Related papers: Exploiting the open clusters in the Kepler and CoR…
Owing to the remarkable photometric precision of space observatories like Kepler, stellar and planetary systems beyond our own are now being characterized en masse for the first time. These characterizations are pivotal for endeavors such…
Eclipsing Binaries (EBs) are known to be the source of most accurate stellar parameters, which are important for testing theories of stellar evolution. With improved quality and quantity of observations using space telescopes like {\it…
We studied solar-like oscillations in 115 red giants in the three open clusters NGC 6791, NGC 6811, and NGC 6819, based on photometric data covering more than 19 months with NASA's Kepler space telescope. We present the asteroseismic…
Most stars form in dense stellar environments, where frequent close encounters can strongly perturb and reshape the early architecture of planetary systems. The solar system, with its rich population of distant comets, provides a natural…
Asteroseismology involves probing the interiors of stars and quantifying their global properties, such as radius and age, through observationsof normal modes of oscillation. The technical requirements for conducting asteroseismology include…
The analysis of the CoRoT space mission data was performed aiming to test a method that selects, among the several light curves observed, the transiting systems that likely host a low-mass star orbiting the main target. The method…
The paper presents a correction to the scaling relations for red-giant stars using model-based masses and radii. We measure radial-mode frequencies from Kepler observations for 3,642 solar-like oscillators on the red-giant branch and use…
If properly calibrated, the shapes of galaxy clusters can be used to investigate many physical processes: from feedback and quenching of star formation, to the nature of dark matter. Theorists frequently measure shapes using moments of…
We propose several descriptive measures to characterize the arrangements of planetary masses, periods, and mutual inclinations within exoplanetary systems. These measures are based in complexity theory and capture the global, system-level…
We use the galaxy cluster X-ray temperature distribution function to constrain the amplitude of the power spectrum of density inhomogeneities on the scale corresponding to clusters. We carry out the analysis for critical density universes,…
Binarity is often invoked to explain peculiarities that can not be explained by the standard theory of stellar evolution. Detecting orbital motion via the Doppler effect is the best method to test binarity when direct imaging is not…
Accurately determining the properties of stars is of prime importance for characterizing stellar populations in our Galaxy. The field of asteroseismology has been thought to be particularly successful in such an endeavor for stars in…
We present the results of our spectroscopic observations of eight detached eclipsing binaries (DEBs), selected from the $Kepler$ Eclipsing Binary Catalog. Radial velocities (RVs) were calculated from high resolution spectra obtained with…
We investigate the global photometric scaling relations traced by early-type galaxies in different environments, ranging from dwarf spheroidals, over dwarf elliptical galaxies, up to giant ellipticals (-8 mag > M_V > -24 mag). These results…
The knowledge of stellar ages directly impacts the characterization of a planetary system as it puts strong constraints on the moment when the system was born. Unfortunately, the determination of precise stellar ages is a very difficult…
Exoplanets play an important role in understanding the mechanics of planetary system formation and orbital evolution. In this context the correlations of different parameters of the planets and their host star are useful guides in the…
Asteroseismology and spectropolarimetry have allowed us to progress significantly in our understanding of the physics of hot stars over the last decade. It is now possible to combine these two techniques to learn even more information about…
Solar-like oscillating giants observed by the space-borne satellites CoRoT and Kepler can be used as key tracers of stellar populations in the Milky Way. When combined with additional photometric/spectroscopic constraints, the pulsation…
We provide a review of the current status of several topics on the ages, distances, and mass functions of open clusters, with a particular emphasis on illuminating the areas of uncertainty. Hipparcos has obtained parallaxes for nearby open…
We study 23 previously published Kepler targets to perform a consistent grid-based Bayesian asteroseismic analysis and compare our results to those obtained via the Asteroseismic Modelling Portal (AMP). We find differences in the derived…