scholarly journals The VMC survey

2018 ◽  
Vol 613 ◽  
pp. L8 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Niederhofer ◽  
M.-R. L. Cioni ◽  
S. Rubele ◽  
T. Schmidt ◽  
K. Bekki ◽  
...  

We present the first spatially resolved map of stellar proper motions within the central (~3.1 × 2.4 kpc) regions of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). The data used for this study encompasses four tiles from the ongoing near-infrared VISTA survey of the Magellanic Clouds system and covers a total contiguous area on the sky of ~6.81 deg2. Proper motions have been calculated independently in two dimensions from the spatial offsets in the Ks filter over time baselines between 22 and 27 months. The reflex motions of approximately 33 000 background galaxies are used to calibrate the stellar motions to an absolute scale. The resulting catalog is composed of more than 690 000 stars which have been selected based on their position in the (J − Ks, Ks) color-magnitude diagram. For the median absolute proper motion of the SMC, we find (μαcos(δ), μδ) = (1.087 ± 0.192 (sys.) ± 0.003 (stat.), −1.187 ± 0.008 (sys.) ± 0.003 (stat.)) mas yr−1, consistent with previous studies. Mapping the proper motions as a function of position within the SMC reveals a nonuniform velocity pattern indicative of a tidal feature behind the main body of the SMC and a flow of stars in the south-east moving predominantly along the line-of-sight.

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (S344) ◽  
pp. 53-56
Author(s):  
Maria-Rosa L. Cioni ◽  
Florian Niederhofer ◽  
Stefano Rubele ◽  
Ning-Chen Sun

AbstractVISTA observed the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), as part of the VISTA survey of the Magellanic Clouds system (VMC), for six years (2010–2016). The acquired multi-epoch YJKs images have allowed us to probe the stellar populations to an exceptional level of detail across an unprecedented wide area in the near-infrared. This contribution highlights the most recent VMC results obtained on the SMC focusing, in particular, on the clustering of young stellar populations, on the proper motion of stars in the main body of the galaxy and on the spatial distribution of the star formation history.


2021 ◽  
Vol 502 (2) ◽  
pp. 2859-2878
Author(s):  
Florian Niederhofer ◽  
Maria-Rosa L Cioni ◽  
Stefano Rubele ◽  
Thomas Schmidt ◽  
Jonathan D Diaz ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT We used data from the near-infrared Visible and Infrared Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA) survey of the Magellanic Cloud system (VMC) to measure proper motions (PMs) of stars within the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). The data analysed in this study comprise 26 VMC tiles, covering a total contiguous area on the sky of ∼40 deg2. Using multi-epoch observations in the Ks band over time baselines between 13 and 38 months, we calculated absolute PMs with respect to ∼130 000 background galaxies. We selected a sample of ∼2160 000 likely SMC member stars to model the centre-of-mass motion of the galaxy. The results found for three different choices of the SMC centre are in good agreement with recent space-based measurements. Using the systemic motion of the SMC, we constructed spatially resolved residual PM maps and analysed for the first time the internal kinematics of the intermediate-age/old and young stellar populations separately. We found outward motions that point either towards a stretching of the galaxy or stripping of its outer regions. Stellar motions towards the North might be related to the ‘Counter Bridge’ behind the SMC. The young populations show larger PMs in the region of the SMC Wing, towards the young Magellanic Bridge. In the older populations, we further detected a coordinated motion of stars away from the SMC in the direction of the Old Bridge as well as a stream towards the SMC.


2020 ◽  
Vol 637 ◽  
pp. A45
Author(s):  
R.-D. Scholz

Aims. The Gaia data release 2 (DR2) contains > 6000 objects with parallaxes (Plx + 3 × e_Plx) > 50 mas, placing them within 20 pc from the Sun. Because the expected numbers based on extrapolating the well-known 10 pc census are much lower, nearby Gaia stars need a quality assessment. The 20 pc sample of white dwarfs (WDs) has been verified and completed with Gaia DR2. We here confirm and complete the 20 pc sample of ultracool dwarfs (UCDs) with spectral types ≳M7 and given Gaia DR2 parallaxes. Methods. Dividing the Gaia DR2 20 pc sample into subsamples of various astrometric and photometric quality, we studied their distribution on the sky, in the MG versus G − RP colour-magnitude diagram (CMD), and as a function of G magnitude and total proper motion. After excluding 139 known WDs and 263 known UCDs from the CMD, we checked all remaining ≈3500 candidates with MG >  14 mag (used to define UCDs in this study) for the correctness of their Gaia DR2 proper motions by visual inspection of finder charts, comparison with proper motion catalogues, and comparison with our own proper motion measurements. For confirmed UCD candidates we estimated spectral types photometrically using Gaia and near-infrared absolute magnitudes and colours. Results. We failed to confirm new WDs, but found 50 new UCD candidates that are not mentioned in three previous studies using Gaia DR2. They have relatively small proper motions and low tangential velocities and are concentrated towards the Galactic plane. Half of them have spectral types in SIMBAD and/or previous non-Gaia distance estimates that placed them already within 20 pc. For 20 of the 50 objects, we estimated photometric spectral types of M6−M6.5, slightly below the classical UCD spectral type limit. However, seven L4.5−L6.5, four L0−L1, five M8.5−M9.5, and three M7−M8 dwarfs can be considered as completely new UCDs discoveries within 20 pc based on Gaia DR2. Four M6.5 and two L4.5 dwarfs have high membership probabilities (64%−99%) in the ARGUS, AB Doradus, or Carina Near young moving groups.


Author(s):  
K. Vieira ◽  
A. García-Varela ◽  
B. Sabogal

We revisit the subject of Be star candidates towards the Magellanic Clouds, previously studied by the author susing SPM4 proper motions. We obtain GAIA DR2 parallaxes and proper motions for 2357 and 994 LMC and SMC Be candidates, respectively. Parallaxes and proper motions vs. color V-I easily reveal the presence of the redder galactic contaminant foreground, as concluded in our previous work, but this time we do find a few red Be stars candidates consistent with being true Magellanic objects. A membership assessment to each Magellanic Cloud is done for each Be candidate, based on the distribution of their parallaxes and proper motions. Near-infrared IRSF JHKs magnitudes were obtained for about 70% the Be stars candidates with GAIA DR2 astrometric data. Several Magellanic Be candidates are redder in optical an near-infrared than what is expected for Classical Be stars.


2020 ◽  
Vol 501 (2) ◽  
pp. 1690-1700
Author(s):  
Julio A Carballo-Bello ◽  
David Martínez-Delgado ◽  
Jesús M Corral-Santana ◽  
Emilio J Alfaro ◽  
Camila Navarrete ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT We present the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) imaging combined with Gaia Data Release 2 (DR2) data to study the Canis Major overdensity. The presence of the so-called Blue Plume stars in a low-pollution area of the colour–magnitude diagram allows us to derive the distance and proper motions of this stellar feature along the line of sight of its hypothetical core. The stellar overdensity extends on a large area of the sky at low Galactic latitudes, below the plane, and in the range 230° < ℓ < 255°. According to the orbit derived for Canis Major, it presents an on-plane rotation around the Milky Way. Moreover, additional overdensities of Blue Plume stars are found around the plane and across the Galaxy, proving that these objects are not only associated with that structure. The spatial distribution of these stars, derived using Gaia astrometric data, confirms that the detection of the Canis Major overdensity results more from the warped structure of the Milky Way disc than from the accretion of a dwarf galaxy.


2003 ◽  
Vol 211 ◽  
pp. 455-456 ◽  
Author(s):  
José A. Caballero ◽  
Víctor J. S. Béjar ◽  
Rafael Rebolo

We have obtained series of images in the near infrared J and Ks bands for seven L-type dwarfs with a duration of 3 to 6 hours. We present results on: 1) the amplitude of variability associated with atmospheric changes over time scales from minutes to several hours; 2) the search for cool companions in wide orbits; 3) the search for transits of brown dwarfs and planetary companions in very close orbits.


2006 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
David A. Cole

Many outcome variables in developmental psychopathology research are highly stable over time. In conventional longitudinal data analytic approaches such as multiple regression, controlling for prior levels of the outcome variable often yields little (if any) reliable variance in the dependent variable for putative predictors to explain. Three strategies for coping with this problem are described. One involves focusing on developmental periods of transition, in which the outcome of interest may be less stable. A second is to give careful consideration to the amount of time allowed to elapse between waves of data collection. The third is to consider trait-state-occasion models that partition the outcome variable into two dimensions: one entirely stable and trait-like, the other less stable and subject to occasion-specific fluctuations.


1998 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 395-395
Author(s):  
S. Nishida ◽  
T. Tanabé ◽  
S. Matsumoto ◽  
T. Onaka ◽  
Y. Nakada ◽  
...  

A systematic near-infrared survey was made for globular clusters in the Magellanic Clouds. Two infrared stars were discovered in NGC419 (SMC) and NGC1783 (LMC). NGC419 and NGC1783 are well-studied rich globular clusters whose turn-off masses and ages are estimated MTO ~ 2.0 Mʘ and т ~1.2 Gyr for NGC419, and MT0 ~ 2.0 Mʘ and т ʘ 0.9 Gyr for NGC1783, respectively. The periods of the infrared light variations were determined to be 540 dfor NGC419IR1 and to be 480 d for NGC1783IR1, respectively. Comparison of the measurements with the period—if magnitude relation for carbon Miras in the LMC by Groenewegen and Whitelock(1996) revealed that the Kmagnitudes of the infrared stars were fainter by about 0.3 — 0.8 magnitude than those predicted by the P — K relation. This deviation can be explained if the infrared stars are surrounded by thick dust shells and are obscured even in the K band. The positions of NGC419IR1and NGC1783IR1 on the P — K diagram suggest that AGB stars with the main sequence masses of about 2 Mʘ start their heavy mass-loss when P ʘ 500 d.


2020 ◽  
Vol 500 (3) ◽  
pp. 3213-3239
Author(s):  
Mattia Libralato ◽  
Daniel J Lennon ◽  
Andrea Bellini ◽  
Roeland van der Marel ◽  
Simon J Clark ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The presence of massive stars (MSs) in the region close to the Galactic Centre (GC) poses several questions about their origin. The harsh environment of the GC favours specific formation scenarios, each of which should imprint characteristic kinematic features on the MSs. We present a 2D kinematic analysis of MSs in a GC region surrounding Sgr A* based on high-precision proper motions obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope. Thanks to a careful data reduction, well-measured bright stars in our proper-motion catalogues have errors better than 0.5 mas yr−1. We discuss the absolute motion of the MSs in the field and their motion relative to Sgr A*, the Arches, and the Quintuplet. For the majority of the MSs, we rule out any distance further than 3–4 kpc from Sgr A* using only kinematic arguments. If their membership to the GC is confirmed, most of the isolated MSs are likely not associated with either the Arches or Quintuplet clusters or Sgr A*. Only a few MSs have proper motions, suggesting that they are likely members of the Arches cluster, in agreement with previous spectroscopic results. Line-of-sight radial velocities and distances are required to shed further light on the origin of most of these massive objects. We also present an analysis of other fast-moving objects in the GC region, finding no clear excess of high-velocity escaping stars. We make our astro-photometric catalogues publicly available.


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