Search

We have devised a predominantly Naive Bayes method to classify the optical/IR matches to X-ray sources detected by Chandra in the Cygnus OB2 association into foreground, member, and background objects. We employ a variety of X-ray, optical, and infrared characteristics to construct likelihoods using training sets defined by well-measured sources. Combinations of optical photometry from SDSS (riz) and IPHAS (riHa), IR magnitudes from UKIDSS and 2MASS (JHK), X-ray quantiles and hardness ratios, and estimates of extinction Av are used to compute the relative probabilities that a given source belongs to one of the classes. We use Principal Component Analysis of photometric magnitude combinations to isolate the best axes for classification. We incorporate measurement errors into the classification. We evaluate the accuracy of the classification by inspection and reclassify a number of sources based on IR magnitudes, presence of disks, and X-ray spectral hardness. We also consider systematic errors due to extinction. We find that about 6100 objects are association members, 1400 are background, and 500 are foreground objects. The overall classification accuracy is 95%., Comment: 27 pages, 23 figures, 6 tables; accepted for publication in ApJS. Full Table 3 is in Zenodo at https://zenodo.org/record/8025756

Massive O and early B stars are important markers of recent star formation and exert a significant influence on their environments during their short lives via photoionization and winds and when they explode as supernovae. In the Milky Way they can be detected at great distances but often lie behind large dust columns, making detection at short wavelengths difficult. In this study the use of the less extinguished far-red spectrum (8400 -- 8800 \AA ) for radial velocity measurement is examined. Results are reported for a sample of 164 confirmed OB stars within a 2-degree field positioned on the Carina Arm. Most stars are at distances between 3 and 6 kpc, and Westerlund 2 is at the field edge. The measured radial velocities have errors concentrated in the 3--10 km s$^{-1}$ range, with a systematic uncertainty of 2--3 km s$^{-1}$. These are combined with Gaia-mission astrometry to allow full space motions to be constructed. Up to 22 stars are likely to be runaways although 8 of them are as likely to be interloping (so far undetected) binaries. The mean azimuthal motion of the sample fits in with recent measurements of Galactic disk rotation. In the Galactocentric radial direction the mean motion indicates modest infall at a speed of $\sim$ 10 km s$^{-1}$. This experiment shows that weak Paschen lines in the far-red can yield credible radial velocity determination, offering the prospect of exploring OB-star kinematics over much more of the Galactic disk than has hitherto been possible., Comment: 15 pages, 13 figures, 2 appendices -- accepted for publication in MNRAS, 19th July 2022

We present a catalogue of 618 high amplitude infrared variable stars (1 < DeltaK < 5 mag) detected by the two widely separated epochs of 2.2 um data in the UKIDSS Galactic plane survey, from searches covering 1470 deg^2. Most were discovered by a search of all fields at 30 < l < 230 deg. Sources include new dusty Mira variables, three new CV candidates, a blazar and a peculiar source that may be an interacting binary system. However, c. 60 per cent are YSOs, based on spatial association with star forming regions at distances ranging from 300 pc to over 10 kpc. This confirms our initial result in Contreras Pena et al.(Paper I) that YSOs dominate the high amplitude infrared variable sky in the Galactic disc. It is also supported by recently published VVV results at 295 < l < 350 deg. The spectral energy distributions of the YSOs indicate class I or flat spectrum systems in most cases, as in the VVV sample. A large number of variable YSOs are associated with the Cygnus X complex and other groups are associated with the North America/Pelican nebula, the Gemini OB1 molecular cloud, the Rosette complex, the Cone nebula, the W51 star forming region and the S86 and S236 HII regions. Most of the YSO variability is likely due to variable/episodic accretion on timescales of years, albeit usually less extreme than classical FUors and EXors. Luminosities at the 2010 WISE epoch range from c. 0.1 Lsun to 10^3 Lsun but only rarely exceed 10^2.5 Lsun., Comment: Accepted by MNRAS. 34 pages, 16 figures. The data table for the 618 variable stars (Table 1) is available at http://star.herts.ac.uk/~pwl/Lucas/papers/ in FITS and ascii format

We present a high-precision proper motion study of 873 X-ray and spectroscopically selected stars in the massive OB association Cygnus OB2 as part of the DANCe project. These were calculated from images spanning a 15 year baseline and have typical precisions < 1 mas/yr. We calculate the velocity dispersion in the two axes to be $\sigma_\alpha(c) = 13.0^{+0.8}_{-0.7}$ and $\sigma_\delta(c) = 9.1^{+0.5}_{-0.5}$ km/s, using a 2-component, 2-dimensional model that takes into account the uncertainties on the measurements. This gives a 3-dimensional velocity dispersion of $\sigma_{3D} = 17.8 \pm 0.6$ km/s implying a virial mass significantly larger than the observed stellar mass, confirming that the association is gravitationally unbound. The association appears to be dynamically unevolved, as evidenced by considerable kinematic substructure, non-isotropic velocity dispersions and a lack of energy equipartition. The proper motions show no evidence for a global expansion pattern, with approximately the same amount of kinetic energy in expansion as there is in contraction, which argues against the association being an expanded star cluster disrupted by process such as residual gas expulsion or tidal heating. The kinematic substructures, which appear to be close to virial equilibrium and have typical masses of 40-400 M$_\odot$, also do not appear to have been affected by the expulsion of the residual gas. We conclude that Cyg OB2 was most likely born highly substructured and globally unbound, with the individual subgroups born in (or close to) virial equilibrium, and that the OB association has not experienced significant dynamical evolution since then., Comment: 20 pages, 11 figures, 3 tables. Accepted for publication in MNRAS

We have compiled a significantly updated and comprehensive census of massive stars in the nearby Cygnus OB2 association by gathering and homogenising data from across the literature. The census contains 169 primary OB stars, including 52 O-type stars and 3 Wolf-Rayet stars. Spectral types and photometry are used to place the stars in a Hertzprung-Russell diagram, which is compared to both non-rotating and rotating stellar evolution models, from which stellar masses and ages are calculated. The star formation history and mass function of the association are assessed, and both are found to be heavily influenced by the evolution of the most massive stars to their end states. We find that the mass function of the most massive stars is consistent with a `universal' power-law slope of Gamma = 1.3. The age distribution inferred from stellar evolutionary models with rotation and the mass function suggest the majority of star formation occurred more or less continuously between 1 and 7 Myr ago, in agreement with studies of low- and intermediate mass stars in the association. We identify a nearby young pulsar and runaway O-type star that may have originated in Cyg OB2 and suggest that the association has already seen its first supernova. Finally we use the census and mass function to calculate the total mass of the association of 16500^+3800_-2800 Msun, at the low end, but consistent with, previous estimates of the total mass of Cyg OB2. Despite this Cyg OB2 is still one of the most massive groups of young stars known in our Galaxy making it a prime target for studies of star formation on the largest scales., Comment: 22 pages, 9 figures, 4 tables. Accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

The VISTA Variables in the V\'ia L\'actea (VVV) survey is one of six public ESO surveys, and is now in its 4th year of observing. Although far from being complete, the VVV survey has already delivered many results, some directly connected to the intended science goals (detection of variables stars, microlensing events, new star clusters), others concerning more exotic objects, e.g. novae. Now, at the end of the fourth observing period, and comprising roughly 50% of the proposed observations, the actual status of the survey, as well some of the results based on the VVV data, are presented., Comment: 5 pages, 7 figures

We present H\alpha images of an ionized nebula surrounding the M2-5Ia red supergiant (RSG) W26 in the massive star cluster Westerlund 1. The nebula consists of a circumstellar shell or ring ~0.1pc in diameter and a triangular nebula ~0.2pc from the star that in high-resolution Hubble Space Telescope images shows a complex filamentary structure. The excitation mechanism of both regions is unclear since RSGs are too cool to produce ionizing photons and we consider various possibilities. The presence of the nebula, high stellar luminosity and spectral variability suggest that W26 is a highly evolved RSG experiencing extreme levels of mass-loss. As the only known example of an ionized nebula surrounding a RSG W26 deserves further attention to improve our understanding of the final evolutionary stages of massive stars., Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

We present the result of the cross-matching between UV-excess sources selected from the UV-excess survey of the Northern Galactic Plane (UVEX) and several infrared surveys (2MASS, UKIDSS and WISE). From the position in the (J-H) vs. (H-K) colour-colour diagram we select UV-excess candidate white dwarfs with an M-dwarf type companion, candidates that might have a lower mass, brown-dwarf type companion, and candidates showing an infrared-excess only in the K-band, which might be due to a debris disk. Grids of reddened DA+dM and sdO+MS/sdB+MS model spectra are fitted to the U,g,r,i,z,J,H,K photometry in order to determine spectral types and estimate temperatures and reddening. From a sample of 964 hot candidate white dwarfs with (g-r)<0.2, the spectral energy distribution fitting shows that ~2-4% of the white dwarfs have an M-dwarf companion, ~2% have a lower-mass companion, and no clear candidates for having a debris disk are found. Additionally, from WISE 6 UV-excess sources are selected as candidate Quasi-Stellar Objects (QSOs). Two UV-excess sources have a WISE IR-excess showing up only in the mid-IR W3 band of WISE, making them candidate Luminous InfraRed Galaxies (LIRGs) or Sbc star-burst galaxies., Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS

We present a determination of the average space density and birth rate of hydrogen-line (DA) white dwarfs within a radius of 1 kpc around the Sun, based on an observational sample of 360 candidate white dwarfs with g<19.5 and (g-r)<0.4, selected from the UV-excess Survey of the Northern Galactic Plane (UVEX), in combination with a theoretical white dwarf population that has been constructed to simulate the observations, including the effects of reddening and observational selection effects. The main uncertainty in the derivation of the white dwarf space density and current birth rate lies in the absolute photometric calibration and the photometric scatter of the observational data, which influences the classification method on colours, the completeness and the pollution. Corrections for these effects are applied. We derive an average space density of hydrogen-line (DA) white dwarfs with T_eff > 10,000K (M_V<12.2) of (3.8 +/- 1.1) x 1e-4 pc^-3, and an average DA white dwarf birth rate over the last 7e7 years of (5.4 + 1.5) x 1e-13 pc^-3 yr^-1. Additionally, we show that many estimates of the white dwarf space density from different studies are consistent with each other, and with our determination here., Comment: 19 pages, 27 figures, accepted for publication in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (MNRAS)

There are many pertinent open issues in the area of star and planet formation. Large statistical samples of young stars across star-forming regions are needed to trigger a breakthrough in our understanding, but most optical studies are based on a wide variety of spectrographs and analysis methods, which introduces large biases. Here we show how graphical Bayesian networks can be employed to construct a hierarchical probabilistic model which allows pre-main sequence ages, masses, accretion rates, and extinctions to be estimated using two widely available photometric survey databases (IPHAS r/i/Halpha and 2MASS J-band magnitudes.) Because our approach does not rely on spectroscopy, it can easily be applied to homogeneously study the large number of clusters for which Gaia will yield membership lists. We explain how the analysis is carried out using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method and provide Python source code. We then demonstrate its use on 587 known low-mass members of the star-forming region NGC 2264 (Cone Nebula), arriving at a median age of 3.0 Myr, an accretion fraction of 20+/-2% and a median accretion rate of 10^-8.4 Msol/yr. The Bayesian analysis formulated in this work delivers results which are in agreement with spectroscopic studies already in the literature, but achieves this with great efficiency by depending only on photometry. It is a significant step forward from previous photometric studies, because the probabilistic approach ensures that nuisance parameters, such as extinction and distance, are fully included in the analysis with a clear picture on any degeneracies., Comment: 17 pages & 14 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS

We present 3-dimensional kinematical observations of the massive OB association Cygnus OB2 to identify the mechanisms responsible for disrupting young star clusters. The picture revealed by these observations is of a highly-substructured, dynamically unmixed OB association that does not exhibit the position-velocity correlations predicted by the theories of infant mortality or tidal stripping. These observations would appear to support a picture of hierarchical star formation., Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure; to appear in The Labyrinth of Star Formation, (eds.) D. Stamatellos, S. Goodwin, and D. Ward-Thompson, Springer, in press

We report the discovery of ten proplyd-like objects in the vicinity of the massive OB association Cygnus OB2. They were discovered in IPHAS H-Alpha images and are clearly resolved in broad-band HST/ACS, near-IR and Spitzer mid-IR images. All exhibit the familiar tadpole shape seen in photoevaporating objects such as the Orion proplyds, with a bright ionization front at the head facing the central cluster of massive stars, and a tail stretching in the opposite direction. Many also show secondary ionization fronts, complex tail morphologies or multiple heads. We consider the evidence that these are either proplyds or `evaporating gaseous globules' (EGGs) left over from a fragmenting molecular cloud, but find that neither scenario fully explains the observations. Typical sizes are 50,000--100,000 AU, larger than the Orion proplyds, but in agreement with the theoretical scaling of proplyd size with distance from the ionizing source. These objects are located at projected separations of 6-14pc from the OB association, compared to 0.1pc for the Orion proplyds, but are clearly being photoionized by the 65 O-type stars in Cyg OB2. Central star candidates are identified in near- and mid-IR images, supporting the proplyd scenario, though their large sizes and notable asymmetries is more consistent with the EGG scenario. A third possibility is therefore considered, that these are a unique class of photoevaporating partially-embedded young stellar objects that have survived the destruction of their natal molecular cloud. This has implications for the properties of stars that form in the vicinity of massive stars., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJL

Cygnus OB2 is the nearest example of a massive star forming region, containing over 50 O-type stars and hundreds of B-type stars. We have analyzed two Chandra pointings in Cyg OB2, detecting ~1700 X-ray sources, of which ~1450 are thought to be members of the association. Optical and near-IR photometry has been obtained for ~90% of these sources from recent deep Galactic plane surveys. We have performed isochrone fits to the near-IR color-magnitude diagram, deriving ages of 3.5(+0.75,-1.0) and 5.25(+1.5,-1.0) Myrs for sources in the two fields, both with considerable spreads around the pre-MS isochrones. The presence of a second population in the region, somewhat older than the present-day O-type stars, has been suggested by other authors and fits with the ages derived here. The fraction of sources with inner circumstellar disks (as traced by the K-band excess) is found to be very low, but appropriate for a population of age ~5 Myrs. We measure the stellar mass functions and find a power-law slope of Gamma = -1.09 +/- 0.13, in good agreement with the global mean value estimated by Kroupa. A steepening of the mass function at high masses is observed and we suggest this is due to the presence of the previous generation of stars that have lost their most massive members. Finally, combining our mass function and an estimate of the radial density profile of the association suggests a total mass of Cyg OB2 of ~30,000 Msun, similar to that of many of our Galaxy's most massive star forming regions., Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, conference proceedings for JENAM 2010: Star Clusters in the Era of Large Surveys, Editors: A.Moitinho and J. Alves

Cygnus OB2 is the nearest example of a massive star forming region, containing over 50 O-type stars and hundreds of B-type stars. We have analysed the properties of young stars in two fields in Cyg OB2 using the recently published deep catalogue of Chandra X-ray point sources with complementary optical and near-IR photometry. Our sample is complete to 1 Msun (excluding A and B-type stars that do not emit X-rays), making this the deepest study of the stellar properties and star formation history in Cyg OB2 to date. From Siess et al. (2000) isochrone fits to the near-IR color-magnitude diagram, we derive ages of 3.5 (+0.75/-1.0) and 5.25 (+1.5/-1.0) Myrs for sources in the two fields, both with considerable spreads around the pre-MS isochrones. The presence of a stellar population somewhat older than the present-day O-type stars, also fits in with the low fraction of sources with inner circumstellar disks (as traced by the K-band excess) that we find to be very low, but appropriate for a population of age ~5 Myrs. We also find that the region lacks a population of highly embedded sources that is often observed in young star forming regions, suggesting star formation in the vicinity has declined. We measure the stellar mass functions in this limit and find a power-law slope of Gamma = -1.09 +/- 0.13, in good agreement with the global mean value estimated by Kroupa (2002). A steepening of the slope at higher masses is observed and suggested as due to the presence of the previous generation of stars that have lost their most massive members. Finally, combining our mass function and an estimate of the radial density profile of the association suggests a total mass of Cyg OB2 of ~3 x 10^4 Msun, similar to that of many of our Galaxy's most massive star forming regions., Comment: 32 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ.

We have identified 17 A-type stars in the Galactic Plane that have mid-IR excesses at 8 micron. From the observed colors in the (r'-H_alpha)-(r'-i') plane, we first identified 23050 early A-type main sequence (MS) star candidates in the Isaac Newton Photometric H-Alpha Survey (IPHAS) point source database that are located in Spitzer GLIMPSE Galactic Plane fields. Imposing the requirement that they be detected in all seven 2MASS and IRAC bands led to a sample of 2692 candidate A-type stars with fully sampled 0.6 to 8 micron SEDs. Optical classification spectra of 18 of the IPHAS candidate A-type MS stars showed that all but one could be well fitted using main sequence A-type templates, with the other being an A-type supergiant. Out of the 2692 A-type candidates 17 (0.6%) were found to have 8-micron excesses above the expected photospheric values. Taking into account non-A-Type contamination estimates, the 8-micron excess fraction is adjusted to ~0.7%. The distances to these sources range from 0.7-2.5 kpc. Only 10 out of the 17 excess stars had been covered by Spitzer MIPSGAL survey fields, of which 5 had detectable excesses at 24 micron. For sources with excesses detected in at least two mid-IR wavelength bands, blackbody fits to the excess SEDs yielded temperatures ranging from 270 to 650 K, and bolometric luminosity ratios L_IR/L* from 2.2x10^{-3}-1.9x10^{-2}, with a mean value of 7.9x10^{-3} (these bolometric luminosities are lower limits as cold dust is not detectable by this survey). Both the presence of mid-IR excesses and the derived bolometric luminosity ratios are consistent with many of these systems being in the planet-building transition phase between the early protoplanetary disk phase and the later debris disk phase., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. 41 pages, 11 figures

We report on the discovery of over 50 strong Halpha emitting objects towards the large OB association Cyg OB2 and the HII region DR 15 on its southern periphery. This was achieved using the INT Photometric Halpha Survey of the Northern Galactic Plane (IPHAS), combined with follow-up spectroscopy using the MMT multi-object spectrometer HectoSpec. We present optical spectra, supplemented with optical r', i' and Halpha photometry from IPHAS, and near-infrared J, H, and K photometry from 2MASS. The position of the objects in the (J - H) versus (H - K) diagram strongly suggests most of them are young. Many show CaII IR triplet emission indicating that they are in a pre-main sequence phase of evolution of T Tauri and Herbig Ae nature. Among these, we have uncovered pronounced clustering of T Tauri stars roughly a degree south of the centre of Cyg OB2, in an arc close to the HII region DR 15, and the radio ring nebula G79.29+0.46, for which we discuss its candidacy as a luminous blue variable (LBV). The emission line objects toward Cyg OB2 itself could be the brightest most prominent component of a population of lower mass pre-main sequence stars that has yet to be uncovered. Finally, we discuss the nature of the ongoing star formation in Cyg OB2 and the possibility that the central OB stars have triggered star formation in the periphery., Comment: Accepted by MNRAS, 12 pages, 7 figures

Stellar photometry derived from the INT/WFC Photometric H$\alpha$ Survey of the Northern Galactic Plane (IPHAS) can be used to identify large, reliable samples of A0-A5 dwarfs. For every A star, so identified, it is also possible to derive individual reddening and distance estimates, under the assumption that most selected objects are on or near the main sequence, at a mean absolute r' magnitude of 1.5 -- 1.6. This study presents the method for obtaining such samples and shows that the known reddenings and distances to the open clusters NGC 7510 and NGC 7790 are successfully recovered. A sample of over 1000 A stars is then obtained from IPHAS data in the magnitude range 13.5 < r' < 20 from the region of sky including the massive northern OB association Cyg OB2. Analysis of these data reveals a concentration of ~200 A stars over an area about a degree across, offset mainly to the south of the known 1--3 Myr old OB stars in Cyg OB2: their dereddened r' magnitudes fall in the range 11.8 to 12.5. These are consistent with a ~7 Myr old stellar population at DM = 10.8, or with an age of ~5 Myr at DM = 11.2. The number of A stars found in this clustering alone is consistent with a lower limit to the cluster mass of ~10000 M-sun., Comment: 15 pages, 15 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

The INT Photometric Halpha Survey of the Northern Galactic Plane (IPHAS) is a 1800 square degrees CCD survey of the northern Milky Way spanning the latitude range -5 < b < +5 (degrees) and reaching down to r' ~ 20 (10-sigma). It may increase the number of known northern emission line sources by an order of magnitude. Representative observations and an assessment of point-source data from IPHAS, now underway, are presented. The data obtained are Wide Field Camera images in Halpha narrow-band, and Sloan r' and i' broad-band, filters. We simulate IPHAS (r' - Halpha, r' - i') point-source colours using a spectrophotometric library of stellar spectra and available filter transmission profiles: this gives expected colours for (i) solar-metallicity stars, without Halpha emission, and (ii) emission line stars. Comparisons with Aquila field observations show that simulated normal star colours reproduce the data well for spectral types earlier than M. Spectroscopic follow-up of a Cepheus field confirms that sources lying above the main stellar locus in the (r' - Halpha, r' - i') plane are emission line objects, with very few failures. Examples of Halpha deficit objects -- a white dwarf and a carbon star -- are shown to be readily distinguished by their IPHAS colours. The role IPHAS can play in studies of nebulae is discussed briefly, and illustrated by a continuum-subtracted mosaic image of the SNR, Shajn 147. The final catalogue of IPHAS point sources will contain photometry on ~80 million objects. (abridged), Comment: 25 pages, 20 figures (13 with colour, 12 at reduced resolution). Accepted 23rd June 2005 for publication in MNRAS. A full resolution pdf copy of the paper may be obtained from http://astro.ic.ac.uk/Research/Halpha/North/publications.shtml

We present high resolution AO-corrected coronographic near-infrared imaging on the early-type Herbig Be star MWC 297. X-ray flaring has been reported towards this young object, however this has been difficult to reconcile with its early spectral type (B1.5) and relatively high mass (10 Msun). Our infrared and X-ray analysis shows that the X-ray flaring is likely due to a late-type star in the same field. The case of MWC 297 emphasizes the need for coronographic imaging to address the reality of X-ray emission towards Herbig Ae/Be stars, which is needed to understand the differences between low and high-mass star formation., Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures. Accepted for A&A Letters

We present Halpha spectropolarimetry observations of a sample of 10 bright T Tauri stars, supplemented with new Herbig Ae/Be star data. A change in the linear polarisation across Halpha is detected in most of the T Tauri (9/10) and Herbig Ae (9/11) objects, which we interpret in terms of a compact source of line photons that is scattered off a rotating accretion disk. We find consistency between the position angle (PA) of the polarisation and those of imaged disk PAs from infrared and millimetre imaging and interferometry studies, probing much larger scales. For the Herbig Ae stars AB Aur, MWC 480 and CQ Tau, we find the polarisation PA to be perpendicular to the imaged disk, which is expected for single scattering. On the other hand, the polarisation PA aligns with the outer disk PA for the T Tauri stars DR Tau and SU Aur and FU Ori, conforming to the case of multiple scattering. This difference can be explained if the inner disks of Herbig Ae stars are optically thin, whilst those around our T Tauri stars and FU Ori are optically thick. Furthermore, we develop a novel technique that combines known inclination angles and our recent Monte Carlo models to constrain the inner rim sizes of SU Aur, GW Ori, AB Aur, and CQ Tau. Finally, we consider the connection of the inner disk structure with the orientation of the magnetic field in the foreground interstellar medium: for FU Ori and DR Tau, we infer an alignment of the stellar axis and the larger magnetic field direction., Comment: 17 pages; MNRAS (accepted)

We have obtained Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (905-1187 Angstrom) spectra of the non-magnetic cataclysmic variable Z Cam during a period of quiescence. The spectrum resembles that of a hot (57,000 K) metal-enriched white dwarf. A high effective temperature is consistent with the expectation that dwarf nova systems that show standstills, as Z Cam does, have higher than normal time-averaged mass accretion rates. It is also consistent with current estimates for the mass and distance to Z Cam. A white dwarf model in which 29% of the surface has a temperature of 72,000 K and the rest of the surface is at 26,000 K also reproduces the spectral shape and the continuum flux level at the nominal distance and WD mass, and is a somewhat better statistical fit to the data. A second component could be due to a rotating accretion belt, a remnant of an outburst that ended eleven days prior to the FUSE observation, or ongoing accretion. We favor the uniform temperature model for Z Cam, largely because the data do not require anything more complicated. We have compared the quiescent spectrum with an archival spectrum of Z Cam in standstill, obtained with ORFEUS. The standstill spectrum is described well by a disk accreting at a rate of 7(-2,+4) 10**16 gm/s, where the errors depend on the assumed inclination. The quiescent spectra cover a full orbital period and are time-resolved to 500 s. No variability was observed in the continuum during the observation, but the depth of many of the absorption lines increased between orbital phases 0.65 and 0.81. We attribute this effect to absorption by material associated with the accretion stream, which is easier to understand if the inclination is near the maximum allowed value of 68 degrees., Comment: 45 pages, including 13 figures and 5 tables; accepted for publiction in ApJ

We predict polarimetric line profiles for scattering off rotating disks using a Monte Carlo technique. We have discovered that there is a marked difference between scattering of line emission by a disk that reaches the stellar surface, and a disk with an inner hole. For the case with an inner hole, we find single position-angle rotations, similar to those predicted by analytic models. For the case of an undisrupted disk, we find double rotations in the position angle -- an effect not reported before. We show that this new effect is due to the finite-sized star interacting with the disk's rotational velocity field. Since a gradual increase of the hole size transforms the double rotations smoothly back into single ones -- as the line emission object approaches that of a point source -- our models demonstrate the diagnostic potential of line polarimetry in determining not only the disk inclination, but also the size of the disk inner hole. Our models are generic, and relevant to any line emitting object that is embedded in a rotating disk. Examples are: Herbig Ae stars, T Tauri stars, other young stars, early-type stars with disks, post-AGB stars, cataclysmic variables and other binary systems, as well as extra-galactic objects, such as the disks around super-massive black holes., Comment: 11 pages, Accepted by Astronomy & Astrophysics

We report the discovery of only the fourth massive WO star to be found in the Milky Way, and only the seventh identified within the Local Group. This has resulted from the first observations made in a programme of follow-up spectroscopy of candidate emission line stars from the AAO/UK Schmidt Southern Galactic Plane H-alpha Survey. The optical spectrum of this star, to become WR 93b in the Catalogue of Galactic Wolf-Rayet stars, is presented and described. WR 93b is classified as WO3 and is shown to be highly reddened (E(B-V) = 2.1 pm 0.1). A recombination line analysis of the emission lines yields the abundance ratios C/He = 0.95 and O/He = 0.13 (by number). Comparisons at near infrared wavelengths of reddening corrected photometry between WR 93b and both of Sand 2 (WO3, D = 49 kpc) and Sand 5 (WO2, D = 1.75 kpc) yields a consistent distance to WR 93b of 3.4 kpc. Positioned at Galactic co-ordinates l = 353.27, b = -0.85, the star is most likely located in the Scutum-Crux Arm of the inner Milky Way. We note that none of the four Galactic WO stars lies significantly beyond the Solar Circle (with two well inside). Estimation of the wind terminal velocity in WR 93b at 5750 km/s makes this star the current wind speed record holder among all non-degenerate stars., Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS main journal, 9 pages, 4 figures

We present linear Halpha spectropolarimetry of the classical T Tauri star RY Tau. A change in the polarization percentage and position angle across Halpha is detected, which suggests that line photons are scattered in a rotating disc. We derive the position angle from the slope of the loop in the (Q,U) diagram and find it to be 146 +/- 3 degrees. This is perpendicular to the position angle of the disc of 48 +/- 5 degrees as deduced from submillimeter imaging by Koerner & Sargent (1995). This finding is consistent, as scattering off the imaged millimeter disc is expected to yield a polarization signature in a direction that is rotated by 90 degrees from this disc. The observed spectropolarimetric behaviour of RY Tau is reminiscent of that seen in a large group of Herbig Ae stars, suggesting a common circumstellar origin of the polarized photons., Comment: 5 pages; 3 figures; Accepted by Astronomy & Astrophysics

We present Halpha spectropolarimetry of a large sample of pre-main sequence (PMS) stars of low and intermediate mass, and argue that the technique is a powerful tool in studying the circumstellar geometry around these objects. For the intermediate mass (2 -- 15 Msun) Herbig Ae/Be stars we find that 16 out of 23 show a line effect, which immediately implies that flattening is common among these objects. Furthermore, we find a significant difference in Halpha spectropolarimetry behaviour between the Herbig Be and Ae groups. For the Herbig Be stars, the concept of an electron scattering disc is shown to be a useful concept to explain the depolarizations seen in this spectral range. At lower masses, more complex Halpha polarimetry behaviour starts to appear. The concept of a compact source of Halpha emission that is formed close to the stellar surface, for instance by hot spots due to magnetospheric accretion, is postulated as a working hypothesis to qualitatively explain the Halpha spectropolarimetry behaviour around Herbig Ae and lower mass (M < 2 Msun) T Tauri stars. The striking resemblance in spectropolarimetric behaviour between the T Tauri star RY Tau and the Herbig Ae stars suggests a common origin of the polarized line photons, and hints that low and higher mass pre-main sequence stars may have more in common than had hitherto been suspected., Comment: 8 pages; 8 figures; to appear in:"Open Issues in Local Star Formation and Early Evolution"

We present Halpha spectropolarimetry observations of a sample of 23 Herbig Ae/Be stars. A change in the linear polarisation across Halpha is detected in a large fraction of the objects, which indicates that the regions around Herbig stars are flattened (disc-like) on small scales. A second outcome of our study is that the spectropolarimetric signatures for the Ae stars differ from those of the Herbig Be stars, with characteristics changing from depolarisation across Halpha in the Herbig Be stars, to line polarisations in the Ae group. The frequency of depolarisations detected in the Herbig Be stars (7/12) is particularly interesting as, by analogy to classical Be stars, it may be the best evidence to date that the higher mass Herbig stars are surrounded by flattened structures. For the Herbig Ae stars, 9 out of 11 show a line polarisation effect that can be understood in terms of a compact Halpha emission that is itself polarised by a rotating disc-like circumstellar medium. The spectropolarimetric difference between the Herbig Be and Ae stars may be the first indication that there is a transition in the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram from magnetic accretion at spectral type A to disc accretion at spectral type B. Alternatively, the interior polarised line emission apparent in the Ae stars may be masked in the Herbig Be stars due to their higher levels of Halpha emission., Comment: 14 pages, MNRAS accepted

H_alpha spectropolarimetry on Herbig Ae/Be stars shows that the innermost regions of intermediate mass (2 -- 15 M_sun) Pre-Main Sequence stars are flattened. This may be the best evidence to date that the higher mass Herbig Be stars are embedded in circumstellar discs. A second outcome of our study is that the spectropolarimetric signatures for the lower mass Herbig Ae stars differ from those of the higher mass Herbig Be stars. Depolarisations across H_alpha are observed in the Herbig Be group, whereas line polarisations are common amongst the Herbig Ae stars in our sample. These line polarisation effects can be understood in terms of a compact H_alpha source that is polarised by a rotating disc-like configuration. The difference we detect between the Herbig Be and Ae stars may be the first indication that there is a transition in the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram from magnetic accretion at spectral type A to disc accretion at spectral type B. However, it is also possible that the compact polarised line component, present in the Herbig Ae stars, is masked in the Herbig Be stars due to their higher levels of H_alpha emission., Comment: Conference Talk

We now understand how low mass stars evolve through cloud collapse and disc accretion, but whether higher mass stars are also disc accretors is as yet unknown. Spectropolarimetry observations can help in answering this basic question, as they probe the first few stellar radii around young stars., Comment: 2 figures, 2 pages, to appear in: "The Earliest Phases of Massive Star Birth"

We present time-resolved spectroscopy of the Be star HD 76534, which was observed to have an Halpha outburst in 1995, when the line went from photospheric absorption to emission at a level of more than two times the continuum within 2.5 hours. To investigate the short-term behaviour of the spectrum of HD 76534 we have obtained 30 spectra within two hours real-time and searched for variations in the spectrum. Within the levels of statistical significance, no variability was found. Rather than periodic on short time scales, the Halpha behaviour seems to be commonly episodic on longer (>1 year) time scales, as an assessment of the existing data on the Halpha line and the Hipparcos photometry suggests. HD 76534 underwent only 1 photometric outburst in the 3 year span that the star was monitored by the Hipparcos satellite., Comment: Accepted by A&A. 6 pages 4 figures

A radiation-driven disk wind model is proposed that offers great promise of explaining the extreme mass loss signatures of massive young stellar objects (the BN-type objects and more luminous Herbig Be stars). It is argued that the dense low-velocity winds associated with young late-O/early-B stars would be the consequence of continuing optically-thick accretion onto them. The launch of outflow from a Keplerian disk allows wind speeds of about 200 km/s that are substantially less than the escape speed from the stellar surface. The star itself is not required to be a rapid rotator. Disk irradiation is taken into account in the hydrodynamical calculation presented, and identified as an important issue both observationally and from the dynamical point of view., Comment: 5 pages, LaTeX including one table, requires mn.sty, 4 Postscript figures, to appear in MNRAS as a Letter

We study the 2-D, time-dependent hydrodynamics of radiation-driven winds from accretion disks in which the radiation force is mediated by spectral lines. If the dominant contribution to the total radiation field comes from the disk, then we find the outflow is intrinsically unsteady and characterised by large amplitude velocity and density changes. Both infall and outflow can occur in different regions of the wind at the same time. On the other hand, if the total luminosity of the system is dominated by the central star, then the outflow is steady. In either case, we find the 2-D structure of the wind consists of a dense, slow outflow, typically confined to angles within about 45$^o$ of the equatorial plane, that is bounded on the polar side by a high -velocity, lower density stream. The flow geometry is controlled largely by the geometry of the radiation field. Global properties e.g., the total mass loss rate and terminal velocity depend more on the system luminosity and are insensitive to geometry. Matter is fed into the fast wind from within a few stellar radii of the central star. Our solutions agree qualitatively with the kinematics of outflows in CV systems inferred from spectroscopic observations. We predict that low luminosity systems may display unsteady behavior in wind-formed spectral lines. Our study also has application to winds from active galactic nuclei and from high mass YSOs., Comment: 26 pages, LaTeX including two tables, requires mn.sty, 24 Postscript figures including 8 colour ones, to appear in MNRAS

We have compared the B-V colour excess, E(B-V), obtained for a sample of five optically visible massive YSOs both from diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) in their spectra and from their optical continuum slopes. Our targets are HD 200775, BD+40 4124, MWC 1080, MWC 297 and MWC 349A. First, E(B-V) towards each of the targets is derived by dereddening the observed continua to match those of B-type standard stars. A survey of DIBs in the spectra of the massive YSOs, and a control field star, then reveals that the DIBs are significantly weaker in the former than would be expected based on the total E(B-V) values. This result is strengthened by the finding that the DIBs in the control field star, HD 154445, have on average the strength expected from its continuum E(B-V). A rough estimate of the foreground reddening of intervening diffuse interstellar medium shows it to be smaller than the DIB-E(B-V), implying that at least part of the DIB carriers are formed within the parental molecular clouds in which the YSOs are embedded. The formation efficiency of the DIBs varies strongly however from cloud to cloud. The DIB-E(B-V) compares favourably with the total E(B-V) towards BD+40 4124, but is almost negligible in the line of sight towards MWC 297. Despite this general, but not unexpected, deficit we provide evidence that the DIB at 5849 Angstrom is a good tracer of total extinction in these lines of sight., Comment: MNRAS in press; 8 pages LaTeX, 4 ps figures