Examinando por Autor "Pullen, J.B."

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    Searching for faint comoving companions to the a Centauri system in the VVV survey infrared images
    (Oxford University Press, 2017-12) Beamín, J.C.; Minniti, D.; Pullen, J.B.; Ivanov, V.D.; Bendek, E.; Bayo, A.; Gromadzki, M.; Kurtev, R.; Lucas, P.W.; Butler, R.P.
    The VVV survey has observed the southern disc of the MilkyWay in the near-infrared, covering 240 deg2 in the ZYJHKs filters. We search the VVV survey images in a ~19 deg2 field around α Centauri, the nearest stellar system to the Sun, to look for possible overlooked companions that the baseline in time of VVV would be able to uncover. The photometric depth of our search reaches Y ~ 19.3mag, J ~ 19 mag, and Ks ~ 17 mag. This search has yielded no new companions in a Centauri system, setting an upper mass limit for any unseen companion well into the brown dwarf/planetary mass regime. The apparent magnitude limits were turned into effective temperature limits, and the presence of companion objects with effective temperatures warmer than 325K can be ruled out using different state-of-the-art atmospheric models. These limits were transformed into mass limits using evolutionary models, companions with masses above 11MJup were discarded, extending the constraints recently provided in the literature up to projected distances of d < 7000 au from a Cen AB and ~1 200 au from Proxima. In the next few years, the VVV extended survey (VVVX) will allow us to extend the search and place similar limits on brown dwarfs/planetary companions to a Cen AB for separations up to 20 000 au. © Crown copyright 2017.
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    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.
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    Unveiling the nature of 12 new low-luminosity Galactic globular cluster candidates
    (EDP Sciences, 2022-03-01) Garro, E.R.; Minniti, D.; Alessi, B.; Patchick, D.; Kronberger, M.; Alonso-García, J.; Fernández-Trincado, J.G.; Gómez, M.; Hempel, M.; Pullen, J.B.; Saito, R.K.; Ripepi, V.; Zelada Bacigalupo, R.
    Context. The Galactic globular cluster system is incompletely known, especially in the low-latitude regions of the Galactic bulge and disk. We report the physical characterisation of 12 star clusters in the Milky Way, most of which are explored here for the first time. Aims. Our primary aim is determining their main physical parameters, such as reddening, extinction, metallicity, age, total luminosity, mean cluster proper motions (PMs), and distances, in order to reveal the physical nature of these clusters. Methods. We study the clusters using optical and near-infrared (NIR) datasets. In particular, we use the Gaia Early Data Release 3 (EDR3) PMs in order to perform a PM decontamination procedure and build final catalogues with probable members. We match the Gaia EDR3 with the VISTA Variables in the Vía Láctea extended (VVVX) survey and the Two Micron All-Sky survey (2MASS) in the NIR, in order to construct complete NIR and optical colour-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) and investigate the clusters properties. Results. The extinctions are evaluated using existing reddening maps. We find ranges spanning 0:09. AKs. 0:86 mag and 0:89. AG. 4:72 mag in the NIR and optical, respectively. Adopting standard intrinsic red clump (RC) magnitudes and extinction values, we first obtain the distance modulus for each cluster and thereafter their heliocentric distances, which range from about 4 to 20 kpc. Therefore, we are able to place these clusters at 3. RG. 14 kpc from the Galactic centre. The best PARSEC isochrone fit yields a metallicity range of-1:8 < [Fe/H] < +0:3 and an approximate age range of 2 < age < 14 Gyr. Finally, we find that all clusters have low luminosities, with-6:9 < MV <-3:5 mag. Conclusions. Based on our photometric analysis, we find both open clusters (OCs) and globular clusters (GCs) in our sample. In particular, we confirm the OC nature for Kronberger 100, while we classify Patchick 125 as a metal-poor GC, Ferrero 54 as a metalrich GC, and ESO 92-18 as a possible old OC or young GC. The classification as GC candidates is also suggested for Kronberger 99, Patchick 122, Patchick 126, Riddle 15, FSR 190, and Gaia 2. We also conclude that Kronberger 119 and Kronberger 143 might be either old OCs or young GCs. © ESO 2022.