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Register a new userVariable stars and stellar populations in Andromeda XXV: III. A central cluster or the galaxy nucleus?
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We present B and V time-series photometry of Andromeda XXV, the third galaxy in our program on the Andromedas satellites, that we have imaged with the Large Binocular Cameras of the Large Binocular Telescope. The field of Andromeda XXV is found to contain 63 variable stars, for which we present light curves and characteristics of the light variation (period, amplitudes, variability type, mean magnitudes, etc.). The sample includes 58 RR Lyrae variables (46 fundamental-mode $-$ RRab, and 12 first-overtone $-$RRc, pulsators), three anomalous Cepheids, one eclipsing binary system and one unclassified variable. The average period of the RRab stars ($langle Pab rangle$ = 0.60 $sigma=0.04$ days) and the period-amplitude diagram place Andromeda XXV in the class of the Oosterhoff-Intermediate objects. From the average luminosity of the RR Lyrae stars we derive for the galaxy a distance modulus of (m-M)$_0$=$24.63pm0.17$ mag. The color-magnitude diagram reveals the presence in Andromeda XXV of a single, metal-poor ([Fe/H]=$-$1.8 dex) stellar population as old as $sim$ 10-12 Gyr traced by a conspicuous red giant branch and the large population of RR Lyrae stars. We discovered a spherically-shaped high density of stars near the galaxy center. This structure appears to be at a distance consistent with Andromeda XXV and we suggest it could either be a star cluster or the nucleus of Andromeda XXV. We provide a summary and compare number and characteristics of the pulsating stars in the M31 satellites analyzed so far for variability.
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We present B and V time series photometry of the M31 satellite galaxy Andromeda XXVII (And XXVII) that we observed with the Large Binocular Cameras of the Large Binocular Telescope. In the field of And XXVII we have discovered a total of 90 variables: 89 RR Lyrae stars and 1 Anomalous Cepheid. The average period of the fundamental mode RR Lyrae stars (RRab) $langle$P$_{rm ab}rangle$=0.59 d ($sigma$=0.05 d) and the period-amplitude diagram place And XXVII in the class of Oosterhoff I/Intermediate objects. Combining information from the color-magnitude diagram (CMD) and the variable stars we find evidence for a single old and metal poor stellar population with [Fe/H]$sim -1.8$ dex and t$sim$13 Gyr in And XXVII. The spatial distribution of RR Lyrae and red giant branch (RGB) stars gives clear indication that And XXVII is a completely disrupted system. This is also supported by the spread observed along the line of sight in the distance to the RR Lyrae stars. The highest concentration of RGB and RR Lyrae stars is found in a circular area of 4 arcmin in radius, centered about 0.2 degrees in south-east direction from Richardson et al. (2011) center coordinates of And XXVII. The CMD of this region is well defined with a prominent RGB and 15 RR Lyrae stars (out of the 18 found in the region) tracing a very tight horizontal branch at $langle V(RR) rangle$ = 25.24 mag $sigma$= 0.06 mag (average over 15 stars). We show that And XXVII well proposes as a candidate building block of the M31 halo.
B and V time-series photometry of the M31 dwarf spheroidal satellite Andromeda XXI (And XXI) was obtained with the Large Binocular Cameras at the Large Binocular Telescope. We have identified 50 variables in And XXI, of which 41 are RR Lyrae stars (37 fundamental-mode RRab, and 4 first-overtone RRc, pulsators) and 9 are Anomalous Cepheids (ACs). The average period of the RRab stars (<Pab> = 0.64 days) and the period-amplitude diagram place And~XXI in the class of Oosterhoff II - Oosterhoff-Intermediate objects. From the average luminosity of the RR Lyrae stars we derived the galaxy distance modulus of (m-M)$_0$=$24.40pm0.17$ mag, which is smaller than previous literature estimates, although still consistent with them within 1 $sigma$. The galaxy color-magnitude diagram shows evidence for the presence of three different stellar generations in And~XXI: 1) an old ($sim$ 12 Gyr) and metal poor ([Fe/H]=$-$1.7 dex) component traced by the RR Lyrae stars; 2) a slightly younger (10-6 Gyr) and more metal rich ([Fe/H]=$-$1.5 dex) component populating the red horizontal branch, and 3) a young age ($sim$ 1 Gyr) component with same metallicity, that produced the ACs. Finally, we provide hints that And~XXI could be the result of a minor merging event between two dwarf galaxies.
To understand the history and formation mechanisms of galaxies it is crucial to determine their current multidimensional structure. Here we focus on stellar population properties, such as metallicity and [$alpha$/Fe] enhancement. We devise a new technique to recover the distribution of these parameters using spatially resolved, line-of-sight averaged data. Our chemodynamical method is based on the made-to-measure (M2M) framework and results in an $N$-body model for the abundance distribution. We test our method on a mock data set and find that the radial and azimuthal profiles are well-recovered, however only the overall shape of the vertical profile matches the true profile. We apply our procedure to spatially resolved maps of mean [Z/H] and [$alpha$/Fe] for the Andromeda Galaxy, using an earlier barred dynamical model of M31. We find that the metallicity is enhanced along the bar, with possible maxima at the ansae. In the edge-on view the [Z/H] distribution has an X shape due to the boxy/peanut bulge; the average vertical metallicity gradient is equal to $-0.133pm0.006$ dex/kpc. We identify a metallicity-enhanced ring around the bar, which also has relatively lower [$alpha$/Fe]. The highest [$alpha$/Fe] is found in the centre, due to the classical bulge. Away from the centre, the $alpha$-overabundance in the bar region increases with height, which could be an indication of a thick disc. We argue that the galaxy assembly resulted in a sharp peak of metallicity in the central few hundred parsecs and a more gentle negative gradient in the remaining disc, but no [$alpha$/Fe] gradient. The formation of the bar lead to the re-arrangement of the [Z/H] distribution, causing a flat gradient along the bar. Subsequent star formation close to the bar ends may have produced the metallicity enhancements at the ansae and the [Z/H] enhanced lower-$alpha$ ring.
We present B,V time-series photometry of Andromeda XIX (And XIX), the most extended (half-light radius of 6.2) of Andromedas dwarf spheroidal companions, that we observed with the Large Binocular Cameras at the Large Binocular Telescope. We surveyed a 23x 23 area centered on And XIX and present the deepest color magnitude diagram (CMD) ever obtained for this galaxy, reaching, at V~26.3 mag, about one magnitude below the horizontal branch (HB). The CMD shows a prominent and slightly widened red giant branch, along with a predominantly red HB, which, however, extends to the blue to significantly populate the classical instability strip. We have identified 39 pulsating variable stars, of which 31 are of RR Lyrae type and 8 are Anomalous Cepheids (ACs). Twelve of the RR Lyrae variables and 3 of the ACs are located within And XIXs half light radius. The average period of the fundamental mode RR Lyrae stars (<Pab> = 0.62 d, sigma= 0.03 d) and the period-amplitude diagram qualify And XIX as an Oosterhoff-Intermediate system. From the average luminosity of the RR Lyrae stars (<V (RR)> = 25.34 mag, sigma= 0.10 mag) we determine a distance modulus of (m-M)$_0$=$24.52pm0.23$ mag in a scale where the distance to the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is $18.5pm0.1$ mag. The ACs follow a well defined Period-Wesenheit (PW) relation that appears to be in very good agreement with the PW relationship defined by the ACs in the LMC.
Terzan 5 is a complex stellar system in the Galactic bulge, harboring stellar populations with very different iron content ({Delta}[Fe/H] ~1 dex) and with ages differing by several Gyrs. Here we present an investigation of its variable stars. We report on the discovery and characterization of three RR Lyrae stars. For these newly discovered RR Lyrae and for six Miras of known periods we provide radial velocity and chemical abundances from spectra acquired with X-SHOOTER at the VLT. We find that the three RR Lyrae and the three short period Miras (P<300 d) have radial velocity consistent with being Terzan 5 members. They have sub-solar iron abundances and enhanced [{alpha}/Fe], well matching the age and abundance patterns of the 12 Gyr metal-poor stellar populations of Terzan 5. Only one, out of the three long period (P>300 d) Miras analyzed in this study, has a radial velocity consistent with being Terzan 5 member. Its super-solar iron abundance and solar-scaled [{alpha}/Fe] nicely match the chemical properties of the metal rich stellar population of Terzan 5 and its derived mass nicely agrees with being several Gyrs younger than the short period Miras. This young variable is an additional proof of the surprising young sub-population discovered in Terzan 5.
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