Search Results

Now showing 1 - 10 of 196
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    Mineral dust in Central Asia: Combining lidar and other measurements during the Central Asian dust experiment (CADEX)
    (Les Ulis : EDP Sciences, 2018) Althausen, Dietrich; Hofer, Julian; Abdullaev, Sabur; Makhmudov, Abduvosit; Baars, Holger; Engelmann, Ronny; Wadinga Fomba, Khanneh; Müller, Konrad; Schettler, Georg; Klüser, Lars; Kandler, Konrad; Nicolae, D.; Makoto, A.; Vassilis, A.; Balis, D.; Behrendt, A.; Comeron, A.; Gibert, F.; Landulfo, E.; McCormick, M.P.; Senff, C.; Veselovskii, I.; Wandinger, U.
    Mineral dust needs to be characterized comprehensively since it contributes to the climate change in Tajikistan / Central Asia. Lidar results from the measurements of mineral dust during CADEX are compared with results of sun photometer measurements, satellite-based measurements, and chemical analysis of ground samples. Although the dust is often advected from far-range sources, it impacts on the local conditions considerably.
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    Long-time resistivity monitoring of a freshwater/saltwater transition zone using the vertical electrode system SAMOS
    (Les Ulis : EDP Sciences, 2018) Grinat, Michael; Epping, Dieter; Meyer, Robert; Szymkiewicz, Adam; Sadurski, A.; Jaworska-Szulc, B.
    In September 2009 two newly developed vertical electrode systems were installed in boreholes in the water catchment areas Waterdelle and Ostland at the North Sea island Borkum to monitor possible changes of the transition zone between the freshwater lens and the underlying saltwater. The vertical electrode systems, which were both installed between 44 m and 65 m below ground level, are used for geoelectrical multi-electrode measurements carried out automatically several times per day; the measurements are still ongoing. The whole system consisting of a vertical electrode system in a borehole and the measuring unit at ground level is called SAMOS (Saltwater Monitoring System). At both locations the data show a clear resistivity decrease that indicates the transition zone between freshwater and saltwater. The depth of the transition zone as well as the kind of resistivity decrease is very stable since 2010. Temporal changes are visible if single depths are considered. In 2015 Miriam Ibenthal used a vertical 2D density-dependent groundwater flow model to explain the long-term resistivity measurements and showed that the temporal changes at CLIWAT 2 (Ostland) could be explained by variations of the groundwater level, changing groundwater recharge rates and changing pumping rates of the nearby located drinking water supply wells.
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    Saltwater intrusion under climate change in North-Western Germany - mapping, modelling and management approaches in the projects TOPSOIL and go-CAM
    (Les Ulis : EDP Sciences, 2018) Wiederhold, Helga; Scheer, Wolfgang; Kirsch, Reinhard; Azizur Rahman, M.; Ronczka, Mathias; Szymkiewicz, Adam; Sadurski, A.; Jaworska-Szulc, B.
    Climate change will result in rising sea level and, at least for the North Sea region, in rising groundwater table. This leads to a new balance at the fresh–saline groundwater boundary and a new distribution of saltwater intrusions with strong regional differentiations. These effects are investigated in several research projects funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Objectives and some results from the projects TOPSOIL and go-CAM are presented in this poster.
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    Promoting access to and use of seismic data in a large scientific community
    (Les Ulis : EDP Sciences, 2017) Michel, Eric; Belkacem, Kevin; Samadi, Reza; de Assis Peralta, Raphael; Renié, Christian; Abed, Mahfoudh; Lin, Guangyuan; Christensen-Dalsgaard, Jørgen; Houdek, Günter; Handberg, Rasmus; Gizon, Laurent; Burston, Raymond; Nagashima, Kaori; Pallé, Pere; Poretti, Ennio; Rainer, Monica; Mistò, Angelo; Panzera, Maria Rosa; Roth, Markus; Monteiro, Mário J. P. F. G.; Cunha, Margarida S.; Ferreira, João Miguel T. S.
    The growing amount of seismic data available from space missions (SOHO, CoRoT, Kepler, SDO,…) but also from ground-based facilities (GONG, BiSON, ground-based large programmes…), stellar modelling and numerical simulations, creates new scientific perspectives such as characterizing stellar populations in our Galaxy or planetary systems by providing model-independent global properties of stars such as mass, radius, and surface gravity within several percent accuracy, as well as constraints on the age. These applications address a broad scientific community beyond the solar and stellar one and require combining indices elaborated with data from different databases (e.g. seismic archives and ground-based spectroscopic surveys). It is thus a basic requirement to develop a simple and effcient access to these various data resources and dedicated tools. In the framework of the European project SpaceInn (FP7), several data sources have been developed or upgraded. The Seismic Plus Portal has been developed, where synthetic descriptions of the most relevant existing data sources can be found, as well as tools allowing to localize existing data for given objects or period and helping the data query. This project has been developed within the Virtual Observatory (VO) framework. In this paper, we give a review of the various facilities and tools developed within this programme. The SpaceInn project (Exploitation of Space Data for Innovative Helio- and Asteroseismology) has been initiated by the European Helio- and Asteroseismology Network (HELAS).
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    Mono-enriched stars and Galactic chemical evolution : Possible biases in observations and theory
    (Les Ulis : EDP Sciences, 2020) Hansen, C.J.; Koch, A.; Mashonkina, L.; Magg, M.; Bergemann, M.; Sitnova, T.; Gallagher, A.J.; Ilyin, I.; Caffau, E.; Zhang, H.W.; Strassmeier, K.G.; Klessen, R.S.
    A long sought after goal using chemical abundance patterns derived from metal-poor stars is to understand the chemical evolution of the Galaxy and to pin down the nature of the first stars (Pop III). Metal-poor, old, unevolved stars are excellent tracers as they preserve the abundance pattern of the gas from which they were born, and hence they are frequently targeted in chemical tagging studies. Here, we use a sample of 14 metal-poor stars observed with the high-resolution spectrograph called the Potsdam Echelle Polarimetric and Spectroscopic Instrument (PEPSI) at the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) to derive abundances of 32 elements (34 including upper limits). We present well-sampled abundance patterns for all stars obtained using local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) radiative transfer codes and one-dimensional (1D) hydrostatic model atmospheres. However, it is currently well-known that the assumptions of 1D and LTE may hide several issues, thereby introducing biases in our interpretation as to the nature of the first stars and the chemical evolution of the Galaxy. Hence, we use non-LTE (NLTE) and correct the abundances using three-dimensional model atmospheres to present a physically more reliable pattern. In order to infer the nature of the first stars, we compare unevolved, cool stars, which have been enriched by a single event (“mono-enriched”), with a set of yield predictions to pin down the mass and energy of the Pop III progenitor. To date, only few bona fide second generation stars that are mono-enriched are known. A simple χ2-fit may bias our inferred mass and energy just as much as the simple 1D LTE abundance pattern, and we therefore carried out our study with an improved fitting technique considering dilution and mixing. Our sample presents Carbon Enhanced Metal-Poor (CEMP) stars, some of which are promising bona fide second generation (mono-enriched) stars. The unevolved, dwarf BD+09_2190 shows a mono-enriched signature which, combined with kinematical data, indicates that it moves in the outer halo and likely has been accreted onto the Milky Way early on. The Pop III progenitor was likely of 25.5 M⊙ and 0.6 foe (0.6 1051 erg) in LTE and 19.2 M⊙ and 1.5 foe in NLTE, respectively. Finally, we explore the predominant donor and formation site of the rapid and slow neutron-capture elements. In BD-10_3742, we find an almost clean r-process trace, as is represented in the star HD20, which is a “metal-poor Sun benchmark” for the r-process, while TYC5481-00786-1 is a promising CEMP-r/-s candidate that may be enriched by an asymptotic giant branch star of an intermediate mass and metallicity.
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    The metal-poor end of the Spite plateau: II. Chemical and dynamical investigation
    (Les Ulis : EDP Sciences, 2021) Matas Pinto, A. M.; Spite, M.; Caffau, E.; Bonifacio, P.; Sbordone, L.; Sivarani, T.; Steffen, M.; Spite, F.; François, P.; Di Matteo, P.
    Context. The study of old, metal-poor stars deepens our knowledge on the early stages of the universe. In particular, the study of these stars gives us a valuable insight into the masses of the first massive stars and their emission of ionising photons. Aims. We present a detailed chemical analysis and determination of the kinematic and orbital properties of a sample of 11 dwarf stars. These are metal-poor stars, and a few of them present a low lithium content. We inspected whether the other elements also present anomalies. Methods. We analysed the high-resolution UVES spectra of a few metal-poor stars using the Turbospectrum code to synthesise spectral lines profiles. This allowed us to derive a detailed chemical analysis of Fe, C, Li, Na, Mg, Al, Si, CaI, CaII, ScII, TiII, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Sr, and Ba. Results. We find excellent coherence with the reference metal-poor First Stars sample. The lithium-poor stars do not present any anomaly of the abundance of the elements other than lithium. Among the Li-poor stars, we show that CS 22882-027 is very probably a blue-straggler. The star CS 30302-145, which has a Li abundance compatible with the plateau, has a very low Si abundance and a high Mn abundance. In many aspects, it is similar to the α-poor star HE 1424-0241, but it is less extreme. It could have been formed in a satellite galaxy and later been accreted by our Galaxy. This hypothesis is also supported by its kinematics.
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    The Gaia-ESO Survey: Probing the lithium abundances in old metal-rich dwarf stars in the solar vicinity
    (Les Ulis : EDP Sciences, 2022) Dantas, M.L.L.; Guiglion, G.; Smiljanic, R.; Romano, D.; Magrini, L.; Bensby, T.; Chiappini, C.; Franciosini, E.; Nepal, S.; Tautvaišienė, G.; Gilmore, G.; Randich, S.; Lanzafame, A.C.; Heiter, U.; Morbidelli, L.; Prisinzano, L.; Zaggia, S.
    Context. Lithium (Li) is a fragile element that is produced in a variety of sites but can also be very easily depleted in stellar photospheres. Radial migration has been reported to explain the decrease in the upper envelope of Li measurements observed for relatively old metal-rich dwarf stars in some surveys. Aims. We test a scenario in which radial migration could affect the Li abundance pattern of dwarf stars in the solar neighbourhood. This may confirm that the Li abundances in these stars cannot serve as a probe for the Li abundance in the interstellar medium (ISM). In other words, to probe the evolution of the Li abundance in the local ISM, it is crucial that stellar intruders be identified and removed from the adopted sample. Methods. We used the high-quality data (including Li abundances) from the sixth internal Data Release of the Gaia-ESO survey. In this sample we grouped stars by similarity in chemical abundances via hierarchical clustering. Our analysis treats both measured Li abundances and upper limits. Results. The Li envelope of the previously identified radially migrated stars is well below the benchmark meteoritic value (<3.26 dex); the star with the highest detected abundance has A(Li) = 2.76 dex. This confirms the previous trends observed for old dwarf stars (median ages ~ 8 Gyr), where Li decreases for [Fe/H] ≳ 0. Conclusions. This result is supporting evidence that the abundance of Li measured in the upper envelope of old dwarf stars should not be considered a proxy for the ISM Li. Our scenario also indicates that the stellar yields for [M/H] >0 should not be decreased, as recently proposed in the literature. Our study backs recent studies that claim that old dwarfs on the hot side of the dip are efficient probes of the ISM abundance of Li, provided atomic diffusion does not significantly lower the initial Li abundance in the atmospheres of metal-rich objects.
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    Gaia Data Release 2 : Properties and validation of the radial velocities
    (Les Ulis : EDP Sciences, 2019) Katz, D.; Sartoretti, P.; 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.; Royer, F.; Tauran, G.; Zurbach, C.; Zwitter, T.; Arenou, F.; Bossini, D.; Gerssen, J.; Gómez, A.; Lemaitre, V.; Leclerc, N.; Morel, T.; Munari, U.; Turon, C.; Vallenari, A.; Žerjal, M.
    Context. For Gaia DR2, 280 million spectra collected by the Radial Velocity Spectrometer instrument on board Gaia were processed, and median radial velocities were derived for 9.8 million sources brighter than GRVS = 12 mag. Aims. This paper describes the validation and properties of the median radial velocities published in Gaia DR2. Methods. Quality tests and filters were applied to select those of the 9.8 million radial velocities that have the quality to be published in Gaia DR2. The accuracy of the selected sample was assessed with respect to ground-based catalogues. Its precision was estimated using both ground-based catalogues and the distribution of the Gaia radial velocity uncertainties. Results. Gaia DR2 contains median radial velocities for 7 224 631 stars, with Teff in the range [3550; 6900] K, which successfully passed the quality tests. The published median radial velocities provide a full-sky coverage and are complete with respect to the astrometric data to within 77.2% (for G ≤ 12:5 mag). The median radial velocity residuals with respect to the ground-based surveys vary from one catalogue to another, but do not exceed a few 100 m s-1. In addition, the Gaia radial velocities show a positive trend as a function of magnitude, which starts around GRVS ∼ 9 mag and reaches about +500 m s-1 at GRVS = 11:75 mag. The origin of the trend is under investigation, with the aim to correct for it in Gaia DR3. The overall precision, estimated from the median of the Gaia radial velocity uncertainties, is 1.05 km s-1. The radial velocity precision is a function of many parameters, in particular, the magnitude and effective temperature. For bright stars, GRVS 2 [4; 8] mag, the precision, estimated using the full dataset, is in the range 220-350 m s-1, which is about three to five times more precise than the pre-launch specification of 1 km s-1. At the faint end, GRVS = 11:75 mag, the precisions for Teff = 5000 and 6500 K are 1.4 and 3.7 km s-1, respectively.
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    Spot evolution on LQ Hya from 2006-2017: Temperature maps based on SOFIN and FIES data
    (Les Ulis : EDP Sciences, 2019) Cole-Kodikara, Elizabeth M.; Käpylä, Maarit J.; Lehtinen, Jyri J.; Hackman, Thomas; Ilyin, Ilya V.; Piskunov, Nikolai; Kochukhov, Oleg
    Context. LQ Hya is one of the most frequently studied young solar analogue stars. Recently, it has been observed to show intriguing behaviour when analysing long-term photometry. For instance, from 2003-2009, a coherent spot structure migrating in the rotational frame was reported by various authors. However, ever since, the star has entered a chaotic state where coherent structures seem to have disappeared and rapid phase jumps of the photometric minima occur irregularly over time. Aims. LQ Hya is one of the stars included in the SOFIN/FIES long-term monitoring campaign extending over 25 yr. Here, we publish new temperature maps for the star during 2006-2017, covering the chaotic state of the star. Methods. We used a Doppler imaging technique to derive surface temperature maps from high-resolution spectra. Results. From the mean temperatures of the Doppler maps, we see a weak but systematic increase in the surface temperature of the star. This is consistent with the simultaneously increasing photometric magnitude. During nearly all observing seasons, we see a high-latitude spot structure which is clearly non-axisymmetric. The phase behaviour of this structure is very chaotic but agrees reasonably well with the photometry. Equatorial spots are also frequently seen, but we interpret many of them to be artefacts due to the poor to moderate phase coverage. Conclusions. Even during the chaotic phase of the star, the spot topology has remained very similar to the higher activity epochs with more coherent and long-lived spot structures. In particular, we see high-latitude and equatorial spot activity, the mid latitude range still being most often void of spots. We interpret the erratic jumps and drifts in phase of the photometric minima to be caused by changes in the high-latitude spot structure rather than the equatorial spots. © E. M. Cole-Kodikara et al. 2019.
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    The eROSITA X-ray telescope on SRG
    (Les Ulis : EDP Sciences, 2021) Predehl, P.; Andritschke, R.; Arefiev, V.; Babyshkin, V.; Batanov, O.; Becker, W.; Böhringer, H.; Bogomolov, A.; Boller, T.; Borm, K.; Bornemann, W.; Bräuninger, H.; Brüggen, M.; Brunner, H.; Brusa, M.; Bulbul, E.; Buntov, M.; Burwitz, V.; Burkert, W.; Clerc, N.; Churazov, E.; Coutinho, D.; Dauser, T.; Dennerl, K.; Doroshenko, V.; Eder, J.; Emberger, V.; Eraerds, T.; Finoguenov, A.; Freyberg, M.; Friedrich, P.; Friedrich, S.; Fürmetz, M.; Georgakakis, A.; Gilfanov, M.; Granato, S.; Grossberger, C.; Gueguen, A.; Gureev, P.; Haberl, F.; Hälker, O.; Hartner, G.; Hasinger, G.; Huber, H.; Ji, L.; Kienlin, A. v.; Kink, W.; Korotkov, F.; Kreykenbohm, I.; Lamer, G.; Lomakin, I.; Lapshov, I.; Liu, T.; Maitra, C.; Meidinger, N.; Menz, B.; Merloni, A.; Mernik, T.; Mican, B.; Mohr, J.; Müller, S.; Nandra, K.; Nazarov, V.; Pacaud, F.; Pavlinsky, M.; Perinati, E.; Pfeffermann, E.; Pietschner, D.; Ramos-Ceja, M. E.; Rau, A.; Reiffers, J.; Reiprich, T. H.; Robrade, J.; Salvato, M.; Sanders, J.; Santangelo, A.; Sasaki, M.; Scheuerle, H.; Schmid, C.; Schmitt, J.; Schwope, A.; Shirshakov, A.; Steinmetz, M.; Stewart, I.; Strüder, L.; Sunyaev, R.; Tenzer, C.; Tiedemann, L.; Trümper, J.; Voron, V.; Weber, P.; Wilms, J.; Yaroshenko, V.
    eROSITA (extended ROentgen Survey with an Imaging Telescope Array) is the primary instrument on the Spectrum-Roentgen-Gamma (SRG) mission, which was successfully launched on July 13, 2019, from the Baikonour cosmodrome. After the commissioning of the instrument and a subsequent calibration and performance verification phase, eROSITA started a survey of the entire sky on December 13, 2019. By the end of 2023, eight complete scans of the celestial sphere will have been performed, each lasting six months. At the end of this program, the eROSITA all-sky survey in the soft X-ray band (0.2-2.3 keV) will be about 25 times more sensitive than the ROSAT All-Sky Survey, while in the hard band (2.3-8 keV) it will provide the first ever true imaging survey of the sky. The eROSITA design driving science is the detection of large samples of galaxy clusters up to redshifts z > 1 in order to study the large-scale structure of the universe and test cosmological models including Dark Energy. In addition, eROSITA is expected to yield a sample of a few million AGNs, including obscured objects, revolutionizing our view of the evolution of supermassive black holes. The survey will also provide new insights into a wide range of astrophysical phenomena, including X-ray binaries, active stars, and diffuse emission within the Galaxy. Results from early observations, some of which are presented here, confirm that the performance of the instrument is able to fulfil its scientific promise. With this paper, we aim to give a concise description of the instrument, its performance as measured on ground, its operation in space, and also the first results from in-orbit measurements.