Browsing by Author "Ramos, R. Contreras"

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    Comparing bulge RR Lyrae stars with bulge giants: Insight from 3D kinematics
    (2024) Carvajal, J. Olivares; Zoccali, M.; De Leo, M.; Ramos, R. Contreras; Quezada, C.; Rojas-Arriagada, A.; Valenti, E.; Albarracin, R.; Navarro, A. Valenzuela
    Context. The structure and kinematics of the old component of the Galactic bulge are still a matter of debate. It is clear that the bulk of the bulge as traced by red clump stars includes two main components, which are usually identified as the metal-rich and metal-poor components. They have different shapes, kinematics, mean metallicities, and alpha-element abundances. It is our current understanding that they are associated with a bar and a spheroid, respectively. On the other hand, RR Lyrae variables trace the oldest population of the bulge. While it would be natural to think that they follow the structure and kinematics of the metal-poor component, the data analysed in the literature show conflicting results. Aims. We aim to derive a rotation curve for bulge RR Lyrae stars in order to determine that the old component traced by these stars is distinct from the two main components observed in the Galactic bulge. Methods. This paper combines APOGEE-2S spectra with OGLE-IV light curves, near-infrared photometry, and proper motions from the VISTA Variables in the V & iacute;a L & aacute;ctea survey for 4193 RR Lyrae stars. Six-dimensional phase-space coordinates were used to calculate orbits within an updated Galactic potential and to isolate the stars. Results. The stars that stay confined within the bulge represent 57% of our sample. Our results show that bulge RR Lyrae variables rotate more slowly than metal-rich red clump stars and have a lower velocity dispersion. Their kinematics is compatible with them being the low-metallicity tail of the metal-poor component. We confirm that a rather large fraction of halo and thick disc RR Lyrae stars pass by the bulge within their orbits, increasing the velocity dispersion. A proper orbital analysis is therefore critical to isolate bona fide bulge variables. Finally, bulge RR Lyrae seem to trace a spheroidal component, although the current data do now allow us to reach a firm conclusion about the spatial distribution.
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    Infrared variability of young solar analogues in the Lagoon Nebula
    (2022) Ordenes-Huanca, C.; Zoccali, M.; Bayo, A.; Cuadra, J.; Ramos, R. Contreras; Hillenbrand, L. A.; Lacerna, I; Abarzua, S.; Avendano, C.; Diaz, P.; Fernandez, I; Lara, G.
    T Tauri stars are low-mass pre-main sequence stars that are intrinsically variable. Due to the intense magnetic fields they possess, they develop dark spots on their surface that, because of rotation, introduce a periodic variation of brightness. In addition, the presence of surrounding discs could generate flux variations by variable extinction or accretion. Both can lead to a brightness decrease or increase, respectively. Here, we have compiled a catalogue of light curves for 379 T Tauri stars in the Lagoon Nebula (M8) region, using VVVX survey data in the K-s-band. All these stars were already classified as pre-MS stars based on other indicators. The data presented here are spread over a period of about eight years, which gives us a unique follow-up time for these sources at this wavelength. The light curves were classified according to their degree of periodicity and asymmetry, to constrain the physical processes responsible for their variation. Periods were compared with the ones found in literature, on a much shorter baseline. This allowed us to prove that for 126 stars, the magnetically active regions remain stable for several years. Besides, our near-IR data were compared with the optical Kepler/K2 light curves, when available, giving us a better understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the brightness variations observed and how they manifest at different bands. We found that the periodicity in both bands is in fairly good agreement, but the asymmetry will depend on the amplitude of the bursts or dips events and the observation cadence.
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    New near-infrared JHKs light-curve templates for RR Lyrae variables
    (2019) Braga, V. F.; Stetson, P. B.; Bono, G.; Dall'Ora, M.; Ferraro, I; Fiorentino, G.; Iannicola, G.; Inno, L.; Marengo, M.; Neeley, J.; Beaton, R. L.; Buonanno, R.; Calamida, A.; Ramos, R. Contreras; Chaboyer, B.; Fabrizio, M.; Freedman, W. L.; Gilligan, C. K.; Johnston, K., V; Lub, J.; Madore, B. F.; Magurno, D.; Marconi, M.; Marinoni, S.; Marrese, P. M.; Mateo, M.; Matsunaga, N.; Minniti, D.; Monson, A. J.; Monelli, M.; Nonino, M.; Persson, S. E.; Pietrinferni, A.; Sneden, C.; Storm, J.; Walker, A. R.; Valenti, E.; Zoccali, M.
    We provide homogeneous optical (UBVRI) and near-infrared (NIR, JHK) time series photometry for 254 cluster (omega Cen, M 4) and field RR Lyrae (RRL) variables. We ended up with more than 551 000 measurements, of which only 9% are literature data. For 94 fundamental (RRab) and 51 first overtones (RRc) we provide a complete optical/NIR characterization (mean magnitudes, luminosity amplitudes, epoch of the anchor point). The NIR light curves of these variables were adopted to provide new light-curve templates for both RRc and RRab variables. The templates for the J and the H bands are newly introduced, together with the use of the pulsation period to discriminate among the different RRab templates. To overcome subtle uncertainties in the fit of secondary features of the light curves we provide two independent sets of analytical functions (Fourier and periodic Gaussian series). The new templates were validated by using 26 omega Cen and Bulge RRLs. We find that the difference between the measured mean magnitude along the light curve and the mean magnitude estimated by using the template on a single randomly extracted phase point is better than 0.01 mag (sigma = 0.04 mag). We also validated the template on variables for which at least three phase points were available, but without information on the phase of the anchor point. We find that the accuracy of the mean magnitudes is also similar to 0.01 mag (sigma = 0.04 mag). The new templates were applied to the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) globular cluster Reticulum and by using literature data and predicted PLZ relations we find true distance moduli mu = 18.47 +/- 0.10 (rand.) +/- 0.03 (syst.) mag (J) and 18.49 +/- 0.09 +/- 0.05 mag (K). We also used literature optical and mid-infrared data and we found a mean mu of 18.47 +/- 0.02 +/- 0.06 mag, suggesting that Reticulum is similar to 1 kpc closer than the LMC.
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    Observed kinematics of the Milky Way nuclear stellar disk region
    (2024) Zoccali, M.; Rojas-Arriagada, A.; Valenti, E.; Ramos, R. Contreras; Valenzuela-Navarro, A.; Salvo-Guajardo, C.
    Context. The nuclear region of the Milky Way, within approximately -1 degrees < l < +1 degrees and -0.3 degrees < b < +0.3 degrees (i.e., |l|< 150 pc, |b|< 45 pc), is believed to host a nuclear stellar disk, co-spatial with the gaseous central molecular zone. Previous kinematical studies detected faster rotation for the stars belonging to the nuclear stellar disk, compared to the surrounding regions. Aims. We analyze the rotation velocity of stars at the nuclear stellar disk, and compare them with its analog in a few control fields just outside this region. We limit our analysis to stars in the red clump of the color magnitude diagram, in order to be able to relate their mean de-reddened luminosity with distance along the line of sight. Methods. We used a proper motion catalog, obtained from point spread function photometry on VISTA variables in the V & iacute;a L & aacute;ctea images, to construct maps of the transverse velocity for these stars. We complemented our analysis with radial velocities from the 17th data release of the APOGEE survey. Results. We find that the main difference between the nuclear stellar disk region and its surroundings is that at the former we see only stars moving eastward, which we believe are located in front of the Galactic center. On the contrary, in every other direction, we see the brightest red clump stars moving eastward, and the faintest ones moving westward, as expected for a rotating disk. We interpret these observations as being produced by the central molecular zone, hiding stars behind itself. What we observe is compatible with being produced by just the absence of the component at the back, without requiring the presence of a cold, fast rotating disk. This component is also not clearly detected in the newest release of the APOGEE catalog. In other words, we find no clear signature of the nuclear stellar disk as a distinct kinematical component. Conclusions. This work highlights the need for nearby control fields when attempting to characterize the properties of the nuclear stellar disk, as the different systematics affecting this region, compared to nearby ones, might introduce spurious results. Deep, wide field and high resolution photometry of the inner 4 deg of the Milky Way is needed in order to understand the structure and kinematics of this very unique region of our Galaxy.
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    THE OVERLOOKED ROLE OF STELLAR VARIABILITY IN THE EXTENDED MAIN SEQUENCE OF LMC INTERMEDIATE-AGE CLUSTERS
    (2016) Salinas, R.; Pajkos, M. A.; Strader, J.; Vivas, A. K.; Ramos, R. Contreras
    Intermediate-age star clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud show extended main sequence turnoffs (MSTOs) that are not consistent with a canonical single stellar population. These broad turnoffs have been interpreted as evidence for extended star formation and/or stellar rotation. Since most of these studies use single frames per filter to do the photometry, the presence of variable stars near the MSTO in these clusters has remained unnoticed and their impact has been totally ignored. We model the influence of Delta Scuti using synthetic CMDs, adding variable stars following different levels of incidence and amplitude distributions. We show that Delta Scuti observed at a single phase will produce a broadening of the MSTO without affecting other areas of a CMD such as the upper MS or the red clump; furthermore, the amount of spread introduced correlates with cluster age, as observed. This broadening is constrained to ages similar to 1-3 Gyr when the MSTO area crosses the instability strip, which is also consistent with observations. Variable stars cannot explain bifurcarted MSTOs or the extended MSTOs seen in some young clusters, but they can make an important contribution to the extended MSTOs in intermediate-age clusters.
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    Unveiling short-period binaries in the inner VVV bulge
    (2021) Botan, E.; Saito, R. K.; Minniti, D.; Kanaan, A.; Ramos, R. Contreras; Ferreira, T. S.; Gramajo, L., V; Navarro, M. G.
    Most of our knowledge of the structure of the Milky Way has come from the study of variable stars. Among these variables, mimicking the periodic variation of pulsating stars, are eclipsing binaries. These stars are important in astrophysics because they allow us to directly measure the radii and masses of the components, as well as the distance to the system, thus being useful in studies of Galactic structure alongside pulsating RR Lyrae and Cepheids. Using the distinguishing features of their light curves, one can identify them using a semi-automated process. In this work, we present a strategy to search for eclipsing variables in the inner VVV bulge across an area of 13.4 deg(2) within 1.68 degrees < l < 7.53 degrees and -3.73 degrees < b < -1.44 degrees, corresponding to the VVV tiles b293-b296 and b307-b310. We accurately classify 212 previously unknown eclipsing binaries, including six very reddened sources. A preliminary analysis suggests that these eclipsing binaries are located in the most obscured regions of the foreground disc and bulge of the Galaxy. This search is therefore complementary to other variable-star searches carried out at optical wavelengths.
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    Using classical Cepheids to study the far side of the Milky Way disk II. The spiral structure in the first and fourth Galactic quadrants
    (2021) Minniti, J. H.; Zoccali, M.; Rojas-Arriagada, A.; Minniti, D.; Sbordone, L.; Ramos, R. Contreras; Braga, V. F.; Catelan, M.; Duffau, S.; Gieren, W.; Marconi, M.; Valcarce, A. A. R.
    In an effort to improve our understanding of the spiral arm structure of the Milky Way, we use classical Cepheids (CCs) to increase the number of young tracers on the far side of the Galactic disk with accurately determined distances. We used a sample of 30 CCs that were discovered using near-infrared photometry from the VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea survey (VVV) and classified based on their radial velocities and metallicities. We combined them with another 20 CCs from the literature for which VVV photometry is available. We used the compiled sample of CCs with homogeneously computed distances based on VVV infrared photometry as a proof of concept to trace the spiral structure in the poorly explored far side of the disk. Although the use of CCs has some caveats, these variables are currently the only available young tracers on the far side of the disk for which a numerous sample with accurate distances can be obtained. Therefore, a larger sample could allow us to make a significant step forward in our understanding of the Milky Way disk as a whole. We present preliminary evidence that CCs favor the following: a spiral arm model with two main arms (Perseus and Scutum-Centaurus) that branch out into four arms at Galactocentric distances, R-GC >= 5-6 kpc; the extension of the Scutum-Centaurus arm behind the Galactic center; and a possible connection between the Perseus arm and the Norma tangency direction. The current sample of CCs on the far side of the Galaxy are in the mid-plane, which argues against the presence of a severely warped disk at small Galactocentric distances (R-GC <= 12 kpc) in the studied area. The discovery and characterization of CCs at near-infrared wavelengths appears to be a promising tool to complement studies based on other spiral arm tracers and extend them to the far side of our Galaxy.