Spectral Energy Distribution fitting: Application to Lyα-emitting galaxies

Spectral Energy Distribution (SED) fitting is a well-developed astrophysical tool that has recently been applied to high-redshift Lyα-emitting galaxies. If rest-frame ultraviolet through near-infrared photometry is available, it allows the simultaneous determination of the star formation history and dust extinction of a galaxy. Lyα-emitter SED fitting results from the literature find star formation rates 3 M yr⁻¹, stellar masses 10⁹ M for the general population but 10¹⁰ M for the subset detected by IRAC, and very low dust extinction, A_V  0.3, although a couple of outlying analyses prefer significantly more dust and higher intrinsic star formation rates. A checklist of 14 critical choices that must be made when performing SED fitting is discussed.     

Organic matter in space: from star dust to the Solar System

Organic compounds of high degree of complexity are now known to be widespread in the Universe, ranging from objects in our Solar System to distant galaxies. Through the techniques of millimeter-wave spectroscopy, over 140 molecules have been identified through their rotational transitions. Space infrared spectroscopy has detected the stretching and bending modes of compounds with aromatic and aliphatic structures. Analyses of samples of meteorites, comets, asteroids, and interplanetary dust also revealed a rich content of organic substances, some of which could be of extra-solar origin. We review the current state of understanding of the origin, evolution, nature, and distribution of organic matter in space. Also discussed are a number of unexplained astronomical phenomena whose origins could be traced to organic carriers.     

确定恒星表面有效温度的曲面拟合方法

恒星表面有效温度是恒星的一个重要物理参量，是恒星光谱差异的决定因素。本文提出了一种确定恒星表面有效温度的曲面拟合方法，所使用的拟合曲面模型是多项式的指数函数。首先对历史光谱数据进行PCA处理，再根据PCA特征数据与其表面温度的对应关系计算拟合曲面。通过实验，我们发现使用2维PCA数据和指数为3次多项式，根为10的指数函数模型所得到的拟合曲面，不仅有效好的拟合精度而且有很好的鲁棒性。本文的研究结果对恒星表面有效温度的自动测量具有重要的意义。     

Consequences of clumping in hot-star winds

It seems more and more likely that one will have to abandon the paradigm of smooth outflows from (hot) stars in favour of a clumpy structure, possibly in a fractal-like hierarchy on all scales. Observationally, this is best established for Wolf-Rayet star winds (e.g. scaling laws, mass-spectrum, anisotropy,...), for which the consequences of clumping are discussed. These include four broad categories, which are outlined in this review: (a) an ideal laboratory for studying time-dependent astrophysical turbulence, (b) potential tracers of hot-wind global structure parameters, (c) reduced mass-loss rates, and (d) impact on massive binary studies.     

Mid-IR (8–13 μm) images of the 21 μm,carbon rich proto-planetary nebulae

We present 9.7 and 11.8 m narrow band (/=10%) images of three carbon (C-) rich proto-planetary nebulae with an unusual 21 m feature: IRAS 07134+ 1005, IRAS 22272+5435, and IRAS 04296+3429. The images were taken at UKIRT using the Berkeley/IGPP/LEA mid-IR camera. All three objects have a bipolar shape adding to the existing evidence that C-rich PPNe are by nature bipolar. Furthermore, we find the same bipolar morphology in a previous study of the C-rich, young planetary nebula, IRAS 21282+5050. We believe these four objects form an evolutionary sequence which links the C-rich asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars with the C-rich planetary nebulae (PNe). From this evolutionary sequence, we conclude that bipolarity in C-rich PNe begins on the AGB and that the dynamical ages of these PPNe are in fair agreement with theoretical ages for a 0.6 M hydrogen burning core star.     

CNO燃烧核反应的研究

本文利用势垒穿透模型计算重离子融合反应截面,我们发现理论计算结果同现有的实验数据符合得相当好。在此基础上,对~(12)C+~(12)C,~(12)C+~(14)N,~(12)C+~(16)O,~(14)N+~(14)N,~(14)N+~(16)O和~(16)O+~(16)O六种融合反应,在T_9=-0.1—5.0温度范内数值计算了这些热核反应率,并给出了它们随温度变化的近似解析表达式.对~(12)C+~(12)C,~(12)C+~(16)O和~(16)O+~(16)O这三种热核反应率,我们的新结果明显地低于Caughlan等人在1985年的列表值,特别是~(16)O+~(16)O的热核反应率比文[21中值低7—20倍,这将对整个大质量恒星的演化、超新星爆发以及核合成带来较大的影响,本文简略地讨论了这些影响.     

The Cannon: A Data Driving Approach to Stellar Label Determination

The new generation of large sky area spectroscopic survey project has produced nearly 10 million low-resolution stellar spectra. Based on these spectroscopic data, this paper introduces a machine learning algorithm named The Cannon. This algorithm is completely based on the known spectroscopic data of stellar atmospheric parameters (effective temperature, surface gravity, and metal abundance, etc.), this algorithm builds the characteristic vector by means of data driving, and establishes the functional relation between spectral flux characteristics and stellar parameters. Then it is applied to the observed spectral data to calculate the atmospheric parameters. The main advantage of The Cannon is that it is not directly based on any stellar physical models, it has an even higher applicability. Moreover, because of the use of full-spectrum information, even for the spectra with a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), it still can obtain the parameter solutions of high reliability. This algorithm has significant advantages in the data processing and parameter determination of large-scale stellar spectra. In addition, this paper presents two examples of using The Cannon to obtain the stellar parameters of K and M giants from the LAMOST spectral data.     

Spectral indices in quantitative spectral classification from stellar libraries

With the use of modern detectors stellar spectral classification libraries have been extended from the photographic regime to the near ℝ at 11000 Å. We have defined new spectral indices within this extended wavelength-range that can be used to determine the luminosity classification for G-K-M stars. An advantage of the new indices, which sample the stellar flux in and out of selected spectral features, is that they are insensitive to catalog differences. This facilitates the use of many catalogs, with varying resolution, different reddening corrections, and calibrations, hence extending the total number of stellar standards available. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the indices can be used to infer absolute magnitudes with good accuracy. The indices should prove useful for analysis of spectra from distant clusters, galaxies, and in particular for problems involving spectral synthesis of stellar populations of galaxies.