No Arabic abstract
We observed a field of $16times 16$ in the star-forming region Pelican Nebula (IC 5070) at $BVRI$ wavelengths for 90 nights spread over one year in 2012-2013. More than 250 epochs in $VRI$-bands are used to identify and classify variables up to $Vsim 21$~mag. We present a catalogue of optical time-series photometry with periods, mean-magnitudes and classifications for 95 variable stars including 67 pre-main-sequence variables towards star-forming region IC 5070. The pre-main-sequence variables are further classified as candidate classical T Tauri and weak-line T Tauri stars based on their light curve variations and the locations on the color-color and color-magnitude diagrams using optical and infrared data together with Gaia DR2 astrometry. Classical T Tauri stars display variability amplitudes up to three times the maximum fluctuation in disk-free weak-line T Tauri stars, which show strong periodic variations. Short-term variability is missed in our photometry within single nights. Several classical T Tauri stars display long-lasting ($geq 10$ days) single or multiple fading and brightening events up to a couple of magnitudes at optical wavelengths. The typical mass and age of the pre-main-sequence variables from the isochrone-fitting and spectral energy distributions are estimated to be $le 1~M_odot$ and $sim 2$ Myr, respectively. We do not find any correlation between the optical amplitudes or periods with the physical parameters (mass and age) of pre-main-sequence stars.
The VVV survey has allowed for an unprecedented number of multi-epoch observations of the southern Galactic plane. In a recent paper,13 massive young stellar objects(MYSOs) have already been identified within the highly variable(Delta Ks > 1 mag) YSO sample of another published work.This study aims to understand the general nature of variability in MYSOs.We present the first systematic study of variability in a large sample of candidate MYSOs.We examined the data for variability of the putative driving sources of all known Spitzer EGOs and bright 24 mu m sources coinciding with the peak of 870 mu m detected ATLASGAL clumps, a total of 718 targets. Of these, 190 point sources (139 EGOs and 51 non-EGOs) displayed variability (IQR > 0.05, Delta Ks > 0.15 mag). Light-curves(LCs) have been sub-classified into eruptive, dipper, fader, short-term-variable and long-period variable-YSO categories.Lomb-Scargle periodogram analysis of periodic LCs was carried out. 1 - 870 mu m spectral energy distributions of the variable sources were fitted with YSO models to obtain representative properties. 41% of the variable sources are represented by > 4Msun objects, and only 6% by > 8Msun objects.The highest-mass objects are mostly non-EGOs,deeply embedded.By placing them on the HR diagram we show that most lower mass,EGO type objects are concentrated on the putative birth-line position, while the luminous non-EGO type objects group around the ZAMS track.Some of the most luminous far infrared sources in the massive clumps and infrared quiet driving sources of EGOs have been missed out by this study owing to an uniform sample selection method.A high rate of detectable variability in EGO targets (139 out of 153 searched) implies that near-infrared variability in MYSOs is closely linked to the accretion phenomenon and outflow activity.
Optical and near-infrared variability is a well-known property of young stellar objects. However, a growing number of recent studies claim that a considerable fraction of them also exhibit mid-infrared flux changes. With the aim of studying and interpreting variability on a decadal timescale, here we present a mid-infrared spectral atlas containing observations of 68 low- and intermediate mass young stellar objects. The atlas consists of 2.5-11.6 um low-resolution spectra obtained with the ISOPHOT-S instrument on-board the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) between 1996 and 1998, as well as 5.2-14.5 um low-resolution spectra obtained with the IRS instrument on-board the Spitzer Space Telescope between 2004 and 2007. The observations were retrieved from the ISO and Spitzer archives and were post-processed interactively by our own routines. For those 47 objects where multi-epoch spectra were available, we analyze mid-infrared spectral variability on annual and/or decadal timescales. We identify 37 variable candidate sources. Many stars show wavelength-independent flux changes, possibly due to variable accretion rate. In several systems, all exhibiting 10 um silicate emission, the variability of the 6-8 um continuum and the silicate feature exhibit different amplitudes. A possible explanation is variable shadowing of the silicate emitting region by an inner disk structure of changing height or extra silicate emission from dust clouds in the disk atmosphere. Our results suggest that mid-infrared variability, in particular the wavelength-dependent changes, are more ubiquitous than was known before. Interpreting this variability is a new possibility to explore the structure of the disk and its dynamical processes.
Young stars show a variety of highly energetic phenomena, from accretion and outflow processes to hot coronal plasmas confined in their outer atmosphere, all regulated by the intense stellar magnetic fields. Many aspects on each of these phenomena are debated, but, most notably, their complex mutual interaction remains obscure. In this work I report how these phenomena are simultaneously responsible for the high-energy emission from young stars, with a special focus on the expected and observed variability in the X-ray band. Investigating variations in the X-ray emission from young stars allows us to pose constraints on flare and coronal plasma properties, coronal heating, accretion stream properties, and accretion geometries. All these results are important building blocks for constructing a comprehensive picture of the complex magnetosphere of young stars.
(Abridged) Context: Both X-ray and radio observations offer insight into the high-energy processes of young stellar objects (YSOs). The observed thermal X-ray emission can be accompanied by both thermal and nonthermal radio emission. Due to variability, simultaneous X-ray and radio observations are a priori required, but results have been inconclusive. Aims: We use archival X-ray and radio observations of the Orion Nebula Cluster (ONC) to significantly enlarge the sample size of known YSOs with both X-ray and radio detections. Methods: We study the ONC using multi-epoch non-simultaneous archival Chandra X-ray and NRAO Very Large Array (VLA) single-band radio data. The multiple epochs allow us to reduce the impact of variability by obtaining approximated quiescent fluxes. Results: We find that only a small fraction of the X-ray sources (7%) have radio counterparts, even if 60% of the radio sources have X-ray counterparts. The radio flux density is typically too low to distinguish thermal and nonthermal radio sources. Only a small fraction of the YSOs with detections in both bands are compatible with the empirical Guedel-Benz (GB) relation. Most of the sources not compatible with the GB relation are proplyds, and thus likely thermal sources, but only a fraction of the proplyds is detected in both bands, such that the role of these sources is inconclusive. Conclusions: While the radio sources appear to be globally unrelated to the X-ray sources, the X-ray dataset clearly is much more sensitive than the radio data. We find tentative evidence that known non-thermal radio sources and saturated X-ray sources are indeed close to the empirical relation, even if skewed to higher radio luminosities, as they are expected to be. Most of the sources that are clearly incompatible with the empirical relation are proplyds which could instead plausibly be thermal radio sources.
The emission from young stellar objects (YSOs) in the mid-IR is dominated by the inner rim of their circumstellar disks. We present an IR-monitoring survey of about 800 objects in the direction of the Lynds 1688 (L1688) star forming region over four visibility windows spanning 1.6 years using the emph{Spitzer} space telescope in its warm mission phase. Among all lightcurves, 57 sources are cluster members identified based on their spectral-energy distribution and X-ray emission. Almost all cluster members show significant variability. The amplitude of the variability is larger in more embedded YSOs. Ten out of 57 cluster members have periodic variations in the lightcurves with periods typically between three and seven days, but even for those sources, significant variability in addition to the periodic signal can be seen. No period is stable over 1.6 years. Non-periodic lightcurves often still show a preferred timescale of variability which is longer for more embedded sources. About half of all sources exhibit redder colors in a fainter state. This is compatible with time-variable absorption towards the YSO. The other half becomes bluer when fainter. These colors can only be explained with significant changes in the structure of the inner disk. No relation between mid-IR variability and stellar effective temperature or X-ray spectrum is found.