Search

Over the last two decades the organic solar cell community has synthesised tens of thousands of novel polymers and small molecules in the search for an optimum light harvesting material. These materials were often crudely evaluated simply by measuring the current voltage curves in the light to obtain power conversion efficiencies (PCEs). Materials with low PCEs were quickly disregarded in the search for higher efficiencies. More complex measurements such as frequency/time domain characterisation that could explain why the material performed as it did were often not performed as they were too time consuming/complex. This limited feedback forced the field to advance using a more or less random walk of material development and has significantly slowed progress. Herein, we present a simple technique based on machine learning that can quickly and accurately extract recombination time constants and charge carrier mobilities as a function of light intensity simply from light/dark JV curves alone. This technique reduces the time to fully analyse a working cell from weeks to seconds and opens up the possibility of not only fully characterising new devices as they are fabricated, but also data mining historical data sets for promising materials the community has over looked., Comment: 10 figures, 30 pages

The density of states (DOS) is fundamentally important for understanding physical processes in organic disordered semiconductors, yet hard to determine experimentally. We evaluated the DOS by considering recombination via tail states and using the temperature and open-circuit voltage ($V_\mathrm{oc}$) dependence of the ideality factor in organic solar cells. By performing Suns-$V_\mathrm{oc}$ measurements, we find that gaussian and exponential distributions describe the DOS only at a given quasi-Fermi level splitting. The DOS width increases linearly with the DOS depth, revealing the power-law DOS in these materials., Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures

Wide binary stars with similar components hosting planets provide a favorable opportunity for exploring the star-planet chemical connection. We perform a detailed characterization of the solar-type stars in the WASP-160 binary system. No planet has been reported yet around WASP-160A while WASP-160B is known to host a transiting Saturn-mass planet, WASP-160B b. For this planet, we also derive updated properties from both literature and new observations. Furthermore, using TESS photometry, we constrain the presence of transiting planets around WASP-160A and additional ones around WASP-160B. The stellar characterization includes, for the first time, the computation of high-precision differential atmospheric and chemical abundances of 25 elements based on high-quality Gemini-GRACES spectra. Our analysis reveals evidence of a correlation between the differential abundances and the condensation temperatures of the elements. In particular, we find both a small but significant deficit of volatiles and an enhancement of refractory elements in WASP-160B relative to WASP-160A. After WASP-94, this is the second stellar pair among the shortlist of planet-hosting binaries showing this kind of peculiar chemical pattern. Although we discuss several plausible planet formation and evolution scenarios for WASP-160A and B that could explain the observed chemical pattern, none of them can be conclusively accepted or rejected. Future high-precision photometric and spectroscopic follow-up, as well as high-contrast imaging observations, of WASP-160A and B, might provide further constraints on the real origin of the detected chemical differences., Comment: Accepted for publication in AJ, 28 pages, 13 figures, 5 tables

Most adversarial attack methods that are designed to deceive a text classifier change the text classifier's prediction by modifying a few words or characters. Few try to attack classifiers by rewriting a whole sentence, due to the difficulties inherent in sentence-level rephrasing as well as the problem of setting the criteria for legitimate rewriting. In this paper, we explore the problem of creating adversarial examples with sentence-level rewriting. We design a new sampling method, named ParaphraseSampler, to efficiently rewrite the original sentence in multiple ways. Then we propose a new criteria for modification, called a sentence-level threaten model. This criteria allows for both word- and sentence-level changes, and can be adjusted independently in two dimensions: semantic similarity and grammatical quality. Experimental results show that many of these rewritten sentences are misclassified by the classifier. On all 6 datasets, our ParaphraseSampler achieves a better attack success rate than our baseline., Comment: Please see an updated version of this paper at arXiv:2104.08453

In many real life situations, including job and loan applications, gatekeepers must make justified and fair real-time decisions about a person's fitness for a particular opportunity. In this paper, we aim to accomplish approximate group fairness in an online stochastic decision-making process, where the fairness metric we consider is equalized odds. Our work follows from the classical learning-from-experts scheme, assuming a finite set of classifiers (human experts, rules, options, etc) that cannot be modified. We run separate instances of the algorithm for each label class as well as sensitive groups, where the probability of choosing each instance is optimized for both fairness and regret. Our theoretical results show that approximately equalized odds can be achieved without sacrificing much regret. We also demonstrate the performance of the algorithm on real data sets commonly used by the fairness community., Comment: Accepted to IJCAI 2021

The stellar Rotation $vs.$ Age relation is commonly considered as a useful tool to derive reliable ages for Sun-like stars. However, in the light of \kepler\ data, the presence of apparently old and fast rotators that do not obey the usual gyrochronology relations led to the hypothesis of weakened magnetic breaking in some stars. In this letter, we constrain the solar rotation evolutionary track using solar twins. Predicted rotational periods as a function of mass, age, [Fe/H] and given critical Rossby number ($Ro_{\rm crit}$) were estimated for the entire rotational sample. Our analysis favors the smooth rotational evolution scenario and suggests that, if the magnetic weakened breaking scenario takes place at all, it should arise after $Ro_{\rm crit}\gtrsim2.29$ or ages $\gtrsim$5.3 Gyr (at 95$\%$ confidence level)., Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

We have investigated the thorium (Th) abundance in a sample of 53 thin disc solar twins covering a wide range of ages. These data provide constrains on the mantle energy budget of terrestrial planets that can be formed over the evolution of the Galaxy's thin disc. We have estimated Th abundances with an average precision of 0.025\,dex (in both [Th/H] and [Th/Fe]) through comprehensive spectral synthesis of a Th\,II line present at 4019.1290\,{\AA}, using very high resolution (R\,=\,115,000) high quality HARPS spectra obtained at the ESO La Silla Observatory. We have confirmed that there is a large energy budget from Th decay for maintaining mantle convection inside potential rocky planets around solar twins, from the Galactic thin disc formation until now, because the pristine [Th/H]$_{\rm ZAMS}$ is super-solar on average under a uniform dispersion of 0.056\,dex (varying from +0.037 up to +0.138\,dex based on linear fits against isochrone stellar age). Comparing to neodymium (Nd) and europium (Eu), two others neutron-capture elements, the stellar pristine abundance of Th follows Eu along the Galactic thin disc evolution, but it does not follow Nd, probably because neodymium has a significant contribution from the $s$-process (about 60\,per\,cent)., Comment: 13 pages & 6 figures; accepted for publication in MNRAS

It is well known that the magnetic activity of solar type stars decreases with age, but it is widely debated in the literature whether there is a smooth decline or if there is an early sharp drop until 1-2 Gyr followed by a relatively inactive constant phase. We revisited the activity-age relation using time-series observations of a large sample of solar twins whose precise isochronal ages and other important physical parameters have been determined. We measured the Ca II H and K activity indices using 9000 HARPS spectra of 82 solar twins. We measured an average solar activity of $S_{\rm MW}$ = 0.1712 $\pm$ 0.0017 during solar magnetic cycles 23$-$24 covered by HARPS observations and we also inferred an average of $S_{\rm MW}$ = 0.1694 $\pm$ 0.0025 for cycles 10$-$24, anchored on a S index vs. sunspot number correlation. Also, a simple relation between the average and dispersion of the activity levels of solar twins was found. This enabled us to predict the stellar variability effects on the age-activity diagram and, consequently, estimate the chromospheric age uncertainties due to the same phenomena. The age-activity relation is still statistically significant up to ages around 6$-$7 Gyr, in agreement with previous works using open clusters and field stars with precise ages. Our research confirms that Ca II H \& K lines remain a useful chromospheric evolution tracer until stars reach ages of at least 6$-$7 Gyr. We found an evidence that, for the most homogeneous set of old stars, the chromospheric activity indices seem to continue decreasing after the solar age towards the end of the main-sequence. Our results indicate that a significant part of the scatter observed in the age-activity relation of solar twins can be attributed to stellar cycle modulations effects. The Sun seems to have a normal activity level and variability for its age., Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures, 3 Tables. Accepted for publication in A&A. [Abridged abstract]

We propose and numerically solve a new variational model for automatic saliency detection in digital images. Using a non-local framework we consider a family of edge preserving functions combined with a new quadratic saliency detection term. Such term defines a constrained bilateral obstacle problem for image classification driven by p-Laplacian operators, including the so-called hyper-Laplacian case (0 < p < 1). The related non-convex non-local reactive flows are then considered and applied for glioblastoma segmentation in magnetic resonance fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (MRI-Flair) images. A fast convolutional kernel based approximated solution is computed. The numerical experiments show how the non-convexity related to the hyperLaplacian operators provides monotonically better results in terms of the standard metrics.

We address the existence and origin of the lithium (Li) desert, a region in the Li - T_eff plane sparsely populated by stars. Here we analyze some of the explanations that have been suggested for this region, including mixing in the late main sequence, a Li dip origin for stars with low Li abundances in the region, and a possible relation with the presence of planets. To study the Li desert, we measured the atmospheric parameters and Li abundance of 227 late-F dwarfs and subgiants, chosen to be in the T_eff range of the desert and without previous Li abundance measurements. Subsequently, we complemented those with literature data to obtain a homogeneous catalog of 2318 stars, for which we compute masses and ages. We characterize stars surrounding the region of the Li desert. We conclude that stars with low Li abundances below the desert are more massive and more evolved than stars above the desert. Given the unexpected presence of low Li abundance stars in this effective temperature range, we concentrate on finding their origin. We conclude that these stars with low Li abundance do not evolve from stars above the desert: at a given mass, stars with low Li (i.e., below the desert) are more metal-poor. Instead, we suggest that stars below the Li desert are consistent with having evolved from the Li dip, discarding the need to invoke additional mixing to explain this feature. Thus, stars below the Li desert are not peculiar and are only distinguished from other subgiants evolved from the Li dip in that their combination of atmospheric parameters locates them in a range of effective temperatures where otherwise only high Li abundance stars would be found (i.e., stars above the desert)., Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A

The compositions of stars are a critical diagnostic tool for many topics in astronomy such as the evolution of our Galaxy, the formation of planets, and the uniqueness of the Sun. Previous spectroscopic measurements indicate a large intrinsic variation in the elemental abundance patterns of stars with similar overall metal content. However, systematic errors arising from inaccuracies in stellar models are known to be a limiting factor in such studies, and thus it is uncertain to what extent the observed diversity of stellar abundance patterns is real. Here we report the abundances of 30 elements with precisions of 2% for 79 Sun-like stars within 100 parsecs. Systematic errors are minimized in this study by focusing on solar twin stars and performing a line-by-line differential analysis using high-resolution, high-signal-to-noise spectra. We resolve [X/Fe] abundance trends in galactic chemical evolution at precisions of $10^{-3}$ dex Gyr$^{-1}$ and reveal that stars with similar ages and metallicities have nearly identical abundance patterns. Contrary to previous results, we find that the ratios of carbon-to-oxygen and magnesium-to-silicon in solar metallicity stars are homogeneous to within 10% throughout the solar neighborhood, implying that exoplanets may exhibit much less compositional diversity than previously thought. Finally, we demonstrate that the Sun has a subtle deficiency in refractory material relative to >80% of solar twins (at 2$\sigma$ confidence), suggesting a possible signpost for planetary systems like our own., Comment: ApJ accepted version

Important insights into the formation and evolution of the Galactic disc(s) are contained in the chemical compositions of stars. We analysed high-resolution and high signal to noise HARPS spectra of 79 solar twin stars in order to obtain precise determinations of their atmospheric parameters, ages ($\sigma$$\sim$0.4 Gyr) and chemical abundances ($\sigma$$<$0.01~dex) of 12 neutron-capture elements (Sr, Y, Zr, Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, and Dy). This valuable dataset allows us to study the [X/Fe]-age relations over a time interval of $\sim$10 Gyr and among stars belonging to the thin and thick discs. These relations show that i) the $s$-process has been the main channel of nucleosynthesis of $n$-capture elements during the evolution of the thin disc; ii) the thick disc is rich in $r$-process elements which suggests that its formation has been rapid and intensive. %; iii) a chemical continuity between the thin and thick discs is evident in the abundances of Ba. In addition, the heavy (Ba, La, Ce) and light (Sr, Y, Zr) $s$-process elements revealed details on the dependence between the yields of AGB stars and the stellar mass or metallicity. Finally, we confirmed that both [Y/Mg] and [Y/Al] ratios can be employed as stellar clocks, allowing ages of solar twin stars to be estimated with an average precision of $\sim$0.5~Gyr.

Using standard 1D-LTE model atmosphere analysis, we provide an in-depth investigation of iron abundance as derived from neutral and singly ionization iron lines (Fe {\scriptsize{I, II}}) in nearby star clusters. Specifically, we replicate the discrepancy regarding $\Delta$[Fe/H], wherein the difference of Fe {\scriptsize{II}} - Fe {\scriptsize{I}} increases for stars of the same cluster with decreasing $T_\mathrm{eff}$, reaching an astonishing 1.0 dex at $T_\mathrm{eff}$ $\thicksim$ 4000 K. Previous studies have investigated this anomaly in the Pleiades and Hyades clusters with no concrete solution. In this analysis, we probe two samples: 63 wide binary field stars where the primary star is of sun-like temperatures and the secondary is a K-dwarf, ranging from 4231 K $\leq$ $T_\mathrm{eff}$ $\leq$ 6453 K, and 33 Hyades stars of temperatures 4268 K $\leq$ $T_\mathrm{eff}$ $\leq$ 6072 K. Previous studies have found discrepancies on the order of 1.0 dex. However, we find that these studies have neglected line-blending effects of certain Fe {\scriptsize{II}} lines, namely $\lambda$ = \{4508.29 \AA, 4993.34 \AA, 5197.58 \AA, 5325.55 \AA, 5425.26 \AA, 6456.38 \AA\}. When these lines are removed from the line-list, we find $\Delta$[Fe/H] decreases to $\thicksim$ 0.6 dex in the field binaries and $\thicksim$ 0.3 dex in the Hyades. The reason for this remaining trend is investigated by probing NLTE effects, as well as age and activity considerations using Ca {\scriptsize{II}} H+K emission and Li absorption, but these results appear to be small to negligible., Comment: 18 pages, 18 figures, 3 tables

Previous studies on the rotation of Sun-like stars revealed that the rotational rates of young stars converge towards a well-defined evolution that follows a power-law decay. It seems, however, that some binary stars do not obey this relation, often by displaying enhanced rotational rates and activity. In the Solar Twin Planet Search program we observed several solar twin binaries, and found a multiplicity fraction of $42\% \pm 6\%$ in the whole sample; moreover, at least three of these binaries (HIP 19911, HIP 67620 and HIP 103983) clearly exhibit the aforementioned anomalies. We investigated the configuration of the binaries in the program, and discovered new companions for HIP 6407, HIP 54582, HIP 62039 and HIP 30037, of which the latter is orbited by a $0.06$ M$_\odot$ brown dwarf in a 1-month long orbit. We report the orbital parameters of the systems with well-sampled orbits and, in addition, the lower limits of parameters for the companions that only display a curvature in their radial velocities. For the linear trend binaries, we report an estimate of the masses of their companions when their observed separation is available, and a minimum mass otherwise. We conclude that solar twin binaries with low-mass stellar companions at moderate orbital periods do not display signs of a distinct rotational evolution when compared to single stars. We confirm that the three peculiar stars are double-lined binaries, and that their companions are polluting their spectra, which explains the observed anomalies., Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

The six planets of the Kepler-11 system are the archetypal example of a population of surprisingly low-density transiting planets revealed by the Kepler mission. We have determined the fundamental parameters and chemical composition of the Kepler-11 host star to unprecedented precision using an extremely high quality spectrum from Keck-HIRES (R$\simeq$67,000, S/N per pixel$\simeq$260 at 600 nm). Contrary to previously published results, our spectroscopic constraints indicate that Kepler-11 is a young main-sequence solar twin. The revised stellar parameters and new analysis raise the densities of the Kepler-11 planets by between 20-95% per planet, making them more typical of the emerging class of "puffy" close-in exoplanets. We obtain photospheric abundances of 22 elements and find that Kepler-11 has an abundance pattern similar to that of the Sun with a slightly higher overall metallicity. We additionally analyze the Kepler lightcurves using a photodynamical model and discuss the tension between spectroscopic and transit/TTV-based stellar density estimates., Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures; ApJ accepted version

There are two possible mechanisms to imprint planet signatures in the chemical composition of Sun-like stars: i) dust condensation at the early stages of planet formation, causing a depletion of refractory elements in the gas accreted by the star in the late stages of its formation; ii) planet engulfment, enriching the host star in lithium and refractory elements. We discuss both planet signatures, the influence of galactic chemical evolution, and the importance of binaries composed of stellar twins as laboratories to verify abundance anomalies imprinted by planets., Comment: The 19th Cambridge Workshop on Cool Stars, Stellar Systems, and the Sun. Edited by G. A. Feiden

[Methods]. We obtained high-precision radial velocities with HARPS on the ESO 3.6 m telescope and determined precise stellar elemental abundances (~0.01 dex) using MIKE spectra on the Magellan 6.5m telescope. [Results]. Our data indicate the presence of a planet with a minimum mass of 26 Earth masses around the solar twin HIP 68468. The planet is a super-Neptune, but unlike the distant Neptune in our solar system (30 AU), HIP 68468c is close-in, with a semi-major axis of 0.66 AU, similar to that of Venus. The data also suggest the presence of a super-Earth with a minimum mass of 2.9 Earth masses at 0.03 AU; if the planet is confirmed, it will be the fifth least massive radial velocity planet discovery to date and the first super-Earth around a solar twin. Both isochrones (5.9 Gyr) and the abundance ratio [Y/Mg] (6.4 Gyr) indicate an age of about 6 billion years. The star is enhanced in refractory elements when compared to the Sun, and the refractory enrichment is even stronger after corrections for Galactic chemical evolution. We determined a NLTE Li abundance of 1.52 dex, which is four times higher than what would be expected for the age of HIP 68468. The older age is also supported by the low log(R'HK) (-5.05) and low jitter. Engulfment of a rocky planet of 6 Earth masses can explain the enhancement in both lithium and the refractory elements. [Conclusions]. The super-Neptune planet candidate is too massive for in situ formation, and therefore its current location is most likely the result of planet migration that could also have driven other planets towards its host star, enhancing thus the abundance of lithium and refractory elements in HIP 68468. The intriguing evidence of planet accretion warrants further observations to verify the existence of the planets that are indicated by our data and to better constrain the nature of the planetary system around this unique star., Comment: A&A, in press

It is still unclear how common the Sun is when compared to other similar stars in regards to some of its physical properties, such as rotation. Considering that gyrochronology relations are widely used today to estimate ages of stars in the main sequence, and that the Sun is used to calibrate it, it is crucial to assess if these procedures are acceptable. We analyze the rotational velocities -- limited by the unknown rotation axis inclination angle -- of an unprecedented large sample of solar twins in order to study the rotational evolution of Sun-like stars, and assess if the Sun is a typical rotator. We use high-resolution ($R = 115000$) spectra obtained with the HARPS spectrograph and ESO's 3.6 m telescope at La Silla Observatory. The projected rotational velocities for 82 solar twins are estimated by line profile fitting with synthetic spectra. Macroturbulence velocities are inferred from a prescription that accurately reflects their dependence with effective temperature and luminosity of the stars. Our sample of solar twins include some spectroscopic binaries with enhanced rotational velocities, and we do not find any non-spectroscopic binaries with unusually high rotation velocities. We verified that the Sun does not have a peculiar rotation, but the solar twins exhibit rotational velocities that depart from the Skumanich relation. The Sun is a regular rotator when compared to solar twins with a similar age. Additionally, we obtain a rotational braking law that better describes the stars in our sample ($v \propto t^{-0.6}$) in contrast to previous, often-used scalings., Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in A&A

Methods. We used the HIRES spectrograph on the Keck I telescope to acquire high-resolution (R $\approx$ 70000) spectra with a high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N $\approx$ 400 - 650 per pixel) of HIP 100963 and the Sun for a differential abundance analysis. We measured the equivalent widths (EWs) of iron lines to determine the stellar parameters by employing the differential spectroscopic equilibrium. We determined the composition of volatile, refractory, and neutron-capture elements through a differential abundance analysis with respect to the Sun. Results. The stellar parameters we found are $T_{\rm{eff}}=5818 \pm 4$ K, log $g = 4.49 \pm 0.01$ dex, $v_{t} = 1.03 \pm 0.01 $ $\rm{km\ {s}}^{-1}$ , and [Fe/H] $ = -\ 0.003 \pm 0.004$ dex. These low errors allow us to compute a precise mass ($1.03^{+0.02}_{-0.01}$ M$_{\odot}$) and age (2.0 $\pm$ 0.4 Gyr), obtained using Yonsei-Yale isochrones. Using our [Y/Mg] ratio, we have determined an age of $2.1 \pm 0.4$ Gyr, in agreement with the age computed using isochrones. Our isochronal age also agrees with the age determined from stellar activity (2.4 $\pm$ 0.3 Gyr). We study the abundance pattern with condensation temperature ($\rm{T_{cond}}$) taking corrections by the GCE into account. We show that the enhancements of neutron-capture elements are explained by contributions from both the $s$- and $r$-process. The lithium abundance follows the tight Li-age correlation seen in other solar twins. Conclusions. We confirm that HIP 100963 is a solar twin and demonstrate that its abundance pattern is about solar after corrections for GCE. The star also shows enrichment in $s-$ and $r$-process elements, as well as depletion in lithium that is caused by stellar evolution.

The nearby (6.5 pc) star HD 219134 was recently shown by Motalebi et al. (2015) and Vogt et al. (2015) to host several planets, the innermost of which is transiting. We present twenty-seven years of radial velocity observations of this star from the McDonald Observatory Planet Search program, and nineteen years of stellar activity data. We detect a long-period activity cycle measured in the Ca II $S_{HK}$ index, with a period of $4230 \pm 100$ days (11.7 years), very similar to the 11-year Solar activity cycle. Although the period of the Saturn-mass planet HD 219134 h is close to half that of the activity cycle, we argue that it is not an artifact due to stellar activity. We also find a significant periodicity in the $S_{HK}$ data due to stellar rotation with a period of 22.8 days. This is identical to the period of planet f identified by Vogt et al. (2015), suggesting that this radial velocity signal might be caused by rotational modulation of stellar activity rather than a planet. Analysis of our radial velocities allows us to detect the long-period planet HD 219134 h and the transiting super-Earth HD 219134 b. Finally, we use our long time baseline to constrain the presence of longer-period planets in the system, excluding to $1\sigma$ objects with $M\sin i>0.36 M_J$ at 12 years (corresponding to the orbital period of Jupiter) and $M\sin i>0.72 M_J$ at a period of 16.4 years (assuming a circular orbit for an outer companion)., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. 11 pages, 7 figures. The full versions of Tables 1 and 2 are included in the arXiv source file

We confirm the planetary nature of two transiting hot Jupiters discovered by the Kepler spacecraft's K2 extended mission in its Campaign 4, using precise radial velocity measurements from FIES@NOT, HARPS-N@TNG, and the coud\'e spectrograph on the McDonald Observatory 2.7 m telescope. K2-29 b (EPIC 211089792 b) transits a K1V star with a period of $3.2589263\pm0.0000015$ days; its orbit is slightly eccentric ($e=0.084_{-0.023}^{+0.032}$). It has a radius of $R_P=1.000_{-0.067}^{+0.071}$ $R_J$ and a mass of $M_P=0.613_{-0.026}^{+0.027}$ $M_J$. Its host star exhibits significant rotational variability, and we measure a rotation period of $P_{\mathrm{rot}}=10.777 \pm 0.031$ days. K2-30 b (EPIC 210957318 b) transits a G6V star with a period of $4.098503\pm0.000011$ days. It has a radius of $R_P=1.039_{-0.051}^{+0.050}$ $R_J$ and a mass of $M_P=0.579_{-0.027}^{+0.028}$ $M_J$. The star has a low metallicity for a hot Jupiter host, $[\mathrm{Fe}/\mathrm{H}]=-0.15 \pm 0.05$., Comment: Accepted for publication in AJ. 11 pages, 3 figures

Context. The most primitive metal-poor stars are important for studying the conditions of the early galaxy and are also relevant to big bang nucleosynthesis. Aims. Our objective is to find the brightest (V<14) most metal-poor stars. Methods. Candidates were selected using a new method, which is based on the mismatch between spectral types derived from colors and observed spectral types. They were observed first at low resolution with EFOSC2 at the NTT/ESO to obtain an initial set of stellar parameters. The most promising candidate, 2MASS J18082002-5104378 (V=11.9), was observed at high resolution (R=50 000) with UVES at the VLT/ESO, and a standard abundance analysis was performed. Results. We found that 2MASS J18082002-5104378 is an ultra metal-poor star with stellar parameters Teff = 5440 K, log g = 3.0 dex, vt = 1.5 km/s, [Fe/H] = -4.1 dex. The star has [C/Fe]<+0.9 in a 1D analysis, or [C/Fe]<=+0.5 if 3D effects are considered; its abundance pattern is typical of normal (non-CEMP) ultra metal-poor stars. Interestingly, the star has a binary companion. Conclusions. 2MASS J1808-5104 is the brightest (V=11.9) metal-poor star of its category, and it could be studied further with even higher S/N spectroscopy to determine additional chemical abundances, thus providing important constraints to the early chemical evolution of our Galaxy., Comment: A&A Letters

Binary stars provide an ideal laboratory for investigating the potential effects of planet formation on stellar composition. Assuming the stars formed in the same environment/from the same material, any compositional anomalies between binary components might indicate differences in how material was sequestered in planets, or accreted by the star in the process of planet formation. We present here a study of the elemental abundance differences between WASP-94AB, a pair of stars that each host a hot Jupiter exoplanet. The two stars are very similar in spectral type (F8 and F9), and their ~2700 AU separation suggests their protoplanetary disks were likely not influenced by stellar interactions, but WASP-94Ab's orbit -- misaligned with the host star spin axis and likely retrograde -- points towards a dynamically active formation mechanism, perhaps different than that of WASP-94Bb, which is not misaligned and has nearly circular orbit. Based on our high-quality spectra and strictly relative abundance analysis, we detect a depletion of volatiles (~-0.02 dex, on average) and enhancement of refractories (~0.01 dex) in WASP-94A relative to B (standard errors are ~0.005 dex). This is different than every other published case of binary host star abundances, in which either no significant abundance differences are reported, or there is some degree of enhancement in all elements, including volatiles. Several scenarios that may explain the abundance trend are discussed, but none can be definitively accepted or rejected. Additional high-contrast imaging observations to search for companions that may be dynamically affecting the system, as well as a larger sample of binary host star studies, are needed to better understand the curious abundance trends we observe in WASP-94AB., Comment: Accepted to ApJ 7 Jan 2016. 21 pages, 5 figures, 3 Tables (1 MRT)

Context: Studies of extremely metal-poor stars indicate that chemical abundance ratios [X/Fe] have an rms scatter as low as 0.05 dex (12 \%). It remains unclear whether this reflects observational uncertainties or intrinsic astrophysical scatter arising from physical conditions in the ISM at early times. Aims: Measure differential chemical abundance ratios in extremely metal-poor stars to investigate the limits of precision and to understand whether cosmic scatter or observational errors are dominant. Methods: We used high resolution (R $\sim 95,000$) and high S/N (S/N $= 700$ at 5000$\AA$) HIRES/Keck spectra, to determine high precision differential abundances between two extremely metal-poor stars through a line-by-line differential approach. We determined stellar parameters for the star G64-37 with respect to the standard star G64-12. We performed EW measurements for the two stars for the lines recognized in both stars and performed spectral synthesis to study the carbon abundances. Results: The differential approach allowed us to obtain errors of $\sigma$(T$_{eff}$ ) $=$ 27 K, $\sigma$(log $g$) $=$ 0.06 dex, $\sigma$([Fe/H]) $=$ 0.02 dex and $\sigma$(v$_{t}$ ) $=$ 0.06 kms$^{-1}$. We estimated relative chemical abundances with a precision as low as $\sigma$([X/Fe]) $\approx$ 0.01 dex. The small uncertainties demonstrate that there are genuine abundance differences larger than the measurement errors. The observed Li difference can not be explained by the difference in mass, because the less massive star has more Li. Conclusions: It is possible to achieve an abundance precision around $\approx$ 0.01-0.05 dex for extremely metal-poor stars, opening new windows on the study of the early chemical evolution of the Galaxy., Comment: 8 pages, 3 tables and 4 figures. Accepted for publication in A&A

We report the detection of two new long-period giant planets orbiting the stars HD 95872 and HD 162004 (psi1 Draconis B) by the McDonald Observatory planet search. The planet HD 95872b has a minimum mass of 4.6 M_Jup and an orbital semi-major axis of 5.2 AU. The giant planet psi1 Dra Bb has a minimum mass of 1.5 M_Jup and an orbital semi-major axis of 4.4 AU. Both of these planets qualify as Jupiter analogs. These results are based on over one and a half decades of precise radial velocity measurements collected by our program using the McDonald Observatory Tull Coude spectrograph at the 2.7 m Harlan J. Smith telescope. In the case of psi1 Draconis B we also detect a long-term non-linear trend in our data that indicates the presence of an additional giant planet, similar to the Jupiter-Saturn pair. The primary of the binary star system, psi1 Dra A, exhibits a very large amplitude radial velocity variation due to another stellar companion. We detect this additional member using speckle imaging. We also report two cases - HD 10086 and HD 102870 (beta Virginis) - of significant radial velocity variation consistent with the presence of a planet, but that are probably caused by stellar activity, rather than reflexive Keplerian motion. These two cases stress the importance of monitoring the magnetic activity level of a target star, as long-term activity cycles can mimic the presence of a Jupiter-analog planet., Comment: 31 pages, 27 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal

Context: Studies based on high-precision abundance determinations revealed that chemical patterns of solar twins are characterised by the correlation between the differential abundances relative to the Sun and the condensation temperatures (Tc) of the elements. It has been suggested that the origin of this relation is related to the chemical evolution of the Galactic disk, but other processes, associated with the presence of planets around stars, might also be involved. Aims: We analyse HIRES spectra of 14 solar twins and the Sun to provide new insights on the mechanisms that can determine the relation between [X/H] and Tc. Methods: Our spectroscopic analysis produced stellar parameters (Teff, log g, [Fe/H], and $\xi$), ages, masses, and abundances of 22 elements (C, O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, S, K, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sr, Y, and Ba). We used these determinations to place new constraints on the chemical evolution of the Galactic disk and to verify whether this process alone can explain the different [X/H]-Tc slopes observed so far. Results: We confirm that the [X/Fe] ratios of all the species correlate with age. The slopes of these relations allow us to describe the effect that the chemical evolution of the Galactic disk has on the chemical patterns of the solar twins. After subtracting the chemical evolution effect, we find that the unevolved [X/H]-Tc slope values do not depend on the stellar ages anymore. However, the wide diversity among these [X/H]-Tc slopes, covering a range of $\pm$4~10$^{-5}$ dex K$^{-1}$, indicates that processes in addition to the chemical evolution may affect the [X/H]-Tc slopes. Conclusions: The wide range of unevolved [X/H]-Tc slope values spanned at all ages by our sample could reflect the wide diversity among exo-planetary systems observed so far and the variety of fates that the matter in circumstellar disks can experience.

[Context]. Blue stragglers are easy to identify in globular clusters, but are much harder to identify in the field. Here we present the serendipitous discovery of one field blue straggler, HIP 10725, that closely matches the Sun in mass and age, but with a metallicity slightly lower than the Sun's. [Methods]. We employ high resolution (R $\sim 10^5$) high S/N (330) VLT/UVES spectra to perform a differential abundance analysis of the solar analogue HIP 10725. Radial velocities obtained by other instruments were also used to check for binarity. We also study its chromospheric activity, age and rotational velocity. [Results]. We find that HIP 10725 is severely depleted in beryllium ([Be/H] <= -1.2 dex) for its stellar parameters and age. The abundances relative to solar of the elements with Z <= 30 show a correlation with condensation temperature and the neutron capture elements produced by the s-process are greatly enhanced, while the r-process elements seem normal. We found its projected rotational velocity (v sin i = 3.3+/-0.1 km/s) to be significantly larger than solar, and incompatible with its isochrone-derived age. Radial velocity monitoring shows that the star has a binary companion. [Conclusions]. Based on the high s-process element enhancements and low beryllium abundance, we suggest that HIP 10725 has been polluted by mass-transfer from an AGB star, probably with initial mass of about 2 M_Sun. The radial velocity variations suggest the presence of an unseen binary companion, probably the remnant of a former AGB star. Isochrones predict a solar-age star, but this is in disagreement with the high projected rotational velocity and high chromospheric activity. We conclude that HIP 10725 is a field blue straggler, rejuvenated by the mass transfer process of its former AGB companion., Comment: A&A in press

We report on the discovery and validation of Kepler-452b, a transiting planet identified by a search through the 4 years of data collected by NASA's Kepler Mission. This possibly rocky 1.63$^{+0.23}_{-0.20}$ R$_\oplus$ planet orbits its G2 host star every 384.843$^{+0.007}_{0.012}$ days, the longest orbital period for a small (R$_p$ < 2 R$_\oplus$) transiting exoplanet to date. The likelihood that this planet has a rocky composition lies between 49% and 62%. The star has an effective temperature of 5757$\pm$85 K and a log g of 4.32$\pm$0.09. At a mean orbital separation of 1.046$^{+0.019}_{-0.015}$ AU, this small planet is well within the optimistic habitable zone of its star (recent Venus/early Mars), experiencing only 10% more flux than Earth receives from the Sun today, and slightly outside the conservative habitable zone (runaway greenhouse/maximum greenhouse). The star is slightly larger and older than the Sun, with a present radius of 1.11$^{+0.15}_{-0.09}$ R$_\odot$ and an estimated age of 6 Gyr. Thus, Kepler-452b has likely always been in the habitable zone and should remain there for another 3 Gyr., Comment: 19 pages, 16 figures

The Kapteyn moving group has been postulated as tidal debris from $\omega$ Centauri. If true, members of the group should show some of the chemical abundance patterns known for stars in the cluster. We present an optical and near-infrared high-resolution, high-S/N spectroscopic study of 14 stars of the Kapteyn group, plus 10 additional stars (the $\omega$ Cen-group) that, while not listed as members of the Kapteyn group as originally defined, have been nevertheless associated dynamically with $\omega$ Centauri. Abundances for Na, O, Mg, Al, Ca and Ba were derived from the optical spectra, while the strength of the chromospheric He I 10830 {\AA} line is studied as a possible helium abundance indicator. The resulting Na-O and Mg-Al patterns for stars of the combined Kapteyn and $\omega$ Cen-group samples do not resemble those of $\omega$ Centauri, and are not different from those of field stars of the Galactic halo. The distribution of equivalent widths of the He I 10830 {\AA} line is consistent with that found among non-active field stars. Therefore, no evidence is found for second-generation stars within our samples, which most likely rules out a globular-cluster origin. Moreover, no hint of the unique Ba-overabundance at the metal-rich end, well-established for $\omega$ Centauri stars, is seen among stars of the combined samples. Because this specific Ba pattern is present in $\omega$ Centauri irrespective of stellar generation, this would rule out the possibility that our entire sample might be composed of only first generation stars from the cluster. Finally, for the stars of the Kapteyn group, the possibility of an origin in the hypothetical $\omega$ Centauri's parent galaxy is disfavored by the different run of $\alpha$-elements with metallicity between our targets and stars from present-day dwarf galaxies., Comment: 23 pages, 11 figures, ApJ, 808, 103