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At least 19 records

Variance Preserving Spectral Subsampling

Generating statistically faithful short-duration gamma-ray spectra from a single long measurement is essential in nuclear safeguards, supporting tasks such as algorithm development and machine-learning applications, especially when list-mode data are unavailable. Existing subsampling methods often distort the statistical characteristics of genuine short-duration measurements, leading to biased or unreliable analytical outcomes and thereby undermining downstream tasks. In this work, we compare five subsampling approaches using a benchmark set of 156 genuine replicate spectra collected with a high-purity germanium detector. We evaluate each method with respect to run-to-run variance, channel-to-channel variance, and preservation of total counts (losslessness). Across a wide range of subsampling ratios, only binomial subsampling without replacement consistently reproduces the statistical properties of genuine short-duration spectra, maintaining proper dispersion even in sparse spectral regions and perfectly preserving total counts. These results provide a mathematically principled and practically validated framework for generating synthetically shortened spectra when true short-duration measurements are unavailable.

98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL P↗

Spectral Dimensionality and Scale of Urban Radiance

Characterization of urban radiance and reflectance is important for understanding the effects of solar energy flux on the urban environment as well as for satellite mapping of urban settlement patterns. Spectral mixture analyses of Landsat and Ikonos imagery suggest that the urban radiance field can very often be described with combinations of three or four spectral endmembers. Dimensionality estimates of Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) radiance measurements of urban areas reveal the existence of 30 to 60 spectral dimensions. The extent to which broadband imagery collected by operational satellites can represent the higher dimensional mixing space is a function of both the spatial and spectral resolution of the sensor. AVIRIS imagery offers the spatial and spectral resolution necessary to investigate the scale dependence of the spectral dimensionality. Dimensionality estimates derived from Minimum Noise Fraction (MNF) eigenvalue distributions show a distinct scale dependence for AVIRIS radiance measurements of Milpitas, California. Apparent dimensionality diminishes from almost 40 to less than 10 spectral dimensions between scales of 8000 m and 300 m. The 10 to 30 m scale of most features in urban mosaics results in substantial spectral mixing at the 20 m scale of high altitude AVIRIS pixels. Much of the variance at pixel scales is therefore likely to result from actual differences in surface reflectance at pixel scales. Spatial smoothing and spectral subsampling of AVIRIS spectra both result in substantial loss of information and reduction of apparent dimensionality, but the primary spectral endmembers in all cases are analogous to those found in global analyses of Landsat and Ikonos imagery of other urban areas.

Small, Christopher↗

Onboard Science and Applications Algorithm for Hyperspectral Data Reduction

An onboard processing mission concept is under development for a possible Direct Broadcast capability for the HyspIRI mission, a Hyperspectral remote sensing mission under consideration for launch in the next decade. The concept would intelligently spectrally and spatially subsample the data as well as generate science products onboard to enable return of key rapid response science and applications information despite limited downlink bandwidth. This rapid data delivery concept focuses on wildfires and volcanoes as primary applications, but also has applications to vegetation, coastal flooding, dust, and snow/ice applications. Operationally, the HyspIRI team would define a set of spatial regions of interest where specific algorithms would be executed. For example, known coastal areas would have certain products or bands downlinked, ocean areas might have other bands downlinked, and during fire seasons other areas would be processed for active fire detections. Ground operations would automatically generate the mission plans specifying the highest priority tasks executable within onboard computation, setup, and data downlink constraints. The spectral bands of the TIR (thermal infrared) instrument can accurately detect the thermal signature of fires and send down alerts, as well as the thermal and VSWIR (visible to short-wave infrared) data corresponding to the active fires. Active volcanism also produces a distinctive thermal signature that can be detected onboard to enable spatial subsampling. Onboard algorithms and ground-based algorithms suitable for onboard deployment are mature. On HyspIRI, the algorithm would perform a table-driven temperature inversion from several spectral TIR bands, and then trigger downlink of the entire spectrum for each of the hot pixels identified. Ocean and coastal applications include sea surface temperature (using a small spectral subset of TIR data, but requiring considerable ancillary data), and ocean color applications to track biological activity such as harmful algal blooms. Measuring surface water extent to track flooding is another rapid response product leveraging VSWIR spectral information.

Chien, Steve A.↗

The redshift evolution of the mean temperature, pressure, and entropy profiles in 80 SPT-selected galaxy clusters

We present the results of an X-ray analysis of 80 galaxy clusters selected in the 2500 deg{sup 2} South Pole Telescope survey and observed with the Chandra X-ray Observatory. We divide the full sample into subsamples of ∼20 clusters based on redshift and central density, performing a joint X-ray spectral fit to all clusters in a subsample simultaneously, assuming self-similarity of the temperature profile. This approach allows us to constrain the shape of the temperature profile over 0 < r < 1.5R {sub 500}, which would be impossible on a per-cluster basis, since the observations of individual clusters have, on average, 2000 X-ray counts. The results presented here represent the first constraints on the evolution of the average temperature profile from z = 0 to z = 1.2. We find that high-z (0.6 < z < 1.2) clusters are slightly (∼30%) cooler both in the inner (r < 0.1R {sub 500}) and outer (r > R {sub 500}) regions than their low-z (0.3 < z < 0.6) counterparts. Combining the average temperature profile with measured gas density profiles from our earlier work, we infer the average pressure and entropy profiles for each subsample. Confirming earlier results from this data set, we find an absence of strong cool cores at high z, manifested in this analysis as a significantly lower observed pressure in the central 0.1R {sub 500} of the high-z cool-core subset of clusters compared to the low-z cool-core subset. Overall, our observed pressure profiles agree well with earlier lower-redshift measurements, suggesting minimal redshift evolution in the pressure profile outside of the core. We find no measurable redshift evolution in the entropy profile at r ≲ 0.7R {sub 500}—this may reflect a long-standing balance between cooling and feedback over long timescales and large physical scales. We observe a slight flattening of the entropy profile at r ≳ R {sub 500} in our high-z subsample. This flattening is consistent with a temperature bias due to the enhanced (∼3×) rate at which group-mass (∼2 keV) halos, which would go undetected at our survey depth, are accreting onto the cluster at z ∼ 1. This work demonstrates a powerful method for inferring spatially resolved cluster properties in the case where individual cluster signal-to-noise is low, but the number of observed clusters is high.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

A NEW Hα EMISSION-LINE SURVEY IN THE ORION NEBULA CLUSTER

We present results from an Hα emission line survey in a 1 deg{sup 2} area centered on the Orion Nebula Cluster, obtained with the Wide Field Grism Spectrograph 2 on the 2.2 m telescope of the University of Hawaii. We identified 587 stars with Hα emission, 99 of which, located mainly in the outer regions of the observed area, have not appeared in previous Hα surveys. We determined the equivalent width (EW) of the line and, based on this, classified 372 stars as classical T Tauri stars (CTTSs) and 187 as weak-line T Tauri stars (WTTSs). Simultaneous r', i' photometry indicates a limiting magnitude of r' ∼ 20 mag, but the sample is incomplete at r' > 17 mag. The surface distribution of the Hα emission stars reveals a clustered population and a dispersed population, the former consisting of younger and more massive young stars than the latter. Comparison of the derived EWs with those found in the literature indicates variability of the Hα line. We found that the typical amplitudes of the variability are not greater than a factor of two to three in most cases. We identified a subgroup of low-EW stars with infrared signatures indicative of optically thick accretion disks. We studied the correlations between the EW and other properties of the stars. Based on literature data, we examined several properties of our CTTS and WTTS subsamples and found significant differences in mid-infrared color indices, average rotational periods, and spectral energy distribution characteristics of the subsamples.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

A spectrophotometric analysis of cool white dwarfs in the Gaia and pan-STARRS footprint

We present a spectrophotometric analysis of 2880 cool white dwarfs within 100 pc of the Sun and cooler than T eff ∼ 10 000 K, with grizy Pan-STARRS photometry and Gaia trigonometric parallaxes available. We also supplement our data sets with near-infrared JHK photometry, when available, which is shown to be essential for interpreting the coolest white dwarfs in our sample. We perform a detailed analysis of each individual object using state-of-the-art model atmospheres appropriate for each spectral type, including DA, DC, DQ, DZ, He-rich DA, and the so-called IR-faint white dwarfs. We discuss the temperature and mass distributions of each subsample, as well as revisit the spectral evolution of cool white dwarfs. We find little evidence in our sample for the transformation of a significant fraction of DA stars into He-atmosphere white dwarfs through the process of convective mixing between T eff = 10 000 and ∼6500 K, although the situation changes drastically in the range T eff = 6500–5500 K where the fraction of He-atmosphere white dwarfs reaches ∼45 per cent. However, we also provide strong evidence that at even cooler temperatures (T eff ≲ 5200 K), most DC white dwarfs have H atmospheres. We discuss a possible mechanism to account for this sudden transformation from He- to H-atmosphere white dwarfs involving the onset of crystallization and the occurrence of magnetism. Finally, we also argue that DQ, DZ, and DC white dwarfs may form a more homogeneous population than previously believed.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Wide cool and ultracool companions to nearby stars from Pan-STARRS 1

We present the discovery of 57 wide (>5'') separation, low-mass (stellar and substellar) companions to stars in the solar neighborhood identified from Pan-STARRS 1 (PS1) data and the spectral classification of 31 previously known companions. Our companions represent a selective subsample of promising candidates and span a range in spectral type of K7-L9 with the addition of one DA white dwarf. These were identified primarily from a dedicated common proper motion search around nearby stars, along with a few as serendipitous discoveries from our Pan-STARRS 1 brown dwarf search. Our discoveries include 23 new L dwarf companions and one known L dwarf not previously identified as a companion. The primary stars around which we searched for companions come from a list of bright stars with well-measured parallaxes and large proper motions from the Hipparcos catalog (8583 stars, mostly A-K dwarfs) and fainter stars from other proper motion catalogs (79170 stars, mostly M dwarfs). We examine the likelihood that our companions are chance alignments between unrelated stars and conclude that this is unlikely for the majority of the objects that we have followed-up spectroscopically. We also examine the entire population of ultracool (>M7) dwarf companions and conclude that while some are loosely bound, most are unlikely to be disrupted over the course of ∼10 Gyr. Our search increases the number of ultracool M dwarf companions wider than 300 AU by 88% and increases the number of L dwarf companions in the same separation range by 82%. Finally, we resolve our new L dwarf companion to HIP 6407 into a tight (0.''13, 7.4 AU) L1+T3 binary, making the system a hierarchical triple. Our search for these key benchmarks against which brown dwarf and exoplanet atmosphere models are tested has yielded the largest number of discoveries to date.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

X-ray insights into the nature of PHL 1811 analogs and weak emission-line quasars: Unification with a geometrically thick accretion disk?

We present an X-ray and multiwavelength study of 33 weak emission-line quasars (WLQs) and 18 quasars that are analogs of the extreme WLQ, PHL 1811, at z≈0.5–2.9. New Chandra 1.5–9.5 ks exploratory observations were obtained for 32 objects while the others have archival X-ray observations. Significant fractions of these luminous type 1 quasars are distinctly X-ray weak compared to typical quasars, including 16 (48%) of the WLQs and 17 (94%) of the PHL 1811 analogs with average X-ray weakness factors of 17 and 39, respectively. We measure a relatively hard (Γ=1.16{sub −0.32}{sup +0.37}) effective power-law photon index for a stack of the X-ray weak subsample, suggesting X-ray absorption, and spectral analysis of one PHL 1811 analog, J1521+5202, also indicates significant intrinsic X-ray absorption. We compare composite Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectra for the X-ray weak and X-ray normal populations and find several optical–UV tracers of X-ray weakness, e.g., Fe ii rest-frame equivalent width (REW) and relative color. We describe how orientation effects under our previously proposed “shielding-gas” scenario can likely unify the X-ray weak and X-ray normal populations. We suggest that the shielding gas may naturally be understood as a geometrically thick inner accretion disk that shields the broad line region from the ionizing continuum. If WLQs and PHL 1811 analogs have very high Eddington ratios, the inner disk could be significantly puffed up (e.g., a slim disk). Shielding of the broad emission-line region by a geometrically thick disk may have a significant role in setting the broad distributions of C iv REW and blueshift for quasars more generally.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

A study of the stellar population in the Chamaeleon dark clouds

The properties of the stellar population in the Chamaeleon dark clouds are discussed. Spectral energy distributions, based on the extant photometric and spectroscopic data base and IRAS fluxes measured from coadded data taken at the position of each star, and spectral types allow placement of the stars in an H-R diagram. The age and mass distributions and the luminosity function for the Chamaeleon stars are compared to those in the Taurus-Auriga dark clouds and are found to be similar. A small subsample (eight of 36) of the Chamaeleon stars show unusual spectral energy distributions which seem best interpreted as arising from circumstellar disks whose inner regions (R(in)) is less than 30-50 stellar radii) area devoid of material. The X-ray properties of this sample of premain-sequence objects are compared to those of other premain-sequence samples, as well as to the Hyades and the Pleiades main-sequence stars.

Gauvin, Lisa S.↗

Searching for the 3.5 keV line in the stacked Suzaku observations of galaxy clusters

We perform a detailed study of the stacked Suzaku observations of 47 galaxy clusters, spanning a redshift range of 0.01–0.45, to search for the unidentified 3.5 keV line. This sample provides an independent test for the previously detected line. We detect a 2σ-significant spectral feature at 3.5 keV in the spectrum of the full sample. When the sample is divided into two subsamples (cool-core and non-cool core clusters), the cool-core subsample shows no statistically significant positive residuals at the line energy. A very weak (∼2σ confidence) spectral feature at 3.5 keV is permitted by the data from the non-cool-core clusters sample. The upper limit on a neutrino decay mixing angle of sin{sup 2}(2θ)=6.1×10{sup −11} from the full Suzaku sample is consistent with the previous detections in the stacked XMM-Newton sample of galaxy clusters (which had a higher statistical sensitivity to faint lines), M31, and Galactic center, at a 90% confidence level. However, the constraint from the present sample, which does not include the Perseus cluster, is in tension with previously reported line flux observed in the core of the Perseus cluster with XMM-Newton and Suzaku.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Searching for the 3.5 keV Line in the Stacked Suzaku Observations of Galaxy Clusters

We perform a detailed study of the stacked Suzaku observations of 47 galaxy clusters, spanning a redshift range of 0.01-0.45, to search for the unidentified 3.5 keV line. This sample provides an independent test for the previously detected line. We detect a 2sigma-significant spectral feature at 3.5 keV in the spectrum of the full sample. When the sample is divided into two subsamples (cool-core and non-cool core clusters), the cool-core subsample shows no statistically significant positive residuals at the line energy. A very weak (approx. 2sigma confidence) spectral feature at 3.5 keV is permitted by the data from the non-cool-core clusters sample. The upper limit on a neutrino decay mixing angle of sin(sup 2)(2theta) = 6.1 x 10(exp -11) from the full Suzaku sample is consistent with the previous detections in the stacked XMM-Newton sample of galaxy clusters (which had a higher statistical sensitivity to faint lines), M31, and Galactic center, at a 90% confidence level. However, the constraint from the present sample, which does not include the Perseus cluster, is in tension with previously reported line flux observed in the core of the Perseus cluster with XMM-Newton and Suzaku.

dark matter↗

COMPACT E+A GALAXIES AS A PROGENITOR OF MASSIVE COMPACT QUIESCENT GALAXIES AT 0.2 < z < 0.8

We search the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and the Baryon Oscillation Sky Survey to identify ∼5500 massive compact quiescent galaxy candidates at 0.2 < z < 0.8. We robustly classify a subsample of 438 E+A galaxies based on their spectral properties and make this catalog publicly available. We examine sizes, stellar population ages, and kinematics of galaxies in the sample and show that the physical properties of compact E+A galaxies suggest that they are a progenitor of massive compact quiescent galaxies. Thus, two classes of objects—compact E+A and compact quiescent galaxies—may be linked by a common formation scenario. The typical stellar population age of compact E+A galaxies is <1 Gyr. The existence of compact E+A galaxies with young stellar populations at 0.2 < z < 0.8 means that some compact quiescent galaxies first appear at intermediate redshifts. We derive a lower limit for the number density of compact E+A galaxies. Assuming passive evolution, we convert this number density into an appearance rate of new compact quiescent galaxies at 0.2 < z < 0.8. The lower limit number density of compact quiescent galaxies that may appear at z < 0.8 is comparable to the lower limit of the total number density of compact quiescent galaxies at these intermediate redshifts. Thus, a substantial fraction of the z < 0.8 massive compact quiescent galaxy population may descend from compact E+A galaxies at intermediate redshifts.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

The Epoch of Giant Planet Migration Planet Search Program. I. Near-infrared Radial Velocity Jitter of Young Sun-like Stars

We present early results from the Epoch of Giant Planet Migration program, a precise radial velocity (RV) survey of more than 100 intermediate-age (∼20–200 Myr) G and K dwarfs with the Habitable Zone Planet Finder spectrograph (HPF) at McDonald Observatory’s Hobby–Eberly Telescope. The goals of this program are to determine the timescale and dominant physical mechanism of giant planet migration interior to the water ice line of Sun-like stars. Here, we summarize results from the first 14 months of this program, with a focus on our custom RV pipeline for HPF, a measurement of the intrinsic near-infrared RV activity of young Solar analogs, and modeling the underlying population-level distribution of stellar jitter. We demonstrate on-sky stability at the sub-2 m s{sup −1} level for the K2 standard HD 3765 using a least-squares matching method to extract precise RVs. Based on a subsample of 29 stars with at least three RV measurements from our program, we find a median rms level of 34 m s{sup −1}. This is nearly a factor of 2 lower than the median rms level in the optical of 60 m s{sup −1} for a comparison sample with similar ages and spectral types as our targets. The observed near-infrared jitter measurements for this subsample are well reproduced with a log-normal parent distribution with μ = 4.15 and σ = 1.02. Finally, by compiling rms values from previous planet search programs, we show that near-infrared jitter for G and K dwarfs generally decays with age in a similar fashion to optical wavelengths, albeit with a shallower slope and lower overall values for ages ≲1 Gyr.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Determining velocity of detonation using high-resolution time domain reflectometry

Two methods are presented to make measurements of the length of a coaxial cable with submillimeter and submicrosecond accuracy. If the cable is destroyed by the passage of a strong shock, for instance, from the detonation of an explosive, a measure of the phase velocity of the detonation (VOD) can be obtained with high accuracy (≈0.25%). The first method introduces a series of short Gaussian electrical pulses (<300 ps) into the cable that reflect off the cable end and are compared to the time of the original outgoing pulse by using a fast digitizer (100 gigasamples per second). By curve fitting a Gaussian form to the outgoing and reflected pulses, a measurement of the cable length can be made with subsample accuracy. So, as long as the pulses do not overlap, a large number may be present in the cable at any time allowing pulse repetition rates of 40–135 MHz depending on the cable length. Averaging allows accurate VOD measurements to be made that are comparable with the best traditional techniques. The second method replaces the pulser with a wide-spectrum (0.1–10 GHz) amplified random noise source. A similar setup and digitizer are used before autocorrelating short (80–160 ns) subsamples of the total waveform to measure the reflected delay time. That is, a smaller amplitude version of the original waveform appears time shifted by twice the transit time in the cable and this time is estimated via autocorrelation. The advantage of this method is that a new subsample needs only to be selected from a time increment in which new spectral information is present for a new measure of the length to be made. In this manner, many more length estimates can be averaged to establish the VOD than with the Gaussian approach. As a result, a detailed description of the implementation of both methods is presented together with an example of the type of data collected and limitations found.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Gamma-ray Burst Afterglows as Probes of Environment and Blastwave Physics: Absorption by Host Galaxy Gas and Dust, Circumburst Media and the Distribution of P

We use a new approach to obtain limits on the absorbing columns towards a sample of 10 Gamma-ray Bursts observed by BeppoSAX from simultaneous fits to X-ray, optical and IR data, in counts space and including the effects of metallicity. For half the afterglows the best-fitting model to the SED includes SMC-like extinction (as opposed to LMC or MW) and in one LMC-like extinction, and in no cases is there a preference for MW-like extinction. Gas-to-dust ratios generally do not match those of the 3 standard and most well-known extinction models of SMC, LMC and MW, but tend to be higher. We compare the results from this method to those of previous works using other methods. We constrain the jet models for a subsample of the bursts by constraining the cooling break position and power law spectral slopes, allowing the injected electron energy index to be measured. We derive secure values of p from our spectral fits and comparison with the temporal optical and X-ray slopes for 4 afterglows. The mean of these single value, suggesting that either external factors such as circumburst medium play a strong role or that the microphysics is not identical for each GRB. For GRB 971214 we find that the circumburst medium has a wind-like density profile and the cooling frequency appears to be moving to higher frequencies.

Starling, R. L. C.↗

Temporal Subsampling Diminishes Small Spatial Scales in Recurrent Neural Network Emulators of Geophysical Turbulence

The immense computational cost of traditional numerical weather and climate models has sparked the development of machine learning (ML) based emulators. Because ML methods benefit from long records of training data, it is common to use data sets that are temporally subsampled relative to the time steps required for the numerical integration of differential equations. Here, we investigate how this often overlooked processing step affects the quality of an emulator's predictions. We implement two ML architectures from a class of methods called reservoir computing: (a) a form of Nonlinear Vector Autoregression (NVAR), and (b) an Echo State Network (ESN). Despite their simplicity, it is well documented that these architectures excel at predicting low dimensional chaotic dynamics. We are therefore motivated to test these architectures in an idealized setting of predicting high dimensional geophysical turbulence as represented by Surface Quasi-Geostrophic dynamics. In all cases, subsampling the training data consistently leads to an increased bias at small spatial scales that resembles numerical diffusion. Interestingly, the NVAR architecture becomes unstable when the temporal resolution is increased, indicating that the polynomial based interactions are insufficient at capturing the detailed nonlinearities of the turbulent flow. The ESN architecture is found to be more robust, suggesting a benefit to the more expensive but more general structure. Spectral errors are reduced by including a penalty on the kinetic energy density spectrum during training, although the subsampling related errors persist. Future work is warranted to understand how the temporal resolution of training data affects other ML architectures.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Variable Active Galactic Nuclei in the Galaxy Evolution Explorer Time Domain Survey

We searched the northern hemisphere fields of the Galaxy Evolution Explorer Time Domain Survey for galaxies with UV variability indicative of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We identified 48 high-probability candidate AGNs from a parent sample of 1819 galaxies in the NASA Sloan Atlas catalog. We further characterized these systems using optical spectroscopic diagnostics, Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer IR color selection criteria, and spectral energy distribution modeling. Of the 48 candidates, eight were identified as AGNs from optical emission lines, two were identified by their IR colors, and 28 were identified through spectral energy decomposition. Observational biases of each selection method are discussed in connecting these AGN subsamples to another. By selecting AGNs based on UV variability, we also identified six low-mass AGN candidates, all of which would have been missed by spectroscopic selection.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Incidence of Debris Discs Around FGK Stars in the Solar Neighbourhood

Context. Debris discs are a consequence of the planet formation process and constitute the fingerprints of planetesimal systems. Their counterparts in the solar system are the asteroid and Edgeworth-Kuiper belts. Aims. The aim of this paper is to provide robust numbers for the incidence of debris discs around FGK stars in the solar neighborhood. Methods. The full sample of 177 FGK stars with d approx. less than 20 pc proposed for the DUst around NEarby Stars (DUNES) survey is presented. Herschel/PACS observations at 100 and 160 micrometers were obtained, and were complemented in some cases with data at 70 micrometers and at 250, 350, and 500 micrometer SPIRE photometry. The 123 objects observed by the DUNES collaboration were presented in a previous paper. The remaining 54 stars, shared with the Disc Emission via a Bias-free Reconnaissance in IR and Sub-mm (DEBRIS) consortium and observed by them, and the combined full sample are studied in this paper. The incidence of debris discs per spectral type is analyzed and put into context together with other parameters of the sample, like metallicity, rotation and activity, and age. Results. The subsample of 105 stars with d approx. less than 15 pc containing 23 F, 33 G, and 49 K stars is complete for F stars, almost complete for G stars, and contains a substantial number of K stars from which we draw solid conclusions on objects of this spectral type. The incidence rates of debris discs per spectral type are 0.26(+0.21/-0.14) (6 objects with excesses out of 23 F stars), 0.21(+0.17/-0.11) (7 out of 33 G stars), and 0.20(+0.14/-0.09) (10 out of 49 K stars); the fraction for all three spectral types together is 0.22(+0.08/-0.07) (23 out of 105 stars).The uncertainties correspond to a 95 confidence level. The medians of the upper limits of L(sub dust)/L(sub *) for each spectral type are 7.8 x 10(exp -7) (F), 1.4 x 10(exp -6) (G), and 2.2 x 10(exp -6) (K); the lowest values are around 4.0 x 10(exp -7). The incidence of debris discs is similar for active (young) and inactive (old) stars. The fractional luminosity tends to drop with increasing age, as expected from collisional erosion of the debris belts.

stars: late-type – circumstellar matter – prot↗