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Title: IDENTIFYING BLUE HORIZONTAL BRANCH STARS USING THE z FILTER

Abstract

In this paper we present a new method for selecting blue horizontal branch (BHB) candidates based on color-color photometry. We make use of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey z band as a surface gravity indicator and show its value for selecting BHB stars from quasars, white dwarfs, and main-sequence A-type stars. Using the g, r, i, and z bands, we demonstrate that extraction accuracies on a par with more traditional u, g, and r photometric selection methods may be achieved. We also show that the completeness necessary to probe major Galactic structure may be maintained. Our new method allows us to efficiently select BHB stars from photometric sky surveys that do not include a u-band filter such as the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System.

Authors:
;
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22034668
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Astronomical Journal (New York, N.Y. Online)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 143; Journal Issue: 4; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 1538-3881
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; ACCURACY; ASTRONOMY; ASTROPHYSICS; COLOR; FILTERS; GRAVITATION; MAIN SEQUENCE STARS; MILKY WAY; PHOTOMETRY; PROBES; QUASARS; WHITE DWARF STARS

Citation Formats

Vickers, John J, Grebel, Eva K, and Huxor, Avon P., E-mail: jvickers@ari.uni-heidelberg.de. IDENTIFYING BLUE HORIZONTAL BRANCH STARS USING THE z FILTER. United States: N. p., 2012. Web. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/143/4/86.
Vickers, John J, Grebel, Eva K, & Huxor, Avon P., E-mail: jvickers@ari.uni-heidelberg.de. IDENTIFYING BLUE HORIZONTAL BRANCH STARS USING THE z FILTER. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-6256/143/4/86
Vickers, John J, Grebel, Eva K, and Huxor, Avon P., E-mail: jvickers@ari.uni-heidelberg.de. 2012. "IDENTIFYING BLUE HORIZONTAL BRANCH STARS USING THE z FILTER". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-6256/143/4/86.
@article{osti_22034668,
title = {IDENTIFYING BLUE HORIZONTAL BRANCH STARS USING THE z FILTER},
author = {Vickers, John J and Grebel, Eva K and Huxor, Avon P., E-mail: jvickers@ari.uni-heidelberg.de},
abstractNote = {In this paper we present a new method for selecting blue horizontal branch (BHB) candidates based on color-color photometry. We make use of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey z band as a surface gravity indicator and show its value for selecting BHB stars from quasars, white dwarfs, and main-sequence A-type stars. Using the g, r, i, and z bands, we demonstrate that extraction accuracies on a par with more traditional u, g, and r photometric selection methods may be achieved. We also show that the completeness necessary to probe major Galactic structure may be maintained. Our new method allows us to efficiently select BHB stars from photometric sky surveys that do not include a u-band filter such as the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System.},
doi = {10.1088/0004-6256/143/4/86},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22034668}, journal = {Astronomical Journal (New York, N.Y. Online)},
issn = {1538-3881},
number = 4,
volume = 143,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 2012},
month = {Sun Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 2012}
}