Computer Science
Scientific paper
Feb 1999
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1999noao.prop..386b&link_type=abstract
NOAO Proposal ID #1999A-0386
Computer Science
Scientific paper
The visually brightest members of Population II are post-AGB (PAGB) stars evolving through spectral types F and A. The aim of this proposal is to find such PAGB stars in the halos of three galaxies that lie just outside the Local Group: Sextans A, NGC 3109, and NGC 5237. The importance of PAGB stars is: (1) they can probe the structure of galactic halos, in the form of test particles much more numerous than planetary nebulae or globular clusters, with which we can look for features such as clumps or tidal streams; (2) the number counts will tell us the theoretically poorly known transition time from AGB to planetary nebula; and (3) we believe that PAGB stars will prove to be a superb new PRIMARY distance indicator, comparable to or better than Cepheids. PAGB stars of types F and A are easily recognized because of their large Balmer jumps. Our uBVI photometric system is optimal for revealing them in galactic halos, due to their unique u-B colors, and the method is extremely efficient in its telescope time requirements. Sextans A and NGC 3109 have Cepheid and TRGB distances, so they are excellent test beds for a confrontation with our proposed Pop II primary standard candles. NGC 5237 has an uncertain distance, which PAGB stars should considerably improve. The 0.9-m telescope will be used (1) to obtain uBVI calibrations of our fields, thus saving the 4-m BTC mosaic for the deep observations; and (2) to complete our survey of Milky Way globular clusters for PAGB stars to used as Galactic calibrators of their luminosities and metallicity dependence.
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