arXiv subjects

G. A. Tammann

Publications and source records attributed to G. A. Tammann.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2012

Allan Sandage and the Distance Scale

Allan Sandage returned to the distance scale and the calibration of the Hubble constant again and again during his active life, experimenting with different distance indicators. In 1952 his proof of the high luminosity of Cepheids confirmed Baade's revision of the distance scale (H0 ~ 250 km/s/Mpc). During the next 25 years, he lowered the value to 75 and 55. Upon the arrival of the Hubble Space Telescope, he observed Cepheids to calibrate the mean luminosity of nearby Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) which, used as standard candles, led to the cosmic value of H0 = 62.3 +/- 1.3 +/- 5.0. Eventually he turned to the tip of the red-giant branch (TRGB) as a very powerful distance indicator. A compilation of 176 TRGB distances yielded a mean, very local value of H0 = 62.9 +/- 1.6 and shed light on the streaming velocities in the Local Supercluster. Moreover, TRGB distances are now available for six SNe Ia; if their mean luminosity is applied to distant SNe Ia, one obtains H0 = 64.6 +/- 1.6 +/- 2.0. The weighted mean of the two independent large-scale calibrations yields H0 = 64.1 km/s/Mpc within 3.6%.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2012

The luminosity of supernovae of type Ia from TRGB distances and the value of H_0

Distances from the tip of the red-giant branch (TRGB) in the halo Population of galaxies - calibrated through RR Lyr stars as well as tied to Hipparcos parallaxes and further supported by stellar models - are used to determine the luminosity of six nearby type Ia supernovae (SN 2011fe, 2007sr, 1998bu, 1989B, 1972E, and 1937C). The result is M_V^corr = -19.41 +/- 0.05. If this value is applied to 62 SNe Ia with 3000< v < 20,000 km/s a large-scale value of the Hubble constant follows of H_0 = 64.0 +/- 1.6 +/- 2.0. The SN HST Project gave H_0 = 62.3 +/- 1.3 +/- 5.0 from ten Cepheid-calibrated SNe Ia (Sandage et al. 2006). The agreement of young Population I (Cepheids) and old, metal-poor Population II (TRGB) distance indicators is satisfactory. The combined weighted result is H_0 = 63.7 +/- 2.3 (i.e. +/-3.6%). The result can also be reconciled with WMAP5 data (Reid et al. 2010).

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2011

Allan Sandage and the Cosmic Expansion

This is an account of Allan Sandage's work on (1) The character of the expansion field. For many years he has been the strongest defender of an expanding Universe. He later explained the CMB dipole by a local velocity of 220 +/- 50 km/s toward the Virgo cluster and by a bulk motion of the Local supercluster (extending out to ~3500 km/s) of 450-500 km/s toward an apex at l=275, b=12. Allowing for these streaming velocities he found linear expansion to hold down to local scales (~300 km/s). (2) The calibration of the Hubble constant. Probing different methods he finally adopted - from Cepheid-calibrated SNe Ia and from independent RR Lyr-calibrated TRGBs - H_0 = 62.3 +/- 1.3 +/- 5.0 km/s/Mpc.

physics.hist-ph↗

arXiv2011

The supernova Ia 2011fe in M101, its tip of the red-giant branch (TRGB) distance, and the value of H_0

The light curve parameters of the normal type Ia SN2011fe are derived from the rich archive of the AAVSO. This leads, together with the TRGB distance modulus of (m-M) = 29.39 +/- 0.05 of the parent galaxy M101, to maximum magnitudes of the unreddened SN of M_B = -19.45 +/- 0.08, M_V = -19.46 +/- 0.08, and M_I = -19.25 +/- 0.06 (for the standard decline rate of Delta m_15 = 1.1). When these values are inserted into the Hubble line defined by 62 SNe Ia with 3000 < v < 20,000 km/s - and considering also four other SNe Ia with TRGB distances - one obtains a large-scale value of the Hubble constant of H_0 = 64.3 +/- 1.9 +/- 3.2. This value can be much improved in the future by using only TRGB distances of SNe Ia.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2011

New period-luminosity and period-color relations of classical Cepheids. IV. The low-metallicity galaxies IC 1613, WLM, Pegasus, Sextans A and B, and Leo A in comparison to SMC

The metal-poor, fundamental-mode (P0) and first-overtone (P1) Cepheids in the dwarf galaxies IC 1613, WLM, Pegasus, Sextans A, Sextans B, and Leo A are compared with the about equally metal-poor Cepheids of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). The period-color (P-C) and period-luminosity (P-L) relations of the seven galaxies are indistinguishable, but differ distinctly from those in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and the solar neighborhood. Adopting (m-M)^{0}_{SMC}=18.93 from independent evidence, one can determine reliable distance moduli for the other dwarf galaxies of (m-M)^{0} = 24.34+/-0.03, 24.95+/-0.03, 24.87+/-0.06, 25.60+/-0.03 (mean for Sextans A & B), and 24.59+/-0.03, respectively.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

The Linearity of the Cosmic Expansion Field from 300 to 30,000 km/s and the Bulk Motion of the Local Supercluster with Respect to the CMB

The meaning of "linear expansion" is explained. Particularly accurate relative distances are compiled and homogenized a) for 246 SNe Ia and 35 clusters with v<30,000 km/s, and b) for relatively nearby galaxies with 176 TRGB and 30 Cepheid distances. The 487 objects define a tight Hubble diagram from 300-30,000 km/s implying individual distance errors of <7.5%. Here the velocities are corrected for Virgocentric steaming (locally 220 km/s) and - if v_220>3500 km/s - for a 495 km/s motion of the Local Supercluster towards the warm CMB pole at l=275, b=12; local peculiar motions are averaged out by large numbers. A test for linear expansion shows that the corrected velocities increase with distance as predicted by a standard model with q_0=-0.55 [corresponding to (Omega_M, Omega_Lambda)=(0.3,0.7)], but the same holds - due to the distance limitation of the present sample - for a range of models with q_0 between ~0.00 and -1.00. For these models H_0 does not vary systematically by more than +/-2.3% over the entire range. Local, distance-dependent variations are equally limited to 2.3% on average. In particular the proposed Hubble Bubble of Zehavi et al. and Jha et al. is rejected at the 4sigma level. - Velocity residuals in function of the angle from the CMB pole yield a satisfactory apex velocity of 448+/-73 km/s and a coherence radius of the Local Supercluster of ~3500 km/s (~56 Mpc), beyond which galaxies are seen on average at rest in co-moving coordinates with respect to the CMB. Since no obvious single accelerator of the Local Supercluster exists in the direction of the CMB dipole its motion must be due to the integral gravitational force of all surrounding structures. Most of the gravitational dipole comes probably from within 5000 km/s.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2008

New period-luminosity and period-color relations of classical Cepheids: III. Cepheids in SMC

The photometric data for 460 classical, fundamental-mode Cepheids in the SMC with log P > 0.4 measured by Udalski et al. have been analyzed for their P-C and P-L relations, and for the variation of amplitude across the instability strip in a similar way that was done in Papers I and II of this series. The SMC Cepheids are bluer in (B-V) at a given period than for both the Galaxy and the LMC. Their P-C relation in (B-V) is best fit by two lines intersecting at P=10 d. Their break must necessarily exist also in the P-L relations in B and/or V, but remains hidden in the magnitude scatter. An additional pronounced break of the P-L relations in B, V, and I occurs at P=2.5 d. The observed slope of the lines of constant period in the HR diagram agrees with the theoretical expectation from the pulsation equation. The largest amplitude Cepheids for periods less than 13 days occur near the blue edge of the instability strip. The sense is reversed in the period interval from 13 to 20 days, as in the Galaxy and the LMC. The SMC P-L relation is significantly flatter than that for the Galaxy, NGC 3351, 4321, M31, all of which have nearly the same steep slope. The SMC P-L slope is intermediate between that of these steep slope cases and the very shallow slope of Cepheids in the lower metallicity galaxies of NGC 3109 and Sextans A/B, consistent with the premise that the Cepheid P-L relation varies from galaxy-to-galaxy as function of metallicity. Failure to take into account the slope differences in the P-L relation as a function of metallicity using Cepheids as distance indicators results in incorrect Cepheid distances. Part of the 15% difference between our long distance scale - now independently supported by TRGB distances - and that of the HST Key Project short scale is due to the effect of using an inappropriate P-L relation.

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arXiv2008

The expansion field: The value of H_0

Any calibration of the present value of the Hubble constant requires recession velocities and distances of galaxies. While the conversion of observed velocities into true recession velocities has only a small effect on the result, the derivation of unbiased distances which rest on a solid zero point and cover a useful range of about 4-30 Mpc is crucial. A list of 279 such galaxy distances within v<2000 km/s is given which are derived from the tip of the red-giant branch (TRGB), from Cepheids, and from supernovae of type Ia (SNe Ia). Their random errors are not more than 0.15 mag as shown by intercomparison. They trace a linear expansion field within narrow margins from v=250 to at least 2000 km/s. Additional 62 distant SNe Ia confirm the linearity to at least 20,000 km/s. The dispersion about the Hubble line is dominated by random peculiar velocities, amounting locally to <100 km/s but increasing outwards. Due to the linearity of the expansion field the Hubble constant H_0 can be found at any distance >4.5 Mpc. RR Lyr star-calibrated TRGB distances of 78 galaxies above this limit give H_0=63.0+/-1.6 at an effective distance of 6 Mpc. They compensate the effect of peculiar motions by their large number. Support for this result comes from 28 independently calibrated Cepheids that give H_0=63.4+/-1.7 at 15 Mpc. This agrees also with the large-scale value of H_0=61.2+/-0.5 from the distant, Cepheid-calibrated SNe Ia. A mean value of H_0=62.3+/-1.3 is adopted. Because the value depends on two independent zero points of the distance scale its systematic error is estimated to be 6%. Typical errors of H_0 come from the use of a universal, yet unjustified P-L relation of Cepheids, the neglect of selection bias in magnitude-limited samples, or they are inherent to the adopted models.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2008

Temperature Differences in the Cepheid Instability Strip Require Differences in the Period-Luminosity Relation in Slope and Zero Point

A graphical and an algebraic demonstration is made to show why the slope and zero point of the Cepheid period-luminosity (P-L) relation is rigidly coupled with the slope and zero point of the Cepheid instability strip in the HR diagram. The graphical demonstration uses an arbitrary (toy) ridge line in the instability strip, while the algebraic demonstration uses the pulsation equation into which the observed P-L relations for the Galaxy and the LMC are put to predict the temperature zero points and slopes of the instability strips. Agreement between the predicted and measured instability strip slopes argue that the observed P-L differences between the Galaxy and LMC are real. In another proof, the direct evidence for different P-L slopes in different galaxies is shown by comparing the Cepheid data in the Galaxy, the combined data in NGC 3351 and NGC 4321, in M31, LMC, SMC, IC 1613, NGC 3109, and in Sextans A+B. The P-L slopes for the Galaxy, NGC 3351, NGC 4321, and M31 are nearly identical and are the steepest in the sample. The P-L slopes decrease monotonically with metallicity in the order listed, showing that the P-L relation is not the same in different galaxies, complicating their use in calibrating the extragalactic distance scale.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Comparison of Distances from RR Lyrae Stars, the Tip of the Red-Giant Branch and Classical Cepheids

The extragalactic distance scale relies heavily on Cepheids. However, it has become clear from observations and pulsation models that the slope and zero point of their P-L relations differ from galaxy to galaxy. This makes the determination of Cepheid distances complex and calls for an independent test of their differences. The test is provided by RR Lyrae star distances of 24 galaxies which calibrate the tip of the red-giant branch (TRGB; M_I = -4.05), which in turn confirms the adopted Cepheids distances on our 2006 distance scale in 18 cases to within 0.1 mag on average. Relative SN Ia and velocity distances deny a remaining significant metallicity effect of the adopted distances. The new support for these Cepheid distances increases the weight of our previous calibration of the SN Ia luminosity and of the 21cm line width - luminosity (TF) relation. The value of H_0 = 62.3 (+/-5) is confirmed on all scales.

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arXiv2006

Can Lambda be determined from nearby Type Ia Supernovae?

Type Ia Supernovae (SNe Ia) are the best standard candles known today. At high redshift ($z\sim1$) SNe Ia are used to determine the Cosmological Constant Lambda with great success. However the most serious concern is raised by thepossible luminosity evolution of the SNe Ia explosion itself, i.e., that their intrinsic luminosity might vary with the look-back time. It is unknown to which extent high-redshift SNe Ia can directly be compared to near SNe Ia in order to determine Lambda. A possibility to circumvent this problem is to restrict the analysis to nearby SNe Ia situated preferably in E/S0 galaxies. Since the signal will be much smaller, we have to consider an substantial sample. As there are not enough data yet available, we conducted our analysis based on 200 synthetic SNe Ia with a luminosity scatter $σ_{\mathrm{m}}=0.^{\mathrm{m}}12$ (derived from observations) assuming a homogeneous space distribution and a limiting distance of $z\leq0.16$. We show that this kind of data, which we expect from future observations, will allow us to distinguish between a matter dominated or Lambda-dominated ($Ω_{\mathrm{M}}=0.3$, $Ω_{\mathrmΛ}=0.7$) universe with a significance of up to 2-3 sigma.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

The Distance to the Virgo Cluster from a Recalibrated Tully-Fisher Relation Based on HST Cepheids and a Demonstrated Teerikorpi Cluster Incompleteness Bias

The importance of the distance of the Virgo cluster in the ongoing debate on the value of the Hubble constant is reviewed. A new calibration of the Tully-Fisher 21-cm line width-absolute magnitude relation is made using Cepheid distances to 25 galaxies determined in various HST programs and reduced with the new Cepheid P-L relations that vary from galaxy-to galaxy. The calibration is applied to a complete sample of Virgo cluster spirals for the purpose of demonstrating the Teerikorpi cluster incompleteness bias. A diagnostic test is shown that should be useful in identifying the presence of bias in incompletely sampled data for distant clusters. The bias-free TF distance modulus for the Virgo cluster is m - M = 31.67 (D = 21.6 Mpc). A systematic correction of 0.07 mag is made because the cluster members are redder in B I on average than the calibrators at a given line width, giving a final adopted modulus for the Virgo cluster core of 31.60 + 0.09. If we assign a generous range of systematic error of ~ 0.3 mag, the distance D = 20.9 Mpc (m - M = 31.60) has a range from 24.0 Mpc to 18.2 Mpc (m - M between 31.9 and 31.3), and a Hubble constant of Ho = 56 between the limits of 49 and 65 when used with a cosmic expansion velocity of 1175 km s-1 determined by the method of distance ratios of remote clusters to Virgo. This range overlaps our preferred value of Ho = 62 from the HST Cepheid calibration of type Ia supernovae recently determined. The TF modulus of Virgo determined here cannot be reconciled with the recent high value of Ho = 72 from Freedman et al.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

The Hubble Constant: A Summary of the HST Program for the Luminosity Calibration of Type Ia Supernovae by Means of Cepheids

This is the fifth and final summary paper of our 15 year program using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) to determine the Hubble constant using Type Ia supernovae, calibrated with Cepheid variables in nearby galaxies that hosted them. Several developments not contemplated at the start of the program in 1990 have made it necessary to put the summary on H_0 on a broader basis than originally thought, making four preparatory papers necessary. The new Cepheid distances of the subset of 10 galaxies, which were hosts of normal SNeIa, give weighted mean luminosities in B, V, and I at maximum light of -19.49, -19.46, and -19.22, respectively. These calibrate the adopted SNeIa Hubble diagram from Paper III to give a global value of H_0 = 62.3 +/- 1.3 (random) +/- 5.0 (systematic). Local values of H_0 between 4.4 and 30 Mpc from Cepheids, SNeIa, 21cm-line widths, and the tip of the red-giant branch (TRGB) all agree within 5% of our global value. This agreement of H_0 on all scales from 4 - 200 Mpc finds its most obvious explanation in the smoothing effect of vacuum energy on the otherwise lumpy gravitational field due to the non-uniform distribution of the local galaxies. The physical methods of time delay of gravitational lenses and the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect are consistent (but with large errors) with our global value. The present result is also not in contradiction with existing analyses of CMB data, because they either lead to wide error margins of H_0 or depend on the choice of unwarrented priors that couple the value of H_0 with a number of otherwise free parameters in the CMB acoustic waves. Our value of H_0 is 14% smaller than the value of H_0 found by Freedman et al. (2001) because our independent Cepheid distances to the six SNeIa-calibrating galaxies used in that analysis average 0.35mag larger than those used earlier.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

Cepheid Distances to SNe Ia Host Galaxies based on a Revised Photometric Zero-Point of the HST-WFPC2 and New P-L Relations and Metallicity Corrections

With this paper we continue the preparation for a forthcoming summary report of our experiment with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) to determine the Hubble constant using type Ia supernovae as standard candles. Two problems are addressed. (1) We examine the need for, and determine the value of, the corrections to the apparent magnitudes of our program Cepheids in the eleven previous calibration papers due to sensitivity drifts and charge transfer effects of the HST WFPC2 camera over the life time of the experiment from 1992 to 2001. (2) The corrected apparent magnitudes are applied to all our previous photometric data from which revised distance moduli are calculated for the eight program galaxies that are parents to the calibrator Ia supernovae. Two different Cepheid P-L relations are used; one for the Galaxy and one for the LMC. These differ both in slope and zero-point at a fixed period. The procedures for determining the absorption and reddening corrections for each Cepheid are discussed. Corrections for the effects of metallicity differences between the program galaxies and the two adopted P-L relations are derived and applied. The distance moduli derived here for the eight supernovae program galaxies, and for 29 others, average 0.20 mag fainter (more distant) than those derived by Gibson et al. and Freedman et al. in their 2000 and 2001 summary papers for reasons discussed in this paper. The effect on the Hubble constant is the subject of our forthcoming summary paper.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

The Ups and Downs of the Hubble Constant

A brief history of the determination of the Hubble constant H_0 is given. Early attempts following Lemaitre (1927) gave much too high values due to errors of the magnitude scale, Malmquist bias and calibration problems. By 1962 most authors agreed that 75< H_0 <130. After 1975 a dichotomy arose with values near 100 and others around 55. The former came from apparent-magnitude-limited samples and were affected by Malmquist bias. New distance indicators were introduced; they were sometimes claimed to yield high values of H_0, but the most recent data lead to H_0 in the 60's, yet with remaining difficulties as to the zero-point of the respective distance indicators. SNe Ia with their large range and very small luminosity dispersion (avoiding Malmquist bias) offer a unique opportunity to determine the large-scale value of H_0. Their maximum luminosity can be well calibrated from 10 SNe Ia in local parent galaxies whose Cepheids have been observed with HST. An unforeseen difficulty - affecting all Cepheid distances - is that their P-L relation varies from galaxy to galaxy, presumably in function of metallicity. A proposed solution is summarized here. The conclusion is that H_0 = 63.2 +/- 1.3 (random) +/- 5.3 (systematic) on all scales. The expansion age becomes then (with Omega_m=0.3, Omega_Lambda=0.7) 15.1 Gyr.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

Reddening, Absorption, and Decline Rate Corrections for a Complete Sample of Type Ia Supernovae leading to a Fully Corrected Hubble Diagram to v<30,000kms-1

Photometric BVI and redshift data corrected for streaming motions are compiled for 111 "Branch normal", 4 1991T-like, 7 1991bg-like, and 2 unusual SNe Ia. Color excesses E(B-V)host of normal SNe Ia, due to the absorption of the host galaxy, are derived by three independent methods leading to the intrinsic colors at maximum of (B-V)00=-0.024, and (V-I)00=-0.265 if normalized to a common decline rate of Dm_15=1.1. The strong correlation between redshift absolute magnitudes (based on Ho=60), corrected only for the extrinsic Galactic absorption, and the derived E(B-V)host leads to well determined, yet abnormal absorption-to-reddening ratios of R_BVI=3.65, 2.65, and 1.35. Comparison with the canonical Galactic values of 4.1, 3.1, 1.8 forces the conclusion that the law of interstellar absorption in the path length to the SN in the host galaxy is different from the local Galactic law. Improved correlations of the fully corrected absolute magnitudes with host galaxy type, decline rate, and intrinsic color are derived. The four peculiar 1991T-type SNe are significantly overluminous as compared to Branch-normal SNe Ia. The overluminosity of the seven 1999aa-like SNe is less pronounced. The seven 1991bg-types in the sample constitute a separate class of SNeIa, averaging in B two magnitudes fainter than the normal Ia. New Hubble diagrams in BVI are derived out to ~30,000kms-1 using the fully corrected magnitudes and velocities, corrected for streaming motions. Nine solutions for the intercept magnitudes in these diagrams show extreme stability at the 0.04 level using various subsamples of the data. The same precepts for fully correcting SN magnitudes we shall use for the luminosity recalibration of SNe Ia in the forthcoming final review of our HST Cepheid-SN experiment for the Hubble constant.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

New Period-Luminosity and Period-Color Relations of Classical Cepheids: II. Cepheids in LMC

Photometric data for 593 Cepheids in the LMC, measured by Udalski et al. in the OGLE survey, augmented by 92 longer period Cepheids from other sources, are analyzed for the P-C and P-L relations, and for the variations of amplitude, light curve shape, and period across the instability strip at constant absolute magnitude. Both the P-C and P-L relations have different slopes for periods smaller and larger than 10 days. The break at 10 days is also seen in the period-amplitude relations, and the compound Fourier combinations of R_21 and Phi_21 introduced by Simon and Lee. The LMC Cepheids are bluer than Galactic Cepheids in the B,V,I color bands, part of which is due to differential Fraunhofer line blanketing and part to real differences in the temperature boundaries of the instability strip. The LMC strip is hotter by between 80K and 350K depending on the period. Hence, both the slopes and (necessarily) the zero points of the P-L relations in B,V,I must differ between LMC and the the Galaxy, and in fact they do. The LMC Cepheids are brighter by up to 0.5 mag at log P=0.4 (2 days) and fainter by 0.2 mag at log P=1.5 (32 days). These facts complicate the use of Cepheid as precision distance indicators until the reason is found for the non-universality of the P-L and P-C relations. The very large data base permits mapping of various Cepheid properties at different positions within the instability strip, both at constant period and at constant absolute magnitude over the range of 2 < P < 40 days and -2 > M_V > -5. (...)

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Cepheids and Long Period Variables in NGC 4395

Repeated imaging observations of NGC 4395 were made with the WIYN 3.5 m and the KPNO 2.1 m telescopes. From the photometry of the resolved brighter stars in this galaxy eleven Cepheids with periods ranging between 12 and 90 days have been identified. The true distance modulus has been derived from the apparent distance moduli in g, r and i. The distance modulus is 28.02 +/- 0.18 based on the LMC P-L relation by Sandage et al. 2003; this corresponds to a distance of 4.0 +/- 0.3 Mpc. Using the P-L relation from Madore & Freedman 1991, the distance modulus is 28.15 +/- 0.18; which corresponds to a distance of 4.3 +/- 0.4 Mpc. The reddening is calculated to be E(g-r) = 0.06 +/- 0.08 and E(r-i) = 0.10 +/- 0.08, again from the distance moduli mu_g, mu_r and mu_i. In addition, 37 other variables have been detected, the majority of which have definite periods. They are probably all red long period variables.

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