Browsing by Author "Rich, R. Michael"

Now showing 1 - 8 of 8
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    A Rogues' Gallery of Andromeda's Dwarf Galaxies. I. A Predominance of Red Horizontal Branches
    (IOP PUBLISHING LTD, 2017) Martin, Nicolas F.; Weisz, Daniel R.; Albers, Saundra M.; Bernard, Edouard; Collins, Michelle L. M.; Dolphin, Andrew E.; Ferguson, Annette M. N.; Ibata, Rodrigo A.; Laevens, Benjamin; Lewis, Geraint F.; Mackey, A. Dougal; McConnachie, Alan; Rich, R. Michael; Skillman, Evan D.
    We present homogeneous, sub-horizontal branch photometry of 20 dwarf spheroidal satellite galaxies of M31 observed with the Hubble Space Telescope. Combining our new data for 16 systems with archival data in the same filters for another four, we show that Andromeda dwarf spheroidal galaxies favor strikingly red horizontal branches or red clumps down to similar to 10(4.2) L-circle dot (M-V similar to -5.8). The age-sensitivity of horizontal branch stars implies that a large fraction of the M31 dwarf galaxies have extended star formation histories (SFHs), and appear inconsistent with early star formation episodes that were rapidly shutdown. Systems fainter than similar to 10(5.5) L-circle dot show the widest range in the ratios and morphologies of red and blue horizontal branches, indicative of both complex SFHs and a diversity in quenching timescales and/or mechanisms, which is qualitatively different from what is currently known for faint Milky Way (MW) satellites of comparable luminosities. Our findings bolster similar conclusions from recent deeper data for a handful of M31 dwarf galaxies. We discuss several sources for diversity of our data such as varying halo masses, patchy reionization, mergers/accretion, and the environmental influence of M31 and the Milky Way on the early evolution of their satellite populations. A detailed comparison between the histories of M31 and MW satellites would shed signifiant insight into the processes that drive the evolution of low-mass galaxies. Such a study will require imaging that reaches the oldest main-sequence turnoffs for a significant number of M31 companions.
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    Chemically Dissected Rotation Curves of the Galactic Bulge from Main-sequence Proper Motions
    (2018) Clarkson, William I.; Calamida, Annalisa; Sahu, Kailash C.; Brown, Thomas M.; Gennaro, Mario; Avila, Roberto J.; Valenti, Jeff; Debattista, Victor P.; Rich, R. Michael; Minniti, D.; Zoccali, Manuela; Aufdemberge, Emily R.
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    Final Moments. II. Observational Properties and Physical Modeling of Circumstellar-material-interacting Type II Supernovae
    (2024) Jacobson-Galan, W. V.; Dessart, L.; Davis, K. W.; Kilpatrick, C. D.; Margutti, R.; Foley, R. J.; Chornock, R.; Terreran, G.; Hiramatsu, D.; Newsome, M.; Padilla Gonzalez, E.; Pellegrino, C.; Howell, D. A.; Filippenko, A. V.; Anderson, J. P.; Angus, C. R.; Auchettl, K.; Bostroem, K. A.; Brink, T. G.; Cartier, R.; Coulter, D. A.; de Boer, T.; Drout, M. R.; Earl, N.; Ertini, K.; Farah, J. R.; Farias, D.; Gall, C.; Gao, H.; Gerlach, M. A.; Guo, F.; Haynie, A.; Hosseinzadeh, G.; Ibik, A. L.; Jha, S. W.; Jones, D. O.; Langeroodi, D.; Lebaron, N.; Magnier, E. A.; Piro, A. L.; Raimundo, S. I.; Rest, A.; Rest, S.; Rich, R. Michael; Rojas-Bravo, C.; Sears, H.; Taggart, K.; Villar, V. A.; Wainscoat, R. J.; Wang, X-f.; Wasserman, A. R.; Yan, S.; Yang, Y.; Zhang, J.; Zheng, W.
    We present ultraviolet/optical/near-infrared observations and modeling of Type II supernovae (SNe II) whose early time (delta(t) < 2 days) spectra show transient, narrow emission lines from shock ionization of confined (r < 10(15) cm) circumstellar material (CSM). The observed electron-scattering broadened line profiles (i.e., IIn-like) of H i, He i/ii, C iv, and N iii/iv/v from the CSM persist on a characteristic timescale (t(IIn)) that marks a transition to a lower-density CSM and the emergence of Doppler-broadened features from the fast-moving SN ejecta. Our sample, the largest to date, consists of 39 SNe with early time IIn-like features in addition to 35 "comparison" SNe with no evidence of early time IIn-like features, all with ultraviolet observations. The total sample includes 50 unpublished objects with a total of 474 previously unpublished spectra and 50 multiband light curves, collected primarily through the Young Supernova Experiment and Global Supernova Project collaborations. For all sample objects, we find a significant correlation between peak ultraviolet brightness and both t(II)n and the rise time, as well as evidence for enhanced peak luminosities in SNe II with IIn-like features. We quantify mass-loss rates and CSM density for the sample through the matching of peak multiband absolute magnitudes, rise times, t(IIn), and optical SN spectra with a grid of radiation hydrodynamics and non-local thermodynamic equilibrium radiative-transfer simulations. For our grid of models, all with the same underlying explosion, there is a trend between the duration of the electron-scattering broadened line profiles and inferred mass-loss rate: t(IIn) approximate to 3.8[M/ (0.01 M-circle dot yr(-1))] days.
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    HST proper motions on the far side of the Galactic bar-data
    (2023) Soto, Mario; Kuijken, Konrad; Rich, R. Michael; Clarkson, William, I; Castellon, Jose Luis Nilo; Fernandez-Trincado, Jose G.; Ramos, Rodrigo Contreras; Kunder, Andrea; Baravalle, Laura D.; Alonso, M. Victoria; Simion, Iulia T.; Johnson, Christian, I; Vieira, Katherine
    This is the third paper in a series that attempts to observe a clear signature of the Galactic bar/bulge using kinematic observations of the bulge stellar populations in low foreground extinction windows. We report on the detection of & SIM;100 000 new proper motions in four fields covering the far side of the Galactic bar/bulge, at negative longitudes. Our proper motions have been obtained using observations from the Advance Camera for Surveys (ACS), on board of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), with a time-baseline of 8-9 years, which has produced accuracies better than 0.5 mas yr(-1) for a significant fraction of the stellar populations with F814W < 23 mag. Interestingly, as shown in previous works, the Hess diagrams show a strikingly similar proper motion distribution to fields closer to the Galactic center and consistent with an old stellar population. The observed kinematics point to a significant bulge rotation, which seems to predominate even in fields as far as l & SIME; -8 & DEG;, and is also reflected in the changes of the velocity ellipsoid in the l, b plane as a function of distance.
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    Pristine dwarf galaxy survey - I. A detailed photometric and spectroscopic study of the very metal-poor Draco II satellite
    (2018) Longeard, Nicolas; Martin, Nicolas; Starkenburg, Else; Ibata, Rodrigo A.; Collins, Michelle L. M.; Geha, Marla; Laevens, Benjamin P. M.; Rich, R. Michael; Aguado, David S.; Arentsen, Anke; Carlberg, Raymond G.; Cote, Patrick; Hill, Vanessa; Jablonka, Pascale; Gonzalez Hernandez, Jonay I.; Navarro, Julio F.; Sanchez-Janssen, Ruben; Tolstoy, Eline; Venn, Kim A.; Youakim, Kris
    We present a detailed study of the faint Milky Way satellite Draco II (Dra II) from deep CFHT/MegaCam broad-band g and i photometry and narrow-band metallicity-sensitive CaliK observations, along with follow-up Keck II/DEIMOS multi-object spectroscopy. Forward modelling of the deep photometry allows us to refine the structural and photometric properties of Dra II: the distribution of stars in colour-magnitude space implies Dra II is old (13.5 +/- 0.5 Gyr), very metal-poor, very faint (L-v = 180(-72)(+124) L-circle dot), and at a distance d = 21.5 +/- 0.4 kpc. The narrow-band, metallicity-sensitive Cal-IK Pristine photometry confirms this very low metallicity ([Fe/H] = -2.7 +/- 0.1 dex). Even though our study benefits from a doubling of the spectroscopic sample size compared to previous investigations, the velocity dispersion of the system is still only marginally resolved (sigma(vr) < 5.9 km s(-1) at the 95 per cent confidence level) and confirms that Dra II is a dynamically cold stellar system with a large recessional velocity (< v(r)> = -342.5(-1.2)(+1.1)km s(-)1). We further show that the spectroscopically confirmed members of Dra II have a mean proper motion of (mu(alpha)*, mu(delta)) = (1.26 +/- 0.27, 0.94 +/- 0.28) mas/yr in the Gaia DR2 data, which translates to an orbit with a pericentre and an apocentre of 21.3(-1.0)(+0.7) and 153.8(-34.7)(+56.7) kpc, respectively. Taken altogether, these properties favour the scenario of Dra II being a potentially disrupting dwarf galaxy. The low-significance extra-tidal features we map around the satellite tentatively support this scenario.
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    RR Lyrae Stars Belonging to the Candidate Globular Cluster Patchick 99
    (2024) Butler, Evan; Kunder, Andrea; Prudil, Zdenek; Covey, Kevin R.; Ball, Macy; Campos, Carlos; Gollnick, Kaylen; Carvajal, Julio Olivares; Hughes, Joanne; Devine, Kathryn; Johnson, Christian I.; Vivas, A. Katherina; Rich, R. Michael; Joyce, Meridith; Simion, Iulia T.; Marchetti, Tommaso; Koch-Hansen, Andreas J.; Clarkson, William I.; Kuss, Rebekah
    Patchick 99 is a candidate globular cluster located in the direction of the Galactic bulge, with a proper motion almost identical to the field and extreme field star contamination. A recent analysis suggests it is a low-luminosity globular cluster with a population of RR Lyrae stars. We present new spectra of stars in and around Patchick 99, targeting specifically the three RR Lyrae stars associated with the cluster as well as the other RR Lyrae stars in the field. A sample of 53 giant stars selected from proper motions and a position on the color-magnitude diagram are also observed. The three RR Lyrae stars associated with the cluster have similar radial velocities and distances, and two of the targeted giants also have radial velocities in this velocity regime and [Fe/H] metallicities that are slightly more metal-poor than the field. Therefore, if Patchick 99 is a bona fide globular cluster, it would have a radial velocity of -92 +/- 10 km s-1, a distance of 6.7 +/- 0.4 kpc (as determined from the RR Lyrae stars), and an orbit that confines it to the inner bulge.
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    Stellar proper motions in the Galactic bulge from deep Hubble Space Telescope ACS WFC photometry
    (2008) Clarkson, Will; Sahu, Kailash; Anderson, Jay; Smith, T. Ed; Brown, Thomas M.; Rich, R. Michael; Casertano, Stefano; Bond, Howard E.; Livio, Mario; Minniti, Dante; Panagia, Nino; Renzini, Alvio; Valenti, Jeff; Zoccali, Manuela
    We present stellar proper motions in the Galactic bulge from the Sagittarius Window Eclipsing Extrasolar Search ( SWEEPS) project using ACS WFC on HST. Proper motions are extracted for more than 180,000 objects, with > 81,000 measured to accuracy better than 0.3 mas yr(-1) in both coordinates. We report several results based on these measurements: ( 1) Kinematic separation of bulge from disk allows a sample of > 15,000 bulge objects to be extracted based on > 6 sigma detections of proper motion, with < 0.2% contamination from the disk. This includes the first detection of a candidate bulge blue straggler population. ( 2) Armed with a photometric distance modulus on a star-by-star basis, and using the large number of stars with high-quality proper-motion measurements to overcome intrinsic scatter, we dissect the kinematic properties of the bulge as a function of distance along the line of sight. This allows us to extract the stellar circular speed curve from proper motions alone, which we compare with the circular speed curve obtained from radial velocities. ( 3) We trace the variation of the {l, b} velocity ellipse as a function of depth. ( 4) Finally, we use the density-weighted {l, b} proper-motion ellipse produced from the tracer stars to assess the kinematic membership of the 16 transiting planet candidates discovered in the Sagittarius Window; the kinematic distribution of the planet candidates is consistent with that of the disk and bulge stellar populations.
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    The Pristine Dwarf-Galaxy survey - II. In-depth observational study of the faint Milky Way satellite Sagittarius II
    (2020) Longeard, Nicolas; Martin, Nicolas; Starkenburg, Else; Ibata, Rodrigo A.; Collins, Michelle L. M.; Laevens, Benjamin P. M.; Mackey, Dougal; Rich, R. Michael; Aguado, David S.; Arentsen, Anke; Jablonka, Pascale; Hernandez, Jonay I. Gonzalez; Navarro, Julio F.; Sanchez-Janssen, Ruben
    We present an extensive study of the Sagittarius II (Sgr II) stellar system using MegaCam g and i photometry, narrow-band, metallicity-sensitive calcium H&K doublet photometry and Keck II/DEIMOS multiobject spectroscopy. We derive and refine the Sgr II structural and stellar properties inferred at the time of its discovery. The colour-magnitude diagram implies Sgr II is old (12.0 +/- 0.5 Gyr) and metal poor. The CaHK photometry confirms the metal-poor nature of the satellite ([Fe/H](CaHK) = -2.32 +/- 0.04 dex) and suggests that Sgr II hosts more than one single stellar population (sigma(CaHK)([FeH]) = 0.11(-0.03)(+0.05) dex). Using the Ca infrared triplet measured from our highest signal-to-noise spectra, we confirm the metallicity and dispersion inferred from the Pristine photometric metallicities ([Fe/H](spectro) = -2.23 +/- 0.05 dex, sigma(spectro)([Fe/H]) = 0.10(-0.04)(+0.06) dex). The velocity dispersion of the system is found to be sigma(v) = 2.7(-1.0)(+1.3) km s(-1) after excluding two potential binary stars. Sgr II's metallicity and absolute magnitude (M-V = -5.7 +/- 0.1 mag) place the system on the luminosity-metallicity relation of the Milky Way dwarf galaxies despite its small size. The low but resolved metallicity and velocity dispersions paint the picture of a slightly dark-matter-dominated satellite (M/L = 23.0(-23.0)(+32.8) M-circle dot L-circle dot(-1)). Furthermore, using the Gaia Data Release 2, we constrain the orbit of the satellite and find an apocentre of 118.4(-23.7)(+28.4) kpc and a pericentre of 54.8(-6.1)(+3.3) kpc. The orbit of Sgr II is consistent with the trailing arm of the Sgr stream and indicates that it is possibly a satellite of the Sgr dSph that was tidally stripped from the dwarf's influence.