Subthreshold K+-production studies with ANKE at COSY-Jülich
The spectrometer ANKE at the synchrotron COSY-Julich allows to momentum analyze ejectiles emitted from an internal target at forward angles φ≃0° with large angular acceptance (ΔΩ≃50 msr). In first measurements the K+-production in pA collisions at beam energies from 1.0 GeV, far below the nucleon-nucleon threshold of 1.58 GeV, up to 2.3 GeV was investigated. The experimental challenge at 1.0 GeV is to measure the K+-production with cross sections of about 10−34 cm2 at a background cross sections level of 10−27 cm2. Data on the target-mass dependence of the differential cross section for kaon momenta pK+=150…510 MeV/c and three different targets, C, Cu and Au, are presented and compared with theoretical predictions.

title: Vector and tensor analysing powers in deuteron-proton breakup reactions at intermediate energies
abstract: Vector and tensor analysing powers of the d → p → ( p p ) n (charge-exchange) and d → p → ( p n ) p (non-charge-exchange) breakup reactions have been measured with the ANKE spectrometer at the COSY ring at a deuteron beam energy of 1170 MeV for small momentum transfers to the low excitation energy ( p p ) or ( p n ) systems. A quantitative understanding of the values of A x x and A y y for the charge-exchange reaction is provided by impulse approximation calculations. The data suggest that spin-flip isospin-flip transitions, which dominate the charge-exchange breakup of the deuteron, are also important in the non-charge-exchange reaction.

title: THE FORWARD DETECTOR OF THE ANKE SPECTROMETER. SCINTILLATION AND CHERENKOV HODOSCOPES
abstract: Central Institute for Nuclear Research, Rossendorf, GermanyThe scintillation and Cherenkov counter system of the forward detector of ANKE, magnetic spec-trometer at the internal beam of the accelerator COSY in Jeulich, is described. The timing and amplitudecharacteristics are presented as well as the capabilities to select physical processes of interest.¶¨¸O¢ ¥E¸O ¸¨¸E¥³ ¸I¨´E¨²²O I¨µ´´OI ¨ I¥·¥´±µ¢¸±¨I ¸I¥EI¨±µ¢ ¶¥·¥¤´¥£µ ¤¥E¥±Eµ· ANKE, ³ £´¨E´µ£µ ¸¶¥±E·µ³¥E· ´ ¢´EE·¥´´¥³ ¶EI±¥ E¸±µ·¨E¥²O COSY ¢ ²¨I¥. ·¨¢¥¤¥´O¨I ¢·¥³¥´´O¥ ¨ ³¶²¨EE¤´O¥ I · ±E¥·¨¸E¨±¨, E ±¦¥ ¢µ§³µ¦´µ¸E¨ ¨I ¶·¨³¥´¥´¨O ¤²O ¢O¤¥²¥´¨O¨´E¥·¥¸EOÐ¨I E¨§¨I¥¸±¨I ¶·µI¥¸¸µ¢.

title: Measurement of Subthreshold K+ Production in pA Collisions with ANKE

title: Inclusive K+-meson production in proton-nucleus interactions
abstract: The production of K+-mesons in pA (A = D, C, Cu, Ag, Au) collisions has been investigated at the COoler SYnchrotron COSY-Jülich for beam energies Tp = 1.0-2.3 GeV. Double differential inclusive pC cross-sections at forward angles ϑ{K^+} < 12° as well as the target mass dependence of the K+ momentum spectra have been measured with the ANKE spectrometer. Far below the free NN threshold at TNN = 1.58 GeV the spectra reveal a high degree of collectivity in the target nucleus. From the target mass dependence of the cross-sections at higher energies, the repulsive in-medium potential of the K+-mesons can be deduced. Using pN cross-section parameterisations from the literature and our measured pD data we derive a cross-section ratio σ(pn↦K+X)/σ(pp↦K+X) ∼ (3-4).

title: Identification of K+-mesons from subthreshold pA collisions with ANKE at COSY-Jülich
abstract: The spectrometer ANKE has been put into operation at the accelerator COSY of the Forschungszentrum Julich in spring 1998. An initial scientific goal is to study K + -production in pA collisions at subthreshold energies far below the free NN-threshold at T p =1.58 GeV. This requires the identification of K + -mesons in a background of pions and protons, about 10 6 times more intense. In this paper the sophisticated detection system and the software procedures for kaon identification are described. With the help of TOF, energy-loss and range measurements as well as the track information from wire chambers, it is possible to measure d 2 σ/ d Ω d p for deep subthreshold K + production at beam energies down to T p =1.0 GeV.

title: Three-integral multicomponent dynamical models and simulations of the nuclear star cluster in NGC 4244
abstract: Adaptive optics observations of the flattened nuclear star cluster in the nearby edge-on spiral galaxy NGC 4244 using the Gemini near-infrared integral field spectrograph (NIFS) have revealed clear rotation. Using these kinematics plus 2MASS photometry, we construct a series of axisymmetric two-component particle dynamical models with our improved version of NMAGIC, a flexible χ2-made-to-measure code. The models consist of a nuclear cluster disc embedded within a spheroidal particle population. We find a mass for the nuclear star cluster of M = 1.6+0.5 −0.2 × 107M� within ∼42.4 pc (2 arcsec). We also explore the presence of an intermediate-mass black hole and show that models with a black hole as massive as M• = 5.0 × 105M� are consistent with the available data. Regardless of whether a black hole is present or not, the nuclear cluster is vertically anisotropic (βz < 0), as was found with earlier anisotropic Jeans models. We then use the models as initial conditions for Nbody simulations. These simulations show that the nuclear star cluster is stable against nonaxisymmetric 
perturbations. We also explore the effect of the nuclear cluster accreting star clusters at various inclinations. Accretion of a star cluster with mass 13 per cent that of the nuclear cluster is already enough to destroy the vertical anisotropy, regardless of orbital inclination.

title: Line-profile tomography of exoplanet transits - II. A gas-giant planet transiting a rapidly rotating A5 star
abstract: Most of our knowledge of extrasolar planets rests on precise radial-velocity measurements, either for direct detection or for confirmation of the planetary origin of photometric transit signals. This has limited our exploration of the parameter space of exoplanet hosts to solar- and later-type, sharp-lined stars. Here we extend the realm of stars with known planetary companions to include hot, fast-rotating stars. Planet-like transits have previously been reported in the light curve obtained by the SuperWASP survey of the A5 star HD 15082 (WASP–33; V= 8.3, v sin i= 86 km s−1). Here we report further photometry and time-series spectroscopy through three separate transits, which we use to confirm the existence of a gas-giant planet with an orbital period of 1.22 d in orbit around HD 15082. From the photometry and the properties of the planet signal travelling through the spectral line profiles during the transit, we directly derive the size of the planet, the inclination and obliquity of its orbital plane and its retrograde orbital motion relative to the spin of the star. This kind of analysis opens the way to studying the formation of planets around a whole new class of young, early-type stars, hence under different physical conditions and generally in an earlier stage of formation than in sharp-lined late-type stars. The reflex orbital motion of the star caused by the transiting planet is small, yielding an upper mass limit of 4.1 MJupiter on the planet. We also find evidence of a third body of substellar mass in the system, which may explain the unusual orbit of the transiting planet. In HD 15082, the stellar line profiles also show evidence of non-radial pulsations, clearly distinct from the planetary transit signal. This raises the intriguing possibility that tides raised by the close-in planet may excite or amplify the pulsations in such stars.

title: Oscillations in Procyon A First results from a multi-site campaign
abstract: Procyon A is a bright F5IV star in a binary system. Although the distance, mass and angular diameter of this star are all known with high precision, the exact evolutionary state is still unclear. Evolutionary tracks with different ages and different mass fractions of hydrogen in the core pass, within the errors, through the observed position of Procyon A in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. For more than15 years several different groups have studied the solar-like oscillations in Procyon A to determine its evolutionary state. Although several studies independently detected power excess in the periodogram, there is no agreement on the actual oscillation frequencies yet. This is probably due to either insufficient high-quality data (i.e., aliasing) or due to intrinsic properties of the star (i.e., short mode lifetimes). Now a spectroscopic multi-site campaign using 10 telescopes world-wide (minimizing aliasing effects) with a total time span of nearly 4 weeks (increase the frequency resolution) is performed to identify frequencies in this star and finally determine its properties and evolutionary state.

title: HD 181068: A Red Giant in a Triply Eclipsing Compact Hierarchical Triple System
abstract: The Kepler satellite reveals details of the oscillations patterns of an evolved star in an exotic triple-star system. Hierarchical triple systems comprise a close binary and a more distant component. They are important for testing theories of star formation and of stellar evolution in the presence of nearby companions. We obtained 218 days of Kepler photometry of HD 181068 (magnitude of 7.1), supplemented by ground-based spectroscopy and interferometry, which show it to be a hierarchical triple with two types of mutual eclipses. The primary is a red giant that is in a 45-day orbit with a pair of red dwarfs in a close 0.9-day orbit. The red giant shows evidence for tidally induced oscillations that are driven by the orbital motion of the close pair. HD 181068 is an ideal target for studies of dynamical evolution and testing tidal friction theories in hierarchical triple systems.

title: Confirmation of the Planet Hypothesis for the Long-period Radial Velocity Variations of Beta Geminorum
abstract: Our aim is to confirm the nature of the long period radial velocity measurements for β Gem first found by Hatzes & Cochran (1993).  We present precise stellar radial velocity measurements for the K giant star β Gem spanning over 25 years. An examination of the Ca II K emission, spectral line shapes from high resolution data ($R = 210\,000$), and Hipparcos photometry was also made to discern the true nature of the long period radial velocity variations.  The radial velocity data show that the long period, low amplitude radial velocity variations found by Hatzes & Cochran (1993) are long-lived and coherent. Furthermore, the Ca II K emission, spectral line bisectors, and Hipparcos photometry show no significant variations of these quantities with the radial velocity period. An orbital solution assuming a stellar mass of 1.7 $M_\odot$ yields a period, $P = 589.6$ days, a minimum mass of 2.3 M Jupiter , and a semi-major axis, $a = 1.6$ AU. The orbit is nearly circular ($e = 0.02$).  The data presented here confirm the planetary companion hypothesis suggested by Hatzes & Cochran (1993). β Gem is one of six intermediate mass stars known to host a sub-stellar companion and suggests that planet-formation around stars much more massive than the sun may common.