Modeling RR Tel through the Evolution of the Spectra

We investigate the evolution of RR Tel after the outburst by fitting the emission spectra in two epochs. The first one (1978) is characterized by large fluctuations in the light curve and the second one (1993) by the slow fading trend. In the frame of a colliding wind model two shocks are present: the reverse shock propagates in the direction of the white dwarf and the other one expands towards or beyond the giant. The results of our modeling show that in 1993 the expanding shock has overcome the system and is propagating in the nearby ISM. The large fluctuations observed in the 1978 light curve result from line intensity rather than from continuum variation. These variations are explained by fragmentation of matter at the time of head-on collision of the winds from the two stars. A high velocity (500 km/s) wind component is revealed from the fit of the SED of the continuum in the X-ray range in 1978, but is quite unobservable in the line profiles. The geometrical thickness of the emitting clumps is the critical parameter which can explain the short time scale variabilities of the spectrum and the trend of slow line intensity decrease.Comment: 26 pages, LaTeX (including 5 Tables) + 6 PostScript figures. To appear in "The Astrophysical Journal

Discovery of a Magnetic White Dwarf in the Symbiotic Binary Z Andromedae

We report the first result from our survey of rapid variability in symbiotic binaries: the discovery of a persistent oscillation at P=1682.6 +- 0.6 s in the optical emission from the prototype symbiotic, Z Andromedae. The oscillation was detected on all 8 occasions on which the source was observed over a timespan of nearly a year, making it the first such persistent periodic pulse found in a symbiotic binary. The amplitude was typically 2 - 5 mmag, and it was correlated with the optical brightness during a relatively small outburst of the system. The most natural explanation is that the oscillation arises from the rotation of an accreting, magnetic (B_S > 10^5 G) white dwarf. This discovery constrains the outburst mechanisms, since the oscillation emission region near the surface of the white dwarf was visible during the outburst.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal (6 pages, including 4 figures), LaTe

Silicates in D-type symbiotic stars: an ISO overview

We investigate the IR spectral features of a sample of D-type symbiotic stars. Analyzing unexploited ISO-SWS data, deriving the basic observational parameters of dust bands and comparing them with respect to those observed in other astronomical sources, we try to highlight the effect of environment on grain chemistry and physic. We find strong amorphous silicate emission bands at 10 micron and 18 micron in a large fraction of the sample. The analysis of the 10 micron band, along with a direct comparison with several astronomical sources, reveals that silicate dust in symbiotic stars shows features between the characteristic circumstellar environments and the interstellar medium. This indicates an increasing reprocessing of grains in relation to specific symbiotic behavior of the objects. A correlation between the central wavelength of the 10 and 18 micron dust bands is found. By the modeling of IR spectral lines we investigate also dust grains conditions within the shocked nebulae. Both the unusual depletion values and the high sputtering efficiency might be explained by the formation of SiO moleculae, which are known to be a very reliable shock tracer. We conclude that the signature of dust chemical disturbance due to symbiotic activity should be looked for in the outer, circumbinary, expanding shells where the environmental conditions for grain processing might be achieved. Symbiotic stars are thus attractive targets for new mid-infrared and mm observations.Comment: 24 pages, 6 figures, 5 tables - to be published in A

The hydrogen and helium lines of the symbiotic binary Z And during its brightening at the end of 2002

High resolution observations in the region of the lines Halpha, He II 4686 and Hgamma of the spectrum of the symbiotic binary Z And were performed during its small-amplitude brightening at the end of 2002. The profiles of the hydrogen lines were double-peaked. These profiles give a reason to suppose that the lines can be emitted mainly by an optically thin accretion disc. The Halpha line is strongly contaminated by the emission of the envelope, therefore for consideration of accretion disc properties we use the Hgamma line. The Halpha line had broad wings which are supposed to be determined mostly from radiation damping but high velocity stellar wind from the compact object in the system can also contribute to their appearance. The Hgamma line had a broad emission component which is assumed to be emitted mainly from the inner part of the accretion disc. The line He II 4686 had a broad emission component too, but it is supposed to appear in a region of a high velocity stellar wind. The outer radius of the accretion disc can be calculated from the shift between the peaks. Assuming, that the orbit inclination can ranges from 47$^\circ$ to 76$^\circ$, we estimate the outer radius as 20 - 50 R_sun. The behaviour of the observed lines can be considered in the framework of the model proposed for interpretation of the line spectrum during the major 2000 - 2002 brightening of this binary.Comment: 19 pages, 5 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy Report

Formation of a disk-structure and jets in the symbiotic prototype Z And during its 2006-2010 active phase

We present an analysis of spectrophotometric observations of the latest cycle of activity of the symbiotic binary Z And from 2006 to 2010. We estimate the temperature of the hot component of Z And to be \approx 150000 - 170000 K at minimum brightness, decreasing to \approx 90000 K at the brightness maximum. Our estimate of the electron density in the gaseous nebula is N_{e}=10^{10}-10^{12} cm^{-3} in the region of formation of lines of neutral helium and 10^6-10^7 cm^{-3} in the region of formation of the [OIII] and [NeIII] nebular lines. A trend for the gas density derived from helium lines to increase and the gas density derived from [OIII] and [NeIII] lines to simultaneously decrease with increasing brightness of the system was observed. Our estimates show that the ratios of the theoretical and observed fluxes in the [OIII] and [NeIII] lines agree best when the O/Ne ratio is similar to its value for planetary nebulae. The model spectral energy distribution showed that, in addition to a cool component and gaseous nebula, a relatively cool pseudophotosphere (5250-11 500 K) is present in the system. The simultaneous presence of a relatively cool pseudophotosphere and high-ionization spectral lines is probably related to a disk-like structure of the pseudophotosphere. The pseudophotosphere formed very rapidly, over several weeks, during a period of increasing brightness of Z And. We infer that in 2009, as in 2006, the activity of the system was accompanied by a collimated bipolar ejection of matter. In contrast to the situation in 2006, the jets were detected even before the system reached its maximum brightness. Moreover, components with velocities close to 1200 km/s disappeared at the maximum, while those with velocities close to 1800 km/s appeared.Comment: 18 pages, 19 figures, Accepted for publication in Astronomy Report

The Continuing Slow Decline of AG Pegasi

We analyze optical and ultraviolet observations of the symbiotic binary AG Pegasi acquired during 1992-97. The bolometric luminosity of the hot component declined by a factor of 2-3 from 1980-1985 to 1997. Since 1992, the effective temperature of the hot component may have declined by 10%-20%, but this decline is comparable to the measurement errors. Optical observations of H-beta and He I emission show a clear illumination effect, where high energy photons from the hot component ionize the outer atmosphere of the red giant. Simple illumination models generally account for the magnitude of the optical and ultraviolet emission line fluxes. High ionization emission lines - [Ne V], [Mg V], and [Fe VII] - suggest mechanical heating in the outer portions of the photoionized red giant wind. This emission probably originates in a low density region $\sim$ 30-300 AU from the central binary.Comment: 17 pages, 7 pages, 5 tables; to be published in the Astronomical Journal, July 200

A "Combination Nova" Outburst in Z Andromedae: Nuclear Shell Burning Triggered by a Disk Instability

We describe observational evidence for a new kind of interacting-binary-star outburst that involves both an accretion instability and an increase in thermonuclear shell burning on the surface of an accreting white dwarf. We refer to this new type of eruption as a combination nova. In late 2000, the prototypical symbiotic star Z Andromedae brightened by roughly two magnitudes in the optical. We observed the outburst in the radio with the VLA and MERLIN, in the optical both photometrically and spectroscopically, in the far ultraviolet with FUSE, and in the X-rays with both Chandra and XMM. The two-year-long event had three distinct stages. During the first stage, the optical rise closely resembled an earlier, small outburst that was caused by an accretion-disk instability. In the second stage, the hot component ejected an optically thick shell of material. In the third stage, the shell cleared to reveal a white dwarf whose luminosity remained on the order of 10^4 Lsun for approximately one year. The eruption was thus too energetic to have been powered by accretion alone. We propose that the initial burst of accretion was large enough to trigger enhanced nuclear burning on the surface of the white dwarf and the ejection of an optically thick shell of material. This outburst therefore combined elements of both a dwarf nova and a classical nova. Our results have implications for the long-standing problem of producing shell flashes with short recurrence times on low-mass white dwarfs in symbiotic stars.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. 24 pages, 10 figure

HIDDEN SD/WD STARS AMONG THE FAUST UV SOURCES TOWARD OPHIUCHUS

No white dwarf or hot subdwarf stars are found as optical counterparts of the 228 UV sources detected in a UV image toward Ophiuchus (Formiggini et al. 2002). The image was obtained at 1600 ˚A, with the FAUST instrument on board of the space shuttle Atlantis. Hot subluminous stars are numerous among blue objects, and dominate the population of blue stars down to B=16.5. To search for such stars, we cross-identified the UV sources positions with objects in the Main Part of the Tycho catalog, finding a significant parallax value for 46 entries. A significant number of objects have MV values as expected for WD or subdwarf stars (Fig. 1a), while their spectral classification spans types from B to early F. For all these stars the parallax errors are very large, hence their classification as subluminous stars on the basis of the parallax data is rather unreliable. Numbe