Related papers: The Current Status of Primary Distance Indicators
We present a new technique for estimating the distance to young open clusters. The method requires accurate measurement of the axial rotation period of late-type members of the cluster: rotation periods are first combined with projected…
We discuss the impact of Population II and Globular Cluster (GCs) stars on the derivation of the age of the Universe, and on the study of the formation and early evolution of galaxies, our own in particular. The long-standing problem of the…
The dynamical evolution of the globular cluster systems in galaxies is predicted, based on the standard dynamical theory normalized to the example of the Milky Way. The major processes varying with the galactocentric distance are the tidal…
A summary is given of the calibration of the Cepheid scale required in the derivation of distances from observations at V and I, as in the HST work on extragalactic Cepheids. There is some evidence that a small metallicity correction may be…
We recently introduced three new parameters that describe the shape of the normalized cumulative radial distribution (nCRD) of the innermost stars in globular clusters and trace the clusters dynamical evolution. Here we extend our previous…
The present status of the distance scale to Galactic globular clusters is reviewed. Six distance determination techniques which are deemed to be most reliable are discussed in depth. These different techniques are used to calibrate the…
A measure of primal importance for capturing the serial dependence of a stationary time series at extreme levels is provided by the limiting cluster size distribution. New estimators based on a blocks declustering scheme are proposed and…
The distance to the centroid of the M31 globular cluster system is determined by fitting theoretical isochrones to the observed red-giant branches of fourteen globular clusters in M31. The mean true distance modulus of the M31 globular…
An age--distance diagram for close-by young isolated neutron stars of different types is introduced and discussed. It is shown that such a diagram can be a useful tool for studying of populations of sources if their detectability strongly…
The present status of Galactic Globular Clusters Database is briefly reviewed. The features implemented at the time writing are described, as well as plans for future improvements.
Detached eclipsing double line spectroscopic binaries offer an opportunity to measure directly stellar parameters: mass, luminosity, radius, as well as the distance. The only non-trivial step is the need to determine surface brightness of…
This review examines progress on the Pop I, fundamental-mode Cepheid distance scale with emphasis on recent developments in geometric and quasi-geometric techniques for Cepheid distance determination. Specifically I examine the surface…
Significant progress has been made during the last 10 years toward resolving the debate over the expansion rate of the Universe. The current value of the Hubble parameter, Ho, is now arguably known with an accuracy of 10%, largely due to…
Globular clusters are both primary fossils of galactic evolution and formation and are ideal laboratories for constraining the evolution of low-mass and metal-poor stars. RR Lyrae and type II Cepheid variables are low-mass, radially…
By virtue of their high galaxy space densities and their large spatial separations, clusters are efficient and accurate tracers of the large-scale density and velocity fields. Substantial progress has been made over the past decade in the…
Here we discuss impacts of distance determinations on the Galactic disk traced by relatively young objects. The Galactic disk, about 40 kpc in diameter, is a cross-road of studies on the methods of measuring distances, interstellar…
Binary stars play a critical role in determining both the dynamical evolution and the observational appearance of globular star clusters. We present a summary of three talks presented at IAU JD15, reviewing the current observational and…
We present a review of the present state of knowledge regarding the relative ages of Galactic globular clusters. First, we discuss the relevant galaxy formation models and describe the detailed predictions they make with respect to the…
We studied the spatial distributions of multiple stellar populations (MPs) in a sample of 20 globular clusters (GCs) spanning a broad range of dynamical ages. The differences between first-population (FP) and second-population (SP) stars…
We present recent results concerning distance determinations based on the two most popular primary distance indicators, namely classical Cepheids and RR Lyrae. We discuss the problems affecting the Cepheid distance scale, and in particular…