Large Magellanic Cloud Sources Research Articles

Blending from binarity in microlensing searches toward the Large Magellanic Cloud

Context. Studies of gravitational microlensing effects require the estimation of their detection efficiency as soon as one wants to quantify the massive compact objects along the line of sight of source targets. This is particularly important for setting limits on the contribution of massive compact objects to the Galactic halo. These estimates of detection efficiency must not only account for the blending effects of accidentally superimposed sources in crowded fields, but also for possible mixing of light from stars belonging to multiple gravitationally bound stellar systems. Aims. Until now, only blending due to accidental alignment of stars had been studied, in particular as a result of high-resolution space images. In this paper, we address the impact of unresolved binary sources that are physically gravitationally bound and not accidentally aligned, in the case of microlensing detection efficiencies toward the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Methods. We used the Gaia catalog of nearby stars to constrain the local binarity rate, which we extrapolated to the distance of the LMC. Then we estimated an upper limit to the impact of this binarity on the detection efficiency of microlensing effects, as a function of lens mass. Results. We find that a maximum of 6.2% of microlensing events on LMC sources due to halo lenses heavier than 30 M⊙ could be affected as a result of the sources belonging to unresolved binary systems. This number is the maximum fraction of events for which the source is a binary system separated by about one angular Einstein radius or more in a configuration where light-curve distortion could affect the efficiency of some detection algorithms. For events caused by lighter lenses on LMC sources, our study shows that the chances of blending effects by binary systems is likely to be higher and should be studied in more detail to improve the accuracy of efficiency calculations.

VLT/ISAAC infrared spectroscopy of embedded high-mass YSOs in the Large Magellanic Cloud: Methanol and the 3.47μm band

This study aims to elucidate a possible link between chemical properties of ices in star-forming regions and environmental characteristics of the host galaxy. We performed 3--4 micron spectroscopic observations toward nine embedded high-mass YSOs in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) with the ISAAC at the VLT. Additionally, we analyzed archival ISAAC data of two LMC YSOs. As a result, we detected absorption bands due to solid H2O and CH3OH as well as the 3.47 micron absorption band. The 3.53 micron CH3OH ice absorption band for the LMC YSOs is found to be absent or very weak compared to that seen toward Galactic sources. The result suggests the low abundance of CH3OH ice in the LMC. The 3.47 micron absorption band is detected toward six out of eleven LMC YSOs. We found that the 3.47 micron band and the H2O ice band correlate similarly between the LMC and Galactic samples, but the LMC sources seem to require a slightly higher H2O ice threshold for the appearance of the 3.47 micron band. For the LMC sources with relatively large H2O ice optical depths, we found that the strength ratio of the 3.47 micron band relative to the water ice band is only marginally lower than those of the Galactic sources. We propose that grain surface reactions at a relatively high dust temperature (warm ice chemistry) are responsible for the observed characteristics of ice chemical compositions in the LMC. We suggest that this warm ice chemistry is one of the important characteristics of interstellar and circumstellar chemistry in low metallicity environments. The low abundance of CH3OH in the solid phase implies that formation of complex organic molecules from methanol-derived species is less efficient in the LMC. For the 3.47 micron band, the observed difference in the water ice threshold may suggest that a more shielded environment is necessary for the formation of the 3.47 micron band carrier in the LMC.

SPITZERVIEW OF MASSIVE STAR FORMATION IN THE TIDALLY STRIPPED MAGELLANIC BRIDGE

The Magellanic Bridge is the nearest low-metallicity, tidally stripped environment, offering a unique high-resolution view of physical conditions in merging and forming galaxies. In this paper we present analysis of candidate massive young stellar objects (YSOs), i.e., {\it in situ, current} massive star formation (MSF) in the Bridge using {\it Spitzer} mid-IR and complementary optical and near-IR photometry. While we definitely find YSOs in the Bridge, the most massive are $\sim10 M_\odot$, $\ll45 M_\odot$ found in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). The intensity of MSF in the Bridge also appears decreasing, as the most massive YSOs are less massive than those formed in the past. To investigate environmental effects on MSF, we have compared properties of massive YSOs in the Bridge to those in the LMC. First, YSOs in the Bridge are apparently less embedded than in the LMC: 81% of Bridge YSOs show optical counterparts, compared to only 56% of LMC sources with the same range of mass, circumstellar dust mass, and line-of-sight extinction. Circumstellar envelopes are evidently more porous or clumpy in the Bridge's low-metallicity environment. Second, we have used whole samples of YSOs in the LMC and the Bridge to estimate the probability of finding YSOs at a given \hi\ column density, N(HI). We found that the LMC has $\sim3\times$ higher probability than the Bridge for N(HI) $>10\times10^{20}$ cm$^{-2}$, but the trend reverses at lower N(HI). Investigating whether this lower efficiency relative to HI is due to less efficient molecular cloud formation, or less efficient cloud collapse, or both, will require sensitive molecular gas observations.

THE EVOLUTION OF MASSIVE YOUNG STELLAR OBJECTS IN THE LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD. II. THERMAL PROCESSING OF CIRCUMSTELLAR ICES

We present Spitzer Space Telescope spectroscopy of the CO2 ice absorption feature at 15.2 μm toward 41 high-mass young stellar objects in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). As the shape of the CO2 absorption profile is a measure of both the composition and thermal history of the ice, we have performed a decomposition of the spectral profiles to determine the nature of the CO2 ice. We fit the absorption profiles to laboratory analogues of ice spectra with two different methods: (1) a five-component fit with polar and apolar ices and (2) a two-component fit with a polar and an annealed H2O:CH3OH:CO2 ice mixture. Many of the LMC sources have a pronounced double peak in their CO2 feature profiles analogous to that seen from pure CO2 or annealed CO2 laboratory ice mixtures; these represent the first direct detections of the characteristic double peak in an extragalactic environment. Fits to annealed laboratory ices suggest that the ices around massive LMC young stellar objects (YSOs) have been warmed and thermally processed. We find that a majority of the CO2 is embedded in a polar ice matrix; however, the observations suggest that a lower fraction of CO2 is locked in polar ices in the LMC compared to the Milky Way, which is in agreement with the proposed lower LMC abundance of water ice. In addition, we find that the ices are best fit with laboratory ice mixtures composed of less than 50% methanol, and most absorption spectra can be fit by ices with no methanol. Finally, we corroborate mounting evidence of an enhanced CO2 ice abundance in the LMC relative to the Milky Way, and determine a CO2/H2O ratio of 0.33 ± 0.01 by combining the column densities of these observations with those in the literature.

The mid-infrared colours of Galactic bulge, disc and Magellanic planetary nebulae

We present mid-infrared (MIR) photometry for 367 Galactic disk, bulge and Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) planetary nebulae, determined using GLIMPSE II and SAGE data acquired using the Spitzer Space Telescope. This has permitted us to make a comparison between the luminosity functions of bulge and LMC planetary nebulae, and between the MIR colours of all three categories of source. It is determined that whilst the 3.6 microns luminosity function of the LMC and bulge sources are likely to be closely similar, the [3.6]-[5.8] and [5.8]-[8-0] indices of LMC nebulae are different from those of their disk and bulge counterparts. This may arise because of enhanced 6.2 microns PAH emission within the LMC sources, and/or as a result of differences between the spectra of LMC PNe and those of their Galactic counterparts. We also determine that the more evolved disk sources listed in the MASH catalogues of Parker et al. and Miszalski et al. (2008) have similar colours to those of the less evolved (and higher surface brightness) sources in the catalogue of Acker et al. (1992); a result which appears at variance with previous studies of these sources.

Microlensing towards the LMC revisited by adopting a non-Gaussian velocity distribution for the sources

We discuss whether the Gaussian is a reasonable approximation of the velocity distribution of stellar systems that are not spherically distributed. By using a non-Gaussian velocity distribution to describe the sources in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), we reinvestigate the expected microlensing parameters of a lens population isotropically distributed either in the Milky Way halo or in the LMC (self lensing). We compare our estimates with the experimental results of the MACHO collaboration. An interesting result that emerges from our analysis is that, moving from the Gaussian to the non-Gaussian case, we do not observe any change in the form of the distribution curves describing the rate of microlensing events for lenses in the Galactic halo. The corresponding expected timescales and number of expected events also do not vary. Conversely, with respect to the self-lensing case, we observe a moderate increase in the rate and number of expected events. We conclude that the error in the estimate of the most likely value for the MACHO mass and the Galactic halo fraction in form of MACHOs, calculated with a Gaussian velocity distribution for the LMC sources, is not higher than 2%.

Asymptotic giant branch superwind speed at low metallicity

We present the results of a survey for OH maser emission at 1612 MHz from dust-enshrouded asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars and supergiants in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), with the Parkes radio telescope, aimed at deriving the speed of the superwind from the double-peaked OH maser profiles. Out of eight targets in the LMC we detected five, of which three are new detections – no maser emission was detected in the two SMC targets. We detected for the first time the redshifted components of the OH maser profile in the extreme red supergiant IRAS 04553−6825, confirming the suspicion that its wind speed had been severely underestimated. Despite a much improved spectrum for IRAS 04407−7000, which was known to exhibit a single-peaked OH maser, no complementary peak could be detected. The new detection in IRAS 05003−6712 was also single-peaked, but for two other new detections, IRAS 04498−6842 and IRAS 05558−7000, wind speeds could be determined from their double-peaked maser profiles. The complete sample of known OH/IR stars in the LMC is compared with a sample of OH/IR stars in the galactic centre. The LMC sources generally show a pronounced asymmetry between the bright blueshifted maser emission and weaker redshifted emission, which we attribute to the greater contribution of amplification of radiation coming directly from the star itself, as the LMC sources are both more luminous and less dusty than their galactic centre counterparts. We confirm that the OH maser strength is a measure of the dust (rather than gas) mass-loss rate. At a given luminosity or pulsation period, the wind speed in LMC sources is lower than in galactic centre sources, and the observed trends confirm simple radiation-driven wind theory if the dust-to-gas ratio is approximately proportional to the metallicity.

The PAH emission spectra of Large Magellanic Cloud H II regions

A set of ISOPHOT spectra from a sample of HII regions in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is presented. In all the spectra, emission bands arising from Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are clearly present. These features are observed to vary considerably in relative strength to each other from source to source and even within 30 Doradus. The LMC spectra have been compared with ISO-SWS spectra from Galactic HII regions and with the ISOCAM observation towards a quiescent molecular cloud in the SMC (Reach et al. [CITE]). A correlation is found between the I7.7/I11.2 versus I6.2/I11.2 and the I8.6/I11.2 versus I6.2/I11.2 ratios. A segregation between the sources in the different types of environment (Milky Way – LMC – SMC) is present. Furthermore, within the LMC observations, a clear distinction between 30 Doradus and non-30 Doradus pointings is found. We discuss the variations in the relative strength of the PAH features in view of the different physical environments and highlight the relation with the PAH/dust ratio and the extinction curve. We conclude that 1) the same conditions responsible for the observed trends in the relative PAH-feature strengths also affect the carrier of the 2175 Å bump leading to the differences in strength of the latter, and 2) the molecular structure is the major cause of the observed variations in the relative strength of the PAH features. In the SMC and 30 Doradus compact PAH species dominate, while PAHs with an open, uneven structure are the dominant ones in Galactic HII regions and the non-30 Dor LMC sources.

ITAL]MSX[/ITAL], 2MASS, and the Large Magellanic Cloud: A Combined Near- and Mid-Infrared View

The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) has been observed by the Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) in the mid-infrared and the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) in the near-infrared. We have performed a cross-correlation of the 1806 MSX catalog sources and nearly 1.4 million 2MASS cataloged point and extended sources and find 1664 matches. Using the available color information, we identify a number of stellar populations and nebulae, including main-sequence stars, giant stars, red supergiants, carbon- and oxygen-rich asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars, planetary nebulae, H II regions, and other dusty objects likely associated with early-type stars. A total of 731 of these sources have no previous identification. We compile a listing of all objects, which includes photometry and astrometry. The 8.3 μm MSX sensitivity is the limiting factor for object detection: only the brighter red objects, specifically the red supergiants, AGB stars, planetary nebulae, and H II regions, are detected in the LMC. The remaining objects are likely in the Galactic foreground. The spatial distribution of the infrared LMC sources may contribute to understanding stellar formation and evolution and the overall galactic evolution. We demonstrate that a combined mid- and near-infrared photometric baseline provides a powerful means of identifying new objects in the LMC for future ground-based and space-based follow-up observations.

Optical counterparts of the Large Magellanic Cloud X-ray point sources

The results of a program of optical identification of the X-ray point sources in the direction of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) are presented. Observational results are combined with accurate positions of about 3-arcsec obtained with the Einstein Observatory Imaging Proportional Counter (IPC). The sources include 13 foreground stars, three background active galaxies, and six LMC members which are known or suspected to be binaries. The 24 other sources in the Einstein LMC survey have only 30-arcsec positions and on average are less luminous and in more crowded regions of the LMC. On the basis of the new identifications, comparisons are made between the overall stellar X-ray population in the LMC and in the Galaxy. Although the mean X-ray luminosity of the LMC sources is significantly higher than that of the Galaxy, the total number of stellar X-ray systems per unit mass is similar in the LMC and the Galaxy.

Large Magellanic Cloud sources at 3.4-cm wavelength

Large Magellanic Cloud sources at 3.4-cm wavelength