Low-Mass Pre–Main-Sequence Stars in the Magellanic Clouds

The stellar Initial Mass Function (IMF) suggests that stars with sub-solar mass form in very large numbers. Most attractive places for catching low-mass star formation in the act are young stellar clusters and associations, still (half-)embedded in star-forming regions. The low-mass stars in such regions are still in their pre–main-sequence (PMS) evolutionary phase, i.e., they have not started their lives on the main-sequence yet. The peculiar nature of these objects and the contamination of their samples by the fore- and background evolved populations of the Galactic disk impose demanding observational techniques, such as X-ray surveying and optical spectroscopy of large samples for the detection of complete numbers of PMS stars in the Milky Way. The Magellanic Clouds, the metal-poor companion galaxies to our own, demonstrate an exceptional star formation activity. The low extinction and stellar field contamination in star-forming regions of these galaxies imply a more efficient detection of low-mass PMS stars than in the Milky Way, but their distance from us make the application of the above techniques unfeasible. Nonetheless, imaging with the Hubble Space Telescope within the last five years yield the discovery of solar and sub-solar PMS stars in the Magellanic Clouds from photometry alone. Unprecedented numbers of such objects are identified as the low-mass stellar content of star-forming regions in these galaxies, changing completely our picture of young stellar systems outside the Milky Way, and extending the extragalactic stellar IMF below the persisting threshold of a few solar masses. This review presents the recent developments in the investigation of the PMS stellar content of the Magellanic Clouds, with special focus on the limitations by single-epoch photometry that can only be circumvented by the detailed study of the observable behavior of these stars in the color-magnitude diagram. The achieved characterization of the low-mass PMS stars in the Magellanic Clouds allowed thus a more comprehensive understanding of the star formation process in our neighboring galaxies.     

EXOSAT observations of active stellar coronae in the Cygnus Loop,T Tau & NGC 2264 regions

A highly variable point X-ray source, first seen by the Einstein IPC, has been positioned with the EXOSAT CMA and identified with a bright (V = 8.5) K0 star. Although in the direction of the southern half of the Cygnus Loop, this star is almost certainly a foreground object and typical of other active cool stars that are related to RS CVn systems.An EXOSAT program to study T Tauri stars failed to detect T Tau itself. However, a strong X-ray source was observed 15 from T Tau, which in its turn had not been seen by Einstein. This new source has been identified with a hitherto unstudied 13 mag star which is likely to be a dMe flare star.The young star cluster NGC 2264 was observed with the EXOSAT CMA in an attempt to identify the sources found during an Einstein IPC study of S Mon. Apart from S Mon itself, only UV-bright objects were seen, but several of these are considered likely counterparts of the Einstein sources.     

The cataclysmic variable SS Cygni

In this work we will try to give the most general panorama, comparatively with the conciseness, on SS Cygni which is the brightest dwarf nova.The dwarf novae form a sub-class of the more vaste panorama of the Cataclysmic Variables (CVs). For this reason firstly we will describe in general the CVs and the current theories which attempt to describe their physical behaviour (Sections 2 and 3). The up-to-date observational properties of SS Cygni (Section 4) and a discussion on their explanation within the framework of theories (Section 5) will allow us to draw the conclusions (Section 6) and to argue the most convenient line of investigation (Section 7) both experimental and theoretical for a better understanding of the underlying physics of these systems.     

Alfvén waves in the context of solar-like star formation: accretion columns and disks

In this work we examine the damping of Alfvén waves as a source of plasma heating in disks and magnetic funnels of young solar like stars, the T Tauri stars. We apply four different damping mechanisms in this study: viscous-resistive, collisional, nonlinear and turbulent, exploring a wide range of wave frequencies, from 10⁻⁵Ω_i to 10⁻¹Ω_i (where Ω_i is the ion-cyclotron frequency). The results show that Alfvénic heating can increase the ionization rate of accretion disks and elevate the temperature of magnetic funnels of T Tauri stars opening possibilities to explain some observational features of these objects. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Recursive mode star identification algorithms

Star identification can be accomplished by several different available algorithms that identify the stars observed by a star tracker. However, efficiency and reliability remain key issues and the availability of new active pixel cameras requires new approaches. Two novel algorithms for recursive mode star identification are presented here. The first approach is derived by the spherical polygon search (SP-search) algorithm, it was used to access all the cataloged stars observed by the sensor field-of-view (FOV) and recursively add/remove candidate cataloged stars according to the predicted image motion induced by camera attitude dynamics. Star identification is then accomplished by a star pattern matching technique which identifies the observed stars in the reference catalog. The second method uses star neighborhood information and a catalog neighborhood pointer matrix to access the star catalog. In the recursive star identification process, and under the assumption of "slow" attitude dynamics, only the stars in the neighborhood of previously identified stars are considered for star identification in the succeeding frames. Numerical tests are performed to validate the absolute and relative efficiency of the proposed methods.     

The massive star distribution in the Galaxy and the Magellanic Clouds

The numbers and distribution of Population I O-type stars and Wolf-Rayet stars are reviewed. The numbers of known WR stars in the Galaxy, the LMC and the SMC are 185, 114, and 9, respectively. Distances and galactic distributions determined by various authors are compared. The single star and binary distributions are discussed in the light of evolutionary studies.     

A. M. Hubert and C. Jaschek (eds.), B[e] Stars

The B[e] stars are early type stars with hydrogen emission lines, forbidden [FeII] and [OI] emission lines, and with an IR excess due to circumstellar dust. These properties may occur in stars of quite different evolutionary stages. In fact, the group of B[e] stars is very inhomogeneous, and contains pre-main sequence stars, supergiants with disks, compact planetary nebulae, symbiotic stars, and a group of stars with unclear evolutionary phase. The book gives the proceedings of a workshop in Paris in 1997 in which the properties and evolutionary phases of the B[e] stars are discussed. It contains chapters on: (1) the definition of B[e] stars, (2) distances, kinematics and the distribution in our Galaxy, (3) spectroscopy, (4) infrared properties, (5) photometry, polarimetry and variability, (6) models for winds and disks, (7) evolutionary stages, (8) revised classification of B[e] stars. The book ends with an object list of all B[e] stars. The book is very useful for students and researchers of hot star winds and gives nice overviews of the observations and theories and remaining puzzles of these strange objects with winds and outflowing dust-forming disks. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Wolf-Rayet stars in starbursts

Let us suppose that it is possible observationally to determine the number ratio of WR to O stars in a starburst galaxy (cf. e. g. Vacca &; Conti 1992) and that one can also have some information on the way the different WR subtypes are distributed (number ratios as WN/WR, WNL/WR etc ...), the question is, what can we deduce from these values on the burst of star formation which gave birth to these WR stars? Is it possible for instance to constrain the age of the burst (i.e. the time elapsed since the beginning of the burst of star formation), its intensity (i.e. the ratio of the star formation rate during the burst to that before the burst) or the metallicity of the cloud from which the stars formed? We present here models of starbursts based on the most recent models for single stars computed by the Geneva group and show that the study of the WR population in a starburst provides very useful insights on the age of the burst and on the metallicity of the star forming zone.     

Orion-2: First scientific results

The ultraviolet spectral images of thousands of faint stars, up to the 13th mag., in the wavelength region of 2000–5000 Å are obtained by means of the space astrophysical observatory Orion-2 aboard the spaceship Soyuz-13. These spectrograms were designed generally for an investigation of the continuous spectra of the stars in ultraviolet. The processing and measurement of part of the material available confirm the expectations for the solution of a large number of problems concerning the physics of stars and stellar atmospheres. Some of the results obtained are included in the present review. Particularly, the observed distribution of continuous energy in the ultraviolet of normal hot stars is in line, according to Orion-2 data, with theoretical prediction; the existence of a new type of high temperature (> 20000K) and low absolute luminosity stars is noticed; the blocking effect of the ultraviolet absorption lines expected for the A-type stars is confirmed; a number of empirical regularities concerning the behaviour of the ultraviolet doublet of ionized magnesium, 2800 Mg ii, in the stellar spectra are derived; the chromosphere in cold stars is detected; the role of a multiplet of ionized titanium, 3080 Ti ii, in stellar spectra is revealed; probably an abnormal silicon-rich stellar envelope around a Be-type star is discovered; a new method for the spectral classification of the stars by their ultraviolet spectral images is developed; a range of interesting facts relating to the structure of the ultraviolet spectra of middle type stars (F-K) come to the fore; an exceptional ultraviolet spectrogram for the planetary nebula II 2149 and its nuclei is obtained; the blocking effect of emission lines in the spectrum of the B-type emission and normal O-type stars has been detected; a remarkably faint (12^itm.6) and high temperature star (No. 1) of strange spectral structure has been discovered.     

亮星辅助下基于坐标转换的快速星图识别方法

数字天顶仪作为一种地面使用的星敏感器，主要用于高精度定位。为提高仪器的工作效率需要对星图识别的快速性进行研究。通过对恒星像点理论坐标与图像坐标的分析，构建坐标转换模型。依据星表中恒星的分布及星等筛选出视场范围内的亮星，并构建导航星表。结合导航星表完成3颗亮星的准确识别，在识别亮星的基础上解算坐标转换模型的参数。通过构建的坐标转换模型对视场范围内的恒星进行坐标转换，将转换后的星点坐标与提取的星点图像坐标进行匹配完成星图的识别，这样能够提高星图识别的快速性。实验数据表明：在保证识别星点数量的基础上，采用亮星辅助下基于坐标转换的星图识别方法使时间缩短为改进三角形星图识别算法的五分之一。     

Rapid Star Tracking Algorithm for Star Sensor

A rapid star tracking algorithm is proposed. In order to speed up the tracking, three techniques includng parallel star centroiding, sorting, and star catalogue partition are designed for three time-consuming portions in tracking algorithms. The parallel star centroiding is implemented with Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) which avoid image storage and transmission. Update rate of star sensor is improved. Sorting star coordinates in star image plane, and then matching, which avoid matching between stars with a long distance in image plane. Star catalogue partition divides the celestial sphere into many small partitions. In star mapping, guide stars are searched in the partitions near the direction of star sensor's boresight is not in the whole celestial sphere and therefore reduced the total number of searched guide stars. The software and hardware performance of tracking algorithms are simulated. Tracking robustness and the tracking speed comparison are tested in the software simulation. In hardware tests, the tracking time in every step is obtained.     

Towards a Unified View of Inhomogeneous Stellar Winds in Isolated Supergiant Stars and Supergiant High Mass X-Ray Binaries

Massive stars, at least \(\sim10\) times more massive than the Sun, have two key properties that make them the main drivers of evolution of star clusters, galaxies, and the Universe as a whole. On the one hand, the outer layers of massive stars are so hot that they produce most of the ionizing ultraviolet radiation of galaxies; in fact, the first massive stars helped to re-ionize the Universe after its Dark Ages. Another important property of massive stars are the strong stellar winds and outflows they produce. This mass loss, and finally the explosion of a massive star as a supernova or a gamma-ray burst, provide a significant input of mechanical and radiative energy into the interstellar space. These two properties together make massive stars one of the most important cosmic engines: they trigger the star formation and enrich the interstellar medium with heavy elements, that ultimately leads to formation of Earth-like rocky planets and the development of complex life. The study of massive star winds is thus a truly multidisciplinary field and has a wide impact on different areas of astronomy.In recent years observational and theoretical evidences have been growing that these winds are not smooth and homogeneous as previously assumed, but rather populated by dense “clumps”. The presence of these structures dramatically affects the mass loss rates derived from the study of stellar winds. Clump properties in isolated stars are nowadays inferred mostly through indirect methods (i.e., spectroscopic observations of line profiles in various wavelength regimes, and their analysis based on tailored, inhomogeneous wind models). The limited characterization of the clump physical properties (mass, size) obtained so far have led to large uncertainties in the mass loss rates from massive stars. Such uncertainties limit our understanding of the role of massive star winds in galactic and cosmic evolution.Supergiant high mass X-ray binaries (SgXBs) are among the brightest X-ray sources in the sky. A large number of them consist of a neutron star accreting from the wind of a massive companion and producing a powerful X-ray source. The characteristics of the stellar wind together with the complex interactions between the compact object and the donor star determine the observed X-ray output from all these systems. Consequently, the use of SgXBs for studies of massive stars is only possible when the physics of the stellar winds, the compact objects, and accretion mechanisms are combined together and confronted with observations.This detailed review summarises the current knowledge on the theory and observations of winds from massive stars, as well as on observations and accretion processes in wind-fed high mass X-ray binaries. The aim is to combine in the near future all available theoretical diagnostics and observational measurements to achieve a unified picture of massive star winds in isolated objects and in binary systems.     

Evolution of massive close binaries

This paper briefly reviews the competition between massive single star and massive close binary evolution the last two decades. The status of the binary evolutionary model is summarized, the assumptions and simplifications are critically discussed. Using all computations performed since 1970, general conclusions are drawn and a comparison with massive single star evolution is presented. Special attention is given at the assumptions behind the commonly accepted model for the mass gainer and a new accretion model is proposed. The binary results in combinarion with single star evolution are compared with observations of massive stars with emphasis on the HR diagram, star number counts, WR stars, SN 1987A, OBN and OBC stars.     

Geometric voting algorithm for star trackers

We present an algorithm for recovering the orientation (attitude) of a satellite-based camera. The algorithm matches stars in an image taken with the camera to stars in a star catalogue. The algorithm is based on a geometric voting scheme in which a pair of stars in the catalogue votes for a pair of stars in the image if the angular distance between the stars of both pairs is similar. As angular distance is a symmetric relationship, each of the two catalogue stars votes for each of the image stars. The identity of each star in the image is set to the identity of the catalogue star that cast the most votes. Once the identity of the stars is determined, the attitude of the camera is computed using a quaternion-based method. We further present a fast tracking algorithm that estimates the attitude for subsequent images after the first algorithm has terminated successfully. Our method runs in comparable speed to state of the art algorithms but is still more robust than them. The system has been implemented and tested on simulated data and on real sky images.     

Be stars in young clusters in the Magellanic Clouds

A substantial fraction (typically 10%) of Galactic B stars consists of Be stars. While Galactic Be stars have been fairly well investigated, very little is known about the Be star content of the Magellanic Clouds (MCs). We present a refined method of Be star identification by CCD photometry and apply it to four young clusters and associations in the MCs. We find NGC 330 in the SMC to be exceptionally rich in Be stars, while the fraction is clearly lower in the similarly aged LMC clusters NGC 2004 and NGC 1818. NGC 2044, a very young region in the LMC, contains almost no Be stars. Among very early-type B stars in the investigated MC clusters we find the largest number of Be stars, while in the Milky Way this is shifted to somewhat later types. In the LMC, there may be a second frequency peak around B6.Based on observations obtained at the 2.2m MPIA telescope at ESO, La Silla, Chile, partly on time granted by the MPIA, Heidelberg.     

星光折射连续修正方法及制导规划

针对星光折射模型本身固有的缺点，对星光折射连续修正方法进行了研究，该方法首先探索折射星的分布规律，而后采用Unscented卡尔曼滤波算法+多星连续观测的方案实现定位。同时，对可用星与选星要素和基于突防规划的星光制导弹道设计两方面进行了研究，在星光制导制约机理研究的基础上，提出了惯性/星光制导规划方法，该方法包括导航星的优选策略、导航星优选技术和星点位置的精确计算3步。最后，介绍了星光制导系统的系统组成和功能原理。     

惯性平台中星敏感器安装误差标定方法研究

提出了一种基于星光/惯性平台系统中星敏感器安装误差的地面标定方法,利用高精度的星模拟器,模拟远处恒星,将星敏感器主光轴对准星光,通过测量恒星与平台台体六面体的位置坐标,经过坐标转换后,对比得到星敏感器在惯性平台中的安装误差.实验数据表明,该方法可准确测量出星敏感器在星光/惯性平台中的安装误差角,实现误差的精确标定.     

Physical processes in the protoplanetary disk

Protoplanetary evolution is discussed in both its global and local aspects. The global turbulent evolution implies large scale average chemical fractionation and chondrule-sized grains as the building blocks of planetary and possibly also cometary material. Local processes such as electric discharges and associated flash heating of grains allow for chemical, mineralogical, and morphological alterations of the disk material. Large scale turbulence keeps the disk well stirred, however, time dependent (or intermittent) turbulence, associated with e.g. optical depth variations, could lead to dust sedimentation within the disk and subsequent planetesimal formation. Recent relevant astronomical observations of young T Tauri stars are briefly reviewed.     

Be/neutron star binaries: Orbital and spin periods

The spin periods of accreting neutron stars in binary systems with Be star primaries are shown to depend more strongly on periastron distance than apastron distance. This is interpreted as showing that neutron stars spin-up on shorter timescales than they spin-down. The pulse and orbital periods of V 0332+53 suggest that the optical counterpart of this source is a Be star.     

星点坐标辅助的全天区三角形星图识别算法

随着当前星敏感器视场（FOV）的增大,探测能力的提高,一帧图中拍摄到的恒星更多。但是受星敏感器光谱范围的限制及空间环境干扰影响,星等测试精度一般不高于0.2 mV。为了充分发挥当前星敏感器视场和探测能力的优势,并避免星等误差的影响,提高全天区星图识别算法在线应用的适用性,提出了一种星点坐标辅助的全天区三角形星图识别算法。该方法采用"全局初步搜索识别—局部精细匹配验证—最优结果选取"的算法思想。首先,根据星敏感器探测到的极限星等范围构建导航星表,选取亮星构建角距星表,既确保了星表的完备性,又有利于充分利用星敏感器的探测能力。然后,在三角形约束条件下进行角距匹配识别,得到一个或多个导航三角形,在该识别环节提出了非线性矢量法查找星表,既提高了定位精度,又能采用单精度数据类型降低存储空间。最后,提出局部天区星点坐标匹配算法进一步消除冗余匹配,同时又识别出视场内更多的观测星,有利于提高识别率和定姿精度。试验结果表明,与其他一些经典的星图识别算法相比,所提算法在识别率和星表容量方面更有优势。识别率可达99.9%,且随着星等的增加,存储容量增加的最少。所提算法更加适于大视场、高星等敏感范围的星敏感器在线应用。