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Clump Giants in the HyadesThe project is entitled 'Clump Giants in the Hyades.' This observation of one of the late-type Hyades giants (Gamma Tau) has implications for understanding the formation of late-type stellar coronae as a function of the evolutionary state of the star. The Hyades giants are interesting because they are all clump giants in the Helium burning phase, similar to the cool primary of Capella. The Hyades giants show significantly more magnetic activity than expected from their state of evolution (and slowed-down rotation). Thus these systems provide an important clue to dynamo action. The data were obtained by the satellite on 13 March 2001 for a total RGS exposure of 58220 seconds. These data were delivered to the PI on 7 August 2001. The data could not be reprocessed until SAS Version 5.3.3 which became available 7 June 2002. Although the guidelines for assessing background rates suggested that half the data were contaminated, it does not appear that the spectral region of the RGS was adversely affected by unusually high background. The spectra show strong lines of Fe XVII and XVIII, O VII and VIII, Ne IX and X, along with numerous weaker lines. The emission measure distribution is highly reminiscent of Capella; if anything, the emission measure distribution is steeper at 6 million K than for Capella. Gamma Tau is the second brightest of the Hyades clump giants. Pallavicini et al. have shown that the luminosity of the brightest Hyades giant (Theta Tau) is remarkably similar to its luminosity as measured by Einstein. Short-term variability is also modest. We are addressing the variability issue now for Gamma Tau. Initial results were reported at the 2003 Seattle AAS meeting. A paper is in preparation for submission to the Astrophysical Journal.
Document ID
20030054516
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Contractor or Grantee Report
Authors
Mushotzky, Richard F.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Brickhouse, Nancy
(Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Cambridge, MA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
May 1, 2003
Subject Category
Astronomy
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG5-9986
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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