We present the first determination of absolute magnitudes for the red clump (RC) stars with the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). We used recently reduced parallaxes taken from the Hipparcos catalogue and identified 3889 RC stars with the WISE photometry in the Solar neighbourhood. Mode values estimated from the distributions of absolute magnitudes and a colour of the RC stars in WISE photometry are M W 1 = −1.635 ± 0.026, M W 3 = −1.606 ± 0.024 and (W 1 − W 3) 0 = −0.028 ± 0.001 mag. These values are consistent with those obtained from the transformation formulae using 2MASS data. Distances of the RC stars estimated by using their M W 1 and M W 3 absolute magnitudes are in agreement with the ones calculated by the spectrophotometric method, as well. These WISE absolute magnitudes can be used in astrophysical researches where distance plays an important role.

We present the results of CCD UBVRI observations of the open cluster NGC 6811 obtained on 18th July 2012 with the 1m telescope at the T\"UB\.ITAK National Observatory (TUG). Using these photometric results, we determine the structural and astrophysical parameters of the cluster. The mean photometric uncertainties are better than 0.02 mag in the V magnitude and B-V, V-R, and V-I colour indices to about 0.03 mag for U-B among stars brighter than magnitude V=18. Cluster member stars were separated from the field stars using the Galaxia model of Sharma et al. (2011) together with other techniques. The core radius of the cluster is found to be $r_{c}$=3.60 arcmin. The astrophysical parameters were determined simultaneously via Bayesian statistics using the colour-magnitude diagrams V versus B-V, V versus V-I, V versus V-R, and V versus R-I of the cluster. The resulting most likely parameters were further confirmed using independent methods, removing any possible degeneracies. The colour excess, distance modulus, metallicity and the age of the cluster are determined simultaneously as E(B-V)=0.05$\pm$0.01 mag, $\mu=10.06\pm0.08$ mag, [M/H]=-0.10$\pm$0.01 dex and t=1.00$\pm$0.05 Gyr, respectively. Distances of five red clump stars which were found to be members of the cluster further confirm our distance estimation.Comment: 22 pages, 13 figures and 9 tables, accepted for publication in Astrophysics and Space Scienc

We study the dependence of kHz quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) frequency on accretion-related parameters in the ensemble of neutron star low-mass X-ray binaries. Based on the mass accretion rate,Ṁ, and the magnetic field strength, B, on the surface of the neutron star, we find a correlation between the lower kHz QPO frequency andṀ/B 2 . The correlation holds in the current ensemble of Z and atoll sources and therefore can explain the lack of correlation between the kHz QPO frequency and X-ray luminosity in the same ensemble. The average run of lower kHz QPO frequencies throughout the correlation can be described by a power-law fit to source data. The simple power-law, however, cannot describe the frequency distribution in an individual source. The model function fit to frequency data, on the other hand, can account for the observed distribution of lower kHz QPO frequencies in the case of individual sources as well as the ensemble of sources. The model function depends on the basic length scales such as the magnetospheric radius and the radial width of the boundary region, both of which are expected to vary withṀ to determine the QPO frequencies. In addition to modifying the length scales and hence the QPO frequencies, the variation inṀ, being sufficiently large, may also lead to distinct accretion regimes, which would be characterized by Z and atoll phases.

We investigated the age-metallicity relation using a sample of 5691 F-and G-type dwarfs from RAdial Velocity Experiment Data Release 3 (RAVE DR3) by applying several constraints. (i) We selected stars with surface gravities log g(cm s −2 ) ࣙ 3.8 and effective temperatures in the 5310 ≤ T eff (K) ≤ 7300 range and obtained a dwarf sample. (ii) We plotted the dwarfs in metallicity sub-samples in the T eff -(J − K s ) 0 plane to compare with the corresponding data of González Hernández & Bonifacio (2009) and identified the ones in agreement. (iii) We fitted the reduced dwarf sample obtained from constraints (i) and (ii) to the Padova isochrones and re-identified those which occupy the plane defined by isochrones with ages t ࣘ 13 Gyr. (iv) Finally, we omitted dwarfs with total velocity errors larger than 10.63 km s −1 . We estimated the ages using the Bayesian procedure of Jørgensen & Lindegren (2005). The largest age-metallicity slope was found for early F-type dwarfs. We found steeper slopes when we plotted the data as a function of spectral type rather than Galactic population. We noticed a substantial scatter in metallicity distribution at all ages. The metal-rich old dwarfs turned out to be G-type stars which can be interpreted as they migrated from the inner disc or bulge.

We estimated the scale-length of the thin disc with the J and W1 magnitudes of the most probable red clump stars in the Galactic plane, −0• .5 ≤ b ≤ +0• .5, in 19 equal sized fields with consecutive Galactic longitudes which cover the interval 90Our results are constrained with respect to the solar space density (D * = 5.95), which indicates that the radial variation of the density is lower for higher Galactocentric distances. The scale-length of the thin disc is 2 kpc for the fields in the Galactic anticentre direction or close to this direction, while it decreases continuously in the second and third quadrants reaching to a lower limit of h = 1.6 kpc at the Galactic longitudes l = 90• and l = 270• . The distribution of the scale-length in 19 fields is consistent with the predictions from the Galaxia model and its variation with longitude is probably due to the inhomogeneity structure of the disc caused by the accreted material or other features such as warp and flare.