42 research outputs found
Photometric and spectroscopic variability of 53 Per
A new investigation of the variability of the SPB-type star 53 Per is
presented. The analysis of the BRITE photometry allowed us to determine eight
independent frequencies and the combination one. Five of these frequencies and
the combination one were not known before. In addition, we gathered more than
1800 new moderate and high-resolution spectra of 53 Per spread over
approximately six months. Their frequency analysis revealed four independent
frequencies and the combination one, all consistent with the BRITE results.Comment: 2 pages, accepted for publication in the Proceedings of the PAS
(Proc. of the 2nd BRITE Science conference, Innsbruck
Rotational velocities of the giants in symbiotic stars: III. Evidence of fast rotation in S-type symbiotics
We have measured the projected rotational velocities (vsini) in a number of
symbiotic stars and M giants using high resolution spectroscopic observations.
On the basis of our measurements and data from the literature, we compare the
rotation of mass-donors in symbiotics with vsini of field giants and find that:
(1) the K giants in S-type symbiotics rotate at vsini>4.5 km/s, which is 2-4
times faster than the field K giants;
(2) the M giants in S-type symbiotics rotate on average 1.5 times faster than
the field M giants. Statistical tests show that these differences are highly
significant: p-value < 0.001 in the spectral type bins K2III-K5III,
M0III-M6III, and M2III-M5III;
(3) our new observations of D'-type symbiotics also confirm that they are
fast rotators.
As a result of the rapid rotation, the cool giants in symbiotics should have
3-30 times larger mass loss rates. Our results suggest also that bipolar
ejections in symbiotics seem to happen in objects where the mass donors rotate
faster than the orbital period.
All spectra used in our series of papers can be obtained upon request from
the authors.Comment: MNRAS (accepted), 7 pages, 5 figure
Direct detection of a magnetic field in the photosphere of the single M giant EK Boo: How common is magnetic activity among M giants?
We study the fast rotating M5 giant EK Boo by means of spectropolarimetry to
obtain direct and simultaneous measurements of both the magnetic field and
activity indicators, in order to infer the origin of the activity in this
fairly evolved giant. We used the new spectropolarimeter NARVAL at the Bernard
Lyot Telescope (Observatoire du Pic du Midi, France) to obtain a series of
Stokes I and Stokes V profiles for EK Boo. Using the Least Square Deconvolution
technique we were able to detect the Zeeman signature of the magnetic field. We
measured its longitudinal component by means of the averaged Stokes V and
Stokes I profiles. The spectra also permitted us to monitor the CaII K&H
chromospheric emission lines, which are well known as indicators of stellar
magnetic activity. From ten observations obtained between April 2008 and March
2009, we deduce that EK Boo has a magnetic field, which varied in the range of
-0.1 to -8 G. We also determined the initial mass and evolutionary stage of EK
Boo, based on up-to-date stellar evolution tracks. The initial mass is in the
range of 2.0-3.6 M_sun, and EK Boo is either on the asymptotic giant branch
(AGB), at the onset of the thermal pulse phase, or at the tip of the first (or
red) giant branch (RGB). The fast rotation and activity of EK Boo might be
explained by angular momentum dredge-up from the interior, or by the merging of
a binary. In addition, we observed eight other M giants, which are known as
X-ray emitters, or to be rotating fast for their class. For one of these, beta
And, presumably also an AGB star, we have a marginal detection of magnetic
field, and a longitudinal component Bl of about 1G was measured. More
observations like this will answer the question whether EK Boo is a special
case, or whether magnetic activity is, rather, more common among M giants than
expected.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics, 10 pages, 8
figure
Tau Ori and Tau Lib: Two New Massive Heartbeat Binaries
We report the discovery of two massive eccentric systems with BRITE data,
tau Ori and tau Lib, showing heartbeat effects close to the periastron passage. τ Lib
exhibits shallow eclipses that will soon vanish due to the apsidal motion in the
system. In neither system, tidally excited oscillations were detected
The first view of δ Scuti and γ Doradus stars with the TESS mission
Abstract We present the first asteroseismic results for δ Scuti and γ Doradus stars observed in Sectors 1 and 2 of the TESS mission. We utilise the 2-min cadence TESS data for a sample of 117 stars to classify their behaviour regarding variability and place them in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram using Gaia DR2 data. Included within our sample are the eponymous members of two pulsator classes, γ Doradus and SX Phoenicis. Our sample of pulsating intermediate-mass stars observed by TESS also allows us to confront theoretical models of pulsation driving in the classical instability strip for the first time and show that mixing processes in the outer envelope play an important role. We derive an empirical estimate of 74% for the relative amplitude suppression factor as a result of the redder TESS passband compared to the Kepler mission using a pulsating eclipsing binary system. Furthermore, our sample contains many high-frequency pulsators, allowing us to probe the frequency variability of hot young δ Scuti stars, which were lacking in the Kepler mission data set, and identify promising targets for future asteroseismic modelling. The TESS data also allow us to refine the stellar parameters of SX Phoenicis, which is believed to be a blue straggler