Article (Scientific journals)
The stellar population of the Rosat North Ecliptic Pole survey. II. Spectral analysis
Affer, L.; Micela, G.; Morel, Thierry
2008In Astronomy and Astrophysics, 483, p. 801-813
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Keywords :
stars: rotation; stars: abundances; techniques: spectroscopic; techniques: radial velocities; Galaxy: solar neighbourhood
Abstract :
[en] Context: X-ray surveys allow to identify young, main-sequence stars in the solar neighborhood. Young, stellar samples, selected according to their activity, can be used to determine the stellar birthrate in the last billion years. The ROSAT North Ecliptic Pole survey (NEP), with its moderately deep sensitivity (fluxes â 10[SUP]-14[/SUP] erg cm[SUP]-2[/SUP] s[SUP]-1[/SUP]), is the best survey, to date, able to sample the intermediate-age (10^8{-}10[SUP]9[/SUP] years) nearby population. The identification process of NEP X-ray sources resulted in 144 X-ray sources having a normal stellar counterpart, with an excess of yellow stars with respect to model predictions. <BR />Aims: We want to determine if these X-ray active stars are young or intermediate-age stars, or active binaries. <BR />Methods: We acquired high-resolution, high signal-to-noise ratio optical spectra, to determine the age and physical properties of the NEP X-ray-detected stellar sources. We measure the (i) lithium abundance using the Li I 6707.8 à line, which is an excellent, youth indicator for our age range of interest; (ii) rotational and radial velocities (through cross-correlation methods); and (iii) chromospheric emission (from Hα and Na I D{_1} and D{_2} lines). <BR />Results: The radial velocities distribution is consistent with that of a young field star population of age 4à 10{^9} yrs, or younger. Rotational velocity measurements imply that our sample is dominated by relatively young or intermediate-age stars, as confirmed by our lithium measurements. <BR />Conclusions: Most of the detected stars probably belong to a young or intermediate-age population. Our measurements suggest that a burst in the stellar birthrate of a factor of four occurred in the last 10[SUP]8[/SUP] years. We cannot, however, exclude the possibility that a small fraction of sources, amongst the fastest of the K-rotators, are old binary systems with tidally-locked rotation.
Disciplines :
Space science, astronomy & astrophysics
Author, co-author :
Affer, L.;  Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo G. S. Vaiana, Piazza del Parlamento 1, 90134 Palermo, Italy ; Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche ed Astronomiche - Università di Palermo, Piazza del Parlamento 1, 90134 Palermo, Italy
Micela, G.;  Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo G. S. Vaiana, Piazza del Parlamento 1, 90134 Palermo, Italy
Morel, Thierry  ;  Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Departement Natuurkunde en Sterrenkunde, Instituut voor Sterrenkunde, Celestijnenlaan 200D, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
Language :
English
Title :
The stellar population of the Rosat North Ecliptic Pole survey. II. Spectral analysis
Publication date :
01 June 2008
Journal title :
Astronomy and Astrophysics
ISSN :
0004-6361
eISSN :
1432-0746
Publisher :
EDP Sciences, Les Ulis, France
Volume :
483
Pages :
801-813
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Commentary :
http://de.arxiv.org/abs/0804.1253
Available on ORBi :
since 19 February 2010

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