Abstract
We present a photometric analysis of globular cluster 47 Tuc (NGC 104) using near-IR imaging data from the GeMS/GSAOI Galactic Globular Cluster Survey (G4CS), which is in operation at ...Gemini-South telescope. Our survey is designed to obtain AO-assisted deep imaging with near diffraction-limited spatial resolution of the central fields of Milky Way globular clusters. The G4CS near-IR photometry was combined with an optical photometry catalog that was obtained from Hubble Space Telescope survey data to produce a high-quality color–magnitude diagram that reaches down to
K
s
≈ 21 Vega mag. We used the software suite BASE-9, which uses an adaptive Metropolis sampling algorithm to perform a Markov chain Monte Carlo Bayesian analysis, and obtained probability distributions and precise estimates for the age, distance, and extinction cluster parameters. Our best estimate for the age of 47 Tuc is
12.42
−
0.05
+
0.05
± 0.08 Gyr and our true distance modulus estimate is (
m
−
M
)
0
= 13.250
−
0.003
+
0.003
± 0.028 mag, which are in tight agreement with previous studies using Gaia DR2 parallax and detached eclipsing binaries.
Abstract
The LIGO/Virgo detected a gravitational wave (GW) event, named GW200224_222234 (also known as S200224ca) and classified as a binary-black hole coalescence, on 2020 February 24. Given its ...relatively small localization skymap (71 deg
2
for a 90% credible region; revised to 50 deg
2
in GWTC-3), we performed target-of-opportunity observations using the Subaru/Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) in the
r
2 and
z
bands. Observations were conducted on 2020 February 25 and 28 and March 23, with the first epoch beginning 12.3 hr after the GW detection. The survey covered the highest-probability sky area of 56.6 deg
2
, corresponding to a 91% probability. This was the first deep follow-up (
m
r
≳ 24,
m
z
≳ 23) for a binary-black hole merger covering >90% of the localization. By performing image subtraction and candidate screening including light-curve fitting with transient templates and examples, we found 22 off-nucleus transients that were not ruled out as the counterparts of GW200224_222234 with our Subaru/HSC data alone. We also performed GTC/OSIRIS spectroscopy of the probable host galaxies for five candidates; two are likely to be located within the 3D skymap, whereas the others are not. In conclusion, 19 transients remain as possible optical counterparts of GW200224_222234; but we could not identify a unique promising counterpart. If there are no counterparts in the remaining candidates, the upper limits of the optical luminosity are
ν
L
ν
<
5.2
−
1.9
+
2.4
×
10
41
erg s
−1
and
ν
L
ν
<
1.8
−
0.6
+
0.8
×
10
42
erg s
−1
in the
r
2 and
z
bands, respectively, at ∼12 hr after GW detection. We also discuss improvements in the strategies of optical follow-ups for future GW events.
We present new blue straggler star (BSS) catalogues in 38 Milky Way globular clusters (GCs) based on multipassband and multi-epoch treasury survey data from the Hubble Space Telescope. We measure ...precise astrometry and relative proper motions of stars in all target clusters and performed a subsequent cluster membership selection. We study the accuracy of our proper-motion measurements using estimates of central velocity dispersions and find very good agreement with previous studies in the literature. Finally, we present a homogeneous BSS selection method, that expands the classic BSS selection parameter space to more evolved BSS evolutionary stages. We apply this method to the proper-motion cleaned GC star catalogues in order to define proper-motion cleaned BSS catalogues in all 38 GCs, which we make publicly available to enable further study and follow-up observations.
Abstract
We attempt to identify RR Lyrae (RRL) stars in stellar streams that might have escaped from seven globular clusters (GCs) based on proper motions, distances, color–magnitude diagrams, and ...other properties extracted from the Gaia Early Data Release 3 (EDR3) database. Specifically, we cross-match two large RRL stars catalogs (from Gaia DR2 and Catalina Sky Survey) with each other and with the EDR3 database, and we end up with a sample of ∼150,000 unique RRL stars. We calculate distances to RRL stars using the
M
G
–Fe/H and
M
V
–Fe/H absolute magnitude–metallicity relations and adopt Fe/H values for the GCs from different spectroscopic studies. We also constrain our search to areas where stellar streams associated with GCs were previously suggested or identified in other studies. We identify 24 RRL stars that might have escaped from the following seven GCs: Palomar 13 (Pal 13), NGC 6341 (M92), NGC 5904 (M5), NGC 5466, NGC 1261, NGC 288, and NGC 1851. We list our findings in Table 2.
Abstract
This paper presents the third data release of the Hyper Suprime-Cam Subaru Strategic Program (HSC-SSP), a wide-field multi-band imaging survey with the Subaru 8.2 m telescope. HSC-SSP has ...three survey layers (Wide, Deep, and UltraDeep) with different area coverages and depths, designed to address a wide array of astrophysical questions. This third release from HSC-SSP includes data from 278 nights of observing time and covers about 670 deg2 in all five broad-band filters (grizy) at the full depth (∼26 mag at 5σ depending on filter) in the Wide layer. If we include partially observed areas, the release covers 1470 deg2. The Deep and UltraDeep layers have $\sim\! 80\%$ of the originally planned integration times, and are considered done, as we have slightly changed the observing strategy in order to compensate for various time losses. There are a number of updates in the image processing pipeline. Of particular importance is the change in the sky subtraction algorithm; we subtract the sky on small scales before the detection and measurement stages, which has significantly reduced the number of false detections. Thanks to this and other updates, the overall quality of the processed data has improved since the previous release. However, there are limitations in the data (for example, the pipeline is not optimized for crowded fields), and we encourage the user to check the quality assurance plots as well as a list of known issues before exploiting the data. The data release website is 〈https://hsc-release.mtk.nao.ac.jp〉.
The old open cluster M67, populated with blue straggler stars (BSSs), is a well-known test bed to study the BSS formation pathways. Here, we report the first direct detection of a white dwarf (WD) ...companion to a BSS in M67, using far-UV images from the Ultra-Violet Imaging telescope on ASTROSAT. Near-simultaneous observations in three far-UV bands combined with Galaxy Evolution Explorer, International Ultraviolet Explorer, and ground- and space-based photometric data covering a 0.14-11.5 m range for WOCS1007 were found to require a binary fit to its spectral energy distribution (SED), consisting of a BSS and a hot companion. On the other hand, a single spectral fit was found to be satisfactory for the SEDs of two other BSSs, WOCS1006 and WOCS2011, with the latter showing a deficient far-UV flux. The hot companion of WOCS1007 is found to have a ∼ 13,250-13,750 K and a radius of 0.09 0.01 . A comparison with WD models suggests it to be a low-mass WD (∼ ), in agreement with the kinematic mass from the literature. As a low-mass WD (< ) necessitates formation through mass transfer in close binaries, WOCS1007 with a known period of 4.2 days along with its fast rotation, is likely to be formed by a case A or case B binary evolution.
We present the first dynamical study of blue straggler stars (BSSs) in three Galactic globular clusters, NGC 3201, NGC 5139 ( omega Cen), and NGC 6218, based on medium-resolution spectroscopy (R ...approximately 10,000) obtained with the Inamori-Magellan Areal Camera & Spectrograph mounted at the 6.5 m Baade Magellan telescope. Our BSS candidate selection technique uses HST/ACS and ESO/WFI photometric data out to >4.5 r sub(c). Using dereddened V - I colors of our photometric selection, we show that blue BSSs in omega Cen with (V - I) sub(0) lap 0.25 mag show a significantly increased upsilon sin(i) dispersion compared with their red counterparts and all other BSSs in our sample, therefore strongly implying that fast-rotating BSSs in omega Cen are preferentially bluer, i.e., more massive. This may indicate that this particular blue BSS population was formed in a unique formation event and/or through a unique mechanism.
ABSTRACT
We present the first results of eight globular clusters (GCs) from the AstroSat/UVIT Legacy Survey programme GlobULeS based on the observations carried out in two far-ultraviolet (FUV) ...filters (F148W and F169M). The FUV–optical and FUV–FUV colour–magnitude diagrams (CMDs) of GCs with the proper motion membership were constructed by combining the Ultra-Violet Imaging Telescope (UVIT) data with Hubble Space Telescope (HST) UV Globular Cluster Survey data for inner regions and Gaia Early Data Release for regions outside the HST’s field. We detect sources as faint as F148W ∼ 23.5 mag, which are classified based on their locations in CMDs by overlaying stellar evolutionary models. The CMDs of eight GCs are combined with the previous UVIT studies of three GCs to create stacked FUV–optical CMDs to highlight the features/peculiarities found in the different evolutionary sequences. The FUV (F148W) detected stellar populations of 11 GCs comprise 2816 horizontal branch (HB) stars 190 extreme HB (EHB) candidates, 46 post-HB (pHB), 221 blue straggler stars (BSSs), and 107 white dwarf (WD) candidates. We note that the blue HB colour extension obtained from F148W − G colour and the number of FUV detected EHB candidates are strongly correlated with the maximum internal helium (He) variation within each GC, suggesting that the FUV–optical plane is the most sensitive to He abundance variations in the HB. We discuss the potential science cases that will be addressed using these catalogues including HB morphologies, BSSs, pHB, and WD stars.
We present the first results from the GeMS/GSAOI Galactic Globular Cluster Survey (G4CS) of the Milky Way globular clusters NGC 3201 and NGC 2298. Using the Gemini South Adaptive Optics Imager ...(GSAOI), in tandem with the Gemini Multi-conjugate adaptive optics System (GeMS) on the 8.1 m Gemini-South telescope, we collected deep near-IR observations of both clusters, resolving their constituent stellar populations down to Ks 21 Vega mag. Point-spread function (PSF) photometry was performed on the data using spatially variable PSFs to generate JHKs photometric catalogs for both clusters. These catalogs were combined with Hubble Space Telescope (HST) data to augment the photometric wavelength coverage, yielding catalogs that span the near-UV to near-IR. We then applied 0.14 mas yr−1 accurate proper-motion cleaning and differential-reddening corrections and chose to anchor our isochrones using the lower main-sequence knee and the main-sequence turnoff prior to age determination. As a result of the data quality, we found that the Ks versus F606W − Ks and F336W versus F336W − Ks color-magnitude diagrams were the most diagnostically powerful. We used these two color combinations to derive the stellar population ages, distances, and reddening values for both clusters. Following isochrone fitting using three different isochrone sets, we derived best-fit absolute ages of 12.2 0.5 Gyr and 13.2 0.4 Gyr for NGC 3201 and NGC 2298, respectively. This was done using a weighted average over the two aforementioned color combinations, following a pseudo-χ2 determination of the best-fit isochrone set. Our derived parameters are in good agreement with recent age determinations of the two clusters, with our constraints on the ages being or ranking among the most statistically robust.
Abstract
We present the first comprehensive study of the most massive globular cluster, Omega Centauri, in the far-ultraviolet (FUV), extending from the center to ∼28% of the tidal radius using the ...Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope on board AstroSat. A comparison of the FUV-optical color–magnitude diagrams with available canonical models reveals that horizontal branch (HB) stars bluer than the knee (hHBs) and the white dwarfs (WDs) are fainter in the FUV by ∼0.5 mag than model predictions. They are also fainter than their counterparts in M13, another massive cluster. We simulated HB with at least five subpopulations, including three He-rich populations with a substantial He enrichment of
Y
up to 0.43 dex, to reproduce the observed FUV distribution. We find the He-rich younger subpopulations to be radially more segregated than the He-normal older ones, suggesting an in situ enrichment from older generations. The
ω
Cen hHBs span the same
T
eff
range as their M13 counterparts, but some have smaller radii and lower luminosities. This may suggest that a fraction of
ω
Cen hHBs are less massive than those of M13, similar to the result derived from earlier spectroscopic studies of outer extreme HB stars. The WDs in
ω
Cen and M13 have similar luminosity–radius–
T
eff
parameters, and 0.44–0.46
M
⊙
He-core WD model tracks evolving from progenitors with
Y
= 0.4 dex are found to fit the majority of these. This study provides constraints on the formation models of
ω
Cen based on the estimated range in age, Fe/H, and
Y
(in particular) for the HB stars.
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