The Period Analysis of the Hierarchical System DI Peg

The existence of an additional body around a binary system can be detected by the help of the light-travel time effect. Due to the motions of the binary and the companion stars around the common mass center of the ternary system, the light-time effect produces an irregularity on the eclipse timings. Monitoring the variations in these timings, sub-stellar or planet companions orbiting around the binary system can be identified. In this paper, additional bodies orbiting the Algol-type binary DI Peg are examined by using the archival eclipse timings including our CCD data observed at the Ankara University Kreiken Observatory. More than five hundred minimum times equivalent to about nine decades are employed to identify the orbital behaviour of the binary system. The best fit to the timings shows that the orbital period of DI Peg has variations due to an integration of two sinusoids with the periods of yr and yr. The orbital change is thought to be most likely due to the existence of two M-type red dwarf companions with the masses of M and M, assuming that the orbits of additional bodies are co-planar with the orbit of the binary system. Also, the residuals of two sinusoidal fits still seem to show another modulation with the period of roughly yr. The origin of this modulation is not clear and more observational data are required to reveal if the periodicity is caused by another object gravitationally bounded to the system

A detailed spectropolarimetric analysis of the planet hosting star WASP-12

The knowledge of accurate stellar parameters is paramount in several fields of stellar astrophysics, particularly in the study of extrasolar planets, where often the star is the only visible component and therefore used to infer the planet's fundamental parameters. Another important aspect of the analysis of planetary systems is the stellar activity and the possible star-planet interaction. Here we present a self-consistent abundance analysis of the planet hosting star WASP-12 and a high-precision search for a structured stellar magnetic field on the basis of spectropolarimetric observations obtained with the ESPaDOnS spectropolarimeter. Our results show that the star does not have a structured magnetic field, and that the obtained fundamental parameters are in good agreement with what was previously published. In addition we derive improved constraints on the stellar age (1.0-2.65 Gyr), mass (1.23-1.49 M/M0), and distance (295-465 pc). WASP-12 is an ideal object to look for pollution signatures in the stellar atmosphere. We analyse the WASP-12 abundances as a function of the condensation temperature and compare them with those published by several other authors on planet hosting and non-planet hosting stars. We find hints of atmospheric pollution in WASP-12's photosphere, but are unable to reach firm conclusions with our present data. We conclude that a differential analysis based on WASP-12 twins will probably clarify if an atmospheric pollution is present, the nature of this pollution and its implications in the planet formation and evolution. We attempt also the direct detection of the circumstellar disk through infrared excess, but without success.Comment: 49 pages, 11 figures, Accepted for publication on Ap

The accuracy of stellar atmospheric parameter determinations: a case study with HD 32115 and HD 37594

We present detailed parameter determinations of two chemically normal late A-type stars, HD 32115 and HD 37594, to uncover the reasons behind large discrepancies between two previous analyses of these stars performed with a semi-automatic procedure and a "classical" analysis. Our study is based on high resolution, high signal-to-noise spectra obtained at the McDonald Observatory. Our method is based on the simultaneous use of all available observables: multicolor photometry, pressure-sensitive magnesium lines, metallic lines and Balmer line profiles. Our final set of fundamental parameters fits, within the error bars, all available observables. It differs from the published results obtained with a semi-automatic procedure. A direct comparison between our new observational material and the spectra previously used by other authors shows that the quality of the data is not the origin of the discrepancies. As the two stars require a substantial macroturbulence velocity to fit the line profiles, we concluded that neglecting this additional broadening in the semi-automatic analysis is one origin of discrepancy. The use of FeI excitation equilibrium and of the Fe ionisation equilibrium, to derive effective temperature and surface gravity, respectively, neglecting all other indicators leads to a systematically erroneously high effective temperature. We deduce that the results obtained using only one parameter indicator might be biased and that those results need to be cautiously taken when performing further detailed analyses, such as modelling of the asteroseismic frequencies or characterising transiting exoplanets.Comment: Accepted for publication by MNRA

Light-time effect in the eclipsing binary system AM Leonis

We report four new times of minimum light and the improved ephemeris for the well known contact binary AM Leo. The O-C diagram, constructed with all reliable timings found in the literature was analyzed and the the light-time effect in the system was confirmed. We found a periodicity of 44.82 years in the O-C residuals with an amplitude of 0.0058 day. The periodic curve representing the O-C values is asymmetric indicating a large eccentricity of 0.73 of the third body orbit. The mass of the third body is found to be 0.175 M-circle dot for the orbital inclination of the eclipsing pair's orbit

An in-depth spectroscopic analysis of RR Lyr Variations over the pulsation cycle

The stellar parameters of RR Lyrae stars vary considerably over a pulsation cycle, and their determination is crucial for stellar modelling. We present a detailed spectroscopic analysis of the pulsating star RR Lyr, the prototype of its class, over a complete pulsation cycle, based on high-resolution spectra collected at the 2.7-m telescope of McDonald Observatory. We used simultaneous photometry to determine the accurate pulsation phase of each spectrum and determined the effective temperature, the shape of the depth-dependent microturbulent velocity, and the abundance of several elements, for each phase. The surface gravity was fixed to 2.4. Element abundances resulting from our analysis are stable over the pulsation cycle. However, a variation in ionization equilibrium is observed around minimum radius. We attribute this mostly to a dynamical acceleration contributing to the surface gravity. Variable turbulent convection on time-scales longer than the pulsation cycle has been proposed as a cause for the Blazhko effect. We test this hypothesis to some extent by using the derived variable depth-dependent microturbulent velocity profiles to estimate their effect on the stellar magnitude. These effects turn out to be wavelength dependent and much smaller than the observed light variations over the Blazhko cycle: if variations in the turbulent motions are entirely responsible for the Blazhko effect, they must surpass the scales covered by the microturbulent velocity. This work demonstrates the possibility of a self-consistent spectroscopic analysis over an entire pulsation cycle using static atmosphere models, provided one takes into account certain features of a rapidly pulsating atmosphere.Accepted for publication on MNRASstatus: publishe

The Blazhko effect of RR lyrae in 2003-2004

Aims. Extensive photometry of RR Lyr was obtained over a 421-day interval in 2003-2004, covering more than 10 Blazhko cycles in a multisite campaign. The length and density of this data set allow for a detailed analysis. Methods. We used Fourier techniques to study RR Lyr's behavior over the pulsation and the Blazhko cycle. We propose a two-frequency model for decomposing the frequency spectrum. Results. The light variations were fitted with the main radial frequency, its harmonics up to 11th order, and the detected triplet frequencies. No significant quintuplet components were found in the frequency spectrum. Given the total time span of the measurements, we can now unambiguously conclude that the Blazhko period has become notably shorter than the previously known value of 40.8 days, whereas the main pulsation period remained roughly the same. Changes in the modulation period have been reported for other well-studied Blazhko variables. They challenge the explanations for the Blazhko effect which link the modulation period directly to the rotation period. The new photometry reveals an interval in the pulsation cycle of RR Lyr during which the star's intensity barely changes over the Blazhko cycle. This interval occurs during the infalling motion and between the supposed phases of the early and the main shock. The data also permit a more detailed study of the light curve shape at different phases in the Blazhko period through Fourier parameters. © ESO 2006