New open cluster Cepheids in the VVV survey tightly constrain near-infrared period--luminosity relations
Abstract
Classical Cepheids are among the most useful Galactic and nearby extragalactic distance tracers because of their well-defined period--luminosity relations (PLRs). Open cluster (OC) Cepheids are important objects to independently calibrate these PLRs. Based on Data Release 1 of the {\sl VISTA} Variables in the Vía Láctea survey, we have discovered four new, faint and heavily reddened OC Cepheids, including the longest-period OC Cepheid known, ASAS J180342$-$2211.0 in Teutsch 14a. The other OC--Cepheid pairs include NGC 6334 and V0470 Sco, Majaess 170 and ASAS J160125$-$5150.3, and Teutsch 77 and BB Cen. ASAS J180342$-$2211.0, with a period of $\log P = 1.623$ [days] is important to constrain the slope of the PLR. The currently most complete $JHK_{\rm s}$ Galactic Cepheid PLRs are obtained based on a significantly increased sample of 31 OC Cepheids, with associated uncertainties that are improved by 40 per cent compared with previous determinations (in the $J$ band). The NIR PLRs are in good agreement with previous PLRs determined based on other methods.
- Publication:
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arXiv e-prints
- Pub Date:
- September 2016
- DOI:
- 10.48550/arXiv.1609.05440
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1609.05440
- Bibcode:
- 2016arXiv160905440C
- Keywords:
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- Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies;
- Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 9 pages, 3 figures, accepted by MNRAS