HIGH-RESOLUTION SPECTROSCOPY OF THE B[e] STAR MWC 645

Optical high-resolution spectroscopic observations of the emission-line star MWC645 are presented. The spectrum exhibits strong variable double-peaked Balmer emission lines as well as low-excitation emission lines of FeII, [FeII], and [OI] which are signatures of the B[e] phenomenon, while lines of helium have not been found. In addition to the emission lines, for the first time we identified absorption lines of neutral metals (e.g., LiI 6708 A, CaI 6717 A, and a number of FeI and TiI lines) that indicate the presence of a cool component in the system. The heliocentric radial velocity measured in our best spectrum was found to be −65.1±1.0 kms −1 for the emission lines and −23.2±0.4 kms −1 for the absorption lines. Using a combination of photometric and spectroscopic data as well as the Gaia EDR3 distance (D=6.5±0.9 kpc), we disentangled the component contributions and estimated their temperatures and luminosities (∼15000 K and ∼4000 K, log L/L ? = 3.8±0.2 and 2.8±0.2 for the hot and cool component, respectively).

V899 Mon: A Peculiar Eruptive Young Star Close to the End of Its Outburst

The eruptive young star V899 Mon shows characteristics of both FUors and EXors. It reached a peak brightness in 2010, then briefly faded in 2011, followed by a second outburst. We conducted multifilter optical photometric monitoring, as well as optical and near-infrared spectroscopic observations, of V899 Mon. The light curves and color–magnitude diagrams show that V899 Mon has been gradually fading after its second outburst peak in 2018, but smaller accretion bursts are still happening. Our spectroscopic observations taken with Gemini/IGRINS and VLT/MUSE show a number of emission lines, unlike during the outbursting stage. We used the emission line fluxes to estimate the accretion rate and found that it has significantly decreased compared to the outbursting stage. The mass-loss rate is also weakening. Our 2D spectroastrometric analysis of emission lines recovered jet and disk emission of V899 Mon. We found that the emission from permitted metallic lines and the CO bandheads can be modeled well with a disk in Keplerian rotation, which also gives a tight constraint for the dynamical stellar mass of 2 M ⊙. After a discussion of the physical changes that led to the changes in the observed properties of V899 Mon, we suggest that this object is finishing its second outburst.

Does ADS 9346 have a low-mass companion?

Based on the photographic and CCD observations of the relative motion of the A and B components of the binary system ADS 9346 obtained with the 26-inch refractor of Pulkovo Observatory during 1979–2019, we discover an invisible companion associated with star A. Comparison of the ephemerides with the positional and spectroscopic observations allowed us to calculate the preliminary orbit of the photocenter (P = 15 yr). The minimal mass of the companion is approximately 0.13 M ⊙. The existence of the invisible low-mass companion is implied by the IR-excess based on IRAS data. To confirm this, additional observations of the radial velocity near the periastron need to be carried out.

A Systematic Search for Dual Active Galactic Nuclei in Merging Galaxies (ASTRO-DARING) II: First Results from Long-slit Spectroscopic Observations

Building a large sample of kiloparsec (kpc)-scale dual active galactic nuclei (AGNs) among merging galaxies is of vital importance to understand the coevolution between host galaxies and their central super massive black holes (SMBHs). Doing so, with just such a sample, we have developed an innovative method of systematically searching and identifying dual AGNs among kpc-scale merging galaxies and selected 222 candidates at redshifts ≤ 0.25. All the selected candidates have radio detection in the Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty Centimeters survey and at least one of two cores previously revealed as AGN spectroscopically. We report the first results from a systematic search for dual AGNs in merging galaxies (ASTRO-DARING), which consist of spatially resolved long-slit spectroscopic observations of 41 targets selected from our merging galaxies sample carried out between 2014 November and 2017 February, using the Yunnan Faint Object Spectrograph and Camera mounted on the 2.4 meter telescope in Lijiang of Yunnan Observatories. Of these, 16 are likely dual AGNs, and 15 are newly identified. The efficiency of ASTRO-DARING is thus nearly 40%. With this method, we plan to build the first even sample of more than 50 dual AGNs constructed using a consistent approach. Further analysis of the dual AGN sample shall provide vital clues for understanding the coevolution of galaxies and SMBHs.

Two New roAp Stars Discovered with TESS

We present two new rapidly oscillating Ap (roAp) stars, TIC 198781841 and TIC 229960986, discovered in TESS photometric data. The periodogram of TIC 198781841 has a large peak at 166.506 day−1 (1.93 mHz), with two nearby peaks at 163.412 day−1 (1.89 mHz) and 169.600 day−1 (1.96 mHz). These correspond to three independent high-overtone pressure modes, with alternating even and odd ℓ values. TIC 229960986 has a high-frequency triplet centered at 191.641 day−1 (2.218 mHz), with sidebands at 191.164 day−1 (2.213 mHz) and 192.119 day−1 (2.224 mHz). This pulsation appears to be a rotationally split dipole mode, with sideband amplitudes significantly larger than that of the central peak; hence, both pulsation poles are seen over the rotation cycle. Our photometric identification of two new roAp stars underscores the remarkable ability of TESS to identify high-frequency pulsators without spectroscopic observations.

Mechanisms of Upconversion Luminescence of Er3+-Doped NaYF4 via 980 and 1530 nm Excitation

To date, the mechanisms of Er3+ upconversion luminescence via 980 and 1530 nm excitation have been extensively investigated; however, based on discussions, they either suffer from the lack of convincing evidence or require elaborated and time-consuming numerical simulations. In this work, the steady-state and time-resolved upconversion luminescence data of Er3+-doped NaYF4 were measured; we therefore investigated the upconversion mechanisms of Er3+ on the basis of the spectroscopic observations and the simplified rate equation modeling. This work provides a relatively simple strategy to reveal the UCL mechanisms of Er3+ upon excitation with various wavelengths, which may also be used in other lanthanide ion-doped systems.