ORCID Profile
0000-0002-3430-4163
Current Organisation
UNSW Sydney
Does something not look right? The information on this page has been harvested from data sources that may not be up to date. We continue to work with information providers to improve coverage and quality. To report an issue, use the Feedback Form.
In Research Link Australia (RLA), "Research Topics" refer to ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes. These topics are either sourced from ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes listed in researchers' related grants or generated by a large language model (LLM) based on their publications.
Astronomical and Space Sciences | Galactic Astronomy | Cosmology and Extragalactic Astronomy | Stellar Astronomy and Planetary Systems | Astronomical and Space Instrumentation | Astrobiology | Pattern Recognition and Data Mining |
Expanding Knowledge in the Physical Sciences | Scientific Instruments | Expanding Knowledge in Engineering | Expanding Knowledge in Technology | Electronic Information Storage and Retrieval Services
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 14-10-2015
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 20-02-2023
Abstract: We present a 6D map of the Orphan–Chenab (OC) stream by combining the data from Southern Stellar Stream Spectroscopic Survey (S5) and Gaia. We reconstruct the proper motion, radial velocity, distance, on-sky track, and stellar density along the stream with spline models. The stream has a total luminosity of MV = −8.2 and metallicity of [Fe/H] = −1.9, similar to classical Milky Way (MW) satellites like Draco. The stream shows drastic changes in its physical width varying from 200 pc to 1 kpc, but a constant line-of-sight velocity dispersion of 5 $\\mathrm{km\\, s^{-1}}$. Despite the large apparent variation in the stellar number density along the stream, the flow rate of stars along the stream is remarkably constant. We model the 6D stream track by a Lagrange-point stripping method with a flexible MW potential in the presence of a moving extended Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). This allows us to constrain the mass profile of the MW within the distance range 15.6 & r & 55.5 kpc, with the best measured enclosed mass of $(2.85\\pm 0.1)\\times 10^{11}\\, \\mathrm{\\, M_\\odot }$ within 32.4 kpc. Our stream measurements are highly sensitive to the LMC mass profile with the most precise measurement of its enclosed mass made at 32.8 kpc, $(7.02\\pm 0.9)\\times 10^{10}\\, {\\rm M}_\\odot$. We also detect that the LMC dark matter halo extends to at least 53 kpc. The fitting of the OC stream allows us to constrain the past LMC trajectory and the degree of dynamical friction it experienced. We demonstrate that the stars in the OC stream show large energy and angular momentum spreads caused by LMC perturbation.
Publisher: EDP Sciences
Date: 13-06-2016
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 12-10-2019
Abstract: Asteroseismology is a promising tool to study Galactic structure and evolution because it can probe the ages of stars. Earlier attempts comparing seismic data from the Kepler satellite with predictions from Galaxy models found that the models predicted more low-mass stars compared to the observed distribution of masses. It was unclear if the mismatch was due to inaccuracies in the Galactic models, or the unknown aspects of the selection function of the stars. Using new data from the K2 mission, which has a well-defined selection function, we find that an old metal-poor thick disc, as used in previous Galactic models, is incompatible with the asteroseismic information. We use an importance-s ling framework, which takes the selection function into account, to fit for the metallicities of a population synthesis model using spectroscopic data. We show that spectroscopic measurements of [Fe/H] and [α/Fe] elemental abundances from the GALAH survey indicate a mean metallicity of log (Z/Z⊙) = −0.16 for the thick disc. Here Z is the effective solar-scaled metallicity, which is a function of [Fe/H] and [α/Fe]. With the revised disc metallicities, for the first time, the theoretically predicted distribution of seismic masses show excellent agreement with the observed distribution of masses. This indirectly verifies that the asteroseismic mass scaling relation is good to within five per cent. Assuming the asteroseismic scaling relations are correct, we estimate the mean age of the thick disc to be about 10 Gyr, in agreement with the traditional idea of an old α-enhanced thick disc.
Publisher: IOP Publishing
Date: 08-2008
DOI: 10.1086/590457
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 26-08-2017
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 05-09-2019
Abstract: Gaia DR2 has revealed new small-scale and large-scale patterns in the phase-space distribution of stars in the Milky Way. In cylindrical Galactic coordinates $(R,\phi ,z)$, ridge-like structures can be seen in the $(R,V_\phi)$ plane and asymmetric arch-like structures in the $(V_R,V_\phi)$ plane. We show that the ridges are also clearly present when the third dimension of the $(R,V_\phi)$ plane is represented by $\langle z \rangle$, $\langle V_z \rangle$, $\langle V_R \rangle$, $\langle$[Fe/H]$\rangle$, and $\langle [\alpha /{\rm Fe}]\rangle$. The maps suggest that stars along the ridges lie preferentially close to the Galactic mid-plane ($|z|\lt 0.2$ kpc), and have metallicity and $\alpha$ elemental abundance similar to that of the Sun. We show that phase mixing of disrupting spiral arms can generate both the ridges and the arches. It also generates discrete groupings in orbital energy – the ridges and arches are simply surfaces of constant energy. We identify eight distinct ridges in the Gaia DR2 data: six of them have constant energy while two have constant angular momentum. Given that the signature is strongest for stars close to the plane, the presence of ridges in $\langle z \rangle$ and $\langle V_z \rangle$ suggests a coupling between planar and vertical directions. We demonstrate, using N-body simulations that such coupling can be generated both in isolated discs and in discs perturbed by an orbiting satellite like the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy.
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 14-09-2011
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 17-08-2015
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 05-09-2018
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 03-05-2016
Publisher: EDP Sciences
Date: 29-10-2019
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201935369
Abstract: We report the serendipitous discovery of a nitrogen-rich, mildly metal-poor ([Fe/H] = −1.08) giant star in a single-lined spectroscopic binary system found in the SDSS-IV Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE-2) survey, Data Release 14 (DR14). Previous work has assumed that two percent of halo giants with unusual elemental abundances have been evaporated from globular clusters, but other origins for their abundance signatures, including binary mass transfer, must also be explored. We present the results of an abundance reanalysis of the APOGEE-2 high-resolution near-infrared spectrum of 2M12451043+1217401 with the Brussels Automatic Stellar Parameter (BACCHUS) automated spectral analysis code. We manually re-derive the main element families, namely light elements (C, N), elements (O, Mg, Si), the iron-peak element (Fe), s -process element (Ce), and light odd-Z element (Al). Our analysis confirms the N-rich nature of 2M12451043+1217401, which has a [N/Fe] ratio of +0.69, and shows that the abundances of C and Al are slightly discrepant from those of a typical mildly metal-poor red giant branch star, but exhibit Mg, Si, O and s -process abundances (Ce) of typical field stars. We also detect a particularly large variability in the radial velocity of this star over the period of the APOGEE-2 observations the most likely orbit fit to the radial velocity data has a period of 730.89 ± 106.86 days, a velocity semi- litude of 9.92 ± 0.14 km s −1 , and an eccentricity of ∼0.1276 ± 0.1174. These data support the hypothesis of a binary companion, which has probably been polluted by a now-extinct asymptotic giant branch star.
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 17-10-2013
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 24-10-2019
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 03-2022
Abstract: We report the kinematic, orbital, and chemical properties of 12 stellar streams with no evident progenitors using line-of-sight velocities and metallicities from the Southern Stellar Stream Spectroscopic Survey ( S 5 ), proper motions from Gaia EDR3, and distances derived from distance tracers or the literature. This data set provides the largest homogeneously analyzed set of streams with full 6D kinematics and metallicities. All streams have heliocentric distances between ∼10 and 50 kpc. The velocity and metallicity dispersions show that half of the stream progenitors were disrupted dwarf galaxies (DGs), while the other half originated from disrupted globular clusters (GCs), hereafter referred to as DG and GC streams. Based on the mean metallicities of the streams and the mass–metallicity relation, the luminosities of the progenitors of the DG streams range between those of Carina and Ursa Major I (−9.5 ≲ M V ≲ −5.5). Four of the six GC streams have mean metallicities of [Fe/H] −2, more metal poor than typical Milky Way (MW) GCs at similar distances. Interestingly, the 300S and Jet GC streams are the only streams on retrograde orbits in our dozen-stream s le. Finally, we compare the orbital properties of the streams with known DGs and GCs in the MW, finding several possible associations. Some streams appear to have been accreted with the recently discovered Gaia–Enceladus–Sausage system, and others suggest that GCs were formed in and accreted together with the progenitors of DG streams whose stellar masses are similar to those of Draco to Carina (∼10 5 –10 6 M ⊙ ).
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 06-06-2014
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 16-09-2019
Abstract: We report the discovery of the only very nitrogen-enhanced metal-poor star known in a Galactic globular cluster. This star, in the very metal-poor cluster ESO280−SC06 , has $[\\textrm{N}/\\textrm{Fe}]\\, \\gt +2.5$, while the other stars in the cluster show no obvious enhancement in nitrogen. Around 80 NEMP stars are known in the field, and their abundance patterns are believed to reflect mass transfer from a binary companion in the asymptotic giant branch phase. The dense environment of globular clusters is detrimental to the long term survival of binary systems, resulting in a low observed binary fraction among red giants and the near absence of NEMP stars. We also identify the first known horizontal branch members of ESO280−SC06 , which allow for a much better constraint on its distance. We calculate an updated orbit for the cluster based on our revised distance of 20.6 ± 0.5 kpc, and find no significant change to its orbital properties.
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 06-01-2015
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 28-10-2017
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 11-2015
DOI: 10.1017/S1743921315006055
Abstract: Galactic archaeology is the study of the history of star formation and chemical evolution in the Milky Way, based on present-day stellar populations. Studies of young stars are a key anchor point for Galactic archaeology, since quantities like the initial mass function and the star formation rate can be studied directly in young clusters and star forming regions. Conversely, massive spectroscopic Galactic archaeology surveys can be used as a data source for young star studies.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 03-10-2019
Abstract: We introduce the southern stellar stream spectroscopy survey (S5), an on-going program to map the kinematics and chemistry of stellar streams in the southern hemisphere. The initial focus of S5 has been spectroscopic observations of recently identified streams within the footprint of the dark energy survey (DES), with the eventual goal of surveying streams across the entire southern sky. Stellar streams are composed of material that has been tidally striped from dwarf galaxies and globular clusters and hence are excellent dynamical probes of the gravitational potential of the Milky Way, as well as providing a detailed snapshot of its accretion history. Observing with the 3.9 m Anglo-Australian Telescope’s 2-degree-Field fibre positioner and AAOmega spectrograph, and combining the precise photometry of DES DR1 with the superb proper motions from Gaia DR2, allows us to conduct an efficient spectroscopic survey to map these stellar streams. So far S5 has mapped nine DES streams and three streams outside of DES the former are the first spectroscopic observations of these recently discovered streams. In addition to the stream survey, we use spare fibres to undertake a Milky Way halo survey and a low-redshift galaxy survey. This paper presents an overview of the S5 program, describing the scientific motivation for the survey, target selection, observation strategy, data reduction, and survey validation. Finally, we describe early science results on stellar streams and Milky Way halo stars drawn from the survey. Updates on S5, including future public data releases, can be found at s5collab.github.io.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 26-07-2017
Publisher: EDP Sciences
Date: 04-2019
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201833218
Abstract: The overlap between the spectroscopic Galactic Archaeology with HERMES (GALAH) survey and Gaia provides a high-dimensional chemodynamical space of unprecedented size. We present a first analysis of a subset of this overlap, of 7066 dwarf, turn-off, and sub-giant stars. These stars have spectra from the GALAH survey and high parallax precision from the Gaia DR1 Tycho- Gaia Astrometric Solution. We investigate correlations between chemical compositions, ages, and kinematics for this s le. Stellar parameters and elemental abundances are derived from the GALAH spectra with the spectral synthesis code S PECTROSCOPY M ADE E ASY . We determine kinematics and dynamics, including action angles, from the Gaia astrometry and GALAH radial velocities. Stellar masses and ages are determined with Bayesian isochrone matching, using our derived stellar parameters and absolute magnitudes. We report measurements of Li, C, O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, as well as Ba and we note that we have employed non-LTE calculations for Li, O, Al, and Fe. We show that the use of astrometric and photometric data improves the accuracy of the derived spectroscopic parameters, especially log g . Focusing our investigation on the correlations between stellar age, iron abundance [Fe/H], and mean alpha-enhancement [ α /Fe] of the magnitude-selected s le, we recover the result that stars of the high- α sequence are typically older than stars in the low- α sequence, the latter spanning iron abundances of −0.7 [Fe/H] +0.5. While these two sequences become indistinguishable in [ α /Fe] vs. [Fe/H] at the metal-rich regime, we find that age can be used to separate stars from the extended high- α and the low- α sequence even in this regime. When dissecting the s le by stellar age, we find that the old stars ( Gyr) have lower angular momenta L z than the Sun, which implies that they are on eccentric orbits and originate from the inner disc. Contrary to some previous smaller scale studies we find a continuous evolution in the high- α -sequence up to super-solar [Fe/H] rather than a gap, which has been interpreted as a separate “high- α metal-rich” population. Stars in our s le that are younger than 10 Gyr, are mainly found on the low α -sequence and show a gradient in L z from low [Fe/H] ( L z L z , ⊙ ) towards higher [Fe/H] ( L z L z , ⊙ ), which implies that the stars at the ends of this sequence are likely not originating from the close solar vicinity.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 12-10-2022
Abstract: We present the first large-scale study that demonstrates how ages can be determined for large s les of stars through Galactic chemical evolution. Previous studies found that the elemental abundances of a star correlate directly with its age and metallicity. Using this knowledge, we derive ages for 214 577 stars in GALAH DR3 using only overall metallicities and chemical abundances. Stellar ages are estimated via the machine learning algorithm XGBoost for stars belonging to the Milky Way disc with metallicities in the range −1 & [Fe/H] & 0.5, using main-sequence turn-off stars as our training set. We find that stellar ages for the bulk of GALAH DR3 are precise to 1–2 Gyr using this method. With these ages, we replicate many recent results on the age-kinematic trends of the nearby disc, including the solar neighbourhood’s age–velocity dispersion relationship and the larger global velocity dispersion relations of the disc found using Gaia and GALAH. These results show that chemical abundance variations at a given birth radius are small, and that strong chemical tagging of stars directly to birth clusters may prove difficult with our current elemental abundance precision. Our results highlight the need to measure abundances for as many nucleosynthetic production sites as possible in order to estimate reliable ages from chemistry. Our methods open a new door into studies of the kinematic structure and evolution of the disc, as ages may potentially be estimated to a precision of 1–2 Gyr for a large fraction of stars in existing spectroscopic surveys.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 31-03-2022
Abstract: APOGEE and GALAH are two high resolution multi-object spectroscopic surveys that provide fundamental stellar parameters and multiple elemental abundance estimates for about half a million stars in the Milky Way. Both surveys observe in different wavelength regimes and use different data reduction pipelines leading to significant offsets and trends in stellar parameters and abundances for the common stars observed in both surveys. Such systematic differences/offsets in stellar parameters and abundances make it difficult to effectively utilize them to investigate Galactic abundance trends in spite of the unique advantage provided by their complementary sky coverage and different Milky Way components they observe. Hence, we use the Cannon data-driven method selecting a training set of 4418 common stars observed by both surveys. This enables the construction of two catalogues, one with the APOGEE-scaled and the other with the GALAH-scaled stellar parameters. Using repeat observations in APOGEE and GALAH, we find high precision in metallicity (∼0.02–0.4 dex) and alpha abundances (∼0.02–0.03 dex) for spectra with good signal-to-noise ratio (SNR & 80 for APOGEE and SNR & 40 for GALAH). We use open and globular clusters to validate our parameter estimates and find small scatter in metallicity (0.06 dex) and alpha abundances (0.03 dex) in APOGEE-scaled case. The final catalogues have been cross-matched with the Gaia EDR3 catalogue to enable their use to carry out detailed chemo-dynamic studies of the Milky Way from perspectives of APOGEE and GALAH.
Publisher: EDP Sciences
Date: 05-2019
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201834825
Abstract: There is le evidence in the Milky Way for globular cluster (GC) disruption. It may therefore be expected that part of the Galactic halo field star population may also once have formed in GCs. We seek to quantify the fraction of halo stars donated by GCs by searching for stars that bear the unique chemical fingerprints typical for a subset of GC stars often dubbed “second-generation stars”. These are stars showing light-element abundance anomalies such as a pronounced CN-band strength accompanied by weak CH-bands. Based on this indicator, past studies have placed the fraction of halo stars with a GC origin between a few to up to 50%. Using low-resolution spectra from the most recent data release (DR14) of the latest extension of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-IV), we were able to identify 118 metal-poor (−1.8 ≤ [Fe/H] ≤ −1.3) CN-strong stars in a s le of 4470 halo giant stars out to ∼50 kpc. This increases the number of known halo stars with GC-like light-element abundances by a factor of two and results in an observed fraction of these stars of 2.6 ± 0.2%. Using an updated formalism to account for the fraction of stars lost early on in the GC evolution, we thus estimate the fraction of the Galactic halo that stems from disrupted clusters to be very low, at 11 ± 1%. This number would represent the case that stars lost from GCs were entirely from the first generation and is thus merely an upper limit. Our conclusions are sensitive to our assumptions of the mass lost early on from the first generation formed in the GCs, the ratio of first-to-second generation stars, and other GC parameters. We carefully tested the influence of varying these parameters on the final result and find that under realistic scenarios, this fraction depends on the main assumptions at less than 10 percentage points. We further recover a flat trend in this fraction with Galactocentric radius, with a marginal indication of a rise beyond 30 kpc that could reflect the ex situ origin of the outer halo as is also seen in other stellar tracers.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 27-10-2017
Publisher: EDP Sciences
Date: 11-2019
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201834710
Abstract: Context. The Orion complex is arguably the most studied star-forming region in the Galaxy. While stars are still being born in the Orion nebula, the oldest part was believed to be no more than 13 Myr old. Aims. In order to study the full hierarchy of star formation across the Orion complex, we perform a clustering analysis of the Ori OB1a region using new stellar surveys and derive robust ages for each identified stellar aggregate. Methods. We use Gaia DR2 parameters supplemented with radial velocities from the GALAH and APOGEE surveys to perform clustering of the Ori OB1a association. Five overdensities are resolved in a six-dimensional parameter space (positions, distance, proper motions, and radial velocity). Most correspond to previously known structures (ASCC 16, 25 Orionis, ASCC 20, ASCC 21). We use Gaia DR2, Pan-STARRS1 and 2MASS photometry to fit isochrones to the colour-magnitude diagrams of the identified clusters. The ages of the clusters can thus be measured with ∼10% precision. Results. While four of the clusters have ages between 11 and 13 Myr, the ASCC 20 cluster stands out at an age of 21 ± 3 Myr. This is significantly greater than the age of any previously known component of the Orion complex. To some degree, all clusters overlap in at least one of the six phase-space dimensions. Conclusions. We argue that the formation history of the Orion complex, and its relation to the Gould belt, must be reconsidered. A significant challenge in reconstructing the history of the Ori OB1a association is to understand the impact of the newly discovered 21 Myr old population on the younger parts of the complex, including their formation.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 23-03-2023
Abstract: We use more than 872 000 mid- to high-resolution (R ∼ 20 000) spectra of stars from the GALactic Archaeology with HERMES (GALAH) survey to discern the spectra of diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs). We use four windows with the wavelength ranges 4718–4903, 5649–5873, 6481–6739, and 7590–7890 Å, giving a total coverage of 967 Å. We produce ∼400 000 spectra of interstellar medium (ISM) absorption features and correct them for radial velocities of the DIB clouds. Ultimately, we combine the 33 115 best ISM spectra into six reddening bins with a range of 0.1 & E(B − V) & 0.7 mag. A total of 183 absorption features in these spectra qualify as DIBs, and their fitted model parameters are summarized in a detailed catalogue. From these, 64 are not reported in the literature, of which 17 are certain, 14 are probable and 33 are possible. We find that the broad DIBs can be fitted with a multitude of narrower DIBs. Finally, we create a synthetic DIB spectrum at unit reddening. This should allow us to narrow down the possible carriers of DIBs, to explore the composition of the ISM, and ultimately to model dust and star formation better as well as to correct Galactic and extragalactic observations. The majority of certain DIBs show a significant excess of equivalent width when compared with reddening. We explain this with observed lines of sight penetrating more uniform DIB clouds compared with clumpy dust clouds.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 12-08-2015
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 11-2021
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 20-12-2016
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 10-09-2010
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 02-06-2015
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 05-2021
Abstract: The results from the ESA Gaia astrometric mission and deep photometric surveys have revolutionized our knowledge of the Milky Way. There are many ongoing efforts to search these data for stellar substructure to find evidence of in idual accretion events that built up the Milky Way and its halo. One of these newly identified features, called Nyx, was announced as an accreted stellar stream traveling in the plane of the disk. Using a combination of elemental abundances and stellar parameters from the GALAH and Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE) surveys, we find that the abundances of the highest likelihood Nyx members are entirely consistent with membership of the thick disk, and inconsistent with a dwarf galaxy origin. We conclude that the postulated Nyx stream is most probably a high-velocity component of the Milky Way’s thick disk. With the growing availability of large data sets including kinematics, stellar parameters, and detailed abundances, the probability of detecting chance associations increases, and hence new searches for substructure require confirmation across as many data dimensions as possible.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 16-12-2019
Abstract: We investigate the Fe, C, N, O, Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, Ce, and Nd abundances of 2283 red giant stars in 31 globular clusters from high-resolution spectra observed in both the Northern and Southern hemisphere by the SDSS-IV APOGEE-2 survey. This unprecedented homogeneous data set, largest to date, allows us to discuss the intrinsic Fe spread, the shape, and statistics of Al-Mg and N-C anti-correlations as a function of cluster mass, luminosity, age, and metallicity for all 31 clusters. We find that the Fe spread does not depend on these parameters within our uncertainties including cluster metallicity, contradicting earlier observations. We do not confirm the metallicity variations previously observed in M22 and NGC 1851. Some clusters show a bimodal Al distribution, while others exhibit a continuous distribution as has been previously reported in the literature. We confirm more than two populations in ω Cen and NGC 6752, and find new ones in M79. We discuss the scatter of Al by implementing a correction to the standard chemical evolution of Al in the Milky Way. After correction, its dependence on cluster mass is increased suggesting that the extent of Al enrichment as a function of mass was suppressed before the correction. We observe a turnover in the Mg-Al anticorrelation at very low Mg in ω Cen, similar to the pattern previously reported in M15 and M92. ω Cen may also have a weak K-Mg anticorrelation, and if confirmed, it would be only the third cluster known to show such a pattern.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 11-02-2020
Abstract: We present the chemodynamic structure of the solar neighbourhood using 55 652 stars within a 500 pc volume around the Sun observed by GALAH and with astrometric parameters from Gaia DR2. We measure the velocity dispersion for all three components (vertical, radial, and tangential) and find that it varies smoothly with [Fe/H] and [α/Fe] for each component. The vertical component is especially clean, with $\\sigma _{v_z}$ increasing from a low of 10 km s−1 at solar [α/Fe] and [Fe/H] to a high of more than 50 km s−1 for more metal-poor and [α/Fe] enhanced populations. We find no evidence of a large decrease in the velocity dispersion of the highest [α/Fe] populations as claimed in surveys prior to Gaia DR2. The eccentricity distribution for local stars varies most strongly as a function of [α/Fe], where stars with [α/Fe] & 0.1 dex having generally circular orbits (e & 0.15), while the median eccentricity increases rapidly for more [α/Fe] enhanced stellar populations up to e ∼ 0.35. These [α/Fe] enhanced populations have guiding radii consistent with origins in the inner Galaxy. Of the stars with metallicities much higher than the local interstellar medium ([Fe/H] & 0.1 dex), we find that the majority have e & 0.2 and are likely observed in the solar neighbourhood through churning/migration rather than blurring effects, as the epicyclic motion for these stars is not large enough to reach the radii at which they were likely born based on their metallicity.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 03-12-2021
Abstract: Since the advent of Gaia astrometry, it is possible to identify massive accreted systems within the Galaxy through their unique dynamical signatures. One such system, Gaia-Sausage-Enceladus (GSE), appears to be an early ‘building block’ given its virial mass $\\gt 10^{10}\\, \\mathrm{M_\\odot }$ at infall (z ∼ 1−3). In order to separate the progenitor population from the background stars, we investigate its chemical properties with up to 30 element abundances from the GALAH+ Survey Data Release 3 (DR3). To inform our choice of elements for purely chemically selecting accreted stars, we analyse 4164 stars with low-α abundances and halo kinematics. These are most different to the Milky Way stars for abundances of Mg, Si, Na, Al, Mn, Fe, Ni, and Cu. Based on the significance of abundance differences and detection rates, we apply Gaussian mixture models to various element abundance combinations. We find the most populated and least contaminated component, which we confirm to represent GSE, contains 1049 stars selected via [Na/Fe] versus [Mg/Mn] in GALAH+ DR3. We provide tables of our selections and report the chrono-chemodynamical properties (age, chemistry, and dynamics). Through a previously reported clean dynamical selection of GSE stars, including $30 \\lt \\sqrt{J_R / \\, \\mathrm{kpc\\, km\\, s^{-1}}} \\lt 55$, we can characterize an unprecedented 24 abundances of this structure with GALAH+ DR3. With our chemical selection we characterize the dynamical properties of the GSE, for ex le mean $\\sqrt{J_R / \\, \\mathrm{kpc\\, km\\, s^{-1}}} =$$26_{-14}^{+9}$. We find only $(29\\pm 1){{\\ \\rm per\\ cent}}$ of the GSE stars within the clean dynamical selection region. Our methodology will improve future studies of accreted structures and their importance for the formation of the Milky Way.
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 11-2022
Abstract: In this paper, we report the potential detection of a nonmonotonic radial rotation profile in a low-mass lower-luminosity giant star. For most low- and intermediate-mass stars, the rotation on the main sequence seems to be close to rigid. As these stars evolve into giants, the core contracts and the envelope expands, which should suggest a radial rotation profile with a fast core and a slower envelope and surface. KIC 9267654, however, seems to show a surface rotation rate that is faster than its bulk envelope rotation rate, in conflict with this simple angular momentum conservation argument. We improve the spectroscopic surface constraint, show that the pulsation frequencies are consistent with the previously published core and envelope rotation rates, and demonstrate that the star does not show strong chemical peculiarities. We discuss the evidence against any tidally interacting stellar companion. Finally, we discuss the possible origin of this unusual rotation profile, including the potential ingestion of a giant planet or unusual angular momentum transport by tidal inertial waves triggered by a close substellar companion, and encourage further observational and theoretical efforts.
Publisher: EDP Sciences
Date: 02-2018
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201731677
Abstract: Lithium abundance in most of the warm metal-poor main sequence stars shows a constarnt plateau ( A (Li) ~ 2.2 dex) and then the upper envelope of the lithium vs. metallicity distribution increases as we approach solar metallicity. Meteorites, which carry information about the chemical composition of the interstellar medium (ISM) at the solar system formation time, show a lithium abundance A (Li) ~ 3.26 dex. This pattern reflects the Li enrichment history of the ISM during the Galaxy lifetime. After the initial Li production in big bang nucleosynthesis, the sources of the enrichment include asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars, low-mass red giants, novae, type II supernovae, and Galactic cosmic rays. The total amount of enriched Li is sensitive to the relative contribution of these sources. Thus different Li enrichment histories are expected in the Galactic thick and thin disc. We investigate the main sequence stars observed with UVES in Gaia -ESO Survey iDR4 catalogue and find a Li- [ α /Fe] anticorrelation independent of [Fe/H], T eff , and log ( g ). Since in stellar evolution different α enhancements at the same metallicity do not lead to a measurable Li abundance change, the anticorrelation indicates that more Li is produced during the Galactic thin disc phase than during the Galactic thick disc phase. We also find a correlation between the abundance of Li and s-process elements Ba and Y, and they both decrease above the solar metallicity, which can be explained in the framework of the adopted Galactic chemical evolution models.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 25-11-2021
Abstract: Using data from the GALAH survey, we explore the dependence of elemental abundances on stellar age and metallicity among Galactic disc stars. We find that the abundance of most elements can be predicted from age and [Fe/H] with an intrinsic scatter of about 0.03 dex. We discuss the possible causes for the existence of the abundance–age–metallicity relations. Using a stochastic chemical enrichment scheme that takes the volume of supernovae remnants into account, we show the intrinsic scatter is expected to be small, about 0.05 dex or even smaller if there is additional mixing in the ISM. Elemental abundances show trends with both age and metallicity and the relationship is well described by a simple model in which the dependence of abundance ([X/Fe]) on age and [Fe/H] are additively separable. Elements can be grouped based on the direction of their abundance gradient in the (age,[Fe/H]) plane and different groups can be roughly associated with three distinct nucleosynthetic production sites, the exploding massive stars, the exploding white dwarfs, and the AGB stars. However, the abundances of some elements, like Co, La, and Li, show large scatter for a given age and metallicity, suggesting processes other than simple Galactic chemical evolution are at play. We also compare the abundance trends of main-sequence turn-off (MSTO) stars against that of giants, whose ages were estimated using asteroseismic information from the K2 mission. For most elements, the trends of MSTO stars are similar to that of giants. The existence of abundance relations implies that we can estimate the age and birth radius of disc stars, which is important for studying the dynamic and chemical evolution of the Galaxy.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 07-2018
DOI: 10.1017/S1743921317007487
Abstract: The Galactic halo has a complex assembly history, which can be seen in its wealth of kinematic and chemical substructure. Globular clusters lose stars through tidal interactions with the Galaxy and cluster evaporation processes, meaning that they are inevitably a source of halo stars. These “migrants” from globular clusters can be recognized in the halo field by the characteristic light element abundance anticorrelations that are commonly observed only in globular cluster stars, and the number of halo stars that can be chemically tagged to globular clusters can be used to place limits on the formation pathways of those clusters.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 15-07-2021
Abstract: The European Space Agency (ESA) Gaia mission has enabled the remarkable discovery that a large fraction of the stars near the solar neighbourhood are debris from a single in-falling system, the so-called Gaia-Sausage-Enceladus (GSE). This discovery provides astronomers for the first time with a large cohort of easily observable, unevolved stars that formed in a single extragalactic environment. Here we use these stars to investigate the ‘Spite plateau’ – the near-constant lithium abundance observed in unevolved metal-poor stars across a wide range of metallicities (−3 & [Fe/H] & −1). Our aim is to test whether in idual galaxies could have different Spite plateaus – e.g. the interstellar medium could be more depleted in lithium in a lower galactic mass system due to it having a smaller reservoir of gas. We identified 93 GSE dwarf stars observed and analysed by the GALactic Archaeology with HERMES (GALAH) survey as part of its Data Release 3 (DR3). Orbital actions were used to select s les of GSE stars, and comparison s les of halo and disc stars. We find that the GSE stars show the same lithium abundance as other likely accreted stars and in situ Milky Way stars. Formation environment leaves no imprint on lithium abundances. This result fits within the growing consensus that the Spite plateau, and more generally the ‘cosmological lithium problem’ – the observed discrepancy between the amount of lithium in warm, metal-poor dwarf stars in our Galaxy, and the amount of lithium predicted to have been produced by big bang nucleosynthesis – is the result of lithium depletion processes within stars.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 10-11-2018
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 05-2022
Abstract: Extremely metal-poor (EMP) stars provide a valuable probe of early chemical enrichment in the Milky Way. Here we leverage a large s le of ∼600,000 high-resolution stellar spectra from the GALAH survey plus a machine-learning algorithm to find 54 candidates with estimated [Fe/H] ≤−3.0, six of which have [Fe/H] ≤−3.5. Our s le includes ∼20% main-sequence EMP candidates, unusually high for EMP star surveys. We find the magnitude-limited metallicity distribution function of our s le is consistent with previous work that used more complex selection criteria. The method we present has significant potential for application to the next generation of massive stellar spectroscopic surveys, which will expand the available spectroscopic data well into the millions of stars.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 16-05-2018
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 30-01-2019
DOI: 10.1093/MNRAS/STZ296
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 07-05-2013
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 03-06-2020
Abstract: Accurate and precise radius estimates of transiting exoplanets are critical for understanding their compositions and formation mechanisms. To know the planet, we must know the host star in as much detail as possible. We present complete results for planet-candidate hosts from the K2-HERMES survey, which uses the HERMES multi-object spectrograph on the Anglo-Australian Telescope to obtain $R\\sim 28\\, 000$ spectra for more than 30 000 K2 stars. We present complete host-star parameters and planet-candidate radii for 224 K2 candidate planets from C1–C13. Our results cast severe doubt on 30 K2 candidates, as we derive unphysically large radii, larger than 2RJup. This work highlights the importance of obtaining accurate, precise, and self-consistent stellar parameters for ongoing large planet search programs – something that will only become more important in the coming years, as TESS begins to deliver its own harvest of exoplanets.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 23-06-2017
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 08-2015
DOI: 10.1017/S1743921315007048
Abstract: We provide CNO and Fe abundance investigations for a s le of up to 45 NGC 1851 giants. High-resolution spectra were obtained with the VLT UVES spectrograph in the framework of the Gaia-ESO Survey. The stars in our s le can be separated into two groups with a difference of 0.1 dex in the mean metallicity, 0.3 dex in the mean C/N, and no significant difference in the mean values of C+N+O.
Publisher: EDP Sciences
Date: 10-2020
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/202038650
Abstract: Massive sets of stellar spectroscopic observations are rapidly becoming available and these can be used to determine the chemical composition and evolution of the Galaxy with unprecedented precision. One of the major challenges in this endeavour involves constructing realistic models of stellar spectra with which to reliably determine stellar abundances. At present, large stellar surveys commonly use simplified models that assume that the stellar atmospheres are approximately in local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE). To test and ultimately relax this assumption, we have performed non-LTE calculations for 13 different elements (H, Li, C, N, O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, Mn, and Ba), using recent model atoms that have physically-motivated descriptions for the inelastic collisions with neutral hydrogen, across a grid of 3756 1D MARCS model atmospheres that spans 3000 ≤ T eff ∕K ≤ 8000, − 0.5 ≤log g ∕cm s −2 ≤ 5.5, and − 5 ≤ [Fe/H] ≤ 1. We present the grids of departure coefficients that have been implemented into the GALAH DR3 analysis pipeline in order to complement the extant non-LTE grid for iron. We also present a detailed line-by-line re-analysis of 50 126 stars from GALAH DR3. We found that relaxing LTE can change the abundances by between − 0.7 dex and + 0.2 dex for different lines and stars. Taking departures from LTE into account can reduce the dispersion in the [A/Fe] versus [Fe/H] plane by up to 0.1 dex, and it can remove spurious differences between the dwarfs and giants by up to 0.2 dex. The resulting abundance slopes can thus be qualitatively different in non-LTE, possibly with important implications for the chemical evolution of our Galaxy. The grids of departure coefficients are publicly available and can be implemented into LTE pipelines to make the most of observational data sets from large spectroscopic surveys.
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 29-09-2016
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 30-10-2019
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 28-01-2013
DOI: 10.1093/MNRAS/STS661
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 08-2012
DOI: 10.1017/S1743921314005791
Abstract: I discuss a search for red giant stars in the Galactic halo with light-element abundances similar to second-generation globular cluster stars, and discuss the implications of such a population for globular cluster formation models and the balance between in situ star formation and accretion for the assembly of the Galactic halo.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 30-03-2016
DOI: 10.1093/MNRAS/STW746
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 03-10-2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 27-02-2018
DOI: 10.1093/MNRAS/STY525
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 22-01-2019
DOI: 10.1093/MNRAS/STZ217
Publisher: IOP Publishing
Date: 10-2003
DOI: 10.1086/378078
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 19-12-2019
Abstract: Streams of stars from captured dwarf galaxies and dissolved globular clusters are identifiable through the similarity of their orbital parameters, a fact that remains true long after the streams have dispersed spatially. We calculate the integrals of motion for 31 234 stars, to a distance of 4 kpc from the Sun, which have full and accurate 6D phase space positions in the Gaia DR2 catalogue. We then apply a novel combination of data mining, numerical, and statistical techniques to search for stellar streams. This process returns five high confidence streams (including one which was previously undiscovered), all of which display tight clustering in the integral of motion space. Colour–magnitude diagrams indicate that these streams are relatively simple, old, metal-poor populations. One of these resolved streams shares very similar kinematics and metallicity characteristics with the Gaia-Enceladus dwarf galaxy remnant, but with a slightly younger age. The success of this project demonstrates the usefulness of data mining techniques in exploring large data sets.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 27-04-2023
Abstract: Data-driven analysis methods can help to infer physical properties of red giant stars where ‘gold-standard’ asteroseismic data are not available. The study of optical and infrared spectra of red giant stars with data-driven analyses has revealed that differences in oscillation frequencies and their separations are imprinted in said spectra. This makes it possible to confidently differentiate core helium burning red clump (RC) stars from those that are still on their first ascent of the red giant branch (RGB). We extend these studies to a tenfold larger wavelength range of 0.33–2.5 µm with the moderate-resolution VLT/X-shooter spectrograph. Our analysis of 49 stars with asteroseismic data from the K2 mission confirms that CN, CO, and CH features are indeed the primary carriers of spectroscopic information on the evolutionary stages of red giant stars. We report 215 informative features for differentiating the RC from the RGB within the range of 0.33–2.5 µm. This makes it possible for existing and future spectroscopic surveys to optimize their wavelength regions to deliver both a large variety of elemental abundances and reliable age estimates of luminous red giant stars.
Publisher: EDP Sciences
Date: 21-12-2018
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201732433
Abstract: Context . The Gaia -ESO Public Spectroscopic Survey using FLAMES at the VLT has obtained high-resolution UVES spectra for a large number of giant stars, allowing a determination of the abundances of the key chemical elements carbon and nitrogen at their surface. The surface abundances of these chemical species are known to change in stars during their evolution on the red giant branch (RGB) after the first dredge-up episode, as a result of the extra mixing phenomena. Aims . We investigate the effects of thermohaline mixing on C and N abundances using the first comparison between the Gaia -ESO survey [C/N] determinations with simulations of the observed fields using a model of stellar population synthesis. Methods . We explore the effects of thermohaline mixing on the chemical properties of giants through stellar evolutionary models computed with the stellar evolution code STAREVOL. We include these stellar evolution models in the Besançon Galaxy model to simulate the [C/N] distributions determined from the UVES spectra of the Gaia -ESO survey and to compare them with the observations. Results . Theoretical predictions including the effect of thermohaline mixing are in good agreement with the observations. However, the field stars in the Gaia -ESO survey with C and N abundance measurements have a metallicity close to solar, where the efficiency of thermohaline mixing is not very large. The C and N abundances derived by the Gaia -ESO survey in open and globular clusters clearly show the impact of thermohaline mixing at low metallicity, which explains the [C/N] value observed in lower mass and older giant stars. Using independent observations of carbon isotopic ratio in clump field stars and open clusters, we also confirm that thermohaline mixing should be taken into account to explain the behaviour of 12 C/ 13 C as a function of stellar age. Conclusions . Overall, the current model including thermohaline mixing is able to reproduce very well the C and N abundances over the whole metallicity range investigated by the Gaia -ESO survey data.
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 24-09-2020
Publisher: EDP Sciences
Date: 2012
Publisher: EDP Sciences
Date: 09-2019
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201935282
Abstract: Context . In the era of large high-resolution spectroscopic surveys such as Gaia -ESO and APOGEE, high-quality spectra can contribute to our understanding of the Galactic chemical evolution by providing abundances of elements that belong to the different nucleosynthesis channels, and also by providing constraints to one of the most elusive astrophysical quantities: stellar age. Aims . Some abundance ratios, such as [C/N], have been proven to be excellent indicators of stellar ages. We aim at providing an empirical relationship between stellar ages and [C/N] using open star clusters, observed by the Gaia -ESO and APOGEE surveys, as calibrators. Methods . We used stellar parameters and abundances from the Gaia -ESO Survey and APOGEE Survey of the Galactic field and open cluster stars. Ages of star clusters were retrieved from the literature sources and validated using a common set of isochrones. We used the same isochrones to determine for each age and metallicity the surface gravity at which the first dredge-up and red giant branch bump occur. We studied the effect of extra-mixing processes in our s le of giant stars, and we derived the mean [C/N] in evolved stars, including only stars without evidence of extra mixing. By combining the Gaia -ESO and APOGEE s les of open clusters, we derived a linear relationship between [C/N] and (logarithmic) cluster ages. Results . We apply our relationship to selected giant field stars in the Gaia -ESO and APOGEE surveys. We find an age separation between thin- and thick-disc stars and age trends within their populations, with an increasing age towards lower metallicity populations. Conclusions . With this empirical relationship, we are able to provide an age estimate for giant stars in which C and N abundances are measured. For giant stars, the isochrone fitting method is indeed less sensitive than for dwarf stars at the turn-off. Our method can therefore be considered as an additional tool to give an independent estimate of the age of giant stars. The uncertainties in their ages is similar to those obtained using isochrone fitting for dwarf stars.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 05-2014
DOI: 10.1017/S1743921313006522
Abstract: HERMES is a new high-resolution multi-object spectrograph on the Anglo Australian Telescope. The primary science driver for HERMES is the GALAH survey, GALactic Archaeology with HERMES. We are planning a spectroscopic survey of about a million stars, aimed at using chemical tagging techniques to reconstruct the star-forming aggregates that built up the disk, the bulge and halo of the Galaxy. This project will benefit greatly from the stellar distances and transverse motions from the Gaia mission.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 21-09-2011
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 08-06-2202
Abstract: Lithium depletion and enrichment in the cosmos is not yet well understood. To help tighten constraints on stellar and Galactic evolution models, we present the largest high-resolution analysis of Li abundances A(Li) to date, with results for over $100\\, 000$ GALAH (Galactic Archeology with HERMES) field stars spanning effective temperatures $5900\\, \\mathrm{K} \\lesssim T_{\\mathrm{eff}}\\lesssim 7000\\, \\mathrm{K}$ and metallicities −3 ≲ [Fe/H] ≲ +0.5. We separated these stars into two groups, on the warm and cool sides of the so-called Li dip, a localized region of the Kiel diagram wherein lithium is severely depleted. We discovered that stars in these two groups show similar trends in the A(Li)–[Fe/H] plane, but with a roughly constant offset in A(Li) of $0.4\\, \\mathrm{dex}$, the warm group having higher Li abundances. At $\\rm [Fe/H]\\gtrsim -0.5$, a significant increase in Li abundance with increasing metallicity is evident in both groups, signalling the onset of significant Galactic production. At lower metallicity, stars in the cool group sit on the Spite plateau, showing a reduced lithium of around $0.4\\, \\mathrm{dex}$ relative to the primordial value predicted from big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN). However, stars in the warm group between [Fe/H] = −1.0 and −0.5 form an elevated plateau that is largely consistent with the BBN prediction. This may indicate that these stars in fact preserve the primordial Li produced in the early Universe.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 04-11-2019
Abstract: We present the serendipitous discovery of the fastest main-sequence hyper-velocity star (HVS) by the Southern Stellar Stream Spectroscopic Survey (S5). The star S5-HVS1 is a ∼2.35 M⊙ A-type star located at a distance of ∼9 kpc from the Sun and has a heliocentric radial velocity of 1017 ± 2.7 $\\mathrm{\\, km\\, s^{-1}}$ without any signature of velocity variability. The current 3D velocity of the star in the Galactic frame is 1755 ± 50 $\\mathrm{\\, km\\, s^{-1}}$. When integrated backwards in time, the orbit of the star points unambiguously to the Galactic Centre, implying that S5-HVS1 was kicked away from Sgr A* with a velocity of ∼1800 $\\mathrm{\\, km\\, s^{-1}}$ and travelled for 4.8 Myr to its current location. This is so far the only HVS confidently associated with the Galactic Centre. S5-HVS1 is also the first hyper-velocity star to provide constraints on the geometry and kinematics of the Galaxy, such as the Solar motion Vy,⊙ = 246.1 ± 5.3 $\\mathrm{\\, km\\, s^{-1}}$ or position R0 = 8.12 ± 0.23 kpc. The ejection trajectory and transit time of S5-HVS1 coincide with the orbital plane and age of the annular disc of young stars at the Galactic Centre, and thus may be linked to its formation. With the S5-HVS1 ejection velocity being almost twice the velocity of other hyper-velocity stars previously associated with the Galactic Centre, we question whether they have been generated by the same mechanism or whether the ejection velocity distribution has been constant over time.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 20-09-2021
Abstract: GALAH+ is a magnitude-limited survey of high resolution stellar spectra obtained by the HERMES spectrograph at the Australian Astronomical Observatory. Its third data release provides reduced spectra with new derivations of stellar parameters and abundances of 30 chemical elements for 584,015 dwarfs and giants, 88 per cent of them in the Gaia magnitude range 11 & G & 14. Here we use these improved values of stellar parameters to build a library of observed spectra which is useful to study variations of in idual spectral lines with stellar parameters. This and other improvements are used to derive radial velocities with uncertainties which are generally within 0.1 km s−1 or ∼25 per cent smaller than in the previous release. Median differences in radial velocities measured here and by the Gaia DR2 or APOGEE DR16 surveys are smaller than 30 m s−1, a larger offset is present only for Gaia measurements of giant stars. We identify 4483 stars with intrinsically variable velocities and 225 stars for which the velocity stays constant over ≥3 visits spanning more than a year. The combination of radial velocities from GALAH+ with distances and sky plane motions from Gaia enables studies of dynamics within streams and clusters. For ex le, we estimate that the open cluster M67 has a total mass of ∼3300 M⊙ and its outer parts seem to be expanding, though astrometry with a larger time-span than currently available from Gaia eDR3 is needed to judge if the latter result is real.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 23-03-2016
DOI: 10.1093/MNRAS/STW676
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 23-02-2017
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 13-08-2018
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 17-08-2017
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 07-06-2021
Abstract: We have identified a first group of 33 new candidates for symbiotic stars (SySt) of the accreting-only variety among the 600 255 stars so far observed by the GALactic Archaeology with HERMES (GALAH) high-resolution spectroscopic survey of the Southern hemisphere, more than doubling the number of those previously known. GALAH aims to high latitudes and this offers the possibility to sound the Galaxy for new SySt away from the usual plane and bulge hunting regions. In this paper, we focus on SySt of the M spectral type, showing an Hα emission with a peak in excess of 0.5 above the adjacent continuum level, and not affected by coherent radial pulsations. These constraints will be relaxed in future studies. The 33 new candidate SySt were subjected to an array of follow-up confirmatory observations [X-ray/ultraviolet (UV) observations with the Swift satellite, search for optical flickering, presence of a near-UV upturn in ground-based photometric and spectroscopic data, radial velocity changes suggestive of orbital motion, and variability of the emission-line profiles]. According to Gaia Early Data Release 3 (EDR3) parallaxes, the candidate new SySt are located at the tip of the giant branch, sharing the same distribution in M(Ks) of the well-established SySt. The accretion luminosities of the candidate new SySt are in the range 1–10 L⊙, corresponding to mass accretion rates of 0.1–1 × 10−9 M⊙ yr−1 for white dwarfs of 1 M⊙. The M giant of one of them presents a large lithium overabundance.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 05-11-2020
Abstract: Using kinematics from Gaia and the large elemental abundance space of the second data release of the GALAH survey, we identify two new members of the Fimbulthul stellar stream, and chemically tag them to massive, multimetallic globular cluster ω Centauri. Recent analysis of the second data release of Gaia had revealed the Fimbulthul stellar stream in the halo of the Milky Way. It had been proposed that the stream is associated with the ω Cen, but this proposition relied exclusively upon the kinematics and metallicities of the stars to make the association. In this work, we find our two new members of the stream to be metal-poor stars that are enhanced in sodium and aluminium, typical of second population globular cluster stars, but not otherwise seen in field stars. Furthermore, the stars share the s-process abundance pattern seen in ω Cen, which is rare in field stars. Apart from one star within 1.5 deg of ω Cen, we find no other stars observed by GALAH spatially near ω Cen or the Fimbulthul stream that could be kinematically and chemically linked to the cluster. Chemically tagging stars in the Fimbulthul stream to ω Cen confirms the earlier work, and further links this tidal feature in the Milky Way halo to ω Cen.
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 24-01-2018
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 21-10-2022
Abstract: Studies of solar twins have key impacts on the astronomical community, but only ∼100–200 nearby solar twins (& kpc) have been reliably identified over the last few decades. The aim of our survey (SDST) is to identify ∼150–200 distant solar twins and analogues (up to ≲4 kpc) closer to the Galactic Centre. We took advantage of the precise Gaia and Skymapper surveys to select Sun-like candidates in a 2-deg field, which were observed with the HERMES spectrograph on the Anglo-Australian Telescope. We successfully built up the required signal-to-noise ratio (25-per-pixel in the HERMES red band) for most targets as faint as Gaia G of 17.4 mag. The stellar photometric/astrometric parameters (e.g. Teff, log g, mass) of our candidates are derived in this paper, while the spectroscopic parameters will be presented in the third paper in this SDST series. The selection success rate – the fraction of targets which belong to solar twins or analogues – was estimated from simulated survey data and the Besançon stellar population model, and compared with the actual success rate of the survey. We find that expected and actual success rates agree well, indicating that the numbers of solar twins and analogues we discover in SDST are consistent with expectations, affirming the survey approach. These distant solar analogues are prime targets for testing for any variation in the strength of electromagnetism in regions of higher dark matter density, and can make additional contributions to our understanding of, e.g. Galactic chemical evolution in the inner Milky Way.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 29-07-2020
Publisher: European Southern Observatory (ESO)
Date: 2019
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 14-04-2015
Publisher: European Southern Observatory (ESO)
Date: 2019
Publisher: IOP Publishing
Date: 06-2009
DOI: 10.1086/599979
Publisher: SPIE
Date: 08-07-2014
DOI: 10.1117/12.2055595
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 10-08-2021
Abstract: In order to accurately determine stellar properties, knowledge of the effective temperature of stars is vital. We implement Gaia and 2MASS photometry in the InfraRed Flux Method and apply it to over 360 000 stars across different evolutionary stages in the GALAH DR3 survey. We derive colour-effective temperature relations that take into account the effect of metallicity and surface gravity over the range $4000\\, \\rm {K}\\lesssim T_{\\rm {eff}}\\lesssim 8000\\, \\rm {K}$, from very metal-poor stars to supersolar metallicities. The internal uncertainty of these calibrations is of order 40–80 K depending on the colour combination used. Comparison against solar-twins, Gaia benchmark stars, and the latest interferometric measurements validates the precision and accuracy of these calibrations from F to early M spectral types. We assess the impact of various sources of uncertainties, including the assumed extinction law, and provide guidelines to use our relations. Robust solar colours are also derived.
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 20-09-2002
DOI: 10.1086/344165
Publisher: EDP Sciences
Date: 09-2018
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201833027
Abstract: A ims. We report 20 new lithium-rich giants discovered within the Gaia -ESO Survey, including the first Li-rich giant with an evolutionary stage confirmed by CoRoT (Convection, Rotation and planetary Transits) data. We present a detailed overview of the properties of these 20 stars. M ethods. Atmospheric parameters and abundances were derived in model atmosphere analyses using medium-resolution GIRAFFE or high-resolution UVES (Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph) spectra. These results are part of the fifth internal data release of the Gaia -ESO Survey. The Li abundances were corrected for non-local thermodynamical equilibrium effects. Other stellar properties were investigated for additional peculiarities (the core of strong lines for signs of magnetic activity, infrared magnitudes, rotational velocities, chemical abundances, and Galactic velocities). We used Gaia DR2 parallaxes to estimate distances and luminosities. R esults. The giants have A (Li) 2.2 dex. The majority of them (14 of 20 stars) are in the CoRoT fields. Four giants are located in the field of three open clusters, but are not members. Two giants were observed in fields towards the Galactic bulge, but likely lie in the inner disc. One of the bulge field giants is super Li-rich with A (Li) = 4.0 dex. Conclusions . We identified one giant with infrared excess at 22 μ m. Two other giants, with large v sin i , might be Li-rich because of planet engulfment. Another giant is found to be barium enhanced and thus could have accreted material from a former asymptotic giant branch companion. Otherwise, in addition to the Li enrichment, the evolutionary stages are the only other connection between these new Li-rich giants. The CoRoT data confirm that one Li-rich giant is at the core-He burning stage. The other giants are concentrated in close proximity to the red giant branch luminosity bump, the core-He burning stages, or the early-asymptotic giant branch. This is very clear from the Gaia -based luminosities of the Li-rich giants. This is also seen when the CoRoT Li-rich giants are compared to a larger s le of 2252 giants observed in the CoRoT fields by the Gaia -ESO Survey, which are distributed throughout the red giant branch in the T eff -log g diagram. These observations show that the evolutionary stage is a major factor for the Li enrichment in giants. Other processes, such as planet accretion, contribute at a smaller scale.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 16-04-2021
Abstract: An unprecedented number of exoplanets are being discovered by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). Determining the orbital parameters of these exoplanets, and especially their mass and radius, will depend heavily upon the measured physical characteristics of their host stars. We have cross-matched spectroscopic, photometric, and astrometric data from GALAH Data Release 2, the TESS Input Catalog and Gaia Data Release 2, to create a curated, self-consistent catalogue of physical and chemical properties for 47 285 stars. Using these data, we have derived isochrone masses and radii that are precise to within 5 per cent. We have revised the parameters of three confirmed, and twelve candidate, TESS planetary systems. These results cast doubt on whether CTOI-20125677 is indeed a planetary system, since the revised planetary radii are now comparable to stellar sizes. Our GALAH–TESS catalogue contains abundances for up to 23 elements. We have specifically analysed the molar ratios for C/O, Mg/Si, Fe/Si, and Fe/Mg, to assist in determining the composition and structure of planets with Rp & 4R⊕. From these ratios, 36 per cent fall within 2$\\sigma$ sigma of the Sun/Earth values, suggesting that these stars may host rocky exoplanets with geological compositions similar to planets found within our own Solar system.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 24-04-2018
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 09-10-2013
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 22-11-2019
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 05-04-2018
DOI: 10.1093/MNRAS/STY865
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 17-10-2017
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 13-08-2022
Abstract: M 22 (NGC 6656) is a chemically complex globular cluster-like system reported to harbour heavy element abundance variations. However, the extent of these variations and the origin of this cluster is still debated. In this work, we investigate the chemical in-homogeneity of M 22 using differential line-by-line analysis of high-quality (R = 110 000, S/N = 300 per pixel at 514 nm) VLT/UVES spectra of six carefully chosen red giant branch stars. By achieving abundance uncertainties as low as ∼0.01 dex (∼2 per cent), this high precision data validates the results of previous studies and reveals variations in Fe, Na, Si, Ca, Sc, Ti, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn, Y, Zr, La, Ce, Nd, Sm, and Eu. Additionally, we can confirm that the cluster hosts two stellar populations with a spread of at least 0.24 dex in [Fe/H] and an average s-process abundance spread of 0.65 dex. In addition to global variations across the cluster, we also find non-negligible variations within each of the two populations, with the more metal-poor population hosting larger spreads in elements heavier than Fe than the metal-rich. We address previous works that do not identify anomalous abundances and relate our findings to our current dynamical understanding of the cluster. Given our results, we suggest that M 22 is either a nuclear star cluster, the product of two merged clusters, or an original building block of the Milky Way.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 10-12-2021
Abstract: We present a neural network autoencoder structure that is able to extract essential latent spectral features from observed spectra and then reconstruct a spectrum from those features. Because of the training with a set of unpeculiar spectra, the network is able to reproduce a spectrum of high signal-to-noise ratio that does not show any spectral peculiarities, even if they are present in an observed spectrum. Spectra generated in this manner were used to identify various emission features among spectra acquired by multiple surveys using the HERMES spectrograph at the Anglo-Australian telescope. Emission features were identified by a direct comparison of the observed and generated spectra. Using the described comparison procedure, we discovered 10 364 candidate spectra with varying intensities (from partially filled-in to well above the continuum) of the Hα/Hβ emission component, produced by different physical mechanisms. A fraction of these spectra belong to the repeated observation that shows temporal variability in their emission profile. Among the emission spectra, we find objects that feature contributions from a nearby rarefied gas (identified through the emission of [N ii] and [S ii] lines) that was identified in 4004 spectra, which were not all identified as having Hα emission. The positions of identified emission-line objects coincide with multiple known regions that harbour young stars. Similarly, detected nebular emission spectra coincide with visually prominent nebular clouds observable in the red all-sky photographic composites.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 18-02-2021
Abstract: Open clusters are unique tracers of the history of our own Galaxy’s disc. According to our membership analysis based on Gaia astrometry, out of the 226 potential clusters falling in the footprint of the GALactic Archaeology with HERMES (GALAH) survey or the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE) survey, we find that 205 have secure members that were observed by at least one of the surveys. Furthermore, members of 134 clusters have high-quality spectroscopic data that we use to determine their chemical composition. We leverage this information to study the chemical distribution throughout the Galactic disc of 21 elements, from C to Eu. The radial metallicity gradient obtained from our analysis is −0.076 ± 0.009 dex kpc−1, which is in agreement with previous works based on smaller s les. Furthermore, the gradient in the [Fe/H]–guiding radius (rguid) plane is −0.073 ± 0.008 dex kpc−1. We show consistently that open clusters trace the distribution of chemical elements throughout the Galactic disc differently than field stars. In particular, at the given radius, open clusters show an age–metallicity relation that has less scatter than field stars. As such scatter is often interpreted as an effect of radial migration, we suggest that these differences are due to the physical selection effect imposed by our Galaxy: clusters that would have migrated significantly also had higher chances to get destroyed. Finally, our results reveal trends in the [X/Fe]–rguid–age space, which are important to understand production rates of different elements as a function of space and time.
Publisher: EDP Sciences
Date: 09-2010
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 03-11-2016
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 21-05-2019
Abstract: The latest Gaia data release enables us to accurately identify stars that are more luminous than would be expected on the basis of their spectral type and distance. During an investigation of the 329 best solar twin candidates uncovered among the spectra acquired by the GALAH survey, we identified 64 such overluminous stars. In order to investigate their exact composition, we developed a data-driven methodology that can generate a synthetic photometric signature and spectrum of a single star. By combining multiple such synthetic stars into an unresolved binary or triple system and comparing the results to the actual photometric and spectroscopic observations, we uncovered 6 definitive triple stellar system candidates and an additional 14 potential candidates whose combined spectrum mimics the solar spectrum. Considering the volume correction factor for a magnitude-limited survey, the fraction of probable unresolved triple stars with long orbital periods is ∼2 per cent. Possible orbital configurations of the candidates were investigated using the selection and observational limits. To validate the discovered multiplicity fraction, the same procedure was used to evaluate the multiplicity fraction of other stellar types.
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 08-2021
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 11-2021
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 31-05-2011
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 06-05-2021
Abstract: The ensemble of chemical element abundance measurements for stars, along with precision distances and orbit properties, provides high-dimensional data to study the evolution of the Milky Way. With this third data release of the Galactic Archaeology with HERMES (GALAH) survey, we publish 678 423 spectra for 588 571 mostly nearby stars (81.2 per cent of stars are within & kpc), observed with the HERMES spectrograph at the Anglo-Australian Telescope. This release (hereafter GALAH+ DR3) includes all observations from GALAH Phase 1 (bright, main, and faint survey, 70 per cent), K2-HERMES (17 per cent), TESS-HERMES (5 per cent), and a subset of ancillary observations (8 per cent) including the bulge and & stellar clusters. We derive stellar parameters Teff, log g, [Fe/H], vmic, vbroad, and vrad using our modified version of the spectrum synthesis code Spectroscopy Made Easy (sme) and 1D marcs model atmospheres. We break spectroscopic degeneracies in our spectrum analysis with astrometry from Gaia DR2 and photometry from 2MASS. We report abundance ratios [X/Fe] for 30 different elements (11 of which are based on non-LTE computations) covering five nucleosynthetic pathways. We describe validations for accuracy and precision, flagging of peculiar stars/measurements and recommendations for using our results. Our catalogue comprises 65 per cent dwarfs, 34 per cent giants, and 1 per cent other/unclassified stars. Based on unflagged chemical composition and age, we find 62 per cent young low-$\\alpha$, 9 per cent young high-$\\alpha$, 27 per cent old high-$\\alpha$, and 2 per cent stars with [Fe/H] ≤ −1. Based on kinematics, 4 per cent are halo stars. Several Value-Added-Catalogues, including stellar ages and dynamics, updated after Gaia eDR3, accompany this release and allow chrono-chemodynamic analyses, as we showcase.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 21-06-2021
Abstract: We explore the fundamental relations governing the radial and vertical velocity dispersions of stars in the Milky Way, from combined studies of complementary surveys including GALAH, LAMOST, APOGEE, the NASA Kepler and K2 missions, and Gaia DR2. We find that different stellar s les, even though they target different tracer populations and employ a variety of age estimation techniques, follow the same set of fundamental relations. We provide the clearest evidence to date that, in addition to the well-known dependence on stellar age, the velocity dispersions of stars depend on orbital angular momentum Lz, metallicity, and height above the plane |z|, and are well described by a multiplicatively separable functional form. The dispersions have a power-law dependence on age with exponents of 0.441 ± 0.007 and 0.251 ± 0.006 for σz and σR, respectively, and the power law is valid even for the oldest stars. For the solar neighbourhood stars, the apparent break in the power law for older stars, as seen in previous studies, is due to the anticorrelation of Lz with age. The dispersions decrease with increasing Lz until we reach the Sun’s orbital angular momentum, after which σz increases (implying flaring in the outer disc) while σR flattens. For a given age, the dispersions increase with decreasing metallicity, suggesting that the dispersions increase with birth radius. The dispersions also increase linearly with |z|. The same set of relations that work in the solar neighbourhood also work for stars between 3 & R/kpc & 20. Finally, the high-[α/Fe] stars follow the same relations as the low-[α/Fe] stars.
Publisher: IOP Publishing
Date: 2008
DOI: 10.1086/525060
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 30-11-2016
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 28-06-2021
Abstract: Due to its proximity, the Orion star forming region is often used as a proxy to study processes related to star formation and to observe young stars in the environment they were born in. With the release of Gaia DR2, the distance measurements to the Orion complex are now good enough that the 3D structure of the complex can be explored. Here we test the hypothesis that, due to non-trivial structure and dynamics, and age spread in the Orion complex, the chemical enrichment of youngest stars by early core-collapse supernovae can be observed. We obtained spectra of 794 stars of the Orion complex with the HERMES spectrograph at the Anglo Australian telescope as a part of the GALAH and GALAH-related surveys. We use the spectra of ∼300 stars to derive precise atmospheric parameters and chemical abundances of 25 elements for 15 stellar clusters in the Orion complex. We demonstrate that the Orion complex is chemically homogeneous and that there was no self-pollution of young clusters by core-collapse supernovae from older clusters with a precision of 0.02 dex in relative alpha-elements abundance and 0.06 dex in oxygen abundance we would have been able to detect pollution from a single supernova, given a fortunate location of the SN and favourable conditions for ISM mixing. We estimate that the supernova rate in the Orion complex was very low, possibly producing no supernova by the time the youngest stars of the observed population formed (from around 21 to 8 Myr ago).
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 17-11-2008
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 13-07-2016
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 09-2016
Publisher: EDP Sciences
Date: 10-2011
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 13-08-2018
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 23-08-2018
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 04-2021
Abstract: We present the first spectroscopic measurements of the ATLAS and Aliqa Uma streams from the Southern Stellar Stream Spectroscopic Survey ( S 5 ), in combination with the photometric data from the Dark Energy Survey and astrometric data from Gaia. From the coherence of spectroscopic members in radial velocity and proper motion, we find that these two systems are extremely likely to be one stream with discontinuity in morphology and density on the sky (the “kink” feature). We refer to this entire stream as the ATLAS-Aliqa Uma stream, or the AAU stream. We perform a comprehensive exploration of the effect of baryonic substructures and find that only an encounter with the Sagittarius dwarf ∼0.5 Gyr ago can create a feature similar to the observed “kink.” In addition, we also identify two gaps in the ATLAS component associated with the broadening in the stream width (the “broadening” feature). These gaps have likely been created by small mass perturbers, such as dark matter halos, as the AAU stream is the most distant cold stream known with severe variations in both the stream surface density and the stream track on the sky. With the stream track, stream distance, and kinematic information, we determine the orbit of the AAU stream and find that it has been affected by the Large Magellanic Cloud, resulting in a misalignment between the proper motion and stream track. Together with the Orphan-Chenab Stream, AAU is the second stream pair that has been found to be a single stream separated into two segments by external perturbation.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 04-07-2016
Publisher: EDP Sciences
Date: 02-2022
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/202142234
Abstract: Context. NGC 1851 is one of several globular clusters for which multiple stellar populations of the subgiant branch have been clearly identified and a difference in metallicity detected. A crucial piece of information on the formation history of this cluster can be provided by the sum of A (C+N+O) abundances. However, these values have lacked a general consensus thus far. The separation of the subgiant branch can be based on age and/or A (C+N+O) abundance differences. Aims. Our main aim was to determine carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen abundances for evolved giants in the globular cluster NGC 1851 in order to check whether or not the double populations of stars are coeval. Methods. High-resolution spectra, observed with the FLAMES-UVES spectrograph on the ESO VLT telescope, were analysed using a differential model atmosphere method. Abundances of carbon were derived using spectral synthesis of the C 2 band heads at 5135 and 5635.5 Å. The wavelength interval 6470−6490 Å, with CN features, was analysed to determine nitrogen abundances. Oxygen abundances were determined from the [O I ] line at 6300 Å. Abundances of other chemical elements were determined from equivalent widths or spectral syntheses of unblended spectral lines. Results. We provide abundances of up to 29 chemical elements for a s le of 45 giants in NGC 1851. The investigated stars can be separated into two populations with a difference of 0.07 dex in the mean metallicity, 0.3 dex in the mean C/N, and 0.35 dex in the mean s -process dominated element-to-iron abundance ratios [ s /Fe]. No significant difference was determined in the mean values of A (C+N+O) as well as in abundance to iron ratios of carbon, α - and iron-peak-elements, and of europium. Conclusions. As the averaged A (C+N+O) values between the two populations do not differ, additional evidence is given that NGC 1851 is composed of two clusters, the metal-rich cluster being by about 0.6 Gyr older than the metal-poor one. A global overview of NGC 1851 properties and the detailed abundances of chemical elements favour its formation in a dwarf spheroidal galaxy that was accreted by the Milky Way.
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 11-12-2019
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 12-11-2020
Abstract: We present isochrone ages and initial bulk metallicities ($\\rm [Fe/H]_{bulk}$, by accounting for diffusion) of 163 722 stars from the GALAH Data Release 2, mainly composed of main-sequence turn-off stars and subgiants ($7000\\, \\mathrm{ K}& T_{\\mathrm{ eff}}& 4000\\, \\mathrm{ K}$ and $\\log g& $ dex). The local age–metallicity relationship (AMR) is nearly flat but with significant scatter at all ages the scatter is even higher when considering the observed surface abundances. After correcting for selection effects, the AMR appears to have intrinsic structures indicative of two star formation events, which we speculate are connected to the thin and thick discs in the solar neighbourhood. We also present abundance ratio trends for 16 elements as a function of age, across different $\\rm [Fe/H]_{bulk}$ bins. In general, we find the trends in terms of [X/Fe] versus age from our far larger s le to be compatible with studies based on small (∼100 stars) s les of solar twins, but we now extend them to both sub- and supersolar metallicities. The α-elements show differing behaviour: the hydrostatic α-elements O and Mg show a steady decline with time for all metallicities, while the explosive α-elements Si, Ca, and Ti are nearly constant during the thin-disc epoch (ages $\\lesssim \\! 12$ Gyr). The s-process elements Y and Ba show increasing [X/Fe] with time while the r-process element Eu has the opposite trend, thus favouring a primary production from sources with a short time delay such as core-collapse supernovae over long-delay events such as neutron star mergers.
Publisher: IOP Publishing
Date: 10-2004
DOI: 10.1086/425258
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 23-07-2020
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 15-11-2012
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 02-12-2021
Abstract: Pioneering photometric, astrometric, and spectroscopic surveys is helping exoplanetary scientists better constrain the fundamental properties of stars within our galaxy and the planets these stars host. In this study, we use the third data release from the stellar spectroscopic GALAH Survey, coupled with astrometric data of eDR3 from the Gaia satellite, and other data from NASA’s Exoplanet Archive, to refine our understanding of 279 confirmed and candidate exoplanet host stars and their exoplanets. This homogenously analysed data set comprises 105 confirmed exoplanets, along with 146 K2 candidates, 95 TESS Objects of Interest (TOIs), and 52 Community TOIs (CTOIs). Our analysis significantly shifts several previously (unknown) planet parameters while decreasing the uncertainties for others. Our radius estimates suggest that 35 planet candidates are more likely brown dwarfs or stellar companions due to their new radius values. We are able to refine the radii and masses of WASP-47 e, K2-106 b, and CoRoT-7 b to their most precise values yet to less than 2.3 per cent and 8.5 per cent, respectively. We also use stellar rotational values from GALAH to show that most planet candidates will have mass measurements that will be tough to obtain with current ground-based spectrographs. With GALAH’s chemical abundances, we show through chemo-kinematics that there are five planet hosts that are associated with the galaxy’s thick disc, including NGTS-4, K2-183, and K2-337. Finally, we show that there is no statistical difference between the chemical properties of hot Neptune and hot rocky exoplanet hosts, with the possibility that short-period rocky worlds might be the remnant cores of hotter, gaseous worlds.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 14-05-2021
Abstract: We investigate the properties of 1262 red giant stars with high photospheric abundances of lithium observed by the GALAH and K2-HERMES surveys, and discuss them in the context of proposed mechanisms for lithium enrichment and re-depletion in giant stars. We confirm that Li-rich giants are rare, making up only 1.2 per cent of our giant star s le. We use stellar parameters from the third public data release from the GALAH survey and a Bayesian isochrone analysis to ide the s le into first-ascent red giant branch and red clump stars, and confirm these classifications using asteroseismic data from K2. We find that red clump stars are 2.5 times as likely to be lithium-rich as red giant branch stars, in agreement with other recent work. The probability for a star to be lithium-rich is affected by a number of factors, though the causality in those correlations is not entirely clear. We show for the first time that primary and secondary red clump stars have distinctly different lithium enrichment patterns. The data set discussed here is large and heterogeneous in terms of evolutionary phase, metallicity, rotation rate and mass. We expect that if the various mechanisms that have been proposed for lithium enrichment in evolved stars are in fact active, they should all contribute to this s le of lithium-rich giants at some level.
Location: United States of America
Start Date: 2018
End Date: 2020
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 2016
End Date: 2016
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 2014
End Date: 2016
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 2019
End Date: 2019
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 2015
End Date: 2015
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 2016
End Date: 2016
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 2018
End Date: 11-2022
Amount: $380,844.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 03-2014
End Date: 08-2018
Amount: $346,980.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 11-2022
End Date: 12-2023
Amount: $1,749,940.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 02-2015
End Date: 07-2018
Amount: $760,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 2019
End Date: 12-2020
Amount: $159,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 12-2022
End Date: 12-2025
Amount: $700,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 06-2016
End Date: 09-2017
Amount: $430,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 07-2017
End Date: 12-2024
Amount: $30,300,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 2016
End Date: 10-2017
Amount: $550,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded Activity