A. Yu. Kniazev

Study of galaxies in the Lynx-Cancer void. II. Element abundances

In the framework of study of the evolutionary status of galaxies in the nearby Lynx-Cancer void, we present the results of the SAO RAS 6-m telescope spectroscopy for 20 objects in this region. The principal faint line [Oiii]λ4363 Å, used to determine the electron temperature and oxygen abundance (O/H) by the classicalmethod, is clearly detected in only about 2/3 of the studied objects. For the remaining galaxies this line is either faint or undetected. To obtain the oxygen abundances in these galaxies we as well apply the semi-empirical method by Izotov and Thuan, and/or the empirical methods of Pilyugin et al., which are only employing the intensities of sufficiently strong lines. We also present our O/H measurements for 22 Lynx-Cancer void galaxies, for which the suitable Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) spectra are available. In total, we present the combined O/H data for 48 Lynx-Cancer void galaxies, including the data adopted from the literature and our own earlier results. We make a comparison of their locations on the (O/H)-MB diagram with those of the dwarf galaxies of the Local Volume in the regions with denser environment. We infer that the majority of galaxies from this void on the average reveal an about 30% lower metallicity. In addition, a substantial fraction (not less than 10%) of the void dwarf galaxies have a much larger O/H deficiency (up to a factor of 5). Most of them belong to the tiny group of objects with the gas metallicity Z <Z⊙/20 or 12+log(O/H)≲7.35. The surface density of very metal-poor galaxies (Z <Z⊙/10) in this region of the sky is 2–2.5 times higher than that, derived from the emission-line galaxy samples in the Hamburg-SAO and the SDSS surveys. We discuss possible implications of these results for the galaxy evolution models.

Classical Cepheids and the spiral structure of the milky way

We use data on space distribution of the currently most complete sample of Cepheids with reliable distances (565 stars), located within ~5 kpc from the Sun, to study the spiral pattern of the Milky Way galaxy. We estimate the pitch angle as 9°−10°; the most accurate estimate, i = 9.5° ± 0.1°, was obtained assuming the existence of a global four-armed spiral pattern; the solar phase angle in the spiral pattern is χ⊙ = −121° ± 3°. Comparing positions of the spiral arms delineated by classical Cepheids and galactic masers, with the age difference of these objects in mind, we estimate the rotation angular speed of the spiral pattern to be ΩP = 25.2 ± 0.5 km s−1kpc−1.

BV I c photometry of RR Lyrae stars

We have obtained 26 372 CCD frames in the B, V, and Ic filters for 81 RR Lyrae stars in 2008–2010, using the 76-cm telescope of the South African Astronomical Observatory and the 40-cm telescope of the Cerro Armazones Observatory, North Catholic University (Chile) using an SBIG ST-10XME CCD camera. For 12 of these RR Lyrae stars, we also obtained 337 brightness measurements in the B and V bands in 2000–2001 using the 60-cm telescope of the High Altitude Mt. Maidanak Observatory (Republic of Uzbekistan). We present tables of observations, light curves, and improved light-curve elements for all these RR Lyrae stars. The Blazhko effect was detected for SU Hor.

Study of galaxies in the Lynx-Cancer void. IV. Photometric properties

We present the results of a photometric study of 85 objects from the updated sample of galaxies residing in the nearby Lynx-Cancer void. We perform our photometry on u, g, r, and i-band images of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We determine model-independent galaxy parameters such as the integrated magnitudes and colors, effective radii and the corresponding surface brightness values, optical radii and Holmberg radii. We analyze the radial surface brightness profiles to determine the central brightness values and scale lengths of the model disks. We analyze the colors of the outer parts of the galaxies and compare them with model evolutionary tracks computed using the PEGASE 2 software package. This allowed us to estimate the time TSF elapsed since the onset of star formation, which turned out to be on the order of the cosmological time T0 for the overwhelming majority of the galaxies studied. However, for 13 galaxies of the sample the time TSF does not exceed T0/2 ∼ 7 Gyr, and for 7 of them TSF ≲ 3.5 Gyr. The latter are mostly unevolved objects dominated by low-luminosity galaxies with MB > −13.2. We use the integrated magnitudes and colors to estimate the stellar masses of the galaxies.We estimate the parameter M(H I)/LB and the gas mass fractions for void galaxies with known HI-line fluxes. A small subgroup (about 10%) of the gas-richest void galaxies with M(H I)/LB ≳ 2.5 has gas mass fractions that reach 94–99%. The outer regions of many of these galaxies show atypically blue colors. To test various statistical differences between void galaxies and galaxies from the samples selected using more general criteria, we compare some of the parameters of void galaxies with similar data for the sample of 195 galaxies from the Equatorial Survey (ES) based on a part of the HIPASS blind HI survey. The compared samples have similar properties in the common luminosity interval −18.5<Mg< −13.5. The faintest void galaxies differ appreciably from the ES survey galaxies. However, the ES survey also contains about 7% of the so-called “inchoate” galaxies with highM(H I)/LB ratios, most of which are located far from massive neighbors and are probably analogs of void galaxies.

BVIc photometry of classical cepheids from the ASAS-3 catalog

In 2008–2010, we obtained 6095 CCD frames in the BV Ic photometric systemfor 49 classical Cepheids discovered in the ASAS-3 project. The observations were obtained on the 76-cm telescope of the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO, RSA) and the 40-cm telescope of the Cerro Armazones Observatory of the Catholic University of the North (OCA, Chile), with a SBIGCCD ST-10XME camera. We present tabulated observations, light curves, and revised elements for the brightness variations.

The isolated dSph galaxy KKs3 in the local Hubble flow

We present SALT spectroscopy of a globular cluster in the center of the nearby isolated dSph galaxy KKs3 situated at a distance of 2.12 Mpc. Its heliocentric radial velocity is 316 ± 7 km s–1 that corresponds to VLG = 112 km s–1 in the Local Group (LG) reference frame. We use its distance and velocity along with the data on other 35 field galaxies in the proximity of the LG to trace the local Hubble flow. The following basic properties of the local field galaxies are briefly discusse: morphology, absolute magnitudes, average surface brightnesses, specific star formation rates, and hydrogen mass-to-stellar mass ratios. Surprisingly, the sample of the neighboring isolated galaxies displays no signs of compression under the influence of the expanding Local Void. (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Spectroscopic studies of southern-hemisphere Cepheids: Three Cepheids in Crux (BG Cru, R Cru, and T Cru)

This paper is devoted to spectroscopic studies of three bright Cepheids (BG Cru, R Cru, and T Cru) and continues the series of our works aimed at determining the atmospheric parameters and chemical composition of southern-hemisphere Cepheids. We have studied 12 high-resolution spectra taken with the 1.9-m telescope of the South African Astronomical Observatory and the 8-m VLT telescope of the European Southern Observatory in Chile. The atmospheric parameters and chemical composition have been determined for these stars. The averaged atmospheric parameters are: Teff = 6253 ± 30 K, log g = 2.15, Vt = 4.30 km s−1 for BG Cru; Teff = 5812 ± 22 K, log g = 1.65, Vt = 3.80 km s−1 for R Cru; and Teff = 5588 ± 21 K, log g = 1.70, Vt = 4.30 km s−1 for T Cru. All these Cepheids exhibit a nearly solar metallicity ([Fe/H] = +0.04 dex for BG Cru, +0.06 dex for R Cru, and +0.08 dex for T Cru); the carbon, oxygen, sodium, magnesium, and aluminum abundances suggest that the objects have already passed the first dredge-up. The abundances of other elements are nearly solar. An anomalous behavior of the absorption lines of metals (neutral atoms and ions) in the atmosphere of the small-amplitude Cepheid BG Cru is pointed out. The main components in these lines split up into additional blue and red analogs that are smaller in depth and equivalent width and vary with pulsation phase. Such splitting of the absorption lines of metals (with the hydrogen lines being invariable) is known for the classical Cepheid X Sgr. The calculated nonlinear pulsation model of BG Cru with the parameters L = 2000 L⊙, Teff = 6180 K, and M = 4.3M⊙ shows that this small-amplitude Cepheid pulsates in the first overtone and is close to the blue boundary of the Cepheid instability strip. According to the model, the extent of the Cepheid’s atmosphere is relatively small. Therefore, no spectroscopic manifestations of shock waves through variability are possible in this Cepheid and the observed blue and red components in metal absorption lines can be explained solely by the presence of an extended circumstellar envelope around BG Cru.

Spectroscopic studies of Cepheids in Circinus (AV Cir, BP Cir) and Triangulum Australe (R TrA, S TrA, U TrA, LR TrA)

Based on high-resolution spectra taken with the 1.9-m telescope of the South African Astronomical Observatory, we have determined the atmospheric parameters and chemical composition for three small-amplitude (AV Cir, BP Cir, and LR TrA), two classical (R TrA and S TrA), and one double-mode (U TrA) Cepheids. The averaged atmospheric parameters have been estimated for three Cepheids (AV Cir, BP Cir, and U TrA) observed at various pulsation phases. In all Cepheids, except U TrA, the metallicity has turned out to be higher than the solar one by 0.1–0.2 dex. The abundances of the key elements of the evolution of yellow supergiants (C, O, Na, Mg, Al) show that these objects have already passed the first dredge-up, while those of the remaining elements are nearly solar. Comparison of our results on the Cepheids from the list (except U TrA) with those of other authors shows significant differences in C and O abundance estimates for AV Cir, R TrA, S TrA, and LR TrA. For AV Cir and BP Cir, the Hα line profiles are symmetric but with a slight asymmetry in the core at approximately the same phase near 0·P 7: on the “blue” side for AV Cir and on the “red” one for BP Cir. BP Cir exhibits a distinct asymmetry in the absorption lines of neutral atoms and ions at various pulsation phases, which can be explained by nonradial first-overtone pulsations. The constancy of the Hα absorption line profiles with pulsation phase for AV Cir and BP Cir may suggest the presence of a hydrogen envelope around them. For the double-mode Cepheid U TrA, an asymmetry is observed in the cores of the Hα line and the absorption lines of neutral atoms and ions at various pulsation phases, which can be explained by nonradial pulsations in the Cepheid’s atmosphere. The absorption lines of neutral atoms and ions of metals in LR TrA closely resemble those in the well-known Cepheid BG Cru: secondary “blue” and “red” components whose line depths vary with pulsation phase are noticeable. This Cepheid can also pulsate in the first overtone and have an extended hydrogen envelope. Careful multiphase spectroscopic observations with a sufficiently high resolution are needed to test this assumption.

Conceptual approach to astronomical problems

New technical capabilities have brought about the sweeping growth of the amount of data acquired by the astronomers from observations with different instruments in various parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. We consider conceptual approach to be a promising tool to efficiently deal with these data. It uses problem domain knowledge to formulate the tasks and develop problem-solving algorithms and data analysis methods in terms of domain concepts without reference to particular data sources, and thereby allows solving certain problems in general form. We demonstrate the benefits of conceptual approach by using it to solve problems related to search for secondary photometric standard candidates, determination of galaxy redshifts, creation of a binary and multiple star repository based on inhomogeneous databases, and classification of eclipsing binaries.We formulate and solve these problems over specifications of astronomical knowledge units such as photometric systems, astronomical objects, multiple stars, etc., and define them in terms of the corresponding problem domains independently of the existing data resources.

Spectroscopic studies of four southern-hemisphere G–K supergiants: HD 192876 (α1 Cap), HD 194215 (HR 7801), HD 206834 (c Cap), and HD 222574 (104 Aqr)

We have studied the high-resolution spectra taken with the 1.9-m telescope of the South African Astronomical Observatory for four supergiants that are deemed to be nonvariable and to lie beyond the red edge of the Cepheid instability strip (CIS): HD 192876, HD 194215, HD 206834, and HD 222574. The atmospheric parameters, reddenings, luminosities, distances, radii, and chemical composition have been determined for these stars. Based on these results, we have ascertained thatHD194215 is not a mainsequence star but an ordinary supergiant. All objects exhibit a nearly solar metallicity. The abundances of carbon and oxygen in HD 194215 and HD 206834 are nearly solar, while they are underabundant in HD 192876 and HD 222574. The abundances of sodium, magnesium, and aluminum are different for all objects, while those of the remaining elements are nearly solar. For HD 206834, the measured radial velocity exceeds its previously known values by a factor of 3, while the asymmetric knifelike profiles of the Ha and Hß absorption lines suggest the existence of an extended envelope around the star. Similar profiles of hydrogen absorption lines and strong lines of some metals with low lower-level excitation potentials have also been revealed in the spectrum of HD 222574. The positions of the supergiants on the effective temperature–luminosity diagram in comparison with the evolutionary tracks of the stars have shown their masses to lie within the range 3.4–4.3 M⊙. HD 194215 and HD 206834 have crossed the CIS for the first time, with the latter object being near the stage of transformation into a red supergiant. HD 192876 and HD 222574 have already passed the first dredge-up and probably move from right to left, crossing the CIS for the second time. The position of HD 222574 near the red CIS edge is probably attributable to its Cepheid-like brightness and radial velocity variations.