arXiv subjects

Anthony G. A. Brown

Publications and source records attributed to Anthony G. A. Brown.

44 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2010

Design drivers for a wide-field multi-object spectrograph for the William Herschel Telescope

Wide-field multi-object spectroscopy is a high priority for European astronomy over the next decade. Most 8-10m telescopes have a small field of view, making 4-m class telescopes a particularly attractive option for wide-field instruments. We present a science case and design drivers for a wide-field multi-object spectrograph (MOS) with integral field units for the 4.2-m William Herschel Telescope (WHT) on La Palma. The instrument intends to take advantage of a future prime-focus corrector and atmospheric-dispersion corrector that will deliver a field of view 2 deg in diameter, with good throughput from 370 to 1,000 nm. The science programs cluster into three groups needing three different resolving powers R: (1) high-precision radial-velocities for Gaia-related Milky Way dynamics, cosmological redshift surveys, and galaxy evolution studies (R = 5,000), (2) galaxy disk velocity dispersions (R = 10,000) and (3) high-precision stellar element abundances for Milky Way archaeology (R = 20,000). The multiplex requirements of the different science cases range from a few hundred to a few thousand, and a range of fibre-positioner technologies are considered. Several options for the spectrograph are discussed, building in part on published design studies for E-ELT spectrographs. Indeed, a WHT MOS will not only efficiently deliver data for exploitation of important imaging surveys planned for the coming decade, but will also serve as a test-bed to optimize the design of MOS instruments for the future E-ELT.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2010

On the identification of merger debris in the {\it Gaia} Era

We model the formation of the Galactic stellar halo via the accretion of satellite galaxies onto a time-dependent semi-cosmological galactic potential. Our goal is to characterize the substructure left by these accretion events in a close manner to what may be possible with the {\it Gaia} mission. We have created a synthetic {\it Gaia} Solar Neighbourhood catalogue by convolving the 6D phase-space coordinates of stellar particles from our disrupted satellites with the latest estimates of the {\it Gaia} measurement errors, and included realistic background contamination due to the Galactic disc(s) and bulge. We find that, even after accounting for the expected observational errors, the resulting phase-space is full of substructure. We are able to successfully isolate roughly 50% of the different satellites contributing to the `Solar Neighbourhood' by applying the Mean-Shift clustering algorithm in energy-angular momentum space. Furthermore, a Fourier analysis of the space of orbital frequencies allows us to obtain accurate estimates of time since accretion for approximately 30% of the recovered satellites.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2010

The Quest for the Sun's Siblings: an Exploratory Search in the Hipparcos Catalogue

We describe the results of a search for the remnants of the Sun's birth cluster among stars in the Hipparcos Catalogue. This search is based on the predicted phase space distribution of the Sun's siblings from simple simulations of the orbits of the cluster stars in a smooth Galactic potential. For stars within 100 pc the simulations show that it is interesting to examine those that have small space motions relative to the Sun. From amongst the candidate siblings thus selected there are six stars with ages consistent with that of the Sun. Considering their radial velocities and abundances only one potential candidate, HIP 21158, remains but essentially the result of the search is negative. This is consistent with predictions by Portegies Zwart (2009) on the number of siblings near the Sun. We discuss the steps that should be taken in anticipation of the data from the Gaia mission in order to conduct fruitful searches for the Sun's siblings in the future.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2008

Learning about Galactic structure with Gaia astrometry

The Gaia mission is reviewed together with the expected contents of the final catalogue. It is then argued that the ultimate goal of Galactic structure studies with Gaia astrometry should be to build a dynamical model of our galaxy which is capable of explaining the contents of the Gaia catalogue. This will be possible only by comparing predicted catalogue data to Gaia's actual measurements. To complement this approach the Gaia catalogue should be used to recalibrate photometric distance and abundance indicators across the HR-diagram in order to overcome the lack of precise parallax data at the faint end of the astrometric survey. Using complementary photometric and spectroscopic data from other surveys will be essential in this respect.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2008

Getting ready for the micro-arcsecond era

As the title of this symposium implies, one of the aims is to examine the future of astrometry as we move from an era in which thanks to the Hipparcos Catalogue everyone has become familiar with milliarcsecond astrometry to an era in which microarcsecond astrometry will become the norm. I will take this look into the future by first providing an overview of present astrometric programmes and how they fit together and then I will attempt to identify the most promising future directions. In addition I discuss the important conditions for the maximization of the scientific return of future large and highly accurate astrometric catalogues; catalogue access and analysis tools, the availability of sufficient auxiliary data and theoretical knowledge, and the education of the future generation of astrometrists.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2001

Evolution from OB Associations and Moving Groups to the Field Population

If we want to understand the evolution from star clusters to the Galactic field star population, the Solar neighbourhood is an ideal place to start. It contains objects from dense, very young clusters to old and almost dissolved moving groups. I describe the observational evidence for the ongoing dissolution of OB associations and open clusters. Subsequently, the interpretation of the local phase space distribution of stars in terms of old moving groups is discussed, emphasising the present limitations. Finally, I discuss future observational requirements and the possibilities offered by upcoming astrometric space missions.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1999

OB Associations

Since the previous (1990) edition of this meeting enormous progress in the field of OB associations has been made. Data from X-ray satellites have greatly advanced the study of the low-mass stellar content of associations, while astrometric data from the Hipparcos satellite allow for a characterization of the higher-mass content of associations with unprecedented accuracy. We review recent work on the OB associations located within 1.5 kpc from the Sun, discuss the Hipparcos results at length, and point out directions for future research.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1998

The Large-Scale Distribution and Motions of Older Stars in Orion

We review the current knowledge of the population of `older' stars in the Orion OB1 association, specifically those in subgroups 1a and 1b. We briefly outline the history of the subject and then continue with a summary of the present state of knowledge of the early-type stars in Orion OB1. New results from the Hipparcos parallaxes and proper motions will be presented. The main result is that subgroup 1a is located at about 330 pc from the Sun, much closer than the previously determined distance, and about 100 pc distant from the other subgroups of the association and the Orion molecular clouds. Unfortunately, due to the unfavorable kinematics of the association with respect to the Galactic background, Hipparcos proper motions do not allow a clear kinematic separation of the association from the field. For this purpose accurate and homogeneous radial velocities are needed. Traditionally, the massive O and B stars have received most of the attention in the studies of OB associations. However, we will present results showing that significant numbers of low-mass stars are associated with Orion OB1. Unbiased, optically complete, spectroscopic and photometric surveys of areas within subgroups 1a and 1b have the potential to determine the complete low-mass stellar population, down to the brown dwarf limit. This will provide much insight into the overall initial mass function and studies of the kinematics of the low-mass stars will yield insights into the dispersal of the association.

astro-ph↗