Search for HH objects and emission stars in star formation regions. IV. New Herbig-Haro flows and objects associated with cometary nebulae

As part of a project to search for new Herbig-Haro (HH) objects in star formation regions, observations are reported on the neighborhoods of five cometary nebulae: MacC H12, MacC sH15, GM 1-14, RNO 33, and Pars 17. We have been able to identify 9 previously unknown HH objects in those regions. Almost all of these objects belong to directed flows whose sources are, with high probability, the central stars of these nebulae. In the cases of MacC H12 and GM 1-14, the outflows have a distinct bipolar structure. The sources of the outflows are located on a J-H/H-K diagram in order to classify them. __________ Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 51, No. 1, pp. 15–27 (February 2008).     

An optical spectroscopic HR diagram for low-mass stars and brown dwarfs in Orion

The masses and temperatures of young low-mass stars and brown dwarfs in star-forming regions are not yet well established because of uncertainties in the age of individual objects and the spectral type–temperature scale appropriate for objects with ages of only a few Myr. Using multi-object optical spectroscopy, 45 low-mass stars and brown dwarfs in the Trapezium Cluster in Orion have been classified and 44 of these confirmed as bona fide cluster members. The spectral types obtained have been converted to effective temperatures using a temperature scale intermediate between those of dwarfs and giants, which is suitable for young pre-main-sequence objects. The objects have been placed on a Hertzsprung–Russell (HR) diagram overlaid with theoretical isochrones. The low-mass stars and the higher mass substellar objects are found to be clustered around the 1 Myr isochrone, while many of the lower mass substellar objects are located well above this isochrone. An average age of 1 Myr is found for the majority of the objects. Assuming coevality of the sources and an average age of 1 Myr, the masses of the objects have been estimated and range from  0.018 to 0.44 M_⊙  . The spectra also allow an investigation of the surface gravity of the objects by measurement of the sodium doublet equivalent width. With one possible exception, all objects have low gravities, in line with young ages, and the Na indices for the Trapezium objects lie systematically below those of young stars and brown dwarfs in Chamaeleon, suggesting that the 820 nm Na index may provide a sensitive means of estimating ages in young clusters.     

On the Real Number of Objects in the Tautenburg Catalogues of Blue Objects Suspected as Quasistellar (QSO)

The results of the U, B, V photometries of W. BRONKALLA and N. RICHTER near the north galactic pole are discussed. In these photometries which have been carried out on the same Tautenburg Schmidt plates the share of blue objects suspected as quasistellar (QSO) has been determined by total photometry of all starlike objects in selected partly overlapping test fields. The results of both photometries agree very well. The position of the blue objects of the Tautenburg catalogues and BRONKALLA's photometry in the two-colour diagram is compared with the two-colour diagram of QSO's published by C. BARBIERI and M. CAPPACIOLI . In both cases 65 per cent of the objects are placed on the right-hand side and 35 per cent on the left-hand side (region of white dwarfs) of the black-body line. Therefore, it is no longer admissible to qualify in a photometric statistics of blue objects all those objects as white dwarfs which are situated on the left-hand side of the black-body line in the two-colour plot. This result is confirmed by the discussion of the number-magnitude relation of these objects. Clustering of blue objects and their connection with clusters of galaxies are discussed. Using results from A. SANDAGE and E. M. BURBIDGE and our own results one can conclude that more than 60 per cent of Tautenburg blue objects must be QSO's. For further spectroscopic and proper motion investigations it is proposed to prefer the objects placed on the left-hand side of the black-body line in order to obtain the real share of white dwarfs in this group of objects suspected to be quasistellar.     

Nonsteady objects associated with star-forming regions. Relationship to stellar associations, infrared sources, and water masers

The relationship of stellar associations, IRAS point sources, and water masers with two types of objects, which were discovered primarily at Byurakan, is investigated. They are cometary nebulae and Herbig-Haro (H-H) objects. It is shown that almost all of these objects are affiliated with OB or T associations. Two groupings of nonsteady objects have been found. They may belong to unknown T associations. About half of the cometary nebulae and H-H objects were found to be affiliated with IRAS point sources; 22% of the H-H objects and 8% of the cometary nebulae are associated with water masers. Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 41. No. 4, pp. 585–598, October–December, 1998.     

Visible and near-infrared spectroscopic investigation of near-Earth objects at ESO: first results

Near-Earth objects (NEOs) represent one of the most intriguing populations of Solar System bodies. These objects appear heterogeneous in all aspects of their physical properties, like shapes, sizes, spin rates, compositions etc. Moreover, as these objects represent also a real threat to the Earth, a good knowledge of their properties and composition is the necessary first step to evaluate mitigation techniques and to understand their origin and evolution. In the last few years we have started a long-term spectroscopic investigation in the visible and near-infrared (NIR) region of near-Earth objects. The observations have been performed with the 3.5 m NTT of the European Southern Observatory of La Silla (Chile). The data presented here are a set of 24 spectra, 14 of which are both visible and NIR. We discuss the taxonomic classification of the observed NEOs, resulting in 13 S-type objects, 1 Q-type, 2 K-types, 3 C-types, 5 Xe-types (two of these, (3103) Eger and (4660) Nereus, are already known as E-types). Moreover, we discuss their links with meteorites and the possible influences of space weathering.     

Study and Classification of SDSS Spectra for Byurakan–Iras Galaxies

The sample of Byurakan–IRAS galaxies (BIG) has been created based on optical identifications of IRAS Point Source Catalog (PSC) at high galactic latitudes. As a result, 1178 galaxies have been identified. 172 of them have been observed spectroscopically with Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO, Armenia) 2.6 m, Special Astrophysical Observatory (SAO, Russia) 6m and Observatoire de Haute Provence (OHP, France) 1.93 m telescopes. Later on, spectra were obtained for more 83 BIG objects in Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). We have extracted and studied these spectra, classified them and measured spectral features. Diagnostic diagrams have been built to distinguish starbursts (SB), LINERs and Seyfert galaxies. Cross-correlations weremade for these objects with multiwavelength (MW) catalogues and their physical properties were studied. Among these 83 objects, 55 HII, 8 Seyfert galaxies, 2 LINERs, 4 other AGN, 6 composite spectrum objects, and 8 other emission-line galaxies have been revealed. Three of these objects are Ultra-Luminous InfraRed Galaxies (ULIRG).     

Determination of Non-gravitational Effects in the Motion of Near-Sun Objects 321P, 322P, 323P,and 342P

At the beginning of this century, the SOHO space observatory discovered near-Sun comets with perihelion distances q ≈ 0.05 AU, which remained observable over several close encounters with the Sun. This became one of the surprises in studying the small bodies of the Solar System. Currently, there are objects that have already been observed in four (342P) and five (321P, 322P, and 323P) apparitions. In the present work, the estimates of nongravitational effects are obtained for these objects based on the pair-wise linkage of the apparitions. The calculations show that the observations of these objects are poorly represented if solely the gravitational forces are considered. The magnitude of nongravitational effects in the semimajor axis noticeably changes with time. The motion of all comets is significantly affected by the components of nongravitational forces that are perpendicular to the orbital plane.     

Analysis of λ = 6 cm VLBI polarization observations of a complete sample of northern BL Lacertae objects

The results of very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) total intensity ( I ) and linear polarization ( P ) observations at     are presented for 10 radio bright BL Lacertae objects. These images complete first-epoch polarization observations for the 1-Jy sample of northern BL Lacertae objects defined by Kühr & Schmidt. Estimates of superluminal speeds are presented for several sources, bringing the total number of sources in the sample for which such estimates are available to 16. Second-epoch observations currently being reduced should yield speed estimates for VLBI features in essentially all the sources in the sample. The jet magnetic fields of these BL Lacertae objects are usually transverse to the local jet direction, but a sizeable minority (about 30 per cent) have VLBI jet components with longitudinal magnetic fields. This may suggest that the conditions in the VLBI jets of BL Lacertae objects are favourable for the formation of relativistic shocks; alternatively, it may be that the toroidal component of the intrinsic jet magnetic field is characteristically dominant in these sources.     

New probable dwarf galaxies in northern groups of the Local Supercluster

We have searched for nearby dwarf galaxies in 27 northern groups with characteristic distances 8–15 Mpc based on the Second Palomar Sky Survey prints. In a total area of about 2000 square degrees, we have found 90 low-surface-brightness objects, more than 60% of which are absent from known catalogs and lists. We have classified most of these objects (～80%) as irregular dwarf systems. The first 21-cm line observations of the new objects with the 100-m Effelsberg radio telescope showed that the typical linear diameters (1–2 kpc), internal motions (～30 km s^?1), and hydrogen masses (～2 × 10⁷ M _⊙) of the new galaxies correspond to those expected for the dwarf population of nearby groups.     

Searches for HH-objects and emission stars in star-formation regions. VIII. Stars with Hα emission in the vicinity of the nebula GM 2-41

43 stellar objects with Hα emission are discovered by slitless spectroscopy in a 14’ × 14' area near the nebula GM 2-41 located in the HII region DR 15 at the southern edge of the Cyg OB2 association. Emission is detected for the first time for 30 of these objects. Based on VI and JHK photometric data, the overwhelming majority of these objects are classified as young stellar objects in spectral classes F7-M3 with ages of ~1 Myr. The stars are distributed nonuniformly and form two groups which have the same coordinates as the UCHII regions G0.79 + 0.3 and G79.2 + 0.4.     

The λ=6 cm VLBI polarization structure of nine BL Lacertae objects

VLBI total intensity ( I ) and linear polarization ( P ) images at λ =6 cm have been obtained for nine radio-bright BL Lacertae objects. These are the first VLBI P images for these sources, and, in a number of cases, the first I images as well. They confirm the previously noted tendency for the jet magnetic fields of BL Lacertae objects to be transverse to the local jet direction, but also provide new evidence that a sizeable minority of BL Lacertae objects have VLBI jet components with longitudinal magnetic fields. In addition, two sources have VLBI jet components in which the direction of the electric vector χ bears no obvious relation to the apparent local jet direction; the origin of these arbitrary χ offsets is unclear. A new tentative superluminal speed of β =6.3  h ⁻¹ has been determined for 0828+493; tentative speeds for two knots in 1418+546 are β =4.3 and 2.5  h ⁻¹. This work is part of an ongoing programme to determine the VLBI I and P structure of all 34 sources in the 1-Jy sample of northern BL Lacertae objects defined by Kühr & Schmidt.     

Evidence for an Extended Scattered Disk

By telescopic tracking, we have established that the transneptunian object (TNO) 2000 CR₁₀₅ has a semimajor axis of 220±1 AU and perihelion distance of 44.14±0.02 AU, beyond the domain which has heretofore been associated with the “scattered disk” of Kuiper Belt objects interacting via gravitational encounters with Neptune. We have also firmly established that the TNO 1995 TL₈ has a high perihelion (of 40.08±0.02 AU). These objects, and two other recent discoveries which appear to have perihelia outside 40 AU, have probably been placed on these orbits by a gravitational interaction which is not strong gravitational scattering off of any of the giant planets on their current orbits. Their existence may thus have profound cosmogonic implications for our understanding of the formation of the outer Solar System. We discuss some viable scenarios which could have produced these objects, including long-term diffusive chaos and scattering off of other massive bodies in the outer Solar System. This discovery implies that there must be a large population of TNOs in an “extended scattered disk” with perihelia above the previously suggested 38 AU boundary. The total population is difficult to estimate due to the ease with which such objects would have been lost. This illustrates the great value of frequent and well time-sampled recovery observations of trans-neptunian objects within their discovery opposition.     

Magnetically active stars in Taurus-Auriga: Evolutionary status

We have analyzed a sample of 74 magnetically active stars toward the Taurus-Auriga starforming region. Based on accurate data on their basic physical parameters obtained from original photometric observations and published data on their proper motions, X-ray luminosities, and equivalent widths of the Hα and Li lines, we have refined the evolutionary status of these objects. We show that 50 objects are young stars with ages of 1–40 Myr and belong to the Taurus-Auriga star-forming region. Other 20 objects have a controversial evolutionary status and can belong to both Taurus-Auriga starforming region and the Gould Belt. The remaining four objects with ages of 70–100 Myr belong to the zero-age main sequence. We have analyzed the relationship between the rotation period, mass, and age for 50 magnetically active stars. The change in the angular momentum of the sample stars within the first 40 Myr of their evolution has been investigated. An active star-protoplanetary disk interaction is shown to occur on a time scale from 0.7 to 10Myr.     

15-GHz variability of 9C sources

We present results from a 3-yr study of the 15-GHz variability of 51 9C sources. 48 of these sources make up a subsample of a larger one complete to 25 mJy in 9C, and as the sources are selected pseudo-randomly the results should be representative of the complete sample. 29 per cent of this subsample are found to be variable above the flux calibration uncertainties of ∼6 per cent. 50 per cent of the flat-spectrum objects are variable whilst none of the steep-spectrum objects or the objects with convex spectra peaking below 5 GHz are variable. Nine of the objects studied have convex spectra and peak frequencies above 5 GHz; eight of these were found to vary at 15 GHz, suggesting that the high-frequency peaking class in this sample is largely populated by objects with jets aligned close to the line of sight whose emission is dominated by beamed components.     

First CCD UBVI photometric analysis of six open cluster candidates

We have obtained CCD UBVI_KC photometry down to V ～ 22 for the open cluster candidates Haffner 3, Haffner 5, NGC 2368, Haffner 25, Hogg 3 and Hogg 4 and their surrounding fields. None of these objects have been photometrically studied so far. Our analysis shows that these stellar groups are not genuine open clusters since no clear main sequences or other meaningful features can be seen in their colour–magnitude and colour–colour diagrams. We checked for possible differential reddening across the studied fields that could be hiding the characteristics of real open clusters. However, the dust in the directions to these objects appears to be uniformly distributed. Moreover, star counts carried out within and outside the open cluster candidate fields do not support the hypothesis that these objects are real open clusters or even open cluster remnants.     

Spectrophotometric Study of the Region of the Sky Around the Galaxies Markarian 261 and 262

Results are presented from a detailed spectrophotometric study of a unique system of physically coupled galaxies whose spectra contain identical emission lines. This system consists of four galaxies, three of which have a double or multiple structure in their central portions and are, by definition, galaxies with two or multiple nuclei. Two of these objects are the galaxies with an ultraviolet excess (UVE), Mark 261 and Mark 262, while one is a galaxy made up of two identical starlike nuclei that are referred to as the “twin objects.” In the DSS2 charts, the latter show up as two adjacent stars without any surroundings. However, there are two condensations between these starlike nuclei. The fourth object has a triplet structure. It is shown here that all these objects have the same emission (line) spectra and red shifts. All the physical characteristics that can be determined from the spectra are determined: red shifts, relative intensities of emission lines, their equivalent widths, distances to the galaxies, etc. It is concluded that the members of this system have a common origin, more or less consistent with Ambartsumyan's idea of the fragmentation of an isolated, high density body. __________ Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 48, No. 4, pp. 503–514 (November 2005).     

The Basic Building Blocks of Galaxies

Current cold dark matter models of structure formation make a clear prediction for cosmic structures in the Dark Ages. We discuss the formation and nature of the first collapsed and first luminous objects in the universe arising in these theories. The first virialized objects are dark matter halos at the free streaming length which depends on the mass and nature of the assumed weakly interacting massive particle. The first objects that also contain significant fractions of gas have masses of the cosmological Jeans scale ∼ 10^4M _⊙ at the redshifts of interest (z ∼ 30). The first pre-galactic objects that host stars have masses of 10⁶ M _⊙. This mass scale is given by the requirement of a sufficiently high virial temperature to enable the chemical reactions necessary to form molecular hydrogen which subsequently allows the gas to dissipate its gravitational energy and to collapse to form a star. An individual massive star is formed per such object and explodes in a supernova within a few Myrs. All these stages of the formation of the first objects are illustrated by fully resolved three dimensional cosmological hydrodynamic simulations. This revised version was published online in September 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The distributions and ages of refractory objects in the solar nebula

Refractory objects such as Calcium, Aluminum-rich Inclusions, Amoeboid Olivine Aggregates, and crystalline silicates, are found in primitive bodies throughout our Solar System. It is believed that these objects formed in the hot, inner solar nebula and were redistributed during the mass and angular momentum transport that took place during its early evolution. The ages of these objects thus offer possible clues about the timing and duration of this transport. Here we study how the dynamics of these refractory objects in the evolving solar nebula affected the age distribution of the grains that were available to be incorporated into planetesimals throughout the Solar System. It is found that while the high temperatures and conditions needed to form these refractory objects may have persisted for millions of years, it is those objects that formed in the first 10⁵ years that dominate (make up over 90%) those that survive throughout most of the nebula. This is due to two effects: (1) the largest numbers of refractory grains are formed at this time period, as the disk is rapidly drained of mass during subsequent evolution and (2) the initially rapid spreading of the disk due to angular momentum transport helps preserve this early generation of grains as opposed to later generations. This implies that most refractory objects found in meteorites and comets formed in the first 10⁵ years after the nebula formed. As these objects contained live ²⁶Al, this constrains the time when short-lived radionuclides were introduced to the Solar System to no later than 10⁵ years after the nebula formed. Further, this implies that the t=0 as defined by meteoritic materials represents at most, the instant when the solar nebula finished accreting significant amounts of materials from its parent molecular cloud.     

同幅双速跟踪成像CCD相机数字控制器的设计

在介绍了同幅双速跟踪成像CCD相机的工作原理及其对相机数字控制器的要求之后,阐述了该数字控制器的设计思想,基本结构,并给出了仿真及测试结果。针对仿真及测试过程中出现的问题作了较为详细的分析,并提出了解决的方法。通过软件仿真及硬件测试,表明其设计是基本正确的。     

Radio identification of decameter-wave sources. II: The 30°< <Emphasis Type="Italic">δ</Emphasis> <40° declination interval

This paper is dedicated to the identification of decameter-wave sources of the UTR catalog within declination interval 30°< δ <40°. UTR sources are cross-identified with CATS database catalogs within 40′ × 40′ error boxes. The sources are deblended using the data on the coordinates of the objects and the behavior of their continuum radio spectra. The spectra of 875 sources are derived and fitted by standard analytical functions. Of these sources, 221 objects have straight-line spectra with spectral indices α < ?1.0. All objects are catalogued and stored in the CATS database.