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# Reentrant vortex lattice transformation in four-fold symmetric superconductors

## Abstract

The physics behind the rhombic$``$square$``$rhombic flux line lattice transformation in increasing fields is clarified on the basis of Eilenberger theory. We demonstrate that this reentrance observed in LuNi2B2C is due to intrinsic competition between superconducting gap and Fermi surface anisotropies. The calculations reproduce not only it but also predict yet not found lock-in transition to a square lattice with different orientation in higher field. In view of physical origin given, this sequence of transitions is rather generic to occur in four-fold symmetric superconductors.

The morphology of equilibrium flux line lattice (FLL) in type-II superconductors, its symmetry and orientation relative to the crystallographic axes, is determined by microscopic electronic properties, particularly by Fermi surface topology and superconducting pair symmetry. In general, the shape and orientation of FLL cell will change with field direction trying to adjust the electronic anisotropy of underlying crystal weber . In spite of a long research history which dates back to the pioneering small angle neutron scattering experiment by Cribier et al. cribier  on Nb, problems associated with FLL are still lively discussed even on seemingly simplest elemental metal Nb forgan . FLL symmetry transformation under varying applied field is one of the topics which attracted much of the attention of vortex physics community recently. The effect became known in the early 70’s when the low field rhombic-to-square FLL transition has been observed first in PbTl obst . Renewed interest in this phenomena came, after similar transformations has been detected in a number of superconductors: (Re)Ni2B2C (Re=Lu,Y,Er,Tm) er\_square ; koshelev ; tm\_square , V3Si mona  and high-$`T_c`$ cuprate La1.83Sr0.17CuO4 gilardi . All of them appear to be four-fold symmetric crystals: cubic or tetragonal.

Recently, Eskildsen et al. eskildsen  discovered a remarkable reentrant transition of the rhombic FLL symmetry for $`𝑯𝒄`$ in LuNi2B2C ($`H_{c2,\mathrm{\hspace{0.33em}0}}9`$T). Upon increasing $`H`$, the rhombic lattice changes into square one and then backs again at a higher field. With increasing temperature the rhombus-square boundary bends away and never crosses $`H_{c2}`$ line. Combining its result with other experiments such as STM koshelev ; sakata , $`\mu `$SR ohishi  and Bitter decoration vinikov , square FLL region is confined in a small area just above $`H_{c1}`$ and up to $``$ 2-3 T on $`(H,T)`$ plane. High field square-to-rhombus transition is detected in TmNi2B2C tm\_square  as well, though this is a magnetic member of borocarbide family. It is quite interesting to remember Nb case. The FLL in this cubic system for $`𝑯(001)`$ exhibits square-to-rhombic transition as $`T`$ increases christen . Although the definite phase diagram is not established yet, temperature dependence of FLL symmetry alone suggests an isolated region of stable square lattice in $`H`$ vs. $`T`$.

It was realized early takanaka  that a certain four-fold anisotropy in plane perpendicular to the applied field, such as the Fermi velocity $`v_F`$, can drive low field rhombus-to-square transformation. In the in-plane anisotropy modeled by $`v_F(\theta )=v_F(\frac{\pi }{8})(1+\beta \mathrm{cos}4\theta )`$ ($`\theta `$ polar angle), square FLL $`\mathrm{}_v`$ with nearest neighbors oriented along the velocity minimum will be stabilized in low fields if anisotropy degree $`\beta `$ is large enough. The same is true for the four-fold gap anisotropy alone $`|\mathrm{\Delta }(𝒓,\theta )|^2=|\mathrm{\Delta }(𝒓,\frac{\pi }{8})|^2(1\alpha \mathrm{cos}4\theta )`$, when square FLL $`\mathrm{}_g`$ (nearest neighbors along gap minimum) tends to be stabilized. These are schematically shown in Fig.1. The nontrivial question is why square FLL is unstable at high fields and what the actual phase diagram looks like? Contrary to the answer given by Gurevich and Kogan kogan\_gurevich  who consider it due to thermal fluctuation near $`H_{c2}`$, here we investigate two indispensable anisotropic effects on the same footing. The interplay of gap and Fermi surface anisotropy indeed can give rise to the reentrant FLL transition and further square lock-in transition in a higher field.

There is firm evidence in LuNi2B2C and YNi2B2C, which we regard as essentially the same systems, to show the existence of both anisotropies. As for the gap anisotropy, various bulk measurements, including the $`H`$-dependent linear specific heat coefficient $`\gamma (H)`$ (Volovik effect) nohara , the thermal conductivity boaknin , and angle-integrate photo-emission yokoya , all show a substantial gap anisotropy. More recently the angle-resolved thermal conductivity matsuda  under $`H`$ exhibits that the gap is vanishingly smaller in $`(100)`$ than in $`(110)`$. This is consistent with the spatial extension of the zero-bias peak observed by STM nishida . As for the Fermi velocity anisotropy, when interpreted through simple four-fold harmonic variation, band calculation dugdale  told us that the Fermi velocity is larger in $`(100)`$ than in $`(110)`$, or the angle resolved density of states (DOS) $`N(\theta )1/v_F(\theta )`$ is smaller along $`(100)`$ compared to $`(110)`$. Note that the sense of two anisotropies mentioned is what we would naively expected because the larger gap $`\mathrm{\Delta }(\theta =0)`$ should develop in larger $`N(\theta =0)`$. The built-in tendency to stabilize two different orientation $`\mathrm{}_v`$ and $`\mathrm{}_g`$ of square lattice ultimately leads to the rich vortex phase diagram, including the reentrant as we will see shortly.

Apart from the limiting cases: London model at $`HH_{c2}(T)`$ and Ginzburg-Landau (GL) model at $`TT_c`$, there is no handy and convenient approximate scheme to describe microscopic vortex properties deep in $`(H,T)`$ plane. Therefore we resort to quasi-classical Eilenberger equations eilenberger  valid for $`k_F\xi _01`$ ($`k_F`$: the Fermi wave number and $`\xi _0`$: the coherence length) a condition met in most of superconductors. Eilenberger equations read as ($`\mathrm{}=1`$)

$`\left(2\omega +𝒗_F(\theta )𝚷\right)f(\omega ,𝒓,\theta )=2\mathrm{\Delta }(𝒓,\theta )g(\omega ,𝒓,\theta ),`$ (1)
$`\left(2\omega 𝒗_F(\theta )𝚷^{}\right)f^{}(\omega ,𝒓,\theta )=2\mathrm{\Delta }^{}(𝒓,\theta )g(\omega ,𝒓,\theta ).`$ (2)
Here $`𝚷=\mathbf{}+(2\pi i/\mathrm{\Phi }_0)𝑨`$ is gauge invariant gradient, $`𝑨`$ is vector-potential and $`\mathrm{\Phi }_0`$ is flux quantum. $`\omega =\pi T(2n+1)`$ with integer $`n`$ is Matsubara frequency. Normalization condition for Green’s function $`g^2+ff^{}=1`$. The pairing interaction is assumed separable $`V(\theta ,\theta ^{})=\overline{V}\varphi (\theta )\varphi (\theta ^{})`$ so that gap function is $`\mathrm{\Delta }(𝒓,\theta )=\mathrm{\Psi }(𝒓)\varphi (\theta )`$. We consider two-dimensional case with cylindrical Fermi surface. Four-fold models for Fermi velocity $`v_F(\theta )=\overline{v}_F(1+\beta \mathrm{cos}4\theta )/\sqrt{1\beta ^2}`$ and gap anisotropy $`\varphi (\theta )^2=\varphi (\frac{\pi }{8})^2(1\alpha \mathrm{cos}4\theta )`$ have been adopted. Here $`\theta `$ is polar angle relative to $`(100)`$ axis. Constant $`\varphi (\frac{\pi }{8})^2=1/(1+(1\sqrt{1\beta ^2})\alpha /\beta )`$ is chosen to assure the same $`T_c`$ and DOS $`N_0`$ for any value of anisotropy parameters $`\alpha `$ and $`\beta `$. We are most interested in case when $`\alpha `$ and $`\beta `$ are of the same sign. Then positions of gap and velocity minima are $`45^{}`$ rotated to each other (see Fig.1) and we have a competing effect. The self-consistent equations for the gap function $`\mathrm{\Psi }(𝒓)`$ and vector-potential $`𝑨`$ are

$$\mathrm{\Psi }(𝒓)\mathrm{ln}\frac{T_c}{T}=2\pi T\underset{\omega >0}{}\left[\frac{\mathrm{\Psi }(𝒓)}{\omega }\frac{\varphi (\theta )f}{v(\theta )}\right],$$
(3)
$$\mathbf{}\times \mathbf{}\times 𝑨=\frac{16\pi ^3}{\mathrm{\Phi }_0}N_0T\overline{v}_F\underset{\omega >0}{}\mathrm{Im}g𝒖.$$
(4)
Here, $`v(\theta )=v_F(\theta )/\overline{v}_F`$ and $`𝒖=(\mathrm{cos}\theta ,\mathrm{sin}\theta )`$ is unit vector along the Fermi velocity $`𝒗_F=v_F(\theta )𝒖`$. For average over Fermi surface, $`\mathrm{}=(1/2\pi )\mathrm{}𝑑\theta `$. Extra factor $`1/v(\theta )`$ in averages came from angle resolved DOS $`N(\theta )=N_0/v(\theta )`$ on Fermi surface.

We have performed extensive numerical computations by the so-called explosion method (see Ref. ichioka,  for details) for various values of anisotropy parameters $`\alpha `$ and $`\beta `$ in a high GL parameter case $`\kappa `$=100. The self-consistent solution yields a complete set of the physical quantities: the spatial profiles of the order parameter $`\mathrm{\Psi }(𝒓)`$ and the magnetic field $`H(𝒓)`$, and the local density of states around a vortex core. The free energy density is given by

$`F={\displaystyle \frac{\overline{H^2(𝒓)}}{8\pi }}2\pi TN_0{\displaystyle \underset{\omega >0}{}}\overline{{\displaystyle \frac{1g}{1+g}}{\displaystyle \frac{\varphi (\theta )(\mathrm{\Psi }^{}f+\mathrm{\Psi }f^{})}{2v(\theta )}}}.`$ (5)
Here, $`\overline{a}=(B/\mathrm{\Phi }_0)_{cell}a𝑑𝒓`$. Free energy should be minimized with respect to the FLL symmetry and its orientation relative to the crystallographic axes. Numerics is backed up by analytical calculations. Namely we also solve these analytically at the two limiting cases; (1) near $`H_{c2}(T)`$ and (2) $`HH_{c2}(T)`$ to gain physical insights. For analytical results we considered FLL cell shaped as rhombus with apex angle in interval $`[60^{},90^{}]`$. Two different orientations of rhombus cell are compared: rhombus diagonals along gap minimum (velocity maximum) and along velocity minimum (gap maximum) (see Fig. 1). Since the numerical computation is very demanding and time consuming, we limit ourselves to the four configurations (apex angles $`60^{}`$ and $`90^{}`$ for each of two orientations) as shown in Fig.1.

In Fig. 2(a) we show the phase diagram for $`t=T/T_c=0.5`$ and $`\alpha =0`$, where the square lattice $`\mathrm{}_v`$ becomes stable if the Fermi velocity anisotropy $`\beta `$ exceeds a certain value. It shows also that the triangular lattice is always stabilized at lower and higher $`H`$. Thus even without the gap anisotropy ($`\alpha `$ = 0) the reentrant transformation can be induced. This can be understood by looking at the self-consistency Eq. (3). It is seen that factor $`1/v(\theta )`$ plays the role of gap anisotropy even in isotropic pairing case ($`\varphi (\theta )=1`$).

The gap anisotropy further induces a rich variety of the phase diagram. In Fig. 2(b) we show it when the moderate velocity anisotropy $`\beta =0.3`$ is taken. We see that at the large $`\alpha `$ cases the triangular lattice directly changes into the square lattice $`\mathrm{}_g`$. This is a similar situation to the $`d`$-wave case with the isotropic Fermi velocity ichioka . The preferred orientation perfectly coincides with the nodal direction, namely, nearest neighbors of FLL are along (100) (along (110)) in $`d_{xy}`$ ($`d_{x^2y^2}`$) pairing. As $`\alpha `$ decreases, this $`\mathrm{}_g`$ lattice region shrinks. At lower fields yet another transformation from the triangular to square $`\mathrm{}_v`$, rotated by $`45^{}`$ relative to $`\mathrm{}_g`$, emerges. The most complicated case is at moderate values of $`\alpha `$ and $`\beta `$, leading to successive lattice transformation $`\mathrm{}\mathrm{}_v\mathrm{}\mathrm{}_g`$ as $`H`$ increases. In a weaker $`\alpha `$ case the last lock-in transition is absent.

As a typical example we investigate the case $`\alpha =\beta =0.3`$ in details at lower temperature. In Fig. 3 the four free energy curves are shown as a function of $`h=H/H_{c2,\mathrm{\hspace{0.33em}0}}`$ at $`t=0.25`$. As $`h`$ increases the above mentioned successive transformations are clearly illustrated as several crossings. Figure 4 displays the resulting phase diagram in ($`H`$, $`T`$) plane. It is seen from this that (1) the $`\mathrm{}_v`$ region is confined to lower $`H`$ and $`T`$; (2) its boundary bends away from $`H_{c2}`$; (3) the high field region is occupied by the $`\mathrm{}_g`$ lattice; (4) along $`H_{c2}`$ line this terminates at $`t=0.56`$, below which the rhombic lattice becomes stable.

Let us discuss the physical origin of this intricate phase diagram in connection with the observation in borocarbides. Basically, in order to induce narrowly limited $`\mathrm{}_v`$ region at low $`H`$ and $`T`$ we need the competing effects, each coming from the gap and velocity anisotropies. The gap anisotropy with $`\alpha >0`$ prefers the lattice $`\mathrm{}_g`$ with nearest neighbors along (100) direction, while the velocity anisotropy with $`\beta >0`$ tends to favor $`45^{}`$ rotated square lattice $`\mathrm{}_v`$. Thus these anisotropies compete each other. The $`\alpha \beta <0`$ case does not cause such a frustration in FLL.

The interplay of two anisotropies can be understood by looking at the free energy density at lower $`H`$:

$`F={\displaystyle \frac{B^2}{8\pi }}{\displaystyle \underset{𝒒}{}}{\displaystyle \frac{1}{1+\lambda ^2q^2+\lambda ^4(t_{xxyy}q^4+dq_x^2q_y^2)}}`$ (6)
with $`𝒒`$ is the reciprocal vector of FLL and

$`t_{ijlm}={\displaystyle \frac{4\pi ^4N_0\overline{v}_F^4T\mathrm{\Psi }_0^2}{\mathrm{\Phi }_0^2}}{\displaystyle \underset{\omega >0}{}}{\displaystyle \frac{\varphi ^2(\theta )v^3(\theta )u_iu_ju_lu_m}{(\omega ^2+\varphi ^2(\theta )\mathrm{\Psi }_0)^{5/2}}},`$ (7)
$`\lambda `$ is penetration depth, and $`\mathrm{\Psi }_0(T)`$ is zero field gap. The extra four-fold anisotropy due to non-local correction appears through the parameter $`d=t_{xxxx}+t_{yyyy}6t_{xxyy}`$ in the above. At lower $`T`$, $`t_{ijlm}`$ contains factor $`v^3(\theta )/\varphi ^3(\theta )`$ which strengthens the tendency towards the velocity anisotropy ($`\beta `$ is effectively increased by $`\alpha `$ when $`\alpha \beta >0`$). Near $`T_c`$ this factor becomes $`\varphi ^2(\theta )v^3(\theta )`$ which weakens the combined anisotropy effect by canceling each other. Therefore the two anisotropies plays different role, depending on $`T`$, giving rise to the bent transition curve in the ($`H`$, $`T`$) plane. For a fixed temperature as $`H`$ increases from $`H_{c1}`$, FLL starts with the regular triangle lattice because the electromagnetic interaction between far apart vortices is isotropic, yielding the closed packed hexagonal symmetry just above $`H_{c1}`$. As vortices approach each other, proliferating anisotropy in current distribution will squeeze rhombus FLL cell toward square shape. Being dominant at low $`T`$ region, anisotropy of Fermi velocity will stabilize square lattice $`\mathrm{}_v`$ as soon as vortices come close to each other with increasing $`H`$. The observed orientation of $`\mathrm{}_v`$ with nearest neighbors along (110) is indeed expected in LuNi2B2C since the band structure calculation indicates that Fermi velocity is larger in (100) than (110) when mapped into our four-fold model dugdale . The same result is obtained within nonlocal London model with Fermi velocity anisotropy alone kogan . Upon further increasing $`H`$, condensation energy gradually takes over the major role in determining the interaction between vortices. Physically it is due to the kinetic energy cost of quasi-particles localized around core (see Ref. ichioka,  for details). In high fields, at least in high-$`\kappa `$ superconductors, the anisotropy in vortex-vortex interaction is exclusively due to the vortex core anisotropy giving rise to the transition from the low field $`\mathrm{}_v`$ to high field $`\mathrm{}_g`$ via intermediate rhombic lattice ($`\mathrm{}_v\mathrm{}\mathrm{}_g`$).

Limit of $`HH_{c2}(T)`$ allows the analytical solution for free energy

$`F={\displaystyle \frac{B^2}{8\pi }}{\displaystyle \frac{1}{8\pi }}{\displaystyle \frac{(BH_{c2})^2}{+1}},`$ (8)
where

$`={\displaystyle \frac{2\pi ^2N_0T}{\overline{h}_s^2}}{\displaystyle \underset{\omega >0}{}}\overline{{\displaystyle \frac{\varphi (\theta )}{v(\theta )}}ff^{}(\mathrm{\Psi }f^{}+\mathrm{\Psi }f)}{\displaystyle \frac{\overline{h_s^2}}{\overline{h}_s^2}}.`$ (9)
Here, $`f`$, $`f^{}`$ and $`\mathrm{\Psi }`$ are solutions of the linearized Eilenberger equation, $`h_s`$ is magnetic field due to supercurrents, $`B=H+\overline{h}_s`$ is magnetic induction. In the isotropic case $`\alpha =\beta =0`$ and near $`T_c`$ it reduces to the standard Abrikosov expression $`=(2\kappa ^21)\beta _A`$. This expression for free energy is valid all along the $`H_{c2}(T)`$ line. The result is illustrated in Fig. 4 as the inset showing that the apex angle of the rhombic lattice continuous changes about the regular triangular lattice with $`60^{}`$. The diagonal of the rhombic lattice rotated by $`45^{}`$ at $`t=0.64`$ from $`(100)`$ to $`(110)`$, i.e. from $`\mathrm{}_v`$ to $`\mathrm{}_g`$. At a higher field $`\mathrm{}_g`$ lattice is locked in $`\mathrm{}_g`$. This lock-in point $`t=0.56`$ is rather nicely connected to the points determined numerically as shown in the main panel in Fig. 4. This implies that our numerical results, which examine the limited number of lattice configurations (4 types), yield a reasonably phase diagram even taking into account general rhombic lattices.

The present calculation does not aim to quantitatively reproduce the actual FLL phase diagram in LuNi2B2C, but to physically understand its possible lattice transformation. Note that so far the observed square lattices in LuNi2B2C by several methods are all $`\mathrm{}_v`$, not $`\mathrm{}_g`$. The $`\mathrm{}_g`$ phase can occur at further high $`H`$ if the gap anisotropy is large enough. Since this is the case for LuNi2B2C as mentioned before, there is a good chance to observe it. According to various thermodynamic and transport experiments the gap anisotropy is extremely large, the recent directional dependent measurements shows the node situated at (100) direction. This unambiguously tells us that LuNi2B2C belongs to the most interesting competing case ($`\alpha >0`$ and $`\beta >0`$) and also gratifying enough that it belongs to the naively expected case where maximum energy gap is oriented to the maximum DOS direction. So far the investigated field for the vortex structure is limited below 4T (compare $`H_{c2,\mathrm{\hspace{0.33em}0}}9`$ T).

As for the other materials where the square lattice is found such as Nb christen , V3Si mona  and Sr2RuO4 riseman  we can expect the reentrant transition from the square to rhombic lattice and further lock-in transition to the square lattice with different orientation if the gap anisotropy is strong enough. The recent finding of rhombus-to-square transition at lower $`H`$ in La1.83Sr0.17CuO4 gilardi  deserves a special attention because in spite of $`d_{x^2y^2}`$ symmetry they discovered $`\mathrm{}_v`$, not $`\mathrm{}_g`$. This nontrivial observation is indeed expected by our calculation nakai .

In conclusion we have shown that the vortex lattice morphology is deeply connected to the underlying microscopic electronic structure. Specifically it is seen that the reentrant transition from the square to rhombic lattice in LuNi2B2C can be well understood as arising from the two competing superconducting gap and Fermi surface anisotropies both of which are documented to exist experimentally. It is demonstrated by solving the quasi-classical Eilenberger equations numerically and analytically. We have shown another yet not found FLL transformation to the differently oriented square lattice in a higher field. In view of physical origin given, this kind of re-entrance and high field square lattice are rather generic to occur. Thus we expect a similar successive transition in type-II superconductors with four-fold symmetry at least with large $`\kappa `$.

We thank Y. Matsuda, N. Nishida, K. Takanaka and E. M. Forgan for valuable information.


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# 1 Introduction

## 1 Introduction

During the last decade it became clear owing to cosmological hydrodynamic simulations that the Ly$`\alpha `$ forest is a result of the growth of large scale structure in the universe in the presence of UV field \[1–4\]. In this scenario the baryons in the universe form a network structure where most of gas and galaxies are accumulated in narrow and dense walls of the web, while the most of volume is filled with gas of lower density (close or below the mean cosmic baryon density). These underdense regions are known as voids and represent the truly intergalactic medium, which is seen in the Ly$`\alpha `$ forest lines of the low column density end, $`\mathrm{log}N(HI)<14.5`$ cm-2.

First detections of metals in high-redshift ($`z3`$) Ly$`\alpha `$ forest systems with metallicity $`[\mathrm{C}/\mathrm{H}]2.5\pm 1`$ were related basically to the intermediate range of column densities, $`\mathrm{log}N(HI)14.5`$ (cm-2) . In 1998 two independent groups observed Ly$`\alpha `$ forest with lower column densities \[$`\mathrm{log}N(HI)<14.5`$\], and using different observational techniques have reached controversary conclusions: Cowie & Songaila  with pixel-to-pixel optical depth observations reported on metal detection with $`[\mathrm{C}/\mathrm{H}]=2.5`$ at $`z3`$ for $`\mathrm{log}N(HI)=13.5`$; Lu et. al.  with a stacking observations were only able to reach an upper limit $`[\mathrm{C}/\mathrm{H}]<3.5`$ for $`\mathrm{log}N(HI)<14`$. In  the two techniques were critically analyzed and both found to suffer limitations. It was concluded, however, that the stacking is stronger subjected to smearing out due to a random redshift offset between the Ly$`\alpha `$ and CIV lines, and thus the amount of metals is underestimated. Instead, they found the pixel-to-pixel optical depth procedure to be more robust against the redshift offset, and the abundances obtained with using this technique more confident. Applying pixel-to-pixel measurements for the currently most sensitive Keck/HIRES spectra of QSO APM 08279+5255 ($`z=3.87`$)  and Q1422+231 ($`z=3.625`$)  the abundance of carbon in low-density ($`\mathrm{log}N(HI)<14.5`$) Ly$`\alpha `$ forest was found as $`[\mathrm{C}/\mathrm{H}]=2.6`$. Observations in OVI lines allow detection of absorptions from HI optical depths of one order of magnitude lower than CIV absorptions do, and thus can probe less dense Ly$`\alpha `$ gas. The first detection of OVI absorptions at $`z=23`$ from underdense regions ($`\rho /\rho 1`$, which represent thus the true IGM) was reported in . Very recently Songaila  has examined the presence of metals at highest redshift, and concluded that the column density distribution of CIV remains invariant up to redshift $`z=5.5`$ where Ly$`\alpha `$ forest becomes thick, and the metallicity at this redshift exceeds $`[Z]3.5`$. The invariancy of the CIV density distribution may indicate that analogously to lower $`z`$ the metallicity of low density regions lies in same range. The presence of metals at high redshift gives direct evidences of stellar activity at early epochs in the universe corresponding to redshifts as high as at least $`z>5.5`$. The question of a primary importance here is, however, how the metals were spread over Mpc scales in the IGM very far from the galaxies where they have been synthesized. The seriousness of this question becomes obvious if we formally devide the characteristic size of typical void of several Mpc over the Hubble time $`t_H(z)`$: at $`z=3`$ this is $`500`$ km s-1.

## 2 Pop III objects and supernovae driven galactic outflows

Two episodes of metal enrichment of the Ly$`\alpha `$ forest absorbers are being discussed: early pre-enrichment by a widespread initial star formation, normally attributed to Pop III objects \[13–16\], and local enrichment at later stages either by star formation within the clouds themselves or by contamination from nearby galaxies . The estimated amount of metals produced by the Pop III objects (presumably the first galaxies of small masses) is sufficient to pollute the IGM to an average metallicity from $`10^4Z_{}`$ \[13–15\] to $`0.003Z_{}`$ . The expected spatial distribution of metals is apparently very putchy, and strongly depends on the mixing processes. The amount of metals in a hot cavity produced by the exploded SNe in Pop III objects can reach $`0.20.4Z_{}`$  or even $`Z_{}`$ . If however, the metals are mixed with the swept up shell, the resultant metallicity decreases by two orders of magnitudes to the level shown above. In general, the gas metallicity is $`Z=M_Z/V_Z`$, where $`M_Z`$ is the total mass of metals ejected in the volume $`V_Z=4\pi R_e^3/3`$, $`R_e`$ is determined from the condition that the blowing out flow is confined by the IGM pressure

$$R_e=\sqrt{\frac{\dot{M}_ev_e}{4\pi P_{\mathrm{igm}}}},$$
(1)
$`\dot{M}_e`$ is the mass ejection rate, $`v_e`$, the velocity of the outflow. Assuming $`\dot{M}_e`$ to be a fraction $`\xi 0.1`$ of the star formation rate $`\dot{M}_{}M_h`$ , and $`M_Z=\dot{M}_e\tau `$ with $`\tau `$ being the period of star formation activity, and substituting for $`v_e`$ the escape velocity for a dark matter halo of mass $`M_h`$ and radius $`r_h`$: $`v_e=\sqrt{GM_h/r_h}`$, one arrives at the metallicity inversely proportional to galactic mass $`Z\tau (fM_h)^1`$, where $`f=f(M_h)`$ is the fraction of mechanical energy of the galaxy which can blow out, $`f1`$ for galaxies of small masses $`\mathrm{\Omega }_bM_h<10^9(1+z)^{3/2}M_{}`$, and decreases for larger masses . It is readily seen that even if the metals are mixed inside the blown out spheres, their spatial distribution in the IGM is highly non-homogeneous varying from one parent galaxy to the other. Thus, even in those cases when the volume filling factor of the blown out spheres is $`q1`$ and they are partilly overlapped (see, e.g. ), an efficient mixing mechanism must be present in the early univers in order that the metals were distributed homogeneously. Note, however, that metal enriched gas loses its energy radiatively very easily, forming due to thermal instability dense condensations, and thus preventing efficient mixing on smaller scales .

For low mass galaxies a few SNe explosions taking place in an OB-association of a moderate mass can be enough to drive a blowout. The situation changes in large galaxies, where due to increasing sizes and potential well ejection of shock processed gas becomes more difficult, so that most of metals remains confined to the galaxy. The fraction of mechanical energy $`f`$ of the galaxy which can drive a blowout is

$$f=\frac{\mathrm{ln}(N_M/N_c)}{\mathrm{ln}(N_M/N_m)},$$
(2)
where $`N_M`$ ($`N_m`$) is the maximum (minimum) possible number of SNe in OB-associations, $`N_c=t_{ob}L_c/ϵ_0`$ is the critical number of SNe corresponding to the critical mechanical luminosity required for a blowout to occur (see )

$$L_c10^{14}c_h^2\mathrm{\Omega }_b\left(\frac{M_h}{M_{}}\right)(1+z)^{3/2}\mathrm{erg}\mathrm{s}^1,$$
(3)
$`c_h`$ is the sound speed in gaseous galactic halo, $`t_{ob}30`$ Myr, the life time for the lowest SNe progenitor mass, $`ϵ_0=10^{51}`$ erg. Thus, $`f`$ vanishes logarithmically when $`N_c`$ is approaching $`N_M`$. Assuming that $`N_M`$ does not depend on galactic mass, one can obtain the critical galactic mass above which blowout events are inhibited. For $`N_M=10^3`$ and $`c_h100`$ km s-1 the critical mass is $`\mathrm{\Omega }_bM_h10^{11}(1+z)^{3/2}M_{}`$, meaning that more massive galaxies do not contribute to the enrichment of the IGM and the main pollutors are the low mass galaxies.

The volume filling factor of the regions containing the blown out material remains always much less than one, $`q10^4`$ , only if most of the galaxies experienced a starburst regime the corresponding filling factor may reach $`q\stackrel{>}{}0.2`$ . Thus, if metals in the IGM are distributed relatively homogeneously, one has to assume that efficient mixing mechanisms were acting in the early universe. In this connection, it is interesting to note that observations of the local Ly$`\alpha `$ forest place limits on metal spread within 150-200 kpc from the galaxy .

## 3 Turbulent mixing

It was suggested in  that metals are transported predominantly by violent gas flows following galactic mergings. This idea was further developed in  where peculiar motions of galaxies and subgalactic halos were shown to power efficiently turbulent flows of the ejected gas. The diffusion coefficient needed for an efficient mixing can be estimated by requiring that in proper Hubble time $`t_H(z)`$ turbulence spreads metals over the characteristic distance between galaxies $`150h^1(1+z)^1`$ kpc , where $`h=H_0/100`$ km s-1 Mpc-1: $`\kappa 6\times 10^{29}h^1(1+z)^{1/2}`$ cm2 s-1. In  the turbulent diffusion coefficient was estimated approximately as $`\kappa _t\mathrm{\Omega }_b^1c_s^2t_J`$, where $`c_s`$ is the sound speed in the IGM, $`t_J=(N_h\lambda _J^2\sigma )^1`$, the characteristic time interval between subsequent encounters of the halos onto a Jeans sphere in the IGM, $`\lambda _J`$ is the corresponding Jeans length, $`N_h`$, the number of dark halos in unit volume, $`\sigma `$ is their velocity dispersion. For the IGM temperature $`T2\times 10^4`$ K, and a comoving number density of dark halos of $`70h^3`$ Mpc-3 (corresponding approximately to $`M_h10^8h^1M_{}`$) , one can estimate $`\kappa _t4\times 10^{29}h^1m^1`$ cm2 s-1, $`m`$ is Mach number of halos in the IGM. As a consequence, the turbulent zones are shown to get partially overlaped at $`z1`$, and reach the porosity $`q1`$ at $`z0`$ . However, metals still remain distributed rather inhomogeneously, only at $`z0`$ the scatter is 0.03 around the mean value $`0.1Z_{}`$, while at $`z3`$ it is more than two orders of magnitude. Thus, even under such a strong diffusivity the enriched regions keep the identity of the parent galaxy produced pollution.

## 4 Radiation pressure

Dust particles ejected from galaxies by radiation pressure can be one of the possible sources of metals in the IGM. This possibility was first discussed in  with a negative conclusion. Detailed study initiated in  showed instead that the galactic radiation field is sufficient enough to expell dust particles in a relatively short time $`10^8`$ yr at high distances from the plane, practically into the intergalactic space. In  dynamics of radiatively ejected dust were considered with incorporation the effects of grain destruction. The characteristic column density $`N(H)`$ needed for destruction of a grain with radius $`a`$ is $`N_d(H)4\rho a/Y_sm_T`$, where $`\rho =3`$ g cm-3 is the grain density, $`Y_s`$ is the angle-averaged sputtering yield, $`m_T`$, the target mass. For a fast moving grain, $`v_g>100`$ km s-1, $`Y_s0.1`$ in collisions with helium, and $`Y_s0.01`$ in collisions with hydrogen . Substituting here $`m_T20m_H`$ one obtains $`N_d(H)3\times 10^{20}(a/0.1\mu \mathrm{m})`$ cm-2, which determines a lower limit for the grain sizes to be survived: the vertical galactic column density should be smaller than the critical value, $`N(H)<N_d(H)`$. The critical column density $`N_d(H)`$ for $`a=0.1\mu `$m is practically coincident with the maximal vertical column densites of hydrogen and electrons in the Milky Way. Fast particles of smaller sizes can survive only if they start at $`z500`$ pc above the plane. One should stress, however, that at lower distances from the plane, $`z<200`$, dust particles move much slower, $`v_g100`$ km s-1 , so that $`Y_s`$ drops sharply by several orders of magnitude.

For a destroying grain the extinction and radiation pressure decrease as $`a`$, resulting in decrease of the velocity of the ejected particle: for graphite and silicate particles of the initial radius $`a=0.1\mu `$m, starting at $`z=1`$ kpc above the galactic plane, their asymptotic velocities at time $`100`$ Myr drop from $`1600`$ to $`800`$ km s-1, and from $`700`$ to $`350`$ km s-1, respectively, when dust destruction is taken into consideration . However, after $`t1`$ Gyr the corresponding distances can reach $`1`$ Mpc for graphites, and $`0.7`$ Mpc for silicates. Thus, at redshift $`z3`$ radiatively driven $`0.1\mu `$m dust particles can, in principle, transport metals from galaxies into the IGM over Mpc scales. Smaller particles, though, are strongly confined to galactic disks mainly by collisional drag, so that both graphite and silicate grains with the initial radius $`a=0.01\mu `$m can reach in 1 Gyr only $`2030`$ kpc from the disks . The resulting steady distribution of the density of dust particles is highly nonuniform, with $`\rho _d10^{30}`$ g cm-3 at $`r3060`$ kpc, and $`\rho _d10^{32}`$ at $`r120`$ kpc, which is sharper than $`r^2`$.

Therefore, only large particles can be efficient in spread of metals in the IGM. For a galaxy with radiation flux $`G`$ in Habing units ($`1.6\times 10^3`$ erg cm-2 s-1), and gravitational acceleration $`g_9`$ (in $`10^9`$ cm s-2), only grains with $`a<0.2Gg_9^1\mu `$m can be radiatively ejected. Assuming $`gM/R^2`$ and $`GM`$, one can find for galaxies satisfying a Tully-Fisher relation with $`RM^{1/3}`$ that only grains of radius $`a<0.1(M/M_{\mathrm{MW}})^{2/3}\mu `$m can be ejected, $`M_{\mathrm{MW}}`$ is the mass of the Milky Way galaxy. As soon as the sizes of dust particles are restricted from below in order that they were survived when being ejected, one can conclude that only massive galaxies are efficient in pollution of the IGM with metals. Note however, that if at smaller distances from the plane dust particles are transported by slow hydrodynamic motions, such that the sputtering yield remains $`Y_s0.01`$, and only at higher distances, $`z\stackrel{>}{}500`$ pc, they are accelerated by radiation pressure to high velocities, $`v_g>100`$ km s-1, the lower limit can be as small as $`a<10`$Å. At such conditions a still considerable mass fraction of dust (for a standard size distribution) can be expelled into the IGM. Quite recently this mechanism was explored in framework of large scale cosmological simulations . It is worth noting, that spatial distribution of dust (and as a consequence, metals in gas phase) is demonstrated in these simulations to be highly inhomogeneous: at $`z=3`$ low density regions \[with $`N(HI)<10^{15}`$ cm-2\] show metallicities in the range $`Z=10^50.1`$ (absolute values). It is quite similar to the predictions of  based on a model of turbulent mixing.

Regular magnetic field in the insterstellar medium can change the picture crucially. Dust grains in diffuse intercloud gas exposed to the ionizing radiation field are positively charged up to $`200e`$ . The corresponding gyro-radius of a grain is $`r_g=m_gcv_g/Z_geB3\times 10^{15}`$ cm for $`a=0.1\mu `$m, $`v_g=10^6`$ cm s-1 (typical velocity dispersion in the intercloud gas), and $`B=1\mu `$G. It was suggested in  that due to fluctuations of charging processes dust grains spend considerable time intervals in a neutral state. However, characteristic charging times for a grain with $`a0.1\mu `$m are very short: $`10^210^3`$ s, for charging due to photoemission of electrons and recombination of electrons on the grain, so that the equilibrium between the two processes provides the grain charge of the order of 200 $`e`$. At these conditions, the probability of a fluctuation which can neutralize such a high grain charge is negligible. It is obvious that even in dwarf galaxies where magnetic field seems to be weaker, the gyro-radius remains much smaller than characteristic galactic scales. Note however, that recent polarimetric observations show that dwarf galaxies can posses a sufficiently strong magnetic field: $`8\mu `$G in NGC 4449 . This means that dust particles are strongly confined to magnetic field, and thus can be ejected out of galactic disks only in those regions where magnetic field has a predominantly vertical component. In spiral galaxies (and in those dwarfs with sufficiently strong magnetic field) such a vertical magnetic field can form due to the Parker instability, which in turn can be initiated easily by SNe explosions with the total explosion energy much less than required for a blowout . At latest stages (typically 100 Myr) growing magnetic loops seem to connect to the infinity, and thus provide corridors for photoejection of dust. Under certain conditions the Parker instability can be initiated by radiation pressure acting on dust particles, as mentioned in  and recently investigated numerically in .

The effects of magnetic field are also important in those cases when dust particles are confined in clouds or clumps, for which the charge to mass ratio is zero, and correspondingly $`r_g=\mathrm{}`$. In this case the proper magnetic field of clouds is connected to the galactic magnetic field, so that magnetic tension $`(𝐁)𝐁/4\pi \stackrel{>}{}3\times 10^{33}B_{\mu \mathrm{G}}^2`$ \[for $`||(100\mathrm{pc})^1`$\] is always larger than momentum transfered from radiation field $`3\times 10^{36}Gn`$, where $`G`$ is in Habing units, and the abundance of dust is taken $`10^{12}`$.

## 5 Conclusions

Detection of metals in low column density Ly$`\alpha `$ forest absorbers seem to imply that efficient ejection and transport mechanisms are at work at high redshift. The nature of these mechanisms is not yet clearly understood. Nevertheless, recent studies have largely enlightened the problem, and can be summarized as:

1. At early stages metals ejected into the IGM are confined relatively close to the pollutant galaxies by the IGM pressure. The volume filling factor can be large only when the star formation efficiency is high, corresponding to a starburst mode. However, even in this case spatial distribution of metals is highly inhomogeneous – inversly proportional to the mass of a pollutant galaxy.

2. In order to make the distribution more smooth and widespread, efficient mixing mechanisms must have been acting. Of these mechanisms turbulent mixing by tidal interactions of galaxies may be quite a powerful, resulting in a large volume filling factor of metal enriched IGM. In this case the spread in metallicities is smaller, but still can be as large as two orders of magnitude at $`z3`$, and about $`\pm 0.03Z_{}`$ at $`z=0`$. In both these cases though, an enhanced radiative cooling of the metal enriched gas initiates growth of dense condensations through thermal instability, which prevents smooth redistribution of metals, thus exacerbating the mixing problem.

3. Similar distribution is expected also if the IGM is enriched through radiatively driven ejection of dust from galaxies. However, not all is clear here. In particular, such questions as: what fraction of dust particles can be expelled into the IGM from deep regions of the galactic disks, with $`N(H)>N_d(H)`$ where they are mainly produced; how galactic magnetic field affects this process; how the ejection efficiency varies with redshift – are still to be answered.

Acknowledgements
This work was supported by RFBR (grant N 00-02-17689) and by Federal Programme “Astronomy” (grant N 1.3.1.1).

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text:
# MACHO Photometry of Two LMC Be X-ray Transients, EXO 0531–66 and H 0544–665

## 1 Introduction

High mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs) generally fall into two subgroups, supergiant HMXBs and Be X-ray binaries (Be/XRBs). The companion star in a Be/XRB is a Be (or Oe) star, with a typical mass of $``$10–20 $`\mathrm{M}_{}`$. A Be star is defined as a non-supergiant early-type star which has at some time shown H$`\alpha `$ emission. This Balmer emission, along with a significant infrared excess, is believed to originate from circumstellar material which forms an equatorial disc around the Be star. The Be star significantly underfills its Roche lobe, but is thought to be rapidly rotating to explain the equatorial disc (Slettebak 1987). The orbital periods are long, ranging from $``$15 days to years.

The light curves of Be/XRBs, and isolated Be stars, display non-orbital long-term modulations which vary on timescales of tens of days to years. The modulations are thought to be due to a phase of matter ejection from the star, the Be phenomenon (Slettebak 1987). Due to the timescales involved it is difficult to study these long-term modulations using normal observing programs. Hence, the observations obtained by the MACHO project provide a database from which to investigate such systems.

In a previous paper (Alcock et al. 2001) we studied $``$5 years of MACHO observations of the Be X-ray transient (Be/XRT) A0538–66. The analysis revealed a long-term modulation of 421 d, together with the previously known 16.6 d orbital period. We attributed this long-term period to the formation and depletion of the equatorial disc surrounding the Be star.

These results motivated us to search for long and short term periodicities in other Be/XRTs. In this paper we present analysis of the MACHO light curves of two other Be/XRTs, EXO 0531–66 and H 0544–665.

## 2 MACHO Observations

The MACHO project monitored the LMC from 1992 July to 1999 December, with the primary aim of detecting gravitational microlensing of constituent LMC stars by intervening dark matter. The observations were made using the 1.27 m telescope at Mount Stromlo Observatory, Australia. A dichroic beamsplitter and filters provide simultaneous CCD photometry in two passbands, a ’red’ band ($``$6300–7600 Å) and a ’blue’ band ($``$4500–6300 Å). The latter filter is a broader version of the Johnson V passband (see Alcock et al. 1995a, 1999 for further details). The ’blue’ and ’red’ magnitudes were transformed to Johnson V and Kron-Cousins R respectively, using the absolute calibrations of the MACHO fields.

The images were reduced with the standard MACHO photometry code sodophot, based on point-spread function fitting and differential photometry relative to bright neighbouring stars. Further details of the instrumental set-up and data processing may be found in Alcock et al. (1995b, 1999), Marshall et al. (1994) and Stubbs et al. (1993), and we note that the MACHO database is now in the public domain (Allsman & Axelrod 2001).

## 3 EXO 0531–66

EXO 0531–66 was discovered in 1983 during observations of the LMC X–4 region with EXOSAT (Pakull et al. 1985). It was only seen for a month at the end of 1983 (Pietsch, Rosso & Dennerl 1989), and had not been seen in the EINSTEIN survey of the LMC (Long, Helfand & Grabelsky 1981). The source was detected again in 1985 with the SL2-XRT experiment on the Spacelab2 mission (Hanson et al. 1989). The lack of detection of the source in EXOSAT observations made between 1983 and 1985 indicates that EXO 0531–66 is a recurrent transient.

The proposed optical counterpart (Haberl, Dennerl & Pietsch 1995) is a Be star, which is the northern component of a close double. During a 4 year observing program of EXO 0531–66 with ROSAT, a strong outburst was detected in 1993 which lasted more than two months (Haberl et al. 1995). The intensity of this outburst was comparable to that seen by EXOSAT in 1983, and a 13.7 s pulsation period was detected (Dennerl, Haberl & Pietsch 1996; Burderi et al. 1998), indicating that EXO 0531–66 is a Be-neutron star binary.

Haberl et al. (1995) suggested that the observed outbursts were consistent with being caused by the periastron passage of the neutron star in a Be/XRB with an orbital period of 600–700 d. However, they could not rule out that the outbursts occur irregularly during a phase of increased matter ejection from the Be star. Dennerl et al. (1996) constrained the orbital period to lie in the range of 4–70 d, assuming that the rate of period change of the pulse period was predominantly caused by Doppler shifts. They found an orbital solution with $`P_{orb}`$ = 25.4 d, $`e`$$``$0.1 and $`i`$$``$50, for an assumed mass for the compact object of 1.4 $`\mathrm{M}_{}`$, and 15 $`\mathrm{M}_{}`$ for the Be star companion.

The identification of the optical counterpart remains uncertain as both the northern and southern stars in the close ($``$4′′ ) double are early type stars. Based solely on the X-ray error circle (9′′ ), either star could be the optical counterpart. Stevens, Coe & Buckley (1999) obtained a spectrum of the northern component which confirmed the presence of H$`\alpha `$ emission. A low resolution spectrum taken two nights later shows H$`\beta `$ also in emission. No spectrum has been taken of the southern component.

We searched the MACHO database for sources within a 9′′ radius of the X-ray position. We find that the only source which displays long-term variations typical of a Be star is the previously proposed optical counterpart, the northern component of the double.

### 3.1 Light curve

We show in Fig. 1 the ’blue’ and ’red’ photometry of the northern star proposed as the optical counterpart of EXO 0531–66, from 1993 January 19 to 1999 December 30. During three consecutive observations of EXO 0531–66, between March and May 1993, Haberl et al. (1995) found the source to be X-ray active. The maximum observed count rate occurred on April 27 1993 and was found to correspond to 2.0x$`10^{36}`$$`\text{erg}\text{s}^1`$ in the ROSAT band (0.1–2.4 keV) for $`d`$ = 50 kpc. The times of the three observations taken during the extended outburst are marked on Fig. 1. Unfortunately, the MACHO project did not obtain observations of the source on these exact dates. However, observations were made near to these times and the light curve shows a slight brightening of the source which could indicate an optical response to the X-ray outburst.

Burderi et al. (1998) observed EXO 0531–66 on March 13-15 1997 with BeppoSAX (also marked on Fig. 1). The estimated X-ray luminosity at the time of observation, converted into the ROSAT band (0.1–2.4 keV), was $``$2.3x$`10^{36}`$$`\text{erg}\text{s}^1`$. This value is close to the luminosity of the outburst measured by Haberl et al. (1995). In a low state the source is found to have a luminosity of $`\genfrac{}{}{0pt}{}{_<}{}`$$`10^{35}`$$`\text{erg}\text{s}^1`$ (Haberl et al. 1995). Burderi et al. (1998) concluded that the source was in outburst at the time of their observation. During the $``$2 day observation the light curve of EXO 0531–66 in the medium energy band (1.0–10.5 keV) was relatively flat, but with random fluctuations up to a factor of $``$2 on timescales of 30 s. The low energy light curve (0.1–1.8 keV) displayed flaring episodes which were also observed in the high energy light curve (15–60 keV). The V\- and R-band light curves show a slight brightening of the source at the time of the outburst reported by Burderi et al. (1998), this could be related to the X-ray activity.

### 3.2 Period Analysis

Haberl et al. (1995) suggested that the orbital period for EXO 0531–66 was in the range of 600–700 d. However, Dennerl et al. (1996) proposed a much shorter period in the range of 4–70 d, with a preferred value of 25.4 d. To investigate variability on these timescales we performed a period search of the V\- and R-band datasets over frequency range 6.67x$`10^4`$–1.0 cycle d-1, with a resolution of 1.25x$`10^4`$ cycle d-1. Before the temporal analysis was performed we detrended the data by subtracting a linear fit. We searched for periodicities in the light curves using a Lomb-Scargle (LS) periodogram (Lomb 1976; Scargle 1982) and a phase dispersion minimisation (PDM) periodogram (see Stellingwerf 1978).

We show in Fig. 2 the period searches of the V-band light curve of EXO 0531–66, the results for the R-band data were similar. The largest peaks in the LS and PDM periodograms occur at $``$1200 d and $``$600 d. We folded both datasets on these periods. The folded light curves indicated that the $``$600 d peak is a harmonic of the $``$1200 d peak. We note that the value of 1200 d is close to half the length of the data. The light curves of EXO 0531–66 are dominated by the maxima at MJD 2449500 and MJD 2450750. Therefore, the 1200 d peak is most likely due to the non-periodic variations characteristic of Be stars, rather than a true periodicity.

We find no evidence for any short-term (1–100 d) periodicites in the light curves of EXO 0531–66. The peaks at 1 d in the LS and PDM periodograms are probably due to the sampling of the datasets. We find an upper limit of 0.041 mag semi-amplitude for the presence of any short-term periodicity in the V-band data, and 0.047 mag for the R-band data.

## 4 H 0544–665

H 0544–665 was discovered with the HEAO-1 scanning modulation collimator by Johnston, Bradt & Doxsey (1979). The brightest star in the error region was found to have a magnitude of B$``$16 (star 1 in Figure 6 of Johnston et al. 1979), and was later found to be variable (Thorstensen & Charles 1980). van der Klis et al. (1983) found that the star was variable on a timescale of weeks and determined a spectral type of B0–1 V. By plotting V as a function of B–V, van der Klis et al. (1983) found a colour-magnitude correlation in which the star becomes redder as it brightens. This is typical of Be stars whose variability is due to variations in the circumstellar disc. Coe et al. (1997) suggested that, due to the lack of IR emission from the candidate proposed by van der Klis et al. (1983), another star was the optical counterpart (Star 22 in Coe et al. 1997). However, the Be nature of star 1 of Johnston et al. (1979) was subsequently confirmed by Stevens et al. (1999) from spectra of the source in which double peaked H$`\alpha `$ and weak H$`\beta `$ emission is evident. They therefore concluded that this star is the optical counterpart of H 0544–665.

### 4.1 Light curve

Fig. 3 shows the MACHO project observations of H 0544–665 taken during the period 1993 January 19 to 1997 January 30. The magnitudes were calculated using the absolute calibrations of the MACHO fields (see § 2 for details regarding the acquisition and reduction).

### 4.2 Period analysis

We detrended the V\- and R-band data of H 0544–665 by subtracting a linear fit. We then searched for periodicities in the detrended light curves. The temporal analysis was performed over a frequency range of 1.43x$`10^3`$–1.0 cycle d-1, with a resolution of 1.25x$`10^4`$ cycle d-1.

The LS and PDM periodograms for the R-band data are shown in Fig. 4. The results for the V-band data were less significant. There is one LS peak which lies above the 99% confidence level, however, it is not significant at the 99.9% level. We conclude that there are no significant periodicities present in the light curves of H 0544–665. We determine an upper limit for detection of any short-term (1–100 d) periodicity in the V-band light curve of 0.054 mag semi-amplitude, and 0.075 mag semi-amplitude for the R-band light curve of H 0544–665.

## 5 Colour variations

We constructed V/(V–R) diagrams for EXO 0531–66 and H 0544–665 to investigate the changes in colour as the brightness of the sources vary. From Fig. 5 we can see that as EXO 0531–66 and H 0544–665 brighten their colour becomes redder. This confirms the colour-magnitude correlation found for H 0544–665 by van der Klis et al. (1983). This indicates that the variations in the light curves are likely to be due to variations in the structure of the equatorial disc around the Be star. This is due to the disc being redder in B–V (i.e. cooler) than the Be star (Janot-Pacheco, Motch & Mouchet 1987). Thus, the formation of the equatorial disc will increase the optical brightness of the system by the addition of red light, or it will make the system appear fainter by masking the Be star, behaviour which is dependent on the inclination of the system.

## 6 Spectroscopy

Spectra of the northern component of the double proposed as the optical counterpart of EXO 0531–66 were obtained on the nights of 1998 December 9 and 1998 December 14, using the 1.9 m telescope at SAAO. The detector was a SITe CCD attached to the Grating Spectrograph, using a 1200 line/mm grating, giving a resolution of 1 Å. Two 900 s exposure spectra of the source were obtained on both nights, together with Cu-Ar arc spectra for wavelength calibration and dome flats. Spectra of H 0544–665 (Star 1 of Johnston et al. 1979) were obtained on the nights of 1998 December 11 and 1998 December 12, exactly as for EXO 0531–66.

The spectra were reduced using iraf in a completely standard way. The one-dimensional spectra were extracted from the two-dimensional image using a FWHM aperture to ensure optimum signal-to-noise ratio. As no flux standards were observed, the spectra are presented in raw counts only.

### 6.1 EXO 0531–66

The summed spectra of EXO 0531–66 for each night are shown in Fig. 6 and confirm the presence of H$`\alpha `$ emission as seen by Stevens et al. (1999). It is clear that the H$`\alpha `$ emission profile is changing with time, as shown by the factor $``$2.3 increase in flux from the first night to the second. Balmer emission in the spectra of Be/XRBs is believed to originate in the circumstellar material disc around the Be star (Stevens et al. 1999). The variations in H$`\alpha `$ we observe are most likely due to variations in this disc.

### 6.2 H 0544–665

Due to the poorer quality of the spectra of H 0544–665 we summed all four spectra in order to increase the signal-to-noise (Fig. 7). H$`\alpha `$ emission is evident in the combined spectrum, again confirming the results of Stevens et al. (1999).

## 7 Discussion

To investigate the origins of the brightness variations that we observe in EXO 0531–66 and H 0544–665 it is instructive to consider another Be/XRT, A0535+26. This source has been extensively studied since its discovery in 1975 (Coe et al. 1975; Rosenberg et al. 1975). The system contains a neutron star with a 104 s spin-period in an elliptical orbit of period $``$110.3 d around its O9.7 IIIe companion (Priedhorsky & Terrell 1983; Nagase 1989).

Clark et al. (1999; hereafter C99) analysed 15 years of optical photometry of A0535+26 and compared the variability found with that of the X-ray data taken with BATSE over the same period. As the neutron star accretes material from the circumstellar disc around the Be star, a study of the long-term variability of the envelope can help in the understanding of the source’s X-ray behaviour. A0535+26 was found to be highly variable in the optical over the 15 year period.

C99 performed period searches of the long-term optical light curve of A0535+26. The analysis failed to find any evidence for modulation of the circumstellar envelope at the orbital period identified from the X-ray light curve. However, periods of $``$1400, $``$470 and $``$103 d were found in the optical light curve, but their cause and whether they are coherent over time is unclear. C99 suggest that the changes in the optical light curve are due to the variability in the emission measure of an optically thin circumstellar envelope emitting via free-free and bound-free emission mechanisms. As there was no evidence for optical modulation at the orbital period, C99 concluded that it is unlikely that the periastron passage of the neutron star effects the mass-loss rate from the optical companion. We note however that Hutchings (1984) found that the H$`\beta `$ emission from A0535+26 was modulated on the 111 d period.

We find little evidence for any periodicities in the light curves of EXO 0531–66 and H 0544–665. The orbital periods of Be/XRTs are usually determined from the recurrence period of outbursts, particularly in X-rays. We found a stable period of 421 d for A0538–66 (see Alcock et al. 2001) which we suggest is related to the formation and depletion of the equatorial disc around the Be star, and is certainly not orbital in origin. However, the long-term modulations we observe in the optical light curves of EXO 0531–66 and H 0544–665 are most likely due to non-periodic variations characteristic of Be stars. If stable long-term variations are present in the light curves of EXO 0531–66 and H 0544–665, they are occurring on much longer timescales than presented here.

If it is assumed that the orbital plane of the neutron star and the equatorial plane of the Be star are coincident, then when the neutron star passes through the dense material close to the Be star at periastron, an X-ray flare should be observed. C99 tested this model using their simultaneous optical and X-ray data of A0535+26. If the neutron star is accreting directly from the outflowing circumstellar disc material, the optical and X-ray light curves should be strongly correlated.

C99 did not find any positive correlation between the optical and X-ray data, and concluded that this indicates that the neutron star is not accreting directly from the stellar wind. C99 found that the X-ray outbursts seemed to occur after a period in which the optical light curve was seen to fade. This anti-correlation could represent a discrete episode of disc-loss which occurs radially, the interaction of the neutron star with this material then triggers the X-ray emission. They also observed a case in which an optical outburst was observed with no accompaning X-ray outburst. We find a slight brightening in the optical light curve of EXO 0531–66 at times of recorded X-ray outburst (see Fig 1; Haberl et al. 1995, Burderi et al. 1998). The lack of a strong correlation between the optical and X-ray data could be related to the low optical to X-ray luminosities observed for the sources.

Janot-Pacheco et al. (1987) showed that changes in the emission from the circumstellar disc lead to a correlation between V and (B–V) for A0535+26. C99 confirmed that a correlation exists where the system becomes redder as it brightens, owing to a greater contribution from the cooler disc. We find the same correlation for the MACHO data of EXO 0531–66 and H 0544–665. However, another LMC Be/XRT we have studied, A0538–66, becomes redder as it fades (see Alcock et al. 2001). As the V/(B–V) correlation is dependent on the inclination of the system, this suggests that we are viewing A0535+26, EXO 0531–66 and H 0544–665 at lower inclinations than A0538–66 (see McGowan & Charles 2002).

Clark et al. (1998) investigated the long-term variability of optical spectroscopy of A0535+26. The profile and equivalent width of the H$`\alpha `$ emission line were found to vary considerably over the 7 year period of study. It varied between a single-peaked and double-peaked or asymmetric structure, and the relative intensities of the symmetric and asymmetric profiles varied over time. The asymmetries were characterised by an additional feature in the blue or red shoulder, which was sometimes displaced far enough from the rest wavelength to appear as a separate peak. Clark et al. (1998) conclude that the variability in the H$`\alpha `$ line reflects the changes occurring in the circumstellar envelope, and suggest that the asymmetries observed in the profile are due to the envelope being asymmetric in geometry or density.

## 8 Conclusions

We can confirm the optical identification of EXO 0531–66 with the northern component of the close double from the variability in the light curve, and the H$`\alpha `$ emission that is observed in the spectra. The variability in the emission may be due to changes occurring in the circumstellar envelope as for A0535+26 (Clark et al. 1998). Our H 0544–665 spectrum also shows H$`\alpha `$ emission, but more spectra are required in order to investigate its variability.

Haberl et al. (1995) proposed an orbital period for EXO 0531–66 of 600–700 d. Dennerl et al. (1996) proposed a much shorter period for the source in the range of 4–70 d. We find no variability on these timescales in the MACHO data. We find that the upper limits for a short-term (1–100 d) periodic modulation to be detected in the V\- and R-band light curves of EXO 0531–66 are 0.041 mag and 0.047 mag, respectively, and 0.054 mag and 0.075 mag, respectively, for H 0544–665.

The colour changes for A0535+26, EXO 0531–66 and H 0544–665 are consistent with the systems becoming redder as they brighten owing to the greater contribution from the cooler equatorial disc (Janot-Pacheco et al. 1987). This provides evidence that we are observing the systems at a lower inclination than A0538–66 (see McGowan & Charles 2002). We detected the orbital period in the optical light curve of A0538–66 (see Alcock et al. 2001) which is also seen in X-rays. C99 find no evidence for modulation of the optical light curve of A0535+26 on the X-ray-determined orbital period. Hence, the system inclination may determine whether the orbital period of a Be system is detectable optically, and therefore we may only be able to detect those of EXO 0531–66 and H 0544–665 in X-rays. However, the detection of the orbital period in both optical and X-rays for A0538–66 may be connected to its short orbital period (16.6 d). If this is true, it suggests that the orbital periods for EXO 0531–66 and H 0544–665 are both longer than $``$20 d.

## 9 Acknowledgements

We thank Thebe Medupe for generously obtaining the optical spectra with the SAAO 1.9 m telescope. This paper utilizes public domain data obtained by the MACHO project, jointly funded by the US Department of Energy through the University of California, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract No. 7405-Eng-48, by the National Science Foundation through the Center for Particle Astrophysics of the University of California under cooperative agreement AST-8809616, and by the Mount Stromlo and Siding Spring Observatory, part of the Australian National University.


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# Adaptive Optics Near-Infrared Spectroscopy of the Sgr A* Cluster

## 1 Introduction

The Sgr A\* Cluster is a concentration of faint stars (K $``$ 14 - 16 mag) observed within 0.”5 of Sgr A\*, the compact radio source located at the dynamical center of our Galaxy. Stellar velocities in the central 25 arcsec2 have demonstrated the existence of 2.6 x 106 M of dark mass confined to a volume less than 10-6 pc3, most likely in the form of a central supermassive black hole (Genzel et al. 1997; Ghez et al. 1998). The dynamics of the Sgr A\* Cluster stars are critical for further constraining the location and distribution of the central dark mass to smaller scales. Ghez et al. (2000) used the proper motion accelerations of three Sgr A\* Cluster stars (S0-1, S0-2, and S0-4) to localize the central dark mass to within 0.”05 $`\pm `$ 0.”04 of Sgr A\*, and to increase the implied dark mass density by an order of magnitude compared to that achieved with the proper motion velocities. The dark matter distribution within the orbits of the Sgr A\* Cluster stars can be probed with even greater detail if the radial velocities of the stars can be added to their proper motions, to determine their three-dimensional orbits.

The Sgr A\* Cluster stars can be fit by stars of two different spectral types given their absolute K magnitudes, assuming a distance of 8 kpc (Reid 1993) and 3 mag of K-band extinction to the Galactic Center: 1) early-type ($``$ B) dwarfs, or 2) late-type ($``$ K) giants. If the Sgr A\* Cluster stars are early-type main sequence stars, then they must be relatively young ($`<`$ 20 Myr). This would amplify, by introducing young stars deeper into the potential well, the problem already posed by the presence of the He I stars (tage $``$ 5 Myr; e.g., Krabbe et al. 1995) of how and where young stars that are currently in the proximity of a supermassive black hole are formed (Morris 1993; Sanders 1992).

Due to the high density of stars in the central arcsecond, both high spatial resolution and moderate spectral resolution K-band spectroscopy are required to determine the nature and the radial velocities of the individual Sgr A\* Cluster stars. Thus far no experiment has satisfied both criteria. Genzel et al. (1997) used speckle spectroscopy to obtain high spatial resolution but low spectral resolution ($`\lambda `$/$`\mathrm{\Delta }\lambda `$ $``$ 35) spectra of four stars in the Sgr A\* Cluster. While they did not detect CO bandhead absorption indicative of late type giants, at this low spectral resolution they were also unable to resolve any of the He I and Br$`\gamma `$ features expected from early-type dwarfs. Other experiments, which achieved the necessary moderate spectral resolution ($`\lambda `$/$`\mathrm{\Delta }\lambda `$ $``$ 3000), but only seeing limited spatial resolution ($`\theta _{res}`$ $``$ 0.”3 - 0.”6), provided spectra of the Sgr A\* Cluster stars together as an unresolved cluster (Eckart et al. 1999; Figer et al. 2000). These composite spectra demonstrated a lack of CO bandhead absorption from the northern part of the Sgr A\* Cluster, and a weak detection of CO bandhead absorption from the southern part, constraining the presence of late-type stars in the cluster, and suggesting that the majority of the Sgr A\* Cluster stars are early-type main sequence stars.

Wih NIRSPEC behind adaptive optics on the 10-meter Keck telescope, one can achieve the spatial resolution and strehl ratios needed to obtain moderate-resolution (R $``$ 2600) spectra of these stars individually. Thus, for the first time, we have in principle the capability of determining the spectral types and the radial velocities of the Sgr A\* Cluster stars in the immediate vicinity of our Galaxy’s central black hole. The data obtained improve considerably on previous measures of the K-band spectra of a few of these stars, but the presumably weak absorption lines expected for OB main sequence stars remain below our detection threshold, perhaps confused in part by local gas emission in the same lines. This paper describes this important, but difficult experiment in detail, in anticipation of continued efforts to push this technique to the requisite sensitivity level.

## 2 Observations

Simultaneous K-band (2.0 - 2.4 $`\mu `$m ) spectra and images of stars in the Sgr A\* Cluster were obtained with the facility near-infrared spectrometer NIRSPEC (McLean et al. 1998, 2000) behind the adaptive optics (AO) system (Wizinowich et al. 2000) on the W.M. Keck II 10-meter telescope during three nights of observations on 2000 June 20-22 (UT). Near-diffraction-limited spatial resolution was achieved with adaptive optics using the R = 13.2 mag natural guide star located 30” NE from Sgr A\*. The observed AO point spread function (PSF) was composed of a near-diffraction-limited core on top of a seeing halo of FWHM $``$ 0.”25 - 0.”30. Figure 1 shows the FWHM of the PSF’s core and the fraction of energy it contained during the spectroscopic observations. The measurements were made with a 0.”5 radius aperture on the bright star IRS 16C in the tint = 10 sec images of the central 4.4” x 4.4” taken with the slit viewing camera (SCAM), plate scale = 0.0171”/pixel. The nights of June 20 and 21 had similar spectroscopic conditions, with the PSF containing a median of $``$ 30% of the total energy in a 0.”09 core. The night of June 22 had somewhat worse conditions for spectroscopy, with the PSF containing a median of $``$ 25% of the total energy in a 0.”1 core.

Spectra were obtained with SPEC, which contains a 1024$`\times `$1024 InSb array, using a 2-pixel-wide slit (3.96” x 0.036”) in low-resolution mode, resulting in a moderate spectral resolution of $`\lambda `$/$`\mathrm{\Delta }\lambda `$ $``$ 2600. Figure 2 shows the position of the slit on the Sgr A\* Cluster for each night of observations. On June 20 the slit was centered on S0-16 222New sources named using the convention from Ghez et al. (1998)., a new and variable source coincident with the position of Sgr A\* detected by Ghez et al. (2002), and on June 21 and 22 the slit was centered on the Sgr A\* Cluster stars S0-1 and S0-2 together. Table 1 lists the five stars in the Sgr A\* Cluster observed under the slit (S0-1, S0-2, S0-16, S0-17, and S0-18), their projected distance from Sgr A\*, K magnitude, date they were observed, total integration time, and the signal-to-noise ratio per pixel of the extracted spectrum for each night of observations. The slit was aligned so that the bright star IRS 16NW (K = 10.1 mag) was in the slit for each tint = 300 sec exposure, in order for the exposures to be easily shifted and added together in post-processing of the data. Spectra were also obtained of Tau Sco (B0-V) and HD 203638 (K0-III) for spectral standards, and BS7105 (B8-V) and BS7194 (A2-III) for telluric standards.

## 3 Data Reduction and Analysis

The following standard data reduction routines were performed using JIP, an analysis package developed by James Larkin (Larkin 1996): 1) Observations of a “dark spot” of sky relatively devoid of stars 180” East and 65” South of Sgr A\* were subtracted from each spectrum to remove the atmospheric and instrumental background, 2) the spectra were spatially dewarped, 3) the spectra were wavelength calibrated using a spectral map constructed from neon arc lamps, and 4) the spectra were divided by spectra of telluric standard stars in order to correct for atmospheric absorption features in the spectra. The telluric standard spectra, featureless in the K-band except for Br$`\gamma `$ absorption, were continuum corrected (i.e., divided by a blackbody of the same temperature), normalized, and their Br$`\gamma `$ absorption feature removed by linear interpolation.

Due to the large number of bad pixels in the spectrometer array, an additional bad pixel removal routine was performed on the reduced exposures. In order to account for fluctuations of pixel fluxes between exposures due to varying seeing conditions and AO performance, and to take advantage of dithering between exposures, bad pixels were identified by looking at the ratio of pixel fluxes in an exposure to the median in the stack of exposures. Pixels with flux ratios outside of 3 $`\sigma `$ for an exposure, were replaced by the mean flux ratio times the median flux of that pixel in the stack.

To ensure the best atmosphere and instrumental correction, spectra were reduced using all possible combinations of telluric standard stars and dark spot exposures obtained each night. The best matched telluric standard star and dark spot exposure was determined by the signal-to-noise ratios of the final extracted spectra. The signal-to-noise of the continuum for each star was measured in the wavelength range from 2.18 to 2.28 $`\mu `$m , where the spectra presumably lack stellar features. This large range of wavelengths was used in order for the signal-to-noise calculation to include noise from systematic errors due to poor telluric absorption and emission correction.

In order to maximize the signal-to-noise of the faint Sgr A\* Cluster stellar spectra, the reduced exposures were weighted by the peak of IRS 16NW (integrated from 2.20 to 2.28 $`\mu `$m ) in each exposure before being summed together, so that the exposures with the highest strehl ratios contributed the most to the final averaged 2D spectrum. The peak flux of IRS 16NW in each spectroscopic exposure varied during the observing nights due to changes in AO performance, seeing conditions, and centering of the slit. Figure 3 shows the final 2D spectra for each night, and figure 4 shows the spatial profile of the Sgr A\* Cluster stars and the astronomical sky background level in the final 2D spectra averaged from 2.20 to 2.28 $`\mu `$m , in average counts per pixel. It is evident from the poor quality of the June 22 spectrum that, in addition to the total integration time, the signal-to-noise ratios of the final spectra are very sensitive to the strehl ratios of the individual exposures.

A 1D spectrum for each star was extracted from the final 2D spectrum from each night by carrying out a weighted average across $``$ 0.”2 in the spatial direction, centered on the peak of the star, by weights set by the PSF profile of IRS 16NW as measured in the 2D spectrum. 1D spectra of the astronomical sky background of unresolved stars and gas, henceforth referred to as the ’sky’, in the region between IRS 16NW and S0-16 on June 20, and the region between IRS 16NW and S0-2 on June 21 and June 22, were also extracted by averaging across the same width in the spatial direction. The signal-to-noise ratios of the spectra extracted from the June 22 spectrum are comparable to the signal-to-noise of the sky (S/Npix $``$ 10), so they were not used in this analysis. Figure 5 shows the 1D spectra extracted for the Sgr A\* Cluster stars observed on June 20 and June 21, compared to the sky spectrum extracted each night. The spectral features expected in early-type stars (He I and Br$`\gamma `$) and late-type stars (CO bandheads) are labeled with tick marks. The feature at 2.316 $`\mu `$m , seen in emission on June 20 and in absorption on June 21 for all of the Sgr A\* Cluster stars and the sky background, is an atmosphere line that was not completely removed in the data reduction. Figure 6 shows spectra obtained of two bright stars in the central parsec which show the strong spectral features in the K-band characteristic of early-type He I stars (IRS 16NW) and late-type supergiant stars (IRS 7).

## 4 Results

### 4.1 Late-type spectral features: CO bandhead absorption

CO bandhead absorption is easily identified in late-type stars because of its distinctive line shape and bandhead spacing. In order to identify CO bandheads in the low signal-to-noise spectra of the Sgr A\* Cluster stars, and to measure their radial velocity shifts, the extracted spectrum of each star was cross-correlated with the spectrum of the observed K0-III spectral standard, HD 203638. Figure 7 shows the cross-correlations for the wavelength range from 2.29 to 2.37 $`\mu `$m , which includes the 12CO (2,0), 12CO (3,1), and the 12CO (4,2) absorption bandheads, for each of the Sgr A\* Cluster stars observed (solid line) in comparison to the cross-correlation for the sky on the same night of observations (dotted line). The K0-III standard spectrum and the Sgr A\* Cluster spectra were normalized and the slope of the continuum in this wavelength range was removed before the cross-correlation. Three of the Sgr A\* Cluster stars, S0-1, S0-2, and S0-16, show no significant cross-correlation peaks with the K0-III standard spectrum above the sky background. S0-17 and S0-18, on the other hand, show 7 $`\sigma `$ and 5 $`\sigma `$ cross-correlation peaks respectively with the K0-III spectrum, where 1 $`\sigma `$ is determined by the standard deviation of the cross-correlation for the sky for that night of observations. In order to not include the negative peak in the sky cross-correlation attributed to the atmosphere line at 2.316 $`\mu `$m , only the portion of the sky cross-correlation with positive pixel shifts was used to determine 1 $`\sigma `$. It should be noted that the cross-correlations for S0-17 and S0-18 peak at the same pixel shift. This may point to the cross-correlation peaks as being the result of features in the spectra not intrinsic to the stars (i.e. features due to atmosphere lines, or systematic errors introduced in the data reduction process). However, the other Sgr A\* Cluster stars (S0-1, S0-2, and S0-16) do not show significant correlation peaks at this pixel shift, making it hard to attribute the cross-correlation peaks for S0-17 and S0-18 to systematic features in the spectra. Assuming that the CO features are real, we derived a radial velocity of -66 $`\pm `$ 17 km/s for S0-17 and -76 $`\pm `$ 13 km/s for S0-18. The velocity shifts were measured by the peak of the gaussian fit to the cross-correlation peak, and the error was determined by the jack-knife resampling method (Babu & Feigelson 1996), in which random half sets of data were cross-correlated with the K0-III spectrum, and the dispersion of these velocity fits from the original velocity shift is the 1 $`\sigma `$ error.

In addition to cross-correlation as a method for identifying CO bandhead absorption, absorption strengths for the three strongest bandheads in this wavelength range, 12CO (2,0), 12CO (3,1), and 12CO (4,2), were measured for the stars that showed cross-correlation peaks with the K0-III standard (S0-17 and S0-18), at the appropriate wavelengths determined by the velocity shift of the peak of the cross-correlation. Absorption strengths were also measured for the sky at those wavelengths to estimate upper limits on absorption strengths due to systematic errors. Absorption strengths for the CO bandheads, \[(1 - FCO/Fcont) x 100\], were measured using a bandwidth of $`\mathrm{\Delta }\lambda `$ = 0.0055 $`\mu `$m for the CO absorption and continuum fluxes, where the continuum was measured to the left of the first CO bandhead at 2.29 $`\mu `$m , in order to match the methods used in the Kleinmann and Hall (1986) 2.0 - 2.5 $`\mu `$m spectral atlas of late-type standard stars. The spectra were divided by the slope of the continuum from 2.00 to 2.29 $`\mu `$m before measuring absorption strengths, so that the slopes of the spectra would be comparable to the flat spectra in Kleinmann and Hall (1986) which were directly ratioed by a telluric reference star that was not corrected for its continuum. The statistical error in the absorption strength measurements was estimated by the jack-knife resampling method. Figure 8 shows the CO bandhead absorption strengths with 1 $`\sigma `$ error bars for S0-17 and S0-18, in comparison to the sky for that night of observations, the observed K0-III standard HD 203638 (plotted with diamonds), and the K0-III standard i Cep from Kleinmann and Hall (1986) (plotted with triangles). Table 2 lists the absorption strengths measured for S0-17 and S0-18.

S0-17 and S0-18 both have significant 12CO (2,0), 12CO (3,1), and 12CO (4,2) absorption strengths consistent with a K0 giant (within 3 $`\sigma `$) as measured for both the Kleinmann and Hall (1986) K0-III standard, and the K0-III standard observed in this analysis. The CO absorption cannot be attributed to systematic errors, since the sky background demonstrates very little or no absorption at these same wavelengths. The absorption strength measurements, in combination with the cross-correlation peaks with the K0-III giant spectrum, are suggestive evidence that S0-17 and S0-18 are in fact late-type giants. The other sources, S0-1, S0-2, and S0-16, have higher signal-to-noise spectra than S0-17 and S0-18, and are uncorrelated with the K0-III spectrum, strongly suggesting that these stars lack CO bandhead absorption, and therefore do not appear to be late-type stars.

### 4.2 Early-type spectral features: He I and $`Br\gamma `$

In addition to a lack of CO bandhead absorption, early-type main sequence stars can be identified by their He I absorption lines at 2.058 $`\mu `$m and 2.113 $`\mu `$m , and H I Br$`\gamma `$ absorption line at 2.166 $`\mu `$m . In the Hanson et al. (1996) 2 $`\mu `$m spectral atlas of hot, luminous stars, the strongest feature in the K-band spectra of late O - early B main sequence stars is the H I Br$`\gamma `$ absorption line. This also appears to be the line most sensitive to stellar temperature, as the Br$`\gamma `$ absorption equivalent width monotonically increases from 1 $`\AA `$ for an O5 star up to 7 $`\AA `$ for a B5 star. The He I lines at 2.058 $`\mu `$m and 2.113 $`\mu `$m , on the other hand, have weak absorption equivalent widths ($``$ 1 $`\AA `$) in this range of spectral types, and their strengths do not have an obvious dependence on temperature. In the spectral class range we are interested in for the Sgr A\* Cluster, the Br$`\gamma `$ line appears to be the most useful diagnostic for spectral classification. Unfortunately, the Sgr A\* Cluster spectra are heavily contaminated at 2.166 $`\mu `$m by Br$`\gamma `$ emission from ionized gas in the region. This is demonstrated in the 2D spectrum on June 20 and June 21 (Figure 4), where Br$`\gamma `$ is seen in emission across the spectrum. At this spectral resolution, we cannot separate out any Br$`\gamma `$ absorption intrinsic to the Sgr A\* Cluster stars that may be veiled by the strong background gas emission. We can, however, estimate the strength of the stellar Br$`\gamma `$ line by first subtracting out the flux of Br $`\gamma `$ emission from the sky background, and then measuring the residual flux in the stellar spectrum. The Br$`\gamma `$ line equivalent widths were measured at 2.166 $`\mu `$m using a bandwidth of $`\mathrm{\Delta }\lambda `$ = 0.02 $`\mu `$m , in order to allow for doppler shifts of the lines from the rest wavelength of up to $`\pm `$ 1500 km/s. Table 2 lists the resulting Br$`\gamma `$ line equivalent widths measured for the Sgr A\* Cluster stars after the line emission from the sky has been subtracted out, with 1 $`\sigma `$ error bars determined by the jack-knife resampling method.

Within 2 $`\sigma `$, S0-17 and S0-18 do not demonstrate Br$`\gamma `$ absorption in their spectra, consistent with their classification as early K giants. A suggestion of residual Br$`\gamma `$ emission can be attributed to the incomplete removal of contributions from the background gas emission. The spectra of stars lacking CO absorption, S0-1, S0-2, and S0-16, have Br$`\gamma `$ equivalent widths that are within the range measured for late O - early B main sequence stars (within 2 $`\sigma `$). However, given the large errors in the equivalent widths measured for the Sgr A\* Cluster stars, 1 $`\sigma `$ $``$ 2$`\AA `$, and the uncertainties in subtraction of the background gas contamination, the Br$`\gamma `$ measurements are not statistically significant and therefore are not conclusive enough to classify or rule out that these stars are early-type. In addition, difficulties in measuring lines in this region of the spectrum arise from uncertainties in the removal of the Br$`\gamma `$ absorption line in the telluric standard spectrum. Hanson et al. (1996) emphasize that this is their largest source of systematic error in their Br$`\gamma `$ line equivalent widths.

The He I 2.058 $`\mu `$m line is also contaminated by emission from background ionized He I gas. However, even without the difficulties introduced by background gas emission, both He I lines at 2.058 $`\mu `$m and 2.113 $`\mu `$m have absorption strengths in normal stars that are intrinsically too low to be detected in the Sgr A\* Cluster spectra, which have equivalent width errors up to 3 $`\AA `$. The very low signal-to-noise ratios of the Sgr A\* Cluster spectra, and the strong contamination by background gas emission makes identification of early-type spectral features intrinsic to the stars in the spectra infeasible at this time.

## 5 Discussion & Conclusions

The velocities of the Sgr A\* Cluster stars can be used to determine an upper limit to their current distances from the central black hole by assuming that the stars are in a bound orbit, and thus that r $`<`$ 2GMbh/v2. Combining the radial velocities for S0-17 and S0-18 reported in Table 2, with their proper motions (Ghez et al. 2002), we derive three-dimensional velocities of 730 and 320 km/sec, respectively, which bounds their positions to within 0.04 and 0.22 pc. This makes them both likely members of the Sgr A\* Cluster, which has a projected radius of 0.02 pc.

The three dimensional velocities measured for S0-17 and S0-18 cannot be used to better constrain the density of the enclosed central dark mass, because their radial distances are greater than the smallest radius of 0.015 pc measured by the proper motion experiment of Ghez et al. (1998). However, if the radial velocities of the three stars identified as early-type (S0-1, S0-2, S0-16) could be measured with future higher spectral resolution spectroscopy sensitive to the He I and Br$`\gamma `$ absorption lines expected to be present in these stars, then their 3D velocities could constrain the central dark mass density down to radii $`<`$ 0.0075 pc, and further establish the configuration of the central dark matter distribution as a central supermassive black hole, as opposed to a cluster of stellar remnants, or other more exotic forms of dark matter.

The lack of CO bandhead absorption in the moderate resolution spectra of S0-1, S0-2, and S0-16 is direct evidence that these stars are not late-type stars, and with their absolute K magnitudes, that they may be late O - early B main sequence stars with ages less than 20 Myr. The existence of young stars in the immediate vicinity of a central supermassive black hole is surprising, considering the extreme conditions expected to inhibit star formation in such an environment. Morris (1993) discusses how the strong magnetic fields ($``$ mG), large turbulent velocities (v $``$ 10 km/s), high temperatures, and the large tidal forces induced by the central black hole in the Galactic Center would only enable star formation in gas clouds of very high densities. Gas near the Galactic Center would have to be compressed to densities 5 orders of magnitude higher than the densities currently inferred for nearby gas in order to avoid tidal disruption and be able to gravitationally collapse to form stars. Such a large density might be accomplished by a violent compression of gas clouds caused by cloud collisions, stellar winds, supernova shocks, or the violent release of accretion energy by the black hole. Alternatively, the presence of early-type stars in the Sgr A\* Cluster might be explained by dynamical friction acting on a massive young star cluster which formed at a substantial distance from the black hole and which migrates into the central parsec on a time scale less than the lifetime of these relatively massive stars (Gerhard 2000, Kim & Morris 2002).

K-band spectra of five stars in the Sgr A\* Cluster demonstrate that this concentration of faint stars mainly contains young, late O - early B main sequence stars, consistent with the low spectral resolution results of Genzel et al. (1997) and the low spatial resolution results of Eckart et al. (1999) and Figer et al. (2000), along with a small number of older K giants. The close proximity of the young stars in the Sgr A\* Cluster to the 2.6 x 106 M black hole, is an interesting challenge for either star formation theory or dynamical theory. In either case, more can be learned about the star formation history of the Galactic Center, and about the detailed dark mass distribution there, if the spectral types and radial velocities of the Sgr A\* Cluster stars can be unambiguously determined. This may be possible with future, higher spectral resolution adaptive optics spectroscopy.

This work has been supported by the National Science Foundation Science (NSF) and Technology Center for Adaptive Optics, managed by the University of California at Santa Cruz under cooperative agreement No. AST-9876783, by individual NSF grant No. AST-9988397, and by the Packard Foundation.