Search Publications

Spectroscopic [Fe/H] for 98 extra-solar planet-host stars. Exploring the probability of planet formation
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20034469 Bibcode: 2004A&A...415.1153S

Santos, N. C.; Mayor, M.; Israelian, G.

We present stellar parameters and metallicities, obtained from a detailed spectroscopic analysis, for a large sample of 98 stars known to be orbited by planetary mass companions (almost all known targets), as well as for a volume-limited sample of 41 stars not known to host any planet. For most of the stars the stellar parameters are revised versi…

2004 Astronomy and Astrophysics
Hipparcos 865
A New Nonparametric Approach to Galaxy Morphological Classification
DOI: 10.1086/421849 Bibcode: 2004AJ....128..163L

Lotz, Jennifer M.; Primack, Joel; Madau, Piero

We present two new nonparametric methods for quantifying galaxy morphology: the relative distribution of the galaxy pixel flux values (the Gini coefficient or G) and the second-order moment of the brightest 20% of the galaxy's flux (M20). We test the robustness of G and M20 to decreasing signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) and spatia…

2004 The Astronomical Journal
eHST 715
A Catalog of Neighboring Galaxies
DOI: 10.1086/382905 Bibcode: 2004AJ....127.2031K

Karachentsev, Igor D.; Makarov, Dmitry I.; Karachentseva, Valentina E. +1 more

We present an all-sky catalog of 451 nearby galaxies, each having an individual distance estimate D<~10 Mpc or a radial velocity VLG<550 km s-1. The catalog contains data on basic optical and H I properties of the galaxies, in particular, their diameters, absolute magnitudes, morphological types, circumnuclear region ty…

2004 The Astronomical Journal
eHST 707
Interstellar Ice: The Infrared Space Observatory Legacy
DOI: 10.1086/381182 Bibcode: 2004ApJS..151...35G

Whittet, D. C. B.; Tielens, A. G. G. M.; Boogert, A. C. A. +1 more

We present 2.5-30 µm spectra from the Short-Wavelength Spectrometer of the Infrared Space Observatory for a total of 23 sources. The sources include embedded young stellar objects spanning a wide range of mass and luminosity, together with field stars sampling quiescent dark clouds and the diffuse interstellar medium. Expanding on results of…

2004 The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
ISO 691
A New Photometric Technique for the Joint Selection of Star-forming and Passive Galaxies at 1.4 <~ z <~ 2.5
DOI: 10.1086/425569 Bibcode: 2004ApJ...617..746D

Cimatti, A.; Daddi, E.; Tozzi, P. +5 more

A simple two-color selection based on B-, z-, and K-band photometry is proposed for culling galaxies at 1.4<~z<~2.5 in K-selected samples and classifying them as star-forming or passive systems. The method is calibrated on the highly complete spectroscopic redshift database of the K20 survey, verified with simulations and tested on other dat…

2004 The Astrophysical Journal
eHST 620
The Second US Naval Observatory CCD Astrograph Catalog (UCAC2)
DOI: 10.1086/386353 Bibcode: 2004AJ....127.3043Z

Zacharias, N.; Urban, S. E.; Wycoff, G. L. +4 more

The second US Naval Observatory (USNO) CCD Astrograph Catalog, UCAC2 was released in 2003 July. Positions and proper motions for 48,330,571 sources (mostly stars) are available on 3 CDs, supplemented with Two Micron All Sky Survey photometry for 99.5% of the sources. The catalog covers the sky area from -90° to +40° declination, going up to +52° i…

2004 The Astronomical Journal
Hipparcos 596
Transport of solar wind into Earth's magnetosphere through rolled-up Kelvin-Helmholtz vortices
DOI: 10.1038/nature02799 Bibcode: 2004Natur.430..755H

Balogh, A.; Hasegawa, H.; Fujimoto, M. +5 more

Establishing the mechanisms by which the solar wind enters Earth's magnetosphere is one of the biggest goals of magnetospheric physics, as it forms the basis of space weather phenomena such as magnetic storms and aurorae. It is generally believed that magnetic reconnection is the dominant process, especially during southward solar-wind magnetic fi…

2004 Nature
Cluster 546
Detection of Oxygen and Carbon in the Hydrodynamically Escaping Atmosphere of the Extrasolar Planet HD 209458b
DOI: 10.1086/383347 Bibcode: 2004ApJ...604L..69V

Ehrenreich, D.; Lecavelier des Etangs, A.; Ferlet, R. +7 more

Four transits of the planet orbiting the star HD 209458 were observed with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on board the Hubble Space Telescope. The wavelength domain (1180-1710 Å) includes H I as well as C I, C II, C IV, N V, O I, S I, Si II, Si III, and Si IV lines. During the transits, absorptions are detected in H I, O I, and C II (5%+…

2004 The Astrophysical Journal
eHST 539
ω Centauri: The Population Puzzle Goes Deeper
DOI: 10.1086/420847 Bibcode: 2004ApJ...605L.125B

Anderson, Jay; Bedin, Luigi R.; Piotto, Giampaolo +4 more

We present Hubble Space Telescope observations that show a bifurcation of colors in the middle main sequence of the globular cluster ω Centauri. We see this in three different fields, observed with different cameras and filters. We also present high-precision photometry of a central Advanced Camera for Surveys field, which shows a number of main-s…

2004 The Astrophysical Journal
eHST 534
Detection of Methane in the Atmosphere of Mars
DOI: 10.1126/science.1101732 Bibcode: 2004Sci...306.1758F

Encrenaz, Thérèse; Formisano, Vittorio; Giuranna, Marco +2 more

We report a detection of methane in the martian atmosphere by the Planetary Fourier Spectrometer onboard the Mars Express spacecraft. The global average methane mixing ratio is found to be 10 +/- 5 parts per billion by volume (ppbv). However, the mixing ratio varies between 0 and 30 ppbv over the planet. The source of methane could be either bioge…

2004 Science
MEx 530