Navarrete, C.Catelan, M.Contreras Ramos, R.Alonso-García, J.Gran, F.Dékány, I.Minniti, D.2022-07-072022-07-072017-08Astronomy and Astrophysics Volume 6041 August 2017 Article number A1200004-6361https://repositorio.unab.cl/xmlui/handle/ria/23209Indexación: ScopusAims. The globular cluster ω Centauri (NGC 5139) hosts hundreds of pulsating variable stars of different types, thus representing a treasure trove for studies of their corresponding period-luminosity (PL) relations. Our goal in this study is to obtain the PL relations for RR Lyrae and SX Phoenicis stars in the field of the cluster, based on high-quality, well-sampled light curves in the near-infrared (IR). Methods. Observations were carried out using the VISTA InfraRed CAMera (VIRCAM) mounted on the Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA). A total of 42 epochs in J and 100 epochs in KS were obtained, spanning 352 days. Point-spread function photometry was performed using DoPhot and DAOPHOT crowded-field photometry packages in the outer and inner regions of the cluster, respectively. Results. Based on the comprehensive catalog of near-IR light curves thus secured, PL relations were obtained for the different types of pulsators in the cluster, both in the J and KS bands. This includes the first PL relations in the near-IR for fundamental-mode SX Phoenicis stars. The near-IR magnitudes and periods of Type II Cepheids and RR Lyrae stars were used to derive an updated true distance modulus to the cluster, with a resulting value of (m-M)0 = 13.708 ± 0.035 ± 0.10 mag, where the error bars correspond to the adopted statistical and systematic errors, respectively. Adding the errors in quadrature, this is equivalent to a heliocentric distance of 5.52 ± 0.27 kpc. © 2017 ESO.enGlobular clusters: individual: NGC 5139Infrared: starsStars: variables: CepheidsStars: variables: delta ScutiStars: variables: RR LyraeSurveysArtículo10.1051/0004-6361/201630102