194 research outputs found
First evidence of a magnetic field on Vega. Towards a new class of magnetic A-type stars
We report the detection of a magnetic field on Vega through
spectropolarimetric observations. We acquired 257 Stokes V, high
signal-to-noise and high-resolution echelle spectra during four consecutive
nights with the NARVAL spectropolarimeter at the 2-m Telescope Bernard Lyot of
Observatoire du Pic du Midi (France). A circularly polarized signal in line
profiles is unambiguously detected after combining the contribution of about
1200 spectral lines for each spectrum and summing the signal over the 257
spectra. Due to the low amplitude of the polarized signal, various tests have
been performed to discard the possibility of a spurious polarized signal. They
all point towards a stellar origin of the polarized signal. Interpreting this
polarization as a Zeeman signature leads to a value of G for the
disk-averaged line-of-sight component of the surface magnetic field. This is
the first strong evidence of a magnetic field in an A-type star which is not an
Ap chemically peculiar star. Moreover, this longitudinal magnetic field is
smaller by about two orders of magnitude than the longitudinal magnetic field
(taken at its maximum phase) of the most weakly magnetic Ap stars. Magnetic
fields similar to the Vega magnetic field could be present but still undetected
in many other A-type stars.Comment: 4 pages, accepted for publication as a Letter in Astronomy &
Astrophysic
The different origins of magnetic fields and activity in the Hertzsprung gap stars, OU Andromedae and 31 Comae
Context: When crossing the Hertzsprung gap, intermediate-mass stars develop a
convective envelope. Fast rotators on the main sequence, or Ap star
descendants, are expected to become magnetic active subgiants during this
evolutionary phase. Aims: We compare the surface magnetic fields and activity
indicators of two active, fast rotating red giants with similar masses and
spectral class but diferent rotation rates - OU And (Prot=24.2 d) and 31 Com
(Prot=6.8 d) - to address the question of the origin of their magnetism and
high activity.
Methods: Observations were carried out with the Narval spectropolarimeter in
2008 and 2013.We used the least squares deconvolution technique to extract
Stokes V and I profiles to detect Zeeman signatures of the magnetic field of
the stars. We provide Zeeman-Doppler imaging, activity indicator monitoring,
and a precise estimation of stellar parameters. We use stellar evolutionary
models to infer the evolutionary status and the initial rotation velocity on
the main sequence.
Results: The detected magnetic field of OU And is a strong one. Its
longitudinal component Bl reaches 40 G and presents an about sinusoidal
variation with reversal of the polarity. The magnetic topology of OU And is
dominated by large scale elements and is mainly poloidal with an important
dipole component, and a significant toroidal component. The detected magnetic
field of 31 Com is weaker, with a magnetic map showing a more complex field
geometry, and poloidal and toroidal components of equal contributions. The
evolutionary models show that the progenitors of OU And and 31 Com must have
been rotat
Conclusions: OU And appears to be the probable descendant of a magnetic Ap
star, and 31 Com the descendant of a relatively fast rotator on the main
sequence.Comment: 16 pages, 12 figure
A dominant magnetic dipole for the evolved Ap star candidate EK Eridani
EK Eri is one of the most slowly rotating active giants known, and has been
proposed to be the descendant of a strongly magnetic Ap star. We have performed
a spectropolarimetric study of EK Eri over 4 photometric periods with the aim
of inferring the topology of its magnetic field. We used the NARVAL
spectropolarimeter at the Bernard Lyot telescope at the Pic du Midi
Observatory, along with the least-squares deconvolution method, to extract high
signal-to-noise ratio Stokes V profiles from a timeseries of 28 polarisation
spectra. We have derived the surface-averaged longitudinal magnetic field Bl.
We fit the Stokes V profiles with a model of the large-scale magnetic field and
obtained Zeeman Doppler images of the surface magnetic strength and geometry.
Bl variations of up to about 80 G are observed without any reversal of its
sign, and which are in phase with photometric ephemeris. The activity
indicators are shown to vary smoothly on a timescale compatible with the
rotational period inferred from photometry (308.8 d.), however large deviations
can occur from one rotation to another. The surface magnetic field variations
of EK Eri appear to be dominated by a strong magnetic spot (of negative
polarity) which is phased with the dark (cool) photometric spot. Our modeling
shows that the large-scale magnetic field of EK Eri is strongly poloidal. For a
rotational axis inclination of i = 60{\deg}, we obtain a model that is almost
purely dipolar. In the dipolar model, the strong magnetic/photometric spot
corresponds to the negative pole of the dipole, which could be the remnant of
that of an Ap star progenitor of EK Eri. Our observations and modeling
conceptually support this hypothesis, suggesting an explanation of the
outstanding magnetic properties of EK Eri as the result of interaction between
deep convection and the remnant of an Ap star magnetic dipole.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy &
Astrophysic
Search for surface magnetic fields in Mira stars. First detection in chi Cyg
In order to complete the knowledge of the magnetic field and of its influence
during the transition from Asymptotic Giant Branch to Planetary Nebulae stages,
we have undertaken a search for magnetic fields at the surface of Mira stars.
We used spectropolarimetric observations, collected with the Narval instrument
at TBL, in order to detect - with Least Squares Deconvolution method - a Zeeman
signature in the visible part of the spectrum. We present the first
spectropolarimetric observations of the S-type Mira star chi Cyg, performed
around its maximum light. We have detected a polarimetric signal in the Stokes
V spectra and we have established its Zeeman origin. We claim that it is likely
to be related to a weak magnetic field present at the photospheric level and in
the lower part of the stellar atmosphere. We have estimated the strength of its
longitudinal component to about 2-3 Gauss. This result favors a 1/r law for the
variation of the magnetic field strength across the circumstellar envelope of
chi Cyg. This is the first detection of a weak magnetic field at the stellar
surface of a Mira star and we discuss its origin in the framework of shock
waves periodically propagating throughout the atmosphere of these radially
pulsating stars. At the date of our observations of chi Cyg, the shock wave
reaches its maximum intensity, and it is likely that the shock amplifies a weak
stellar magnetic field during its passage through the atmosphere. Without such
an amplification by the shock, the magnetic field strength would have been too
low to be detected. For the first time, we also report strong Stokes Q and U
signatures (linear polarization) centered onto the zero velocity (i.e., at the
shock front position). They seem to indicate that the radial direction would be
favored by the shock during its propagation throughout the atmosphere.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures accepted by Astronomy and Astrophysics (21
November 2013
Long-term magnetic field stability of Vega
We present new spectropolarimetric observations of the normal A-type star
Vega, obtained during the summer of 2010 with NARVAL at T\'elescope Bernard
Lyot (Pic du Midi Observatory). This new time-series is constituted of 615
spectra collected over 6 different nights. We use the
Least-Square-Deconvolution technique to compute, from each spectrum, a mean
line profile with a signal-to-noise ratio close to 20,000. After averaging all
615 polarized observations, we detect a circularly polarized Zeeman signature
consistent in shape and amplitude with the signatures previously reported from
our observations of 2008 and 2009. The surface magnetic geometry of the star,
reconstructed using the technique of Zeeman-Doppler Imaging, agrees with the
maps obtained in 2008 and 2009, showing that most recognizable features of the
photospheric field of Vega are only weakly distorted by large-scale surface
flows (differential rotation or meridional circulation).Comment: Proceedings of the conference "Stellar polarimetry: from birth to
death", 2011 Jun 27-30, Madiso
Long-term spectropolarimetric monitoring of the cool supergiant Betelgeuse
We report on a long-term monitoring of the cool supergiant Betelgeuse, using
the NARVAL and ESPaDOnS high-resolution spectropolarimeters, respectively
installed at Telescope Bernard Lyot (Pic du Midi Observatory, France) and at
the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (Mauna Kea Observatory, Hawaii). The data
set, constituted of circularly polarized (Stokes V) and intensity (Stokes I)
spectra, was collected between 2010 and 2012. We investigate here the temporal
evolution of magnetic field, convection and temperature at photospheric level,
using simultaneous measurements of the longitudinal magnetic field component,
the core emission of the Ca II infrared triplet, the line-depth ratio of
selected photospheric lines and the radial velocity of the star.Comment: Proceedings of the Betelgeuse Workshop, Paris, 26-29 Nov 201
Magnetic fields in single late-type giants in the Solar vicinity: How common is magnetic activity on the giant branches?
We present our first results on a new sample containing all single G,K and M
giants down to V = 4 mag in the Solar vicinity, suitable for
spectropolarimetric (Stokes V) observations with Narval at TBL, France. For
detection and measurement of the magnetic field (MF), the Least Squares
Deconvolution (LSD) method was applied (Donati et al. 1997) that in the present
case enables detection of large-scale MFs even weaker than the solar one (the
typical precision of our longitudinal MF measurements is 0.1-0.2 G). The
evolutionary status of the stars is determined on the basis of the evolutionary
models with rotation (Lagarde et al. 2012; Charbonnel et al., in prep.) and
fundamental parameters given by Massarotti et al. (1998). The stars appear to
be in the mass range 1-4 M_sun, situated at different evolutionary stages after
the Main Sequence (MS), up to the Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB). The sample
contains 45 stars. Up to now, 29 stars are observed (that is about 64 % of the
sample), each observed at least twice. For 2 stars in the Hertzsprung gap, one
is definitely Zeeman detected. Only 5 G and K giants, situated mainly at the
base of the Red Giant Branch (RGB) and in the He-burning phase are detected.
Surprisingly, a lot of stars ascending towards the RGB tip and in early AGB
phase are detected (8 of 13 observed stars). For all Zeeman detected stars v
sin i is redetermined and appears in the interval 2-3 km/s, but few giants with
MF possess larger v sin i.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, Proceedings IAU Symposium No. 302, 201
Lithium and magnetic fields in giants. HD 232862 : a magnetic and lithium-rich giant star
We report the detection of an unusually high lithium content in HD 232862, a
field giant classified as a G8II star, and hosting a magnetic field. With the
spectropolarimeters ESPaDOnS at CFHT and NARVAL at TBL, we have collected high
resolution and high signal-to-noise spectra of three giants : HD 232862, KU Peg
and HD 21018. From spectral synthesis we have inferred stellar parameters and
measured lithium abundances that we have compared to predictions from
evolutionary models. We have also analysed Stokes V signatures, looking for a
magnetic field on these giants. HD 232862, presents a very high abundance of
lithium (ALi = 2.45 +/- 0.25 dex), far in excess of the theoretically value
expected at this spectral type and for this luminosity class (i.e, G8II). The
evolutionary stage of HD 232862 has been precised, and it suggests a mass in
the lower part of the [1.0 Msun ; 3.5 Msun ] mass interval, likely 1.5 to 2.0
solar mass, at the bottom of the Red Giant Branch. Besides, a time variable
Stokes V signature has been detected in the data of HD 232862 and KU Peg,
pointing to the presence of a magnetic field at the surface of these two
rapidly rotating active stars.Comment: 11 pages, 9 figures ; accepted by Astronomy and Astrophysic
No detection of large-scale magnetic fields at the surfaces of Am and HgMn stars
We investigate the magnetic dichotomy between Ap/Bp and other A-type stars by
carrying out a deep spectropolarimetric study of Am and HgMn stars. Using the
NARVAL spectropolarimeter at the Telescope Bernard Lyot (Observatoire du Pic du
Midi, France), we obtained high-resolution circular polarisation spectroscopy
of 12 Am stars and 3 HgMn stars. Using Least Squares Deconvolution (LSD), no
magnetic field is detected in any of the 15 observed stars. Uncertaintiies as
low as 0.3 G (respectively 1 G) have been reached for surface-averaged
longitudinal magnetic field measurements for Am (respectively HgMn) stars.
Associated with the results obtained previously for Ap/Bp stars, our study
confirms the existence of a magnetic dichotomy among A-type stars. Our data
demonstrate that there is at least one order of magnitude difference in field
strength between Zeeman detected stars (Ap/Bp stars) and non Zeeman detected
stars (Am and HgMn stars). This result confirms that the
spectroscopically-defined Ap/Bp stars are the only A-type stars harbouring
detectable large-scale surface magnetic fields.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in A&
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