Context. The physical properties of almost any kind of astronomical object can be derived by fitting synthetic spectra or photometry extracted from theoretical models to observational data. Aims. We want to develop an automatic procedure to perform this kind of fitting to a relatively large sample of members of a stellar association and apply this methodology to the case of Collinder 69. Methods. We combine the multiwavelength data of our sources and follow a work-flow to derive the physical parameters of the sources. The key step of the work-flow is performed by a new VO-tool, VOSA. All the steps in this process are done in a VO environment.Results. We present this new tool, and provide physical parameters such as T eff , gravity, luminosity, etc. for ∼170 candidate members of Collinder 69, and an upper-limit for the age of this stellar association.Conclusions. This kind of study of star forming regions, clusters, etc. produces a huge amount of data, very tedious to analyse using the traditional methodology. Thus, they are excellent examples of where to apply the VO techniques.

Understanding how disks dissipate is essential to studies of planet formation. However, identifying exactly how dust and gas dissipates is complicated due to

Context. Debris discs are a consequence of the planet formation process and constitute the fingerprints of planetesimal systems. Their solar system counterparts are the asteroid and Edgeworth-Kuiper belts. Aims. The DUNES survey aims at detecting extra-solar analogues to the Edgeworth-Kuiper belt around solar-type stars, putting in this way the solar system into context. The survey allows us to address some questions related to the prevalence and properties of planetesimal systems. Methods. We used Herschel/PACS to observe a sample of nearby FGK stars. Data at 100 and 160 μm were obtained, complemented in some cases with observations at 70 μm, and at 250, 350 and 500 μm using SPIRE. The observing strategy was to integrate as deep as possible at 100 μm to detect the stellar photosphere. Results. Debris discs have been detected at a fractional luminosity level down to several times that of the Edgeworth-Kuiper belt. The incidence rate of discs around the DUNES stars is increased from a rate of ∼12.1% ± 5% before Herschel to ∼20.2% ± 2%. A significant fraction (∼52%) of the discs are resolved, which represents an enormous step ahead from the previously known resolved discs. Some stars are associated with faint far-IR excesses attributed to a new class of cold discs. Although it cannot be excluded that these excesses are produced by coincidental alignment of background galaxies, statistical arguments suggest that at least some of them are true debris discs. Some discs display peculiar SEDs with spectral indexes in the 70-160 μm range steeper than the Rayleigh-Jeans one. An analysis of the debris disc parameters suggests that a decrease might exist of the mean black body radius from the F-type to the K-type stars. In addition, a weak trend is suggested for a correlation of disc sizes and an anticorrelation of disc temperatures with the stellar age.

We introduce the Ophiuchus DIsc Survey Employing ALMA (ODISEA), a project aiming to study the entire population of Spitzer -selected protoplanetary discs in the Ophiuchus Molecular Cloud (∼300 objects) from both millimeter continuum and CO isotopologues data. Here we present 1.3 mm/230 GHz continuum images of 147 targets at 0.2 (28 au) resolution and a typical rms of 0.15 mJy. We detect a total of 133 discs, including the individual components of 11 binary systems and 1 triple system. Fifty-three of these discs are spatially resolved. We find clear substructures (inner cavities, rings, gaps, and/or spiral arms) in 8 of the sources and hints of such structures in another 4 discs. We construct the disc luminosity function for our targets and perform comparisons to other regions. A simple conversion between flux and dust mass (adopting standard assumptions) indicates that all discs detected at 1.3 mm are massive enough to form one or more rocky planets. In contrast, only ∼50 discs (∼1/3 of the sample) have enough mass in the form of dust to form the canonical 10 M ⊕ core needed to trigger runaway gas accretion and the formation of gas giant planets, although the total mass of solids already incorporated into bodies larger than cm scales is mostly unconstrained. The distribution in continuum disc sizes in our sample is heavily weighted towards compact discs: most detected discs have radii < 15 au, while only 23 discs (∼15% of the targets) have radii > 30 au.

We present initial results from time-series imaging at infrared wavelengths of 0.9 deg 2 in the Orion Nebula Cluster (ONC). During Fall 2009 we obtained 81 epochs of Spitzer 3.6 and 4.5 μm data over 40 consecutive days. We extracted light curves with ∼3% photometric accuracy for ∼2000 ONC members ranging from several solar masses down to well below the hydrogen-burning mass limit. For many of the stars, we also have time-series photometry obtained at optical (I c ) and/or near-infrared (JK s ) wavelengths. Our data set can be mined to determine stellar rotation periods, identify new pre-main-sequence eclipsing binaries, search for new substellar Orion members, and help better determine the frequency of circumstellar disks as a function of stellar mass in the ONC. Our primary focus is the unique ability of 3.6 and 4.5 μm variability information to improve our understanding of inner disk processes and structure in the Class I and II young stellar objects (YSOs). In this paper, we provide a brief overview of the YSOVAR Orion data obtained in Fall 2009 and highlight our light curves for AA-Tau analogs-YSOs with narrow dips in flux, most probably due to disk density structures passing through our line of sight. Detailed follow-up observations are needed in order to better quantify the nature of the obscuring bodies and what this implies for the structure of the inner disks of YSOs.

No abstract

Context. Determination and calibration of the ages of stars, which heavily rely on stellar evolutionary models, are very challenging, while representing a crucial aspect in many astrophysical areas. Aims. We describe the methodologies that, taking advantage of Gaia-DR1 and the Gaia-ESO Survey data, enable the comparison of observed open star cluster sequences with stellar evolutionary models. The final, long-term goal is the exploitation of open clusters as age calibrators. Methods. We perform a homogeneous analysis of eight open clusters using the Gaia-DR1 TGAS catalogue for bright members and information from the Gaia-ESO Survey for fainter stars. Cluster membership probabilities for the Gaia-ESO Survey targets are derived based on several spectroscopic tracers. The Gaia-ESO Survey also provides the cluster chemical composition. We obtain cluster parallaxes using two methods. The first one relies on the astrometric selection of a sample of bona fide members, while the other one fits the parallax distribution of a larger sample of TGAS sources. Ages and reddening values are recovered through a Bayesian analysis using the 2MASS magnitudes and three sets of standard models. Lithium depletion boundary (LDB) ages are also determined using literature observations and the same models employed for the Bayesian analysis. Results. For all but one cluster, parallaxes derived by us agree with those presented in Gaia Collaboration (2017, A&A, 601, A19), while a discrepancy is found for NGC 2516; we provide evidence supporting our own determination. Inferred cluster ages are robust against models and are generally consistent with literature values. Conclusions. The systematic parallax errors inherent in the Gaia DR1 data presently limit the precision of our results. Nevertheless, we have been able to place these eight clusters onto the same age scale for the first time, with good agreement between isochronal and LDB ages where there is overlap. Our approach appears promising and demonstrates the potential of combining Gaia and ground-based spectroscopic datasets.

Context. Dynamically undisrupted, young populations of stars are crucial in studying the role of multiplicity in relation to star formation. Loose nearby associations provide us with a great sample of close (<150 pc) pre-main sequence (PMS) stars across the very important age range (≈5−70 Myr) to conduct such research. Aims. We characterize the short period multiplicity fraction of the search for associations containing young stars (SACY) sample, accounting for any identifiable bias in our techniques and present the role of multiplicity fractions of the SACY sample in the context of star formation. Methods. Using the cross-correlation technique we identified double-lined and triple-lined spectroscopic systems (SB2/SB3s), in addition to this we computed radial velocity (RV) values for our subsample of SACY targets using several epochs of Fiber-fed Extended Range Optical Spectrograph (FEROS) and Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph (UVES) data. These values were used to revise the membership of each association that was then combined with archival data to determine significant RV variations across different data epochs characteristic of multiplicity; single-lined multiple systems (SB1). Results. We identified seven new multiple systems (SB1s: 5, SB2s: 2). We find no significant difference between the short period multiplicity fraction (F m ) of the SACY sample and that of close star-forming regions (≈1−2 Myr) and the field (F m ≤ 10%). These are seen both as a function of age and as a function of primary mass, M 1 , in the ranges P [1:200 day] and M 2 [0.08 M -M 1 ], respectively. Conclusions. Our results are consistent with the picture of universal star formation, when compared to the field and close star-forming regions (SFRs). We comment on the implications of the relationship between increasing multiplicity fraction with the primary mass within the close companion range in relation to star formation.