arXiv subjects

I. B. Thompson

Publications and source records attributed to I. B. Thompson.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2016

The Clusters AgeS Experiment (CASE). Variable stars in the field of the globular cluster NGC 362

The field of the globular cluster NGC 362 was monitored between 1997 and 2015 in a search for variable stars. BV light curves were obtained for 151 periodic or likely periodic variables, over a hundred of which are new detections. Twelve newly detected variables are proper motion members of the cluster: two SX Phe and two RR Lyr pulsators, one contact binary, three detached or semi-detached eclipsing binaries, and four spotted variables. The most interesting objects among these are the binary blue straggler V20 with an asymmetric light curve, and the 8.1 d semidetached binary V24 located on the red giant branch of NGC 362, which is a Chandra X-ray source. We also provide substantial new data for 24 previously known variables.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2016

Orbital and physical parameters, and the distance of the eclipsing binary system OGLE-LMC-ECL-25658 in the Large Magellanic Cloud

We present an analysis of a new detached eclipsing binary, OGLE-LMC-ECL-25658, in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The system consists of two late G-type giant stars on an eccentric orbit and orbital period of ~200 days. The system shows total eclipses and the components have similar temperatures, making it ideal for a precise distance determination. Using multi-color photometric and high resolution spectroscopic data, we have performed an analysis of light and radial velocity curves simultaneously using the Wilson Devinney code. We derived orbital and physical parameters of the binary with a high precision of < 1 %. The masses and surface metallicities of the components are virtually the same and equal to 2.23 +/- 0.02 M_sun and [Fe/H] = -0.63 +/- 0.10 dex. However their radii and rates of rotation show a distinct trace of differential stellar evolution. The distance to the system was calculated using an infrared calibration between V-band surface brightness and (V-K) color, leading to a distance modulus of (m-M) = 18.452 +/- 0.023 (statistical) +/- 0.046 (systematic). Because OGLE-LMC-ECL-25658 is located relatively far from the LMC barycenter we applied a geometrical correction for its position in the LMC disc using the van der Marel et al. model of the LMC. The resulting barycenter distance to the galaxy is d_LMC = 50.30 +/- 0.53 (stat.) kpc, and is in perfect agreement with the earlier result of Pietrzynski et al.(2013).

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arXiv2016

Trigonometric Parallaxes and Proper Motions of 134 Southern Late M, L, and T Dwarfs from the Carnegie Astrometric Planet Search Program

We report trigonometric parallaxes for 134 low mass stars and brown dwarfs, of which 38 have no previously published measurement and 79 more have improved uncertainties. Our survey targeted nearby targets, so 119 are closer than 30 pc. Of the 38 stars with new parallaxes, 14 are within 20 pc and seven are likely brown dwarfs (spectral types later than L0). These parallaxes are useful for studies of kinematics, multiplicity, and spectrophotometric calibration. Two objects with new parallaxes are confirmed as young stars with membership in nearby young moving groups: LP 870-65 in AB Doradus and G 161-71 in Argus. We also report the first parallax for the planet-hosting star GJ 3470; this allows us to refine the density of its Neptune-mass planet. One T-dwarf, 2MASS J12590470-4336243, previously thought to lie within 4 pc, is found to be at 7.8 pc, and the M-type star 2MASS J01392170-3936088 joins the ranks of nearby stars as it is found to be within 10 pc. Five stars that are over-luminous and/or too red for their spectral types are identified and deserve further study as possible young stars.

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arXiv2016

The Clusters AgeS Experiment (CASE). Variable stars in the field of the globular cluster NGC 3201

The field of the globular cluster NGC 3201 was monitored between 1998 and 2009 in a search for variable stars. $BV$ light curves were obtained for 152 periodic or likely periodic variables, 57 of which are new detections. Thirty-seven newly detected variables are proper motion members of the cluster. Among them we found seven detached or semi-detached eclipsing binaries, four contact binaries, and eight SX Phe pulsators. Four of the eclipsing binaries are located in the turnoff region, one on the lower main sequence and the remaining two slightly above the subgiant branch. Two contact systems are blue stragglers, and another two reside in the turnoff region. In the blue straggler region a total of 266 objects were found, of which 140 are proper motion (PM) members of NGC 3201, and another 19 are field stars. Seventy-eight of the remaining objects for which we do not have PM data are located within the half-light radius from the center of the cluster, and most of them are likely genuine blue stragglers. Four variable objects in our field of view were found to coincide with X-ray sources: three chromosperically active stars and a quasar at a redshift $z\approx0.5$.

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arXiv2016

ASASSN-15lh: A Highly Super-Luminous Supernova

We report the discovery of ASASSN-15lh (SN 2015L), which we interpret as the most luminous supernova yet found. At redshift z = 0.2326, ASASSN-15lh reached an absolute magnitude of M_{u,AB} = -23.5+/-0.1 and bolometric luminosity L_bol = (2.2+/-0.2)x 10^45 ergs s^-1, which is more than twice as luminous as any previously known supernova. It has several major features characteristic of the hydrogen-poor super-luminous supernovae (SLSNe-I), whose energy sources and progenitors are currently poorly understood. In contrast to most previously known SLSNe-I that reside in star-forming dwarf galaxies, ASASSN-15lh appears to be hosted by a luminous galaxy (M_K ~ -25.5) with little star formation. In the 4 months since first detection, ASASSN-15lh radiated (1.1+/- 0.2)x10^52 ergs, challenging the magnetar model for its engine.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2015

The Clusters AgeS Experiment (CASE). Variable stars in the field of the globular cluster M12

The field of the globular cluster M12 (NGC 6218) was monitored between 1995 and 2009 in a search for variable stars. $BV$ light curves were obtained for 36 periodic or likely periodic variables. Thirty-four of these are new detections. Among the latter we identified 20 proper-motion members of the cluster: six detached or semi-detached eclipsing binaries, five contact binaries, five SX~Phe pulsators, and three yellow stragglers. Two of the eclipsing binaries are located in the turnoff region, one on the lower main sequence and the remaining three among the blue stragglers. Two contact systems are blue stragglers, and the remaining three reside in the turnoff region. In the blue straggler region a total of 103 objects were found, of which 42 are proper motion members of M12, and another four are field stars. Forty-five of the remaining objects are located within two core radii from the center of the cluster, and as such they are likely genuine blue stragglers. We also report the discoveries of a radial color gradient of M12, and the shortest period among contact systems in globular clusters in general

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arXiv2015

The cluster ages experiment (CASE). VII. Analysis of two eclipsing binaries in the globular cluster NGC 6362

We use photometric and spectroscopic observations of the detached eclipsing binaries V40 and V41 in the globular cluster NGC 6362 to derive masses, radii, and luminosities of the component stars. The orbital periods of these systems are 5.30 and 17.89 d, respectively. The measured masses of the primary and secondary components ($M_p$, $M_s$) are (0.8337$\pm$0.0063, 0.7947$\pm$0.0048) M$_\odot$ for V40 and (0.8215$\pm$0.0058, 0.7280$\pm$0.0047) M$_\odot$ for V41. The measured radii ($R_p$, $R_s$) are (1.3253$\pm$0.0075, 0.997$\pm$0.013) R$_\odot$ for V40 and (1.0739$\pm$0.0048, 0.7307$\pm$0.0046) R$_\odot$ for V41. Based on the derived luminosities, we find that the distance modulus of the cluster is 14.74$\pm$0.04 mag -- in good agreement with 14.72 mag obtained from CMD fitting. We compare the absolute parameters of component stars with theoretical isochrones in mass-radius and mass-luminosity diagrams. For assumed abundances [Fe/H] = -1.07, [$α$/Fe] = 0.4, and Y = 0.25 we find the most probable age of V40 to be 11.7$\pm$0.2 Gyr, compatible with the age of the cluster derived from CMD fitting (12.5$\pm$0.5 Gyr). V41 seems to be markedly younger than V40. If independently confirmed, this result will suggest that V41 belongs to the younger of the two stellar populations recently discovered in NGC 6362. The orbits of both systems are eccentric. Given the orbital period and age of V40, its orbit should have been tidally circularized some $\sim$7 Gyr ago. The observed eccentricity is most likely the result of a relatively recent close stellar encounter.

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arXiv2015

A Detailed Study of Giants and Horizontal Branch Stars in M68: Atmospheric Parameters and Chemical Abundances

In this paper, we present a detailed high-resolution spectroscopic study of post main sequence stars in the Globular Cluster M68. Our sample, which covers a range of 4000 K in $T_{eff}$, and 3.5 dex in $log(g)$, is comprised of members from the red giant, red horizontal, and blue horizontal branch, making this the first high-resolution globular cluster study covering such a large evolutionary and parameter space. Initially, atmospheric parameters were determined using photometric as well as spectroscopic methods, both of which resulted in unphysical and unexpected $T_{eff}$, $log(g)$, $ξ_{t}$, and [Fe/H] combinations. We therefore developed a hybrid approach that addresses most of these problems, and yields atmospheric parameters that agree well with other measurements in the literature. Furthermore, our derived stellar metallicities are consistent across all evolutionary stages, with $\langle$[Fe/H]$\rangle$ = $-$2.42 ($σ$ = 0.14) from 25 stars. Chemical abundances obtained using our methodology also agree with previous studies and bear all the hallmarks of globular clusters, such as a Na-O anti-correlation, constant Ca abundances, and mild $r$-process enrichment.

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arXiv2015

The Araucaria Project. Accurate stellar parameters and distance to evolved eclipsing binary ASAS J180057-2333.8 in Sagittarius Arm

We have analyzed the double-lined eclipsing binary system ASAS J180057-2333.8 from the All Sky Automated Survey (ASAS) catalogue . We measure absolute physical and orbital parameters for this system based on archival $V$-band and $I$-band ASAS photometry, as well as on high-resolution spectroscopic data obtained with ESO 3.6m/HARPS and CORALIE spectrographs. The physical and orbital parameters of the system were derived with an accuracy of about 0.5 - 3%. The system is a very rare configuration of two bright well-detached giants of spectral types K1 and K4 and luminosity class II. The radii of the stars are $R_1$ = 52.12 $\pm$ 1.38 and $R_2$ = 67.63 $\pm$ 1.40 R$_\odot$ and their masses are $M_1$ = 4.914 $\pm$ 0.021 and $M_2$ = 4.875$\pm$ 0.021 M$_\odot$ . The exquisite accuracy of 0.5% obtained for the masses of the components is one of the best mass determinations for giants. We derived a precise distance to the system of 2.14 $\pm$ 0.06 kpc (stat.) $\pm$ 0.05 (syst.) which places the star in the Sagittarius-Carina arm. The Galactic rotational velocity of the star is $Θ_s=258 \pm 26$ km s$^{-1}$ assuming $Θ_0=238$ km s$^{-1}$. A comparison with PARSEC isochrones places the system at the early phase of core helium burning with an age of slightly larger than 100 million years. The effect of overshooting on stellar evolutionary tracks was explored using the MESA star code.

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arXiv2015

The Araucaria Project: The First-Overtone Classical Cepheid in the Eclipsing System OGLE-LMC-CEP-2532

We present here the first spectroscopic and photometric analysis of the double-lined eclipsing binary containing the classical, first-overtone Cepheid OGLE-LMC-CEP-2532 (MACHO 81.8997.87). The system has an orbital period of 800 days and the Cepheid is pulsating with a period of 2.035 days. Using spectroscopic data from three high-class telescopes and photometry from three surveys spanning 7500 days we are able to derive the dynamical masses for both stars with an accuracy better than 3%. This makes the Cepheid in this system one of a few classical Cepheids with an accurate dynamical mass determination (M_1=3.90 +/- 0.10 M_sun). The companion is probably slightly less massive (3.82 +/- 0.10 M_sun), but may have the same mass within errors (M_2/M_1= 0.981 +/- 0.015). The system has an age of about 185 million years and the Cepheid is in a more advanced evolutionary stage. For the first time precise parameters are derived for both stars in this system. Due to the lack of the secondary eclipse for many years not much was known about the Cepheid's companion. In our analysis we used extra information from the pulsations and the orbital solution from the radial velocity curve. The best model predicts a grazing secondary eclipse shallower than 1 mmag, hence undetectable in the data, about 370 days after the primary eclipse. The dynamical mass obtained here is the most accurate known for a first-overtone Cepheid and will contribute to the solution of the Cepheid mass discrepancy problem.

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arXiv2014

The Clusters AgeS Experiment (CASE). Variable stars in the field of the globular cluster NGC 6362

The field of the globular cluster NGC 6362 was monitored between 1995 and 2009 in a search for variable stars. BV light curves were obtained for 69 periodic variables including 34 known RR Lyr stars, 10 known objects of other types and 25 newly detected variables. Among the latter we identified 18 proper-motion members of the cluster: seven detached eclipsing binaries (DEBs), six SX Phe stars, two W UMa binaries, two spotted red giants, and a very interesting eclipsing binary composed of two red giants - the first example of such a system found in a globular cluster. Five of the DEBs are located at the turnoff region, and the remaining two are redward of the lower main sequence. Eighty-four objects from the central 9x9 arcmin^2 of the cluster were found in the region of cluster blue stragglers. Of these 70 are proper motion (PM) members of NGC 6362 (including all SX Phe and two W UMa stars), and five are field stars. The remaining nine objects lacking PM information are located at the very core of the cluster, and as such they are likely genuine blue stragglers.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2014

The Cluster AgeS Experiment (CASE). Analysis of the Detached Eclipsing Binary V15 in the Metal-Rich Open Cluster NGC 6253

We present the first detailed analysis of the detached eclipsing binary V15 in the super-metal rich open cluster NGC 6253. We obtain the following absolute parameters: M_p=1.303+-0.006 Msun, R_p=1.71+-0.03 Rsun, L_p=2.98+-0.10 Lsun for the primary, and M_s=1.225+-0.006 Msun, R_s=1.44+-0.02 Rsun, L_s=2.13+-0.06 Lsun for the secondary. Based on Dartmouth isochrones, the age of NGC 6253 is estimated to be 3.80 - 4.25 Gyr from the mass-radius diagram and 3.9 - 4.6 Gyr from color-magnitude diagram (CMD) fitting. Both of these estimates are significantly higher than those reported so far. The derived apparent distance modulus of 11.65 mag agrees well with the range of 10.9 - 12.2 mag derived by other authors; however our estimated reddening (0.113 mag) is lower than the lowest published value (0.15 mag). We confirm earlier observations that model atmospheres are not accurate enough to account for the whole CMD of the cluster, with the largest discrepancies appearing on the subgiant and giant branches. Although age estimation from the mass-radius diagram is a relatively safe, distance- and reddening-independent procedure, our results should be verified by photometric and spectroscopic observations of additional detached eclipsing binaries which we have discovered, at least two of which are proper-motion members of NGC 6253.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2014

The Clusters AgeS Experiment (CASE). Variable stars in the field of the open cluster NGC 6253

The field of the metal-rich open cluster NGC 6253 has been surveyed in a search for variable stars. A total of 25 new variables were detected, 14 of which are bright stars with 13<V<15 mag. This domain was not covered in an earlier work by de Marchi et al. (2010). Four variables, including three short-period eclipsing binaries, are candidate blue straggler stars. Two new detached eclipsing binaries at the turnoff of the cluster and another one on the subgiant branch were identified. These three systems deserve a detailed follow-up study aimed at a determination of the age and distance of NGC 6253. New photometry for 132 stars from the sample of de Marchi et al. (2010) is provided.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2014

The Clusters AgeS Experiment (CASE). VI. Analysis of two detached eclipsing binaries in the Globular Cluster M55

We present an analysis of the detached eclipsing binaries V44 and V54 belonging to the globular cluster M55. For V54 we obtain the following absolute parameters: $M_p=0.726\pm 0.015\,M_\odot$, $R_p=1.006\pm 0.009\,R_\odot$, $L_p=1.38\pm 0.07\,L_\odot$ for the primary, and $M_s=0.555\pm 0.008\,M_\odot$, $R_s=0.528\pm 0.005\,R_\odot$, $L_s=0.16\pm0.01\,L_\odot$ for the secondary. The age and apparent distance modulus of V54 are estimated at 13.3 - 14.7 Gyr and $13.94\pm0.05$ mag, respectively. This age is substantially larger than ages we have derived from the analysis of binary systems in 47 Tuc and M4. The secondary of V44 is so weak in the optical domain that only mass function and relative parameters are obtained for the components of this system. However, there is a good chance that the velocity curve of the secondary could be derived from near-IR spectra. As the primary of V44 is more evolved than that of V54, such data would impose much tighter limits on the age and distance of M55.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2014

The Araucaria Project. OGLE-LMC-CEP-1718: An exotic eclipsing binary system composed of two classical overtone Cepheids in a 413-day orbit

We have obtained extensive high-quality spectroscopic observations of the OGLE-LMC-CEP-1718 eclipsing binary system in the Large Magellanic Cloud which Soszynski et al. (2008) had identified as a candidate system for containing two classical Cepheids in orbit. Our spectroscopic data clearly demonstrate binary motion of the Cepheids in a 413-day eccentric orbit, rendering this eclipsing binary system the first ever known to consist of two classical Cepheid variables. After disentangling the four different radial velocity variations in the system we present the orbital solution and the individual pulsational radial velocity curves of the Cepheids. We show that both Cepheids are extremely likely to be first overtone pulsators and determine their respective dynamical masses, which turn out to be equal to within 1.5 %. Since the secondary eclipse is not observed in the orbital light curve we cannot derive the individual radii of the Cepheids, but the sum of their radii derived from the photometry is consistent with overtone pulsation for both variables. The existence of two equal-mass Cepheids in a binary system having different pulsation periods (1.96 and 2.48 days, respectively) may pose an interesting challenge to stellar evolution and pulsation theories, and a more detailed study of this system using additional datasets should yield deeper insight about the physics of stellar evolution of Cepheid variables. Future analysis of the system using additional near-infrared photometry might also lead to a better understanding of the systematic uncertainties in current Baade-Wesselink techniques of distance determinations to Cepheid variables.

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arXiv2014

New observations of the old magnetic nova GQ Muscae

We report photometric observations of GQ Mus performed between 1992 and 2011. We find that the total amplitude of the orbital modulation of its brightness decreased from ~0.9 mag in 1992 to ~0.2 mag in 2010, becoming comparable to the amplitude of chaotic flickering on a time scale of several minutes. Optical spectra obtained in 2001 and 2012 indicate continuing activity of GQ Mus. The spectra show broad emission lines of HeII and HI typical for magnetic cataclysmic variables. The nova was observed as an UV-bright object in 2001 and 2012. We also show that the orbital period of GQ Mus has been constant between 1989 and 2010-2011.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2013

On the Source of the Dust Extinction in Type Ia Supernovae and the Discovery of Anomalously Strong Na I Absorption

High-dispersion observations of the Na I D 5890, 5896 and K I 7665, 7699 interstellar lines, and the diffuse interstellar band at 5780 Angstroms in the spectra of 32 Type Ia supernovae are used as an independent means of probing dust extinction. We show that the dust extinction of the objects where the diffuse interstellar band at 5780 Angstroms is detected is consistent with the visual extinction derived from the supernova colors. This strongly suggests that the dust producing the extinction is predominantly located in the interstellar medium of the host galaxies and not in circumstellar material associated with the progenitor system. One quarter of the supernovae display anomalously large Na I column densities in comparison to the amount of dust extinction derived from their colors. Remarkably, all of the cases of unusually strong Na I D absorption correspond to "Blueshifted" profiles in the classification scheme of Sternberg et al. (2011). This coincidence suggests that outflowing circumstellar gas is responsible for at least some of the cases of anomalously large Na I column densities. Two supernovae with unusually strong Na I D absorption showed essentially normal K I column densities for the dust extinction implied by their colors, but this does not appear to be a universal characteristic. Overall, we find the most accurate predictor of individual supernova extinction to be the equivalent width of the diffuse interstellar band at 5780 Angstroms, and provide an empirical relation for its use. Finally, we identify ways of producing significant enhancements of the Na abundance of circumstellar material in both the single-degenerate and double-degenerate scenarios for the progenitor system.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2013

Physical parameters and the projection factor of the classical Cepheid in the binary system OGLE-LMC-CEP-0227

A novel method of analysis of double-lined eclipsing binaries containing a radially pulsating star is presented. The combined pulsating-eclipsing light curve is built up from a purely eclipsing light curve grid created using an existing modeling tool. For every pulsation phase the instantaneous radius and surface brightness are taken into account, being calculated from the disentangled radial velocity curve of the pulsating star and from its out-of-eclipse pulsational light curve and the light ratio of the components, respectively. The best model is found using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo method. The method is applied to the eclipsing binary Cepheid OGLE-LMC-CEP-0227 (P_puls = 3.80 d, P_orb = 309 d). We analyze a set of new spectroscopic and photometric observations for this binary, simultaneously fitting OGLE V-band, I-band and Spitzer 3.6 μm photometry. We derive a set of fundamental parameters of the system significantly improving the precision comparing to the previous results obtained by our group. The Cepheid mass and radius are M_1 = 4.165 +/- 0.032 M_solar and R_1 = 34.92 +/- 0.34 R_solar, respectively. For the first time a direct, geometrical and distance-independent determination of the Cepheid projection factor is presented. The value p = 1.21 +/- 0.03(stat.) +/- 0.04(syst.) is consistent with theoretical expectations for a short period Cepheid and interferometric measurements for δ Cep. We also find a very high value of the optical limb darkening coefficients for the Cepheid component, in strong disagreement with theoretical predictions for static atmospheres at a given surface temperature and gravity.

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