Gaia DR2 Data Research Articles

Blue straggler stars in open clusters using Gaia: dependence on cluster parameters and possible formation pathways

ABSTRACT Blue straggler stars (BSSs) are the most massive stars in a cluster formed via binary or higher order stellar interactions. Though the exact nature of such formation scenarios is difficult to pin down, we provide observational constraints on the different possible mechanism. In this quest, we first produce a catalogue of BSSs using Gaia DR2 data. Among the 670 clusters older than 300 Myr, we identified 868 BSSs in 228 clusters and 500 BSS candidates in 208 clusters. In general, all clusters older than 1 Gyr and massive than 1000 M⊙ have BSSs. The average number of BSSs increases with cluster age and mass, and there is a power-law relation between the cluster mass and the maximum number of BSSs in the cluster. We introduce the term fractional mass excess ($\mathcal {M}_{e}$) for BSSs. We find that at least 54 per cent of BSSs have $\mathcal {M}_{e}$ < 0.5 (likely to have gained mass through a binary mass transfer (MT)), 30 per cent in the 1.0 < $\mathcal {M}_{e}$ <0.5 range (likely to have gained mass through a merger), and up to 16 per cent with $\mathcal {M}_{e}$ > 1.0 (likely from multiple mergers/MT). We also find that the percentage of low $\mathcal {M}_{e}$ BSSs increases with age, beyond 1–2 Gyr, suggesting an increase in formation through MT in older clusters. The BSSs are radially segregated, and the extent of segregation depends on the dynamical relaxation of the cluster. The statistics and trends presented here are expected to constrain the BSS formation models in open clusters.

Membership of stars in open clusters using random forest with gaia data

Membership of stars in open clusters is one of the most crucial parameters in studies of star clusters. Gaia opened a new window in the estimation of membership because of its unprecedented 6-D data. In the present study, we used published membership data of nine open star clusters as a training set to find new members from Gaia DR2 data using a supervised random forest model with a precision of around 90%. The number of new members found is often double the published number. Membership probability of a larger sample of stars in clusters is a major benefit in determination of cluster parameters like distance, extinction and mass functions. We also found members in the outer regions of the cluster and found sub-structures in the clusters studied. The color magnitude diagrams are more populated and enriched by the addition of new members making their study more promising.

Effect of orbital trapping by bar resonances in the local U–V velocity field

ABSTRACT The effects in the local U–V velocity field due to orbital trapping by bar resonances have been studied computing 15 resonant families in a non-axisymmetric Galactic potential, considering the bar’s angular velocity between 35 and 57.5 ${\rm \, km\, s^{-1}{kpc}^{-1}}$. Only cases in the low, 37.5, 40 ${\rm \, km\, s^{-1}{kpc}^{-1}}$, and high, 55, 57.5 ${\rm \, km\, s^{-1}{kpc}^{-1}}$, velocity ranges give trapping structures that have some similarity with observed features in the velocity distribution. The resulting structures in the local U–V plane form resonant bands appearing at various levels in velocity V. Cases with angular velocity 40 and 55 ${\rm \, km\, s^{-1}{kpc}^{-1}}$ show the greatest similarity with observed branches. Our best approximation to the local velocity field by orbital trapping is obtained with a bar angular velocity of 40 ${\rm \, km\, s^{-1}{kpc}^{-1}}$ and a bar angle of 40°. With this solution, three main observed features can be approximated: (i) the Hercules branch at V = $-50\, {\rm \, km\, s^{-1}}$ produced by the resonance 8/1 outside corotation, and the close features produced by resonances 5/1 and 6/1, (ii) the newly detected low-density arch at V ≃ 40 ${\rm \, km\, s^{-1}}$ produced approximately by the resonance 4/3, (iii) the inclined structure below the Hercules branch, also observed in the Gaia DR2 data, produced by tube orbits around Lagrange point L5 at corotation. Some predicted contributions due to orbital trapping in regions of the U–V plane corresponding to the Galactic halo are given, which could help to further restrict the value of the angular velocity of the Galactic bar. No support by orbital trapping is found for the Arcturus stream at V$\approx \, -100\, {\rm \, km\, s^{-1}}$.

Searching for Dwarf Galaxies in Gaia DR2 Phase-space Data Using Wavelet Transforms

Abstract We present a wavelet-based algorithm to identify dwarf galaxies in the Milky Way in Gaia DR2 data. Our algorithm detects overdensities in 4D position–proper-motion space, making it the first search to explicitly use velocity information to search for dwarf galaxy candidates. We optimize our algorithm and quantify its performance by searching for mock dwarfs injected into Gaia DR2 data and for known Milky Way satellite galaxies. Comparing our results with previous photometric searches, we find that our search is sensitive to undiscovered systems at Galactic latitudes ∣b∣ > 20° and with half-light radii larger than the 50% detection efficiency threshold for Pan-STARRS1 (PS1) at (i) absolute magnitudes of −7 < M V < −3 and distances of 32 kpc < D < 64 kpc, and (ii) M V < −4 and 64 kpc < D < 128 kpc. Based on these results, we predict that our search is expected to discover 5 ± 2 new satellite galaxies: four in the PS1 footprint and one outside the Dark Energy Survey and PS1 footprints. We apply our algorithm to the Gaia DR2 data set and recover ∼830 high-significance candidates, out of which we identify a “gold standard” list of ∼200 candidates based on cross-matching with potential candidates identified in a preliminary search using Gaia EDR3 data. All of our candidate lists are publicly distributed for future follow-up studies. We show that improvements in astrometric measurements provided by Gaia EDR3 increase the sensitivity of this technique; we plan to continue to refine our candidate list using future data releases.

On a Possible Solution to the Tidal Realignment Problem for Hot Jupiters.

Hot stars with hot Jupiters have a wide range of obliquities, while cool stars with hot Jupiters tend to have low obliquities. An enticing explanation for this pattern is tidal realignment of the cool host stars, although this explanation assumes that obliquity damping occurs faster than orbital decay, an assumption that needs further exploration. Here we revisit this tidal realignment problem, building on previous work identifying a low-frequency component of the time-variable tidal potential that affects the obliquity but not the orbital separation. We adopt a recent empirically based model for the stellar tidal quality factor and its sharp increase with forcing frequency. This leads to enhanced dissipation at low frequencies, and efficient obliquity damping. We model the tidal evolution of 46 observed hot Jupiters orbiting cool stars. A key parameter is the stellar age, which we determine in a homogeneous manner for the sample, taking advantage of Gaia DR2 data. We explore a variety of tidal histories and futures for each system, finding in most cases that the stellar obliquity is successfully damped before the planet is destroyed. A testable prediction of our model is that hot Jupiter hosts with orbital periods shorter than 2-3 days should have obliquities much smaller than 1°. With the possible exception of WASP-19b, the predicted future lifetimes of the planets range from 108 yr to more than 1010 yr. Thus, our model implies that these hot Jupiters are probably not in immediate danger of being devoured by their host stars while they are on the main sequence.

A Case against a Significant Detection of Precession in the Galactic Warp

Abstract Recent studies of warp kinematics using Gaia DR2 data have produced detections of warp precession for the first time, which greatly exceeds theoretical predictions of models. However, this detection assumes a warp model derived for a young population (few tens of megayears) to fit velocities of an average older stellar population of the thin disk (several gigayears) in Gaia-DR2 observations, which may lead to unaccounted systematic errors. Here, we recalculate the warp precession with the same approach and Gaia DR2 kinematic data, but using different warp parameters based on the fit of star counts of the Gaia DR2 sample, which has a much lower warp amplitude than the young population. When we take into account this variation of the warp amplitude with the age of the population, we find that there is no need for precession. We find the value of warp precession β = 4 − 4 + 6 km s−1 kpc−1, which does not exclude nonprecessing warp.

A time-series VI study of the variable stars of the globular cluster NGC 6397

We present a new time-series VI CCD photometry of the globular cluster NGC 6397, from which we obtained and analysed the light curves of 35 variables carefully identified in the cluster field. We assessed the membership of the variables with an astrometric analysis based on Gaia DR2 data. The cluster colour-magnitude diagram was differentially dereddened and cleaned of non members, which allowed us to fit isochrones for [Fe/H]=−2.0 dex in the range 13.0–13.5 Gyr, for a mean reddening E(B−V)=0.19, and a distance of 2.5 kpc. This distance was confirmed using the period-luminosity relation for the cluster’s five SX Phoenicis variables (V10, V11, V15, V21, and V23) present among its blue stragglers, yielding 2.24±0.13 kpc. We also modelled the light curves of four eclipsing binaries (V4, V5, V7, and V8), and gave the parameters of the systems; the contact binaries V7 and V8 have distances consistent with that of the cluster. NGC 6397 appears to harbour no RR Lyrae stars, being its horizontal branch remarkably blue, much like that of its analogous cluster, M10. To match the blue tail of the horizontal branch population, models of 0.64–0.66 M⊙ with mass loss at the RGB are required, indicating rather thin shell masses for horizontal branch stars.

The tidal stream generated by the globular cluster NGC 3201

ABSTRACT We detect a tidal stream generated by the globular cluster NGC 3201 extending over ∼140 deg on the sky, using the Gaia DR2 data, with the maximum-likelihood method we presented previously to study the M68 tidal stream. Most of the detected stream is the trailing one, which stretches in the southern Galactic hemisphere and passes within a close distance of 3.2 kpc from the Sun, therefore making the stream highly favourable for discovering relatively bright member stars, while the leading arm is further from us and behind a disc foreground that is harder to separate from. The cluster has just crossed the Galactic disc and is now in the northern Galactic hemisphere, moderately obscured by dust, and the part of the trailing tail closest to the cluster is highly obscured behind the plane. We obtain a best-fitting model of the stream which is consistent with the measured proper motion, radial velocity, and distance to NGC 3201, and show it to be the same as the previously detected Gjöll stream by Ibata et al. We identify ∼200 stars with the highest likelihood of being stream members using only their Gaia kinematic data. Most of these stars (170) are photometrically consistent with being members of NGC 3201 when they are compared to the cluster H–R diagram, only once a correction for dust absorption and reddening by the Galaxy is applied. The remaining stars are consistent with being random foreground objects according to simulated data sets. We list these 170 highly likely stream member stars.

Updated parameters of 1743 open clusters based on Gaia DR2

ABSTRACT In this study, we follow up our recent paper (Monteiro et al. 2020) and present a homogeneous sample of fundamental parameters of open clusters in our Galaxy, entirely based on Gaia DR2 data. We used published membership probability of the stars derived from Gaia DR2 data and applied our isochrone fitting code, updated as in Monteiro et al. (2020), to GBP and GRPGaia DR2 data for member stars. In doing this, we take into account the nominal errors in the data and derive distance, age, and extinction of each cluster. This work therefore provides parameters for 1743 open clusters and, as a by-product, a list of likely not physical or dubious open clusters is provided as well for future investigations. Furthermore, it was possible to estimate the mean radial velocity of 831 clusters (198 of which are new and unpublished so far), using stellar radial velocities from Gaia DR2 catalogue. By comparing the open cluster distances obtained from isochrone fitting with those obtained from a maximum likelihood estimate of individual member parallaxes, we found a systematic offset of (−0.05 ± 0.04) mas.

Investigating variable stars in the open cluster NGC 1912 and its surrounding field

In this work, we studied the variable stars in the open cluster NGC 1912 based on the photometric observations and Gaia DR2 data. More than 3600 CCD frames in B, V, R filters were reduced, and we obtained the light curves that span about 63 hours. By analyzing these light curves, we detected 24 variable stars, including 16 periodic variable stars, seven eclipsing binaries and one star whose type is unclear. Among these 24 variable stars, 11 are newly discovered, which are classified as six γ Doradus stars, one δ Scuti star, three detached binaries and one contact binary. We also confirmed 13 previously known variable stars. Based on cluster members identified by Cantat-Gaudin et al. (), we inferred cluster memberships for these detected variable stars. Using Gaia DR2 data, we plotted a new color-magnitude diagram for NGC 1912, and showed the nature of variable cluster members in kinematical properties and heliocentric distance. Among the 24 variable stars, seven variables are probable cluster members, which show homogeneity in kinematic characters and space position with the established cluster members. Four of the seven variable cluster members are the previously discovered stars, consisting of two γ Dor stars and two δ Sct stars. The remaining three variable cluster members, which are all γ Dor stars, are firstly detected in this work. The main physical parameters of these variable cluster members estimated from the color-magnitude diagram are log(age/yr) = 8.75, [Fe/H] = –0.1, m – M = 10.03 mag, and E(B – V) = 0.307.

Investigating variable stars in the open cluster NGC 1912 and its surrounding field

In this work, we studied the variable stars in the open cluster NGC 1912 based on the photometric observations and $Gaia$ DR2 data. More than 3600 CCD frames in B, V, R filters were reduced, and we obtained the light curves that span about 63 hours. By analyzing these light curves, we detected 24 variable stars, including 16 periodic variable stars, seven eclipsing binaries and one star whose type is unclear. Among these 24 variable stars, 11 are newly-discovered, which are classified as six gamma Doradus stars, one delta Scuti star, three detached binaries and one contact binaries. We also confirmed 13 previously known variable stars. Based on cluster members identified by Cantat-Gaudin et al. (2018), we inferred cluster memberships for these detected variable stars. Using Gaia DR2 data, we plotted a new color-magnitude diagram for NGC 1912, and showed the nature of variable cluster members in kinematical properties and heliocentric distance. Among the 24 variable stars, seven variables are probable cluster members, which show homogeneity in kinematic characters and space position with the established cluster members. Four of the seven variable cluster members are the previously discovered stars, consisting of two gamma Dor stars and two delta Sct stars. The remaining three variable cluster members, which are all gamma Dor stars, are firstly detected in this work. The main physical parameters of these variable cluster members estimated from the color-magnitude diagram are log(age/yr)=8.75, [Fe/H]=-0.1, m-M=10.03 mag, and E(B-V)=0.307.

Monoceros OB4: a new association in Gaia DR2

ABSTRACT We use Gaia DR2 data to survey the classic Monoceros OB1 region and look for the existence of a dispersed young population, co-moving with the cloud complex. An analysis of the distribution of proper motions reveals a 20–30 Myr association of young stars, about 300–400 pc away from the far side of the Mon OB1 complex, along the same general line of sight. We characterize the new association, Monoceros OB4, and estimate it contains between 1400 and 2500 stars, assuming a standard initial mass function, putting it on par in size with NGC 2264. We find from the internal proper motions that Mon OB4 is unbound and expanding. Our results seem to unveil a larger and more complex Monoceros star formation region, suggesting an elongated arrangement that seems to be at least 300 × 60 pc.

The Gaia spectrophotometric standard stars survey – V. Preliminary flux tables for the calibration of Gaia DR2 and (E)DR3

ABSTRACT We present the flux tables of the spectrophotometric standard stars (SPSS) used to calibrate in flux the Gaia DR2 and (E)DR3 data releases. The latest SPSS grid version contains 112 stars, whose flux tables agree to better than 1 per cent with the CALSPEC spectra of 11 flux standards for the calibration of the Hubble Space Telescope. The synthetic magnitudes computed on the SPSS spectra also agree to better than 1 per cent with the Landolt magnitudes of 37 stars in common. The typical spreads in both comparisons are of the order of 1 per cent. These uncertainties already meet the initial requirements for the Gaia SPSS project, but further improvements are expected in the next SPSS versions, that will be used to calibrate future Gaia releases. We complement the SPSS flux tables with literature spectra of 60 additional stars that did not pass all the criteria to be SPSS, the Passband Validation Library (PVL). The PVL contains stars of extreme spectral types, such as bright O and B stars and late M stars and brown dwarfs, and was useful to investigate systematic effects in the previous Gaia DR2 release and to minimize them in the EDR3 one. The PVL literature spectra are recalibrated as accurately as possible on to the SPSS reference scale, so that the two sets together can be used in a variety of validation and comparison studies.

Improving the Orbits of Four Visual Binaries Using Gaia DR2 Data and Observations with the 26-inch Refractor of Pulkovo Observatory

We use a modified method of the apparent motion parameters (AMP), in which the initial data from the Gaia DR2 catalog are not only high-precision coordinates, parallaxes, and radial velocities of the components of the studied wide binary stars, but are also their proper motions. The coincidence of the AMP orbits obtained both from the Gaia DR2 data and from the Pulkovo series from 1960–2019 leads to an orbit that is unambiguous in terms of an ascending node. The results for improving the orbits of such visual binaries of the Pulkovo research program as ADS 246, 2757, 10386, and 12169 are presented. Orbits (with periods of 1226, 1075, 4500, and 4900 years), orbital orientation parameters in the Galaxy coordinate frame, and the masses of these systems are obtained (0.59 ± 0.05, 1.7 ± 0.3, 1.7 ± 0.4, and $$2.25 \pm 0.5{{M}_{ \odot }}$$ ). It is shown that dense homogeneous series of ground-based observations, such as CCD observations with the 26-inch refractor of the Pulkovo Observatory, do not lose their relevance, serve as the basis for identifying the best solution based on both Gaia data and our own observations, and should be continued. It was also shown that the Thiele–Innes method is not suitable for determining the orbits of binary stars with a separation of more than 100 AU. The paper is based on a presentation made at the conference “Astrometry yesterday, today, and tomorrow,” which took place on October 14–16, 2019 at the Sternberg Astronomical Institute of Moscow State University.

The Age of the Carina Young Association and Potential Membership of HD 95086

Carina is a nearby young stellar association. So far, only a small number of stars have been clearly identified as members of this association. In this paper we reanalyse the membership of the association in light of Gaia DR2 data, in particular finding that HD 95086 is a potential member (probability of 71%). This star is noteworthy as one of the few stars that hosts both a detected debris disc and a directly imaged planet. It has previously only been considered as a potential member of the Lower Centaurus Crux (LCC) - part of the Scorpius-Centaurus association. We also reanalyse the age of the Carina association. Using a Bayesian inference code applied to infer a solution from stellar evolution models for the most probable (>99%) members of Carina, we infer an age for the association of 13.3$^{+1.1}_{-0.6}$ Myr, much younger than previous studies. Whilst we have revised HD 95086's association membership from LCC to Carina, the fact that we also find Carina to have a younger age, similar to that of LCC, means that the estimates of HD 95086b's mass remain unchanged. However, the younger age of Carina does mean that the companion to another Carina member, HD 44627 (or AB Pic), has a mass that is more clearly in the planet rather than brown dwarf range.

ML-MOC: Machine Learning (kNN and GMM) based Membership determination for Open Clusters

ABSTRACTThe existing open-cluster membership determination algorithms are either prior dependent on some known parameters of clusters or are not automatable to large samples of clusters. In this paper, we present ml-moc, a new machine-learning-based approach to identify likely members of open clusters using the Gaia DR2 data and no a priori information about cluster parameters. We use the k-nearest neighbour (kNN) algorithm and the Gaussian mixture model (GMM) on high-precision proper motions and parallax measurements from the Gaia DR2 data to determine the membership probabilities of individual sources down to G ∼ 20 mag. To validate the developed method, we apply it to 15 open clusters: M67, NGC 2099, NGC 2141, NGC 2243, NGC 2539, NGC 6253, NGC 6405, NGC 6791, NGC 7044, NGC 7142, NGC 752, Blanco 1, Berkeley 18, IC 4651, and Hyades. These clusters differ in terms of their ages, distances, metallicities, and extinctions and cover a wide parameter space in proper motions and parallaxes with respect to the field population. The extracted members produce clean colour–magnitude diagrams and our astrometric parameters of the clusters are in good agreement with the values derived in previous work. The estimated degree of contamination in the extracted members ranges between 2 ${{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ and 12 ${{\ \rm per\ cent}}$. The results show that ml-moc is a reliable approach to segregate open-cluster members from field stars.

A Comprehensive Analysis of NGC 2158 in the Gaia Era: Photometric Parameters, Apex, and Orbit

Abstract We present an investigation of NGC 2158 using Gaia DR2 data. We identified 800 most likely cluster members with membership probability higher than 90%. The mean proper motions of this object are determined as (μ x = −0.203 ± 0.003, μ y = −1.99 ± 0.004) mas yr−1. The limiting radius, log(age), and distance of the cluster are obtained as 23.5 arcmin, 9.38 ± 0.04 Gyr, and 4.69 ± 0.22 kpc, respectively. The overall mass function slope (0.93 ± 0.14) is flatter than the Salpeter value (1.35) within the mass range of 1.17–1.44 M ⊙. This cluster also shows the mass-segregation effect and our study demonstrates that NGC 2158 is a dynamically relaxed open cluster. Using the apex diagram (AD), the apex coordinates of the cluster are obtained in different ways and are examined using the (μ U ,μ T ) diagram. The best value of the apex coordinates is determined as A = 8724 ± 160, D = −3661 ± 530. We also determined the orbit of the cluster and found that NGC 2158 moves almost in the solar antapex direction. The resulting spatial velocity of NGC 2158 is 51 km s−1. A significant oscillation along the Z-coordinate up to 529 pc is detected. Various scenarios regarding the origin of this cluster are also discussed.

Contribution of Binary Stars to the Velocity Dispersion inside OB Associations with Gaia DR2 Data

We estimated the contribution of binary systems to the velocity dispersion inside OB-associations derived from Gaia DR2 proper motions. The maximum contribution to the velocity dispersion is given by the systems with the period of revolution of P=5.9 yr whose components shift by a distance of about the diameter of the system during the base-line time of Gaia DR2 observations. We employed two methods to study the motion of the photocenter of the binary system: the first one uses the total displacement between the initial and final visibility periods and the second one is based on solving a system of n equations defining the displacements at the times t_n. The first and second methods yield very similar sigma_bn values of 0.90 and 0.87 km s-1, respectively. Taking into account the fact that orbits are elliptical slightly decreases the inferred sigma_bn. We estimated the eccentricity-averaged sigma_bn value to be sigma_bn=0.81 km s-1 assuming that the orbital eccentricities of massive binary systems are distributed uniformly in the [0, 0.9] interval. The choice of the exponent gamma in the power-law distribution, p_q ~ q^gamma, of the component-mass ratios q=M_2/M_1 of binary systems appears to have little effect on sigma_bn. A change of gamma from 0 (flat distribution) to -2.0 (preponderance of systems with low-mass components) changes sigma_bn from 0.90 to 1.07 km s-1.

New star clusters discovered towards the Galactic bulge direction using Gaia DR2

ABSTRACT We report the discovery of 34 new open clusters and candidates as a result of a systematic search carried out in 200 adjacent fields of 1 × 1 deg2 area projected towards the Galactic bulge, using Gaia DR2 data. The objects were identified and characterized by a joint analysis of their photometric, kinematic, and spatial distribution that has been consistently used and proved to be effective in our previous works. The discoveries were validated by cross-referencing the objects position and astrometric parameters with the available literature. Besides their coordinates and astrometric parameters, we also provide sizes, ages, distances, and reddening for the discovered objects. In particular, 32 clusters are closer than 2 kpc from the Sun, which represents an increment of nearly $39{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ of objects with astrophysical parameters determined in the nearby inner disc. Although these objects fill an important gap in the open clusters distribution along the Sagittarius arm, this arm, traced by known clusters, appears to be interrupted, which may be an artefact due to the incompleteness of the cluster census.

The COMBS Survey - II. Distinguishing the metal-poor bulge from the halo interlopers

ABSTRACT The metal-poor stars in the bulge are important relics of the Milky Way’s formation history, as simulations predict that they are some of the oldest stars in the Galaxy. In order to determine if they are truly ancient stars, we must understand their origins. Currently, it is unclear if the metal-poor stars in the bulge ([Fe/H] < −1 dex) are merely halo interlopers, a unique accreted population, part of the boxy/peanut-shaped bulge, or a classical bulge population. In this work, we use spectra from the VLT/FLAMES spectrograph to obtain metallicity estimates using the Ca-II triplet of 473 bulge stars (187 of which have [Fe/H] < −1 dex), targeted using SkyMapper photometry. We also use Gaia DR2 data to infer the Galactic positions and velocities along with orbital properties for 523 stars. We employ a probabilistic orbit analysis and find that about half of our sample has a >50 per cent probability of being bound to the bulge, and half are halo interlopers. We also see that the occurrence rate of halo interlopers increases steadily with decreasing metallicity across the full range of our sample (−3 < [Fe/H] < 0.5). Our examination of the kinematics of the confined compared to the unbound stars indicates the metal-poor bulge comprises at least two populations; those confined to the boxy/peanut bulge and halo stars passing through the inner galaxy. We conclude that an orbital analysis approach, as we have employed, is important to understand the composite nature of the metal-poor stars in the inner region.