Tesis para optar al grado de Magíster en Ciencias, Mención Astronomía / Buscamos estrellas tipo RR Lyrae en zonas distantes del halo de la Vía Láctea utilizando datos ya existentes: UltraVISTA, una campaña con observaciones en el infrarojo cercano diseñada para obtener imágenes profundas del campo COSMOS, y SUDSS, una extensión del Dark Energy Survey (DES) que añade observaciones en los extremos del tiempo de obser- vación de DES en varios filtros, con la finalidad de observar las curvas de luz de supernovas a alto redshift. Los resultados de la búsqueda de RR Lyrae con estos datos fueron nulos. Ante estos resultados realizamos observaciones simuladas de RR Lyrae, bajo las mismas condi- ciones de los datos observados, demostrando que la cadencia utilizada en las observaciones no permite la identificación del período de las estrellas RR Lyrae. Finalmente probamos el método desarrollado con datos de HiTS (High Cadence Tran- sient Survey), una campaña dedicada a detectar transientes en el óptico, principalmente las primeras horas de las explosiones de supernovas. Luego de responder favorablemente a las observaciones simuladas, logramos identificar en los datos de HiTS 2015A un total de 106 RR Lyrae 7 de las cuales se encuentran a una distancia mayor a 100 kpc.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2005. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 115-121).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 183-190).

Magíster en Ciencias, Mención Astronomía / Utilizando datos del High cadence Transient Survey (HiTS), inspeccionamos el halo de la Vía Láctea en busca de estrellas variables RR Lyrae distantes (dH >100 kpc). Los datos del proyecto HiTS, diseñado principalmente para encontrar explosiones de supernova en tiempo real, consisten en imágenes tomadas con la Dark Energy Camera que está montada en el telescopio Blanco (4 m) del Observatorio Inter-Americano de Cerro Tololo, en tres campañas distintas, y cubren con gran profundidad ~ 200 grados cuadrados del Halo. Como resultado, identificamos un total de 332 RR Lyrae (173 en los datos tomados el año 2014 y 159 con datos del 2015), cubriendo un rango de distancias desde ~ 9 hasta ~ 260 kpc, aproximadamente. De acuerdo con nuestro estudio, dentro del grupo de RR Lyrae encontradas al menos 18 están a más de 90 kpc del Sol (16 más allá de 100 kpc). El análisis del catálogo creado nos permitió estudiar la distribución espacial de RR Lyrae y relacionar tres sobredensidades con galaxias enanas esferoidales conocidas (Sextans, Leo IV y Leo V). Lo anterior se utilizó como validación de ideas asociadas al uso de RR Lyrae para el descubrimiento de galaxias de ultra-baja luminosidad difíciles de detectar con otros métodos. Usando la distribución espacial de las estrellas encontradas con HiTS 2014, construimos y analizamos perfiles de densidad de la Vía Láctea, de la forma rho(r) ~ r^{-n}. Siguiendo una metodología de Monte Carlo vía cadenas de Markov, encontramos que el perfil que mejor ajusta a los datos es un perfil simple, con n=-4.18^{+0.18}_{-0.19}. Sin embargo, el ajuste de un perfil con quiebre es también válido, con el quiebre en R_b=19.34^{+10.66}_{-3.16} kpc, y pendientes interna y externa de n_1=-3.47^{+2.26}_{-1.32} y n_2=-4.23^{+0.33}_{-0.25}, respectivamente. / Using data from the High cadence Transient Survey (HiTS), we inspected the halo of the Milky Way looking for distant RR Lyrae variable stars (dH >100 kpc). The HiTS project, which was originally designed to find supernovae explosions in real time, consists of images taken with the Dark Energy Camera mounted at the Blanco telescope (4 m) at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory during three different campaigns, covering 200 sq. degrees of the Galactic halo. We identified a total of 332 RR Lyrae stars (173 with data from HiTS 2014, and 159 with HiTS 2015), covering a range in distance from ~ 9 to ~ 260 kpc. According to this study, within our sample of RR Lyrae stars at least 18 are beyond 90 kpc from the Sun (and 16 beyond 100 kpc). The analysis of the catalog allowed us to study the spatial distribution of RR Lyrae stars and to associate three ovendensities with known dwarf spheroidal galaxies (Sextans, Leo~IV y Leo~V). We used this as a proof-of-concept for ideas about the role of RR Lyrae in the discovery of ultra-faint dwarf galaxies that might be difficult to find by other methods. Using the spatial distribution of RR Lyrae from HiTS 2014, we built and analyzed number density profiles of the Milky Way, of the form rho(r) ~ r^{-n}. Following a Markov chain Monte Carlo methodology, we found that the best fit for the data is a simple power law with n=-4.18^{+0.18}_{-0.19}. However, fitting a broken profile is also valid, with a break at R_b=19.34^{+10.66}_{-3.16} kpc, and inner/outer slope of n_1=-3.47^{+2.26}_{-1.32}/n_2=-4.23^{+0.33}_{-0.25}. / Este trabajo ha sido parcialmente financiado por la Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica (CONICYT) y el Instituto Milenio de Astrofísica (MAS)

No description available.

Cette thèse propose une nouvelle théorie de l’effet Blazhko. Elle apporte également une justification théorique à certaines observations encore inexpliquées : la décroissance des harmoniques de la courbe de lumière ; l’asymétrie des enveloppes et des lobes ainsi que la variation des temps de montée et de descente dans le cas de l’effet Blazhko ; la synchronisation des couches et l’existence des trois types d’étoiles RR Lyrae : RRab, RRc et RRd. La première partie présente une étude extensive d’une étoile RR Lyrae avec effet Blazhko : S Arae. Nous débutons par une définition rigoureuse de l’analyse harmonique des courbes de lumière. Cette démarche, encore jamais entreprise en astéroséismologie, permet une meilleure interprétation des habituels résultats des études photométriques. Nous poursuivons avec une présentation du programme d’analyse fréquentielle que nous avons développé : PDM13. Nous établissons ensuite le spectre fréquentiel de la courbe de lumière de S Arae et, à la présentation des résultats de cette étude, nous apportons une démonstration mathématique à deux observations communément effectuées : la décroissance des harmoniques et l’asymétrie de modulation. Dans la deuxième partie, après un rappel des mécanismes d’oscillation, nous présentons une nouvelle modélisation discrète, et non linéaire, des équations de pulsations. Celle-ci nous permettra d’expliquer les phénomènes de synchronisation, mais surtout, conduira à une nouvelle théorie du phénomène Blazhko fondée sur l’existence de solitons, que nous étayerons par des premiers résultats, obtenus grâce à l’utilisation d’un nouvel outil : la transformée en ondelettes / In this thesis we develop a new theory of the Blazhko effect. We also provide a theoretical justification to the following commonly observed facts: the light curve harmonics decrease; the asymetry of envelopes and sidelobes ; the synchronization of layers and the mode selection. The first part of this thesis is dedicated to the extensive study of a RR Lyrae star presenting the Blazhko effect: S Arae. Firstly, a rigorous definition of harmonic analysis applied to light curves is given. This work, which has never been undertaken in the asteroseismology field, up to now, allows a better interpretation of the usual results of photometric studies. We carry on with the presentation of a software that we have developed, dedicated to frequency analysis: PDM13. After that, we perform the usual analysis of the frequency spectrum of the light curve, which we complete we two rigorous demonstrations of commonly observed facts: the harmonics decrease and the asymmetry induced by modulation. We complete it with a study of the parameters which vary during a Blazhko cycle, on which we will capitalize to understand this modulation effect. The second part begins with a reminder of the basic perturbed and linearized equations of stellar pulsation together with the oscillation mechanisms. We pursue this presentation with a non linear and discrete formalism that we have developed for these equations. This formalism will allow us to underline the importance of synchronization in those stars, but, most of all, it will lead us to a new theory of the Blazhko effect, based on solitons, which will be supported by a new results obtained with the wavelet transform method

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Michigan State University. Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on July 22, 2009) Includes bibliographical references (leaves 170-174). Also issued in print.

We characterize the absolute magnitudes and colors of RR Lyrae stars in the globular cluster M5 in the ugriz filter system of the Dark Energy Camera (DECam). We provide empirical period-luminosity (P-L) relationships in all five bands based on 47 RR Lyrae stars of the type ab and 14 stars of the type c. The P-L relationships were found to be better constrained for the fundamental-mode RR Lyrae stars in the riz passbands, with dispersions of 0.03, 0.02 and 0.02 mag, respectively. The dispersion of the color at minimum light was found to be small, supporting the use of this parameter as a means to obtain accurate interstellar extinctions along the line of sight up to the distance of the RR Lyrae star. We found a trend of color at minimum light with a pulsational period that, if taken into account, brings the dispersion in color at minimum light to <= 0.016 mag for the (r - i), (i - z), and (r - z) colors. These calibrations will be very useful for using RR Lyrae stars from DECam observations as both standard candles for distance determinations and color standards for reddening measurements.

Here, we present the results from our analysis of 6 yr of optical photometry taken by the Siding Spring Survey (SSS). This completes a search for periodic variable stars within the 30 000 deg(2) of the sky covered by the Catalina Surveys. The current analysis covers 81 million sources with declinations between -20 degrees. and -75 degrees. with median magnitudes in the range 11 < V < 19.5. We find approximately 34 000 new periodic variable stars in addition to the similar to 9000 RR Lyrae that we previously discovered in SSS data. This brings the total number of periodic variables identified in Catalina data to similar to 110 000. The new SSS periodic variable stars mainly consist of eclipsing binaries, RR Lyrae, LPVs, RS CVn stars, delta Scutis, and Anomalous Cepheids. By cross-matching these variable stars with those from prior surveys, we find that similar to 90 per cent of the sources are new discoveries and recover similar to 95 per cent of the known periodic variables in the survey region. For the known sources, we find excellent agreement between our catalogue and prior values of luminosity, period, and amplitude. However, we find many variable stars that had previously been misclassified. Examining the distribution of RR Lyrae, we find a population associated with the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) that extends more than 20 degrees from its centre confirming recent evidence for the existence of a very extended stellar halo in the LMC. By combining SSS photometry with Dark Energy Survey data, we identify additional LMC halo RR Lyrae, thus confirming the significance of the population.

No description available.