This paper describes the analysis of UVES and GIRAFFE spectra acquired by the Gaia-ESO Public Spectroscopic Survey in the fields of young clusters whose population includes pre-main sequence (PMS) stars. Both methods that have been extensively used i
n the past and new ones developed in the contest of the Gaia-ESO survey enterprise are available and used. The internal precision of these quantities is estimated by inter-comparing the results obtained by such different methods, while the accuracy is estimated by comparison with independent external data, like effective temperature and surface gravity derived from angular diameter measurements, on a sample of benchmarks stars. Specific strategies are implemented to deal with fast rotation, accretion signatures, chromospheric activity, and veiling. The analysis carried out on spectra acquired in young clusters fields during the first 18 months of observations, up to June 2013, is presented in preparation of the first release of advanced data products. Stellar parameters obtained with the higher resolution and larger wavelength coverage from UVES are reproduced with comparable accuracy and precision using the smaller wavelength range and lower resolution of the GIRAFFE setup adopted for young stars, which allows us to provide with confidence stellar parameters for the much larger GIRAFFE sample. Precisions are estimated to be $approx$ 120 K r.m.s. in Teff, $approx$0.3 dex r.m.s. in logg, and $approx$0.15 dex r.m.s. in [Fe/H], for both the UVES and GIRAFFE setups.
We present the results of FLAMES/UVES and FLAMES/GIRAFFE spectroscopic observations of 23 low-mass stars in the L1615/L1616 cometary cloud, complemented with FORS2 and VIMOS spectroscopy of 31 additional stars in the same cloud. L1615/L1616 is a come
tary cloud where the star formation was triggered by the impact of the massive stars in the Orion OB association. From the measurements of the lithium abundance and radial velocity, we confirm the membership of our sample to the cloud. We use the equivalent widths of the H$alpha$, H$beta$, and the HeI $lambda$5876, $lambda$6678, $lambda$7065 AA$ $emission lines to calculate the accretion luminosities, $L_{rm acc}$, and the mass accretion rates, $dot M_{rm acc}$. We find in L1615/L1616 a fraction of accreting objects ($sim 30%$), which is consistent with the typical fraction of accretors in T associations of similar age ($sim 3$ Myr). The mass accretion rate for these stars shows a trend with the mass of the central object similar to that found for other star-forming regions, with a spread at a given mass which depends on the evolutionary model used to derive the stellar mass. Moreover, the behavior of the $2MASS/WISE$ colors with $dot M_{rm acc}$ indicates that strong accretors with $log dot M_{rm acc} gt -8.5$ dex show large excesses in the $JHK{rm s}$ bands, as in previous studies. We also conclude that the accretion properties of the L1615/L1616 members are similar to those of young stellar objects in T associations, like Lupus.
We present broad-band mid-resolution X-Shooter/VLT spectra for four brown dwarfs of the TW Hya association. Our targets comprise substellar analogs representing the different evolutionary phases in young stellar evolution: For the two diskless brown
dwarfs, TWA-26 and TWA-29, we determine the stellar parameters and we study their chromospheric emission line spectrum. For the two accreting brown dwarfs, TWA-27 and TWA-28, we estimate the mass accretion rates from empirical correlations between emission line luminosities and the accretion luminosity.
The asteroseismic and planetary studies, like all research related to stars, need precise and accurate stellar atmospheric parameters as input. We aim at deriving the effective temperature (Teff), the surface gravity (log g), the metallicity ([Fe/H])
, the projected rotational velocity (v sin i) and the MK type for 169 F, G, K, and M-type Kepler targets which were observed spectroscopically from the ground with five different instruments. We use two different spectroscopic methods to analyse 189 high-resolution, high-signal-to-noise spectra acquired for the 169 stars. For 67 stars, the spectroscopic atmospheric parameters are derived for the first time. KIC 9693187 and 11179629 are discovered to be double-lined spectroscopic binary systems. The results obtained for those stars for which independent determinations of the atmospheric parameters are available in the literature are used for a comparative analysis. As a result, we show that for solar-type stars the accuracy of present determinations of atmospheric parameters is +/- 150 K in Teff, +/- 0.15 dex in [Fe/H], and +/-? 0.3 dex in log g. Finally, we confirm that the curve-of-growth analysis and the method of spectral synthesis yield systematically different atmospheric parameters when they are applied to stars hotter than 6,000 K.
We present a detailed study of the two Sun-like stars KIC 7985370 and KIC 7765135, aimed at determining their activity level, spot distribution, and differential rotation. Both stars were discovered by us to be young stars and were observed by the NA
SA Kepler mission. The stellar parameters (vsini, spectral type, Teff, log g, and [Fe/H]) were derived from optical spectroscopy which allowed us also to study the chromospheric activity from the emission in the core of Halpha and CaII IRT lines. The high-precision Kepler photometric data spanning over 229 days were then fitted with a robust spot model. Model selection and parameter estimation are performed in a Bayesian manner, using a Markov chain Monte Carlo method. Both stars came out to be Sun-like with an age of about 100-200 Myr, based on their lithium content and kinematics. Their youth is confirmed by the high level of chromospheric activity, comparable to that displayed by the early G-type stars in the Pleiades cluster. The flux ratio of the CaII-IRT lines suggests that the cores of these lines are mainly formed in optically-thick regions analogous to solar plages. The model of the light curves requires at least seven enduring spots for KIC 7985370 and nine spots for KIC 7765135 for a satisfactory fit. The assumption of longevity of the star spots, whose area is allowed to evolve in time, is at the heart of our approach. We found, for both stars, a rather high value of the equator-to-pole differential rotation (dOmega~0.18 rad/day) which is in contrast with the predictions of some mean-field models of differential rotation for fast-rotating stars. Our results are instead in agreement with previous works on solar-type stars and with other models which predict a higher latitudinal shear, increasing with equatorial angular velocity.
We present a spectroscopic/photometric analysis of the rapid rotator KIC8429280, discovered by ourselves as a very young star and observed by the Kepler mission. We use spectroscopic/photometric ground-based data to derive stellar parameters, and we
adopt a spectral subtraction technique to highlight the chromospheric emission in the cores of Halpha, CaII H&K and IRT lines. We fit a robust spot model to the high-precision Kepler photometry spanning 138 days. Model selection and parameter estimation is performed in a Bayesian manner using a Markov chain Monte Carlo method. We find that KIC8429280 is a cool (K2V) star with an age of ~50 Myr, based on its Li content, that has passed its T Tau phase and is spinning up approaching the ZAMS. Its high level of chromospheric activity is indicated by the radiative losses in CaII H&K and IRT, Halpha, and Hbeta lines. Furthermore, its Balmer decrement and the flux ratio of CaII IRT lines imply that these lines are mainly formed in optically-thick sources analogue to solar plages. The analysis of the Kepler data uncovers evidence of at least 7 enduring spots. Since the stars inclination is rather high, ~70{deg}, the assignment of the spots to the northern/southern hemisphere is not unambiguous. We find at least 3 solutions with nearly the same level of residuals. The distribution of the active regions is such that the spots are located around 3 latitude belts, i.e. the equator and +-(50{deg}-60{deg}), with the high-latitude spots rotating slower than the low-latitude ones. The equator-to-pole differential rotation ~0.27 rad/d is at variance with some recent mean-field models of differential rotation in rapidly rotating MS stars, which predict a much smaller latitudinal shear. Our results are consistent with the scenario of a higher differential rotation, which changes along the magnetic cycle.
We present the results of contemporaneous spectroscopic and photometric monitoring of the young solar-type star HD171488 (Prot~1.337 d) aimed at studying surface inhomogeneities at photospheric/chromospheric levels. Echelle FOCES spectra (R~40000) an
d Johnson photometry have been performed in 2006. Spectral type, rotational velocity, metallicity, and gravity were determined using a code developed by us. The metallicity was measured from the analysis of iron lines. The spectral subtraction technique was applied to the most relevant chromospheric diagnostics included in the FOCES spectral range (CaII IRT, Halpha, HeI-D3, Hbeta, CaII H&K). A model with two large high-latitude spots is sufficient to reproduce the B/V light curves and the radial velocity modulation, if a temperature difference between photosphere and spots of 1500 K is used. A Doppler imaging analysis of photospheric lines confirms a similar spot distribution. With the help of an analogous geometric two-spot model, we are able to reproduce the modulations in the residual chromospheric emissions adopting different values of ratios between the flux of plages and quiet chromosphere (5 for Halpha and 3 for CaII). Facular regions of solar type appear to be the main responsible for the modulations of chromospheric diagnostics. Both the spot/plage model and the cross-correlation between the light curve and the chromospheric line fluxes display a lead effect of plages with respect to spots (20-40 deg in longitude). The active regions of the rapidly rotating star HD171488 are similar to the solar ones in some respect, because the spot temperature is close to that of sunspot umbrae and the plage flux-contrast is consistent with the average solar values. The main differences with respect to the Sun are larger sizes and higher latitudes.
We performed an intensive photometric monitoring of the PMS stars falling in a field of about 10x10 arc-minutes in the vicinity of the Orion Nebula Cluster (ONC). Photometric data were collected between November 2006 and January 2007 with the REM tel
escope in the VRIJHK bands. The largest number of observations is in the I band (about 2700 images) and in J and H bands (about 500 images in each filter). From the observed rotational modulation, induced by the presence of surface inhomogeneities, we derived the rotation periods for 16 stars and improved previous determinations for the other 13. The analysis of the spectral energy distributions and, for some stars, of high-resolution spectra provided us with the main stellar parameters (luminosity, effective temperature, mass, age, and vsini). We also report the serendipitous detection of two strong flares in two of these objects. In most cases, the light-curve amplitudes decrease progressively from the R to H band as expected for cool starspots, while in a few cases, they can only be modelled by the presence of hot spots, presumably ascribable to magnetospheric accretion. The application of our own spot model to the simultaneous light curves in different bands allowed us to deduce the spot parameters and particularly to disentangle the spot temperature and size effects on the observed light curves.
We present the first results of a ground-based programme conducted on 1-4m class telescopes. Our sample consists of 1097 active and presumably young stars, all of them being optical counterparts of RASS X-ray sources in the northern hemisphere. We co
ncentrate on the 704 optically brightest (V_Ticho<=9.5 mag) candidates. We acquired high-res spectroscopy in the Halpha/Li spectral regions for 426 of such stars without relevant literature data. We describe the sample and the observations and we start to discuss its physical properties. We used a cross-correlation technique and other tools to derive accurate radial/rotational velocities and to perform a spectral classification for both single and SB2 stars. The spectral subtraction technique was used to derive chromospheric activity levels and Li abundances. We estimated the fraction of young single stars and multiple systems in stellar soft X-ray surveys and the contamination by more evolved systems, like RS CVns. We classified stars on the basis of Li abundance and give a glimpse of their sky distribution. The sample appears to be a mixture of young Pleiades-/Hyades- like stars plus an older Li-poor population (~1-2 Gyr). 7 stars with Li abundance compatible with the age of IC 2602 (~30 Myr) or younger were detected as well, although 2 appear to be Li-rich giants. The discovery of a large number of Li-rich giants is another outcome of this survey. The contamination of soft X-ray surveys by old systems in which the activity level is enhanced by tidal synchronisation is not negligible, especially for K-type stars. 5 stars with Li content close to the primordial abundance are probably associated with known moving groups in the solar neighbourhood. Some of them are PTTS candidates according to their positions in the HR diagram.
We present the work in progress of a study based on photometric and spectroscopic observations of young Weak-line T Tauri and Post T Tauri stars just attiving on the Zero Age Main Sequence. This study is part of a project based on high-resolution spe
ctra obtained with FOCES@CAHA (Spain) and SARG@TNG (Spain) and contemporaneous photometry performed at Catania (Italy) and Ege (Turkey) observatories. The main aim is to investigate the topology of magnetic active regions at photospheric and chromospheric levels in young single stars. Since our targets are slow rotators (vsini < 25 km/s), corresponding to rotation periods larger than about 2 days, we are able to apply the spectroscopic technique based on line-depth ratio for the measure of the photospheric temperature modulation. These stars, possible members of Stellar Kinematic Groups, display emission cores in the CaII H&K and IRT lines, as well as a conspicuous filling-in of the Halpha core. Moreover, we detect absorption of the HeI-D3 line, coming from the upper chromospheric layers, derive the lithium abundance (age indicator), and measure the rotational and radial velocities. We find a clear rotational modulation, due to photospheric spots, both in the light and the temperature curves. The Halpha and the CaII-IRT emissions display a fair variation correlated with the rotation. Finally, we are developing a spot/plage model to reproduce the data and derive the spot parameters (namely, filling factor and temperature) and to recover information about the chromospheric inhomogeneities (flux contrast and filling factor). This study is very important to explore the correlations between global stellar parameters (e.g., surface gravity, effective temperature) and spot/plage characteristics in stars with different activity level and evolutionary stage.
