45 research outputs found
A search for diffuse bands in the circumstellar envelopes of post-AGB stars
In this work we present the results of a systematic search for diffuse bands
(DBs, hereafter) in the circumstellar envelopes of a carefully selected sample
of post-AGB stars. We concentrated on the analysis of 9 of the DBs most
commonly found in the interstellar medium. The strength of these features is
determined using high resolution optical spectroscopy and the results obtained
are compared with literature data on field stars affected only by interstellar
reddening. Based on the weak features observed in the subsample of post-AGB
stars dominated by circumstellar reddening we conclude that the carrier(s) of
these DBs must not be present in the circumstellar environment of these
sources, or at least not under the excitation conditions in which DBs are
formed. The conclusion is applicable to all the post-AGB stars studied,
irrespective of the dominant chemistry or the spectral type of the star
considered. A detailed radial velocity analysis of the features observed in
individual sources confirms this result, as the Doppler shifts measured are
found to be consistent with an interstellar origin.Comment: Accepted for A&
Three-Dimensional Spectral Classification of Low-Metallicity Stars Using Artificial Neural Networks
We explore the application of artificial neural networks (ANNs) for the
estimation of atmospheric parameters (Teff, logg, and [Fe/H]) for Galactic F-
and G-type stars. The ANNs are fed with medium-resolution (~ 1-2 A) non
flux-calibrated spectroscopic observations. From a sample of 279 stars with
previous high-resolution determinations of metallicity, and a set of (external)
estimates of temperature and surface gravity, our ANNs are able to predict Teff
with an accuracy of ~ 135-150 K over the range 4250 <= Teff <= 6500 K, logg
with an accuracy of ~ 0.25-0.30 dex over the range 1.0 <= logg <= 5.0 dex, and
[Fe/H] with an accuracy ~ 0.15-0.20 dex over the range -4.0 <= [Fe/H] <= +0.3.
Such accuracies are competitive with the results obtained by fine analysis of
high-resolution spectra. It is noteworthy that the ANNs are able to obtain
these results without consideration of photometric information for these stars.
We have also explored the impact of the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) on the
behavior of ANNs, and conclude that, when analyzed with ANNs trained on spectra
of commensurate S/N, it is possible to extract physical parameter estimates of
similar accuracy with stellar spectra having S/N as low as 13. Taken together,
these results indicate that the ANN approach should be of primary importance
for use in present and future large-scale spectroscopic surveys.Comment: 51 pages, 11 eps figures, uses aastex; to appear in Ap
Abundance Analysis of HE2148-1247, A Star With Extremely Enhanced Neutron Capture Elements
Abundances for 27 elements in the very metal poor dwarf star HE2148-1247 are
presented, including many of the neutron capture elements. We establish that
HE2148-1247 is a very highly s-process enhanced star with anomalously high Eu
as well, Eu/H about half Solar, demonstrating the large addition of heavy
nuclei at [Fe/H] = -2.3 dex. Ba and La are enhanced by a somewhat larger factor
and reach the solar abundance, while Pb significantly exceeds it. Ba/Eu is ten
times the solar r-process ratio but much less than that of the s-process,
indicating a substantial r-process addition as well. C and N are also very
highly enhanced. We have found that HE2148-1247 is a radial velocity variable.
The C, N and the s-process element enhancements thus presumably were produced
through mass transfer from a former AGB binary companion. The large enhancement
of heavy r-nuclides also requires an additional source as this is far above any
inventory in the ISM at such low [Fe/H]. We further hypothesize that accretion
onto the white dwarf from the envelope of the star caused accretion induced
collapse of the white dwarf, forming a neutron star, which then produced heavy
r-nuclides and again contaminated its companion. (abridged)Comment: Accepted by the Astrophysical Journal. Companion paper by Qian and
Wasserburg follow
New Spectroscopic Observations of the Post-AGB Star V354Lac=IRAS22272+5435
The strongest absorption features with the lower-level excitation potentials
eV are found to be split in the high-resolution optical
spectra of the post-AGB star V354 Lac taken in 2007--2008. Main parameters,
T=5650 K, =0.2, =5.0 km/s, and the abundances of 22
chemical elements in the star's atmosphere are found. The overabundance of the
-process chemical elements (Ba, La, Ce, Nd) in the star's atmosphere is
partly due to the splitting of strong lines of the ions of these metals. The
peculiarities of the spectrum in the wavelength interval containing the LiI
6707 \AA{} line can be naturally explained only by taking the
overabundances of the CeII and SmII heavy-metal ions into account. The best
agreement with the synthetic spectrum is achieved assuming (LiI)=2.0,
(CeII)=3.2, and (SmII)=2.7. The velocity field both in the
atmosphere and in the circumstellar envelope of V354 Lac remained stationary
throughout the last 15 years of our observations.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures, 2 table
Spectroscopic Analysis of Two Carbon Rich Post-AGB Stars
The chemical compositions of the C-rich pAGB stars IRAS 05113+1347 and IRAS
22272+5424 are determined from high-resolution optical spectra using standard
LTE model atmosphere-based techniques. The stars are C, N, and -process
enriched suggesting efficient operation of the third-dredge up in the AGB star
following a first dredge-up that increased the N abundance. Lithium is present
with an abundance requiring Li manufacture. With this pair, abundance analyses
are now available for 11 C-rich pAGBs. A common history is indicated and, in
particular, the -abundances, especially the relative abundances of light to
heavy -process elements, follow recent predictions for the third dredge-up
in AGB stars.Comment: 41 pages (including 10 figs). 2001, ApJ, Accepte
Spectropolarimetry of the Massive Post-Red Supergiants IRC +10420 and HD 179821
We present medium resolution spectropolarimetry and long term
photo-polarimetry of two massive post-red supergiants, IRC +10420 and HD
179821. The data provide new information on their circumstellar material as
well as their evolution. In IRC +10420, the polarization of the Halpha line is
different to that of the continuum, which indicates that the
electron-scattering region is not spherically symmetric. The observed long term
changes in the polarimetry can be associated with an axi-symmetric structure,
along the short axis of the extended reflection nebulosity. Long term
photometry reveals that the star increased in temperature until the
mid-nineties, after which the photospheric flux in the optical levelled off. As
the photometric changes are mostly probed in the red, they do not trace high
stellar temperatures sensitively. And so, it is not obvious whether the star
has halted its increase in temperature or not. For HD 179821 we find no
polarization effects across any absorption or emission lines, but observe very
large polarization changes of order 5% over 15 years. Unexpectedly, during the
same period, the optical photometry displayed modest variability at the 0.2
magnitude level. Several explanations for this puzzling fact are discussed.
Most of which, involving asymmetries in the circumstellar material, seem to
fail as there is no evidence for the presence of hot, dusty material close to
the star. Alternatively, the variations can be explained by the presence of a
non-radially pulsating photosphere. Changes in the photometry hint at an
increase in temperature corresponding to a change through two spectral
subclasses over the past ten years.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures, MNRAS accepte
Reprocessing the Hipparcos Intermediate Astrometric Data of spectroscopic binaries: II. Systems with a giant component
By reanalyzing the Hipparcos Intermediate Astrometric Data of a large sample
of spectroscopic binaries containing a giant, we obtain a sample of 29 systems
fulfilling a carefully derived set of constraints and hence for which we can
derive an accurate orbital solution. Of these, one is a double-lined
spectroscopic binary and six were not listed in the DMSA/O section of the
catalogue. Using our solutions, we derive the masses of the components in these
systems and statistically analyze them. We also briefly discuss each system
individually.Comment: 15 pages, 25 figures, Accepted in A&
High-latitude supergiants: anomalies in the spectrum of LN Hya in 2010
High-resolution echelle spectra taken with the 6-m telescope in 2003-2011 are
used to study features of the optical spectrum and the velocity field in the
atmosphere of the semiregular variable LN Hya in detail. The weak symmetric
photospheric absorptions indicate radial velocity variations from night to
night (by as much as 3 km/s), resulting from small pulsations. Peculiarities
and profile variations were found for strong lines of FeI, FeII, BaII, SiII,
etc. The profiles of these lines were asymmetric: their short-wave wings were
extended and their cores were either split or distorted by emission. During the
2010 observing season, the position and depth of the Halpha absorption
component, the intensities of the short and long-wave emission components, and
the intensity ratio of the latter components varied from spectrum to spectrum.
Weak emissions of neutral atoms (VI, MnI, CoI, NiI, FeI) appeared in the
spectrum of June 1, 2010. All these spectral peculiarities, recorded for the
first time, suggest that we have detected rapid changes in the physical
conditions in the upper atmospheric layers of LN Hya in 2010.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figures, 3 table