The Large sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) general survey is a spectroscopic survey that will eventually cover approximately half of the celestial sphere and collect 10 million spectra of stars, galaxies and QSOs. Objects in both the pilot survey and the first year regular survey are included in the LAMOST DR1. The pilot survey started in October 2011 and ended in June 2012, and the data have been released to the public as the LAMOST Pilot Data Release in August 2012. The regular survey started in September 2012, and completed its first year of operation in June 2013. The LAMOST DR1 includes a total of 1202 plates containing 2 955 336 spectra, of which 1 790 879 spectra have observed signalto-noise ratio (SNR) ≥ 10. All data with SNR ≥ 2 are formally released as LAMOST DR1 under the LAMOST data policy. This data release contains a total of 2 204 696 spectra, of which 1 944 329 are stellar spectra, 12 082 are galaxy spectra and 5017 are quasars. The DR1 not only includes spectra, but also three stellar catalogs with measured parameters: late A,FGK-type stars with high quality spectra (1 061 918 entries), A-type stars (100 073 entries), and M-type stars (121 522 entries). This paper introduces the survey design, the observational and instrumental limitations, data reduction and analysis, and some caveats. A description of the FITS structure of spectral files and parameter catalogs is also provided.
We have compiled two new open cluster catalogs. In the first one, there are 119 objects with ages, distances, and metallicities available, while in the second one, 144 objects have both absolute proper motion and radial velocity data, of which 45 clusters also have metallicity data available. Taking advantage of the large number of objects included in our sample, we present an iron radial gradient of about À0:063 AE 0:008 dex kpc À1 from the first sample, which is quite consistent with the most recent determination of the oxygen gradient from nebulae and young stars, about À0.07 dex kpc À1 . By dividing clusters into age groups, we show that the iron gradient was steeper in the past, which is consistent with the recent result from Galactic planetary nebulae data, and also consistent with inside-out galactic disk formation scenarios. Based on the cluster sample, we also discuss the metallicity distribution, cluster kinematics, and space distribution. A disk age-metallicity relation could be implied by those properties, although we cannot give conclusive result from the agemetallicity diagram based on the current sample. More observations are needed for metal-poor clusters. From the second catalog, we have calculated the velocity components in cylindrical coordinates with respect to the Galactic standard of rest for 144 open clusters. The velocity dispersions of the older clusters are larger than those of young clusters, but they are all much smaller than that of the Galactic thick disk stars.
Aims. We study the chemical evolution of the disks of the Milky Way (MW) and of Andromeda (M 31), to identify the common properties and differences between the two major galaxies of the Local Group. Methods. We use a large set of observational data for M 31, including observations of the star formation rate (SFR) and gas profiles, as well as stellar metallicity distributions along its disk. When expressed in terms of the corresponding disk scale lengths, we show that the observed radial profiles of MW and M 31 exhibit interesting similarities, suggesting the possibility of a description within a common framework. Results. We find that the profiles of stars, gas fraction, and metallicity of the two galaxies, as well as most of their global properties, are well described by our model, provided that the star formation efficiency in M 31 disk is twice as high as in the MW. We show that the star formation rate profile of M 31 cannot be described by any form of the Kennicutt-Schmidt law (KS Law) for star formation. We propose that these discrepancies are caused by the fact that M 31 has an active star formation history in the recent past, consistent with the hypotheses of a "head-on" collision with the neighboring galaxy (most probably M 32) about 200 Myr ago. Conclusions. The MW has most probably experienced quiescent secular evolution, making possible a fairly successful description with a simple model. If M 31 is more typical of spiral galaxies, more complex models, involving galaxy interactions, will be required for the description of spirals.
Since September 2018, LAMOST starts a new 5-year medium-resolution spectroscopic survey (MRS) using bright/gray nights. We present the scientific goals of LAMOST-MRS and propose a near optimistic strategy of the survey. A complete footprint is also pro-
A project of a spectroscopic survey of Galactic structure and evolution with a Large sky Area Multi-Object fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) is presented. The spectroscopic survey consists of two observational modes for various targets in our Galaxy. One is a major survey of the Milky Way aimed at a systematic study of the stellar abundance and Galactic chemical evolution through low resolution (R = 1000 − 2000) spectroscopy. Another is a follow-up observation with medium resolution (R = 10000) spectrographs aimed at detailed studies of the selected stars with different chemical composition, kinematics and dynamics.
Aims. We gather optical spectra of 8 long-duration GRB host galaxies selected from the archival data of VLT/FORS2. We investigate whether or not Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars can be detected in these GRB host galaxies. We also estimate the physical properties of GRB host galaxies, such as metallicity. Methods. We identify the WR features in these spectra by fitting the WR bumps and WR emission lines in blue and red bumps. We identify the subtypes of the WR stars, estimate the numbers of stars in each subtype, and calculate the WR/O star ratios. The (O/H) abundances of GRB hosts are inferred from both the electron temperature (T e ) and the metallicity-sensitive strong-line ratio (R 23 ), for which we break the R 23 degeneracy. We compare the environments of long-duration GRB host galaxies with those of other galaxies in terms of their luminosity (stellar mass)-metallicity relations (L−Z, M * −Z). Results. We detect WR stars in 5 GRB host galaxies with spectra of relatively high signal-to-noise ratios (S /N). In the comparison of L−Z, M * −Z relations, we show that GRB hosts have lower metallicities than other samples of comparable luminosity and stellar mass. The presence of WR stars and the observed high WR/O star ratio, together with the low metallicity, support the "core-collapsar" model and imply that we are witnessing the first stage of star formation in the host regions of GRBs.
Aims. Abundances of the Mg isotopes 24 Mg, 25 Mg, and 26 Mg can be used to test models of chemical enrichment of interstellar/intergalactic gas clouds. Additionally, because the position of the Mg ii λλ2796, 2803 Å lines is often taken as a reference in computations of possible changes of the fine-structure constant α, it should be clarified to which extent these lines are affected by isotopic shifts. Methods. We use a high-resolution spectrum (pixel size ≈1.3 km s −1 ) of the quasar HE0001-2340 observed with the UVES/VLT to measure Mg isotope abundances in the intervening absorption-line systems at high redshifts. Line profiles are prepared taking into account possible shifts between the individual exposures. In the line-fitting procedure, the lines of each ion are treated independently. Because of the unique composition of the selected systems -the presence of several transitions of the same ion -we can test the local accuracy of the wavelength scale calibration, which is the main source of errors in the sub-pixel line position measurements. Results. In the system at z abs = 0.45, which is probably a fragment of the outflow caused by SN Ia explosion of highmetallicity white dwarf(s), we measured velocity shifts of Mg ii and In the systems at z abs = 1.58 and z abs = 1.65 enriched by AGB-stars we find only upper limits on the content of heavy Mg isotopes ( 25 Mg+ 26 Mg)/ 24 Mg < ∼ 0.7 and ( 25 Mg+ 26 Mg)/ 24 Mg < ∼ 2.6, respectively. At z abs = 1.58, we also put a strong constraint on a putative variation of α: Δα/α = (−1.5 ± 2.6) × 10 −6 , which is one of the most stringent limits obtained from optical spectra of QSOs. We reveal that the wavelength calibration in the range above 7500 Å is subject to systematic wavelength-dependent drifts.
Based on a simple model of the chemical evolution of the Milky Way disk, we investigate the disk oxygen abundance gradient and its time evolution. Two star formation rates (SFRs) are considered, one is the classical Kennicutt-Schmidt law (Ψ = 0.25Σ 1.4 gas , hereafter C-KS law), another is the modified Kennicutt law (Ψ = αΣ 1.4 gas (V /r), hereafter M-KS law). In both cases, the model can produce some amount of abundance gradient, and the gradient is steeper in the early epoch of disk evolution. However, we find that when C-KS law is adopted, the classical chemical evolution model, which assumes a radial dependent infall time scale, cannot produce a sufficiently steep present-day abundance gradient. This problem disappears if we introduce a disk formation time scale, which means that at early times, infalling gas cools down onto the inner disk only, while the outer disk forms later. This kind of model, however, will predict a very steep gradient in the past. When the M-KS law is adopted, the model can properly predict both the current abundance gradient and its time evolution, matching recent observations from planetary nebulae and open clusters along the Milky Way disk. Our best model also predicts that outer disk (artificially defined as the disk with R g ≥ 8kpc) has a steeper gradient than the inner disk. The observed outer disk gradients from Cepheids, open clusters and young stars show quite controversial results. There are also some hints from Cepheids that the outer disk abundance gradient may have a bimodal distribution. More data is needed in order to clarify the outer disk gradient problem. Our model calculations show that for an individual Milky Way-type galaxy, a better description of the local star formation is the modified KS law.
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