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Bayesian inference of stellar parameters and interstellar extinction using parallaxes and multiband photometry
Astrometric surveys provide the opportunity to measure the absolutemagnitudes of large numbers of stars, but only if the individualline-of-sight extinctions are known. Unfortunately, extinction is highlydegenerate with stellar effective temperature when estimated frombroad-band optical/infrared photometry. To address this problem, Iintroduce a Bayesian method for estimating the intrinsic parameters of astar and its line-of-sight extinction. It uses both photometry andparallaxes in a self-consistent manner in order to provide anon-parametric posterior probability distribution over the parameters.The method makes explicit use of domain knowledge by employing theHertzsprung-Russell Diagram (HRD) to constrain solutions and to ensurethat they respect stellar physics. I first demonstrate this method byusing it to estimate effective temperature and extinction from BVJHKdata for a set of artificially reddened Hipparcos stars, for whichaccurate effective temperatures have been estimated from high-resolutionspectroscopy. Using just the four colours, we see the expected strongdegeneracy (positive correlation) between the temperature andextinction. Introducing the parallax, apparent magnitude and the HRDreduces this degeneracy and improves both the precision (reduces theerror bars) and the accuracy of the parameter estimates, the latter byabout 35 per cent. The resulting accuracy is about 200 K in temperatureand 0.2 mag in extinction. I then apply the method to estimate theseparameters and absolute magnitudes for some 47 000 F, G, K Hipparcosstars which have been cross-matched with Two-Micron All-Sky Survey(2MASS). The method can easily be extended to incorporate the estimationof other parameters, in particular metallicity and surface gravity,making it particularly suitable for the analysis of the 109stars from Gaia.
| Low-mass Visual Companions to Nearby G-dwarfs
A complete census of wide visual companions to nearby G-dwarf stars canbe achieved by selecting candidates from the Two Micron All Sky Survey(2MASS) Point-Source Catalog and checking their status by second-epochimaging. Such data are obtained for 124 candidates with separations upto 20'', 47 of which are shown to be new physical low-mass stellarcompanions. A list of visual binaries with G-dwarf primaries is producedby combining newly found companions with historical data. Maximumlikelihood analysis leads to a companion frequency of 0.13 ±0.015 per decade of separation. The mass ratio is distributed almostuniformly, with a power-law index between -0.4 and 0. The remaininguncertainty in the index is related to modeling of the companiondetection threshold in 2MASS. These findings are confirmed by analternative analysis of wider companions in 2MASS, removing thecontamination by background stars statistically. Extension of this workwill lead to a complete detection of visual companions—a necessarystep toward reaching unbiased multiplicity statistics over the fullrange of orbital periods and, eventually, understanding the origin ofmultiple systems.
| uvby-? photometry of solar twins . The solar colors, model atmospheres, and the Teff and metallicity scales
Aims: Solar colors have been determined on the uvby-?photometric system to test absolute solar fluxes, to examine colorspredicted by model atmospheres as a function of stellar parameters(Teff, log g, [Fe/H]), and to probe zero-points ofTeff and metallicity scales. Methods: New uvby-?photometry is presented for 73 solar-twin candidates. Most stars of oursample have also been observed spectroscopically to obtain accuratestellar parameters. Using the stars that most closely resemble the Sun,and complementing our data with photometry available in the literature,the solar colors on the uvby-? system have been inferred. Our solarcolors are compared with synthetic solar colors computed from absolutesolar spectra and from the latest Kurucz (ATLAS9) and MARCS modelatmospheres. The zero-points of different Teff andmetallicity scales are verified and corrections are proposed. Results: Our solar colors are (b-y)? = 0.4105 ±0.0015, m1, ? = 0.2122 ± 0.0018, c1,? = 0.3319 ± 0.0054, and ?? =2.5915 ± 0.0024. The (b-y)? and m1,? colors obtained from absolute spectrophotometry of the Sunagree within 3-? with the solar colors derived here when thephotometric zero-points are determined from either the STIS HSTobservations of Vega or an ATLAS9 Vega model, but the c1,? and ?? synthetic colors inferred fromabsolute solar spectra agree with our solar colors only when thezero-points based on the ATLAS9 model are adopted. The Kurucz solarmodel provides a better fit to our observations than the MARCS model.For photometric values computed from the Kurucz models,(b-y)? and m1, ? are in excellentagreement with our solar colors independently of the adoptedzero-points, but for c1, ? and ??agreement is found only when adopting the ATLAS9 zero-points. Thec1, ? color computed from both the Kurucz and MARCSmodels is the most discrepant, probably revealing problems either withthe models or observations in the u band. The Teffcalibration of Alonso and collaborators has the poorest performance(~140 K off), while the relation of Casagrande and collaborators is themost accurate (within 10 K). We confirm that the Ramírez &Meléndez uvby metallicity calibration, recommended byÁrnadóttir and collaborators to obtain [Fe/H] in F, G, andK dwarfs, needs a small (~10%) zero-point correction to place the starsand the Sun on the same metallicity scale. Finally, we confirm that thec1 index in solar analogs has a strong metallicitysensitivity.Based on observations collected at the H. L. Johnson 1.5 m telescope atthe Observatorio Astronómico Nacional at San Pedro Mártir,Baja California, México.Tables 1-3 and 5 are only available inelectronic form at http://www.aanda.org
| Lithium depletion in solar-like stars: no planet connection
We have determined precise stellar parameters and lithium abundances ina sample of 117 stars with basic properties very similar to the Sun.This sample selection reduces biasing effects and systematic errors inthe analysis. We estimate the ages of our sample stars mainly fromisochrone fitting but also from measurements of rotation period andX-ray luminosity and test the connection between lithium abundance, age,and stellar parameters. We find strong evidence for increasing lithiumdepletion with age. Our sample includes 14 stars that are known to hostplanets and it does not support recent claims that planet-host starshave experienced more lithium depletion than stars without planets. Wefind the solar lithium abundance normal for a star of its age, mass, andmetallicity. Furthermore, we analyze published data for 82 stars thatwere reported to support an enhanced lithium depletion in planet hosts.We show that those stars in fact follow an age trend very similar tothat found with our sample and that the presence of giant planets is notrelated to low lithium abundances. Finally, we discuss the systematicbiases that led to the incorrect conclusion of an enhanced lithiumdepletion in planet-host stars.
| The PASTEL catalogue of stellar parameters
Aims: The PASTEL catalogue is an update of the [Fe/H] catalogue,published in 1997 and 2001. It is a bibliographical compilation ofstellar atmospheric parameters providing (T_eff, log g, [Fe/H])determinations obtained from the analysis of high resolution, highsignal-to-noise spectra, carried out with model atmospheres. PASTEL alsoprovides determinations of the one parameter T_eff based on variousmethods. It is aimed in the future to provide also homogenizedatmospheric parameters and elemental abundances, radial and rotationalvelocities. A web interface has been created to query the catalogue onelaborated criteria. PASTEL is also distributed through the CDS databaseand VizieR. Methods: To make it as complete as possible, the mainjournals have been surveyed, as well as the CDS database, to findrelevant publications. The catalogue is regularly updated with newdeterminations found in the literature. Results: As of Febuary2010, PASTEL includes 30151 determinations of either T_eff or (T_eff,log g, [Fe/H]) for 16 649 different stars corresponding to 865bibliographical references. Nearly 6000 stars have a determination ofthe three parameters (T_eff, log g, [Fe/H]) with a high qualityspectroscopic metallicity.The catalogue can be queried through a dedicated web interface at http://pastel.obs.u-bordeaux1.fr/.It is also available in electronic form at the Centre de DonnéesStellaires in Strasbourg (http://vizier.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/VizieR?-source=B/pastel),at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) orvia http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/515/A111
| Accurate abundance patterns of solar twins and analogs. Does the anomalous solar chemical composition come from planet formation?
We derive the abundance of 19 elements in a sample of 64 stars withfundamental parameters very similar to solar, which minimizes the impactof systematic errors in our spectroscopic 1D-LTE differential analysis,using high-resolution (R?60 000), high signal-to-noise ratio(S/N?200) spectra. The estimated errors in the elemental abundancesrelative to solar are as small as ?0.025 dex. The abundance ratios[X/Fe] as a function of [Fe/H] agree closely with previously establishedpatterns of Galactic thin-disk chemical evolution. Interestingly, themajority of our stars show a significant correlation between [X/Fe] andcondensation temperature (T_C). In the sample of 22 stars withparameters closest to solar, we find that, on average, low TCelements are depleted with respect to high TC elements in thesolar twins relative to the Sun by about 0.08 dex (?20%). Anincreasing trend is observed for the abundances as a function ofTC for 900
| Proper-motion binaries in the Hipparcos catalogue. Comparison with radial velocity data
Context: .This paper is the last in a series devoted to the analysis ofthe binary content of the Hipparcos Catalogue. Aims: .Thecomparison of the proper motions constructed from positions spanning ashort (Hipparcos) or long time (Tycho-2) makes it possible to uncoverbinaries with periods of the order of or somewhat larger than the shorttime span (in this case, the 3 yr duration of the Hipparcos mission),since the unrecognised orbital motion will then add to the propermotion. Methods: .A list of candidate proper motion binaries isconstructed from a carefully designed χ2 test evaluatingthe statistical significance of the difference between the Tycho-2 andHipparcos proper motions for 103 134 stars in common between the twocatalogues (excluding components of visual systems). Since similar listsof proper-motion binaries have already been constructed, the presentpaper focuses on the evaluation of the detection efficiency ofproper-motion binaries, using different kinds of control data (mostlyradial velocities). The detection rate for entries from the NinthCatalogue of Spectroscopic Binary Orbits (S_B^9) is evaluated, as wellas for stars like barium stars, which are known to be all binaries, andfinally for spectroscopic binaries identified from radial velocity datain the Geneva-Copenhagen survey of F and G dwarfs in the solarneighbourhood. Results: .Proper motion binaries are efficientlydetected for systems with parallaxes in excess of ~20 mas, and periodsin the range 1000-30 000 d. The shortest periods in this range(1000-2000 d, i.e., once to twice the duration of the Hipparcos mission)may appear only as DMSA/G binaries (accelerated proper motion in theHipparcos Double and Multiple System Annex). Proper motion binariesdetected among S_B9 systems having periods shorter than about400 d hint at triple systems, the proper-motion binary involving acomponent with a longer orbital period. A list of 19 candidate triplesystems is provided. Binaries suspected of having low-mass(brown-dwarf-like) companions are listed as well. Among the 37 bariumstars with parallaxes larger than 5 mas, only 7 exhibit no evidence forduplicity whatsoever (be it spectroscopic or astrometric). Finally, thefraction of proper-motion binaries shows no significant variation amongthe various (regular) spectral classes, when due account is taken forthe detection biases.Full Table [see full textsee full text] is only available in electronicform at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5)or via http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/464/377
| Statistical Constraints for Astrometric Binaries with Nonlinear Motion
Useful constraints on the orbits and mass ratios of astrometric binariesin the Hipparcos catalog are derived from the measured proper motiondifferences of Hipparcos and Tycho-2 (Δμ), accelerations ofproper motions (μ˙), and second derivatives of proper motions(μ̈). It is shown how, in some cases, statistical bounds can beestimated for the masses of the secondary components. Two catalogs ofastrometric binaries are generated, one of binaries with significantproper motion differences and the other of binaries with significantaccelerations of their proper motions. Mathematical relations betweenthe astrometric observables Δμ, μ˙, and μ̈ andthe orbital elements are derived in the appendices. We find a remarkabledifference between the distribution of spectral types of stars withlarge accelerations but small proper motion differences and that ofstars with large proper motion differences but insignificantaccelerations. The spectral type distribution for the former sample ofbinaries is the same as the general distribution of all stars in theHipparcos catalog, whereas the latter sample is clearly dominated bysolar-type stars, with an obvious dearth of blue stars. We point outthat the latter set includes mostly binaries with long periods (longerthan about 6 yr).
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Observation and Astrometry data
| Constellation: | Aries |
| Right ascension: | 02h17m55.54s |
| Declination: | +19°40'50.2" |
| Apparent magnitude: | 8.914 |
| Distance: | 66.667 parsecs |
| Proper motion RA: | 93.4 |
| Proper motion Dec: | -23 |
| B-T magnitude: | 9.68 |
| V-T magnitude: | 8.978 |
Catalogs and designations:
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