We present 0.6-2.5 μm, R 400 spectra of 27 cool, low-luminosity stars and substellar objects. Based on these and previously published spectra, we develop a preliminary spectral classification system for L and T dwarfs. For late L and T types the classification system is based entirely on four spectral indices in the 1-2.5 μm interval. Two of these indices are derived from water absorption bands at 1.15 and 1.4 μm, the latter of which shows a smooth increase in depth through the L and T sequences and can be used to classify both spectral types. The other two indices make use of methane absorption features in the H and K bands, with the K-band index also applicable to mid-to-late L dwarfs. Continuum indices shortward of 1 μm used by previous authors to classify L dwarfs are found to be useful only through mid-L subclasses. We employ the 1.5 μm water index and the 2.2 μm methane index to complete the L classification through L9.5 and to link the new system with a modified version of the 2MASS "color-d" index. By correlating the depths of the methane and water absorption features, we establish a T spectral sequence from T0 to T8, based on all four indices, that is a smooth continuation of the L sequence. We reclassify two 2MASS L8 dwarfs as L9 and L9.5 and identify one SDSS object as L9. In the proposed system methane absorption appears in the K band approximately at L8, two subclasses earlier than its appearance in the H band. The L and T spectral classes are distinguished by the absence and presence, respectively, of H-band methane absorption.

Toward Spectral Classification of L and T Dwarfs: Infrared and Optical Spectroscopy and Analysis

Reverberation mapping of nearby active galactic nuclei (AGNs) has led to estimates of broad-line region (BLR) sizes and central object masses for some 37 objects to date. However, successful reverberation mapping has yet to be performed for quasars of either high luminosity (above Lopt ~ 1046 ergs s-1) or high redshift (z 0.3). Over the past 6 years, we have carried out, at the Hobby-Eberly Telescope, rest-frame ultraviolet spectrophotometric monitoring of a sample of six quasars at redshifts z = 2.2-3.2, with luminosities of Lopt ~ 1046.4-1047.6 ergs s-1, an order of magnitude greater than those of previously mapped quasars. The six quasars, together with an additional five having similar redshift and luminosity properties, were monitored photometrically at the Wise Observatory during the past decade. All 11 quasars monitored show significant continuum variations of order 10%-70%. This is about a factor of 2 smaller variability than for lower luminosity quasars monitored over the same rest-frame period. In the six objects that have been spectrophotometrically monitored, significant variability is detected in the C IV ?1550 broad emission line. In several cases the variations track the continuum variations in the same quasar, with amplitudes comparable to, or even greater than, those of the corresponding continua. In contrast, no significant Ly? variability is detected in any of the four objects in which it was observed. Thus, UV lines may have different variability trends in high-luminosity and low-luminosity AGNs. For one quasar, S5 0836+71 at z = 2.172, we measure a tentative delay of 595 days between C IV and UV continuum variations, corresponding to a rest-frame delay of 188 days and a central black hole mass of 2.6 ? 109 M?.

/pdf/reverberation-mapping-of-high-luminosity-quasars-first-14iap426gw.pdf

Reverberation Mapping of High-Luminosity Quasars: First Results

We present radial velocities, equivalent widths, model atmosphere parameters, and abundances or upper limits for 53 species of 48 elements derived from high resolution optical spectroscopy of 313 metal-poor stars. A majority of these stars were selected from the metal-poor candidates of the HK Survey of Beers, Preston, and Shectman. We derive detailed abundances for 61% of these stars for the first time. Spectra were obtained during a 10 yr observing campaign using the Magellan Inamori Kyocera Echelle spectrograph on the Magellan Telescopes at Las Campanas Observatory, the Robert G. Tull Coude Spectrograph on the Harlan J. Smith Telescope at McDonald Observatory, and the High Resolution Spectrograph on the Hobby-Eberly Telescope at McDonald Observatory. We perform a standard LTE abundance analysis using MARCS model atmospheres, and we apply line-by-line statistical corrections to minimize systematic abundance differences arising when different sets of lines are available for analysis. We identify several abundance correlations with effective temperature. A comparison with previous abundance analyses reveals significant differences in stellar parameters, which we investigate in detail. Our metallicities are, on average, lower by ≈0.25 dex for red giants and ≈0.04 dex for subgiants. Our sample contains 19 stars with [Fe/H] ≤–3.5, 84 stars with [Fe/H]more » ≤–3.0, and 210 stars with [Fe/H] ≤–2.5. Detailed abundances are presented here or elsewhere for 91% of the 209 stars with [Fe/H] ≤–2.5 as estimated from medium resolution spectroscopy by Beers, Preston, and Shectman. We will discuss the interpretation of these abundances in subsequent papers.« less

/pdf/a-search-for-stars-of-very-low-metal-abundance-vi-detailed-9x1209nu1i.pdf

A search for stars of very low metal abundance. vi. detailed abundances of 313 metal-poor stars*

We present the first ground-based detection of sodium absorption in the transmission spectrum of an extrasolar planet. Absorption due to the atmosphere of the extrasolar planet HD 189733b is detected in both lines of the Na I doublet. High spectral resolution observations were taken of 11 transits with the High Resolution Spectrograph (HRS) on the 9.2 m Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET). The Na I absorption in the transmission spectrum due to HD 189733b is (− 67.2 ± 20.7) × 10−5 deeper in the "narrow" spectral band that encompasses both lines relative to adjacent bands. The 1 σ error includes both random and systematic errors, and the detection is >3 σ. This amount of relative absorption in Na I for HD 189733b is ~3 times larger than that detected for HD 209458b by Charbonneau et al. (2002) and indicates that these two hot Jupiters may have significantly different atmospheric properties.

/pdf/sodium-absorption-from-the-exoplanetary-atmosphere-of-hd-3finaco7jp.pdf

Sodium Absorption from the Exoplanetary Atmosphere of HD 189733b Detected in the Optical Transmission Spectrum

We report on the discovery of a supermassive binary black hole system in the radio galaxy 0402+379, with a projected separation between the two black holes of just 7.3 pc. This is the closest black hole pair yet found by more than 2 orders of magnitude. These results are based on recent multifrequency observations using the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), which reveal two compact, variable, flat-spectrum, active nuclei within the elliptical host galaxy of 0402+379. Multiepoch observations from the VLBA also provide constraints on the total mass and dynamics of the system. Low spectral resolution spectroscopy using the Hobby-Eberly Telescope indicates two velocity systems with a combined mass of the two black holes of ~1.5 × 108 M☉. The two nuclei appear stationary, while the jets emanating from the weaker of the two nuclei appear to move out and terminate in bright hot spots. The discovery of this system has implications for the number of close binary black holes that might be sources of gravitational radiation. Green Bank Telescope observations at 22 GHz to search for water masers in this interesting system are also presented.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1086/504825/pdf

A Compact Supermassive Binary Black Hole System

The Hobby-Eberly telescope (HET) is a recently completed 9- meter telescope designed to specialize in spectroscopy. It saw first light in December 1996 and during July 1997, it underwent its first end-to-end testing acquiring its first spectra of target objects. We review the basic design of the HET. In addition we summarize the performance of the telescope used with a commissioning spherical aberration correlator and spectrograph, the status of science operations and plans for the implementation of the final spherical aberration corrector and facility class instruments.

The early performance and present status of the Hobby-Eberly telescope

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The early performance and present status of the Hobby-Eberly telescope