Temperature and surface gravitation of white dwarfs in the fbs survey from the sdss

Empirical formulas for the temperature and surface gravitation of white dwarfs are derived using data on temperature and the acceleration of gravity from the catalog of spectroscopically confirmed white dwarfs WD in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Release 4 (SDSS DR4). These formulas are used to determine the temperature and acceleration of gravity for five spectroscopically confirmed white dwarfs from the FBS survey that were not included in the WD SDSS DR4 catalog, and also for 82 WD that had not been spectroscopically confirmed. As a result, the temperature and acceleration of gravity have been determined for 87 FBS white dwarfs that were not included in the SDSS WD catalog.     

The 2dF-SDSS LRG and QSO Survey: the spectroscopic QSO catalogue

We present the final spectroscopic QSO catalogue from the 2dF-SDSS LRG (luminous red galaxy) and QSO (2SLAQ) survey. This is a deep,  18 < g < 21.85  (extinction corrected), sample aimed at probing in detail the faint end of the broad line active galactic nuclei luminosity distribution at   z ≲ 2.6  . The candidate QSOs were selected from SDSS photometry and observed spectroscopically with the 2dF spectrograph on the Anglo-Australian Telescope. This sample covers an area of 191.9 deg² and contains new spectra of 16 326 objects, of which 8764 are QSOs and 7623 are newly discovered [the remainder were previously identified by the 2dF QSO Redshift Survey (2QZ) and SDSS]. The full QSO sample (including objects previously observed in the SDSS and 2QZ surveys) contains 12 702 QSOs. The new 2SLAQ spectroscopic data set also contains 2343 Galactic stars, including 362 white dwarfs, and 2924 narrow emission-line galaxies with a median redshift of   z = 0.22  .
We present detailed completeness estimates for the survey, based on modelling of QSO colours, including host-galaxy contributions. This calculation shows that at   g ≃ 21.85  QSO colours are significantly affected by the presence of a host galaxy up to redshift   z ∼ 1  in the SDSS ugriz bands. In particular, we see a significant reddening of the objects in   g − i   towards the fainter g -band magnitudes. This reddening is consistent with the QSO host galaxies being dominated by a stellar population of age at least 2–3 Gyr.
The full catalogue, including completeness estimates, is available on-line at http://www.2slaq.info/ .     

Luminosities of FBS late type M stars

A catalog of 995 C and late M type stars is compiled from the First Byurakan Survey of the sky (FBS). The question of effectively separating giants and dwarfs among the stars of spectral class M is examined using data from this catalog, the 2MASS survey, and a number of other catalogs. This has made it possible to determine the luminosity class of 846 class M stars from the FBS survey. In the sample of FBS late M stars, 187 are dwarfs and 659 are giants. The sample of FBS late M stars is compared statistically with the set of known samples of type M stars. The subsample of FBS M-giants is proved to be similar to Stephenson’s standard sample of M-giants. A detailed statistical analysis of these two samples is carried out. __________ Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 50, No. 4, pp. 589–602 (November 2007).     

New ultracool and halo white dwarf candidates in SDSS Stripe 82

A     region along the celestial equator (Stripe 82) has been imaged repeatedly from 1998 to 2005 by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). A new catalogue of ∼4 million light-motion curves, together with over 200 derived statistical quantities, for objects in Stripe 82 brighter than   r ∼21.5  has been constructed by combining these data by Bramich et al. This catalogue is at present the deepest catalogue of its kind. Extracting ∼130 000 objects with highest signal-to-noise ratio proper motions, we build a reduced proper motion diagram to illustrate the scientific promise of the catalogue. In this diagram, disc and halo subdwarfs are well-separated from the cool white dwarf sequence. Our sample of 1049 cool white dwarf candidates includes at least eight and possibly 21 new ultracool H-rich white dwarfs  ( T _eff < 4000 K)  and one new ultracool He-rich white dwarf candidate identified from their SDSS optical and UKIDSS infrared photometry. At least 10 new halo white dwarfs are also identified from their kinematics.     

Relation of Velocity Distribution and Mass for DA White Dwarfstwo

White dwarfs are the evolutionary endpoint of the low-and-medium mass stars. In the studies of white dwarfs, the mass of white dwarf is an important physical parameter. In this paper, we give an analysis about the velocity distribution of DA white dwarfs in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), and hope to find the relation between mass and velocity distribution of white dwarfs. We get the radial velocity and tangential velocity of every DA white dwarf according to their proper motion and spectral shift. Through analyzing the velocity distribution of DA white dwarfs, we find that the small-mass white dwarfs, which are produced from the single-star evolution channel, have a relatively large velocity dispersion.     

Spectral observations of blue stellar objects from FBS in the zone δ = +43°

Results of spectral observations of blue stellar objects from the FBS are presented for the purpose of classifying them, discovering new interesting objects, and studying the FBS sample as a whole. 99 FBS objects in the band with central declination δ = +43° were observed on the 2.6-m telescope at the Byurakan Observatory in 1987–1991 and have been digitized using a professional scanner and processed by MIDAS in a way similar to CCD spectra. 12 objects were also observed with the BAO-2.6 and OHP-1.93 telescopes using modern techniques during 1997–2000; some were repeated observations for confirming or correcting the classifications. A new planetary nebula, 7 white dwarfs, 78 hot subdwarfs, 9 HBB stars, and 6 stars in classes F-G were discovered. Proper motions in the range 57–84 mas/year were obtained for three stars (DA, DAB, and sdB). Three stars (a white dwarf and two subdwarfs) are identified with x-ray sources. The spectra of the 30 most interesting objects are given. __________ Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 49, No. 3, pp. 391–405 (August 2006).     

Discovery of High Proper-Motion Ancient White Dwarfs: Nearby Massive Compact Halo Objects?

We present the discovery and spectroscopic identification of two very high proper-motion ancient white dwarf stars, found in a systematic proper-motion survey. Their kinematics and apparent magnitude clearly indicate that they are halo members, while their optical spectra are almost identical to the recently identified cool halo white dwarf WD 0346+246. Canonical stellar halo models predict a white dwarf volume density that is 2 orders of magnitude less than the rho approximately 7x10-4 M middle dot in circle pc-3 inferred from this survey. With the caveat that the sample size is very small, it appears that a significant fraction, approximately 10%, of the local dark matter halo is in the form of very old, cool, white dwarfs.     

New faint optical spectrophotometric standards: hot white dwarfs from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

The spectral energy distributions for pure-hydrogen (DA) hot white dwarfs can be accurately predicted by model atmospheres. This makes it possible to define spectrophotometric calibrators by scaling the theoretical spectral shapes with broad-band photometric observations – a strategy successfully exploited for the spectrographs onboard the Hubble Space Telescope ( HST ) using three primary DA standards. Absolute fluxes for non-DA secondary standards, introduced to increase the density of calibrators in the sky, need to be referred to the primary standards, but a far better solution would be to employ a network of DA stars scattered throughout the sky. We search for blue objects in the sixth data release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and fit DA model fluxes to identify suitable candidates. Reddening needs to be considered in the analysis of many of these stars. We propose a list of nine pure-hydrogen white dwarfs with absolute fluxes with estimated uncertainties below 3 per cent, including four objects with estimated errors <2 per cent, as candidates for spectrophotometric standards in the range  14 < g < 18  , and provide model-based fluxes scaled to match the SDSS broad-band fluxes for each. We apply the same method to the three HST DA standards, linking the zero point of their absolute fluxes to ugr magnitudes transformed from photometry obtained with the US Naval Observatory 1-m telescope. For these stars, we estimate uncertainties of <1 per cent in the optical, finding good consistency with the fluxes adopted for HST calibration.     

Isolated Main Galaxy Pairs from the SDSS Data Release 4

From the Main galaxy data of the SDSS Data Release 4 (SDSS4), we have identified close galaxy pairs at neighbourhood radius R = 100 kpc by three-dimensional cluster analysis. Using the criterion that an "isolated galaxy pair" must be separated from its "nearest neighbor" by more than 500 kpc, we constructed an isolated galaxy pair sample of 1158 pairs. We also constructed a random pair sample by randomly selecting 1158 galaxy pairs from the Main galaxy sample, which has the same redshift distribution as the isolated galaxy pair sample, and in which the two components of any pair have the same redshifts. Comparative studies of luminosity and size between the members of the galaxy pairs are performed. We find and further confirm there is no tendency for paired galaxies to have similar luminosities or sizes. From the isolated pair sample we also selected a subsample with the magnitude limit of the primary raised by 2 magnitudes, so as to include pairs in which the secondary is 2 magnitudes fainter than the primary. This subsample contains 82 pairs. A random pair sample is similarly constructed.     

A search for nearby counterparts to the moving objects in the Hubble Deep Field

Ibata et al. have recently discovered very faint, moving objects in the Hubble Deep Field (HDF). The number, apparent magnitudes and proper motions of these objects are consistent with old white dwarfs making up part of the Galactic dark halo. We review a number of ground-based proper motion surveys in which nearby dark-halo white dwarfs might be present, if they have the colours and absolute magnitudes proposed. No such objects have been found, whereas we argue here that several times more would be expected than in the HDF. We conclude that it is unlikely that hydrogen-atmosphere white dwarfs make up a significant fraction of the Galactic dark matter. No limits can be placed as yet on helium-atmosphere dwarfs from optical searches.     

The possiblity of detection of ultracool dwarfs with the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey

We present predictions for the numbers of ultracool dwarfs in the Galactic disc population that could be detected by the WFCAM/UKIDSS Large Area Survey and Ultra Deep Survey. Simulated samples of objects are created with masses and ages drawn from different mass functions and birthrates. Each object is then given absolute magnitudes in different passbands based on empirically derived bolometric correction versus effective temperature relationships (or model predictions for Y dwarfs). These are then combined with simulated space positions, velocities and photometric errors to yield observables such as apparent magnitudes and proper motions. Such observables are then passed through the survey selection mechanism to yield histograms in colour. This technique also produces predictions for the proper motion histograms for ultracool dwarfs and estimated numbers for the as yet undetected Y dwarfs. Finally, it is shown that these techniques could be used to constrain the ultra-low-mass mass function and birthrate of the Galactic disc population.     

Transformations between 2MASS, SDSS and BVRI photometric systems: bridging the near-infrared and optical

We present colour transformations for the conversion of the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) photometric system to the Johnson–Cousins UBVRI system and further into the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) ugriz system. We have taken SDSS gri magnitudes of stars measured with the 2.5-m telescope from SDSS Data Release 5 (DR5), and BVRI and   JHK _s   magnitudes from Stetson's catalogue and Cutri et al., respectively. We matched thousands of stars in the three photometric systems by their coordinates and obtained a homogeneous sample of 825 stars by the following constraints, which are not used in previous transformations: (1) the data are dereddened, (2) giants are omitted and (3) the sample stars selected are of the highest quality. We give metallicity, population type and transformations dependent on two colours. The transformations provide absolute magnitude and distance determinations which can be used in space density evaluations at short distances where some or all of the SDSS ugriz magnitudes are saturated. The combination of these densities with those evaluated at larger distances using SDSS ugriz photometry will supply accurate Galactic model parameters, particularly the local space densities for each population.     

The triple degenerate star WD 1704+481

WD 1704+481 is a visual binary in which both components are white dwarfs. We present spectra of the H α line of both stars which show that one component (WD 1704+481.2=Sanduleak B=GR 577) is a close binary with two white dwarf components. Thus, WD 1704+481 is the first known triple degenerate star. From radial velocity measurements of the close binary we find an orbital period of 0.1448 d, a mass ratio, q M _bright M _faint, of 0.70±0.03 and a difference in the gravitational redshifts of 11.5±2.3 km s⁻¹. The masses of the close pair of white dwarfs predicted by the mass ratio and gravitational redshift difference combined with theoretical cooling curves are 0.39±0.05 and 0.56±0.07 M_⊙. WD 1704+481 is therefore also likely to be the first example of a double degenerate in which the less massive white dwarf is composed of helium and the other white dwarf is composed of carbon and oxygen.     

An Artificial Neural Network approach to classify SDSS stellar spectra

We present a combined method to classify stellar spectra of the seventh data release (DR7) of the SDSS via an Artificial Neural Network (ANN), derive radial velocities and to estimate distances from an isochrone fitting technique. In total, we used 29 182 spectra of stars falling in the effective temperature range between 10000 and 5500 K, including white dwarfs. The targets were selected on the basis of SDSS colours. We compare our results not only with the SEGUE Stellar Parameter Pipeline output, but also with already published values and find excellent agreement. With new and extensive data sets from all‐sky ground based as well as satellite missions, our approach will become very important and efficient to analyse these information (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Near-infrared imaging survey of faint companions around young dwarfs in the Pleiades cluster

We conducted a near-infrared imaging survey of 11 young dwarfs in the Pleiades cluster using the Subaru Telescope and the near-infrared coronagraph imager. We found ten faint point sources,with magnitudes as faint as 20 mag in the K-band,with around seven dwarfs.Comparison with the Spitzer archive images revealed that a pair of the faint sources around V 1171 Tau is very red in infrared wavelengths,which indicates very low-mass young stellar objects.However,the results of our follow-up proper motion measure...     

Late-type stars found in the FBS. New carbon stars

We present new observations of seven late-type stars previously discovered in the First Byurakan Survey (FBS). These observations prove that they belong to the family of carbon (C) stars. Seventy-nine similar FBS C stars were previously known. The seven objects under analysis were presented in the FBS lists as M or C star candidates. Among the seven objects, six objects are confirmed by low-resolution spectra of the Hamburg Quasar Objective-Prism Survey. We also present for five of them moderate-resolution spectra obtained at optical wavelengths with a spectrograph equipped with a CCD detector. Three objects can be classified as N-type C stars. One object is an early CH-type C star. Most likely, the star FBS 1339+117 belongs to the group of carbon dwarfs. We estimate distances of these seven new C stars either by using their red-band magnitudes, or by using their near-infrared 2MASS J-K_S color and K_S-band magnitudes. Published in Astrofizika, Vol. 51, No. 2, pp. 255–265 (May 2008).     

Search for New Interesting Objects in the Second Part of the FBS

We present the results of a study of the FBS blue stellar objects with the goal of discovering new interesting objects. Forty-seven FBS objects have been observed with the Byurakan Observatory 2.6m telescope in 1987-1991 and scanned with the MAMA scanning machine at Observatoire de Paris in 1997-1999. 5 QSOs/Sy1s, 4 emission-line stars, five white dwarfs, and a number of continuous spectra objects (possible BL Lacs and DC white dwarfs) have been revealed.     

A search for hidden white dwarfs in the ROSAT EUV survey — II. Discovery of a distant DA+F6/7V binary system in a direction of low-density neutral hydrogen

The ROSAT Wide Field Camera (WFC) survey of the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) has provided us with evidence for the existence of a previously unidentified sample of hot white dwarfs in unresolved, detached binary systems. These stars are invisible at optical wavelengths due to the close proximity of their much more luminous companions (spectral type K or earlier). However, for companions of spectral type ∼A5 or later the white dwarfs are easily visible at far-ultraviolet wavelengths, and can be identified in spectra taken by IUE . 16 such systems have been discovered in this way through ROSAT EUVE IUE observations, including four identified by us in Paper I. In the present paper we report the results of our continuing search during the final year of IUE operations. One new system, RE J0500−364 (DA+F6/7V), has been identified. This star appears to lie at a distance of ∼500−1000 pc, making it one of the most distant white dwarfs, if not the most distant, to be detected in the EUV surveys. The very low line-of-sight neutral hydrogen volume density to this object could place a lower limit on the length of the β CMa interstellar tunnel of diffuse gas, which stretches away from the Local Bubble in a similar direction to RE J0500−364. In this paper we also analyse a number of the stars observed where no white dwarf companion was found. Some of these objects show evidence for chromospheric and coronal activity. Finally, we present an analysis of the previously known WD+active F6V binary HD 27483 (Bo¨hm-Vitense 1993), and show that, at T  ≈ 22 000 K, the white dwarf may be contributing significantly to the observed EUV flux. If so, it is one of the coolest such stars to be detected in the EUV surveys.     

The Ultraviolet sky surveys: filling the gap in our view of the Universe

The GALEX mission is performing imaging and spectroscopic surveys of the sky at Ultraviolet wavelengths, and providing unprecedented sky maps in two UV bands, far-UV and near-UV, and catalogs of UV sources. I will describe the major surveys accomplished so far, and results in investigating the nature of the UV sources. The UV surveys, linked to a multi-wavelength archive, offer great sensitivity to detect and characterize several classes of astrophysical objects, such as low-redshift QSOs, star-forming galaxies, and white dwarfs (WD) in the Milky Way. Efforts towards obtaining a significant census of WDs from GALEX imaging data are described in particular. A dedicated, deep survey of nearby galaxies provides a snapshot of their recent star formation, shedding new light on the process of star formation and its modalities in different environments and conditions. Deep GALEX data revealed young stellar populations in extreme outskirts of spiral galaxies, previously thought to be stable against star formation given their low density. UV measurements for millions of nearby and distant galaxies map the history and probe the causes of star formation in the Universe over the redshift range z=0–2.     

Spectral observations of blue stellar objects from FBS in the zone δ =+39°

Spectral observations of blue stellar objects from FBS are reported for the purpose of classifying them, discovering interesting new objects, and studying the FBS sample as a whole. 59 FBS objects in the zone with central declination δ =+39° were observed with the 2.6-m telescope at the Byurakan Observatory during 1987–1991. The images have been digitized with a professional scanner and processed by MIDAS in a way similar to CCD spectra. In addition, 4 objects were observed with the BAO-2.6 and OHP-1.93 telescopes using modern techniques during 1997–2000. 3 white dwarfs, 45 hot subdwarfs, 4 HBB stars, and 2 class F stars were discovered. Spectra of 20 of the most interesting objects are shown. __________ Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 51, No. 1, pp. 51–59 (February 2008).