Table of contents

A considerable fraction of multi-planet systems discovered by the observational surveys of extrasolar planets reside in mild proximity to first-order mean-motion resonances. However, the relative remoteness of such systems from nominal resonant period ratios (e.g., 2:1, 3:2, and 4:3) has been interpreted as evidence for lack of resonant interactions. Here, we show that a slow divergence away from exact commensurability is a natural outcome of dissipative evolution and demonstrate that libration of critical angles can be maintained tens of percent away from nominal resonance. We construct an analytical theory for the long-term dynamical evolution of dissipated resonant planetary pairs and confirm our calculations numerically. Collectively, our results suggest that a significant fraction of the near-commensurate extrasolar planets are in fact resonant and have undergone significant dissipative evolution.

We present parallax and proper motion measurements, near-infrared spectra, and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer photometry for the low surface gravity L5γ dwarf 2MASS J035523.37+113343.7 (2M0355). We use these data to evaluate photometric, spectral, and kinematic signatures of youth as 2M0355 is the reddest isolated L dwarf yet classified. We confirm its low-gravity spectral morphology and find a strong resemblance to the sharp triangular shaped H-band spectrum of the ∼10 Myr planetary-mass object 2M1207b. We find that 2M0355 is underluminous compared to a normal field L5 dwarf in the optical and Mauna Kea Observatory J, H, and K bands and transitions to being overluminous from 3 to 12 μm, indicating that enhanced photospheric dust shifts flux to longer wavelengths for young, low-gravity objects, creating a red spectral energy distribution. Investigating the near-infrared color–magnitude diagram for brown dwarfs confirms that 2M0355 is redder and underluminous compared to the known brown dwarf population, similar to the peculiarities of directly imaged exoplanets 2M1207b and HR8799bcd. We calculate UVW space velocities and find that the motion of 2M0355 is consistent with young disk objects (<2–3 Gyr) and it shows a high likelihood of membership in the AB Doradus association.

O- and B-type stars are often found in binary systems, but the low binary mass-ratio regime is relatively unexplored due to observational difficulties. Binary systems with low mass ratios may have formed through fragmentation of the circumstellar disk rather than molecular cloud core fragmentation. We describe a new technique sensitive to G- and K-type companions to early B stars, a mass ratio of roughly 0.1, using high-resolution, high signal-to-noise spectra. We apply this technique to a sample of archived VLT/CRIRES observations of nearby B stars in the CO bandhead near 2300 nm. While there are no unambiguous binary detections in our sample, we identify HIP 92855 and HIP 26713 as binary candidates warranting follow-up observations. We use our non-detections to determine upper limits to the frequency of FGK stars orbiting early B-type primaries.

We present the results of a search for the most luminous star-forming galaxies at redshifts z ≈ 6 based on Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope Legacy Survey data. We identify a sample of 40 Lyman break galaxies (LBGs) brighter than magnitude z' = 25.3 across an area of almost 4 deg². Sensitive spectroscopic observations of seven galaxies provide redshifts for four, of which only two have moderate to strong Lyα emission lines. All four have clear continuum breaks in their spectra. Approximately half of the LBGs are spatially resolved in 0.7 arcsec seeing images, indicating larger sizes than lower luminosity galaxies discovered with the Hubble Space Telescope, possibly due to ongoing mergers. The stacked optical and infrared photometry is consistent with a galaxy model with stellar mass ∼10¹⁰ M_☉. There is strong evidence for substantial dust reddening with a best-fit A_V = 0.75 and A_V > 0.48 at 2σ confidence, in contrast to the typical dust-free galaxies of lower luminosity at this epoch. The spatial extent and spectral energy distribution suggest that the most luminous z ≈ 6 galaxies are undergoing merger-induced starbursts. The luminosity function of z = 5.9 star-forming galaxies is derived. This agrees well with previous work and shows strong evidence for an exponential decline at the bright end, indicating that the feedback processes that govern the shape of the bright end are occurring effectively at this epoch.

We report the discovery of HATS-1b, a transiting extrasolar planet orbiting the moderately bright V = 12.05 G dwarf star GSC 6652-00186, and the first planet discovered by HATSouth, a global network of autonomous wide-field telescopes. HATS-1b has a period of P ≈ 3.4465 days, mass of M_p ≈ 1.86 M_J, and radius of R_p ≈ 1.30 R_J. The host star has a mass of 0.99 M_☉ and radius of 1.04 R_☉. The discovery light curve of HATS-1b has near-continuous coverage over several multi-day timespans, demonstrating the power of using a global network of telescopes to discover transiting planets.

The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mapped the entire sky at mid-infrared wavelengths 3.4 μm, 4.6 μm, 12 μm, and 22 μm. The mission was primarily designed to extract point sources, leaving resolved and extended sources, for the most part, unexplored. Accordingly, we have begun a dedicated WISE Enhanced Resolution Galaxy Atlas (WERGA) project to fully characterize large, nearby galaxies and produce a legacy image atlas and source catalog. Here we demonstrate the first results of the WERGA project for a sample of 17 galaxies, chosen to be of large angular size, diverse morphology, and covering a range in color, stellar mass, and star formation. It includes many well-studied galaxies, such as M 51, M 81, M 87, M 83, M 101, and IC 342. Photometry and surface brightness decomposition is carried out after special super-resolution processing, achieving spatial resolutions similar to that of Spitzer Infrared Array Camera. The enhanced resolution method is summarized in the first paper of this two-part series. In this second work, we present WISE, Spitzer, and Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) photometric and characterization measurements for the sample galaxies, combining the measurements to study the global properties. We derive star formation rates using the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon sensitive 12 μm (W3) fluxes, warm-dust sensitive 22 μm (W4) fluxes, and young massive-star sensitive ultraviolet (UV) fluxes. Stellar masses are estimated using the 3.4 μm (W1) and 4.6 μm (W2) measurements that trace the dominant stellar mass content. We highlight and showcase the detailed results of M 83, comparing the WISE/Spitzer results with the Australia Telescope Compact Array H i gas distribution and GALEX UV emission, tracing the evolution from gas to stars. In addition to the enhanced images, WISE's all-sky coverage provides a tremendous advantage over Spitzer for building a complete nearby galaxy catalog, tracing both stellar mass and star formation histories. We discuss the construction of a complete mid-infrared catalog of galaxies and its complementary role of studying the assembly and evolution of galaxies in the local universe.

NGC 6811 is one of the four open clusters located in the Kepler spacecraft field of view. We obtained UBVRI photometry of the cluster on six nights (four of them photometric) with the 1.08 m Hall and 1.83 m Perkins telescopes at Lowell Observatory. The mean photometric precision ranges from better than 0.01 mag in the V, B − V, V − R, and V − I indices among stars brighter than magnitude 15 to about 0.05 mag for U − B at magnitude 18. We followed a Bayesian statistical approach using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm to determine the cluster reddening, distance, age, and iron content from a maximum-likelihood fit to stellar isochrones. Using the Yale–Yonsei isochrones, we derived E(B − V) = 0.066 ± 0.025, (m − M)_V = 10.13 ± 0.19, age = 1.06 ± 0.19 Gyr, and Z = 0.012 ± 0.004 ([Fe/H] = −0.18); with the Padova isochrones, we found E(B − V) = 0.081 ± 0.015, (m − M)_V = 10.31 ± 0.11, age = 0.94 ± 0.08 Gyr, and Z = 0.012 ± 0.002 ([Fe/H] = −0.20). The uncertainties include possible errors in the photometric zero points of ±0.01 mag, but do not include uncertainties in the models. Taking into account the differences between the two sets of models, we find the best estimate for the cluster parameters to be E(B − V) = 0.074 ± 0.024, (m − M)_V = 10.22 ± 0.18, age = 1.00 ± 0.17 Gyr, and Z = 0.012 ± 0.004 ([Fe/H] = −0.19).

Following on from a recently completed radial-velocity survey of the old (7 Gyr) open cluster NGC 188 in which we studied in detail the solar-type hard binaries and blue stragglers of the cluster, here we investigate the dynamical evolution of NGC 188 through a sophisticated N-body model. Importantly, we employ the observed binary properties of the young (180 Myr) open cluster M35, where possible, to guide our choices for parameters of the initial binary population. We apply pre-main-sequence tidal circularization and a substantial increase to the main-sequence tidal circularization rate, both of which are necessary to match the observed tidal circularization periods in the literature, including that of NGC 188. At 7 Gyr the main-sequence solar-type hard-binary population in the model matches that of NGC 188 in both binary frequency and distributions of orbital parameters. This agreement between the model and observations is in a large part due to the similarities between the NGC 188 and M35 solar-type binaries. Indeed, among the 7 Gyr main-sequence binaries in the model, only those with P ≳ 1000 days begin to show potentially observable evidence for modifications by dynamical encounters, even after 7 Gyr of evolution within the star cluster. This emphasizes the importance of defining accurate initial conditions for star cluster models, which we propose is best accomplished through comparisons with observations of young open clusters like M35. Furthermore, this finding suggests that observations of the present-day binaries in even old open clusters can provide valuable information on their primordial binary populations. However, despite the model's success at matching the observed solar-type main-sequence population, the model underproduces blue stragglers and produces an overabundance of long-period circular main-sequence–white-dwarf binaries as compared with the true cluster. We explore several potential solutions to the paucity of blue stragglers and conclude that the model dramatically underproduces blue stragglers through mass-transfer processes. We suggest that common-envelope evolution may have been incorrectly imposed on the progenitors of the spurious long-period circular main-sequence–white-dwarf binaries, which perhaps instead should have gone through stable mass transfer to create blue stragglers, thereby bringing both the number and binary frequency of the blue straggler population in the model into agreement with the true blue stragglers in NGC 188. Thus, improvements in the physics of mass transfer and common-envelope evolution employed in the model may in fact solve both discrepancies with the observations. This project highlights the unique accessibility of open clusters to both comprehensive observational surveys and full-scale N-body simulations, both of which have only recently matured sufficiently to enable such a project, and underscores the importance of open clusters to the study of star cluster dynamics.

We analyze photometric and spectroscopic data and study the orbital period of the early-type interacting binary system V382 Cyg by using all the available data. We obtain a simultaneous light and radial velocity curve solution. The derived physical parameters of the primary and secondary stellar components are M₁ = 27.9(5) M_☉, M₂ = 20.8(4) M_☉, R₁ = 9.7(2) R_☉, R₂ = 8.5(2) R_☉, log (L₁/L_☉) = 5.152(20), and log (L₂/L_☉) = 4.954(19) while the separation of the components is a = 23.4 R_☉. Newly obtained parameters yield the distance of the system to be 1466(76) pc. Analyses of the mid-eclipse times indicate a period increase of dP/dt = 4.2(1) × 10⁻⁷ days yr⁻¹ that can be interpreted in terms of the high-mass transfer (dM/dt = 6.1(5) × 10⁻⁶ M_☉ yr⁻¹) from the less massive component to the more massive component. Finally, we model the evolution of the components using non-conservative codes and discuss the results obtained. The age of the binary system is estimated to be 3.85 Myr.

The Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) is designed to measure the scale of baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) in the clustering of matter over a larger volume than the combined efforts of all previous spectroscopic surveys of large-scale structure. BOSS uses 1.5 million luminous galaxies as faint as i = 19.9 over 10,000 deg² to measure BAO to redshifts z < 0.7. Observations of neutral hydrogen in the Lyα forest in more than 150,000 quasar spectra (g < 22) will constrain BAO over the redshift range 2.15 < z < 3.5. Early results from BOSS include the first detection of the large-scale three-dimensional clustering of the Lyα forest and a strong detection from the Data Release 9 data set of the BAO in the clustering of massive galaxies at an effective redshift z = 0.57. We project that BOSS will yield measurements of the angular diameter distance d_A to an accuracy of 1.0% at redshifts z = 0.3 and z = 0.57 and measurements of H(z) to 1.8% and 1.7% at the same redshifts. Forecasts for Lyα forest constraints predict a measurement of an overall dilation factor that scales the highly degenerate D_A(z) and H⁻¹(z) parameters to an accuracy of 1.9% at z ∼ 2.5 when the survey is complete. Here, we provide an overview of the selection of spectroscopic targets, planning of observations, and analysis of data and data quality of BOSS.

We present previously unpublished photometry of supernovae 2003gs and 2003hv. Using spectroscopically derived corrections to the U-band photometry, we reconcile U-band light curves made from imagery with the Cerro Tololo 0.9 m, 1.3 m, and Las Campanas 1 m telescopes. Previously, such light curves showed a 0.4 mag spread at one month after maximum light. This gives us hope that a set of corrected ultraviolet light curves of nearby objects can contribute to the full utilization of rest-frame U-band data of supernovae at redshift ∼0.3–0.8. As pointed out recently by Kessler et al. in the context of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey supernova search, if we take the published U-band photometry of nearby Type Ia supernovae at face value, there is a 0.12 mag U-band anomaly in the distance moduli of higher redshift objects. This anomaly led the Sloan survey to eliminate from their analyses all photometry obtained in the rest-frame U-band. The Supernova Legacy Survey eliminated observer frame U-band photometry, which is to say nearby objects observed in the U-band, but they used photometry of high-redshift objects no matter in which band the photons were emitted.

Analysis of the proper motions of the subparsec scale jet of the quasar 3C 279 at 15 GHz with the Very Long Baseline Array shows significant accelerations in four of nine superluminal features. Analysis of these motions is combined with the analysis of flux density light curves to constrain values of Lorentz factor and viewing angle (and their derivatives) for each component. The data for each of these components are consistent with significant changes to the Lorentz factor, viewing angle, and azimuthal angle, suggesting jet bending with changes in speed. We see that for these observed components Lorentz factors are in the range Γ = 10–41, viewing angles are in the range ϑ = 01–50, and intrinsic (source frame) flux density is in the range, F_ν, int = 1.5 × 10⁻⁹–1.5 × 10⁻⁵ Jy. Considering individual components, the Lorentz factors vary from Γ = 11–16 for C1, Γ = 31–41 for C5, Γ = 29–41 for C6, and Γ = 9–12 for C8, indicating that there is no single underlying flow speed to the jet and likely we are seeing pattern speeds from shocks in the jet. The viewing angles vary in time from 06 to 15 in the case of C1 (the least extreme example), from 05 to 50 in the case of C8, and from 01 to 09 for C5 (the last two being the most extreme examples). The intrinsic flux density varies by factors from 1.4 for C8 and 430 for C5. Theoretical analysis of the accelerations also indicates potential jet bending. In addition, for one component, C5, polarization measurements also set limits to the trajectory of the jet.

Chemical compositions are determined based on high-resolution spectroscopy for 137 candidate extremely metal-poor (EMP) stars selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and its first stellar extension, the Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding and Exploration (SEGUE). High-resolution spectra with moderate signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios were obtained with the High Dispersion Spectrograph of the Subaru Telescope. Most of the sample (approximately 80%) are main-sequence turnoff stars, including dwarfs and subgiants. Four cool main-sequence stars, the most metal-deficient such stars known, are included in the remaining sample. Good agreement is found between effective temperatures estimated by the SEGUE stellar parameter pipeline, based on the SDSS/SEGUE medium-resolution spectra, and those estimated from the broadband (V − K)₀ and (g − r)₀ colors. Our abundance measurements reveal that 70 stars in our sample have [Fe/H] < −3, adding a significant number of EMP stars to the currently known sample. Our analyses determine the abundances of eight elements (C, Na, Mg, Ca, Ti, Cr, Sr, and Ba) in addition to Fe. The fraction of carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars ([C/Fe] > +0.7) among the 25 giants in our sample is as high as 36%, while only a lower limit on the fraction (9%) is estimated for turnoff stars. This paper is the first of a series of papers based on these observational results. The following papers in this series will discuss the higher-resolution and higher-S/N observations of a subset of this sample, the metallicity distribution function, binarity, and correlations between the chemical composition and kinematics of extremely metal-poor stars.

Complete Bessel BVR_cI_c light curves of V1043 Cassiopeia [2MASS J00371195+5301324, Mis V1292, USNO−A2.0 1425−00875743, α(2000) = 00^h37^m1195, δ(2000) = +53°01'325] are analyzed. The system is a member of the small group of pre-contact W UMa binaries (PCWBs). Its light curve has the appearance of an Algol (EA) light curve, however it is made up of dwarf solar type components in a detached mode with a period of only 0.6616 days. The analysis includes a period study, an improved ephemeris, a mass ratio search, and a simultaneous BVR_cI_c Wilson–Devinney solution. We document about 20 other PCWBs given in the literature. Several have RS CVn-like properties.

We used archival Spitzer Space Telescope mid-infrared data to search for young stellar objects (YSOs) in the immediate vicinity of two bright-rimmed clouds, BRC 27 (part of CMa R1) and BRC 34 (part of the IC 1396 complex). These regions both appear to be actively forming young stars, perhaps triggered by the proximate OB stars. In BRC 27, we find clear infrared excesses around 22 of the 26 YSOs or YSO candidates identified in the literature, and identify 16 new YSO candidates that appear to have IR excesses. In BRC 34, the one literature-identified YSO has an IR excess, and we suggest 13 new YSO candidates in this region, including a new Class I object. Considering the entire ensemble, both BRCs are likely of comparable ages, within the uncertainties of small number statistics and without spectroscopy to confirm or refute the YSO candidates. Similarly, no clear conclusions can yet be drawn about any possible age gradients that may be present across the BRCs.

NSVS 02502726 has been known as a double-lined, detached eclipsing binary that consists of two low-mass stars. We obtained BVRI photometric follow-up observations in 2009 and 2011 to measure improved physical properties of the binary star. Each set of light curves, including the 2008 data given by Çakirli et al., was simultaneously analyzed with the previously published radial velocity curves using the Wilson–Devinney binary code. The conspicuous seasonal light variations of the system are satisfactorily modeled by a two-spot model with one starspot on each component and by changes of the spot parameters with time. Based on 23 eclipse timings calculated from the synthetic model and one ephemeris epoch, an orbital period study of NSVS 02502726 reveals that the period has experienced a continuous decrease of −5.9 × 10⁻⁷ day yr⁻¹ or a sinusoidal variation with a period and semi-amplitude of 2.51 yr and 0.0011 days, respectively. The timing variations could be interpreted as either the light-travel-time effect due to the presence of an unseen third body, or as the combination of this effect and angular momentum loss via magnetic stellar wind braking. Individual masses and radii of both components are determined to be M₁ = 0.689 ± 0.016 M_☉, M₂ = 0.341 ± 0.009 M_☉, R₁ = 0.707 ± 0.007 R_☉, and R₂ = 0.657 ± 0.008 R_☉. The results are very different from those of Çakirli et al. with the primary's radius (0.674 ± 0.006 R_☉) smaller the secondary's (0.763 ± 0.007 R_☉). We compared the physical parameters presented in this paper with current low-mass stellar models and found that the measured values of the primary star are best fitted to a 79 Myr isochrone. The primary is in good agreement with the empirical mass–radius relation from low-mass binaries, but the secondary is oversized by about 85%.

We analyze age and metallicity estimates for an unprecedented database of some 5.5 million stars distributed throughout the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) main body, obtained from CCD Washington CT₁ photometry, reported on in Piatti et al. We produce a comprehensive field star age–metallicity relationship (AMR) from the earliest epoch until ∼1 Gyr ago. This AMR reveals that the LMC has not evolved chemically as either a closed-box or bursting system, exclusively, but as a combination of both scenarios that have varied in relative strength over the lifetime of the galaxy, although the bursting model falls closer to the data in general. Furthermore, while old and metal-poor field stars have been preferentially formed in the outer disk, younger and more metal-rich stars have mostly been formed in the inner disk, confirming an outside-in formation. We provide evidence for the formation of stars between 5 and 12 Gyr, during the cluster age gap, although chemical enrichment during this period was minimal. We find no significant metallicity gradient in the LMC. We also find that the range in the metallicity of an LMC field has varied during the lifetime of the LMC. In particular, we find only a small range of the metal abundance in the outer disk fields, whereas an average range of Δ[Fe/H] = +0.3 ± 0.1 dex appears in the inner disk fields. Finally, the cluster and field AMRs show a satisfactory match only for the last 3 Gyr, while for the oldest ages (>11 Gyr), the cluster AMR is a remarkable lower envelope to the field AMR. Such a difference may be due to the very rapid early chemical evolution and lack of observed field stars in this regime, whereas the globular clusters are easily studied. This large difference is not easy to explain as coming from stripped ancient Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) clusters, although the field SMC AMR is on average ∼0.4 dex more metal-poor at all ages than that of the LMC but otherwise very similar.

We report the discovery of X-ray emission at the position of the old classical nova DK Lacertae using the Swift satellite. Three observations were conducted using the X-Ray Telescope 62 years after the discovery of the nova, yielding 46 source signals in an exposure time of 4.8 ks. A background-subtracted count rate was 9 ± 2 × 10⁻³ counts s⁻¹, corresponding to a detection significance level of 5σ. The X-ray spectrum was characterized by a continuum extending up to about 7 keV, which can be modeled by a power-law component with a photon index of 1.4–5.6, or by a thermal bremsstrahlung component with a temperature of 0.7–13.3 keV, convolved with interstellar absorption with an equivalent hydrogen column density of 0.3–2.4 × 10²² cm⁻². Assuming a distance of 3900 pc to the source, the luminosity was 10³²–10³⁴ erg s⁻¹ in the 0.3–10 keV energy band. The origin of X-rays is considered to be either mass accretion on the white dwarf or adiabatic shocks in nova ejecta, with the former appearing much more likely. In either case, DK Lacertae represents a rare addition to the exclusive club of X-ray emitting old novae.

We have used the PACS instrument on the Herschel Space Observatory to observe eight cataclysmic variables at 70 and 160 μm. Of these eight objects, only AM Her was detected. We have combined the Herschel results with ground-based, Spitzer, and WISE observations to construct spectral energy distributions for all of the targets. For the two dwarf novae in the sample, SS Cyg and U Gem, we find that their infrared luminosities are completely dominated by their secondary stars. For the two highly magnetic "polars" in our survey, AM Her and EF Eri, we find that their mid-infrared excesses, previously attributed to circumbinary dust emission, can be fully explained by cyclotron emission. The WISE light curves for both sources show large, orbitally modulated variations that are identically phased to their near-IR light curves. We propose that significant emission from the lowest cyclotron harmonics (n ⩽ 3) is present in EF Eri and AM Her. Previously, such emission would have been presumed to be optically thick, and not provide significant orbitally modulated flux. This suggests that the accretion onto polars is more complicated than assumed in the simple models developed for these two sources. We develop a model for the near-/mid-IR light curves for WZ Sge with an L2 donor star that shows that the ellipsoidal variations from its secondary star are detected. We conclude that none of the targets surveyed have dusty circumbinary disks.

We present an eccentric, short-period brown dwarf candidate orbiting the active, slightly evolved subgiant star TYC 2087-00255-1, which has effective temperature T_eff = 5903 ± 42 K, surface gravity log (g) = 4.07 ± 0.16 (cgs), and metallicity [Fe/H] = -0.23 ± 0.07. This candidate was discovered using data from the first two years of the Multi-object APO Radial Velocity Exoplanets Large-area Survey, which is part of the third phase of Sloan Digital Sky Survey. From our 38 radial velocity measurements spread over a two-year time baseline, we derive a Keplerian orbital fit with semi-amplitude K = 3.571 ± 0.041 km s⁻¹, period P = 9.0090 ± 0.0004 days, and eccentricity e = 0.226 ± 0.011. Adopting a mass of 1.16 ± 0.11 M_☉ for the subgiant host star, we infer that the companion has a minimum mass of 40.0 ± 2.5 M_Jup. Assuming an edge-on orbit, the semimajor axis is 0.090 ± 0.003 AU. The host star is photometrically variable at the ∼1% level with a period of ∼13.16 ± 0.01 days, indicating that the host star spin and companion orbit are not synchronized. Through adaptive optics imaging we also found a point source 643 ± 10 mas away from TYC 2087-00255-1, which would have a mass of 0.13 M_☉ if it is physically associated with TYC 2087-00255-1 and has the same age. Future proper motion observation should be able to resolve if this tertiary object is physically associated with TYC 2087-00255-1 and make TYC 2087-00255-1 a triple body system. Core Ca ii H and K line emission indicate that the host is chromospherically active, at a level that is consistent with the inferred spin period and measured v_rotsin i, but unusual for a subgiant of this T_eff. This activity could be explained by ongoing tidal spin-up of the host star by the companion.

We present contemporaneous, broadband, near-infrared spectroscopy (0.9–2.45 μm) and H-band photometry of the black hole X-ray binary, XTE J1118+480. We determined the fractional dilution of the NIR ellipsoidal light curves of the donor star from other emission sources in the system by comparing the absorption features in the spectrum with field stars of known spectral type. We constrained the donor star spectral type to K7 V–M1 V and determined that the donor star contributed 54% ± 27% of the H-band flux at the epoch of our observations. This result underscores the conclusion that the donor star cannot be assumed to be the only NIR emission source in quiescent X-ray binaries. The H-band light curve shows a double-humped asymmetric modulation with extra flux at orbital phase 0.75. The light curve was fitted with a donor star model light curve, taking into account a constant second flux component based on the dilution analysis. We also fitted models that included emission from the donor star, a constant component from the accretion disk, and a phase-variable component from the bright spot where the mass accretion stream impacts the disk. These simple models with reasonable estimates for the component physical parameters can fully account for the observed light curve, including the extra emission at phase 0.75. From our fits, we constrained the binary inclination to 68° ⩽ i ⩽ 79°. This leads to a black hole mass of 6.9 M_☉ ⩽ M_BH ⩽ 8.2 M_☉. Long-term variations in the NIR light curve shape in XTE J1118+480 are similar to those seen in other X-ray binaries and demonstrate the presence of continued activity and variability in these systems even when in full quiescence.

We present the results of simultaneous observations of SiO v = 1, 2, ²⁹SiO v = 0, J = 1–0, and H₂O 6₁₆–5₂₃ maser lines toward 152 known stellar H₂O maser sources using the Yonsei 21 m radio telescope of the Korean VLBI Network from 2009 June to 2011 January. Both SiO and H₂O masers were detected from 62 sources with a detection rate of 40.8%. The SiO-only maser emission without H₂O maser detection was detected from 27 sources, while the H₂O-only maser without SiO maser detection was detected from 22 sources. Therefore, the overall SiO maser emission was detected from 89 sources, resulting in a detection rate of 58.6%. We have identified 70 new detections of the SiO maser emission. For both H₂O and SiO maser detected sources, the peak and integrated antenna temperatures of SiO masers are stronger than those of H₂O masers in both Mira variables and OH/IR stars and the relative intensity ratios of H₂O to SiO masers in OH/IR stars are larger than those in Mira variables. In addition, distributions of 152 observed sources were investigated in the IRAS two-color diagram.

A new generation of low-frequency radio telescopes is seeking to observe the redshifted 21 cm signal from the epoch of reionization (EoR), requiring innovative methods of calibration and imaging to overcome the difficulties of wide-field low-frequency radio interferometry. Precise calibration will be required to separate the expected small EoR signal from the strong foreground emission at the frequencies of interest between 80 and 300 MHz. The Moon may be useful as a calibration source for detection of the EoR signature, as it should have a smooth and predictable thermal spectrum across the frequency band of interest. Initial observations of the Moon with the Murchison Widefield Array 32 tile prototype show that the Moon does exhibit a similar trend to that expected for a cool thermally emitting body in the observed frequency range, but that the spectrum is corrupted by reflected radio emission from Earth. In particular, there is an abrupt increase in the observed flux density of the Moon within the internationally recognized frequency modulated (FM) radio band. The observations have implications for future low-frequency surveys and EoR detection experiments that will need to take this reflected emission from the Moon into account. The results also allow us to estimate the equivalent isotropic power emitted by the Earth in the FM band and to determine how bright the Earth might appear at meter wavelengths to an observer beyond our own solar system.

There are many challenges associated with the implementation of a phased array feed for radio astronomy applications. Among these is the need to have an adequate set of calibration measurements so that reliable beamformers can be computed. Changes in the operating environment and temporal gain drift in the electronics contribute to calibration drift, which affects the beamformer performance. We will show that calibration measurements are relatively stable over a 5 day period and may remain so for up to 70 days or longer. We have incorporated the use of a calibration update system that has the potential to refresh a set of old calibrators, specifically correcting for electronic gain drift. However, the long-term variations that are present with fresh, current calibrators are greater than the degradation due to using an old calibration set, suggesting that, at this time, there is not a need for sophisticated calibration update systems or algorithms.

We use the pulsational properties of the RR Lyrae variables in the globular cluster NGC 1851 to obtain detailed constraints of the various sub-stellar populations present along its horizontal branch. On the basis of detailed synthetic horizontal branch modeling, we find that minor helium variations (Y ∼ 0.248–0.280) are able to reproduce the observed periods and amplitudes of the RR Lyrae variables, as well as the frequency of fundamental and first-overtone RR Lyrae stars. Comparison of number ratios among the blue and red horizontal branch components and the two observed subgiant branches also suggest that the RR Lyrae variables originated from the progeny of the bright subgiant branch. The RR Lyrae variables with slightly enhanced helium (Y ∼ 0.270–0.280) have longer periods at a given amplitude, as is seen with Oosterhoff II (OoII) RR Lyrae variables, whereas the RR Lyrae variables with Y ∼ 0.248–0.270 have shorter periods, exhibiting properties of Oosterhoff I (OoI) variables. This correlation does suggest that the pulsational properties of RR Lyrae stars can be very useful for tracing the various subpopulations and can provide suitable constraints on the multiple population phenomenon. It appears to be of great interest to explore whether this conclusion can be generalized to other globular clusters hosting multiple populations.

The cosmic dispersion in the abundances of the heavy elements strontium and barium in halo stars is well known. Strontium and barium are detected in most cool, metal-poor giants, but are these elements always detectable? To identify stars that could be considered probable candidates for lacking these elements, I examine the stellar abundance data available in the literature for 1148 field stars and 226 stars in dwarf galaxies, 776 of which have metallicities lower than [Fe/H] <−2.0. Strontium or barium have been detected in all field, globular cluster, and dwarf galaxy environments studied. All upper limits are consistent with the lowest detected ratios of [Sr/H] and [Ba/H]. The frequent appearance of these elements raises the intriguing prospect that at least one kind of neutron-capture reaction operates as often as the nucleosynthesis mechanisms that produce lighter elements, such as magnesium, calcium, or iron, although the yields of heavy elements may be more variable.