Context. Asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars are characterised by complex stellar surface dynamics that affect the measurements and amplify the uncertainties on stellar parameters. The uncertainties ...in observed absolute magnitudes have been found to originate mainly from uncertainties in the parallaxes. The resulting motion of the stellar photocentre could have adverse effects on the parallax determination with Gaia. Aims. We explore the impact of the convection-related surface structure in AGBs on the photocentric variability. We quantify these effects to characterise the observed parallax errors and estimate fundamental stellar parameters and dynamical properties. Methods. We use three-dimensional (3D) radiative hydrodynamics simulations of convection with CO5BOLD and the post-processing radiative transfer code OPTIM3D to compute intensity maps in the Gaia G band 325–1030 nm. From those maps, we calculate the intensity-weighted mean of all emitting points tiling the visible stellar surface (i.e. the photocentre) and evaluate its motion as a function of time. We extract the parallax error from Gaia data-release 2 (DR2) for a sample of semi-regular variables in the solar neighbourhood and compare it to the synthetic predictions of photocentre displacements. Results. AGB stars show a complex surface morphology characterised by the presence of few large-scale long-lived convective cells accompanied by short-lived and small-scale structures. As a consequence, the position of the photocentre displays temporal excursions between 0.077 and 0.198 AU (≈5 to ≈11% of the corresponding stellar radius), depending on the simulation considered. We show that the convection-related variability accounts for a substantial part of the Gaia DR2 parallax error of our sample of semi-regular variables. Finally, we present evidence for a correlation between the mean photocentre displacement and the stellar fundamental parameters: surface gravity and pulsation. We suggest that parallax variations could be exploited quantitatively using appropriate radiation-hydrodynamics (RHD) simulations corresponding to the observed star.
Immunotherapy can become a crucial therapeutic option to improve prognosis for lung cancer patients. First clinical trials with therapies targeting the programmed cell death receptor PD-1 and its ...ligand PD-L1 have shown promising results in several solid tumors. However, in lung cancer the diagnostic, prognostic and predictive value of these immunologic factors remains unclear.
The impact of both factors was evaluated in a study collective of 321 clinically well-annotated patients with non-small lung cancer (NSCLC) using immunohistochemistry.
PD-1 expression by tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) was found in 22%, whereas tumor cell associated PD-L1 expression was observed in 24% of the NSCLC tumors. In Fisher's exact test a positive correlation was found for PD-L1 and Bcl-xl protein expression (p = 0.013). Interestingly, PD-L1 expression on tumor cells was associated with improved overall survival in pulmonary squamous cell carcinomas (SCC, p = 0.042, log rank test), with adjuvant therapy (p = 0.017), with increased tumor size (pT2-4, p = 0.039) and with positive lymph node status (pN1-3, p = 0.010). These observations were confirmed by multivariate cox regression models.
One major finding of our study is the identification of a prognostic implication of PD-L1 in subsets of NSCLC patients with pulmonary SCC, with increased tumor size, with a positive lymph node status and NSCLC patients who received adjuvant therapies. This study provides first data for immune-context related risk stratification of NSCLC patients. Further studies are necessary both to confirm this observation and to evaluate the predictive value of PD-1 and PD-L1 in NSCLC in the context of PD-1 inhibition.
Quenching, the cessation of star formation, is one of the most significant events in the life cycle of galaxies. While quenching is generally thought to be linked to their central regions, the ...mechanism responsible for it is not known and may not even be unique. We show here the first evidence that the Milky Way experienced a generalised quenching of its star formation at the end of its thick-disk formation ~9 Gyr ago. The fossil record imprinted on the elemental abundances of stars studied in the solar vicinity and as part of the APOGEE survey (APOGEE is part of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III) reveals indeed that in less than ~2 Gyr (from 10 to 8 Gyr ago) the star formation rate in our Galaxy dropped by an order of magnitude. Because of the tight correlation that exists between age and α abundance, the general cessation of the star formation activity reflects in the dearth of stars along the inner-disk sequence in the Fe/H-α/Fe plane. Before this phase, which lasted about 1.5 Gyr, the Milky Way was actively forming stars. Afterwards, the star formation resumed at a much lower level to form the thin disk. These events observed in our Galaxy are very well matched by the latest observation of MW-type progenitors at high redshifts. In late-type galaxies, the quenching mechanism is believed to be related to a long and secular exhaustion of gas. Our results show that in the Milky Way, the shut-down occurred on a much shorter timescale, while the chemical continuity between the stellar populations formed before and after the quenching indicates that it is not the exhaustion of the gas that was responsible for the cessation of the star formation. While quenching is generally associated with spheroids in the literature, our results show that it also occurs in galaxies like the Milky Way, where the classical bulge is thought to be small or non-existent, possibly when they are undergoing a morphological transition from thick to thin disks. Given the demographics of late-type galaxies in the local Universe, in which classical bulges are rare, we suggest further that this may hold true generally in galaxies with mass lower than or approximately of M∗, where quenching could directly be a consequence of thick-disk formation, while quenching may be related to development of spheroids in higher mass galaxies. We emphasize that the quenching phase in the Milky Way could be contemporaneous with, and related to, the formation of the bar, at the end of the thick-disk phase. We sketch a scenario on how a strong bar may inhibit star formation.
Exploring the bulge region of our Galaxy is an interesting but challenging quest because of its complex structure and the highly variable extinction. We re-analyse photometric near-infrared data in ...order to investigate why it is so hard to reach a consensus on the shape and density law of the bulge, as witnessed in the literature. The apparent orientation of the bulge seems to vary with the range of longitude, latitude, and the population considered. To solve the problem we have used the Besançon galaxy model to provide a scheme for parameter fitting of the structural characteristics of the bulge region. The fitting process allows the shape of the bulge’s main structure to be determined. We explore various parameters and shapes for the bulge population, based on Ferrer’s ellipsoids, and fit the shape of the inner disc in the same process. The results show that the main structure has a standard triaxial boxy shape with an orientation of about 13° with respect to the Sun-Galactic centre direction. But the fit is greatly improved when we add a second structure,which is a longer and thicker ellipsoid. We emphasize that our first ellipsoid represents the main boxy bar of the Galaxy and that the thick bulge population could be either (i) a classical bulge slightly flattened by the effect of the bar’s potential; or (ii) an inner thick disc counterpart. With Ferrer’s ellipsoid, the model shows a general agreement with 2MASS data at the level of 10% in the whole bulge region but does not produce the “double clump” feature. However, we show that the double clump seen at intermediate latitudes can be reproduced by adding a slight flare to the bar. To characterize the populations better, we further simulate several fields that have been surveyed in spectroscopy and for which a metallicity distribution function (MDF) are available. The model agrees well with these MDF measured along the minor axis if we assume that the main bar has a mean solar metallicity and the second thicker population has a lower metallicity. It then naturally creates a vertical metallicity gradient by mixing the two populations. In the process of model fitting, we also determine the thin disc parameters. The thin disc is found to have a scale length of 2.2 kpc, in good agreement with previous estimates towards the anticentre, but with a large hole of scale length 1.3 kpc, giving a maximum density in the plane for this population at about 2.3 kpc from the Galactic centre. In the very central part of the bulge on top of our two populations, and by subtracting the fitted ellipsoids, we find evidence of an extra population in the nuclear region, at 2° in longitude and 1° of latitude from the Galactic centre. Its location corresponds well to the central molecular zone, and to the Alard nuclear bar.
Context. Despite their large number in the Galaxy, M dwarfs remain elusive objects and the modeling of their photosphere has long remained a challenge (molecular opacities, dust cloud formation). ...Aims. Our objectives are to validate the BT-Settl model atmospheres, update the M dwarf Teff-spectral type relation, and find the atmospheric parameters of the stars in our sample. Methods. We compare two samples of optical spectra covering the whole M dwarf sequence with the most recent BT-Settl synthetic spectra and use a χ2 minimization technique to determine Teff. The first sample consists of 97 low-resolution spectra obtained with New Technology Telescope (NTT) at La Silla Observatory. The second sample contains 55 medium-resolution spectra obtained at the Siding Spring Observatory (SSO). The spectral typing is realized by comparison with already classified M dwarfs. Results. We show that the BT-Settl synthetic spectra reproduce the slope of the spectral energy distribution and most of its features. Only the CaOH band at 5570 Å and AlH and NaH hydrides in the blue part of the spectra are still missing in the models. The Teff scale obtained with the higher resolved SSO 2.3 m spectra is consistent with that obtained with the NTT spectra. We compare our Teff scale with those of other authors and with published isochrones using the BT-Settl colors. We also present relations between effective temperature, spectral type, and colors of the M dwarfs.
Context. The formation and evolution of the Milky Way bulge is still largely an unanswered question. Some of the most essential observations needed for its modelling are the metallicity distribution ...and the trends of the α elements, as measured in stars. While bulge regions beyond R ≳ 50 pc of the centre have been targeted in several surveys, the central part has escaped a detailed study due to the extreme extinction and crowding. The abundance gradients from the centre are, however, of large diagnostic value. Aims. We aim at investigating the Galactic centre environment by probing M giants in the field by avoiding supergiants and cluster members. Methods. For nine field M-giants in the Galactic centre region, we have obtained high- and low-resolution spectra observed simultaneously with CRIRES and ISAAC on UT1 and UT3 of the VLT. The low-resolution spectra provide a means of determining the effective temperatures, and the high-resolution spectra provide detailed abundances of Fe, Mg, Si, and Ca. Results. We find a metal-rich population at Fe / H = + 0.11 ± 0.15 and a lack of the metal-poor population, which is found further out in the bulge, corroborating earlier studies. Our α/Fe element trends, however, show low values, by following the outer bulge trends. A possible exception of the Ca/Fe trend is found and needs further investigation. Conclusions. The results of the analysed field M-giants in the Galactic centre region exclude a scenario with rapid formation, in which SNIIe played a dominated role in the chemical enrichment of the gas. The high metallicities with low α-enhancement seems to indicate a bar-like population that is, perhaps, related to the nuclear bar.
We investigate the inner regions of the Milky Way using data from APOGEE and
Gaia
EDR3. Our inner Galactic sample has more than 26 500 stars within |
X
Gal
|< 5 kpc, |
Y
Gal
|< 3.5 kpc, |
Z
Gal
|< 1 ...kpc, and we also carry out the analysis for a foreground-cleaned subsample of 8000 stars that is more representative of the bulge–bar populations. These samples allow us to build chemo-dynamical maps of the stellar populations with vastly improved detail. The inner Galaxy shows an apparent chemical bimodality in key abundance ratios
α
/Fe, C/N, and Mn/O, which probe different enrichment timescales, suggesting a star formation gap (quenching) between the high- and low-
α
populations. Using a joint analysis of the distributions of kinematics, metallicities, mean orbital radius, and chemical abundances, we can characterize the different populations coexisting in the innermost regions of the Galaxy for the first time. The chemo-kinematic data dissected on an eccentricity–|
Z
|
max
plane reveal the chemical and kinematic signatures of the bar, the thin inner disc, and an inner thick disc, and a broad metallicity population with large velocity dispersion indicative of a pressure-supported component. The interplay between these different populations is mapped onto the different metallicity distributions seen in the eccentricity–|
Z
|
max
diagram consistently with the mean orbital radius and
V
ϕ
distributions. A clear metallicity gradient as a function of |
Z
|
max
is also found, which is consistent with the spatial overlapping of different populations. Additionally, we find and chemically and kinematically characterize a group of counter-rotating stars that could be the result of a gas-rich merger event or just the result of clumpy star formation during the earliest phases of the early disc that migrated into the bulge. Finally, based on 6D information, we assign stars a probability value of being on a bar orbit and find that most of the stars with large bar orbit probabilities come from the innermost 3 kpc, with a broad dispersion of metallicity. Even stars with a high probability of belonging to the bar show chemical bimodality in the
α
/Fe versus Fe/H diagram. This suggests bar trapping to be an efficient mechanism, explaining why stars on bar orbits do not show a significant, distinct chemical abundance ratio signature.
Context. Three dimensional interstellar extinction maps provide a powerful tool for stellar population analysis. However, until now, these 3D maps were rather limited by sensitivity and spatial ...resolution. Aims. We use data from the VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea survey together with the Besançon stellar population synthesis model of the Galaxy to determine interstellar extinction as a function of distance in the Galactic bulge covering −10°<l< 10° and −10°<b< 5°. Methods. We adopted a recently developed method to calculate the colour excess. First we constructed the H − Ks vs. Ks and J − Ks vs. Ks colour−magnitude diagrams based on the VVV catalogues that matched 2MASS. Then, based on the temperature−colour relation for M giants and the distance-colour relations, we derived the extinction as a function of distance. The observed colours were shifted to match the intrinsic colours in the Besançon model as a function of distance iteratively. This created an extinction map with three dimensions: two spatial and one distance dimension along each line of sight towards the bulge. Results. We present a 3D extinction map that covers the whole VVV area with a resolution of 6′× 6′ for J − Ks and H − Ks using distance bins of 0.5 kpc. The high resolution and depth of the photometry allows us to derive extinction maps for a range of distances up to 10 kpc and up to 30 mag of extinction in AV (3.0 mag in AKs). Integrated maps show the same dust features and consistent values as other 2D maps. We discuss the spatial distribution of dust features in the line of sight, which suggests that there is much material in front of the Galactic bar, specifically between 5−7 kpc. We compare our dust extinction map with the high-resolution 12CO maps (NANTEN2) towards the Galactic bulge, where we find a good correlation between 12CO and AV. We determine the X factor by combining the CO map and our dust extinction map. Our derived average value X = 2.5 ± 0.47 × 1020 cm-2 K-1 km-1s is consistent with the canonical value of the Milky Way. The X-factor decreases with increasing extinction.
We present a detailed study of the composition of 20 M giants in the Galactic center with 15 of them confirmed to be in the nuclear star cluster. As a control sample we have also observed 7 M giants ...in the Milky Way disk with similar stellar parameters. All 27 stars are observed using the NIRSPEC spectrograph on the KECK II telescope in the K-band at a resolving power of R = 23,000. We report the first silicon abundance trends versus Fe/H for stars in the Galactic center. While finding a disk/bulge-like trend at subsolar metallicities, we find that Si/Fe is enhanced at supersolar metallicities. We speculate on possible enrichment scenarios to explain such a trend. However, the sample size is modest and the result needs to be confirmed by additional measurements of silicon and other -elements. We also derive a new distribution of Fe/H and find the most metal-rich stars at Fe/H = +0.5 dex, confirming our earlier conclusions that the Galactic center hosts no stars with extreme chemical compositions.
We report the first high spectral resolution study of 17 M giants kinematically confirmed to lie within a few parsecs of the Galactic center, using spectroscopy from Keck/NIRSPEC and a new line list ...for the infrared K band. We consider their luminosities and kinematics, which classify these stars as members of the older stellar population and the central cluster. We find a median metallicity of and a large spread from approximately −0.3 to (quartiles). We find that the highest metallicities are , with most of the stars being at or below the solar iron abundance. The abundances and the abundance distribution strongly resemble those of the Galactic bulge rather than the disk or halo; in our small sample we find no statistical evidence for a dependence of velocity dispersion on metallicity.
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