arXiv subjects

A. Bragaglia

Publications and source records attributed to A. Bragaglia.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources

arXiv2002

Anomalous RR Lyrae stars(?). III. CM Leonis

Time series of B,V,I CCD photometry and radial velocity measurements from high resolution spectroscopy (R=30,000) covering the full pulsation cycle are presented for the field RR Lyrae star CM Leonis. The photometric data span a 6 year interval from 1994 to 1999, and allow us to firmly establish the pulsation mode and periodicity of the variable. The derived period P=0.361699 days (+/- 0.000001) is very close to the value published in the Fourth Edition of the General Catalogue of Variable Stars (P=0.361732 days). However, contrary to what was previously found, the amplitude and shape of the light curve qualify CM Leo as a very regular first overtone pulsator with a prominent hump on the rising branch of its multicolour light curves. According to an abundace analysis performed on three spectra taken near minimum light (0.42 < phase < 0.61), CM Leo is a metal-poor star with metal abundance [Fe/H]=-1.93 +/- 0.20. The photometric and radial velocity curves of CM Leo have been compared with the predictions of suitable pulsational models to infer tight constraints on the stellar mass, effective temperature, and distance modulus of the star. We derive a true distance modulus of CM Leo of (m-M)0=13.11 +/- 0.02 mag and a corresponding absolute magnitude of Mv=0.47 +/- 0.04. This absolute magnitude, once corrected for evolutionary and metallicity effects, leads to a true distance modulus of the Large Magellanic Cloud of (m-M)0=18.43 +/- 0.06 mag, in better agreement with the long astronomical distance scale.

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arXiv2002

The lithium content of the globular cluster NGC 6397

We make use of high resolution, high signal-to-noise ratio spectra of 12 turn-off stars in the metal-poor globular cluster NGC 6397 to measure its lithium content. We conclude that they all have the same lithium abundance A(Li) = 2.34 with a standard deviation of 0.056 dex. We use this result, together with Monte Carlo simulations, to estimate that the maximum allowed intrinsic scatter is of the order of 0.035 dex. This is a new stringent constraint to be fulfilled by stellar models which predict Li depletion. We argue that although a mild depletion of 0.1 -- 0.2 dex, as predicted by recent models, cannot be ruled out, there is no compelling reason for it. This fact, together with the good agreement with the Li abundance observed in field stars, supports the primordial origin of lithium in metal-poor stars. Taking the above value as the primordial lithium abundance implies a cosmic baryonic density which is either Omega_b h^2 = 0.016 +/- 0.004 or Omega_b h^2 = 0.005 ^{+0.0026}_{-0.0006}, from the predictions of standard big bang nucleosynthesis. The high baryonic density solution is in agreement with recent results on the primordial abundance of deuterium and 3He and on the estimates derived from the fluctuations of the cosmic microwave background.

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arXiv2001

CMD's, RR Lyrae's, clump stars and reddening in the LMC

We present new B, V, I photometry in the standard Johnson-Cousins photometric system of two regions near the bar of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), one of which is very close to LMC field used for the "Coimbra test on the synthetic CMD techniques". The two areas contain 128 RR Lyrae variables and more than 8000 clump stars. Once combined with Clementini et al. 2001 (astro-ph/0007471) photometry the new data-set allows us to get (i) accurate CMD's down to V~23 mag, (ii) full coverage of the B and V light variation for more than 80% of the RR Lyrae's, (iii) a very precise estimate of the LMC RR Lyrae's average apparent luminosity, (iv) an accurate estimate of the I luminosity of the LMC clump stars, and (v) an independent evaluation of the reddening in these regions of the LMC using the pulsational properties of the RR Lyrae's in our sample. A detailed comparison is made between our, OGLE II and MACHO photometries. We discuss the impact of our new results on the distance to the LMC and on the "short" and "long" distance scale controversy.

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arXiv2001

Pismis 2, a poorly studied, intermediate age open cluster

We present CCD BVI photometry of the intermediate age open cluster Pismis 2, covering from the brighter red giants to about 5 magnitudes below the main sequence turn-off. The cluster is heavily reddened and is possibly affected by a differential reddening of Delta E(B-V) ~= 0.04-0.06. Using the synthetic Colour - Magnitude Diagram method, we estimate in a self-consistent way distance modulus, (n-M)0 ~= 12.5-12.7, and age ~= 1.1-1.2 Gyr. The cluster probably contains a significant fraction of binary systems. The metallicity is most likely solar and the reddening E(B-V) ranges between 1.26 and 1.32 depending on the cluster region.

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arXiv2001

Metallicities for Double Mode RR Lyrae in the Large Magellanic Cloud

Metallicities for six double mode RR Lyrae's (RRd's) in the Large Magellanic Cloud have been estimated using the DeltaS method. The derived [Fe/H] values are in the range [Fe/H] = -1.09 to -1.78 (or -0.95 to -1.58, adopting a different calibration of [Fe/H] vs DeltaS). Two stars in our sample are at the very metal rich limit of all RRd's for which metal abundance has been estimated, either by direct measure (for field objects) or on the basis of the hosting system (for objects in globular clusters or external galaxies). These metal abundances, coupled with mass determinations from pulsational models and the Petersen diagram, are used to compare the mass-metallicity distribution of field and cluster RR Lyrae variables. We find that field and cluster RRd's seem to follow the same mass-metallicity distribution, within the observational errors, strengthening the case for uniformity of properties between field and cluster variables At odds to what is usually assumed, we find no significative difference in mass for RR Lyrae's in globular clusters of different metallicity and Oosterhoff types, or there may even be a difference contrary to the commonly accepted one, depending on the metallicity scale adopted to derive masses. This ``unusual'' result for the mass-metallicity relation is probably due, at least in part, to the inclusion of updated opacity tables in the computation of metal-dependent pulsation models.

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arXiv2001

The White Dwarf Distance to the Globular Cluster 47 Tucanae and its Age

We present a new determination of the distance (and age) of the Galactic globular cluster 47 Tucanae (NGC 104) based on the fit of its white dwarf (WD) cooling sequence with the empirical fiducial sequence of local WD with known trigonometric parallax, following the method described in Renzini et al. (1996). Both the cluster and the local WDs were imaged with HST+WFPC2 using the same instrument setup. We obtained an apparent distance modulus of $(m-M)_V=13.27\pm0.14$ consistent with previous ground-based determinations and shorter than that found using HIPPARCOS subdwarfs. Coupling our distance determination with a new measure of the apparent magnitude of the main sequence turnoff, based on our HST data, we derive an age of $13\pm2.5$ Gyr.

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arXiv2000

The O-Na and Mg-Al Anticorrelations in Turn-Off and early Subgiants in Globular Clusters

High dispersion spectra (R>40,000) for a quite large number of stars at the main sequence turn-off and at the base of the subgiant branch in NGC6397 and NGC6752 were obtained with the UVES on Kueyen (VLT UT2). The [Fe/H] values we found are -2.03+/-0.02+/-0.04 and -1.42+/-0.02+/-0.04 for NGC6397 and NGC6752 respectively, where the first error bars refer to internal errors and the second ones to systematic errors. In both clusters the [Fe/H] obtained for TO-stars agree perfectly (within a few per cents) with that obtained for stars at the base of the RGB. The [O/Fe]=0.21+/-0.05 value we obtain for NGC6397 is quite low, but it agrees with previous results obtained for giants in this cluster; also, the star-to-star scatter in both O and Fe is very small, indicating that this small mass cluster is chemically very homogenous. On the other side, our results show clearly and for the first time that the O-Na anticorrelation (up to now seen only for stars on the red giant branches of globular clusters) is present among unevolved stars in the globular cluster NGC6752, a more massive cluster than NGC6397. A similar anticorrelation is present also for Mg and Al, and C and N. It is very difficult to explain the observed Na-O, and Mg-Al anticorrelation in NGC6752 stars by a deep mixing scenario; we think it requires some non internal mechanism.

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arXiv2000

Metal Abundances of Red Clump Stars in Open Clusters: I. NGC 6819

We present an analysis of high dispersion spectra (R~40000) of three red clump stars in the old open cluster NGC 6819. The spectra were obtained with SARG, the high dispersion spectrograph of the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo. The spectra were analyzed using both equivalent widths measured with an automatic procedure, and comparisons with synthetic spectra. NGC 6819 is found to be slightly metal-rich ([Fe/H]= +0.09 +/-0.03, internal error); there are no previous high resolution studies to compare with. Most element-to-element abundance ratios are close to solar; we find a slight excess of Si, and a significant Na overabundance. Our spectra can also be used to derive the interstellar reddening towards the cluster, by comparing the observed colours with those expected from line excitation: we derive E(B-V)=0.14 +/-0.04, in agreement with the most recent estimate for this cluster.

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arXiv2000

A spectroscopic study of field BHB star candidates

New spectroscopic observations (R=15000 and 40000) are given for 31 nearby (V < 11) BHB star candidates. IUE low-resolution spectra are available for most of them. New determinations of temperature, gravity, reddening and abundances were obtained from these data using models computed by Castelli with an updated version of the ATLAS9 code. A summary of the visual photometry for these stars (including new photometry obtained at Kitt Peak) is also given. All 31 candidates are halo stars. We classify 28 as BHB stars because: (1) They lie close to the ZAHB (in a similar position to globular cluster BHB stars) in the Teff vs. log g plot. (2) Their distribution of vsini (less than 40 km/s) is similar to that found for the BHB stars in globular clusters. (3) Their [Fe/H] lies between -0.99 and -2.95 (mean [Fe/H] -1.67, dispersion 0.42 dex) which is similar to that found for field halo RR Lyrae and red HB stars but more metal- poor than for halo globular clusters. Field BHB stars with Teff greater than 8500 K show the He I (4471 A) line corresponding to solar abundance. (4) They show a similar average enhancement of the alpha-elements ([Mg/Fe] = +0.43 +/- 0.04 and [Ti/Fe] = +0.44 +/- 0.02) to that found for other halo field stars of similar metallicity. Comments are given on a further 25 stars that have previously been suggested to be BHB stars; these were not included in our sample because they did not fulfil one or more of the above criteria.

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arXiv2000

CU Comae: a new field double-mode RR Lyrae, the most metal poor discovered to date

We report the discovery of a new double-mode RR Lyrae variable (RRd) in the field of our Galaxy: CU Comae. CU Comae is the sixth such RRd identified to date and is the most metal-poor RRd ever detected. Based on BVI CCD photometry spanning eleven years of observations, we find that CU Comae has periods P0=0.5441641 +/-0.0000049d and P1=0.4057605 +/-0.0000018d. The amplitude of the primary (first-overtone) period of CU Comae is about twice the amplitude of the secondary (fundamental) period. The combination of the fundamental period of pulsation P0 and the period ratio of P1/P0=0.7457 places the variable on the metal-poor side of the Petersen diagram, in the region occupied by M68 and M15 RRd's. A mass of 0.83 solar masses is estimated for CU Comae using an updated theoretical calibration of the Petersen diagram. High resolution spectroscopy (R=30,000) covering the full pulsation cycle of CU Comae was obtained with the 2.7 m telescope of the Mc Donald Observatory, and has been used to build up the radial velocity curve of the variable. Abundance analysis done on the four spectra taken near minimum light (phase: 0.54 -- 0.71) confirms the metal poor nature of CU Comae, for which we derive [Fe/H]=-2.38 +/-0.20. This value places this new RRd at the extreme metal-poor edge of the metallicity distribution of the RR Lyrae variables in our Galaxy.

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arXiv1999

Old Open Clusters as Tracers of Galactic Evolution

Old open clusters are useful tools to study the Galactic disk properties, both present and past. Populous samples with properties determined both accurately and homogenously are necessary to draw reliable conclusions. We present here our recent work in the field and introduce and discuss results on metallicities.

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arXiv1999

Light curves and metal abundances of RR Lyrae variables in the bar of the Large Magellanic Cloud

The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is widely considered a corner-stone of the astronomical distance scale, however a difference of 0.2-0.3 mag exists in its distance as predicted by the "short" and "long" distance scales. Distances to the LMC from Population II objects are founded on the RR Lyrae variables. We have undertaken an observational campaign devoted to the definition of the average apparent luminosity and to the study of the mass-metallicity relation for RR Lyraes in the bar of the LMC. These are compared with analogous quantities for cluster RR Lyraes. The purpose is to see whether an intrinsic difference in luminosity, possibly due to a difference in mass, might exist between field and cluster RR Lyraes, which could be responsible for the well-known dichotomy between "short" and "long" distance scales. Preliminary results are presented on the V and B-V light curves, the average apparent visual magnitude, and the pulsational properties of 102 RR Lyrae in the bar of the LMC, observed at ESO in January 1999. The photometric data are accurately tied to the Johnson photometric system. Comparison is presented with the photometry of RR Lyraes in the bar of the LMC obtained by the MACHO collaboration (Alcock et al. 1996). Our sample includes 9 double-mode RR Lyraes selected from Alcock et al. (1997) for which an estimate of the metal abundance from the DeltaS method is presented.

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arXiv1999

The intermediate age open cluster NGC 2660

We present CCD UBVI photometry of the intermediate old open cluster NGC2660, covering from the red giants region to about seven magnitudes below the main sequence turn-off. Using the synthetic Colour - Magnitude Diagram method, we estimate in a self-consistent way values for distance modulus ((m-M)0 ~= 12.2), reddening (E(B-V) ~= 0.40), metallicity ([Fe/H] about solar), and age (age ~ 1 Gyr). A 30% population of binary stars turns out to be probably present.

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arXiv1998

Old open clusters: the interesting case of Berkeley 21

We present CCD BVI photometry of the old open cluster Berkeley 21, one of the most distant clusters in the Galactic anticentre direction, and possibly the lowest metallicity object in the open clusters sample. Its position and metal abundance make it very important for the study of the Galactic disc. Using the synthetic Colour - Magnitude Diagram method, we estimate values for distance modulus (m-M)0=13.4-13.6, reddening E(B-V)=0.74-0.78 (with possible differential absorption), and age=2.2-2.5 Gyr.

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arXiv1997

Old open clusters: UBGVRI photometry of NGC 2506

UBGVRI photometry for the open cluster NGC 2506 is presented. From comparison of the observed colour-magnitude diagrams with simulations based on stellar evolutionary models we derive in a self consistent way reddening, distance, and age of the cluster: E(B-V)=0-0.07, (m-M)o = 12.6, age = 1.5-2.2 Gyr. The cluster shows a well definite secondary sequence, suggesting that binary systems constitute about 20 % of the cluster members visible in the colour-magnitude diagram.

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arXiv1997

A detached double degenerate with a 1.4 hr orbital period

We have discovered that the detached double degenerate binary WD 0957-666 has an orbital period of 1.46 hours, rather than the 1.15 day orbital period reported earlier. This is the shortest period example of such a system yet discovered. We obtain a unique period, which fits both our and earlier data. At this period the emission of gravitational radiation will cause the binary to merge within approximately 2.0 x 10*8 years. This system represents a population of short orbital period binaries which will merge within a Hubble time, and so could account for type Ia supernovae, although due to the low mass of both stars (0.3 to 0.4 solar masses), it is unlikely to become a supernova itself. We have detected the companion star and have measured a mass ratio of q = 1.15. This is the third double degenerate for which q has been measured and all three have q close to 1, which is in conflict with the predicted mass ratio distribution which peaks at 0.7. This system is viewed close to edge on, and we estimate that the probability of this system undergoing eclipses is 15 %.

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arXiv1996

UBVRI CCD photometry of the old open cluster NGC 6253

We present UBVRI photometry for the old open cluster NGC 6253. From comparison of the observed colour-magnitude diagrams with simulations based on stellar evolutionary models we derive in a self consistent way reddening, distance, and age of the cluster: E(B-V) = 0.23-0.32, (m-M)$_0$ = 10.9$\pm$0.1, metallicity roughly double than solar, and age $\simeq$ 3 Gyr. The cluster has a binary sequence, discernible even through the field contamination, suggesting that about 1/3 of the cluster members belong to binary, or multiple, systems.

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arXiv1996

CCD photometry of the old open cluster Collinder 261

We present UBVI photometry for the old open cluster Collinder 261. From comparison of the observed colour-magnitude diagrams with simulations based on stellar evolutionary models we derive in a self consistent way reddening, distance, and age of the cluster: E(B-V)=0.25$-$0.34, (m-M)$_0$=11.7-12.0, and age=7$-$8 Gyr or 9$-$11 Gyr, depending on the adopted stellar tracks. The models in better agreement with the data turn out to have metallicity at most solar.

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