Search Results

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Item
    Gaia Data Release 2 : Processing the spectroscopic data
    (Les Ulis : EDP Sciences, 2018) Sartoretti, P.; Katz, D.; Cropper, M.; Panuzzo, P.; Seabroke, G. M.; Viala, Y.; Benson, K.; Blomme, R.; Jasniewicz, G.; Jean-Antoine, A.; Huckle, H.; Smith, M.; Baker, S.; Crifo, F.; Damerdji, Y.; David, M.; Dolding, C.; Frémat, Y.; Gosset, E.; Guerrier, A.; Guy, L. P.; Haigron, R.; Janßen, K.; Marchal, O.; Plum, G.; Soubiran, C.; Thévenin, F.; Ajaj, M.; Allende Prieto, C.; Babusiaux, C.; Boudreault, S.; Chemin, L.; Delle Luche, C.; Fabre, C.; Gueguen, A.; Hambly, N. C.; Lasne, Y.; Meynadier, F.; Pailler, F.; Panem, C.; Riclet, F.; Royer, F.; Tauran, G.; Zurbach, C.; Zwitter, T.; Arenou, F.; Gomez, A.; Lemaitre, V.; Leclerc, N.; Morel, T.; Munari, U.; Turon, C.; Žerjal, M.
    Context. The Gaia Data Release 2 (DR2 ) contains the first release of radial velocities complementing the kinematic data of a sample of about 7 million relatively bright, late-type stars. Aims. This paper provides a detailed description of the Gaia spectroscopic data processing pipeline, and of the approach adopted to derive the radial velocities presented in DR2 . Methods. The pipeline must perform four main tasks: (i) clean and reduce the spectra observed with the Radial Velocity Spectrometer (RVS); (ii) calibrate the RVS instrument, including wavelength, straylight, line-spread function, bias non-uniformity, and photometric zeropoint; (iii) extract the radial velocities; and (iv) verify the accuracy and precision of the results. The radial velocity of a star is obtained through a fit of the RVS spectrum relative to an appropriate synthetic template spectrum. An additional task of the spectroscopic pipeline was to provide first-order estimates of the stellar atmospheric parameters required to select such template spectra. We describe the pipeline features and present the detailed calibration algorithms and software solutions we used to produce the radial velocities published in DR2 . Results. The spectroscopic processing pipeline produced median radial velocities for Gaia stars with narrow-band near-IR magnitude GRVS ≤ 12 (i.e. brighter than V ∼ 13). Stars identified as double-lined spectroscopic binaries were removed from the pipeline, while variable stars, single-lined, and non-detected double-lined spectroscopic binaries were treated as single stars. The scatter in radial velocity among different observations of a same star, also published in Gaia DR2, provides information about radial velocity variability. For the hottest (Te≥ 7000 K) and coolest (Te≤ 3500 K) stars, the accuracy and precision of the stellar parameter estimates are not sufficient to allow selection of appropriate templates. The radial velocities obtained for these stars were removed from DR2 . The pipeline also provides a first-order estimate of the performance obtained. The overall accuracy of radial velocity measurements is around ∼200-300 m s-1, and the overall precision is ∼1 km s-1; it reaches ∼200 m s-1 for the brightest stars.
  • Item
    Synthetic simulations of the extragalactic sky seen by eROSITA : I. Pre-launch selection functions from Monte-Carlo simulations
    (Les Ulis : EDP Sciences, 2018) Clerc, N.; Ramos-Ceja, M.E.; Ridl, J.; Lamer, G.; Brunner, H.; Hofmann, F.; Comparat, J.; Pacaud, F.; Käfer, F.; Reiprich, T.H.; Merloni, A.; Schmid, C.; Brand, T.; Wilms, J.; Friedrich, P.; Finoguenov, A.; Dauser, T.; Kreykenbohm, I.
    Context. Studies of galaxy clusters provide stringent constraints on models of structure formation. Provided that selection effects are under control, large X-ray surveys are well suited to derive cosmological parameters, in particular those governing the dark energy equation of state. Aims. We forecast the capabilities of the all-sky eROSITA (extended ROentgen Survey with an Imaging Telescope Array) survey to be achieved by the early 2020s. We bring special attention to modelling the entire chain from photon emission to source detection and cataloguing. Methods. The selection function of galaxy clusters for the upcoming eROSITA mission is investigated by means of extensive and dedicated Monte-Carlo simulations. Employing a combination of accurate instrument characterisation and a state-of-the-art source detection technique, we determine a cluster detection efficiency based on the cluster fluxes and sizes. Results. Using this eROSITA cluster selection function, we find that eROSITA will detect a total of approximately 105 clusters in the extra-galactic sky. This number of clusters will allow eROSITA to put stringent constraints on cosmological models. We show that incomplete assumptions on selection effects, such as neglecting the distribution of cluster sizes, induce a bias in the derived value of cosmological parameters. Conclusions. Synthetic simulations of the eROSITA sky capture the essential characteristics impacting the next-generation galaxy cluster surveys and they highlight parameters requiring tight monitoring in order to avoid biases in cosmological analyses.
  • Item
    The AMBRE Project: r-process elements in the Milky Way thin and thick discs
    (Les Ulis : EDP Sciences, 2018) Guiglion, G.; de Laverny, P.; Recio-Blanco, A.; Prantzos, N.
    Context. The chemical evolution of neutron capture elements in the Milky Way disc is still a matter of debate. There is a lack of statistically significant catalogues of such element abundances, especially those of the r-process. Aims. We aim to understand the chemical evolution of r-process elements in Milky Way disc. We focus on three pure r-process elements Eu, Gd, and Dy. We also consider a pure s-process element, Ba, in order to disentangle the different nucleosynthesis processes. Methods. We take advantage of high-resolution FEROS, HARPS, and UVES spectra from the ESO archive in order to perform a homogeneous analysis on 6500 FGK Milky Way stars. The chemical analysis is performed thanks to the automatic optimization pipeline GAUGUIN. We present abundances of Ba (5057 stars), Eu (6268 stars), Gd (5431 stars), and Dy (5479 stars). Based on the [α/Fe] ratio determined previously by the AMBRE Project, we chemically characterize the thin and the thick discs, and a metal-rich α-rich population. Results. First, we find that the [Eu/Fe] ratio follows a continuous sequence from the thin disc to the thick disc as a function of the metallicity. Second, in thick disc stars, the [Eu/Ba] ratio is found to be constant, while the [Gd/Ba] and [Dy/Ba] ratios decrease as a function of the metallicity. These observations clearly indicate a different nucleosynthesis history in the thick disc between Eu and Gd-Dy. The [r/Fe] ratio in the thin disc is roughly around +0.1 dex at solar metallicity, which is not the case for Ba. We also find that the α-rich metal-rich stars are also enriched in r-process elements (like thick disc stars), but their [Ba/Fe] is very different from thick disc stars. Finally, we find that the [r/α] ratio tends to decrease with metallicity, indicating that supernovae of different properties probably contribute differently to the synthesis of r-process elements and α-elements. Conclusions. We provide average abundance trends for [Ba/Fe] and [Eu/Fe] with rather small dispersions, and for the first time for [Gd/Fe] and [Dy/Fe]. This data may help to constrain chemical evolution models of Milky Way r- and s-process elements and the yields of massive stars. We emphasize that including yields of neutron-star or black hole mergers is now crucial if we want to quantitatively compare observations to Galactic chemical evolution models.