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NASA NTRS1989

A 110-ms pulsar, with negative period derivative, in the globular cluster M15

The discovery of a 110-ms pulsar, PSR2127+11, in the globular cluster M15, is reported. The results of nine months of timing measurements place the new pulsar about 2 arcsec from the center of the cluster, and indicate that it is not a member of a close binary system. The measured negative value of the period derivative is probably the result of the pulsar being bodily accelerated in our direction by the gravitational field of the collapsed core of M15. This apparently overwhelms a positive contribution to the period derivative due to magnetic braking. Although the pulsar has an unexpectedly long period, it is argued that it belongs to the class of 'recycled' pulsars, which have been spun up by accretion in a binary system. The subsequent loss of the pulsar's companion is probably due to disruption of the system by close encounters with other stars.

Wolszczan, A.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Photographic, near-infrared, and CCD photometry of the distant globular cluster AM-1

New photographic, CCD, and near-infrared photometry of stars in the distant globular cluster AM-1 are presented. Based on the photographic and CCD photometry down to the horizontal branch, a distance modulus (m-M)v = 20.4 mag is derived, with E(B-V) = 0.0 mag, corresponding to a distance of 120 kpc from the sun. Using the (V-K) colors of two giants in AM-1, a metallicity of Fe/H = -2.0 + or - 0.2 is deduced, in good agreement with earlier determinations. Using complete photometry and star counts, a core radius of 10 arcsec (6 pc) and a tidal radius of 100 arcsec (58 pc) are derived. Despite the low intrinsic luminosity (Mv = -5.0 mag) and the large galactocentric distance of this globular cluster, the apparent magnitude distribution of the giant branch stars of AM-1 is not found to be unusual.

Madore, Barry F.↗

NASA NTRS1989

IRAS observations of the Rho Ophiuchi infrared cluster - Spectral energy distributions and luminosity function

High-sensitivity IRAS coadded survey data, coupled with new high-sensitivity near-IR observations, are used to investigate the nature of embedded objects over an 4.3-sq-pc area comprising the central star-forming cloud of the Ophiuchi molecular complex; the area encompasses the central cloud of the Rho Ophiuchi complex and includes the core region. Seventy-eight members of the embedded cluster were identified; spectral energy distributions were constructed for 53 objects and were compared with theoretical models to gain insight into their evolutionary status. Bolometric luminosities could be estimated for nearly all of the association members, leading to a revised luminosity function for this dust-embedded cluster.

Wilking, Bruce A.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Angular clustering properties of gamma-ray bursts and quantitative constraints on their distances

Upper limits on the angular correlation function, w(theta), of gamma-ray bursts are obtained which constrain the sources to be very nearby or very distant. The angular clustering properties of the sources in two recent gamma-ray burst catalogs (Golenetskii et al., 1986 and Atteia et al., 1987) have been derived by determining their two-point w(theta) values, and the correlations of both data sets are consistent with w(theta) = 0. It is shown that if the spatial correlation of gamma-ray bursts resembles that of galaxies or galactic clusters, present gamma-ray burst catalogs must be complete to distances in excess of 100 Mpc, while if gamma-ray bursts are associated with a Galactic disk population, then the upper limits on w(theta) constrain the sampling depth to less than two disk scale heights.

Hartmann, Dieter↗

NASA NTRS1989

X-ray constraints on large scale clustering

HEAO-1 A2 all-sky survey data are analyzed to investigate the autocorrelation function of the surface brightness fluctuations of the extra-galactic 2-10-keV X-ray background on angular scales ranging from 3 to 27 deg. No significant signal has been detected on any scale. The derived upper limits set important bounds on correlated emission on scales of 10 Mpc or greater. X-ray data are found to be compatible with optical estimates of the two-point spatial correlation function of rich clusters of galaxies and with recent predictions for their cosmological evolution. Constraints on clustering of active galactic nuclei and on its dependence on cosmic time are analyzed in the light of results of recent optical studies.

De Zotti, G.↗

NASA NTRS1989

A color gradient in the globular cluster M15

A U-B color map of the central regions of the globular cluster M15 is constructed from data taken at the CFHT in subarcsec seeing. Analysis of the color distribution of the pixels in this map unambiguously demonstrates that the area within 6.6 arcsec of the center of the cluster is bluer than surrounding regions. The difference is apparently caused by a population of faint blue stars more prevalent in the core than elsewhere, and is consistent with post-core-collapse models which predict a centrally condensed distribution of cataclysmic variables.

Bailyn, C. D.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Electrostatic Dispersion Of Drops In Clusters

Electrical charging speeds evaporation. Report presents theoretical study of evaporation and dispersion of electrostatically charged clusters of drops in liquid fuel sprays. Represents extension of studies described in article, "More About Evaporation of Drops in Clusters" (NPO-17594). Undertaken in effort to learn how electrostatic atomization used to disperse fuel better in order to reduce formation of soot in diesel engines and other power and combustion systems.

Bellan, Josette↗

NASA NTRS1990

Optical signatures of molecular particles via mass-selected cluster spectroscopy

A new molecular beam apparatus was developed to study optical absorption in cold (less than 100 K) atomic clusters and complexes produced by their condensation with simple molecular gases. In this instrument, ionized clusters produced in a laser vaporization nozzle source are mass selected and studied with photodissociation spectroscopy at visible and ultraviolet wavelengths. This new approach can be applied to synthesize and characterize numerous particulates and weakly bound complexes expected in planetary atmospheres and in comets.

Duncan, Michael A.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Using X-ray absorption lines to determine the distances to clusters of galaxies

The stronger resonant X-ray lines from the intracluster gas should be observable as absorption lines in the spectrum of an X-ray emitting background quasar. The equivalent widths of the strongest absorption lines in a set of model clusters with typical parameters are calculated, and the strongest lines are found to have equivalent widths of several eV. By comparing the equivalent width of such a line and the flux from the same line seen in emission, the distance to the cluster can be directly determined, independent of the standard extragalactic distance scale. A method of analyzing the X-ray absorption and emission measurements is presented, and the effects of resonant scattering on the distances are discussed.

Sarazin, Craig L.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Evolution of wide binary millisecond pulsars in globular clusters

The evolution of a binary radio pulsar in a wide orbit about a low-mass degenerate dwarf companion in a globular cluster environment is investigated. An extensive series of numerical scattering experiments is used to study encounters between such a pulsar and passing cluster field stars. A wide range of initial orbital periods from 3 to 1000 days is considered with a corresponding range of masses for the degenerate dwarf companions. The calculative results are summarized in the form of scattering cross sections. In particular, cross sections are presented for three final 'channels' in which the end product of the encounter is an isolated neutron star. Cross sections for inducing various orbital eccentricities into initially circular orbits are also derived. The implications of the results for the formation of the single millisecond pulsars in M28 and M15 and for the nearly circular obit of the M4 binary radio pulsar are discussed.

Rappaport, S.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Near-infrared photometry and stellar populations of first-ranked galaxies in a complete sample of nearby Abell clusters

Eighty-four brightest cluster members (BCMs) in the complete sample of high Galactic latitude nearby Abell clusters of Hoessel, Gunn, and Thuan (HGT) are investigated. The stellar populations in BCMs using near-infrared and optical-near-infrared colors are studied. Brighter BCMs have redder (J-K) and (V-K) colors, suggesting a metallicity increase in brighter galaxies. The larger dispersion of their colors implies that BCMs possess more heterogeneous stellar populations than their lower luminosity counterparts, the normal elliptical galaxies. Special attention is paid to BCMs associated with cooling flows. BCMs with larger accretion rates have bluer (V-K) colors due to ultraviolet excesses and are brighter in the visual wavelength region, but not in the infrared. It is suggested that part of the X-ray emitting cooling gas is converted into high- and intermediate-mass stars emitting in the blue and visible, but not in the infrared. The properties of BCMs as standard candles in the near-infrared are examined and compared with those in the optical.

Thuan, Trinx X.↗

NASA NTRS1989

The detection of an IR excess toward the globular cluster RV Tauri variable M28 V17

The paper presents the results of a search for IR emission excesses toward three globular cluster stars. Two of the stars are RV Tau variables (M28 V17 and M5 V85) and one is believed to be a W Vir variable (M5 V42) which is historically linked to the RV Tau class. Consideration is given to the implications of the observed detections, in particular, the establishment of M28 V17 as a star in a globular cluster that is indistinguishable from the Preston type A subclass.

Nook, Mark A.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Surface brightness fluctuations and the distance to the Virgo Cluster

Preliminary results from a project to measure the fluxes of giant stars in M32, NGC 3379, and five Virgo Cluster galaxies are presented. Since the Virgo Cluster galaxies are approximately equidistant, variations in observed fluctuation amplitude from galaxy to galaxy can be ascribed to variations in absolute luminosity of the giant stars in the galaxies. Assuming a distance of 0.72 Mpc for M32 and correcting for the color effect in m-bar, the typical brightness of giant stars, distances of 9 Mpc for NGC 3379 and 14 Mpc for Virgo, accurate to about 10 percent, are derived. This is used to find a Hubble constant of 88 km/s/Mpc. The method can be used to measure m-bar in galaxies at least 40-50 Mpc distant.

Tonry, John L.↗

NASA NTRS1989

The ages of globular cluster stars - Effects of rotation on pre-main-sequence, main-sequence, and turnoff evolution

Evolutionary sequences for low-metallicity stars (Z ranging from 0.001 to 0.0001) to study the effects of internal stellar rotation on the evolutionary time scales in the pre-main sequence, the main sequence (MS), and around the MS turnoff. Although a substantial amount of angular momentum remains in the interior, rotation is only a minor perturbation on the structure and ages of globular cluster stars. Even models with large initial angular momenta have MS lifetimes that are within 1 percent of those of standard models of the same mass and composition. Therefore, rotation does not affect age estimates of globular clusters from isochrone fitting. Furthermore, the models suggest that because rotation is not likely to affect horizontal-branch (HB) morphology, it does not affect significantly age estimates from the Delta-V method. Nevertheless, the internal angular momentum in the models is consistent with observations of surface rotational velocities on the HB, which require the preservation of a large reservoir of internal angular momentum.

Deliyannis, Constantine P.↗

NASA NTRS1990

X-ray studies of coeval star samples. II - The Pleiades cluster as observed with the Einstein Observatory

Coronal X-ray emission of the Pleiades stars is investigated, and maximum likelihood, integral X-ray luminosity functions are computed for Pleiades members in selected color-index ranges. A detailed search is conducted for long-term variability in the X-ray emission of those stars observed more than once. An overall comparison of the survey results with those of previous surveys confirms the ubiquity of X-ray emission in the Pleiades cluster stars and its higher rate of emission with respect to older stars. It is found that the X-ray emission from dA and early dF stars cannot be proven to be dissimilar to that of Hyades and field stars of the same spectral type. The Pleiades cluster members show a real rise of the X-ray luminosity from dA stars to early dF stars. X-ray emission for the young, solarlike Pleiades stars is about two orders of magnitude more intense than for the nearby solarlike stars.

Micela, G.↗

NASA NTRS1990

AMOEBA clustering revisited

A description of the clustering, classification, and image display program AMOEBA is presented. Using a difficult high resolution aircraft-acquired MSS image, the steps the program takes in forming clusters are traced. A number of new features are described here for the first time. Usage of the program is discussed. The theoretical foundation (the underlying mathematical model) is briefly presented. The program can handle images of any size and dimensionality.

Bryant, Jack↗

NASA NTRS1990

New bound on neutrino dipole moments from globular-cluster stars

Neutrino dipole moments mu(nu) would increase the core mass of red giants at the helium flash by delta(Mc) = 0.015 solar mass x mu(nu)/10 to the -12th muB (where muB is the Bohr magneton) because of enhanced neutrino losses. Existing measurements of the bolometric magnitudes of the brightest red giants in 26 globular clusters, number counts of horizontal-branch stars and red giants in 15 globular clusters, and statistical parallax determinations of field RR Lyr luminosities yield delta(Mc) = 0.009 + or - 0.012 solar mass, so that conservatively mu(nu) is less than 3 x 10 to the -12th muB.

Raffelt, Georg G.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Color and population gradients in globular cluster cores

New observational results on color and population gradients in the cores of several highly concentrated globular clusters are reported. The gradients are in the sense of blueing toward the cluster center, and appear to be caused mostly or entirely by population gradients in the number of blue horizontal branch and red giant branch stars. Taken at face value, such gradients would imply an inverse mass segregation, but this interpretation is not fully secure. In any case, their dynamical understanding remains a problem.

Djorgovski, S.↗