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Hugo Nowacki

Publications and source records attributed to Hugo Nowacki.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Interferometric Survey of Stellar Parameters: Towards homogeneous FGK stars parameters and surface-brightness color relation in the context of PLATO space mission

The estimation of stellar angular diameters can be performed from the surface brightness - color relation (SBCR) and photometry. The SBCR have been considered by the PLATO space mission as an independent empirical alternative for estimating stellar radii of FGK stars. In this context, we have implemented an homogeneous approach not only for calibrating the SBCR for FGK-IV/V stars but, also for determining their fundamental parameters in order to place the stars reliably on the HR diagram and to study their impact on the SBCR. We have performed interferometric observations of 18 quiescent FGK-IV/V stars in the Gaia color range of $3.088 \leq G \leq 5.498$. For the first time, we used 3 different interferometers operating in the $R$, $H$ , and $K$ bands to measure polychromatic limb-darkened angular diameters (LDAD). In parallel, by using public domain spectra we have estimated the stellar parameters ($T_{eff}$, $log g$ and Z) by using the open python tool iSpec. We achieved an average accuracy of 2.3% for the LDAD based on polychromatic observations. However, we have observed that our SBCR does not follow the calibration of the relation between surface brightness and color in Gaia found in the literature. Furthermore, we found that $log g$ and $Z$ have no impact on the SBC relation; given the characteristics of our sample of quiescent stars, it constitutes an ideal set of targets for conducting a new SBCR calibration within the framework of the PLATO space mission. In this context, we reported a SBCR calibration with $\sigma_{RMS} = $ 0.012, 0.009, 0.009 in the $G, G_{BP}$ and $G_{RP}$ Gaia bands, respectively. This article is part of a series of papers reporting the first results obtained using a polychromatic approach to measure LDAD, employing a fully homogeneous methodology for both determining the fundamental parameters of stars and measuring the LDAD, $\theta_{LD}$.

astro-ph.SR

Using VLTI/GRAVITY+ to determine the identity of a third planet candidate in the PDS 70 system

Detections of protoplanets are rare and protoplanetary disk features mischaracterized as planets are common. PDS 70 is one of only two stars known to host multiple confirmed protoplanets, PDS 70 b and c, and repeat detections of a third point-like source in the system suggest the presence of third inner planet. However, previous observations of this third source are insufficient to distinguish whether it is a planet or a concentrated dust clump in Keplerian motion. Our observations with VLTI/GRAVITY+ did not re-detect this point-like source, suggesting that it is, in fact, a dust clump and not a planet. These observations demonstrate how the angular resolving power of VLTI/GRAVITY+ can be used to distinguish between protoplanets and protoplanetary disk features.

astro-ph.EP

GRAVITY+ adaptive optics (GPAO) tests in Europe

We present in this proceeding the results of the test phase of the GRAVITY+ adaptive optics. This extreme AO will enable both high-dynamic range observations of faint companions (including exoplanets) thanks to a 40x40 sub-apertures wavefront control, and sensitive observations (including AGNs) thanks to the addition of a laser guide star to each UT of the VLT. This leap forward is made thanks to a mostly automated setup of the AO, including calibration of the NCPAs, that we tested in Europe on the UT+atmosphere simulator we built in Nice. We managed to reproduce in laboratory the expected performances of all the modes of the AO, including under non-optimal atmospheric or telescope alignment conditions, giving us the green light to proceed with the Assembly, Integration and Verification phase in Paranal.

astro-ph.IM

First Resolution of Microlensed Images of a Binary-Lens Event

We resolve the multiple images of the binary-lens microlensing event ASASSN-22av using the GRAVITY instrument of the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI). The light curves show weak binary-lens perturbations, complicating the analysis, but the joint modeling with the VLTI data breaks several degeneracies, arriving at a strongly favored solution. Thanks to precise measurements of angular Einstein radius \theta_E = 0.724 +/- 0.002 mas and microlens parallax, we determine that the lens system consists of two M dwarfs with masses of M_1 = 0.258 +/- 0.008 M_sun and M_2 = 0.130 +/- 0.007 M_sun, a projected separation of r_\perp = 6.83 +/- 0.31 au and a distance of D_L = 2.29 +/- 0.08 kpc. The successful VLTI observations of ASASSN-22av open up a new path for studying intermediate-separation (i.e., a few astronomical units) stellar-mass binaries, including those containing dark compact objects such as neutron stars and stellar-mass black holes.

astro-ph.SR

MINDS. A multi-instrument investigation into the molecule-rich JWST-MIRI spectrum of the DF Tau binary system

Most stars form in multiple systems whose properties can significantly impact circumstellar disk evolution. We investigate the physical and chemical properties of the equal-mass, small separation (~66 mas, ~9 au) DF Tau binary system. Previous observations indicated that only DF Tau A has a circumstellar disk. We present JWST-MIRI MRS observations of DF Tau. The MIRI spectrum shows a forest of H2O lines and emission from CO, C2H2, HCN, CO2, and OH. LTE slab models are used to determine the properties of the gas, and we analyze high angular spatial and spectral resolution data from ALMA, VLTI-GRAVITY, and IRTF-iSHELL to aid in the interpretation of the JWST data. The 1.3 mm ALMA continuum data show two equal-brightness sources of compact (R<3 au) emission, with separations and movement consistent with astrometry from VLTI-GRAVITY and the known orbit. This is interpreted as a robust detection of a disk around DF Tau B, which we suggest may host a small (~1 au) cavity to reconcile all observations. The disk around DF Tau A is expected to be a full disk, and spatially and spectrally resolved dust and gas emission points to hot, close-in (<0.2 au) material. Hot (~500-1000 K) H2O, HCN, and C2H2 emission in the MIRI data likely originate in the DF Tau A disk, while a cold (<200 K) H2O component with an extended emitting area is consistent with an origin from both disks. Despite the very compact outer disks, the inner disk composition and conditions are similar to isolated systems, suggesting that the close binary nature is not a driving factor in setting the inner disk chemistry. However, constraining the geometry of the disks, for instance, via higher resolution ALMA observations, would provide additional insight into the mid-infrared gas emission. JWST observations of spatially resolved binaries will be important for understanding the impact of binarity on inner disk chemistry more generally.

astro-ph.EP

Impact of local turbulence on high-order adaptive optics

We present an experiment set to address a standard specification aiming at avoiding local turbulence inside the Coud\'e train of telescopes. Namely, every optical surface should be kept within a 1.5$^\circ$ range around ambient temperature. Such a specification represents an important concern and constraint when developing optical systems for astronomy. Our aim was to test its criticality in the context of the development of the VLTI/NAOMI and VLTI/GRAVITY+ adaptive optics. This experiment has been conducted using the hardware of the future Corrective Optics (CO) of GRAVITY+. Optical measurements were performed in order to observe the evolution of turbulence in front of a flat mirror for which the surface temperature was controlled in a range of $22^\circ$ above ambient temperature. A time-dependent analysis of the turbulence was led along with a spatial analysis. This experiment shows no influence of temperature on local turbulence. It should be noted however that this result is only applicable to the very specific geometry described in this paper, which is representative of an adaptive optics (AO) system located inside the Coud\'e train (facing-down mirror heated on its backface).

astro-ph.IM