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The Gaia-ESO Public Spectroscopic Survey is an ambitious project designed to obtain astrophysical parameters and elemental abundances for 100,000 stars, including large representative samples of the stellar populations in the Galaxy, and a well-defined sample of 60 (plus 20 archive) open clusters. We provide internally consistent results calibrated on benchmark stars and star clusters, extending across a very wide range of abundances and ages. This provides a legacy data set of intrinsic value, and equally a large wide-ranging dataset that is of value for homogenisation of other and future stellar surveys and Gaia's astrophysical parameters. This article provides an overview of the survey methodology, the scientific aims, and the implementation, including a description of the data processing for the GIRAFFE spectra. A companion paper (arXiv:2206.02901) introduces the survey results. Gaia-ESO aspires to quantify both random and systematic contributions to measurement uncertainties. Thus all available spectroscopic analysis techniques are utilised, each spectrum being analysed by up to several different analysis pipelines, with considerable effort being made to homogenise and calibrate the resulting parameters. We describe here the sequence of activities up to delivery of processed data products to the ESO Science Archive Facility for open use. The Gaia-ESO Survey obtained 202,000 spectra of 115,000 stars using 340 allocated VLT nights between December 2011 and January 2018 from GIRAFFE and UVES. The full consistently reduced final data set of spectra was released through the ESO Science Archive Facility in late 2020, with the full astrophysical parameters sets following in 2022., Comment: 38 pages. A&A in press

In the last 15 years different ground-based spectroscopic surveys have been started (and completed) with the general aim of delivering stellar parameters and elemental abundances for large samples of Galactic stars, complementing Gaia astrometry. Among those surveys, the Gaia-ESO Public Spectroscopic Survey (GES), the only one performed on a 8m class telescope, was designed to target 100,000 stars using FLAMES on the ESO VLT (both Giraffe and UVES spectrographs), covering all the Milky Way populations, with a special focus on open star clusters. This article provides an overview of the survey implementation (observations, data quality, analysis and its success, data products, and releases), of the open cluster survey, of the science results and potential, and of the survey legacy. A companion article (Gilmore et al.) reviews the overall survey motivation, strategy, Giraffe pipeline data reduction, organisation, and workflow. The GES has determined homogeneous good-quality radial velocities and stellar parameters for a large fraction of its more than 110,000 unique target stars. Elemental abundances were derived for up to 31 elements for targets observed with UVES. Lithium abundances are delivered for about 1/3 of the sample. The analysis and homogenisation strategies have proven to be successful; several science topics have been addressed by the Gaia-ESO consortium and the community, with many highlight results achieved. The final catalogue has been released through the ESO archive at the end of May 2022, including the complete set of advanced data products. In addition to these results, the Gaia-ESO Survey will leave a very important legacy, for several aspects and for many years to come., Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics. 30 pages, 30 figures, 4 tables

ALMA has been operating since 2011, but has not yet been populated with the full suite of intended frequency bands. In particular, ALMA Band 2 (67-90 GHz) is the final band in the original ALMA band definition to be approved for production. We aim to produce a wideband, tuneable, sideband-separating receiver with 28 GHz of instantaneous bandwidth per polarisation operating in the sky frequency range 67-116 GHz. Our design anticipates new ALMA requirements following the recommendations in the 2030 ALMA Development Roadmap. The cryogenic cartridge is designed to be compatible with the ALMA Band 2 cartridge slot, where the coldest components -- the feedhorns, orthomode transducers, and cryogenic low noise amplifiers -- operate at a temperature of 15 K. We use multiple simulation methods and tools to optimise our designs for both the passive optics and the active components. The cryogenic cartridge interfaces with a room temperature cartridge hosting the local oscillator (LO) and the downconverter module. This warm cartridge is largely based on GaAs semiconductor technology and is optimised to match the cryogenic receiver bandwidth with the required instantaneous LO tuning range. Our collaboration has designed, fabricated, and tested multiple technical solutions for each of the components, producing a state-of-the-art receiver covering the full ALMA Band 2 & 3 atmospheric window. The receiver is suitable for deployment on ALMA in the coming years, and is capable of dual-polarisation, sideband-separating observations in intermediate frequency bands spanning 4-18 GHz, for a total of 28 GHz on-sky bandwidth per polarisation channel. We conclude that the 67-116 GHz wideband implementation for ALMA Band 2 is now feasible, and this receiver is a compelling instrumental upgrade that will enhance observational capabilities and scientific reach., Comment: 23 pages, accepted for publication in A&A on 20 Dec 2019. This version corrects the affiliations of 2 co-authors

The typical methodology for comparing simulated galaxies with observational surveys is usually to apply a spatial selection to the simulation to mimic the region of interest covered by a comparable observational survey sample. In this work we compare this approach with a more sophisticated post-processing in which the observational uncertainties and selection effects (photometric, surface gravity and effective temperature) are taken into account. We compare a `solar neighbourhood analogue' region in a model Milky Way-like galaxy simulated with RAMSES-CH with fourth release Gaia-ESO survey data. We find that a simple spatial cut alone is insufficient and that observational uncertainties must be accounted for in the comparison. This is particularly true when the scale of uncertainty is large compared to the dynamic range of the data, e.g. in our comparison, the [Mg/Fe] distribution is affected much more than the more accurately determined [Fe/H] distribution. Despite clear differences in the underlying distributions of elemental abundances between simulation and observation, incorporating scatter to our simulation results to mimic observational uncertainty produces reasonable agreement. The quite complete nature of the Gaia-ESO survey means that the selection function has minimal impact on the distribution of observed age and metal abundances but this would become increasingly more important for surveys with narrower selection functions., Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS; 13 pages, 7 figures, 1 table

Context: Trumpler 23 is a moderately populated, intermediate-age open cluster within the solar circle at a Rgc ~6 kpc. It is in a crowded field very close to the Galactic plane and the color-magnitude diagram shows significant field contamination and possible differential reddening; it is a relatively understudied cluster for these reasons, but its location makes it a key object for determining Galactic abundance distributions. Aims: New data from the Gaia-ESO Survey enable the first ever radial velocity and spectroscopic metallicity measurements for this cluster. We aim to use velocities to isolate cluster members, providing more leverage for determining cluster parameters. Methods: Gaia-ESO Survey data for 167 potential members have yielded radial velocity measurements, which were used to determine the systemic velocity of the cluster and membership of individual stars. Atmospheric parameters were also used as a check on membership when available. Literature photometry was used to re-determine cluster parameters based on radial velocity member stars only; theoretical isochrones are fit in the V, V-I diagram. Cluster abundance measurements of ten radial-velocity member stars with high-resolution spectroscopy are presented for 24 elements. These abundances have been compared to local disk stars, and where possible placed within the context of literature gradient studies. Results: We find Trumpler 23 to have an age of 0.80 +/- 0.10 Gyr, significant differential reddening with an estimated mean cluster E(V-I) of 1.02 +0.14/-0.09, and an apparent distance modulus of 14.15 +/- 0.20. We find an average cluster metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.14 +/- 0.03 dex, a solar [alpha/Fe] abundance, and notably subsolar [s-process/Fe] abundances., Comment: 18 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics

The Gaia-ESO Survey (GES) is a large public spectroscopic survey at the European Southern Observatory Very Large Telescope. A key aim is to provide precise radial velocities (RVs) and projected equatorial velocities (v sin i) for representative samples of Galactic stars, that will complement information obtained by the Gaia astrometry satellite. We present an analysis to empirically quantify the size and distribution of uncertainties in RV and v sin i using spectra from repeated exposures of the same stars. We show that the uncertainties vary as simple scaling functions of signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) and v sin i, that the uncertainties become larger with increasing photospheric temperature, but that the dependence on stellar gravity, metallicity and age is weak. The underlying uncertainty distributions have extended tails that are better represented by Student's t-distributions than by normal distributions. Parametrised results are provided, that enable estimates of the RV precision for almost all GES measurements, and estimates of the v sin i precision for stars in young clusters, as a function of S/N, v sin i and stellar temperature. The precision of individual high S/N GES RV measurements is 0.22-0.26 km/s, dependent on instrumental configuration., Comment: 13 pages, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics

A major goal of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) is to make accurate images with resolutions of tens of milliarcseconds, which at submillimeter (submm) wavelengths requires baselines up to ~15 km. To develop and test this capability, a Long Baseline Campaign (LBC) was carried out from September to late November 2014, culminating in end-to-end observations, calibrations, and imaging of selected Science Verification (SV) targets. This paper presents an overview of the campaign and its main results, including an investigation of the short-term coherence properties and systematic phase errors over the long baselines at the ALMA site, a summary of the SV targets and observations, and recommendations for science observing strategies at long baselines. Deep ALMA images of the quasar 3C138 at 97 and 241 GHz are also compared to VLA 43 GHz results, demonstrating an agreement at a level of a few percent. As a result of the extensive program of LBC testing, the highly successful SV imaging at long baselines achieved angular resolutions as fine as 19 mas at ~350 GHz. Observing with ALMA on baselines of up to 15 km is now possible, and opens up new parameter space for submm astronomy., Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, 2 tables; accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letters; this version with small changes to affiliations

We present initial results of very high resolution Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations of the $z$=3.042 gravitationally lensed galaxy HATLAS J090311.6+003906 (SDP.81). These observations were carried out using a very extended configuration as part of Science Verification for the 2014 ALMA Long Baseline Campaign, with baselines of up to 15 km. We present continuum imaging at 151, 236 and 290 GHz, at unprecedented angular resolutions as fine as 23 milliarcseconds (mas), corresponding to an un-magnified spatial scale of ~180 pc at z=3.042. The ALMA images clearly show two main gravitational arc components of an Einstein ring, with emission tracing a radius of ~1.5". We also present imaging of CO(10-9), CO(8-7), CO(5-4) and H2O line emission. The CO emission, at an angular resolution of ~170 mas, is found to broadly trace the gravitational arc structures but with differing morphologies between the CO transitions and compared to the dust continuum. Our detection of H2O line emission, using only the shortest baselines, provides the most resolved detection to date of thermal H2O emission in an extragalactic source. The ALMA continuum and spectral line fluxes are consistent with previous Plateau de Bure Interferometer and Submillimeter Array observations despite the impressive increase in angular resolution. Finally, we detect weak unresolved continuum emission from a position that is spatially coincident with the center of the lens, with a spectral index that is consistent with emission from the core of the foreground lensing galaxy., Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures and 3 tables, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letters

We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) 1.3 mm continuum images of the asteroid 3 Juno obtained with an angular resolution of 0.042 arcseconds (60 km at 1.97 AU). The data were obtained over a single 4.4 hr interval, which covers 60% of the 7.2 hr rotation period, approximately centered on local transit. A sequence of ten consecutive images reveals continuous changes in the asteroid's profile and apparent shape, in good agreement with the sky projection of the three-dimensional model of the Database of Asteroid Models from Inversion Techniques. We measure a geometric mean diameter of 259pm4 km, in good agreement with past estimates from a variety of techniques and wavelengths. Due to the viewing angle and inclination of the rotational pole, the southern hemisphere dominates all of the images. The median peak brightness temperature is 215pm13 K, while the median over the whole surface is 197pm15 K. With the unprecedented resolution of ALMA, we find that the brightness temperature varies across the surface with higher values correlated to the subsolar point and afternoon areas, and lower values beyond the evening terminator. The dominance of the subsolar point is accentuated in the final four images, suggesting a reduction in the thermal inertia of the regolith at the corresponding longitudes, which are possibly correlated to the location of the putative large impact crater. These results demonstrate ALMA's potential to resolve thermal emission from the surface of main belt asteroids, and to measure accurately their position, geometric shape, rotational period, and soil characteristics., Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letters

We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations from the 2014 Long Baseline Campaign in dust continuum and spectral line emission from the HL Tau region. The continuum images at wavelengths of 2.9, 1.3, and 0.87 mm have unprecedented angular resolutions of 0.075 arcseconds (10 AU) to 0.025 arcseconds (3.5 AU), revealing an astonishing level of detail in the circumstellar disk surrounding the young solar analogue HL Tau, with a pattern of bright and dark rings observed at all wavelengths. By fitting ellipses to the most distinct rings, we measure precise values for the disk inclination (46.72pm0.05 degrees) and position angle (+138.02pm0.07 degrees). We obtain a high-fidelity image of the 1.0 mm spectral index ($\alpha$), which ranges from $\alpha\sim2.0$ in the optically-thick central peak and two brightest rings, increasing to 2.3-3.0 in the dark rings. The dark rings are not devoid of emission, we estimate a grain emissivity index of 0.8 for the innermost dark ring and lower for subsequent dark rings, consistent with some degree of grain growth and evolution. Additional clues that the rings arise from planet formation include an increase in their central offsets with radius and the presence of numerous orbital resonances. At a resolution of 35 AU, we resolve the molecular component of the disk in HCO+ (1-0) which exhibits a pattern over LSR velocities from 2-12 km/s consistent with Keplerian motion around a ~1.3 solar mass star, although complicated by absorption at low blue-shifted velocities. We also serendipitously detect and resolve the nearby protostars XZ Tau (A/B) and LkHa358 at 2.9 mm., Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, 2 tables, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letters

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 in 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., Comment: 22 pages, 18 figures, accepted for publication on A&A

The Gaia-ESO survey is a large public spectroscopic survey aimed at investigating the origin and formation history of our Galaxy by collecting spectroscopy of representative samples (about 10^5 Milky Way stars) of all Galactic stellar populations, in the field and in clusters. The survey uses globular clusters as intra- and inter-survey calibrators, deriving stellar atmospheric parameters and abundances of a significant number of stars in clusters, along with radial velocity determinations. We used precise radial velocities of a large number of stars in seven globular clusters (NGC 1851, NGC 2808, NGC 4372, NGC 4833, NGC 5927, NGC 6752, and NGC 7078) to validate pipeline results and to preliminarily investigate the cluster internal kinematics. Radial velocity measurements were extracted from FLAMES/GIRAFFE spectra processed by the survey pipeline as part of the second internal data release of data products to ESO. We complemented our sample with ESO archival data obtained with different instrument configurations. Reliable radial velocity measurements for 1513 bona fide cluster star members were obtained in total. We measured systemic rotation, estimated central velocity dispersions, and present velocity dispersion profiles of all the selected clusters, providing the first velocity dispersion curve and the first estimate of the central velocity dispersion for the cluster NGC~5927. Finally, we explore the possible link between cluster kinematics and other physical parameters. The analysis we present here demonstrates that Gaia-ESO survey data are sufficiently accurate to be used in studies of kinematics of stellar systems and stellar populations in the Milky Way., Comment: 10 pages, 5 tables, 18 figures. Accepted to A&A

The Gaia-ESO Survey is obtaining high-quality spectroscopic data for about 10^5 stars using FLAMES at the VLT. UVES high-resolution spectra are being collected for about 5000 FGK-type stars. These UVES spectra are analyzed in parallel by several state-of-the-art methodologies. Our aim is to present how these analyses were implemented, to discuss their results, and to describe how a final recommended parameter scale is defined. We also discuss the precision (method-to-method dispersion) and accuracy (biases with respect to the reference values) of the final parameters. These results are part of the Gaia-ESO 2nd internal release and will be part of its 1st public release of advanced data products. The final parameter scale is tied to the one defined by the Gaia benchmark stars, a set of stars with fundamental atmospheric parameters. A set of open and globular clusters is used to evaluate the physical soundness of the results. Each methodology is judged against the benchmark stars to define weights in three different regions of the parameter space. The final recommended results are the weighted-medians of those from the individual methods. The recommended results successfully reproduce the benchmark stars atmospheric parameters and the expected Teff-log g relation of the calibrating clusters. Atmospheric parameters and abundances have been determined for 1301 FGK-type stars observed with UVES. The median of the method-to-method dispersion of the atmospheric parameters is 55 K for Teff, 0.13 dex for log g, and 0.07 dex for [Fe/H]. Systematic biases are estimated to be between 50-100 K for Teff, 0.10-0.25 dex for log g, and 0.05-0.10 dex for [Fe/H]. Abundances for 24 elements were derived: C, N, O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Mo, Ba, Nd, and Eu. The typical method-to-method dispersion of the abundances varies between 0.10 and 0.20 dex., Comment: 39 pages, A&A accepted

The association of Type Ic SNe with long-duration GRBs is well established. We endeavor, through accurate ground-based observational campaigns, to characterize these SNe at increasingly high redshifts. We obtained a series of optical photometric and spectroscopic observations of the Type Ic SN2012bz associated with the Swift long-duration GRB120422A (z=0.283) using the 3.6-m TNG and the 8.2-m VLT telescopes. The peak times of the light curves of SN2012bz in various optical filters differ, with the B-band and i'-band light curves reaching maximum at ~9 and ~23 rest-frame days, respectively. The bolometric light curve has been derived from individual bands photometric measurements, but no correction for the unknown contribution in the near-infrared (probably around 10-15%) has been applied. Therefore, the present light curve should be considered as a lower limit to the actual UV-optical-IR bolometric light curve. This pseudo-bolometric curve reaches its maximum (Mbol = -18.56 +/- 0.06) at 13 +/- 1 rest-frame days; it is similar in shape and luminosity to the bolometric light curves of the SNe associated with z<0.2 GRBs and more luminous than those of SNe associated with XRFs. A comparison with the model generated for the bolometric light curve of SN2003dh suggests that SN2012bz produced only about 15% less 56Ni than SN2003dh, about 0.35 Msol. Similarly the VLT spectra of SN2012bz, after correction for Galactic extinction and for the contribution of the host galaxy, suggest comparable explosion parameters with those observed in SN2003dh (EK~3.5 x 10^52 erg, Mej~7 Msol) and a similar progenitor mass (~25-40 Msol). GRB120422A is consistent with the Epeak-Eiso and the EX,iso-Egamma,iso-E_peak relations. GRB120422A/SN2012bz shows the GRB-SN connection at the highest redshift so far accurately monitored both photometrically and spectroscopically., Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures, 2 tables, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics

We report preliminary results concerning the detailed chemical composition of metal poor stars belonging to close ultra-faint dwarf galaxies (hereafter UfDSphs). The abundances have been determined thanks to spectra obtained with X-Shooter, a high efficiency spectrograph installed on one of the ESO VLT units. The sample of ultra-faint dwarf spheroidal stars have abundance ratios slightly lower to what is measured in field halo star of the same metallicity.We did not find extreme abundances in our Hercules stars as the one found by Koch for his 2 Hercules stars. The synthesis of the neutron capture elements Ba and Sr seems to originate from the same nucleosynthetic process in operation during the early stages of the galactic evolution., Comment: 3 pages, 1 figure; OMEG11 conference (Tokyo, Nov 2011)

There is an ongoing debate regarding the onset luminosity of dusty mass loss in population-II red giant stars. In this paper we present VISIR@VLT MIR 8.6 micron imaging of 47Tuc, centre of attention of a number of space-based Spitzer observations and studies. The VISIR high resolution (diffraction limited) observations allow excellent matching to existing optical Hubble space telescope catalogues. The optical-MIR coverage of the inner 1.15 arcmin of the cluster provide the cleanest possible, blending-free, sampling of the upper 3 magnitudes of the giant branch. Our diagrams show no evidence of faint giants with MIR-excess. A combined NIR-MIR diagram further confirms the near absence of dusty red giants. Dusty red giants and asymptotic giant stars are confined to the 47Tuc long period variables population. In particular, dusty red giants are limited to the upper one 8.6 micron magnitude below the giant branch tip. This particular luminosity level corresponds to ~1000 solar luminosity, suggested in previous determinations to mark the onset of dusty mass-loss. Interestingly, at this luminosity level, we detect a small deviation between the colours of red giants and the theoretical isochrones., Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A

Context. The abundance inhomogeneities of light elements observed in Globular Clusters (GCs), and notably the ubiquitous Na-O anti-correlation, are generally interpreted as evidence that GCs comprise several generations of stars. There is an on-going debate as to the nature of the stars which produce the inhomogeneous elements, and investigating the behavior of several elements is a way to shed new light on this problem. Aims. We aim at investigating the Li and Na content of the GC M 4, that is known to have a well defined Na-O anti-correlation. Methods. We obtained moderate resolution (R=17 000-18 700) spectra for 91 main sequence (MS)/sub-giant branch stars of M 4 with the Giraffe spectrograph at the FLAMES/VLT ESO facility. Using model atmospheres analysis we measured lithium and sodium abundances. Results. We detect a weak Li-Na anti-correlation among un-evolved MS stars. One star in the sample, # 37934, shows the remarkably high lithium abundance A(Li)=2.87, compatible with current estimates of the primordial lithium abundance. Conclusions. The shallow slope found for the Li-Na anti-correlation suggests that lithium is produced in parallel to sodium. This evidence, coupled with its sodium-rich nature, suggests that the high lithium abundance of star # 37934 may originate by pollution from a previous generations of stars. The recent detection of a Li-rich dwarf of pollution origin in the globular cluster NGC 6397 may also point in this direction. Still, no clear cut evidence is available against a possible preservation of the primordial lithium abundance for star # 37934., Comment: 8 pages, 1 table, 2 figures. Matching A&A published version

We investigate the new and still poorly studied matter of so-called multiple stellar populations (MSPs) in Galactic globular clusters (GGCs). Studying MSPs and their accumulated data can shed more light on the formation and evolution of GGCs and other closely related fundamental problems. We focus on the strong relation between the radial distribution of evolutionary homogeneous stars and their U-based photometric characteristics in the nearby GGC NGC 6752 and compare this with a similar relation we found in NGC 3201 and NGC 1261. We use our new multi-color photometry in a fairly wide field of NGC 6752, with particular emphasis on the U band and our recent and already published photometry made in NGC 3201 and NGC 1261. We found and report here for the first time a strong difference in the radial distribution between the sub-populations of red giant branch (RGB) stars that are bluer and redder in color U-B, as well as between sub-giant branch (SGB) stars brighter and fainter in the U-magnitude in NGC 6752. Moreover, the fainter SGB and redder RGB stars are similarly much more centrally concentrated than their respective brighter and bluer counterparts. Virtually the same applies to NGC 3201. We find evidence in NGC 6752 as in NGC 3201 that a dramatic change in the proportion of the two sub-populations of SGB and RGB stars occurs at a radial distance close to the half-mass radius, R_h, of the cluster. These results are the first detections of the radial trend of the particular photometric properties of stellar populations in GGCs. They imply a radial dependence of the main characteristics of the stellar populations in these GGCs, primarily of the abundance, and (indirectly) presumably of the kinematics., Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics (Letters)

Globular clusters are useful to test the validity of Newtonian dynamics in the low acceleration regime typical of galaxies, without the complications of non-baryonic dark matter. Specifically, in absence of disturbing effects, e.g. tidal heating, their velocity dispersion is expected to vanish at large radii. If such behaviour is not observed, and in particular if, as observed in elliptical galaxies, the dispersion is found constant at large radii below a certain threshold acceleration, this might indicate a break down of Newtonian dynamics. To minimise the effects of tidal heating in this paper we study the velocity dispersion profile of two distant globular clusters, NGC 1851 and NGC 1904. The velocity dispersion profile is derived from accurate radial velocities measurements, obtained at the ESO 8m VLT telescope. Reliable data for 184 and 146 bona fide cluster star members, respectively for NGC 1851 and NGC 1904, were obtained. These data allow to trace the velocity dispersion profile up to ~2r0, where r0 is the radius at which the cluster internal acceleration of gravity is a0 = 10e-8 cm/s/s. It is found that in both clusters the velocity dispersion becomes constant beyond ~r0. These new results are fully in agreement with those found for other five globular clusters previously investigated as part of this project. Taken all together, these 7 clusters support the claim that the velocity dispersion is constant beyond r0, irrespectively of the specific physical properties of the clusters: mass, size, dynamical history, and distance from the Milky Way. The strong similarly with the constant velocity dispersion observed in elliptical galaxies beyond r0 is suggestive of a common origin for this phenomenon in the two class of objects, and might indicate a breakdown of Newtonian dynamics below a0., Comment: Accepted for publication by A&A main journal. 12 pages, 12 figures

(Abriged)This work studies in more detail the stellar population, including its photometric properties and characteristics, in the rarely studied southern Galactic globular cluster NGC 1261. We focus on the brighter sequences of the cluster's color-magnitude diagram (CMD). Like in our previous works, we rely upon photometry in several passbands to achieve more reliable results and conclusions. We carried out and analyzed new multi-color photometry of NGC 1261 in UBVI reaching below the turnoff point in all passbands in a fairly extended cluster field, about 14'x14'. We found several signs of the inhomogeneity ("multiplicity") in the stellar population. The most prominent of them are: (1) the dependence of the radial distribution of sub-giant branch (SGB) stars in the cluster on their U magnitude, with brighter stars less centrally concentrated at the 99.9 \% level than their fainter counterparts; (2) the dependence of the location of red giant branch (RGB) stars in the U-(U-B) CMD on their radial distance from the cluster center, with the portion of stars bluer in the (U-B) color increasing towards the cluster outskirts. Additionally, the radial variation of the RGB luminosity function in the bump region is suspected. We assume that both the SGB stars brighter in the U and the RGB stars bluer in the (U-B) color are probably associated with blue horizontal branch stars, because of a similarity in their radial distribution in the cluster. We estimated the metalicity of NGC 1261 from the slope of the RGB in U-based CMDs and the location of the RGB bump on the branch. These metallicity indicators give [Fe/H]zw = -1.34 +/- 0.16 dex and [Fe/H]zw = -1.41 +/- 0.10 dex, respectively. We isolated 18 probable blue straggler candidates. They are more centrally concentrated than the lower red giants of comparable brightness at the 97.9 \% level., Comment: 8 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in A&A

We report on evidence of the inhomogeneity (multiplicity) of the stellar population in the Galactic globular cluster (GC) NGC 3201, which is irregularly reddened across its face. We carried out a more detailed and careful analysis of our recently published new multi-color photometry in a wide field of the cluster with particular emphasis on the U band. Using the photometric data corrected for differential reddening, we found for the first time two key signs of the inhomogeneity in the cluster's stellar population and of its radial variation in the GC. These are (1) an obvious trend in the color-position diagram, based on the (U-B) color-index, of red giant branch (RGB) stars, which shows that the farther from the cluster's center, the bluer on average the (U-B) color of the stars is; and (2) the dependence of the radial distribution of sub-giant branch (SGB) stars in the cluster on their U magnitude, where brighter stars are less centrally concentrated than their fainter counterparts at a confidence level varying between 99.2% and 99.9% depending on the color-index used to select the stars. The same effects were recently found by us in the GC NGC 1261. However, contrary to NGC 1261, we are not able to unambiguously suggest which of the sub-populations of SGB/RGB stars can be the progenitor of blue and red horizontal branch stars of the cluster. Apart from M4, NGC 3201 is another GC very probably with an inhomogeneous stellar population, which has essentially lower mass than the most massive Galactic GCs where multiple stellar populations were unambiguously detected for the first time, Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures

A 321.5 s modulation was discovered in 1999 in the X-ray light curve of HM Cnc. In 2001 and 2002, optical photometric and spectroscopic observations revealed that HM Cnc is a very blue object with no intrinsic absorptions but broad (FWHM 1500 km s^-1) low equivalent width emission lines (EW 1-6A), which were first identified with the HeII Pickering series. The combination of X-ray and optical observations pictures HM Cnc as a double degenerate binary hosting two white dwarfs, and possibly being the shortest orbital period binary discovered so far. The present work is aimed at studying the orbital motion of the two components by following the variations of the shape, centroid and intensity of the emission lines through the orbit. In February 2007, we carried out the first phase resolved optical spectroscopic study with the VLT/FORS2 in the High Time Resolution (HIT) mode, yielding five phase bins in the 321 s modulation. Despite the low SNR, the data show that the intensity of the three most prominent emission lines, already detected in 2001, varies with the phase. These lines are detected at phases 0.2-0.6 where the optical emission peaks, and marginally detected or not detected at all elsewhere. Moreover, the FWHM of the emission lines in the phase resolved spectra is smaller, by almost a factor 2, than that in the the phase-averaged 2001 spectrum. Our results are consistent with both the pulsed optical component and emission lines originating in the same region which we identify with the irradiated surface of the secondary. Moreover, regardless of the origin of the un-pulsed optical continuum, we note that the EWs of the emission lines might be up to -15 / -25A, larger than thought before; these values are more similar to those detected in cataclysmic variables. All the findings further confirm that the 321s modulation observed in HM Cnc is the orbital period of the system, the shortest known to date., Comment: Submitted to A&A in April 2008. The current version includes the comments of the second referee's report. 9 pages, 3 figures.

The Sagittarius dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy (Sgr dSph) provides us with a unique possibility of studying a dwarf galaxy merging event while still in progress. Due to its low distance (25 kpc), the main body of Sgr dSph covers a vast area in the sky (roughly 15 x 7 degrees). Available photometric and spectroscopic studies have concentrated either on the central part of the galaxy or on the stellar stream, but the overwhelming majority of the galaxy body has never been probed. The aim of the present study is twofold. On the one hand, to produce color magnitude diagrams across the extension of Sgr dSph to study its stellar populations, searching for age and/or composition gradients (or lack thereof). On the other hand, to derive spectroscopic low-resolution radial velocities for a subsample of stars to determine membership to Sgr dSph for the purpose of high resolution spectroscopic follow-up. We used VIMOS-VLT to produce V and I photometry and spectroscopy on 7 fields across the Sgr dSph minor and major axis, plus 3 more centered on the associated globular clusters Terzan 7, Terzan 8 and Arp 2. A last field has been centered on M 54, lying in the center of Sgr dSph. We present photometry for 320,000 stars across the main body of Sgr dSph, one of the richest, and safely the most wide-angle sampling ever produced for this fundamental object. We also provide robust memberships for more than one hundred stars, whose high resolution spectroscopic analysis will be the object of forthcoming papers. Sgr dSph appears remarkably uniform among the observed fields. We confirm the presence of a main Sgr dSph population characterized roughly by the same metallicity of 47 Tuc, but we also found the presence of multiple populations on the peripheral fields of the galaxy, with a metallicity spanning from [Fe/H]=-2.3 to a nearly solar value., Comment: 10 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in A&A

Despite about a decade of observations, very little is known about the optical and infrared (IR) emission properties of the Soft Gamma-ray Repeaters (SGRs) and of the Anomalous X-ray Pulsars (AXPs), the magnetar candidates, and about the physical processes which drive their emission at these wavelengths. This is mainly due to the limited number of identifications achieved so far, five in total, and to the sparse spectral coverage obtained from multi-band optical/IR photometry. Aim of this work is to search for a likely candidate counterpart to the recently discovered transient radio AXP 1E 1547.0-5408. We performed the first deep near-IR (NIR) observations (Ks band) of 1E 1547.0-5408 with the VLT on three nights (July 8th, 12th, and August 17th), after the X-ray source rebrightening and during the subsequent decay reported around June 2007. We detected four objects within, or close to, the 3sigma radio position of 1E 1547.0-5408. The faintest of them (object 1) has a brightness K = 20.27 +/- 0.05, which would yield an unabsorbed X-ray to NIR flux ratio FX/FKs ~ 800 for 1E 1547.0-5408, i.e. on average lower than those derived for other magnetars. The non-detection of object 1 on the nights of July 8th and August 17th only allowed us to set an upper limit of Delta Ks ~ 0.2 on its NIR variability, which prevented us to search for correlations with the radio or X-ray flux. We detected no other object at the radio position down to a limit of Ks ~ 21.7 (at 5sigma), computed in our deepest VLT image (July 12th). From our observations we can not confidently propose a NIR counterpart to 1E 1547.0-5408. More NIR observations of object 1, e.g. to determine its colors and to monitor variability, would be conclusive to determine whether or not it can be considered a plausible candidate., Comment: 6 pages, 3 postscript figures, submitted to Astronomy & Astrophysics, referee's comments included

. We report on near-infrared (IR) observations of the three anomalous X-ray pulsars XTE J1810-197, 1RXS J1708-4009, 1E 1841-045 and the soft gamma-ray repeater SGR 1900+14, taken with the ESO-VLT, the Gemini, and the CFHT telescopes. . This work is aimed at identifying and/or confirming the IR counterparts of these magnetars, as well as at measuring their possible IR variability. . In order to perform photometry of objects as faint as Ks~20, we have used data taken with the largest telescopes, equipped with the most advanced IR detectors and in most of the cases with Adaptive Optics devices. The latter are critical to achieve the sharp spatial accuracy required to pinpoint faint objects in crowded fields. . We confirm with high confidence the identification of the IR counterpart to XTE J1810-197, and its IR variability. For 1E 1841-045 and SGR 1900+14 we propose two candidate IR counterparts based on the detection of IR variability. For 1RXS J1708-4009 we show that none of the potential counterparts within the source X-ray error circle can be yet convincingly associated with this AXP. . The IR variability of the AXP XTE J1810-197 does not follow the same monotonic decrease of its post-outburst X-ray emission. Instead, the IR variability appears more similar to the one observed in radio band, although simultaneous IR and radio observations are crucial to draw any conclusion in this respect. For 1E 1841-045 and SGR 1900+14, follow-up observations are needed to confirm our proposed candidates with higher confidence., Comment: 9 pages, 10 figures; accepted by A&A (high resolution images at http://staff.science.uva.nl/~nrea/NIR_AXP_testa2007.pdf)

We carry out and analyze new multi-color photometry of the Galactic globular cluster (GC) M75 in UBVI and focus on the brighter sequences of the color- magnitude diagram (CMD), with particular emphasis on their location in U-based CMD. Specifically, we study the level both of the horizontal (HB) and red giant branches (RGB) relative to the main-sequence turnoff (TO) in the U magnitude. Along with the presented photometry of M75, we use our collection of photometric data on GCs belonging to the metal-poor range, [Fe/H]zw<-1.1 dex, obtained from observations with different equipment, but calibrated by standard stars situated in the observed cluster fields. We confirm our earlier finding, and extend it to a larger magnitude range.We demonstrate that DeltaU_{TO}^{BHB} expressing the difference in U magnitude between the TO point and the level of the blue HB, near its red boundary, of the metal-poor GCs observed with the EMMI camera of the NTT/ESO telescope is about 0.4-0.5 mag smaller as compared to GCs observed with the 100" telescope and 1.3 m Warsaw telescope of the Las Campanas Observatory. At the same time, Delta U_{TO}^{RGB}, the difference in U magnitude between the TO and RGB inflection (brightest) points, does not show such an apparent dependence on the characteristics of U filters used, but it depends on cluster metallicity. We have shown, for the first time, the dependence of the parameter DeltaU_{TO}^{RGB} on [Fe/H] and have estimated its analytical expression, by assuming a linear relation between the parameter and metallicity. Its slope, Delta U_{TO}^{RGB}/Delta [Fe/H]~1.2 mag/dex, is approx. a factor of two steeper than that of the dependence of the RGB bump position in the V magnitude on metallicity. The asymptotic giant branch (AGB) clump and features of the RGB luminosity function (LF) of M75 are also discussed., Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in A&A

VIMOS is a wide-field imager and spectrograph mounted on UT3 at the VLT, whose FOV consists of four 7'x8' quadrants. Here we present the measurements of total transmission profiles -- i.e. the throughput of telescope + instrument -- for the broad band filters U, B, V, R, I, and z for each of its four quadrants. Those measurements can also be downloaded from the public VIMOS web-page. The transmission profiles are compared with previous estimates from the VIMOS consortium., Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, to appear in the proceedings of the ESO instrument calibration workshop 2007, Springer Verlag series "ESO Astrophysics Symposia", eds. F. Kerber & A. Kaufer

The Sagittarius dwarf Spheroidal galaxy is the nearest neighbor of the Milky Way. Moving along a short period quasi-polar orbit within the Halo, it is being destroyed by the tidal interaction with our Galaxy, losing its stellar content along a huge stellar stream. We study the detailed chemical composition of 12 giant stars in the Sagittarius dwarf Spheroidal main body, together with 5 more in the associated globular cluster Terzan 7 by means of high resolution VLT-UVES spectra. Abundances are derived for up to 21 elements from O to Nd, by fitting lines EW or line profiles against ATLAS 9 model atmospheres and SYNTHE spectral syntheses calculated ad-hoc. Temperatures are derived from (V-I)_0 or (B-V)_0 colors, gravities from Fe I - Fe II ionization equilibrium. The metallicity of the observed stars is between [Fe/H]=-0.9 and 0. We detected a highly peculiar ``chemical signature'', with undersolar alpha elements, Na, Al, Sc, V, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn among others, and overabundant La, Ce and Nd. Many of these abundance ratios (in particular light-odd elements and iron peak ones) are strongly at odds with what is observed within the Milky Way, they thus may be a very useful tool to recognize populations originated within the Sagittarius dwarf. This can be clearly seen in the case of the globular Palomar 12, which is believed to have been stripped from Sagittarius: the cluster shows precisely the same chemical ``oddities'', thus finally confirming its extragalactic origin., Comment: 21 pages, 5 figures, accepted by A&A

Context. The Sagittarius (Sgr) dwarf spheroidal galaxy is currently being disrupted under the strain of the Milky Way. A reliable reconstruction of Sgr star formation history can only be obtained by combining core and stream information. Aims. We present radial velocities for 67 stars belonging to the Sgr Stream. For 12 stars in the sample we also present iron (Fe) and $\alpha$-element (Mg, Ca) abundances. Methods. Spectra were secured using different high resolution facilities: UVES@VLT, HARPS@3.6m, and SARG@TNG. Radial velocities are obtained through cross correlation with a template spectra. Concerning chemical analysis, for the various elements, selected line equivalent widths were measured and abundances computed using the WIDTH code and ATLAS model atmospheres. Results. The velocity dispersion of the trailing tail is found to be $\sigma$=8.3$\pm$0.9 km s$^{-1}$, i.e., significantly lower than in the core of the Sgr galaxy and marginally lower than previous estimates in the same portion of the stream. Stream stars follow the same trend as Sgr main body stars in the [$\alpha$/Fe] vs [Fe/H] plane. However, stars are, on average, more metal poor in the stream than in the main body. This effect is slightly stronger in stars belonging to more ancient wraps of the stream, according to currently accepted models of Sgr disruption., Comment: 18 pages, 9 figures, 7 tables. Accepted for publication in A&A. Matching published version

We analyze high resolution spectroscopic observations of the optical afterglow of GRB050730, obtained with UVES@VLT about hours after the GRB trigger. The spectrum shows that the ISM of the GRB host galaxy at z = 3.967 is complex, with at least five components contributing to the main absorption system. We detect strong CII*, SiII*, OI* and FeII* fine structure absorption lines associated to the second and third component. For the first three components we derive information on the relative distance from the site of the GRB explosion. Component 1, which has the highest redshift, does not present any fine structure nor low ionization lines; it only shows very high ionization features, such as CIV and OVI, suggesting that this component is very close to the GRB site. From the analysis of low and high ionization lines and fine structure lines, we find evidences that the distance of component 2 from the site of the GRB explosion is 10-100 times smaller than that of component 3. We evaluated the mean metallicity of the z=3.967 system obtaining values about 0.01 of the solar metallicity or less. However, this should not be taken as representative of the circumburst medium, since the main contribution to the hydrogen column density comes from the outer regions of the galaxy while that of the other elements presumably comes from the ISM closer to the GRB site. Furthermore, difficulties in evaluating dust depletion correction can modify significantly these values. The mean [C/Fe] ratio agrees well with that expected by single star-formation event models. Interestingly the [C/Fe] of component 2 is smaller than that of component 3, in agreement with GRB dust destruction scenarios, if component 2 is closer than component 3 to the GRB site., Comment: 11 pages, 15 postscript figures, accepted for pubblication in A&A

We present new observational results on the RR Lyrae K-band Period-Luminosity relation (PLK). Data on the Galactic globular clusters NGC 3201 and NGC 4590 (M68), and on the Large Magellanic Cloud cluster Reticulum are shown. We compare the observed slopes of the PLK relations for these three clusters with those predicted by pulsational and evolutionary models, finding a fair agreement. Trusting on this finding we decided to adopt these theoretical calibrations to estimate the distance to the target clusters,finding a good agreement with optical-based RR Lyrae distances, but with a smaller formal scatter., Comment: Proceedings of the Stellar Pulsation and Evolution meeting, Rome, June 2005

We present CCD UBVI photometry and high-resolution spectroscopy of the intermediate age open cluster NGC 3960. The colour - magnitude diagrams (CMDs) derived from the photometric data and interpreted with the synthetic CMD method allow us to estimate the cluster parameters. We derive: age = 0.9 or 0.6 Gyr (depending on whether or not overshooting from convective regions is included in the adopted stellar models), distance (m-M)0 = 11.6 +/- 0.1, reddening E(B-V) = 0.29 +/- 0.02, differential reddening Delta E(B-V) = 0.05 and approximate metallicity between solar and half of solar. We obtained high resolution spectra of three clump stars, and derived an average [Fe/H] = -0.12 (rms 0.04 dex), in very good agreement with the photometric determination. We also obtained abundances of alpha-elements, Fe-peak elements, and of Ba. The reddenings toward individual stars derived from the spectroscopic temperatures and the Alonso et al. calibrations give further support to the existence of significative variations across the cluster., Comment: Accepted for publication on MNRAS; fig. 3, 4, 5, 6 at degraded resolution

We summarize the results of our ongoing investigation of the chemical abundances in the Sagittarius Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy (Sgr dSph) and in the Canis Major Overdensity (CMa). 12 RGB stars were analyzed in the Sgr dSph, plus 5 in the associated globular Terzan 7, together with three CMa candidate members. Detailed abundances have been derived for up to 23 elements from Oxygen to Europium., Comment: 2 pages, no figures. To appear in the proceedings of the Workshop "Stellar pulsation and evolution", eds. A. R. Walker and G. Bono

We present iron and $\alpha$ element (Mg, Ca, Ti) abundances for a sample of 15 Red Giant Branch stars belonging to the main body of the Sagittarius dwarf Spheroidal galaxy. Abundances have been obtained from spectra collected using the high resolution spectrograph FLAMES-UVES mounted at the VLT. Stars of our sample have a mean metallicity of [Fe/H]=-0.41$\pm$0.20 with a metal poor tail extending to [Fe/H]=-1.52. The $\alpha$ element abundance ratios are slightly subsolar for metallicities higher than [Fe/H]\gtsima-1, suggesting a slow star formation rate. The [$\alpha$/Fe] of stars having [Fe/H]$<$-1 are compatible to what observed in Milky Way stars of comparable metallicity., Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, 6 tables. Accepted for publication in A&A. Minor changes in the text

We study the chemical composition of 5 giant stars in the globular cluster Terzan 7 associated with the Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal galaxy (Sgr dSph), based on high resolution UVES-VLT spectra. We confirm the metallicity found by previous high resolution investigations: [Fe/H] ~ -0.6. We also show that this cluster displays the same low alpha-element to iron ratio found in Sgr dSph field stars of similar metallicity, as well as the same low Ni/Fe ratio. These chemical signatures are characteristic of the Sgr dSph system, and appear to be shared both by the globular cluster Pal 12, which was most likely stripped from Sgr by tidal interaction, and by Pal 5, which may also have belonged in the past to the Sgr dSph system. Intriguingly even globular cluster Ruprecht 106, although not associated to Sgr, displays similar characteristics., Comment: 9 pages, A&A accepted

We present deep CCD BVI photometry of the distant, old open cluster Berkeley 22, covering from the red giants branch (RGB) to about 6 magnitudes below the main sequence (MS) turn-off. Using the synthetic Colour - Magnitude Diagram method with three different types of stellar evolutionary tracks, we estimate values and theoretical uncertainty of distance modulus mod0, reddening E(B-V), age tau and approximate metallicity. The best fit to the data is obtained for 13.8 <= mod0 <= 14.1, 0.64 <= E(B-V) <= 0.65, 2 <= tau <= 2.5 Gyr (depending on the amount of overshooting from convective regions adopted in the stellar models) and solar metallicity., Comment: Accepted for publication on MNRAS

We present the first detailed chemical abundances for three giant stars which are candidate members of the Canis Major overdensity, obtained by using FLAMES-UVES at VLT. The stars, in the background of the open cluster NGC 2477, have radial velocities compatible with a membership to this structure. However, due to Galactic disc contamination, radial velocity by itself is unable to firmly establish membership. The metallicities span the range -0.5 < [Fe/H] < +0.1. Assuming that at least one of the three stars is indeed a member of CMa implies that this structure has undergone a high level of chemical processing, comparable to that of the Galactic disc. The most metal-rich star of the sample, EIS 6631, displays several abundance ratios which are remarkably different from those of Galactic stars: [alpha/Fe] ~-0.2, [Cu/Fe] ~+0.25, [La/Fe]~+0.6, [Ce/Fe]~+0.8 and [Nd/Fe]~+0.6. These ratios make it likely that this star was formed in an external galaxy., Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in A&A letters

RX J0806.3+1527 is thought to be a 321s orbital period (the shortest known) double white dwarf binary system. According to the double degenerate binary (DDB) scenario this source is expected to be one of the strongest gravitational wave (GW) emitter candidates. In the last years RX J0806.3+1527 has been studied in great details, through multiwavelength observational campaigns and from the point of view of data analysis result interpretations. We present here the timing results obtained thanks to a 3.5-year long optical monitoring campaign carried out by the Very Large Telescope (VLT) and the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG) which allowed us to detect and study the orbital period derivative (spin-up at a rate of about 10^-3 s/yr) of the 321s modulation, to detect the linear polarisation (at a level of about 2%), and to study the broad band energy spectrum. The VLT/TNG observational strategy we used allowed us to rely upon a P-Pdot coherent solution which we finally extended backward to the 1994 ROSAT observation of RX J0806.3+1527., Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures. Proceedings of the XLVII National Conference of the S.A.It., Mem.S.A.It. Suppl., Eds. A. Wolter, G.L. Israel & F. Bacciotti

We present the first high resolution (R=20000--45000, corresponding to 14 km/s at 4200A to 6.6 km/s at 9000A) observations of the optical afterglow of Gamma Ray Bursts. GRB020813 and GRB021004 were observed by UVES@VLT 22.19 hours and 13.52 hours after the trigger, respectively. These spectra show that the inter--stellar matter of the GRB host galaxies is complex, with many components contributing to each main absorption system, and spanning a total velocity range of up to about 3000 km/s. Several narrow components are resolved down to a width of a few tens of km/s. In the case of GRB021004 we detected both low and high ionization lines. Combined with photoionization results obtained with CLOUDY, the ionization parameters of the various systems are consistent with a remarkably narrow range with no clear trend with system velocity. This can be interpreted as due to density fluctuations on top of a regular R^-2 wind density profile., Comment: Most figure improved, a few typos corrected, added a new subsection. ApJ in press