Examinando por Autor "Valenti E."

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    Galactic bulge population II Cepheids in the VVV survey: Period-luminosity relations and a distance to the Galactic centre
    (EDP Sciences, 2017-09) Bhardwaj A.; Rejkuba M.; Minniti D.; Surot F.; Valenti E.; Zoccali M.; Gonzalez O.A.; Romaniello M.; Kanbur S.M.; Singh H.P.
    Context. Multiple stellar populations of different ages and metallicities reside in the Galactic bulge that trace its structure and provide clues to its formation and evolution. Aims. We present the near-infrared observations of population II Cepheids in the Galactic bulge from VISTA Variables in the Vía Láctea (VVV) survey. The JHKs photometry together with optical data from Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) survey provide an independent estimate of the distance to the Galactic centre. The old, metal-poor and low-mass population II Cepheids are also investigated as useful tracers for the structure of the Galactic bulge. Methods. We identify 340 population II Cepheids in the VVV survey Galactic bulge catalogue based on their match with the OGLE-III Catalogue. The single-epoch JH and multi-epoch Ks observations complement the accurate periods and optical (VI) mean-magnitudes from OGLE. The sample consisting of BL Herculis and W Virginis subtypes is used to derive period-luminosity relations after correcting mean-magnitudes for the extinction. Our Ks-band period-luminosity relation, Ks = -2.189(0.056) [log (P)-1] + 11.187(0.032), is consistent with published work for BL Herculis and W Virginis variables in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Results. We present a combined OGLE-III and VVV catalogue with periods, classification, mean magnitudes, and extinction for 264 Galactic bulge population II Cepheids that have good-quality Ks-band light curves. The absolute magnitudes for population II Cepheids and RR Lyraes calibrated using Gaia and Hubble Space Telescope parallaxes, together with calibrated magnitudes for Large Magellanic Cloud population II Cepheids, are used to obtain a distance to the Galactic centre, R0 = 8.34 ± 0.03(stat.) ± 0.41(syst.), which changes by with different extinction laws. While noting the limitation of small number statistics, we find that the present sample of population II Cepheids in the Galactic bulge shows a nearly spheroidal spatial distribution, similar to metal-poor RR Lyrae variables. We do not find evidence of the inclined bar as traced by the metal-rich red-clump stars. Conclusions. Population II Cepheid and RR Lyrae variables follow similar period-luminosity relations and trace the same metal-poor old population in the Galactic bulge. The number density for population II Cepheids is more limited as compared to abundant RR Lyraes but they are bright and exhibit a wide range in period that provides a robust period-luminosity relation for an accurate estimate of the distance to the Galactic centre. © ESO, 2017.
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    The central velocity dispersion of the Milky Way bulge
    (EDP Sciences, 2018) Valenti E.; Zoccali M.; Mucciarelli A.; González O.A.; Surot F.; Minniti D.; Rejkuba M.; Pasquini L.; Fiorentino G.; Bono G.; Rich R.M.; Soto M.
    Context: Current spectroscopic and photometric surveys are providing a comprehensive view of the Milky Way bulge stellar population properties with unprecedented accuracy. This in turn allows us to explore the correlation between kinematics and stellar density distribution, crucial to constrain the models of Galactic bulge formation. Aims. The Giraffe Inner Bulge Survey (GIBS) revealed the presence of a velocity dispersion peak in the central few degrees of the Galaxy by consistently measuring high velocity dispersion in the three central most fields. Due to the suboptimal distribution of these fields, all being at negative latitudes and close to each other, the shape and extension of the sigma peak is poorly constrained. In this study we address this by adding new observations distributed more uniformly and in particular including fields at positive latitudes that were missing in GIBS. Methods. Observations with Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) were collected in four fields at (l, b) = (0◦, +2◦), (0◦, −2◦), (+1◦, −1◦), and (−1◦, +2◦). Individual stellar spectra were extracted for a number of stars comprised between ∼500 and ∼1200, depending on the seeing and the exposure time. Velocity measurements are done by cross-correlating observed stellar spectra in the CaT region with a synthetic template, and velocity errors are obtained through Monte Carlo simulations, cross-correlating synthetic spectra with a range of different metallicities and different noise characteristics. Results. We measure the central velocity dispersion peak within a projected distance from the Galactic center of ∼280 pc, reaching σVGC ∼ 140 km s−1 at b = −1◦. This is in agreement with the results obtained previously by GIBS at negative longitude. The central sigma peak is symmetric with respect to the Galactic plane, with a longitude extension at least as narrow as predicted by GIBS. As a result of the Monte Carlo simulations we present analytical equations for the radial velocity measurement error as a function of metallicity and signal-to-noise ratio for giant and dwarf stars. © ESO 2018.