A search for the optical and near-infrared counterpart of the accreting millisecond X-ray pulsar XTE J1751−305     

P. G. Jonker  G. Nelemans  Z. Wang  A. K. H. Kong  D. Chakrabarty  M. Garcia  P. J. Groot  M. van der Klis  T. Kerr  B. Mobasher  M. Sullivan  T. Augusteijn  B. W. Stappers  P. Challis  R. P. Kirshner  J. Hjorth  A. Delsanti 《Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society》2003,344(1):201-206

We have obtained optical and near-infrared images of the field of the accreting millisecond X-ray pulsar XTE J1751−305. There are no stars in the 0.7-arcsec error circle (0.7 arcsec is the overall uncertainty arising from tying the optical and X-ray images and from the intrinsic uncertainty in the Chandra X-ray astrometric solution). We derive limiting magnitudes for the counterpart of   R > 23.1, I > 21.6, Z > 20.6, J > 19.6  and   K > 19.2  . We compare these upper limits with the magnitudes one would expect for simple models for the possible donor stars and the accretion disc subject to the reddening observed in X-rays for XTE J1751−305 and when put at the distance of the Galactic Centre (8.5 kpc). We conclude that our non-detection does not constrain any of the models for the accretion disc or possible donor stars. Deep, near-infrared images obtained during quiescence will, however, constrain possible models for the donor stars in this ultracompact system.  相似文献   

Optimized Herschel/PACS photometer observing and data reduction strategies for moving solar system targets     

C. Kiss  T. G. Müller  E. Vilenius  A. Pál  P. Santos-Sanz  E. Lellouch  G. Marton  E. Verebélyi  N. Szalai  P. Hartogh  J. Stansberry  F. Henry  A. Delsanti 《Experimental Astronomy》2014,37(2):161-174

The “TNOs are Cool!: A survey of the trans-Neptunian region” is a Herschel Open Time Key Program that aims to characterize planetary bodies at the outskirts of the Solar System using PACS and SPIRE data, mostly taken as scan-maps. In this paper we summarize our PACS data reduction scheme that uses a modified version of the standard pipeline for basic data reduction, optimized for faint, moving targets. Due to the low flux density of our targets the observations are confusion noise limited or at least often affected by bright nearby background sources at 100 and 160 \(\mu \) m. To overcome these problems we developed techniques to characterize and eliminate the background at the positions of our targets and a background matching technique to compensate for pointing errors. We derive a variety of maps as science data products that are used depending on the source flux and background levels and the scientific purpose. Our techniques are also applicable to a wealth of other Herschel solar system photometric observations, e.g. comets and near-Earth asteroids. The principles of our observing strategies and reduction techniques for moving targets will also be applicable for similar surveys of future infrared space projects.  相似文献   

TNOs are Cool: A Survey of the Transneptunian Region     

Thomas G. Müller  Emmanuel Lellouch  Hermann Böhnhardt  John Stansberry  Antonella Barucci  Jacques Crovisier  Audrey Delsanti  Alain Doressoundiram  Elisabetta Dotto  René Duffard  Sonia Fornasier  Olivier Groussin  Pedro J. Gutiérrez  Olivier Hainaut  Alan W. Harris  Paul Hartogh  Daniel Hestroffer  Jonathan Horner  Dave Jewitt  Mark Kidger  Csaba Kiss  Pedro Lacerda  Luisa Lara  Tanya Lim  Michael Mueller  Raphael Moreno  Jose-Luis Ortiz  Miriam Rengel  Pablo Santos-Sanz  Bruce Swinyard  Nicolas Thomas  Audrey Thirouin  David Trilling 《Earth, Moon, and Planets》2009,105(2-4):209-219

Over one thousand objects have so far been discovered orbiting beyond Neptune. These trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) represent the primitive remnants of the planetesimal disk from which the planets formed and are perhaps analogous to the unseen dust parent-bodies in debris disks observed around other main-sequence stars. The dynamical and physical properties of these bodies provide unique and important constraints on formation and evolution models of the Solar System. While the dynamical architecture in this region (also known as the Kuiper Belt) is becoming relatively clear, the physical properties of the objects are still largely unexplored. In particular, fundamental parameters such as size, albedo, density and thermal properties are difficult to measure. Measurements of thermal emission, which peaks at far-IR wavelengths, offer the best means available to determine the physical properties. While Spitzer has provided some results, notably revealing a large albedo diversity in this population, the increased sensitivity of Herschel and its superior wavelength coverage should permit profound advances in the field. Within our accepted project we propose to perform radiometric measurements of 139 objects, including 25 known multiple systems. When combined with measurements of the dust population beyond Neptune (e.g. from the New Horizons mission to Pluto), our results will provide a benchmark for understanding the Solar debris disk, and extra-solar ones as well.  相似文献   

Results from the Eso Large Program on Transneptunian Objects and Centaurs     

Boehnhardt  Hermann  Barucci  Antonella  Delsanti  Audrey  De Bergh  Catherine  Doressoundiram  Alain  Romon  Jennifer  Dotto  Elisabetta  Tozzi  Gianpaolo  Lazzarin  Monica  Fornasier  Sonia  Peixinho  Nuno  Hainaut  Olivier  Davies  John  Rousselot  Philippe  Barrera  Luis  Birkle  Kurt  Meech  Karen  Ortiz  JoseLuis  Sekiguchi  Tomohiko  Watanabe  Jun-ichi  Thomas  Nick  West  Richard 《Earth, Moon, and Planets》2003,92(1-4):145-156

BVRI photometry of 107 TNOs and Centaurs establishes the range of spectral gradients to be between –5 to 55%/100 nm (with one exception). A cluster of very red Cubewanos is firmly identified in orbits of low inclination and eccentricity beyond 40 AU from the Sun. Further correlations between surface colours and dynamical parameters (inclination and perihelion distance) are suggested for Cubewanos and scattered disk objects, but lack complete confidence for their reality. Plutinos and Centaurs do not show any clear correlation between surface colours and orbital parameters. We present in this paper 12 spectra obtained in the visible region and nine of them for which we obtained also near infrared spectra up to 2.4 microns. A few other objects have been observed, but the data are still under reduction and analysis. The principal reported results obtained are: (i) a wide range of visible slopes; (ii) evidence for surface variations on 2001 PT₁₃; and (iii) possible detection of few percent of water ice (1999 TC_36}, 2000 EB₁₇₃, 1999 DE₉, 2001 PT₁₃, 2000 QC₂₄₃, 1998 SG₃₅).  相似文献   

THERMAP: a mid-infrared spectro-imager for space missions to small bodies in the inner solar system     

O. Groussin  J. Licandro  J. Helbert  J. L. Reynaud  P. Levacher  M. Reyes García-Talavera  V. Alí-Lagoa  P. E. Blanc  E. Brageot  B. Davidsson  M. Delbó  M. Deleuze  A. Delsanti  J. J. Diaz Garcia  K. Dohlen  D. Ferrand  S. F. Green  L. Jorda  E. Joven Álvarez  J. Knollenberg  E. Kührt  P. Lamy  E. Lellouch  J. Le Merrer  B. Marty  G. Mas  C. Rossin  B. Rozitis  J. Sunshine  P. Vernazza  S. Vives 《Experimental Astronomy》2016,41(1-2):95-115

We present THERMAP, a mid-infrared spectro-imager for space missions to small bodies in the inner solar system, developed in the framework of the MarcoPolo-R asteroid sample return mission. THERMAP is very well suited to characterize the surface thermal environment of a NEO and to map its surface composition. The instrument has two channels, one for imaging and one for spectroscopy: it is both a thermal camera with full 2D imaging capabilities and a slit spectrometer. THERMAP takes advantage of the recent technological developments of uncooled microbolometer arrays, sensitive in the mid-infrared spectral range. THERMAP can acquire thermal images (8–18 μm) of the surface and perform absolute temperature measurements with a precision better than 3.5 K above 200 K. THERMAP can acquire mid-infrared spectra (8–16 μm) of the surface with a spectral resolution Δλ of 0.3 μm. For surface temperatures above 350 K, spectra have a signal-to-noise ratio >60 in the spectral range 9–13 μm where most emission features occur.  相似文献   

Toward a Taxonomy of the Edgeworth–Kuiper Objects: A Multivariate Approach     

Fulchignoni  M.  Delsanti  A.  Barucci  M. A.  Birlan  M. 《Earth, Moon, and Planets》2003,92(1-4):243-250

The principal component (PC) and G-mode multivariate statisticshave been used in analysing the set of the 34 Edgeworth–Kuiper objects (EKOs) – 23 Trans NeptunianObjects (TNO) and 11 Centaurs – for which B, V, R, I, J homogeneous photometry were available.The results obtained show that V-I and V-Js are the key parameters in structuring the sample inhomogeneous groups. The PC1 axis (which contains ～93% of the sample total variance) spans fivetimes more than the PC2 (which contains ～6% of the sample total variance). The extremesof the PC1 axis contain the objects having a flat spectrum (low PC1 values) and a very red spectrumrespectively. Independently, the G-mode analysis allows us to distinguish six homogeneous groups of objectswhich confirm and extend the results obtained with the PC analysis. In addition to these groups, a few objectsremain not included in any group (i.e., does not have significant similitude with other objects) and yet givean indication of a more complex compositional structure of the sample. These preliminary results will haveto be confirmed and completed when a larger sample is available, but they provide some interesting hintsfor understanding the – mainly collisional – evolution of the EKOs.  相似文献   

ESO large program on Centaurs and TNOs: visible colors—final results     

N. Peixinho  H. Boehnhardt  A. Doressoundiram  A. Delsanti 《Icarus》2004,170(1):153-166

We report 43 new visible colors of Centaurs and TNOs, obtained at NTT and VLT telescopes under the “ESO large program on physical properties of Centaurs and TNOs.” Merging these new measurements with those obtained during the first part of the program (Boehnhardt et al., 2002, Astron. Astrophys. 395, 297-303) and the “Meudon Multicolor Survey” (Doressoundiram et al., 2002, Astron. J. 124, 2279-2296) we have a unique dataset of 109 objects. We checked for correlations and trends between colors, physical and orbital parameters, carrying out an analysis based on Monte Carlo simulation to account for observational error bars. Centaurs show no evidence for correlation between V−R vs. R−I colors which raises the hypothesis that more than one single coloring process might be acting on their surfaces. Classical objects seem to be composed of two different color populations: objects with i<4.5° display only red colors while those with i>4.5° display the whole range of colors from blue to very red. The possibility that the low inclined population is misguiding global conclusions is analyzed. Classical objects also show a stronger color-perihelion correlation for intrinsically brighter objects, corresponding to critical estimated sizes of different formation/evolutionary histories. Scattered disk objects show color resemblances with the classical objects at i>12°, hence surface reflectivities resemblances, pointing to a common origin. No color-aphelion trend is found for SDOs, as expected from the intense irradiation by galactic cosmic-rays beyond the solar wind termination shock. Plutinos show a color-absolute magnitude trend, in which all the intrinsically faintest objects are blue. We see many red Plutinos in highly inclined and highly eccentric orbits, that should have originated in a primordial inner disk under Gomes (2003, Icarus 161, 404-418) migration scenario. This seems to invalidate the assumption that objects originated in this inner disk are mainly blue. Finally, we also find six candidates for light-curve studies: four objects (1998 WU₃₁, 1999 OE₄, 1999 OX₃, and 2001 KP₇₇) present significant short term R-magnitude variability, and two objects (1999 XX₁₄₃ and 2000 GP₁₈₃) evidence possible color variations with rotation.  相似文献   

Search for Cometary Activity in KBO (24952) 1997 QJ4     

Meech  K. J.  Hainaut  O. R.  Boehnhardt  H.  Delsanti  A. 《Earth, Moon, and Planets》2003,92(1-4):169-181

Deep imaging was performed with the Subaru Telescope on Mauna Keacentered on the position of the KBO (24952) 1997 QJ₄ on 2half-nights during October 2002. A deep search for evidence of a dustcoma was conducted which could be indicative of cometary activity downto a limit of m_V = 31 mag arcsec^-2. No coma was detected, and from this sensitive upper limits on dust production can be set at Q <0.01 kg s^-1. Brightness variations consistent with rotationalmodulation were seen, implying a period of rotation longer than 4 hrs,with a range > 0.3 mag corresponding to a minimum projected axis ratioof 1:1.3.  相似文献