their by-products have been implemented in SolarSoft.