Search

We present a pan-chromatic study of AT2017bcc, a nuclear transient that was discovered in 2017 within the skymap of a reported burst-like gravitational-wave candidate, G274296. It was initially classified as a superluminous supernova, and then reclassified as a candidate tidal disruption event. Its optical light curve has since shown ongoing variability with a structure function consistent with that of an active galactic nucleus, however, earlier data show no variability for at least 10 yr prior to the outburst in 2017. The spectrum shows complex profiles in the broad Balmer lines: a central component with a broad-blue wing, and a boxy component with time-variable blue and red shoulders. The H α emission profile is well modelled using a circular accretion disc component, and a blue-shifted double Gaussian which may indicate a partially obscured outflow. Weak narrow lines, together with the previously flat light curve, suggest that this object represents a dormant galactic nucleus which has recently been re-activated. Our time-series modelling of the Balmer lines suggests that this is connected to a disturbance in the disc morphology, and we speculate this could involve a sudden violent event such as a tidal disruption event involving the central supermassive black hole, though this cannot be confirmed, and given an estimated black hole mass of ≳ 107–108 M⊙ instabilities in an existing disc may be more likely. Although we find that the redshifts of AT2017bcc (z  = 0.13) and G274296 (z > 0.42) are inconsistent, this event adds to the growing diversity of both nuclear transients and multimessenger contaminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent discoveries of gravitational wave events and in one case also its electromagnetic (EM) counterpart allow us to study the Universe in a novel way. The increased sensitivity of the LIGO and Virgo detectors has opened the possibility for regular detections of EM transient events from mergers of stellar remnants. Gravitational wave sources are expected to have sky localization up to a few hundred square degrees, thus Gaia as an all-sky multi-epoch photometric survey has the potential to be a good tool to search for the EM counterparts. In this paper, we study the possibility of detecting EM counterparts to gravitational wave sources using the Gaia Science Alerts system. We develop an extension to current used algorithms to find transients and test its capabilities in discovering candidate transients on a sample of events from the observation periods O1 and O2 of LIGO and Virgo. For the gravitational wave events from the current run O3, we expect that about 16 (25) per cent should fall in sky regions observed by Gaia 7 (10) d after gravitational wave. The new algorithm will provide about 21 candidates per day from the whole sky. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the results of a multiwavelength follow-up campaign for the luminous nuclear transient Gaia16aax, which was first identified in 2016 January. The transient is spatially consistent with the nucleus of an active galaxy at z  = 0.25, hosting a black hole of mass |${\sim }6\times 10^8\, \mathrm{M}_\odot$|⁠. The nucleus brightened by more than 1 mag in the Gaia G band over a time-scale of less than 1 yr, before fading back to its pre-outburst state over the following 3 yr. The optical spectra of the source show broad Balmer lines similar to the ones present in a pre-outburst spectrum. During the outburst, the H α and H β emission lines develop a secondary peak. We also report on the discovery of two transients with similar light-curve evolution and spectra: Gaia16aka and Gaia16ajq. We consider possible scenarios to explain the observed outbursts. We exclude that the transient event could be caused by a microlensing event, variable dust absorption or a tidal encounter between a neutron star and a stellar mass black hole in the accretion disc. We consider variability in the accretion flow in the inner part of the disc, or a tidal disruption event of a star |${\ge } 1 \, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$| by a rapidly spinning supermassive black hole as the most plausible scenarios. We note that the similarity between the light curves of the three Gaia transients may be a function of the Gaia alerts selection criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use photometric and spectroscopic observations of the eclipsing binary E32 in the globular cluster 47 Tuc to derive the masses, radii, and luminosities of the component stars. The system has an orbital period of 40.9 d, a markedly eccentric orbit with e  = 0.24, and is shown to be a member of or a recent escaper from the cluster. We obtain |$M_{\rm p} = 0.862\pm 0.005 \, \mathrm{M}_\odot$|⁠ , |$R_{\rm p} = 1.183\pm 0.003 \, \mathrm{R}_\odot$|⁠ , |$L_{\rm p} = 1.65\pm 0.05 \, \mathrm{L}_\odot$| for the primary and |$M_{\rm s} = 0.827\pm 0.005 \, \mathrm{M}_\odot$|⁠ , |$R_{\rm s} = 1.004\pm 0.004 \, \mathrm{R}_\odot$|⁠ , |$L_{\rm s} = 1.14\pm 0.04\, \mathrm{L}_\odot$| for the secondary. Based on these data and on an earlier analysis of the binary V69 in 47 Tuc, we measure the distance to the cluster from the distance moduli of the component stars, and, independently, from a colour – surface brightness calibration. We obtain 4.55 ± 0.03 and 4.50 ± 0.07 kpc, respectively – values compatible within 1 |$\, \sigma$| with recent estimates based on Gaia DR2 parallaxes. By comparing the M – R diagram of the two binaries and the colour–magnitude diagram of 47 Tuc to Dartmouth model isochrones we estimate the age of the cluster to be 12.0 ± 0.5 Gyr, and the helium abundance of the cluster to be Y ≈ 0.25. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present optical spectroscopic and Swift UVOT/XRT observations of the X-ray and UV/optical bright tidal disruption event (TDE) candidate AT 2018fyk/ASASSN–18ul discovered by ASAS–SN. The Swift light curve is atypical for a TDE, entering a plateau after ∼40 d of decline from peak. After 80 d the UV/optical light curve breaks again to decline further, while the X-ray emission becomes brighter and harder. In addition to broad H, He, and potentially O/Fe lines, narrow emission lines emerge in the optical spectra during the plateau phase. We identify both high-ionization (O  iii) and low-ionization (Fe  ii) lines, which are visible for ∼45 d. We similarly identify Fe  ii lines in optical spectra of ASASSN–15oi 330 d after discovery, indicating that a class of Fe-rich TDEs exists. The spectral similarity between AT 2018fyk, narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies, and some extreme coronal line emitters suggests that TDEs are capable of creating similar physical conditions in the nuclei of galaxies. The Fe  ii lines can be associated with the formation of a compact accretion disc, as the emergence of low-ionization emission lines requires optically thick, high-density gas. Taken together with the plateau in X-ray and UV/optical luminosity this indicates that emission from the central source is efficiently reprocessed into UV/optical wavelengths. Such a two-component light curve is very similar to that seen in the TDE candidate ASASSN–15lh, and is a natural consequence of a relativistic orbital pericentre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present SPLOT, a small-scale pilot survey to test the potential of snapshot (single epoch) linear imaging polarimetry as a supplementary tool to traditional transient follow-up. Transients exist in a vast volume of observational parameter space and polarimetry has the potential to highlight sources of scientific interest and add value to near real-time transient survey streams. We observed a sample of ∼50 randomly selected optical transients with the EFOSC2 (ESO Faint Object Spectrograph and Camera v2) and SofI (Son of ISAAC) instruments, on the 3.6 m New Technology Telescope to test the feasibility of the survey. Our sample contained a number of interesting individual sources: a variety of supernovae, X-ray binaries, a tidal disruption event, blazar outbursts and, by design, numerous transients of unknown nature. We discuss the results, both for the individual sources and the survey in detail. We provide an overview on the success and limitations of SPLOT and also describe a novel calibration method for removing instrumental polarization effects from Nasymth-mounted telescopes. We find that a SPLOT-like survey would be a benefit to the large-scale future transient survey streams such as Large Synoptic Survey Telescope. The polarimetric measurements have added scientific value to a significant number of the sources and, most importantly, have shown the potential to highlight unclassified transient sources of scientific interest for further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high spatial resolution and precise astrometry and photometry of the Gaia mission should make it particularly apt at discovering and resolving transients occurring in, or near, the centres of galaxies. Indeed, some nuclear transients are reported by the Gaia Science Alerts (GSA) team, but not a single confirmed tidal disruption event (TDE) has been published. In order to explore the sensitivity of GSA, we performed an independent and systematic search for nuclear transients using Gaia observations. Our transient search is driven from an input galaxy catalogue (derived from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Release 12). We present a candidate detection metric that is independent from the existing GSA methodology, to see if Gaia Alerts are biased against the discovery of nuclear transients, and in particular which steps may have an impact. Our technique does require significant manual vetting of candidates, making implementation in the GSA system impractical for daily operations, although it could be run weekly, which for month-to-year long transients would make a scientifically valuable addition. Our search yielded ∼480 nuclear transients, five of which were alerted and published by GSA. The list of (in some cases ongoing) transients includes candidates for events related to enhanced accretion onto a supermassive black hole and TDEs. An implementation of the detection methodology and criteria used in this paper as an extension of GSA could open up the possibility for Gaia to fulfil the role as a main tool to find transient nuclear activity as predicted in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the discovery of a new gravitationally lensed quasar (double) from the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) identified inside the ~670deg2 area encompassing the Magellanic Clouds. The source was selected as one of ~60 'red W1 - W2' mid-infrared objects from WISE and having a significant amount of variability in OGLE for both two (or more) nearby sources. This is the first detection of a gravitational lens, where the discovery is made 'the other way around', meaning we first measured the time delay between the two lensed quasar images of -132 < tAB < -76 d (90 per cent CL), with the median tAB ≈-102 d (in the observer frame), and where the fainter image B lags image A. The system consists of the two quasar images separated by 1.5 arcsec on the sky, with I ≈20.0mag and I ≈19.6mag, respectively, and a lensing galaxy that becomes detectable as I ≈21.5 mag source, 1.0 arcsec from image A, after subtracting the two lensed images. Both quasar images show clear AGN broad emission lines at z=2.16 in the New Technology Telescope spectra. The spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting with the fixed source redshift provided the estimate of the lensing galaxy redshift of z ≈0.9 ± 0.2 (90 per cent CL), while its type is more likely to be elliptical (the SED-inferred and lens-model stellar mass is more likely present in ellipticals) than spiral (preferred redshift by the lens model). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the classification of 26 optical counterparts to X-ray sources discovered in the Galactic Bulge Survey. We use (time-resolved) photometric and spectroscopic observations to classify the X-ray sources based on their multiwavelength properties. We find a variety of source classes, spanning different phases of stellar/binary evolution. We classify CX21 as a quiescent cataclysmic variable (CV) below the period gap, and CX118 as a high accretion rate (nova-like) CV. CXB12 displays excess UV emission, and could contain a compact object with a giant star companion, making it a candidate symbiotic binary or quiescent low-mass X-ray binary (although other scenarios cannot be ruled out). CXB34 is a magnetic CV (polar) that shows photometric evidence for a change in accretion state. The magnetic classification is based on the detection of X-ray pulsations with a period of 81 ± 2 min. CXB42 is identified as a young stellar object, namely a weak-lined T Tauri star exhibiting (to date unexplained) UX Ori-like photometric variability. The optical spectrum of CXB43 contains two (resolved) unidentified double-peaked emission lines. No known scenario, such as an active galactic nucleus or symbiotic binary, can easily explain its characteristics. We additionally classify 20 objects as likely active stars based on optical spectroscopy, their X-ray to optical flux ratios and photometric variability. In four cases we identify the sources as binary stars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) is expected to yield ~107 light curves over the course of its mission, which will require a concerted effort in automated classification. Stochastic processes provide one means of quantitatively describing variability with the potential advantage over simple light-curve statistics that the parameters may be physically meaningful. Here, we survey a large sample of periodic, quasi-periodic and stochastic Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment-III variables using the damped random walk (DRW; CARMA(1,0)) and quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO; CARMA(2,1)) stochastic process models. The QPO model is described by an amplitude, a period and a coherence time-scale, while the DRWhas only an amplitude and a time-scale.We find that the periodic and quasi-periodic stellar variables are generally better described by a QPO than a DRW, while quasars are better described by the DRW model. There are ambiguities in interpreting the QPO coherence time due to non-sinusoidal light-curve shapes, signal-to-noise ratio, error mischaracterizations and cadence. Higher order implementations of the QPO model that better capture light-curve shapes are necessary for the coherence time to have its implied physical meaning. Independent of physical meaning, the extra parameter of the QPO model successfully distinguishes most of the classes of periodic and quasi-periodic variables we consider. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the discovery of a new subclass of double-mode RR Lyrae stars in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. The sample of 22 pulsating stars have been extracted from the latest edition of the OGLE collection of RR Lyrae variables in the Magellanic System. The stars pulsating simultaneously in the fundamental (F) and first-overtone (1O) modes have distinctly different properties than regular double-mode RR Lyrae variables (RRd stars). The P1O/PF period ratios of our anomalous RRd stars are within a range 0.725-0.738, while "classical" double-mode RR Lyrae variables have period ratios in the range 0.742-0.748. In contrast to the typical RRd stars, in the majority of the anomalous pulsators the F-mode amplitudes are higher than the 1O-mode amplitudes. The light curves associated with the F-mode in the anomalous RRd stars show different morphology than the light curves of, both, regular RRd stars and single-mode RRab stars. Most of the anomalous double-mode stars show long-term modulations of the amplitudes (Blazhko-like effect). Translating the period ratios into the abundance parameter, Z, we find for our stars Z ∈ (0.002, 0.005) - an order of magnitude higher values than typical for RR Lyrae stars. The mass range of the RRd stars inferred from the WI vs. PF diagram is (0.55 - 0.75)M⊚. These parameters cannot be accounted for with single star evolution assuming a Reimers-like mass loss. Much greater mass loss caused by interaction with other stars is postulated. We blame the peculiar pulsation properties of our stars to the parametric resonance instability of the 1O-mode to excitation of the F- and 2O-modes as with the inferred parameters of the stars 2ω1O ≈ ωF + ω2O. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report spectroscopic and photometric follow-up of the peculiar nova V5852 Sgr (discovered as OGLE-2015-NOVA-01), which exhibits a combination of features from different classes nova. The photometry shows a flat-topped light curve with quasi-periodic oscillations, then a smooth decline followed by two fainter recoveries in brightness. Spectroscopy with the Southern African Large Telescope shows first a classical nova with an Fe II or Fe II b spectral type. In the latter spectrum, broad emissions from helium, nitrogen and oxygen are prominent, and the iron has faded which could be an indication to the start of the nebular phase. The line widths suggest ejection velocities around 1000 km s-1. The nova is in the direction of the Galactic bulge and is heavily reddened by an uncertain amount. The V magnitude 16 days after maximum enables a distance to be estimated and this suggests that the nova may be in the extreme trailing stream of the Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal galaxy. If so it is the first nova to be detected from that, or from any dwarf spheroidal galaxy. Given the uncertainty of the method and the unusual light curve we cannot rule out the possibility that it is in the bulge or even the Galactic disk behind the bulge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most stellar remnants so far have been found in binary systems, where they interact with matter from their companions. Isolated neutron stars and black holes are difficult to find as they are dark, yet they are predicted to exist in our Galaxy in vast numbers. We explored the OGLE-III data base of 150 million objects observed in years 2001-2009 and found 59 microlensing events exhibiting a parallax effect due to the Earth's motion around the Sun. Combining parallax and brightness measurements from microlensing light curves with expected proper motions in the Milky Way, we identified 13 microlensing events which are consistent with having a white dwarf, neutron star or a black hole lens and we estimated their masses and distances. The most massive of our black hole candidates has 9.3 M⊙ and is at a distance of 2.4 kpc. The distribution of masses of our candidates indicates a continuum in mass distribution with no mass gap between neutron stars and black holes. We also present predictions on how such events will be observed by the astrometric Gaia mission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a statistical analysis of the first four seasons from a 'second-generation' microlensing survey for extrasolar planets, consisting of near-continuous time coverage of 8 deg² of the Galactic bulge by the Optical Gravitational Lens Experiment (OGLE), Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics (MOA), and Wise microlensing surveys. During this period, 224 microlensing events were observed by all three groups. Over 12 per cent of the events showed a deviation from single-lens microlensing, and for ~one-third of those the anomaly is likely caused by a planetary companion. For each of the 224 events, we have performed numerical ray-tracing simulations to calculate the detection efficiency of possible companions as a function of companion-to-host mass ratio and separation. Accounting for the detection efficiency, we find that 55-22+34 per cent of microlensed stars host a snowline planet. Moreover, we find that Neptune-mass planets are ~10 times more common than Jupiter-mass planets. The companion-to-host mass-ratio distribution shows a deficit at q ~ 10-2, separating the distribution into two companion populations, analogous to the stellar-companion and planet populations, seen in radial-velocity surveys around solar-like stars. Our survey, however, which probes mainly lower mass stars, suggests a minimum in the distribution in the super-Jupiter mass range, and a relatively high occurrence of brown-dwarf companions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use six years (2003-2008) of Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment-III microlensing observations to derive the survey detection efficiency for a range of planetary masses and projected distances from the host star. We perform an independent analysis of the microlensing light curves to extract the event parameters and compute the planet detection probability given the data. 2433 light curves satisfy our quality selection criteria and are retained for further processing. The aggregate of the detection probabilities over the range explored yields the expected number of microlensing planet detections. We employ a Galactic model to convert this distribution from dimensionless to physical units, α/au and M⊕. The survey sensitivity to small planets is highest in the range 1-4 au, shifting to slightly larger separations for more massive ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a study of the detectability of transient events associated with galaxies for the Gaia European Space Agency astrometric mission. We simulated the on-board detections, and on-ground processing for a mock galaxy catalogue to establish the properties required for the discovery of transient events by Gaia, specifically tidal disruption events (TDEs) and supernovae (SNe). Transients may either be discovered by the on-board detection of a new source or by the brightening of a previously known source. We show that Gaia transients can be identified as new detections on-board for offsets from the host galaxy nucleus of 0.1-0.5 arcsec, depending on magnitude and scanning angle. The Gaia detection system shows no significant loss of SNe at close radial distances to the nucleus. We used the detection efficiencies to predict the number of transients events discovered by Gaia. For a limiting magnitude of 19, we expect around 1300 SNe per year: 65 per cent SN Ia, 28 per cent SN II and 7 per cent SN Ibc, and ~20 TDEs per year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the discovery and characterization of a deeply eclipsingAMCVn-system, Gaia14aae (=ASSASN-14cn). Gaia14aae was identified independently by the All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae (ASAS-SN; Shappee et al.) and by the Gaia Science Alerts project, during two separate outbursts. A third outburst is seen in archival Pan-STARRS-1 (PS1; Schlafly et al.; Tonry et al.; Magnier et al.) and ASAS-SN data. Spectroscopy reveals a hot, hydrogen-deficient spectrum with clear double-peaked emission lines, consistent with an accreting double-degenerate classification. We use follow-up photometry to constrain the orbital parameters of the system. We find an orbital period of 49.71 min, which places Gaia14aae at the long period extremum of the outbursting AM CVn period distribution. Gaia14aae is dominated by the light from its accreting white dwarf (WD). Assuming an orbital inclination of 90? for the binary system, the contact phases of the WD lead to lower limits of 0.78 and 0.015M⊙ on the masses of the accretor and donor, respectively, and a lower limit on the mass ratio of 0.019. Gaia14aae is only the third eclipsingAMCVn star known, and the first in which the WD is totally eclipsed. Using a helium WD model, we estimate the accretor's effective temperature to be 12 900 ± 200 K. The three outburst events occurred within four months of each other, while no other outburst activity is seen in the previous 8 yr of Catalina Real-time Transient Survey (CRTS; Drake et al.), Pan-STARRS-1 and ASAS-SN data. This suggests that these events might be rebrightenings of the first outburst rather than individual events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the analysis of Blazhko-type modulation in double-mode RR Lyrae (RRd) stars found in the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) photometry of the Galactic bulge. Modulation is detected in 15 stars. Most of them have non-typical period ratio of the radial modes. In the Petersen diagram, at a given period of the fundamental mode, they are located significantly below or above the sequence formed by the majority of RRd stars. Multiperiodic modulation is very frequent; two or three modulation periods are detected in eight stars. Modulation periods vary from ∼20 to more than 300 d. Radial mode amplitudes can be modulated by a few to nearly 100 per cent. Both radial modes may be modulated with the same period. More commonly however, dominant modulation for the fundamental mode has different period than dominant modulation for the first overtone. Quite often modulation of only one mode is detected in the data. We find a clear feedback between pulsation amplitude of the dominant mode and mean stellar brightness: the lower the pulsation amplitude, the brighter the star. At phases of low pulsation amplitude, the mode periods are prone to fast changes. All the stars share the common feature: their pulsation properties are non-stationary. Amplitudes and phases of the radial modes vary irregularly on a long time-scale of a few hundred or thousand days. The short-term modulations are also irregular. One of the stars has switched the pulsation mode recently: from single-mode fundamental mode pulsation to RRd state. In other star the non-radial mode with characteristic ∼0.61 period ratio to the first overtone is detected. This non-radial mode is likely modulated with the same period as the radial modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the discovery of an intriguing triple-mode RR Lyrae star found in the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) Galactic bulge collection, OGLE-BLG-RRLYR-24137. In the OGLE catalogue, the star was identified as RRd star – double-mode pulsator, pulsating simultaneously in the fundamental and in the first overtone modes. We find that third mode is excited and firmly detect its period doubling. Period ratios are not far from that expected for triple-mode – fundamental, first and third overtone – pulsation. Unfortunately, we cannot reproduce period ratios of the three modes with a consistent set of pulsation models. Therefore the other interpretation, that additional mode is non-radial, is also likely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyse long-term optical photometry for two Galactic recurrent novae (V745 Sco and V3890 Sgr) and one Large Magellanic Cloud object (Nova LMC 1990b) observed over several years by the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) sky survey. We do not find variability with the previously claimed orbital period of V745 Sco. This voids previous findings based on this value (e.g. the distance determination). The quiescence variability of this object is dominated by semiregular pulsations of the red giant secondary (with periods of 136.5 and 77.4 d). The photometry of Nova LMC 1990b reveals an unnoticed eruption in 2010 and eclipse-like variability in quiescence with a period of 1.26432(8) d. The photometric properties make this object very similar to U Sco. Finally, we describe the eruptions of two likely symbiotic novae, V5590 Sgr and OGLE-2011-BLG-1444. The secondary of V5590 Sgr is a Mira star with pulsation period of 236 d. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

ABSTRACT We report the discovery of a period doubling behaviour in a 2.4-d BL Herculis type variable of the Galactic bulge. Another bulge BL Her type star ( P = 2.25 d) is a strong period doubling candidate. Both objects have been identified with the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) photometry. Possibility of period doubling in this type of pulsators has been predicted almost 20 yr ago by Buchler & Moskalik. Our finding is the first observational confirmation of their theoretical results. Discovery of the first BL Herculis star showing the period doubling effect motivates a new theoretical investigation with the state-of-the-art convective pulsation codes. We present the results of initial model survey, specifically aimed at studying the observed period-doubled BL Her variable. All of our non-linear models have P = 2.4 d. The computations confirm that the period doubling effect is caused by the 3:2 resonance between the fundamental mode and the first overtone, as indicated by earlier radiative models of Buchler & Moskalik. Comparison of the computed and the observed light curves allows us to constrain the parameters of the star, in particular its metallicity, which appears to be high, Z ≈ 0.01. The recent evolutionary tracks put also constraint on the mass of the star, which is close to M = 0.50 M⊙. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT In the third part of the series presenting the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) microlensing studies of the dark matter halo compact objects (MACHOs), we describe results of the OGLE-III monitoring of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). This unprecedented data set contains almost continuous photometric coverage over 8 years of about 35 million objects spread over 40 deg2. We report a detection of two candidate microlensing events found with the automated pipeline and an additional two, less probable, candidate events found manually. The optical depth derived for the two main candidates was calculated following a detailed blending examination and detection efficiency determination and was found to be τ= (0.16 ± 0.12) × 10−7. If the microlensing signal we observe originates from MACHOs, then it means their masses are around 0.2 M⊙ and they comprise only f= 3 ± 2 per cent of the mass of the Galactic halo. However, the more likely explanation of our detections does not involve dark matter compact objects at all and relies on the natural effect of self-lensing of LMC stars by LMC lenses. In such a scenario, we can almost completely rule out MACHOs in the subsolar mass range with an upper limit at f < 7 per cent reaching its minimum of f < 4 per cent at M= 0.1 M⊙. For masses around M= 10 M⊙, the constraints on the MACHOs are more lenient with f∼ 20 per cent. Owing to limitations of the survey, there is no reasonable limit found for heavier masses, leaving only a tiny window of mass spectrum still available for dark matter compact objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary goal of this paper is to provide evidence that can prove true or false the hypothesis that dark matter in the Galactic halo can clump into stellar-mass compact objects. If such objects exist, they would act as lenses to external sources in the Magellanic Clouds, giving rise to an observable effect of microlensing. We present the results of our search for such events, based on data from the second phase of the OGLE survey (1996–2000) towards the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). The data set we used comprises 2.1 million monitored sources distributed over an area of 2.4 deg2. We found only one microlensing event candidate, however its poor-quality light curve limited our discussion of the exact distance to the lensing object. Given a single event, taking blending (crowding of stars) into account for the detection-efficiency simulations and deriving the Hubble Space Telescope ( HST)-corrected number of monitored stars, the microlensing optical depth is . This result is consistent with the expected SMC self-lensing signal, with no need to introduce dark matter microlenses. Rejecting the unconvincing event leads to an upper limit on the fraction of dark matter in the form of massive compact halo objects (MACHOs) of per cent for deflector masses around 0.4 and per cent for masses between 0.003 and 0.2 (95 per cent confidence limit). Our result indicates that the Milky Way's dark matter is unlikely to be clumpy and to form compact objects in the subsolar-mass range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the framework of microlensing searches towards the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), we discuss the results presented by the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) collaboration for their OGLE-II campaign (Wyrzykowski et al). We evaluate the optical depth, the duration and the expected rate of events for the different possible lens populations: both luminous, dominated by the LMC self-lensing, and ‘dark’, the would be compact halo objects (massive compact halo objects) belonging to either the Galactic or the LMC halo. The OGLE-II observational results, two microlensing candidate events located in the LMC bar region with duration of 24.2 and 57.2 days, compare well with the expected signal from the luminous lens populations: , with typical duration, for LMC self-lensing, of about 50 days. Because of the small statistics at disposal, however, the conclusions that can be drawn as for the halo mass fraction, f, in the form of compact halo objects are not too severe. By means of a likelihood analysis we find an upper limit for f, at 95 per cent confidence level, of about 15 per cent in the mass range and 26 per cent for . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an analysis of the substructure revealed by RR Lyraes in Sloan Digital Sky Survey Stripe 82, which covers in declination on the celestial equator over the right ascension range to . We use the new public archive of light-motion curves in Stripe 82, published by Bramich et al. in 2008, to identify a set of high-quality RR Lyrae candidates. Period estimates are determined to high accuracy using a string-length method. A subset of 178 RR Lyraes with spectrally derived metallicities are employed to derive metallicity–period–amplitude relations, which are then used, together with archive magnitude data and light-curve Fourier decomposition, to estimate metallicities and hence distances for the entire sample. The RR Lyraes lie 5–115 kpc from the Galactic Centre, with distance estimates accurate to ∼8 per cent. The RR Lyraes are further divided into subsets of 316 RRab types and 91 RRc types based on their period, colour and metallicity. We fit a smooth density law to the distribution as a simple representation of the data. For Galactocentric radii 5–25 kpc the number density of RR Lyraes falls as , but beyond 25 kpc, the number density falls much more steeply, as . However, we stress that in practice the density distribution is not smooth, but dominated by clumps and substructure. Samples of 55 and 237 RR Lyraes associated with the Sagittarius Stream and the Hercules–Aquila Cloud, respectively, are identified. Hence, ∼70 per cent of the RR Lyraes in Stripe 82 belong to known substructure, and the sharp break in the density law reflects the fact that the dominant substructure in Stripe 82 – the Hercules–Aquila Cloud and the Sagittarius Stream – lie within 40 kpc. In fact, almost 60 per cent of all the RR Lyraes in Stripe 82 are associated with the Hercules–Aquila Cloud alone, which emphasizes the cloud's pre-eminence. Additionally, evidence of a new and distant substructure – the Pisces Overdensity– is found, consisting of 28 faint RR Lyraes centred on Galactic coordinates , with distances of ∼80 kpc. The total stellar mass in the Pisces Overdensity is and its metallicity is [Fe/H] . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the results from the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment II (OGLE-II) survey (1996–2000) towards the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), which has the aim of detecting the microlensing phenomena caused by dark matter compact objects in the Galactic halo [massive compact halo objects (MACHOs)]. We use high-resolution Hubble Space Telescope images of the OGLE fields and derive the correction for the number of monitored stars in each field. This also yields blending distributions which we use in ‘catalogue-level’ Monte Carlo simulations of the microlensing events in order to calculate the detection efficiency of the events. We detect two candidates for microlensing events in the All Stars Sample, which translates into an optical depth of . If both events were due to MACHO, the fraction of mass of compact dark matter objects in the Galactic halo would be per cent. This optical depth, however, along with the characteristics of the events seems to be consistent with the self-lensing scenario, i.e. self-lensing alone is sufficient to explain the observed microlensing signal. Our results indicate the non-detection of MACHOs lensing towards the LMC with an upper limit on their abundance in the Galactic halo of 19 per cent for and 10 per cent for masses between 0.01 and . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microlensing events are usually selected among single-peaked non-repeating light curves in order to avoid confusion with variable stars. However, a microlensing event may exhibit a second microlensing brightening episode when the source or/and the lens is a binary system. A careful analysis of these repeating events provides an independent way to study the statistics of wide binary stars and to detect extrasolar planets. Previous theoretical studies predicted that 0.5–2 per cent of events should repeat due to wide binary lenses. We present a systematic search for such events in about 4000 light curves of microlensing candidates detected by the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) towards the Galactic bulge from 1992 to 2007. The search reveals a total of 19 repeating candidates, with six clearly due to a wide binary lens. As a by-product, we find that 64 events (∼2 per cent of the total OGLE-III sample) have been misclassified as microlensing; these misclassified events are mostly nova or other types of eruptive stars. The number and importance of repeating events will increase considerably when the next-generation wide-field microlensing experiments become fully operational in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery of OGLE 2005-BLG-390Lb, the first cool rocky/icy exoplanet, impressively demonstrated the sensitivity of the microlensing technique to extrasolar planets below 10 M⊕. A planet of 1 M⊕ instead of the expected 5 M⊕ for OGLE 2005-BLG-390Lb (with an uncertainty factor of 2) in the same spot would have provided a detectable deviation with an amplitude of ∼3 per cent and a duration of ∼12 h. While a standard sampling interval of 1.5–2.5 h for microlensing follow-up observations appears to be insufficient for characterizing such light curve anomalies and thereby claiming the discovery of the planets that caused these, an early detection of a deviation could trigger higher-cadence sampling which would have allowed the discovery of an Earth-mass planet in this case. Here, we describe the implementation of an automated anomaly detector, embedded into the eSTAR system, that profits from immediate feedback provided by the robotic telescopes that form the RoboNet-1.0 network. It went into operation for the 2007 microlensing observing season. As part of our discussion about an optimal strategy for planet detection, we shed some new light on whether concentrating on highly magnified events is promising and planets in the ‘resonant’ angular separation equal to the angular Einstein radius are revealed most easily. Given that sub-Neptune mass planets can be considered being common around the host stars probed by microlensing (preferentially M and K dwarfs), the higher number of events that can be monitored with a network of 2-m telescopes and the increased detection efficiency for planets below 5 M⊕ arising from an optimized strategy gives a common effort of current microlensing campaigns a fair chance to detect an Earth-mass planet (from the ground) ahead of the COROT or Kepler missions. The detection limit of gravitational microlensing extends even below 0.1 M⊕, but such planets are not very likely to be detected from current campaigns. However, these will be within the reach of high-cadence monitoring with a network of wide-field telescopes or a space-based telescope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a proper motion mini-survey of 35 fields in the vicinity of Baade window, , sampling roughly a region of the Galactic bar. Our second epoch observations collected with the Advanced Camera for Surveys/High Resolution Channel instrument onboard the Hubble Space Telescope were combined with the archival Wide Field Planetary Camera 2/PC images. The resulting time baselines are in the range of 4 to 8 yr. Precise proper motions of 15 863 stars were determined in the reference frame defined by the mean motion of stars with magnitudes between and 21.5 along the line of sight. We clearly detect small gradients in proper motion dispersions , and in the amount of anisotropy . Both the longitude dispersion and its ratio to the vertical motion increase towards the Galactic plane. The decline of the anisotropy ratio towards the minor axis of the bulge is mostly due to increasing . We also find, for the first time, a significant negative covariance term in the transverse velocity field . Our results extend by a factor of ∼15 the number of the Galactic bar fields with good proper motion dispersions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present 97 QSO candidates in 48 Galactic bulge fields of the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment II (OGLE-II) covering∼11 deg2, which are selected via their variability. We extend light curves of variable objects which were detected in a 3-yr baseline in the OGLE-II variable star catalogue to fourth year. We search for objects that are faintand slowly variable over 4 yr in this catalogue by using the variogram/structure function. Finding the QSOs in such stellar-crowded and high extinction fields is challenging, but should be useful for the astrometric reference frame. Spectroscopic follow-up observations are required to confirm these QSO candidates. Follow-up observations are being prepared for four of these fields (BUL_SC1, 2, 32 and 45). Follow-up observations for other fields are strongly encouraged. The complete list and light curves of all 97 candidates are available in electronic format at. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the discovery of a plausible disc-eclipse system OGLE-BLG182.1.162852. The OGLE light curve for OGLE-BLG182.1.162852 shows three episodes of dimming by I ≃ 2–3 mag, separated by 1277 d. The shape of the light curve during dimming events is very similar to that of known disc-eclipse system OGLE-LMC-ECL-11893. The event is presently undergoing a dimming event, predicted to end on 2014 December 30. The next dimming episode for OGLE-BLG182.1.162852 is expected to occur in 2018 March. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]