The UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS) Lawrence, A.; Warren, S. J.; Almaini, O. ...
Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society,
08/2007, Letnik:
379, Številka:
4
Journal Article
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We describe the goals, design, implementation, and initial progress of the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS), a seven-year sky survey which began in 2005 May. UKIDSS is being carried out using ...the UKIRT Wide Field Camera (WFCAM), which has the largest étendue of any infrared astronomical instrument to date. It is a portfolio of five survey components covering various combinations of the filter set ZYJHK and H2. The Large Area Survey, the Galactic Clusters Survey, and the Galactic Plane Survey cover approximately 7000 deg2 to a depth of K∼ 18; the Deep Extragalactic Survey covers 35 deg2 to K∼ 21, and the Ultra Deep Survey covers 0.77 deg2 to K∼ 23. Summed together UKIDSS is 12 times larger in effective volume than the 2MASS survey. The prime aim of UKIDSS is to provide a long-term astronomical legacy data base; the design is, however, driven by a series of specific goals – for example, to find the nearest and faintest substellar objects, to discover Population II brown dwarfs, if they exist, to determine the substellar mass function, to break the z= 7 quasar barrier; to determine the epoch of re-ionization, to measure the growth of structure from z= 3 to the present day, to determine the epoch of spheroid formation, and to map the Milky Way through the dust, to several kpc. The survey data are being uniformly processed. Images and catalogues are being made available through a fully queryable user interface – the WFCAM Science Archive (http://surveys.roe.ac.uk/wsa). The data are being released in stages. The data are immediately public to astronomers in all ESO member states, and available to the world after 18 months. Before the formal survey began, UKIRT and the UKIDSS consortia collaborated in obtaining and analysing a series of small science verification (SV) projects to complete the commissioning of the camera. We show some results from these SV projects in order to demonstrate the likely power of the eventual complete survey. Finally, using the data from the First Data Release, we assess how well UKIDSS is meeting its design targets so far.
ABSTRACT
We aim at identifying very low-mass isolated planetary-mass member candidates in the nearest OB association to the Sun, Upper Scorpius (USco) (145 pc; 5–10 Myr), to constrain the form and ...shape of the luminosity function and mass spectrum in this regime. We conducted a deep multiband (Y = 21.2, J = 20.5, Z = 22.0 mag) photometric survey of 6 deg2 in the central region of USco. We extend the current sequence of astrometric and spectroscopic members by about two magnitudes in Y and one magnitude in J, reaching potentially T-type free-floating members in the association with predicted masses below 5 Jupiter masses, well into the planetary-mass regime. We extracted a sample of 57 candidates in this area and present infrared spectroscopy confirming two of them as young L-type members with characteristic spectral features of 10-Myr-old brown dwarfs. Among the 57 candidates, we highlight 10 new candidates fainter than the coolest members previously confirmed spectroscopically. We do not see any obvious sign of decrease in the mass spectrum of the association, suggesting that star processes can form substellar objects with masses down to 4–5 Jupiter masses.
We present the results of a deep wide-field near-infrared survey of the entire Pleiades cluster recently released as part of the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS) Galactic Clusters Survey (GCS) ...Data Release 9 (DR9). We have identified a sample of ∼1000 Pleiades cluster member candidates combining photometry in five near-infrared passbands and proper motions derived from the multiple epochs provided by the UKIDSS GCS DR9. We also provide revised membership for all previously published Pleiades low-mass stars and brown dwarfs in the past decade recovered in the UKIDSS GCS DR9 Pleiades survey based on the new photometry and astrometry provided by the GCS. We find no evidence of K-band variability in the Pleiades members larger than ∼0.08 mag. In addition, we infer a substellar binary frequency of 22-31 per cent in the 0.075-0.03 M⊙ range for separations less than ∼100 au. We employed two independent but complementary methods to derive the cluster luminosity and mass functions: a probabilistic analysis and a more standard approach consisting of stricter astrometric and photometric cuts. We found that the resulting luminosity and mass functions obtained from both methods are very similar. We derive the Pleiades mass function in the 0.6-0.03 M⊙ range and found that it is best reproduced by a lognormal representation with a mean characteristic mass of 0.20 ± 0.05 M⊙, in agreement with earlier studies and the extrapolation of the field mass function.
ABSTRACT
Over the past decades open clusters have been the subject of many studies. Such studies are crucial considering that the universality of the initial mass function is still a subject of ...current investigations. Praesepe is an interesting open cluster for the study of the stellar and substellar mass function (MF), considering its intermediate age and its nearby distance. Here we present the results of a wide‐field, near‐infrared study of Praesepe using the Data Release 9 of the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope Infrared Deep Sky Survey Galactic Clusters Survey. We obtained cluster candidates of Praesepe based on a 3σ astrometric and five‐band photometric selection. We derived a binary frequency for Praesepe of 25.6 ± 3.0 per cent in the 0.2–0.45 M⊙ mass range, 19.6 ± 3.0 per cent for 0.1–0.2 M⊙ and 23.2 ± 5.6 per cent for 0.07–0.1 M⊙. We also studied the variability of the cluster candidates of Praesepe, and we conclude that seven objects could be variable. We inferred the luminosity function of Praesepe in the Z and J bands and derived its MF. We observe that our determination of the MF of Praesepe differs from previous studies: while previous MFs present an increase from 0.6 to 0.1 M⊙, our MF shows a decrease. We looked at the MF of Praesepe in two different regions of the cluster, i.e. within and beyond 1°.25, and we observed that both regions present an MF which decrease to lower masses. We compared our results with the Hyades, the Pleiades and α Per MF in the mass range 0.072–0.6 M⊙ and showed that the Praesepe MF is more similar to α Per although they are, respectively, of ages ∼85 and ∼600 Myr. Even though of similar age, the Praesepe remains different than the Hyades, with a decrease in the MF of only ∼0.2 dex from 0.6 down to 0.1 M⊙, compared to ∼1 dex for the Hyades.
We present a magnitude and proper motion limited catalogue of ∼10 000 white dwarf candidates, obtained from the SuperCOSMOS Sky Survey by means of reduced proper motion selection. This catalogue ...extends to magnitudes R∼ 19.75 and proper motions as low as μ∼ 0.05 arcsec yr−1, and covers nearly three quarters of the sky. Photometric parallaxes provide distance estimates accurate to ∼50 per cent. This catalogue is used to measure the luminosity functions for disc and spheroid white dwarfs, using strict velocity cuts to isolate subsamples belonging to each population. Disc luminosity functions measured in this manner are really a conglomerate of thin and thick disc objects, due to the significant velocity overlap between these populations. We introduce a new statistical approach to the stellar luminosity function for nearby objects that successfully untangles the contributions from the different kinematic populations, without the need for stringent velocity cuts. This improves the statistical power by allowing all stars to contribute to the luminosity function, even at tangential velocities where the populations are indistinguishable. This method is particularly suited to white dwarfs, for which population discrimination by chemical tagging is not possible. We use this technique to obtain the first measurement of the thick disc white dwarf luminosity function, while also improving constraint on both the thin disc and spheroid luminosity functions. We find that the thin disc, thick disc and spheroid populations contribute to the local white dwarf density in roughly 79 per cent/16 per cent/5 per cent proportions.
The calcium and hydrogen abundances, Galactic positions and kinematics of 146 DZ white dwarfs from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey are analysed to constrain the possible origin of their externally ...polluted atmospheres. There are no correlations found between their accreted calcium abundances and spatial–kinematical distributions relative to interstellar material. Furthermore, two thirds of the stars are currently located above the Galactic gas and dust layer, and their kinematics indicate multi-Myr residences in this region where interstellar material is virtually absent. Where detected, the hydrogen abundances for 37 DZA stars show little or no correlation with accreted calcium or spatial–kinematical distributions, though there is a general trend with cooling age. It is found that Eddington-type accretion of interstellar hydrogen can reproduce the observed hydrogen abundances, yet simultaneously fails to account for calcium. The calcium-to-hydrogen ratios for the DZA stars are dominated by supersolar values, as are the lower limits for the remaining 109 DZ stars. All together, these polluted white dwarfs currently contain 1020±2 g of calcium in their convective envelopes, commensurate with the masses of calcium inferred for large asteroids. A census of current Teff≲ 12 000 K, helium-rich stars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey suggests the DZ and DC white dwarfs belong to the same stellar population, with similar basic atmospheric compositions, effective temperatures, spatial distributions and Galactic space velocities. Based on this result, pollution by the interstellar medium cannot simultaneously account for both the polluted and non-polluted subpopulations. Rather, it is probable that these white dwarfs are contaminated by circumstellar matter; the rocky remains of terrestrial planetary systems. In this picture, two predictions emerge. First, at least 3.5 per cent of all white dwarfs harbour the remnants of terrestrial planetary systems; this is a concrete lower limit and the true fraction is almost certainly, and perhaps significantly, higher. Therefore, one can infer that at least 3.5 per cent of main-sequence A- and F-type stars build terrestrial planets. Secondly, the DZA stars are externally polluted by both metals and hydrogen, and hence constrain the frequency and mass of water rich, extrasolar planetesimals.
Gaia reveals evidence for merged white dwarfs Kilic, Mukremin; Hambly, N C; Bergeron, P ...
Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Letters,
09/2018, Letnik:
479, Številka:
1
Journal Article
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Abstract We use Gaia Data Release 2 to identify 13 928 white dwarfs (WDs) within 100 pc of the Sun. The exquisite astrometry from Gaia reveals for the first time a bifurcation in the observed WD ...sequence in both Gaia and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) passbands. The latter is easily explained by a helium atmosphere WD fraction of 36 per cent. However, the bifurcation in the Gaia colour–magnitude diagram depends on both the atmospheric composition and the mass distribution. We simulate theoretical colour–magnitude diagrams for single and binary WDs using a population synthesis approach and demonstrate that there is a significant contribution from relatively massive WDs that likely formed through mergers. These include WD remnants of main-sequence (blue stragglers) and post-main-sequence mergers. The mass distribution of the SDSS subsample, including the spectroscopically confirmed WDs, also shows this massive bump. This is the first direct detection of such a population in a volume-limited sample.
We present near-infrared (1.15–2.50 μm) medium-resolution (R= 1700) spectroscopy of a sample of 23 brown dwarf candidates in the young Upper Sco association. We confirm membership of 21 brown dwarfs ...based on their spectral shape, comparison with field dwarfs and presence of weak gravity-sensitive features. Their spectral types range from M8 to L2 with an uncertainty of a subclass, suggesting effective temperatures between 2700 and 1800 K with an uncertainty up to 300 K and masses in the 30–8 MJup range. Among the non-members, we have uncovered a field L2 dwarf at a distance of 120–140 pc, assuming that it is single. The success rate of our photometric selection based on five photometric passbands and complemented partly by proper motion is over 90 per cent, a very promising result for future studies of the low-mass star and brown dwarf populations in young open clusters by the UKIDSS UKIRT (United Kingdom Infrared Telescope) Infrared Deep Sky Survey Galactic Cluster Survey. We observe a large dispersion in the magnitude versus spectral-type relation which is likely the result of the combination of several effects including age dispersion, extent and depth of the association, a high degree of multiplicity and the occurrence of discs.
The SuperCOSMOS all-sky galaxy catalogue Peacock, J. A; Hambly, N. C; Bilicki, M ...
Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society,
10/2016, Letnik:
462, Številka:
2
Journal Article
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We describe the construction of an all-sky galaxy catalogue, using SuperCOSMOS scans of Schmidt photographic plates from the UK Schmidt Telescope and Second Palomar Observatory Sky Survey. The ...photographic photometry is calibrated using Sloan Digital Sky Survey data, with results that are linear to 2 per cent or better. All-sky photometric uniformity is achieved by matching plate overlaps and also by requiring homogeneity in optical-to-2MASS colours, yielding zero-points that are uniform to 0.03 mag or better. The typical AB depths achieved are B
J < 21, R
F < 19.5 and I
N < 18.5, with little difference between hemispheres. In practice, the I
N plates are shallower than the B
J and R
F plates, so for most purposes we advocate the use of a catalogue selected in these two latter bands. At high Galactic latitudes, this catalogue is approximately 90 per cent complete with 5 per cent stellar contamination; we quantify how the quality degrades towards the Galactic plane. At low latitudes, there are many spurious galaxy candidates resulting from stellar blends: these approximately match the surface density of true galaxies at |b| = 30°. Above this latitude, the catalogue limited in B
J and R
F contains in total about 20 million galaxy candidates, of which 75 per cent are real. This contamination can be removed, and the sky coverage extended, by matching with additional data sets. This SuperCOSMOS catalogue has been matched with 2MASS and with WISE, yielding quasi-all-sky samples of respectively 1.5 million and 18.5 million galaxies, to median redshifts of 0.08 and 0.20. This legacy data set thus continues to offer a valuable resource for large-angle cosmological investigations.
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