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Gisela Ortiz-Leon

Publications and source records attributed to Gisela Ortiz-Leon.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Dynamical masses of young stellar objects with the VLBA: DYNAMO-VLBA: Radio binary stars in Orion

We present results from a multi-epoch Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) survey conducted as part of the DYNAMO-VLBA project, aimed at measuring the dynamical masses of young stellar systems in the Orion complex. Our observations include 19 radio sources associated with 15 binary or multiple young systems. For four visual binaries in which both components were detected, the derived Keplerian orbits yield model-independent stellar masses; in particular, Brun~656 and HD~294300 show excellent agreement between VLBA-based and spectral-energy-distribution-based estimates, providing valuable benchmarks for pre-main-sequence evolutionary models. The component NU Ori C is confirmed as an intermediate-mass ($\sim$7\,M$_\odot$) star with nonthermal radio emission, offering rare evidence of magnetic activity near the boundary with the high-mass regime. Several additional sources exhibit astrometric accelerations or periodic residuals, revealing unseen companions and extending dynamical constraints to systems with only one radio-emitting component. These results highlight the capability of very long baseline interferometry astrometry to obtain precise and model-independent masses of young binaries, providing critical empirical anchors for stellar evolution models and new insights into the origin of magnetism in intermediate-mass stars.

astro-ph.SR↗

Dynamical masses of YSOs with the VLBA: DYNAMO VLBA: Trigonometric parallaxes and proper motions of YSOs in Orion

We present results from a multi-epoch Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) survey of compact radio sources in the Orion complex, conducted within both the DYNAMO-VLBA and the GOBELINS projects. Our observations detected 216 compact radio sources, of which 58 yielded reliable multi-epoch astrometric solutions. For these sources, we derived trigonometric parallaxes and proper motions with typical precisions of about 0.05 mas and 0.10 mas yr$^{-1}$, respectively. The measured parallaxes range between 2.26 and 2.65 mas, corresponding to distances of 380 - 440 pc, and delineate the depth of the Orion star-forming complex. We determine mean distances of $405\pm16$ pc for NGC 2068, $403\pm5$ pc for NGC 2024, $407\pm12$ pc for the $σ$ Orionis region, $388.5\pm1.7$ pc for the Orion Nebula Cluster (ONC), and $438\pm12$ pc for L1641. A comparison with Gaia DR3 astrometry for 28 common sources reveals negligible mean parallax offsets ($Δ\varpi=-0.02\pm0.01$ mas) and small systematic differences in proper motions ($\sim$0.07 mas yr$^{-1}$), likely due to residual rotation of the Gaia reference frame. Our results demonstrate the capability of high-precision radio astrometry to map embedded stellar populations and to provide an independent calibration of the Gaia reference system in obscured regions.

astro-ph.SR↗

230 GHz VLBI observations of M87: event-horizon-scale structure at the enhanced very-high-energy $\rm γ$-ray state in 2012

We report on 230 GHz (1.3 mm) VLBI observations of M87 with the Event Horizon Telescope using antennas on Mauna Kea in Hawaii, Mt. Graham in Arizona and Cedar Flat in California. For the first time, we have acquired 230 GHz VLBI interferometric phase information on M87 through measurement of closure phase on the triangle of long baselines. Most of the measured closure phases are consistent with 0$^{\circ}$ as expected by physically-motivated models for 230 GHz structure such as jet models and accretion disk models. The brightness temperature of the event-horizon-scale structure is $\sim 1 \times 10^{10}$ K derived from the compact flux density of $\sim 1$ Jy and the angular size of $\sim 40 $ $\rm μ$as $\sim$ 5.5 $R_{\rm s}$, which is broadly consistent with the peak brightness of the radio cores at 1-86 GHz located within $\sim 10^2$ $R_{\rm s}$. Our observations occurred in the middle of an enhancement in very-high-energy (VHE) $\rm γ$-ray flux, presumably originating in the vicinity of the central black hole. Our measurements, combined with results of multi-wavelength observations, favor a scenario in which the VHE region has an extended size of $\sim$20-60 $R_{\rm s}$.

astro-ph.HE↗

An Ionized Outflow from AB Aur, a Herbig Ae Star with a Transitional Disk

AB Aur is a Herbig Ae star with a transitional disk. Transitional disks present substantial dust clearing in their inner regions, most probably because of the formation of one or more planets, although other explanations are still viable. In transitional objects, accretion is found to be about an order of magnitude smaller than in classical full disks. Since accretion is believed to be correlated with outflow activity, centimeter free-free jets are expected to be present in association with these systems, at weaker levels than in classical protoplanetary (full) systems. We present new observations of the centimeter radio emission associated with the inner regions of AB Aur and conclude that the morphology, orientation, spectral index and lack of temporal variability of the centimeter source imply the presence of a collimated, ionized outflow. The radio luminosity of this radio jet is, however, about 20 times smaller than that expected for a classical system of similar bolometric luminosity. We conclude that centimeter continuum emission is present in association with stars with transitional disks, but at levels than are becoming detectable only with the upgraded radio arrays. On the other hand, assuming that the jet velocity is 300 km s$^{-1}$, we find that the ratio of mass loss rate to accretion rate in AB Aur is $\sim$0.1, similar to that found for less evolved systems.

astro-ph.SR↗

Gamma-rays from the compact colliding wind region in Cyg OB2 #5

In this contribution we model the non-thermal emission (from radio to gamma-rays) produced in the compact (and recently detected) colliding wind region in the multiple stellar system Cyg OB2 #5. We focus our study on the detectability of the produced gamma-rays.

astro-ph.HE↗

The non-thermal, time-variable radio emission from Cyg OB2 # 5: A wind-collision region

The radio emission from the well-studied massive stellar system Cyg OB2 #5 is known to fluctuate with a period of 6.7 years between a low-flux state when the emission is entirely of free-free origin, and a high-flux state when an additional non-thermal component (of hitherto unknown nature) appears. In this paper, we demonstrate that the radio flux of that non-thermal component is steady on timescales of hours, and that its morphology is arc-like. This shows that the non-thermal emission results from the collision between the strong wind driven by the known contact binary in the system, and that of an unseen companion on a somewhat eccentric orbit with a 6.7-yr period and a 5 to 10 mas semi-major axis. Together with the previously reported wind-collision region located about 0.8 arcsec to the north-east of the contact binary, Cyg OB2 #5 appears to be the only multiple system known so far to harbor two radio-imaged wind-collision regions.

astro-ph.GA↗