scholarly journals Estimating stellar ages and metallicities from parallaxes and broadband photometry: successes and shortcomings

2019 ◽  
Vol 622 ◽  
pp. A27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise M. Howes ◽  
Lennart Lindegren ◽  
Sofia Feltzing ◽  
Ross P. Church ◽  
Thomas Bensby
Keyword(s):  
Open Cluster ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Evolutionary Stage ◽  
Milky Way Galaxy ◽  
Distance Information ◽  
Stellar Photometry ◽  
Giant Stars ◽  
Stellar Ages ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Uv Photometry

A deep understanding of the Milky Way galaxy, its formation and evolution requires observations of huge numbers of stars. Stellar photometry, therefore, provides an economical method to obtain intrinsic stellar parameters. With the addition of distance information – a prospect made real for more than a billion stars with the second Gaia data release – deriving reliable ages from photometry is a possibility. We have developed a Bayesian method that generates 2D probability maps of a star’s age and metallicity from photometry and parallax using isochrones. Our synthetic tests show that including a near-UV passband enables us to break the degeneracy between a star’s age and metallicity for certain evolutionary stages. It is possible to find well-constrained ages and metallicities for turn-off and sub-giant stars with colours including a U band and a parallax with uncertainty less than ∼20%. Metallicities alone are possible for the main sequence and giant branch. We find good agreement with the literature when we apply our method to the Gaia benchmark stars, particularly for turn-off and young stars. Further tests on the old open cluster NGC 188, however, reveal significant limitations in the stellar isochrones. The ages derived for the cluster stars vary with evolutionary stage, such that turn-off ages disagree with those on the sub-giant branch, and metallicities vary significantly throughout. Furthermore, the parameters vary appreciably depending on which colour combinations are used in the derivation. We identify the causes of these mismatches and show that improvements are needed in the modelling of giant branch stars and in the creation and calibration of synthetic near-UV photometry. Our results warn against applying isochrone fitting indiscriminately. In particular, the uncertainty on the stellar models should be quantitatively taken into account. Further efforts to improve the models will result in significant advancements in our ability to study the Galaxy.

scholarly journals Present state and promises to unravel the structure and kinematics of the Milky Way with the RAVE survey

2008 ◽  
Vol 4 (S254) ◽  
pp. 453-460 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Steinmetz ◽  
A. Siebert ◽  
T. Zwitter ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Milky Way ◽  
Large Fraction ◽  
Radial Velocities ◽  
Schmidt Telescope ◽  
Milky Way Galaxy ◽  
Giant Stars ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Second Year ◽  
Scientific Results ◽  
First Time

AbstractThe RAdial Velocity Experiment (RAVE) is an ambitious survey to measure the radial velocities, temperatures, surface gravities, metallicities and abundance ratios for up to a million stars using the 1.2-m UK Schmidt Telescope of the Anglo-Australian Observatory (AAO), over the period 2003–2011. The survey represents a big advance in our understanding of our own Milky Way galaxy. The main data product will be a southern hemisphere survey of about a million stars. Their selection is based exclusively on their I–band colour, so avoiding any colour-induced bias. RAVE is expected to be the largest spectroscopic survey of the Solar neighbourhood in the coming decade, but with a significant fraction of giant stars reaching out to 10 kpc from the Sun. RAVE offers the first truly representative inventory of stellar radial velocities for all major components of the Galaxy. Here we present the first scientific results of this survey as well as its second data release which doubles the number of previously released radial velocities. For the first time, the release also provides atmospheric parameters for a large fraction of the second year data, making it an unprecedented tool to study the formation of the Milky Way. Plans for further data releases are outlined.

scholarly journals The Gaia-ESO survey: Calibrating a relationship between age and the [C/N] abundance ratio with open clusters

2019 ◽  
Vol 629 ◽  
pp. A62 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Casali ◽  
L. Magrini ◽  
E. Tognelli ◽  
R. Jackson ◽  
R. D. Jeffries ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Open Cluster ◽  
Empirical Relationship ◽  
Star Clusters ◽  
Open Clusters ◽  
Open Star Clusters ◽  
Mixing Processes ◽  
Dwarf Stars ◽  
Additional Tool ◽  
Giant Stars ◽  
Stellar Ages

Context. In the era of large high-resolution spectroscopic surveys such as Gaia-ESO and APOGEE, high-quality spectra can contribute to our understanding of the Galactic chemical evolution by providing abundances of elements that belong to the different nucleosynthesis channels, and also by providing constraints to one of the most elusive astrophysical quantities: stellar age. Aims. Some abundance ratios, such as [C/N], have been proven to be excellent indicators of stellar ages. We aim at providing an empirical relationship between stellar ages and [C/N] using open star clusters, observed by the Gaia-ESO and APOGEE surveys, as calibrators. Methods. We used stellar parameters and abundances from the Gaia-ESO Survey and APOGEE Survey of the Galactic field and open cluster stars. Ages of star clusters were retrieved from the literature sources and validated using a common set of isochrones. We used the same isochrones to determine for each age and metallicity the surface gravity at which the first dredge-up and red giant branch bump occur. We studied the effect of extra-mixing processes in our sample of giant stars, and we derived the mean [C/N] in evolved stars, including only stars without evidence of extra mixing. By combining the Gaia-ESO and APOGEE samples of open clusters, we derived a linear relationship between [C/N] and (logarithmic) cluster ages. Results. We apply our relationship to selected giant field stars in the Gaia-ESO and APOGEE surveys. We find an age separation between thin- and thick-disc stars and age trends within their populations, with an increasing age towards lower metallicity populations. Conclusions. With this empirical relationship, we are able to provide an age estimate for giant stars in which C and N abundances are measured. For giant stars, the isochrone fitting method is indeed less sensitive than for dwarf stars at the turn-off. Our method can therefore be considered as an additional tool to give an independent estimate of the age of giant stars. The uncertainties in their ages is similar to those obtained using isochrone fitting for dwarf stars.

scholarly journals A phylogenetic approach to chemical tagging

2018 ◽  
Vol 618 ◽  
pp. A65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergi Blanco-Cuaresma ◽  
Didier Fraix-Burnet
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Elements ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Open Cluster ◽  
Open Clusters ◽  
Evolutionary Stage ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Chemical Abundances ◽  
Chemical Tagging ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
History Of

Context. The chemical tagging technique is a promising approach to reconstructing the history of the Galaxy by only using stellar chemical abundances. Multiple studies have undertaken this analysis and they have raised several challenges. Aims. Using a sample of open cluster stars, we wish to address two issues: minimize chemical abundance differences whose origin is linked to the evolutionary stage of the stars and not their original composition and evaluate a phylogenetic approach to group stars based on their chemical composition. Methods. We derived differential chemical abundances for 207 stars, belonging to 34 open clusters, using the Sun as reference star (classical approach) and a dwarf plus a giant star from the open cluster M 67 as reference (new approach). These abundances were then used to perform two phylogenetic analyses: cladistics (maximum parsimony) and neighbor joining, together with a partitioning unsupervised classification analysis with k-means. The resulting groupings were finally confronted to the true open cluster memberships of the stars. Results. We successfully reconstruct most of the original open clusters when carefully selecting a subset of the abundances derived differentially with respect to M 67. We find a set of eight chemical elements that yield the best result and discuss the possible reasons for these elements to be good tracers of the history of the Galaxy. Conclusions. Our study shows that unraveling the history of the Galaxy by only using stellar chemical abundances is greatly improved provided that i) we perform a differential spectroscopic analysis with respect to an open cluster instead of the Sun, ii) select the chemical elements that are good tracers of the history of the Galaxy, and iii) use tools that are adapted to detect evolutionary tracks such as phylogenetic approaches.

The Long View of Planetary Systems

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karel Schrijver
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Milky Way ◽  
Planetary Systems ◽  
Giant Planets ◽  
Milky Way Galaxy ◽  
Population Statistics ◽  
The Past ◽  
General Terms ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
The Universe

How many planetary systems formed before our’s did, and how many will form after? How old is the average exoplanet in the Galaxy? When did the earliest planets start forming? How different are the ages of terrestrial and giant planets? And, ultimately, what will the fate be of our Solar System, of the Milky Way Galaxy, and of the Universe around us? We cannot know the fate of individual exoplanets with great certainty, but based on population statistics this chapter sketches the past, present, and future of exoworlds and of our Earth in general terms.

scholarly journals Formation rate of LB-1-like systems through dynamical interactions

2020 ◽  
Vol 72 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ataru Tanikawa ◽  
Tomoya Kinugawa ◽  
Jun Kumamoto ◽  
Michiko S Fujii
Keyword(s):  
Open Cluster ◽  
Formation Rate ◽  
Open Clusters ◽  
Type Star ◽  
Dynamical Mechanism ◽  
Milky Way Galaxy ◽  
Triple Systems ◽  
Stellar Collisions ◽  
Solar Metallicity ◽  
Helium Star

Abstract We estimate formation rates of LB-1-like systems through dynamical interactions in the framework of the theory of stellar evolution before the discovery of the LB-1 system. The LB-1 system contains a ∼70 ${M_{\odot}}$ black hole (BH), a so-called pair instability (PI) gap BH, and a B-type star with solar metallicity, and has nearly zero eccentricity. The most efficient formation mechanism is as follows. In an open cluster, a naked helium star (with ∼20 ${M_{\odot}}$) collides with a heavy main sequence star (with ∼50 ${M_{\odot}}$) which has a B-type companion. The collision results in a binary consisting of the collision product and the B-type star with a high eccentricity. The binary can be circularized through the dynamical tide with radiative damping of the collision product envelope. Finally, the collision product collapses to a PI-gap BH, avoiding pulsational pair instability and pair instability supernovae because its He core is as massive as the pre-colliding naked He star. We find that the number of LB-1-like systems in the Milky Way galaxy is ∼0.01(ρoc/104 ${M_{\odot}}$ pc−3), where ρoc is the initial mass densities of open clusters. If we take into account LB-1-like systems with O-type companion stars, the number increases to ∼0.03(ρoc/104 ${M_{\odot}}$ pc−3). This mechanism can form LB-1-like systems at least ten times more efficiently than the other mechanisms: captures of B-type stars by PI-gap BHs, stellar collisions between other types of stars, and stellar mergers in hierarchical triple systems. We conclude that no dynamical mechanism can explain the presence of the LB-1 system.

scholarly journals Realistic mock observations of the sizes and stellar mass surface densities of massive galaxies in FIRE-2 zoom-in simulations

2020 ◽  
Vol 501 (2) ◽  
pp. 1591-1602
Author(s):  
T Parsotan ◽  
R K Cochrane ◽  
C C Hayward ◽  
D Anglés-Alcázar ◽  
R Feldmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Galaxy Formation ◽  
Surface Density ◽  
Stellar Mass ◽  
Massive Galaxies ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Stellar Feedback ◽  
Central Surface ◽  
Stellar Ages ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Zoom In

ABSTRACT The galaxy size–stellar mass and central surface density–stellar mass relationships are fundamental observational constraints on galaxy formation models. However, inferring the physical size of a galaxy from observed stellar emission is non-trivial due to various observational effects, such as the mass-to-light ratio variations that can be caused by non-uniform stellar ages, metallicities, and dust attenuation. Consequently, forward-modelling light-based sizes from simulations is desirable. In this work, we use the skirt  dust radiative transfer code to generate synthetic observations of massive galaxies ($M_{*}\sim 10^{11}\, \rm {M_{\odot }}$ at z = 2, hosted by haloes of mass $M_{\rm {halo}}\sim 10^{12.5}\, \rm {M_{\odot }}$) from high-resolution cosmological zoom-in simulations that form part of the Feedback In Realistic Environments project. The simulations used in this paper include explicit stellar feedback but no active galactic nucleus (AGN) feedback. From each mock observation, we infer the effective radius (Re), as well as the stellar mass surface density within this radius and within $1\, \rm {kpc}$ (Σe and Σ1, respectively). We first investigate how well the intrinsic half-mass radius and stellar mass surface density can be inferred from observables. The majority of predicted sizes and surface densities are within a factor of 2 of the intrinsic values. We then compare our predictions to the observed size–mass relationship and the Σ1−M⋆ and Σe−M⋆ relationships. At z ≳ 2, the simulated massive galaxies are in general agreement with observational scaling relations. At z ≲ 2, they evolve to become too compact but still star forming, in the stellar mass and redshift regime where many of them should be quenched. Our results suggest that some additional source of feedback, such as AGN-driven outflows, is necessary in order to decrease the central densities of the simulated massive galaxies to bring them into agreement with observations at z ≲ 2.

scholarly journals A Statistical Estimation of the Occurrence of Extraterrestrial Intelligence in the Milky Way Galaxy

Galaxies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 5
Author(s):  
Xiang Cai ◽  
Jonathan H. Jiang ◽  
Kristen A. Fahy ◽  
Yuk L. Yung
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Estimation ◽  
Milky Way ◽  
Galactic Center ◽  
Model Simulation ◽  
Temporal Variations ◽  
Extraterrestrial Intelligence ◽  
Milky Way Galaxy ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Peak Location ◽  
Intelligent Life

In the field of astrobiology, the precise location, prevalence, and age of potential extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI) have not been explicitly explored. Here, we address these inquiries using an empirical galactic simulation model to analyze the spatial–temporal variations and the prevalence of potential ETI within the Galaxy. This model estimates the occurrence of ETI, providing guidance on where to look for intelligent life in the Search for ETI (SETI) with a set of criteria, including well-established astrophysical properties of the Milky Way. Further, typically overlooked factors such as the process of abiogenesis, different evolutionary timescales, and potential self-annihilation are incorporated to explore the growth propensity of ETI. We examine three major parameters: (1) the likelihood rate of abiogenesis (λA); (2) evolutionary timescales (Tevo); and (3) probability of self-annihilation of complex life (Pann). We found Pann to be the most influential parameter determining the quantity and age of galactic intelligent life. Our model simulation also identified a peak location for ETI at an annular region approximately 4 kpc from the galactic center around 8 billion years (Gyrs), with complex life decreasing temporally and spatially from the peak point, asserting a high likelihood of intelligent life in the galactic inner disk. The simulated age distributions also suggest that most of the intelligent life in our galaxy are young, thus making observation or detection difficult.

NGC 6124: a young open cluster with anomalous- and fast-rotating giant stars

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Holanda ◽  
N Drake ◽  
W J B Corradi ◽  
F A Ferreira ◽  
F Maia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Isotopic Ratio ◽  
Rotational Velocity ◽  
Open Cluster ◽  
Chemical Species ◽  
Stellar Atmospheres ◽  
Lithium Abundance ◽  
Giant Stars ◽  
Analysis Technique ◽  
Young Open Cluster ◽  
Fast Rotating

Abstract We present the results of a chemical analysis of fast and anomalous rotator giants members of the young open cluster NGC 6124. For this purpose, we carried out abundances of the mixing sensitive species such as Li, C, N, Na and 12C/13C isotopic ratio, as well as other chemical species for a sample of four giants among the seven observed ones. This study is based on standard spectral analysis technique using high-resolution spectroscopic data. We also performed an investigation of the rotational velocity (v sin  i) once this sample exhibit abnormal values – giant stars commonly present rotational velocities of few km s−1. In parallel, we have been performed a membership study, making use of the third data release from ESA Gaia mission. Based on these data, we estimated a distance of d = 630 pc and an age of 178 Myr through isochrone fitting. After that procedure, we matched all the information raised and investigated the evolutionary stages and thermohaline mixing model through of spectroscopic Teff and log  g and mixing tracers, as 12C/13C and Na, of the studied stars. We derived a low mean metallicity of [Fe/H] = −0.13 ±0.05 and a modest enhancement of the elements created by the s-process such as Y, Zr, La, Ce, and Nd, which is in agreement of what has already been reported in the literature for young clusters. The giants analyzed have homogeneous abundances, except for lithium abundance [log  ε(Li)NLTE = 1.08±0.42] and this may be associated to a combination of mechanisms that act increasing or decreasing lithium abundances in stellar atmospheres.

scholarly journals A quantitative spectral analysis of 14 hypervelocity stars from the MMT survey

2018 ◽  
Vol 615 ◽  
pp. L5 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Irrgang ◽  
S. Kreuzer ◽  
U. Heber ◽  
W. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Main Sequence ◽  
Galactic Center ◽  
Radial Velocities ◽  
Stellar Ages ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Quantitative Spectral Analysis ◽  
Kinematic Studies ◽  
Ejection Mechanism ◽  
Photometric Measurements ◽  
Stellar Masses

Context. Hypervelocity stars (HVSs) travel so fast that they may leave the Galaxy. The tidal disruption of a binary system by the supermassive black hole in the Galactic center is widely assumed to be their ejection mechanism. Aims. To test the hypothesis of an origin in the Galactic center using kinematic investigations, the current space velocities of the HVSs need to be determined. With the advent of Gaia’s second data release, accurate radial velocities from spectroscopy are complemented by proper motion measurements of unprecedented quality. Based on a new spectroscopic analysis method, we provide revised distances and stellar ages, both of which are crucial to unravel the nature of the HVSs. Methods. We reanalyzed low-resolution optical spectra of 14 HVSs from the MMT HVS survey using a new grid of synthetic spectra, which account for deviations from local thermodynamic equilibrium, to derive effective temperatures, surface gravities, radial velocities, and projected rotational velocities. Stellar masses, radii, and ages were then determined by comparison with stellar evolutionary models that account for rotation. Finally, these results were combined with photometric measurements to obtain spectroscopic distances. Results. The resulting atmospheric parameters are consistent with those of main sequence stars with masses in the range 2.5–5.0 M⊙. The majority of the stars rotate at fast speeds, providing further evidence for their main sequence nature. Stellar ages range from 90 to 400 Myr and distances (with typical 1σ-uncertainties of about 10–15%) from 30 to 100 kpc. Except for one object (B 711), which we reclassify as A-type star, all stars are of spectral type B. Conclusions. The spectroscopic distances and stellar ages derived here are key ingredients for upcoming kinematic studies of HVSs based on Gaia proper motions.

scholarly journals Reanalysis of nearby open clusters using Gaia DR1/TGAS and HSOY

2018 ◽  
Vol 615 ◽  
pp. A12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steffi X. Yen ◽  
Sabine Reffert ◽  
Elena Schilbach ◽  
Siegfried Röser ◽  
Nina V. Kharchenko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Milky Way ◽  
Open Cluster ◽  
Star Clusters ◽  
Open Clusters ◽  
Parameter Estimates ◽  
Cluster Membership ◽  
Fitting Procedure ◽  
Cluster Data ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Automatic Tool

Context. Open clusters have long been used to gain insights into the structure, composition, and evolution of the Galaxy. With the large amount of stellar data available for many clusters in the Gaia era, new techniques must be developed for analyzing open clusters, as visual inspection of cluster color-magnitude diagrams is no longer feasible. An automatic tool will be required to analyze large samples of open clusters. Aims. We seek to develop an automatic isochrone-fitting procedure to consistently determine cluster membership and the fundamental cluster parameters. Methods. Our cluster characterization pipeline first determined cluster membership with precise astrometry, primarily from TGAS and HSOY. With initial cluster members established, isochrones were fitted, using a χ2 minimization, to the cluster photometry in order to determine cluster mean distances, ages, and reddening. Cluster membership was also refined based on the stellar photometry. We used multiband photometry, which includes ASCC-2.5 BV, 2MASS JHKs, and Gaia G band. Results. We present parameter estimates for all 24 clusters closer than 333 pc as determined by the Catalogue of Open Cluster Data and the Milky Way Star Clusters catalog. We find that our parameters are consistent to those in the Milky Way Star Clusters catalog. Conclusions. We demonstrate that it is feasible to develop an automated pipeline that determines cluster parameters and membership reliably. After additional modifications, our pipeline will be able to use Gaia DR2 as input, leading to better cluster memberships and more accurate cluster parameters for a much larger number of clusters.

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