ABSTRACT
We present results from applying the SNAD anomaly detection pipeline to the third public data release of the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF DR3). The pipeline is composed of three stages: ...feature extraction, search of outliers with machine learning algorithms, and anomaly identification with followup by human experts. Our analysis concentrates in three ZTF fields, comprising more than 2.25 million objects. A set of four automatic learning algorithms was used to identify 277 outliers, which were subsequently scrutinized by an expert. From these, 188 (68 per cent) were found to be bogus light curves – including effects from the image subtraction pipeline as well as overlapping between a star and a known asteroid, 66 (24 per cent) were previously reported sources whereas 23 (8 per cent) correspond to non-catalogued objects, with the two latter cases of potential scientific interest (e.g. one spectroscopically confirmed RS Canum Venaticorum star, four supernovae candidates, one red dwarf flare). Moreover, using results from the expert analysis, we were able to identify a simple bi-dimensional relation that can be used to aid filtering potentially bogus light curves in future studies. We provide a complete list of objects with potential scientific application so they can be further scrutinised by the community. These results confirm the importance of combining automatic machine learning algorithms with domain knowledge in the construction of recommendation systems for astronomy. Our code is publicly available.1
ABSTRACT
We present the first sample of tidal disruption events (TDEs) discovered during the SRG all-sky survey. These 13 events were selected among X-ray transients detected in the 0° < l < 180° ...hemisphere by eROSITA during its second sky survey (2020 June 10 to December 14) and confirmed by optical follow-up observations. The most distant event occurred at z = 0.581. One TDE continued to brighten at least 6 months. The X-ray spectra are consistent with nearly critical accretion on to black holes of a few ×103 to $10^8\, \mathrm{ M}_\odot$, although supercritical accretion is possibly taking place. In two TDEs, a spectral hardening is observed 6 months after the discovery. Four TDEs showed an optical brightening apart from the X-ray outburst. The other nine TDEs demonstrate no optical activity. All 13 TDEs are optically faint, with Lg/LX < 0.3 (Lg and LX being the g band and 0.2–6 keV luminosity, respectively). We have constructed a TDE X-ray luminosity function, which can be fit by a power law with a slope of −0.6 ± 0.2, similar to the trend observed for optically selected TDEs. The total rate is estimated at (1.1 ± 0.5) × 10−5 TDEs per galaxy per year, an order of magnitude lower than inferred from optical studies. This suggests that X-ray bright events constitute a minority of TDEs, consistent with models predicting that X-rays can only be observed from directions close to the axis of a thick accretion disc formed from the stellar debris. Our TDE detection threshold can be lowered by a factor of ∼2, which should allow a detection of ∼700 TDEs by the end of the SRG survey.
ABSTRACT
We find that dust clouds that eclipse young stars obscure the stellar disc inhomogeneously. In the particular case of CQ Tau, we find isolated optically thick structures with sizes ≲0.6R* ...and derive the typical AV gradient in the plane of the sky, finding it to be as high as a few magnitudes per stellar radius. The large extinction gradients and complex structure of the obscuring clouds lead not only to a noticeable Rossiter–McLaughlin effect but also to complex and variable shaping of stellar absorption lines.
ABSTRACT
Spectroscopic observations of 32 H ii regions in the spiral galaxy NGC 3963 and the barred irregular galaxy NGC 7292 were carried out with the 2.5-m telescope of the Caucasus Mountain ...Observatory of the Sternberg Astronomical Institute using the Transient Double-beam Spectrograph with a dispersion of ≈1 Å pixel−1 and a spectral resolution of ≈3 Å. These observations were used to estimate the oxygen and nitrogen abundances and the electron temperatures in H ii regions through modern strong-line methods. In general, the galaxies have oxygen and nitrogen abundances typical of stellar systems with similar luminosities, sizes, and morphology. However, we have found some peculiarities in chemical abundance distributions in both galaxies. The distorted outer segment of the southern arm of NGC 3963 shows an excess oxygen and nitrogen abundances. Chemical elements abundances in NGC 7292 are constant and do not depend on the galactocentric distance. These peculiarities can be explained in terms of external gas accretion in the case of NGC 3963 and major merging for NGC 7292.
Context.
We present observations from the short-term intensive optical campaign (from September 2019 to January 2020) of the changing-look Seyfert NGC 3516. This active galactic nucleus is known to ...have strong optical variability and has changed its type in the past. It has been in the low-activity state in the optical since 2013, with some rebrightening from the end of 2015 to the beginning of 2016, after which it remained dormant.
Aims.
We aim to study the photometric and spectral variability of NGC 3516 from the new observations in
U
- and
B
-bands and examine the profiles of the optical broad emission lines in order to demonstrate that this object may be entering a new state of activity.
Methods.
NGC 3516 has been monitored intensively for the past 4 months with an automated telescope in
U
and
B
filters, enabling accurate photometry of 0.01 precision. Spectral observations were triggered when an increase in brightness was spotted. We support our analysis of past-episodes of violent variability with the UV and X-ray long-term light curves constructed from the archival
Swift
/UVOT and
Swift
/XRT data.
Results.
An increase of the photometric magnitude is seen in both
U
and
B
filters to a maximum amplitude of 0.25 mag and 0.11 mag, respectively. During the flare, we observe stronger forbidden high-ionization iron lines (Fe
VII
and Fe
X
) than reported before, as well as the complex broad H
α
and H
β
lines. This is especially seen in H
α
, which appears to be double-peaked. It seems that a very broad component of ∼10 000 km s
−1
in width in the Balmer lines is appearing. The trends in the optical, UV, and X-ray light curves are similar, with the amplitudes of variability being significantly larger in the case of UV and X-ray bands.
Conclusions.
The increase of the continuum emission, the variability of the coronal lines, and the very broad component in the Balmer lines may indicate that the AGN of NGC 3516 is finally leaving the low-activity state in which it has been for the last ∼3 years.
ABSTRACT
We present the results of photometric and spectroscopic monitoring campaigns of the changing look AGN NGC 3516 carried out in 2018 to 2020 covering the wavelength range from the X-ray to the ...optical. The facilities included the telescopes of the CMO SAI MSU, the 2.3-m WIRO telescope, and the XRT and UVOT of Swift. We found that NGC 3516 brightened to a high state and could be classified as Sy1.5 during the late spring of 2020. We have measured time delays in the responses of the Balmer and He ii λ4686 lines to continuum variations. In the case of the best-characterized broad H β line, the delay to continuum variability is about 17 d in the blue wing and is clearly shorter, 9 d, in the red, which is suggestive of inflow. As the broad lines strengthened, the blue side came to dominate the Balmer lines, resulting in very asymmetric profiles with blueshifted peaks during this high state. During the outburst the X-ray flux reached its maximum on 2020 April 1 and it was the highest value ever observed for NGC 3516 by the Swift observatory. The X-ray hard photon index became softer, ∼1.8 in the maximum on 2020 April 21 compared to the mean ∼0.7 during earlier epochs before 2020. We have found that the UV and optical variations correlated well (with a small time delay of 1–2 d) with the X-ray until the beginning of 2020 April, but later, until the end of 2020 June, these variations were not correlated. We suggest that this fact may be a consequence of partial obscuration by Compton-thick clouds crossing the line of sight.
ABSTRACT
We report the discovery of a nearby massive white dwarf with He–H atmosphere. The white dwarf is located at a distance of 74.5 ± 0.9 pc. Its radius, mass, effective temperature, H/He ratio, ...and age are R = 2500 ± 100 km, M = 1.33 ± 0.01 $\rm M_{\odot }$, Teff = 31 200 ± 1200 K, H/He ∼ 0.1, and 330 ± 40 Myr, respectively. The observed spectrum is redshifted by Vr = +240 ± 15 km s−1, which is mostly attributed to the gravitational redshift. The white dwarf shows a regular stable photometric variability with amplitude Δg ≈ 0.06m and period P = 353.456 s suggesting rapid rotation. This massive, hot, and rapidly rotating white dwarf is likely to originate from the merging of close binary white dwarf system that avoided explosion in a thermonuclear Type Ia supernova.
ABSTRACT
The high-resolution ($R\sim 48\, 000$) optical spectrum of the B-type supergiant LS 5112, identified as the optical counterpart of the post-AGB candidate IRAS 18379–1707 is analysed. We ...report the detailed identifications of the observed absorption and emission features in the wavelength range 3700–9200 Å for the first time. The absorption line spectrum has been analysed using non-LTE model atmosphere techniques to determine stellar atmospheric parameters and chemical composition. We estimate Teff = 18 000 ± 1000 K, log g = 2.25 ± 0.08, ξt = 10 ± 4 km s−1, and vsin i = 37 ± 6 km s−1, and the derived abundances indicate a metal-deficient (M/H ≈ −0.6) post-AGB star. Chemical abundances of eight different elements were obtained. The estimates of the CNO abundances in IRAS 18379–1707 indicate that these elements are overabundant with (C + N + O)/S = + 0.5 ± 0.2 suggesting that the products of helium burning have been brought to the surface as a result of third dredge-up on the AGB. From the absorption lines, we derived heliocentric radial velocity of Vr = −124.0 ± 0.4 km s−1. We have identified permitted emission lines of O i, N i, Na i, S ii, Si ii, C ii, Mg ii, and Fe iii. The nebula forbidden lines of N i, O i, Fe ii, N ii, S ii, Ni ii, and Cr ii have also been identified. The Balmer lines H α, H β, and H γ show P-Cygni behaviour clearly indicating post-AGB mass-loss process in the object with the wind velocity up to 170 km s−1.
In 2011 and 2015–2018 the classical T Tauri star RW Aur A dimmed by 2–
. Previously, no such dimmings had been observed in historical observations since 1895: the variability amplitude did not exceed
.... During these eclipses the star showed evidence of UX Ori variability: a decrease in color index and an increase in polarization. To clarify the nature of the eclipses and the high polarization associated with them, we observed the object in the visible
bands by the method of differential speckle polarimetry with the 2.5-m telescope at the Caucasus Mountain Observatory of the Sternberg Astronomical Institute of the Moscow State University. The observations were carried out on October 23, 2016, at the end of a long and deep eclipse. As a simple geometric model shows, the polarized flux was reliably resolved. Using the MC3D radiative transfer simulation code, we have considered several three-dimensional dust envelope models. The two-component model that consists of a protoplanetary disk and a cone explains quantitatively the dimming and the shape of the resolved envelope. The typical size of the dust cone is 5–10 AU; this cone may be a dusty disk wind. However, our model does not reproduce the source of polarized radiation that coincides with the star and gives the bulk of the polarized flux from the object. The scattering envelope near the star unresolvable in our observations or the star itself, if its direct radiation is absorbed by aligned dust grains, can be this source.
ABSTRACT
We present the results of multicolour UBVRCICJHK photometry, spectroscopic analysis and spectral energy distribution (SED) modelling for the post-AGB candidate IRAS 02143+5852. We detected ...Cepheid-like light variations with the full peak-to-peak amplitude ΔV ∼ 0.9 mag and the pulsation period of about 24.9 d. The phased light curves appeared typical for the W Vir Cepheids. The period–luminosity relation for the Type II Cepheids yielded the luminosity logL/L⊙ ∼ 2.95. From a low-resolution spectrum, obtained at maximum brightness, the following atmospheric parameters were determined: Teff ∼ 7400 K and logg ∼ 1.38. This spectrum contains the emission lines H α, ${\rm Ba\, {\small II}}$ λ6496.9, ${\rm He\, {\small I}}$λ10830, and Pa β. Spectral monitoring performed in 2019–2021 showed a significant change in the H α profile and appearance of CH and CN molecular bands with pulsation phase. The metal lines are weak. Unlike typical W Vir variables, the star shows a strong excess of infrared radiation associated with the presence of a heavy dust envelope around the star. We modelled the SED using our photometry and archival data from different catalogues and determined the parameters of the circumstellar dust envelope. We conclude that IRAS 02143+5852 is a low-luminosity analogue of dusty RV Tau stars.
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