Examinando por Autor "Borissova, J."
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Ítem A colour-excess extinction map of the southern Galactic disc from the VVV and GLIMPSE surveys(Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2019-09-11) Soto, M.; Barba, R.; Minniti, D.; Kunder, A.; Majaess, D.; Nilo-Castellon, J. L.; Alonso-García, J.; Leone, G.; Morelli, L.; Haikala, L.; Firpo, V.; Lucas, P.; Emerson, J. P.; Moni Bidin, C.; Geisler, D.; Saito, R. K.; Gurovich, S.; Contreras Ramos, R.; Rejkuba, M.; Barbieri, M.; Roman-Lopes, A.; Hempel, M.; Alonso, M. V.; Baravalle, L. D.; Borissova, J.; Kurtev, R.; Milla, F.An improved high-resolution and deep AKs foreground dust extinction map is presented for the Galactic disc area within 295◦ ≾ l ≾ 350◦, −1.0◦ ≾ b ≾ +1.0◦. At some longitudes the map reaches up to |b| ~ 2.25◦, for a total of ~148 deg2. The map was constructed via the Rayleigh–Jeans colour excess (RJCE) technique based on deep near-infrared (NIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) photometry. The new extinction map features a maximum bin size of 1 arcmin, and relies on NIR observations from the Two Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS) and new data from ESO’s Vista Variables in the Vía Láctea (VVV) survey, in concert with MIR observations from the Galactic Legacy Infrared Mid-Plane Survey Extraordinaire. The VVV photometry penetrates ~4 mag fainter than 2MASS, and provides enhanced sampling of the underlying stellar populations in this heavily obscured region. Consequently, the new results supersede existing RJCE maps tied solely to brighter photometry, revealing a systematic underestimation of extinction in prior work that was based on shallower data. The new high-resolution and large-scale extinction map presented here is readily available to the community through a web query interface.Ítem A population of eruptive variable protostars in VVV(OXFORD UNIV PRESS, 2016-11) Contreras Peña, C.; Lucas, P.W.; Minniti, D.; Kurtev, R.; Stimson, W.; Navarro Molina, C.; Borissova, J.; Kumar, M.S.N.; Thompson, M.A.; Gledhill, T.; Terzi, R.; Froebrich, D.; Caratti o Garatti, A.We present the discovery of 816 high-amplitude infrared variable stars (ΔKs > 1 mag) in 119 deg2 of the Galactic mid-plane covered by the VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) survey. Almost all are new discoveries and about 50 per cent are young stellar objects (YSOs). This provides further evidence that YSOs are the commonest high-amplitude infrared variable stars in the Galactic plane. In the 2010-2014 time series of likely YSOs, we find that the amplitude of variability increases towards younger evolutionary classes (class I and flatspectrum sources) except on short time-scales (< 25 d) where this trend is reversed. Dividing the likely YSOs by light-curve morphology, we find 106 with eruptive light curves, 45 dippers, 39 faders, 24 eclipsing binaries, 65 long-term periodic variables (P > 100 d) and 162 shortterm variables. Eruptive YSOs and faders tend to have the highest amplitudes and eruptive systems have the reddest spectral energy distribution (SEDs). Follow-up spectroscopy in a companion paper verifies high accretion rates in the eruptive systems. Variable extinction is disfavoured by the two epochs of colour data. These discoveries increase the number of eruptive variable YSOs by a factor of at least 5, most being at earlier stages of evolution than the known FUor and EXor types. We find that eruptive variability is at least an order of magnitude more common in class I YSOs than class II YSOs. Typical outburst durations are 1-4 yr, between those of EXors and FUors. They occur in 3-6 per cent of class I YSOs over a 4 yr time spanÍtem An Automated Tool to Detect Variable Sources in the Vista Variables in the Vía Láctea Survey: The VVV Variables (V4) Catalog of Tiles d001 and d002(Institute of Physics Publishing, 2018-09) Medina, N.; Borissova, J.; Bayo, A.; Kurtev, R.; Navarro Molina, C.; Kuhn, M.; Kumar, N.; Lucas, P.W.; Catelan, M.; Minniti, D.; Smith, L.C.Time-varying phenomena are one of the most substantial sources of astrophysical information, and their study has led to many fundamental discoveries in modern astronomy. We have developed an automated tool to search for and analyze variable sources in the near-infrared K s band using the data from the VISTA Variables in the Vía Láctea (VVV) ESO Public Large Survey. This process relies on the characterization of variable sources using different variability indices calculated from time series generated with point-spread function (PSF) photometry of sources under analysis. In particular, we used two main indices, the total amplitude and the eta index η, to identify variable sources. Once the variable objects are identified, periods are determined with generalized Lomb-Scargle periodograms and the information potential metric. Variability classes are assigned according to a compromise between comparisons with VVV templates and the period of the variability. The automated tool is applied on VVV tiles d001 and d002 and led to the discovery of 200 variable sources. We detected 70 irregular variable sources and 130 periodic ones. In addition, nine open-cluster candidates projected in the region are analyzed, and the infrared variable candidates found around these clusters are further scrutinized by cross-matching their locations against emission star candidates from VPHAS+ survey Hα color cuts. © 2018. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.Ítem Candidate star clusters toward the inner Milky Way discovered on deep-stacked KS-band images from the VVV Survey(EDP Sciences, 2017) Ivanov, V.D.; Piatti, A.E.; Beamín, J.-C.; Minniti, D.; Borissova, J.; Kurtev, R.; Hempel, M.; Saito, R.K.This paper is based on observations made with ESO telescopes at the La Silla Paranal Observatory under program ID 092.B-0104(A). We have made extensive use of the SIMBAD Database at CDS (Centre de Données astronomiques) Strasbourg, the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database (NED), which is operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, CalTech, under contract with NASA, and of the VizieR catalog access tool, CDS, Strasbourg, France. Support for J.B., D.M., J.C.B., R.K., M.H. is provided by the Ministry of Economy, Development, and Tourism's Millennium Science Initiative through grant IC120009, awarded to The Millennium Institute of Astrophysics, MAS. Support for R.K. is provided from Fondecyt Reg. No. 1130140. R.K.S. acknowledges support from CNPq/Brazil through project 310636/2013-2. We are grateful to the anonymous referee for useful suggestions that helped to improve the paper.Ítem Discovery of a brown dwarf companion to the A3V star β Circini(Oxford University Press, 2015-12) Smith, L.C.; Lucas, P.W.; Contreras Peña, C.; Kurtev, R.; Marocco, F.; Jones, H.R.A.; Beamin, J.C.; Napiwotzki, R.; Borissova, J.; Burningham, B.; Faherty, J.; Pinfield, D.J.; Gromadzki, M.; Ivanov, V.D.; Minniti, D.; Stimson, W.; Villanueva, V.We report the discovery of an L dwarf companion to the A3V star β Circini. VVV J151721.49−585131.5, or β Cir B, was identified in a proper motion and parallax catalogue of the VISTA Variables in the Vía Láctea survey as having near-infrared luminosity and colour indicative of an early L dwarf, and a proper motion and parallax consistent with that of β Cir. The projected separation of ∼3.6 arcmin corresponds to 6656 au, which is unusually wide. The most recent published estimate of the age of the primary combined with our own estimate based on newer isochrones yields an age of 370–500 Myr. The system therefore serves as a useful benchmark at an age greater than that of the Pleiades brown dwarfs and most other young L dwarf benchmarks. We have obtained a medium resolution echelle spectrum of the companion which indicates a spectral type of L1.0 ± 0.5 and lacks the typical signatures of low-surface gravity seen in younger brown dwarfs. This suggests that signs of low-surface gravity disappear from the spectra of early L dwarfs by an age of ∼370–500 Myr, as expected from theoretical isochrones. The mass of β Cir B is estimated from the BHAC15 isochrones as 0.056 ± 0.007 M⊙.Ítem Infrared photometry and cat spectroscopy of globular cluster m 28 (ngc 6626)(EDP Sciences, 2021-04-01) Bidin, C. Moni; Mauro, F.; Contreras Ramos, R.; Zoccali, M.; Reinarz, Y.; Moyano, M.; González-Díaz, D.; Villanova, S.; Carraro, G.; Borissova, J.; Chené, A. N.; Cohen, R. E.; Geisler, D.; Kurtev, R.; Minniti, D.Context. Recent studies show that the inner Galactic regions host genuine bulge globular clusters, but also halo intruders, complex remnants of primordial building blocks, and objects likely accreted during major merging events. Aims. In this study we focus on the properties of M 28, a very old and massive cluster currently located in the Galactic bulge. Methods. We analysed wide-field infrared photometry collected by the VVV survey, VVV proper motions, and intermediate-resolution spectra in the calcium triplet range for 113 targets in the cluster area. Results. Our results in general confirm previous estimates of the cluster properties available in the literature. We find no evidence of differences in metallicity between cluster stars, setting an upper limit of Δ[Fe/H] < 0.08 dex to any internal inhomogeneity. We confirm that M 28 is one of the oldest objects in the Galactic bulge (13-14 Gyr). From this result and the literature data, we find evidence of a weak age-metallicity relation among bulge globular clusters that suggests formation and chemical enrichment. In addition, wide-field density maps show that M 28 is tidally stressed and that it is losing mass into the general bulge field. Conclusions. Our study indicates that M 28 is a genuine bulge globular cluster, but its very old age and its mass loss suggest that this cluster could be the remnant of a larger structure, possibly a primeval bulge building block.Ítem Infrared spectroscopy of eruptive variable protostars from VVV(OXFORD UNIV PRESS, 2017-03) Contreras Peña, C.; Lucas, P.W.; Kurtev, R.; Minniti, D.; Caratti o Garatti, A.; Marocco, F.; Thompson, M.A.; Froebrich, D.; Kumar, M.; Stimson, W.; Navarro Molina, C.; Borissova, J.; Gledhill, T.; Terzi, R.In a companion work (Paper I), we detected a large population of highly variable Young Stellar Objects (YSOs) in the Vista Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) survey, typically with class I or flat spectrum spectral energy distributions and diverse light-curve types. Here we present infrared spectra (0.9-2.5 mu m) of 37 of these variables, many of them observed in a bright state. The spectra confirm that 15/18 sources with eruptive light curves have signatures of a high accretion rate, either showing EXor-like emission features (Delta v = 2 CO, Br gamma.) and/or FUor-like features (Delta v = 2 CO and H2O strongly in absorption). Similar features were seen in some long-term periodic YSOs and faders but not in dippers or short-term variables. The sample includes some dusty Mira variables (typically distinguished by smooth Mira-like light curves), two cataclysmic variables and a carbon star. In total, we have added 19 new objects to the broad class of eruptive variable YSOs with episodic accretion. Eruptive variable YSOs in our sample that were observed at bright states show higher accretion luminosities than the rest of the sample. Most of the eruptive variables differ from the established FUor and EXor subclasses, showing intermediate outburst durations and a mixture of their spectroscopic characteristics. This is in line with a small number of other recent discoveries. Since these previously atypical objects are now the majority amongst embedded members of the class, we propose a new classification for them as MNors. This term (pronounced emnor) follows V1647 Ori, the illuminating star of McNeil's Nebula.Ítem Large-amplitude periodic outbursts and long-period variables in the VVV VIRAC2-β data base(Oxford University Press, 2022-06-01) Guo, Zhen; Lucas, P.W.; Smith, L.C.; Clarke, C.; Contreras, Penã C.; Bayo, A.; Bricenõ, C.; Elias, J.; Kurtev, R.G.; Borissova, J.; Alonso-Garciá, J.; Minniti, D.; Catelan, M.; Nikzat, F.; Morris, C.; Miller, N.The VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) survey obtained near-infrared photometry towards the Galactic bulge and the southern disc plane for a decade (2010-2019). We designed a modified Lomb-Scargle method to search for large-amplitude (Δ Ks, 2-98 per cent > 1.5 mag) mid to long-term periodic variables (P> 10 d) in the 2nd version of VVV Infrared Astrometric Catalogue (VIRAC2-β). In total, 1520 periodic sources were discovered, including 59 candidate periodic outbursting young stellar objects (YSOs), based on the unique morphology of the phase-folded light curves, proximity to Galactic H ii regions and mid-infrared colours. Five sources are spectroscopically confirmed as accreting YSOs. Both fast-rise/slow-decay and slow-rise/fast-decay periodic outbursts were found, but fast-rise/slow-decay outbursts predominate at the highest amplitudes. The multiwavelength colour variations are consistent with a variable mass accretion process, as opposed to variable extinction. The cycles are likely to be caused by dynamical perturbations from stellar or planetary companions within the circumstellar disc. An additional search for periodic variability amongst YSO candidates in published Spitzer-based catalogues yielded a further 71 candidate periodic accretors, mostly with lower amplitudes. These resemble cases of pulsed accretion but with unusually long periods and greater regularity. The majority of other long-period variables are pulsating dusty Miras with smooth and symmetric light curves. We find that some Miras have redder W3-W4 colours than previously thought, most likely due to their surface chemical compositions. © 2022 The Author(s) Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Astronomical Society.Ítem Massive open star clusters using the VVV survey : IV. WR 62-2, a new very massive star in the core of the VVV CL041 cluster(EDP Sciences, 2015-12) Chene A., N.; Ramirez Alegria, S.; Borissova, J.; O'Leary, E.; Martins, F.; Herve, A.; Kuhn, M.; Kurtev, R.; Fuentes P., Consuelo Amigo; ;Bonatto, C.; Minniti, D.The ESO Public Survey VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) provides deep multi-epoch infrared observations for an unprecedented 562 sq. deg of the Galactic bulge and adjacent regions of the disk. Nearly 150 new open clusters and cluster candidates have been discovered in this survey. Aims. We present the fourth article in a series of papers focussed on young and massive clusters discovered in the VVV survey. This article is dedicated to the cluster VVV CL041, which contains a new very massive star candidate, WR 62-2. Methods. Following the methodology presented in the first paper of the series, wide-field, deep JHKs VVV observations, combined with new infrared spectroscopy, are employed to constrain fundamental parameters (distance, reddening, mass, age) of VVV CL041. Results. We confirm that the cluster VVV CL041 is a young (less than 4 Myr) and massive (3 ± 2 × 103 M⊙) cluster, and not a simple asterism. It is located at a distance of 4.2 ± 0.9 kpc, and its reddening is AV = 8.0 ± 0.2 mag, which is slightly lower than the average for the young clusters towards the centre of the Galaxy. Spectral analysis shows that the most luminous star of the cluster, of the WN8h spectral type, is a candidate to have an initial mass larger than 100 M⊙. © 2015 ESO.Ítem Massive stars in the SDSS-IV/APOGEE SURVEY. I. OB stars(Institute of Physics Publishing, 2018-03) Roman-Lopes, A.; Román-Zúñiga, C.; Tapia, M.; Chojnowski, D.; Gómez Maqueo Chew, Y.; García-Hernández, D.A.; Borissova, J.; Minniti, D.; Covey, K.R.; Longa-Peña, P.; Fernandez-Trincado, J.G.; Zamora, O.; Nitschelm, C.In this work, we make use of DR14 APOGEE spectroscopic data to study a sample of 92 known OB stars. We developed a near-infrared semi-empirical spectral classification method that was successfully used in case of four new exemplars, previously classified as later B-type stars. Our results agree well with those determined independently from ECHELLE optical spectra, being in line with the spectral types derived from the "canonical" MK blue optical system. This confirms that the APOGEE spectrograph can also be used as a powerful tool in surveys aiming to unveil and study a large number of moderately and highly obscured OB stars still hidden in the Galaxy. © 2018. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.Ítem Near-infrared photometry and spectroscopy of the low Galactic latitude globular cluster 2MASS-GC 03(OXFORD UNIV PRESS, 2016-10) Carballo-Bello, Julio A.; Ramírez Alegría, S.; Borissova, J.; Smith, L. C.; Kurtev, R.; Lucas, P. W.; Moni Bidin, Ch.; Alonso-García, J.; Minniti, D.; Palma, T.; Dékány, I.; Medina, N.; Moyano, M.; Villanueva, V.; Kuhn, M. A.We present deep near-infrared photometry and spectroscopy of the globular cluster 2MASS-GC 03 projected in the Galactic disc using MMT and Magellan Infrared Spectrograph on the Clay Telescope (Las Campanas Observatory) and VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea Survey data. Most probable cluster member candidates were identified from near-infrared photometry. Out of 10 candidates that were followed-up spectroscopically, 5 have properties of cluster members, from which we calculate <[Fe/H]> = -0.9 +/- 0.2 and a radial velocity of = 78 +/- 12 km s(-1). A distance of 10.8 kpc is estimated from three likely RR Lyrae members. Given that the cluster is currently at a distance of 4.2 kpc from the Galactic Centre, the cluster's long survival time of an estimated 11.3 +/- 1.2 Gyr strengthens the case for its globular-cluster nature. The cluster has a hint of elongation in the direction of the Galactic Centre.Ítem New Galactic star clusters discovered in the disc area of the VVVX survey(Oxford University Press, 2018-12) Borissova, J.; Ivanov, V.D.; Lucas, P.W.; Kurtev, R.; Alonso-Garcia, J.; Ramírez Alegría, S.; Minniti, D.; Froebrich, D.; Hempel, M.; Medina, N.; Chené, A.-N.; Kuhn, M.A.The 'VISTA Variables in the Vía Láctea eXtended (VVVX)' ESO Public Survey is a nearinfrared photometric sky survey that covers nearly 1700 deg2 towards the Galactic disc and bulge. It is well-suited to search for newopen clusters, hidden behind dust and gas. The pipeline processed and calibrated KS-band tile images of 40 per cent of the disc area covered by VVVX was visually inspected for stellar overdensities. Then, we identified cluster candidates by examination of the composite JHKS colour images. The colour-magnitude diagrams of the cluster candidates are constructed. Whenever possible the Gaia DR2 parameters are used to calculate the mean proper motions, radial velocities, reddening and distances. We report the discovery of 120 new infrared clusters and stellar groups. Approximately half of them (47 per cent) are faint, compact, highly reddened, and they seem to be associated with other indicators of recent star formation, such as nearby Young Stellar Objects, Masers, HII regions or bubbles. The preliminary distance determinations allow us to trace the clusters up to 4.5 kpc, but most of the cluster candidates are centred at 2.2 kpc. The mean proper motions of the clusters show that in general they follow the disc motion of the Galaxy. © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society.Ítem New VVV Survey Globular Cluster Candidates in the Milky Way Bulge(Institute of Physics Publishing, 2017-11) Minniti, D.; Geisler, D.; Alonso-Garcia, J.; Palma, T.; Beamin, J.C.; Borissova, J.; Catelan, M.; Clariá, J.J.; Cohen, R.E.; Ramos, R.C.; Dias, B.; Fernández-Trincado, J.G.; Gómez, M.; Hempel, M.; Ivanov, V.D.; Kurtev, R.; Lucas, P.W.; Moni-Bidin, C.; Pullen, J.; Alegria, S.R.; Saito, R.K.; Valenti, E.It is likely that a number of Galactic globular clusters remain to be discovered, especially toward the Galactic bulge. High stellar density combined with high and differential interstellar reddening are the two major problems for finding globular clusters located toward the bulge. We use the deep near-IR photometry of the VISTA Variables in the Via Láctea (VVV) Survey to search for globular clusters projected toward the Galactic bulge, and hereby report the discovery of 22 new candidate globular clusters. These objects, detected as high density regions in our maps of bulge red giants, are confirmed as globular cluster candidates by their color-magnitude diagrams. We provide their coordinates as well as their near-IR color-magnitude diagrams, from which some basic parameters are derived, such as reddenings and heliocentric distances. The color-magnitude diagrams reveal well defined red giant branches in all cases, often including a prominent red clump. The new globular cluster candidates exhibit a variety of extinctions (0.06 < A Ks < 2.77) and distances (5.3 < D < 9.5 kpc). We also classify the globular cluster candidates into 10 metal-poor and 12 metal-rich clusters, based on the comparison of their color-magnitude diagrams with those of known globular clusters also observed by the VVV Survey. Finally, we argue that the census for Galactic globular clusters still remains incomplete, and that many more candidate globular clusters (particularly the low luminosity ones) await to be found and studied in detail in the central regions of the Milky Way.Ítem Properties of the solar neighbor WISE J072003.20-084651.2(EDP Sciences, 2015-02) Ivanov, V.D.; Vaisanen, P.; Kniazev, A.Y.; Beletsky, Y.; Mamajek, E.E.; Mužić, K.; Beamín, J.C.; Boffin, H.M.J.; Pourbaix, D.; Gandhi, P.; Gulbis, A.; Monaco, L.; Saviane, I.; Kurtev, R.; Mawet, D.; Borissova, J.; Minniti, D.Context. The severe crowding towards the Galactic plane suggests that the census of nearby stars in that direction may be incomplete. Recently, Scholz reported a new M9 object at an estimated distance d ≃ 7 pc (WISE J072003.20- 084651.2; hereafter WISE J0720) at Galactic latitude b = 2.3°. Aims. Our goals are to determine the physical characteristics of WISE J0720, its kinematic properties, and to address the question of whether it is a binary object, as was suggested in the discovery paper. Methods. Optical and infrared spectroscopy from the Southern African Large Telescope and Magellan, respectively, and spectral energy distribution fitting were used to determine the spectral type of WISE J0720. The measured radial velocity, proper motion, and parallax yielded its Galactic velocities. We also investigated if WISE J0720 may show X-ray activity based on archival data. Results. Our spectra are consistent with spectral type L0 ± 1. We find no evidence for binarity, apart from a minor 2σ level difference in the radial velocities taken at two different epochs. The spatial velocity of WISE J0720 does not connect it to any known moving group; instead, it places the object with high probability in the old thin disk or in the thick disk. The spectral energy distribution fit hints at excess in the 12 μm and 22 μm WISE bands which may be due to a redder companion, but the same excess is visible in other late-type objects, and it more likely implies a shortcoming of the models (e.g., problems with the effective wavelengths of the filters for these extremely cool objects, etc.) rather than a disk or redder companion. The optical spectrum shows some Hα emission, indicative of stellar activity. Archival X-ray observations yield no detection. Conclusions. WISE J0720 is a new member of the solar neighborhood, the third nearest L dwarf. Our data do not support the hypothesis of its binary nature. © ESO 2015.Ítem Short- and long-term near-infrared spectroscopic variability of eruptive protostars from VVV(Oxford University Press, 2020-02) Guo, Zhen; Lucas, P. W.; . Contreras Pena, C; Kurtev, R. G.; Smith, L. C.; Borissova, J.; Alonso-Garcia, J.; Minniti, D.; Caratti, A.; Froebrich, D.Numerous eruptive variable young stellar objects (YSOs), mostly Class I systems, were recently detected by the near-infrared Vista Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) survey. We present an exploratory near-infrared spectroscopic variability study of 14 eruptive YSOs. The variations were sampled over one-day and one-to-two-year intervals and analysed in combination with VVV light curves. CO overtone absorption features are observed on three objects with FUor-like spectra: all show deeper absorption when they are brighter. This implies stronger emission from the circumstellar discwith a steeper vertical temperature gradient when the accretion rate is higher. This confirms the nature of fast VVV FUor-like events, in line with the accepted picture for classical FUors. The absence of Br? emission in a FUor-like object declining to pre-outburst brightness suggests that reconstruction of the stellar magnetic field is a slow process. Within the one-day time-scale, 60 per cent of H2-emitting YSOs show significant but modest variation, and 2/6 sources have large variations in Brγ. Over year-long time-scales, H2 flux variations remain modest despite up to 1.8 mag variation in Ks. This indicates that emission from the molecular outflow usually arises further from the protostar and is unaffected by relatively large changes in accretion rate on year-long time-scales. Two objects show signs of on/off magnetospheric accretion traced by Brγ emission. In addition, a 60 per cent inter-night brightening of the H2 outflow is detected in one YSO. © 2019 The Author(s).Ítem The Emergence of the Infrared Transient VVV-WIT-06(Institute of Physics Publishing, 2017-11) Minniti, D.; Saito, R.K.; Forster, F.; Pignata, G.; Ivanov, V.D.; Lucas, P.W.; Beamin, J.C.; Borissova, J.; Catelan, M.; Gonzalez, O.A.; Hempel, M.; Hsiao, E.; Kurtev, R.; Majaess, D.; Masetti, N.; Morrell, N.I.; Phillips, M.M.; Pullen, J.B.; Rejkuba, M.; Smith, L.; Surot, F.; Valenti, E.; Zoccali, M.We report the discovery of an enigmatic large-amplitude (ΔKs >10.5 mag) transient event in near-IR data obtained by the VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) ESO Public Survey. The object (designated VVV-WIT- 06) is located at R.A.=17:07:18.917, decl.=-39:06:26.45 (J2000), corresponding to Galactic coordinates l=347.14539, b=0.88522. It exhibits a clear eruption, peaking at Ks=9 mag during 2013 July and fading to Ks ∼ 16.5 in 2017. Our late near-IR spectra show post-outburst emission lines, including some broad emission lines (upward of FWHM ∼ 3000 km s-1). We estimate a total extinction of AV = 10-15 mag in the surrounding field, and no progenitor was observed in ZYJHKs images obtained during 2010-2012 (down to Ks > 18.5mag). Subsequent deep near-IR imaging and spectroscopy, in concert with the available multiband photometry, indicate that VVV-WIT-06 may be either: (i) the closest Type I SN observed in about 400 years, (ii) an exotic highamplitude nova that would extend the known realm of such objects, or (iii) a stellar merger. In all of these cases, VVV-WIT-06 is a fascinating and curious astrophysical target under any of the scenarios considered.Ítem THE VVV SURVEY REVEALS CLASSICAL CEPHEIDS TRACING A YOUNG and THIN STELLAR DISK ACROSS the GALAXY'S BULGE(Institute of Physics Publishing, 2015-10) Dékány, I.; Minniti, D.; Majaess, D.; Zoccali, M.; Hajdu, G.; Alonso-García, J.; Catelan, M.; Gieren, W.; Borissova, J.Solid insight into the physics of the inner Milky Way is key to understanding our Galaxy's evolution, but extreme dust obscuration has historically hindered efforts to map the area along the Galactic mid-plane. New comprehensive near-infrared time-series photometry from the VVV Survey has revealed 35 classical Cepheids, tracing a previously unobserved component of the inner Galaxy, namely a ubiquitous inner thin disk of young stars along the Galactic mid-plane, traversing across the bulge. The discovered period (age) spread of these classical Cepheids implies a continuous supply of newly formed stars in the central region of the Galaxy over the last 100 million years. © 2015. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.Ítem The VVV survey: Long-period variable stars: I. Photometric catalog of ten VVV/OGLE tiles(EDP Sciences, 2022-04-01) Nikzat, F.; Ferreira Lopes, C.E.; Catelan, M.; Contreras Ramos, R.; Zoccali, M.; Rojas-Arriagada, A.; Braga, V.F.; Minniti, D.; Borissova, J.; Becker, I.Context. Long-period variable stars (LPVs) are pulsating red giants, primarily in the asymptotic giant branch phase, and they include both Miras and semi-regular variables (SRVs). Their period-age and period-luminosity relations enable us to trace different stellar populations, as they are intrinsically very bright and cover a wide range in distances and ages. Aims. The purpose of this study is to establish a census of LPV stars in a region close to the Galactic center, using the six-year database of the Vista Variables in the Vía Láctea (VVV) ESO Public Survey, as well as to describe the methodology that was employed to search for and characterize LPVs using VVV data. Near-IR surveys such as VVV provide a unique opportunity to probe the high-extinction innermost regions of the Milky Way. The detection and analysis of the intrinsically bright Miras in this region could provide us with an excellent probe of the properties of the Milky Way far behind its bulge. Methods. We used point-spread function photometry for all available Ks-band images in ten VVV tiles, covering 16.42 in total, overlapping fields observed in the course of the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE)-III survey. We designed a method to select LPV candidates, and we used the known variables from OGLE-III and other known variables from the literature to test our approach. The reduced I2 statistic, along with the flux-independent index K(fi), were used in our analysis. The Lomb-Scargle period search method, Fourier analysis, template fitting, and visual inspection were then performed to refine our sample and characterize the properties of the stars included in our catalog. Results. A final sample of 130 Mira candidates, of which 129 are new discoveries, was thus obtained, with periods in the range between about 80 and 1400 days. Moreover, a sample of 1013 LPV candidates is also presented, whose periods are however not sufficiently constrained by the available data. A fraction of the latter may eventually turn out to be SRVs. Ages are measured for these stars based on a reassessment of the period-age relations available in the literature. The Miras in our catalog include 18 stars satisfying the requirements to serve as reliable distance indicators and which are not saturated in the VVV Ks-band images. Their distances are accordingly derived and discussed. A number of objects that are seemingly placed far behind the Milky Waya' s bulge was detected. © ESO 2022.Ítem The VVV templates project towards an automated classification of VVV light-curves: I. Building a database of stellar variability in the near-infrared(EDP Sciences, 2014-07) Angeloni, R.; Contreras Ramos, R.; Catelan, M.; Dékány, I.; Gran, F.; Alonso-García, J.; Hempel, M.; Navarrete, C.; Andrews, H.; Aparicio, A.; Beamín, J.C.; Berger, C.; Borissova, J.; Contreras Peña, C.; Cunial, A.; De Grijs, R.; Espinoza, N.; Eyheramendy, S.; Eyheramendy, S.; Fiaschi, M.; Hajdu, G.; Han, J.; Hełminiak, K.G.; Hempel, A.; Hidalgo, S.L.; Ita, Y.; Jeon Y., -B; Jordán, A.; Kwon, J.; Lee, J.T.; Martín, E.L.; Masetti, N.; Matsunaga, N.; Milone, A.P.; Minniti, D.; Morelli, L.; Murgas, F.; Nagayama, T.; Navarro, C.; Ochner, P.; Pérez, P.; Pichara, K.; Rojas-Arriagada, A.; Roquette, J.; Saito, R.K.; Siviero, A.; Sohn, J.; Sung, H.-I.; Tamura, M.; Tata, R.; Tomasella, L.; Townsend, B.; Whitelock, P.Context. The Vista Variables in the Vía Láctea (VVV) ESO Public Survey is a variability survey of the Milky Way bulge and an adjacent section of the disk carried out from 2010 on ESO Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA). The VVV survey will eventually deliver a deep near-IR atlas with photometry and positions in five passbands (ZYJHKS) and a catalogue of 1−10 million variable point sources – mostly unknown – that require classifications. Aims. The main goal of the VVV Templates Project, which we introduce in this work, is to develop and test the machine-learning algorithms for the automated classification of the VVV light-curves. As VVV is the first massive, multi-epoch survey of stellar variability in the near-IR, the template light-curves that are required for training the classification algorithms are not available. In the first paper of the series we describe the construction of this comprehensive database of infrared stellar variability. Methods. First, we performed a systematic search in the literature and public data archives; second, we coordinated a worldwide observational campaign; and third, we exploited the VVV variability database itself on (optically) well-known stars to gather high-quality infrared light-curves of several hundreds of variable stars. Results. We have now collected a significant (and still increasing) number of infrared template light-curves. This database will be used as a training-set for the machine-learning algorithms that will automatically classify the light-curves produced by VVV. The results of such an auto mated classification will be covered in forthcoming papers of the series.Ítem VIRAC: The VVV Infrared Astrometric Catalogue(Oxford University Press, 2018) Smith, L.C.; Lucas, P.W.; Kurtev, R.; Smart, R.; Minniti, D.; Borissova, J.; Jones, H.R.A.; Zhang, Z.H.; Marocco, F.; Contreras Peña, C.; Gromadzki, M.; Kuhn, M.A.; Drew, J.E.; Pinfield, D.J.; Bedin, L.R.We present VIRAC version 1, a near-infrared proper motion and parallax catalogue of the VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) survey for 312 587 642 unique sources averaged across all overlapping pawprint and tile images covering 560 deg2 of the bulge of the MilkyWay and southern disc. The catalogue includes 119 million high-quality proper motion measurements, of which 47 million have statistical uncertainties below 1 mas yr-1. In the 11 < Ks < 14 magnitude range, the high-quality motions have a median uncertainty of 0.67 mas yr-1. The catalogue also includes 6935 sources with quality-controlled 5s parallaxes with a median uncertainty of 1.1 mas. The parallaxes show reasonable agreement with the Tycho- Gaia Astrometric Solution, though caution is advised for data with modest significance. The SQL data base housing the data is made available via the web. We give example applications for studies of Galactic structure, nearby objects (low-mass stars and brown dwarfs, subdwarfs, white dwarfs) and kinematic distance measurements of young stellar objects. Nearby objects discovered include LTT 7251 B, an L7 benchmark companion to a G dwarf with over 20 published elemental abundances, a bright L subdwarf, VVV 1256-6202, with extremely blue colours and nine new members of the 25 pc sample. We also demonstrate why this catalogue remains useful in the era of Gaia. Future versions will be based on profile fitting photometry, use the Gaia absolute reference frame and incorporate the longer time baseline of the VVV extended survey.