Variable Stars: Action in the Sky! ----- John R
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Plotting Variable Stars on the H-R Diagram Activity
Pulsating Variable Stars and the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram The Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R) Diagram: The H-R diagram is an important astronomical tool for understanding how stars evolve over time. Stellar evolution can not be studied by observing individual stars as most changes occur over millions and billions of years. Astrophysicists observe numerous stars at various stages in their evolutionary history to determine their changing properties and probable evolutionary tracks across the H-R diagram. The H-R diagram is a scatter graph of stars. When the absolute magnitude (MV) – intrinsic brightness – of stars is plotted against their surface temperature (stellar classification) the stars are not randomly distributed on the graph but are mostly restricted to a few well-defined regions. The stars within the same regions share a common set of characteristics. As the physical characteristics of a star change over its evolutionary history, its position on the H-R diagram The H-R Diagram changes also – so the H-R diagram can also be thought of as a graphical plot of stellar evolution. From the location of a star on the diagram, its luminosity, spectral type, color, temperature, mass, age, chemical composition and evolutionary history are known. Most stars are classified by surface temperature (spectral type) from hottest to coolest as follows: O B A F G K M. These categories are further subdivided into subclasses from hottest (0) to coolest (9). The hottest B stars are B0 and the coolest are B9, followed by spectral type A0. Each major spectral classification is characterized by its own unique spectra. -
Asteroseismology with ET
Asteroseismology with ET Erich Gaertig & Kostas D. Kokkotas Theoretical Astrophysics - University of Tübingen nice, et-wp4 meeting,september 1st-2nd, 2010 Asteroseismology with gravitational waves as a tool to probe the inner structure of NS • neutron stars build from single-fluid, normal matter Andersson, Kokkotas (1996, 1998) Benhar, Berti, Ferrari(1999) Benhar, Ferrari, Gualtieri(2004) Asteroseismology with gravitational waves as a tool to probe the inner structure of NS • neutron stars build from single-fluid, normal matter • strange stars composed of deconfined quarks NONRADIAL OSCILLATIONS OF QUARK STARS PHYSICAL REVIEW D 68, 024019 ͑2003͒ NONRADIAL OSCILLATIONS OF QUARK STARS PHYSICAL REVIEW D 68, 024019 ͑2003͒ H. SOTANI AND T. HARADA PHYSICAL REVIEW D 68, 024019 ͑2003͒ FIG. 5. The horizontal axis is the bag constant B (MeV/fmϪ3) Sotani, Harada (2004) FIG. 4. Complex frequencies of the lowest wII mode for each and the vertical axis is the f mode frequency Re(). The squares, stellar model except for the plot for Bϭ471.3 MeV fmϪ3, for circles, and triangles correspond to stellar models whose radiation which the second wII mode is plotted. The labels in this figure radii are fixed at 3.8, 6.0, and 8.2 km, respectively. The dotted line Benhar, Ferrari, Gualtieri, Marassicorrespond (2007) to those of the stellar models in Table I. denotes the new empirical relationship ͑4.3͒ obtained in Sec. IV between Re() of the f mode and B. simple extrapolation to quark stars is not very successful. We want to construct an alternative formula for quark star mod- fixed at Rϱϭ3.8, 6.0, and 8.2 km, and the adopted bag con- els by using our numerical results for f mode QNMs, but we stants are Bϭ42.0 and 75.0 MeV fmϪ3. -
Luminous Blue Variables
Review Luminous Blue Variables Kerstin Weis 1* and Dominik J. Bomans 1,2,3 1 Astronomical Institute, Faculty for Physics and Astronomy, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany 2 Department Plasmas with Complex Interactions, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany 3 Ruhr Astroparticle and Plasma Physics (RAPP) Center, 44801 Bochum, Germany Received: 29 October 2019; Accepted: 18 February 2020; Published: 29 February 2020 Abstract: Luminous Blue Variables are massive evolved stars, here we introduce this outstanding class of objects. Described are the specific characteristics, the evolutionary state and what they are connected to other phases and types of massive stars. Our current knowledge of LBVs is limited by the fact that in comparison to other stellar classes and phases only a few “true” LBVs are known. This results from the lack of a unique, fast and always reliable identification scheme for LBVs. It literally takes time to get a true classification of a LBV. In addition the short duration of the LBV phase makes it even harder to catch and identify a star as LBV. We summarize here what is known so far, give an overview of the LBV population and the list of LBV host galaxies. LBV are clearly an important and still not fully understood phase in the live of (very) massive stars, especially due to the large and time variable mass loss during the LBV phase. We like to emphasize again the problem how to clearly identify LBV and that there are more than just one type of LBVs: The giant eruption LBVs or h Car analogs and the S Dor cycle LBVs. -
Antony Hewish
PULSARS AND HIGH DENSITY PHYSICS Nobel Lecture, December 12, 1974 by A NTONY H E W I S H University of Cambridge, Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge, England D ISCOVERY OF P U L S A R S The trail which ultimately led to the first pulsar began in 1948 when I joined Ryle’s small research team and became interested in the general problem of the propagation of radiation through irregular transparent media. We are all familiar with the twinkling of visible stars and my task was to understand why radio stars also twinkled. I was fortunate to have been taught by Ratcliffe, who first showed me the power of Fourier techniques in dealing with such diffraction phenomena. By a modest extension of existing theory I was able to show that our radio stars twinkled because of plasma clouds in the ionosphere at heights around 300 km, and I was also able to measure the speed of ionospheric winds in this region (1) . My fascination in using extra-terrestrial radio sources for studying the intervening plasma next brought me to the solar corona. From observations of the angular scattering of radiation passing through the corona, using simple radio interferometers, I was eventually able to trace the solar atmo- sphere out to one half the radius of the Earth’s orbit (2). In my notebook for 1954 there is a comment that, if radio sources were of small enough angular size, they would illuminate the solar atmosphere with sufficient coherence to produce interference patterns at the Earth which would be detectable as a very rapid fluctuation of intensity. -
The Impact of the Astro2010 Recommendations on Variable Star Science
The Impact of the Astro2010 Recommendations on Variable Star Science Corresponding Authors Lucianne M. Walkowicz Department of Astronomy, University of California Berkeley [email protected] phone: (510) 642–6931 Andrew C. Becker Department of Astronomy, University of Washington [email protected] phone: (206) 685–0542 Authors Scott F. Anderson, Department of Astronomy, University of Washington Joshua S. Bloom, Department of Astronomy, University of California Berkeley Leonid Georgiev, Universidad Autonoma de Mexico Josh Grindlay, Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics Steve Howell, National Optical Astronomy Observatory Knox Long, Space Telescope Science Institute Anjum Mukadam, Department of Astronomy, University of Washington Andrej Prsa,ˇ Villanova University Joshua Pepper, Villanova University Arne Rau, California Institute of Technology Branimir Sesar, Department of Astronomy, University of Washington Nicole Silvestri, Department of Astronomy, University of Washington Nathan Smith, Department of Astronomy, University of California Berkeley Keivan Stassun, Vanderbilt University Paula Szkody, Department of Astronomy, University of Washington Science Frontier Panels: Stars and Stellar Evolution (SSE) February 16, 2009 Abstract The next decade of survey astronomy has the potential to transform our knowledge of variable stars. Stellar variability underpins our knowledge of the cosmological distance ladder, and provides direct tests of stellar formation and evolution theory. Variable stars can also be used to probe the fundamental physics of gravity and degenerate material in ways that are otherwise impossible in the laboratory. The computational and engineering advances of the past decade have made large–scale, time–domain surveys an immediate reality. Some surveys proposed for the next decade promise to gather more data than in the prior cumulative history of astronomy. -
Communications in Asteroseismology
Communications in Asteroseismology Volume 141 January, 2002 Editor: Michel Breger, TurkÄ enschanzstra¼e 17, A - 1180 Wien, Austria Layout and Production: Wolfgang Zima and Renate Zechner Editorial Board: Gerald Handler, Don Kurtz, Jaymie Matthews, Ennio Poretti http://www.deltascuti.net COVER ILLUSTRATION: Representation of the COROT Satellite, which is primarily devoted to under- standing the physical processes that determine the internal structure of stars, and to building an empirically tested and calibrated theory of stellar evolution. Another scienti¯c goal is to observe extrasolar planets. British Library Cataloguing in Publication data. A Catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. All rights reserved ISBN 3-7001-3002-3 ISSN 1021-2043 Copyright °c 2002 by Austrian Academy of Sciences Vienna Contents Multiple frequencies of θ2 Tau: Comparison of ground-based and space measurements by M. Breger 4 PMS stars as COROT additional targets by M. Marconi, F. Palla and V. Ripepi 13 The study of pulsating stars from the COROT exoplanet ¯eld data by C. Aerts 20 10 Aql, a new target for COROT by L. Bigot and W. W. Weiss 26 Status of the COROT ground-based photometric activities by R. Garrido, P. Amado, A. Moya, V. Costa, A. Rolland, I. Olivares and M. J. Goupil 42 Mode identi¯cation using the exoplanetary camera by R. Garrido, A. Moya, M. J.Goupil, C. Barban, C. van't Veer-Menneret, F. Kupka and U. Heiter 48 COROT and the late stages of stellar evolution by T. Lebzelter, H. Pikall and F. Kerschbaum 51 Pulsations of Luminous Blue Variables by E. -
Flares on Active M-Type Stars Observed with XMM-Newton and Chandra
Flares on active M-type stars observed with XMM-Newton and Chandra Urmila Mitra Kraev Mullard Space Science Laboratory Department of Space and Climate Physics University College London A thesis submitted to the University of London for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy I, Urmila Mitra Kraev, confirm that the work presented in this thesis is my own. Where information has been derived from other sources, I confirm that this has been indicated in the thesis. Abstract M-type red dwarfs are among the most active stars. Their light curves display random variability of rapid increase and gradual decrease in emission. It is believed that these large energy events, or flares, are the manifestation of the permanently reforming magnetic field of the stellar atmosphere. Stellar coronal flares are observed in the radio, optical, ultraviolet and X-rays. With the new generation of X-ray telescopes, XMM-Newton and Chandra , it has become possible to study these flares in much greater detail than ever before. This thesis focuses on three core issues about flares: (i) how their X-ray emission is correlated with the ultraviolet, (ii) using an oscillation to determine the loop length and the magnetic field strength of a particular flare, and (iii) investigating the change of density sensitive lines during flares using high-resolution X-ray spectra. (i) It is known that flare emission in different wavebands often correlate in time. However, here is the first time where data is presented which shows a correlation between emission from two different wavebands (soft X-rays and ultraviolet) over various sized flares and from five stars, which supports that the flare process is governed by common physical parameters scaling over a large range. -
Information Bulletin on Variable Stars
COMMISSIONS AND OF THE I A U INFORMATION BULLETIN ON VARIABLE STARS Nos November July EDITORS L SZABADOS K OLAH TECHNICAL EDITOR A HOLL TYPESETTING K ORI ADMINISTRATION Zs KOVARI EDITORIAL BOARD L A BALONA M BREGER E BUDDING M deGROOT E GUINAN D S HALL P HARMANEC M JERZYKIEWICZ K C LEUNG M RODONO N N SAMUS J SMAK C STERKEN Chair H BUDAPEST XI I Box HUNGARY URL httpwwwkonkolyhuIBVSIBVShtml HU ISSN COPYRIGHT NOTICE IBVS is published on b ehalf of the th and nd Commissions of the IAU by the Konkoly Observatory Budap est Hungary Individual issues could b e downloaded for scientic and educational purp oses free of charge Bibliographic information of the recent issues could b e entered to indexing sys tems No IBVS issues may b e stored in a public retrieval system in any form or by any means electronic or otherwise without the prior written p ermission of the publishers Prior written p ermission of the publishers is required for entering IBVS issues to an electronic indexing or bibliographic system to o CONTENTS C STERKEN A JONES B VOS I ZEGELAAR AM van GENDEREN M de GROOT On the Cyclicity of the S Dor Phases in AG Carinae ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: : J BOROVICKA L SAROUNOVA The Period and Lightcurve of NSV ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::: W LILLER AF JONES A New Very Long Period Variable Star in Norma ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::: EA KARITSKAYA VP GORANSKIJ Unusual Fading of V Cygni Cyg X in Early November ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -
Spectroscopy of Variable Stars
Spectroscopy of Variable Stars Steve B. Howell and Travis A. Rector The National Optical Astronomy Observatory 950 N. Cherry Ave. Tucson, AZ 85719 USA Introduction A Note from the Authors The goal of this project is to determine the physical characteristics of variable stars (e.g., temperature, radius and luminosity) by analyzing spectra and photometric observations that span several years. The project was originally developed as a The 2.1-meter telescope and research project for teachers participating in the NOAO TLRBSE program. Coudé Feed spectrograph at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Ari- Please note that it is assumed that the instructor and students are familiar with the zona. The 2.1-meter telescope is concepts of photometry and spectroscopy as it is used in astronomy, as well as inside the white dome. The Coudé stellar classification and stellar evolution. This document is an incomplete source Feed spectrograph is in the right of information on these topics, so further study is encouraged. In particular, the half of the building. It also uses “Stellar Spectroscopy” document will be useful for learning how to analyze the the white tower on the right. spectrum of a star. Prerequisites To be able to do this research project, students should have a basic understanding of the following concepts: • Spectroscopy and photometry in astronomy • Stellar evolution • Stellar classification • Inverse-square law and Stefan’s law The control room for the Coudé Description of the Data Feed spectrograph. The spec- trograph is operated by the two The spectra used in this project were obtained with the Coudé Feed telescopes computers on the left. -
Asteroseismic Fingerprints of Stellar Mergers
MNRAS 000,1–13 (2021) Preprint 7 September 2021 Compiled using MNRAS LATEX style file v3.0 Asteroseismic Fingerprints of Stellar Mergers Nicholas Z. Rui,1¢ Jim Fuller1 1TAPIR, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA Accepted XXX. Received YYY; in original form ZZZ ABSTRACT Stellar mergers are important processes in stellar evolution, dynamics, and transient science. However, it is difficult to identify merger remnant stars because they cannot easily be distinguished from single stars based on their surface properties. We demonstrate that merger remnants can potentially be identified through asteroseismology of red giant stars using measurements of the gravity mode period spacing together with the asteroseismic mass. For mergers that occur after the formation of a degenerate core, remnant stars have over-massive envelopes relative to their cores, which is manifested asteroseismically by a g mode period spacing smaller than expected for the star’s mass. Remnants of mergers which occur when the primary is still on the main sequence or whose total mass is less than ≈2 " are much harder to distinguish from single stars. Using the red giant asteroseismic catalogs of Vrard et al.(2016) and Yu et al.(2018), we identify 24 promising candidates for merger remnant stars. In some cases, merger remnants could also be detectable using only their temperature, luminosity, and asteroseismic mass, a technique that could be applied to a larger population of red giants without a reliable period spacing measurement. Key words: asteroseismology—stars: evolution—stars: interiors—stars: oscillations 1 INTRODUCTION for the determination of evolutionary states (Bedding et al. 2011; Bildsten et al. -
Variable Star Classification and Light Curves Manual
Variable Star Classification and Light Curves An AAVSO course for the Carolyn Hurless Online Institute for Continuing Education in Astronomy (CHOICE) This is copyrighted material meant only for official enrollees in this online course. Do not share this document with others. Please do not quote from it without prior permission from the AAVSO. Table of Contents Course Description and Requirements for Completion Chapter One- 1. Introduction . What are variable stars? . The first known variable stars 2. Variable Star Names . Constellation names . Greek letters (Bayer letters) . GCVS naming scheme . Other naming conventions . Naming variable star types 3. The Main Types of variability Extrinsic . Eclipsing . Rotating . Microlensing Intrinsic . Pulsating . Eruptive . Cataclysmic . X-Ray 4. The Variability Tree Chapter Two- 1. Rotating Variables . The Sun . BY Dra stars . RS CVn stars . Rotating ellipsoidal variables 2. Eclipsing Variables . EA . EB . EW . EP . Roche Lobes 1 Chapter Three- 1. Pulsating Variables . Classical Cepheids . Type II Cepheids . RV Tau stars . Delta Sct stars . RR Lyr stars . Miras . Semi-regular stars 2. Eruptive Variables . Young Stellar Objects . T Tau stars . FUOrs . EXOrs . UXOrs . UV Cet stars . Gamma Cas stars . S Dor stars . R CrB stars Chapter Four- 1. Cataclysmic Variables . Dwarf Novae . Novae . Recurrent Novae . Magnetic CVs . Symbiotic Variables . Supernovae 2. Other Variables . Gamma-Ray Bursters . Active Galactic Nuclei 2 Course Description and Requirements for Completion This course is an overview of the types of variable stars most commonly observed by AAVSO observers. We discuss the physical processes behind what makes each type variable and how this is demonstrated in their light curves. Variable star names and nomenclature are placed in a historical context to aid in understanding today’s classification scheme. -
121012-AAS-221 Program-14-ALL, Page 253 @ Preflight
221ST MEETING OF THE AMERICAN ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY 6-10 January 2013 LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA Scientific sessions will be held at the: Long Beach Convention Center 300 E. Ocean Blvd. COUNCIL.......................... 2 Long Beach, CA 90802 AAS Paper Sorters EXHIBITORS..................... 4 Aubra Anthony ATTENDEE Alan Boss SERVICES.......................... 9 Blaise Canzian Joanna Corby SCHEDULE.....................12 Rupert Croft Shantanu Desai SATURDAY.....................28 Rick Fienberg Bernhard Fleck SUNDAY..........................30 Erika Grundstrom Nimish P. Hathi MONDAY........................37 Ann Hornschemeier Suzanne H. Jacoby TUESDAY........................98 Bethany Johns Sebastien Lepine WEDNESDAY.............. 158 Katharina Lodders Kevin Marvel THURSDAY.................. 213 Karen Masters Bryan Miller AUTHOR INDEX ........ 245 Nancy Morrison Judit Ries Michael Rutkowski Allyn Smith Joe Tenn Session Numbering Key 100’s Monday 200’s Tuesday 300’s Wednesday 400’s Thursday Sessions are numbered in the Program Book by day and time. Changes after 27 November 2012 are included only in the online program materials. 1 AAS Officers & Councilors Officers Councilors President (2012-2014) (2009-2012) David J. Helfand Quest Univ. Canada Edward F. Guinan Villanova Univ. [email protected] [email protected] PAST President (2012-2013) Patricia Knezek NOAO/WIYN Observatory Debra Elmegreen Vassar College [email protected] [email protected] Robert Mathieu Univ. of Wisconsin Vice President (2009-2015) [email protected] Paula Szkody University of Washington [email protected] (2011-2014) Bruce Balick Univ. of Washington Vice-President (2010-2013) [email protected] Nicholas B. Suntzeff Texas A&M Univ. suntzeff@aas.org Eileen D. Friel Boston Univ. [email protected] Vice President (2011-2014) Edward B. Churchwell Univ. of Wisconsin Angela Speck Univ. of Missouri [email protected] [email protected] Treasurer (2011-2014) (2012-2015) Hervey (Peter) Stockman STScI Nancy S.