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The Puzzle of the Metallic Line Stars
In the puzzle of the metallic line (Am) stars, there still seem to bemissing pieces. While the ``normal'' A stars have elemental abundancesclose to solar, the classical Am stars show stronger absorption linesfor most heavy elements in their spectra. Elements with ionizationpotentials that nearly agree with those of hydrogen or helium havereduced abundances. The Ca II and Sc II lines are especially weak. TheAm stars have no ultraviolet emission lines. They are binaries that,with very few exceptions, have rotational velocities vsini lower than100 km s-1. Of the main-sequence A stars, 20% to 30% are Amstars. Here we rediscuss previous suggestions that tried to explain thepeculiar line strengths in the Am star spectra. In particular, wecompare the well-studied properties of Hyades A and Am stars in order toidentify reasons that can or cannot explain the differences. We findthat accretion of interstellar material by A stars with distortedmagnetic fields, which are weaker than those in peculiar A (Ap) stars,has the best chance of explaining the main characteristics of thepeculiar heavy-element abundances in Am star photospheres.Charge-exchange reactions also seem to be important.
| Abundance analysis of Am binaries and search for tidally driven abundance anomalies - II. HD861, HD18778, HD20320, HD29479, HD96528 and HD108651
The main goal of this paper is to continue a systematic abundanceanalysis of a sample of Am binaries in order to search for possibleabundance anomalies driven by tidal interaction in these binary systems.New CCD observations in two spectral regions (6400-6500 and 6660-6760Å) of HD861, HD18778, HD20320, HD29479, HD96528 and HD108651 wereobtained. Synthetic spectrum analysis was carried out, and basic stellarproperties, effective temperatures, gravities, projected rotationalvelocities, masses, ages and abundances of several elements weredetermined. We conclude that HD861, 29479 and 108651 are typical Amstars, while HD20320 and 96528 are mild Am stars. HD18778 turned out notto be an Am star although its projected rotational velocity is very low(27 kms-1). On the contrary, HD96528 has one of the highestprojected rotational velocities (85 kms-1) among Am binarieswith orbital periods in the range 20-200 d, and yet it exhibits Amanomalies. Pseudo-synchronization and abundance anomalies are discussedin the context of possible tidal effects.
| Observed Orbital Eccentricities
For 391 spectroscopic and visual binaries with known orbital elementsand having B0-F0 IV or V primaries, we collected the derivedeccentricities. As has been found by others, those binaries with periodsof a few days have been circularized. However, those with periods up toabout 1000 or more days show reduced eccentricities that asymptoticallyapproach a mean value of 0.5 for the longest periods. For those binarieswith periods greater than 1000 days their distribution of eccentricitiesis flat from 0 to nearly 1, indicating that in the formation of binariesthere is no preferential eccentricity. The binaries with intermediateperiods (10-100 days) lack highly eccentric orbits.
| 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).
| Astrometric orbits of SB^9 stars
Hipparcos Intermediate Astrometric Data (IAD) have been used to deriveastrometric orbital elements for spectroscopic binaries from the newlyreleased Ninth Catalogue of Spectroscopic Binary Orbits(SB^9). This endeavour is justified by the fact that (i) theastrometric orbital motion is often difficult to detect without theprior knowledge of the spectroscopic orbital elements, and (ii) suchknowledge was not available at the time of the construction of theHipparcos Catalogue for the spectroscopic binaries which were recentlyadded to the SB^9 catalogue. Among the 1374 binaries fromSB^9 which have an HIP entry (excluding binaries with visualcompanions, or DMSA/C in the Double and Multiple Stars Annex), 282 havedetectable orbital astrometric motion (at the 5% significance level).Among those, only 70 have astrometric orbital elements that are reliablydetermined (according to specific statistical tests), and for the firsttime for 20 systems. This represents a 8.5% increase of the number ofastrometric systems with known orbital elements (The Double and MultipleSystems Annex contains 235 of those DMSA/O systems). The detection ofthe astrometric orbital motion when the Hipparcos IAD are supplementedby the spectroscopic orbital elements is close to 100% for binaries withonly one visible component, provided that the period is in the 50-1000 drange and the parallax is >5 mas. This result is an interestingtestbed to guide the choice of algorithms and statistical tests to beused in the search for astrometric binaries during the forthcoming ESAGaia mission. Finally, orbital inclinations provided by the presentanalysis have been used to derive several astrophysical quantities. Forinstance, 29 among the 70 systems with reliable astrometric orbitalelements involve main sequence stars for which the companion mass couldbe derived. Some interesting conclusions may be drawn from this new setof stellar masses, like the enigmatic nature of the companion to theHyades F dwarf HIP 20935. This system has a mass ratio of 0.98 but thecompanion remains elusive.
| Tidal Effects in Binaries of Various Periods
We found in the published literature the rotational velocities for 162B0-B9.5, 152 A0-A5, and 86 A6-F0 stars, all of luminosity classes V orIV, that are in spectroscopic or visual binaries with known orbitalelements. The data show that stars in binaries with periods of less thanabout 4 days have synchronized rotational and orbital motions. Stars inbinaries with periods of more than about 500 days have the samerotational velocities as single stars. However, the primaries inbinaries with periods of between 4 and 500 days have substantiallysmaller rotational velocities than single stars, implying that they havelost one-third to two-thirds of their angular momentum, presumablybecause of tidal interactions. The angular momentum losses increase withdecreasing binary separations or periods and increase with increasingage or decreasing mass.
| Rotational velocities of A-type stars in the northern hemisphere. II. Measurement of v sin i
This work is the second part of the set of measurements of v sin i forA-type stars, begun by Royer et al. (\cite{Ror_02a}). Spectra of 249 B8to F2-type stars brighter than V=7 have been collected at Observatoirede Haute-Provence (OHP). Fourier transforms of several line profiles inthe range 4200-4600 Å are used to derive v sin i from thefrequency of the first zero. Statistical analysis of the sampleindicates that measurement error mainly depends on v sin i and thisrelative error of the rotational velocity is found to be about 5% onaverage. The systematic shift with respect to standard values fromSlettebak et al. (\cite{Slk_75}), previously found in the first paper,is here confirmed. Comparisons with data from the literature agree withour findings: v sin i values from Slettebak et al. are underestimatedand the relation between both scales follows a linear law ensuremath vsin inew = 1.03 v sin iold+7.7. Finally, thesedata are combined with those from the previous paper (Royer et al.\cite{Ror_02a}), together with the catalogue of Abt & Morrell(\cite{AbtMol95}). The resulting sample includes some 2150 stars withhomogenized rotational velocities. Based on observations made atObservatoire de Haute Provence (CNRS), France. Tables \ref{results} and\ref{merging} are only available in electronic form at the CDS viaanonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.125.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/393/897
| Research Note Hipparcos photometry: The least variable stars
The data known as the Hipparcos Photometry obtained with the Hipparcossatellite have been investigated to find those stars which are leastvariable. Such stars are excellent candidates to serve as standards forphotometric systems. Their spectral types suggest in which parts of theHR diagrams stars are most constant. In some cases these values stronglyindicate that previous ground based studies claiming photometricvariability are incorrect or that the level of stellar activity haschanged. Table 2 is only available in electronic form at the CDS viaanonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/367/297
| Does Rotation Alone Determine Whether an A-Type Star's Spectrum Is Abnormal or Normal?
As noted by Abt & Morrell, virtually all of the metallic line (Am)and peculiar A (Ap) stars have equatorial rotational velocities lessthan 120 km s-1, and most of the normal A0-F0 main-sequencestars have equatorial rotational velocities greater than 120 kms-1. However, at all spectral types there are some (10%-20%)of the normal stars that have smaller rotational velocities. If thisoverlap is real, then a star's rotational velocity is insufficient toexplain its abnormal or normal spectra. We studied the A5-F0 and A2-A4stars and found in both cases that there are stars classified as``normal'' that have unusually weak Ca II K lines and/or that occur inshort-period binaries. Therefore, the overlap seems to be due toundetected marginal abnormal stars. Among the A0-A1 stars we find thatour inability to distinguish consistently the class IV from the class Vstars can explain the overlap because the class IV stars have lowerrotational velocities than class V stars. We conclude from statisticalarguments that rotation alone can explain the appearance of an A star aseither abnormal or normal.
| Speckle Interferometry of New and Problem HIPPARCOS Binaries
The ESA Hipparcos satellite made measurements of over 12,000 doublestars and discovered 3406 new systems. In addition to these, 4706entries in the Hipparcos Catalogue correspond to double star solutionsthat did not provide the classical parameters of separation and positionangle (rho,theta) but were the so-called problem stars, flagged ``G,''``O,'' ``V,'' or ``X'' (field H59 of the main catalog). An additionalsubset of 6981 entries were treated as single objects but classified byHipparcos as ``suspected nonsingle'' (flag ``S'' in field H61), thusyielding a total of 11,687 ``problem stars.'' Of the many ground-basedtechniques for the study of double stars, probably the one with thegreatest potential for exploration of these new and problem Hipparcosbinaries is speckle interferometry. Results are presented from aninspection of 848 new and problem Hipparcos binaries, using botharchival and new speckle observations obtained with the USNO and CHARAspeckle cameras.
| On the HIPPARCOS photometry of chemically peculiar B, A, and F stars
The Hipparcos photometry of the Chemically Peculiar main sequence B, A,and F stars is examined for variability. Some non-magnetic CP stars,Mercury-Manganese and metallic-line stars, which according to canonicalwisdom should not be variable, may be variable and are identified forfurther study. Some potentially important magnetic CP stars are noted.Tables 1, 2, and 3 are available only in electronic form at the CDS viaanonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/Abstract.html
| The Hyades: distance, structure, dynamics, and age
{We use absolute trigonometric parallaxes from the Hipparcos Catalogueto determine individual distances to members of the Hyades cluster, fromwhich the 3-dimensional structure of the cluster can be derived.Inertially-referenced proper motions are used to rediscuss distancedeterminations based on convergent-point analyses. A combination ofparallaxes and proper motions from Hipparcos, and radial velocities fromground-based observations, are used to determine the position andvelocity components of candidate members with respect to the clustercentre, providing new information on cluster membership: 13 newcandidate members within 20 pc of the cluster centre have beenidentified. Farther from the cluster centre there is a gradual mergingbetween certain cluster members and field stars, both spatially andkinematically. Within the cluster, the kinematical structure is fullyconsistent with parallel space motion of the component stars with aninternal velocity dispersion of about 0.3 km s(-1) . The spatialstructure and mass segregation are consistent with N-body simulationresults, without the need to invoke expansion, contraction, rotation, orother significant perturbations of the cluster. The quality of theindividual distance determinations permits the cluster zero-age mainsequence to be accurately modelled. The helium abundance for the clusteris determined to be Y =3D 0.26+/-0.02 which, combined with isochronemodelling including convective overshooting, yields a cluster age of625+/-50 Myr. The distance to the observed centre of mass (a conceptmeaningful only in the restricted context of the cluster memberscontained in the Hipparcos Catalogue) is 46.34+/-0.27 pc, correspondingto a distance modulus m-M=3D3.33+/-0.01 mag for the objects within 10 pcof the cluster centre (roughly corresponding to the tidal radius). Thisdistance modulus is close to, but significantly better determined than,that derived from recent high-precision radial velocity studies,somewhat larger than that indicated by recent ground-based trigonometricparallax determinations, and smaller than those found from recentstudies of the cluster convergent point. These discrepancies areinvestigated and explained. } Based on observations made with the ESAHipparcos astrometry satellite. Table~2 is also 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/Abstract.html
| On the nature of the AM phenomenon or on a stabilization and the tidal mixing in binaries. II. Metallicity and pseudo-synchronization.
We reveal sufficient evidences that for Am binaries the metallicitymight depend on their orbital periods, P_orb_, rather than on vsini. Inparticular, δm_1_ index seems to decrease with increasing orbitalperiod up to at least P_orb_=~50d, probably even up to P_orb_=~200d.This gives further support to our "tidal mixing + stabilization"hypothesis formulated in Part I. Moreover, while the most metallic Amstars seem to have rather large periods the slowest rotators are foundto exhibit substantially shorter P_orb_. A questioning eye is thus caston the generally adopted view that Am peculiarity is caused by asuppressed rotationally induced mixing in slowly rotating `single'stars. The observed anticorrelation between rotation and metallicity mayhave also other than the `textbook' explanation, namely being the resultof the correlation between metallicity and orbital period, as themajority of Am binaries are possibly synchronized. We further argue thatthere is a tendency in Am binaries towards pseudo-synchronization up toP_orb_=~35d. This has, however, no serious impact on our conclusionsfrom Part I; on the contrary, they still hold even if this effect istaken into account.
| The photoelectric astrolabe catalogue of Yunnan Observatory (YPAC).
The positions of 53 FK5, 70 FK5 Extension and 486 GC stars are given forthe equator and equinox J2000.0 and for the mean observation epoch ofeach star. They are determined with the photoelectric astrolabe ofYunnan Observatory. The internal mean errors in right ascension anddeclination are +/- 0.046" and +/- 0.059", respectively. The meanobservation epoch is 1989.51.
| On the nature of the AM phenomenon or on a stabilization and the tidal mixing in binaries. I. Orbital periods and rotation.
The paper casts a questioning eye on the unique role of the diffusiveparticle transport mechanism in explaining the Am phenomenon and arguesthat the so-called tidal effects might be of great importance incontrolling diffusion processes. A short period cutoff at =~1.2d as wellas a 180-800d gap were found in the orbital period distribution (OPD) ofAm binaries. The existence of the former can be ascribed to the state ofthe primaries with the almost-filled Roche lobes. The latter couldresult from the combined effects of the diffusion, tidal mixing andstabilization processes. Because the tidal mixing might surpassdiffusion in the binaries with the orbital periods P_orb_ less thanseveral hundred days and might thus sustain the He convection zone,which would otherwise disappear, no Am stars should lie below thisboundary. The fact that they are nevertheless seen there implies theexistence of some stabilization mechanism (as, e.g., that recentlyproposed by Tassoul & Tassoul 1992) for the binaries with orbitalperiods less than 180d. Further evidence is given to the fact that theOPD for the Am and the normal binaries with an A4-F1 primary arecomplementary to each other, from which it stems that Am stars are closeto the main sequence. There are, however, indications that they haveslightly larger radii (2.1-3 Rsun_) than expected for theirspectral type. The generally accepted rotational velocity cutoff at=~100km/s is shown to be of little value when applied on Am binaries ashere it is not a single quantity but, in fact, a function of P_orb_whose shape is strikingly similar to that of the curves of constantmetallicity as ascertained from observations. This also leads to thewell known overlap in rotational velocities of the normal and Am starsfor 402.5d.We have exploited this empirical cutoff function to calibrate thecorresponding turbulent diffusion coefficient associated with tidalmixing, having found out that the computed form of the lines of constantturbulence fits qualitatively the empirical shape of the curves ofconstant metallicity. As for larger orbital periods(20d55km/s found by Burkhart(1979) would then be nothing but a manifestation of insufficientlypopulated corresponding area of larger P_orb_.
| The Relation between Rotational Velocities and Spectral Peculiarities among A-Type Stars
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1995ApJS...99..135A&db_key=AST
| Vitesses radiales. Catalogue WEB: Wilson Evans Batten. Subtittle: Radial velocities: The Wilson-Evans-Batten catalogue.
We give a common version of the two catalogues of Mean Radial Velocitiesby Wilson (1963) and Evans (1978) to which we have added the catalogueof spectroscopic binary systems (Batten et al. 1989). For each star,when possible, we give: 1) an acronym to enter SIMBAD (Set ofIdentifications Measurements and Bibliography for Astronomical Data) ofthe CDS (Centre de Donnees Astronomiques de Strasbourg). 2) the numberHIC of the HIPPARCOS catalogue (Turon 1992). 3) the CCDM number(Catalogue des Composantes des etoiles Doubles et Multiples) byDommanget & Nys (1994). For the cluster stars, a precise study hasbeen done, on the identificator numbers. Numerous remarks point out theproblems we have had to deal with.
| Ultraviolet Observations with the Space Telescope Glazar
Not Available
| A radio survey of weak T Tauri stars in Taurus-Auriga
A multi-epoch 5 GHz survey of candidate or confirmed weak T Tauri starsin the Taurus-Auriga molecular cloud complex was conducted with the VeryLarge Array. The stars were chosen from those having detectable X-ray orchromospheric emission, and weak-emission-line pre-main-sequence starsfound by other means. Snapshots of 99 VLA fields containing 119candidate stars were obtained with a sensitivity of 0.7 mJy; most fieldswere observed on two or three dates. Nine radio sources coincident withcataloged stars were found. One may be an RS CVn binary system; theother eight are pre-main-sequence stars. Three of the detected stars -HD 283447, V410 Tau, and FK X-ray 1 - were previously known radiosources. Five new detections are Herbig's Anon 1, Hubble 4, HDE 283572,Elias 12, and HK Tau/c. At least five of the sources are variable, andno linear or circular polarization was found. Several lines of evidencesuggest that the radio-detected weak T Tauri stars are quite young,perhaps younger on average than nondetected stars.
| Improved study of metallic-line binaries
For the sake of completeness, a new study has been made of the frequencyof binaries among classical metallic-line (Am) stars and of thecharacteristics of these systems. For an initial sample of 60 Am stars,about 20 coude spectra and radial velocities were obtained each. Whencombined with excellent published orbital elements for some systems, thenew material yields 16 SB2s, 20 SB1s, and 20 visual and occultationcompanions not already counted as spectroscopic companions. Extensivedetails are given about the observations, radial velocities, and binaryorbits. Evolutionary expansion during their main sequence lifetime isseen as an additional mechanism (besides tidal braking) acting in closebinaries to lower rotational velocities below 100 km/s.
| Rotation velocities of metallic-line stars
The rotation velocities (V sin i) of 81 Am stars were determined usingspectra of dispersion 15 A/mm. The profiles of Fe I 4045 A and Sr II4215 A lines were compared with the computed profiles. The line widthand its ratio to the central depth are found to be most sensitive to therotation velocity. The hydrogen spectral types obtained from the H-gammaequivalent width are also given. It is noted that the extremal Am starHR 4646 has a relatively high rotation velocity of at least 70 km/s.
| Binary stars unresolved by speckle interferometry. III
The KPNO's 4-m telescope was used in 1975-1981 to determine the epochsof 1164 speckle observations for 469 unresolved, known or suspectedbinary stars. The data, presented in tabular form, encompass visualbinaries with eccentric orbits, occultation binaries, astrometricbinaries, Hyades stars of known or suspected duplicity, and many longperiod spectroscopic binaries.
| The period distribution of unevolved close binary systems
Period distributions have been examined for various spectral types ofabout 600 (eclipsing and spectroscopic) close binaries, which are likelyto be substantially unevolved. The comparison with the previouscorresponding analyses of extensive (but heterogeneous) binary samplesallows a clarification of the extent of the evolutionary andobservational selection effects. Remarkably, this analysis reveals agreat deficiency of short period binaries (with periods corresponding tocase A mass transfer) in the whole spectral range. For the late spectraltypes, this result may be connected with postformation angular momentumloss caused by stellar wind magnetic braking; at least for the late Band A spectral range, a ready interpretation of this finding is thatclose binaries of corresponding periods and spectral types are rarelyformed.
| Catalogue of Eclipsing and Spectroscopic Binary Stars in the Regions of Open Clusters
Not Available
| Lists of photometric AM candidates
The Geneva photometric m parameter (Nicolet and Cramer, 1982) is used inorder to select Am photometric candidates from the Rufener (1981)catalogue. Two lists are given, the first containing field stars and thesecond cluster stars. According to the photometric criteria thediffusion process probably responsible for the Am phenomenon takes placerather quickly as Am candidates are present in young clusters. It isconfirmed that the phenomenon is enhanced by low rotational velocity andhigh metallicity. The age seems to slightly affect the Am phenomenon.
| UV photometric data on standard A, F and AM stars observed by S2/68
Data derived from the stellar UV fluxes of the S2/68 experiment andanalyzed and interpreted by Van't Veer et al. (1980) are presented.There are two tables of photometric data. One lists all standard stars,without exception, belonging to the intersection of the following threecatalogs: (1) the Thompson et al. (1978) catalog of S2/68 fluxes; (2)the PMR catalog (Philip et al., 1976), which is an analysis of theHauck-Mermilliod catalog (1975) of homogeneous four color data; and (3)the Crawford and Barnes (1970) list of standard stars for uvbyphotometry. The other table lists all the Am stars, without exception,belonging to the intersection of the following three catalogs: (1)Thompson et al. (1978); (2) PMR (1976); and (3) the Hauck (1973) catalogof the Am stars.
| The absolute magnitude of the AM stars
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1981A&A....93..155G&db_key=AST
| Catalog of profiles and equivalent widths of the CA II K line in the spectra of metallic-line stars
Profiles of the Ca II K line for 87 bright Am, A, and F stars weremeasured on spectrograms with a dispersion of 15 A/mm. Halfwidths of theprofiles for fixed values of line depth, central depths, and equivalentwidths are presented. In contrast to the case of peculiar stars, theobserved K-line profiles in the metallic-line stars do not show anypeculiar structure.
| Properties of AM stars in the Geneva photometric system
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1980A&A....92..289H&db_key=AST
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Observation and Astrometry data
| Constellation: | Taurus |
| Right ascension: | 04h39m09.20s |
| Declination: | +15°47'59.0" |
| Apparent magnitude: | 5.07 |
| Distance: | 46.533 parsecs |
| Proper motion RA: | 36.7 |
| Proper motion Dec: | -69.4 |
| B-T magnitude: | 5.238 |
| V-T magnitude: | 5.093 |
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