scholarly journals Unlocking Galactic Wolf–Rayet stars with Gaia DR2 – I. Distances and absolute magnitudes

2020 ◽  
Vol 493 (1) ◽  
pp. 1512-1529 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gemma Rate ◽  
Paul A Crowther

ABSTRACT We obtain distances to 383 Galactic Wolf–Rayet (WR) stars from Gaia DR2 parallaxes and Bayesian methods, with a prior based on H ii regions and dust extinction. Distances agree with those from Bailer-Jones et al. for stars up to 2 kpc from the Sun, though deviate thereafter due to differing priors, leading to modest reductions in luminosities for recent WR spectroscopic results. We calculate visual and K-band absolute magnitudes, accounting for dust extinction contributions and binarity, and identify 187 stars with reliable absolute magnitudes. For WR and O stars within 2 kpc, we find a WR/O ratio of 0.09. The distances are used to generate absolute magnitude calibrations and obtain the Gaia colour–magnitude diagram for WR stars. Average vWR-band absolute magnitudes for WN stars range from –3.6 mag (WN3–4) to –7.0 mag (WN8–9ha), and –3.1 (WO2–4) to –4.6 mag (WC9), with standard deviations of ∼0.6 mag. Using H ii region scale heights, we identify 31 WR stars at large (3σ, |z| ≥ 156 pc) distances from the mid-plane as potential runaways accounting for the Galactic warp, of which only four involve WN8–9 stars, contrary to previous claims.

Author(s):  
G. R. Kostandyan

The second Gaia data release (Gaia DR2) data are used to analyze and estimate some important parameters for 127 carbon (C) type stars (56 are late N - type Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) C stars, 71 are early type CH giants) detected on the First Byurakan Spectral Sky Survey (FBS) low-resolution (lr) spectral plates. Gaia DR2 G broad band magnitudes are in the range 9.4m < G < 18.2m. for FBS C stars. Radial velocities (RV) is available for 75 C stars out of 127. For 9 objects RV is greater than 200 km/s. Absolute magnitudes in V band are estimated for 18 FBS C stars, having luminosity data, from which 17 are CH giants. They are in the range between -3.5m ≤ MV < +0.5m. For FBS 1918+869 absolute magnitude MV = -3.4(±0.2)m, which is typical for N type AGB C stars. Having distance estimations, the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram (HRD, or color - absolute magnitude diagram) was constructed for C stars. All FBS detected C stars are giants and AGB stars in the Galactic Halo. They are not far than 14 kpc from the Sun and 8 kpc from the Galactic plane.


2003 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 270-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Karaali ◽  
Y. Karataş ◽  
S. Bilir ◽  
S. G. Ak ◽  
E. Hamzaoğlu

AbstractWe present a new procedure for photometric parallax estimation. The data for 1236 stars provide calibrations between the absolute magnitude offset from the Hyades main-sequence and the ultraviolet-excess for eight different (B–V)0 colour-index intervals, (0.3 0.4), (0.4 0.5), (0.5 0.6), (0.6 0.7), (0.7 0.8), (0.8 0.9), (0.9 1.0) and (1.0 1.1). The mean difference between the original and estimated absolute magnitudes and the corresponding standard deviation are rather small, +0.0002 and ±0.0613 mag. The procedure has been adapted to the Sloan photometry by means of colour equations and applied to a set of artificial stars with different metallicities. The comparison of the absolute magnitudes estimated by the new procedure and the canonical one indicates that a single colour–magnitude diagram does not supply reliable absolute magnitudes for stars with large range of metallicity.


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.


2020 ◽  
Vol 500 (2) ◽  
pp. 2590-2606 ◽  
Author(s):  
George A Gontcharov ◽  
Aleksandr V Mosenkov

ABSTRACT We consider a complete sample of 101 810 giants with Gaia Data Realease 2 (DR2) parallaxes ϖ within the red clump domain of the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram in the space cylinder with a radius of 700 pc around the Sun and a height of |Z| = 1800 pc. We use the Gaia DR2 GBP, GRP, and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer W3 photometry. We describe the spatial variations of the modes of the observables GBP − GRP, GRP − W3, $G_\mathrm{BP}+5+5\, \log _{10}\varpi$, $G_\mathrm{RP}+5+5\, \log _{10}\varpi$, and $W3+5+5\, \log _{10}\varpi$ by extinction and reddening in combination with linear vertical gradients of the intrinsic colours and absolute magnitudes of the red giant clump. The derived clump median absolute magnitude in W3 agrees with its recent literature estimates. The clump median intrinsic colours and absolute magnitudes in GBP and GRP are derived for the first time at a precision level of 0.01 mag. We confirm the reliability of the derived clump absolute magnitudes, intrinsic colours, and their vertical gradients by comparing them with the theoretical predictions from the PAdova and TRieste Stellar Evolution Code, MESA Isochrones and Stellar Tracks, and Bag of Stellar Tracks and Isochrones. This leads us to the median age and [Fe/H] of the clump within |Z| &lt; 1.7 kpc from the Galactic mid-plane as $(2.3\pm 0.5)+(3.2\pm 1.6)\, |Z|$ Gyr and $(-0.08\pm 0.08)-(0.16\pm 0.07)\, |Z|$ dex, respectively, where Z is expressed in kpc. These results agree with recent empirical and theoretical estimates. Moreover, all the models give similar age–metallicity relations by use of our results in the optical range. The derived extinctions and reddenings across the whole dust half-layer below or above the Sun converge to the reddening E(B − V) = 0.06 mag by use of the most reliable extinction laws.


1998 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 566-566
Author(s):  
C. Jaschek ◽  
A.E. Gómez

We have analysed the standards of the MK system in the B0-F5 spectral region with the help of Hipparcos parallaxes, using only stars for which the error on the absolute magnitude is ≤ 0.3 mag. The sample stars (about one hundred) were scrutinized for companions and for interstellar extinction. We find that the main sequence is a wide band and that, although in general giants and dwarfs have different absolute magnitudes, the separation between luminosity class V and III is not clear. We conclude that there is no strict relation between luminosity class and absolute magnitude. The relation is only a statistical one and has a large intrinsic dispersion. We have analysed similarly the system of standards defined by Garrison and Gray (1994) separating low and high rotational velocity standards. We find similar effects as in the original MK system.


1984 ◽  
Vol 108 ◽  
pp. 257-258
Author(s):  
Michael Rosa ◽  
Jorge Melnick ◽  
Preben Grosbol

The massive H II region NGC 3603 is the closest galactic counterpart to the giant LMC nebula 30 Dor. Walborn (1973) first compared the ionizing OB/WR clusters of the two H II regions and suggested that R 136, the unresolved luminous WR + 0 type central object of 30 Dor, might be a multiple system like the core region of NGC 3603. Suggestions that the dominant component of R 136, i.e. R 136A, might be either a single or a very few supermassive and superluminous stars (Schmidt-Kaler and Feitzinger 1982, Savage et al. 1983) have recently been disputed by Moffat and Seggewiss (1983) and Melnick (1983), who have presented spectroscopic and photometric evidence to support the hypothesis of an unresolved cluster of stars. We have extended Walborn's original comparison of the apparent morphology of the two clusters by digital treatment of the images to simulate how the galactic cluster would look like if it were located in the LMC


2020 ◽  
Vol 496 (1) ◽  
pp. 870-874
Author(s):  
M B Areal ◽  
A Buccino ◽  
S Paron ◽  
C Fariña ◽  
M E Ortega

ABSTRACT Evidence for triggered star formation linking three generations of stars is difficult to assemble, as it requires convincingly associating evolved massive stars with H ii regions that, in turn, would need to present signs of active star formation. We present observational evidence for triggered star formation relating three generations of stars in the neighbourhood of the star LS II +26 8. We carried out new spectroscopic observations of LS II +26 8, revealing that it is a B0 III-type star. We note that LS II +26 8 is located exactly at the geometric centre of a semi-shell-like H ii region complex. The most conspicuous component of this complex is the H ii region Sh2-90, which is probably triggering a new generation of stars. The distances to LS II +26 8 and to Sh2-90 are in agreement (between 2.6 and 3 kpc). Analysis of the interstellar medium on a larger spatial scale shows that the H ii region complex lies on the north-western border of an extended H2 shell. The radius of this molecular shell is about 13 pc, which is in agreement with what an O9 V star (the probable initial spectral type of LS II +26 8 as inferred from evolutive tracks) can generate through its winds in the molecular environment. In conclusion, the spatial and temporal correspondences derived in our analysis enable us to propose a probable triggered star formation scenario initiated by the evolved massive star LS II +26 8 during its main-sequence stage, followed by stars exciting the H ii region complex formed in the molecular shell, and culminating in the birth of young stellar objects around Sh2-90.


1995 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 399-402
Author(s):  
A.E. Gómez ◽  
C. Turon

The Hertzprung-Russel (HR) diagram luminosity calibration relies basically on three kinds of data: trigonometric parallaxes, kinematical data (proper motions and radial velocities) and cluster distances obtained by the zero-age main sequence fitting procedure. The most fundamental method to calculate the absolute magnitude is the use of trigonometric parallaxes, but up to now, accurate data only exist for stars contained in a small volume around the sun. Individual absolute magnitudes are obtained using trigonometric parallaxes or photometric and spectroscopic calibrations. In these calibrations the accuracy on the absolute magnitude determination ranges from ±0.m2 in the main sequence to ±0m5 in the giant branch. On the other hand, trigonometric parallaxes, kinematical data or cluster distances have been used to make statistical calibrations of the absolute magnitude. The standard error on the mean absolute magnitude calibrations ranges from ±0m3 to ±0m6 on the mean sequence, from ±0m5 to ±0m7 on thegiant branch and is of about 1mfor supergiants.Future improvements in the absolute magnitude determination will depend on the improvement of the basic data from the ground and space. A brief overview of the new available data is presented. In particular, the analysis of the first 30 months data of the Hipparcos mission (H30) (from the 37 months data of the whole mission) allows to perform a statistical evaluation of the improvements expected in the luminosity determination.


2000 ◽  
Vol 175 ◽  
pp. 117-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle Briot ◽  
Noel Robichon

AbstractAbsolute magnitudes of Be and B stars are computed for each spectral type and luminosity class V and IV, using the Hipparcos parallax measurements. Some simulations have been carried out in order to estimate the effects which could bias the mean absolute magnitude calculations. As a result, only stars with σπ/π < 15% have been used. A first result is that B stars are fainter than previous estimations by about 0.5 magnitude on average. We then observe that on average Be stars are brighter than B stars of the same spectral type and this over-luminosity increases with the spectral type. A possible interpretation is proposed based on the fact that the rotational velocity of the late Be stars is near the critical rotational velocity.


1979 ◽  
Vol 53 ◽  
pp. 494-494
Author(s):  
Karl W. Kamper

An Allegheny parallax series of SS Cyg, consisting of 52 exposures obtained on 15 nights, was recently measured on the PDS microphotometer at the David Dunlap Observatory, and a value of (m.e.) derived for the absolute parallax. This is close to the mean of the two previous discordant measures for this star given in the table below. The weighted mean of the three determinations implies that the absolute magnitude, at quiescent phase, of the star is between 7.0 and 9.0 formally at a 90% confidence level. Recent parallax determinations made at Lick by Vasilevskls et al. (1975) for three other stars, listed below along with the Mt. Wilson value for U Gem, imply even fainter absolute magnitudes.


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