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ABSTRACT Mass-loss of red giant branch (RGB) stars is still poorly determined, despite its crucial role in the chemical enrichment of galaxies. Thanks to the recent detection of solar-like oscillations in G-K giants in open clusters with Kepler, we can now directly determine stellar masses for a statistically significant sample of stars in the old open clusters NGC 6791 and 6819. The aim of this work is to constrain the integrated RGB mass-loss by comparing the average mass of stars in the red clump (RC) with that of stars in the low-luminosity portion of the RGB [i.e. stars with L≲ L(RC)]. Stellar masses were determined by combining the available seismic parameters νmax and Δν with additional photometric constraints and with independent distance estimates. We measured the masses of 40 stars on the RGB and 19 in the RC of the old metal-rich cluster NGC 6791. We find that the difference between the average mass of RGB and RC stars is small, but significant [ (random) ±0.04 (systematic) M⊙]. Interestingly, such a small does not support scenarios of an extreme mass-loss for this metal-rich cluster. If we describe the mass-loss rate with Reimers prescription, a first comparison with isochrones suggests that the observed is compatible with a mass-loss efficiency parameter in the range 0.1 ≲η≲ 0.3. Less stringent constraints on the RGB mass-loss rate are set by the analysis of the ∼2 Gyr old NGC 6819, largely due to the lower mass-loss expected for this cluster, and to the lack of an independent and accurate distance determination. In the near future, additional constraints from frequencies of individual pulsation modes and spectroscopic effective temperatures will allow further stringent tests of the Δν and νmax scaling relations, which provide a novel, and potentially very accurate, means of determining stellar radii and masses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT We report the discovery and analysis of a very strong magnetic field in the rapidly rotating early B-type star HR 5907, based on observations obtained as part of the Magnetism in Massive Stars (MiMeS) project. We infer a rotation period of 0.508 276 +0.000 015−0.000 012 d from photometric and Hα EW measurements, making this the shortest period, non-degenerate, magnetic massive star known to date. From the comparison of IUE UV and optical spectroscopy with LTE bruce/kylie models we find a solid-angle integrated, uniform black-body temperature of 17 000 ± 1000 K, a projected rotational velocity of 290 ± 10 km s−1, an equatorial radius of 3.1 ± 0.2 R⊙, a stellar mass of 5.5 ± 0.5 M⊙, and an inclination angle of the rotation axis to our line-of-sight of 70 ± 10°. Our measurements of the longitudinal magnetic field, which vary between −500 and −2000 G, phase coherently with the rotation period and imply a surface dipole field strength of ∼15.7 kG. On the other hand, from fits to mean Least-Squares Deconvolved Stokes V line profiles we infer a dipole field strength of ∼10.4 kG. This disagreement may result from a magnetic configuration more complex than our model, and/or from the non-uniform helium surface abundance distribution. In either case we obtain a magnetic obliquity nearly aligned with the rotation axis (). Our optical spectroscopy also shows weak variability in carbon, silicon and nitrogen lines. The emission variability in hydrogen Balmer and Paschen lines indicates the presence of a dense, highly structured magnetosphere, interpreted as a centrifugally supported, magnetically confined circumstellar disc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT We present the results of the asteroseismic analysis of the red-giant star KIC 4351319 (TYC 3124-914-1), observed for 30 d in short-cadence mode with the Kepler satellite. The analysis has allowed us to determine the large and small frequency separations, Hz and Hz, respectively, and the frequency of maximum oscillation power, Hz. The high signal-to-noise ratio of the observations allowed us to identify 25 independent pulsation modes whose frequencies range approximately from 300 to Hz. The observed oscillation frequencies together with the accurate determination of the atmospheric parameters (effective temperature, gravity and metallicity), provided by additional ground-based spectroscopic observations, enabled us to theoretically interpret the observed oscillation spectrum. KIC 4351319 appears to oscillate with a well-defined solar-type p-mode pattern due to radial acoustic modes and non-radial nearly pure p modes. In addition, several non-radial mixed modes have been identified. Theoretical models well reproduce the observed oscillation frequencies and indicate that this star, located at the base of the ascending red-giant branch, is in the hydrogen-shell-burning phase, with a mass of ∼1.3 M⊙, a radius of and an age of ∼5.6 Gyr. The main parameters of this star have been determined with an unprecedented level of precision for a red-giant star, with uncertainties of 2 per cent for mass, 7 per cent for age, 1 per cent for radius and 4 per cent for luminosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first public release of long-cadence stellar photometric data collected by the NASA Kepler mission has now been made available. In this paper, we characterize the red giant (G-K) stars in this large sample in terms of their solar-like oscillations. We use published methods and well-known scaling relations in the analysis. Just over 70 per cent of the red giants in the sample show detectable solar-like oscillations, and from these oscillations we are able to estimate the fundamental properties of the stars. This asteroseismic analysis reveals different populations: low-luminosity H-shell burning red giant branch stars, cool high-luminosity red giants on the red giant branch and He-core burning clump and secondary-clump giants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The MOST ( Microvariability and Oscillations of Stars) satellite obtains ultraprecise photometry from space with high sampling rates and duty cycles. Astronomical photometry or imaging missions in low Earth orbits, like MOST, are especially sensitive to scattered light from Earthshine, and all these missions have a common need to extract target information from voluminous data cubes. They consist of upwards of hundreds of thousands of two-dimensional CCD frames (or subrasters) containing from hundreds to millions of pixels each, where the target information, superposed on background and instrumental effects, is contained only in a subset of pixels (Fabry Images, defocused images, mini-spectra). We describe a novel reduction technique for such data cubes: resolving linear correlations of target and background pixel intensities. This step-wise multiple linear regression removes only those target variations which are also detected in the background. The advantage of regression analysis versus background subtraction is the appropriate scaling, taking into account that the amount of contamination may differ from pixel to pixel. The multivariate solution for all pairs of target/background pixels is minimally invasive of the raw photometry while being very effective in reducing contamination due to, e.g. stray light. The technique is tested and demonstrated with both simulated oscillation signals and real MOST photometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]