On the variability of HD 170699 - a possible COROT target

We present the analysis of the variability of HD 170699, a COROT star showing the characteristics of a non evolutionary Delta Scuti star with high rotational velocity. There is a clear period of 10.45 c/d with 5.29 mmag amplitude in the y filter. From the data, it can be seen that the star shows multi-periodicity and it is necessary to add more frequencies to adjust the observationsComment: To appear in RevMexAA(SC) in Proceedings of XII Reunion Regional Latinoamericana de la UAI held in Isla Margarita, Venezuela, October 22-26, 200

Activity as the Main Explanation of Light Variations of <i>o</i> And — Towards a Rotational Modulation Model

Observations carried out for 5 years on o And show that 65 to 85% of its light variations can be described by a double wave: A sin (2πt/P1 + ϕ1) + B sin (2πt/P2 + ϕ2) + C with P1 ≈ 1.6 d = 2P2. When determined independently, P1 and P2 are always found in a 2:1 ratio (within 1%), while they can vary together by as much as 4%. The peak to peak amplitudes of this double-wave fit lay between 40 and 140 mmag (and can even be reduced to less than 10 mmag - our 1987 observations). The rest of the light variations do not show any permanent period or behavior, although a ∼ 2.3 d. (i.e. ≈ 3P1/2) period is frequently detected. Sometimes a marginal ∼ 6 d. period or time constant has been detected.In spite of the quality of our photometric data, the precision on the periods and amplitudes obtained over a few nights is never increased by longer observations: our phase diagrams show significant irregular displacements around the average double-wave analytical solution if we include longer data strings (Fig. 1). This phenomenon was already apparent in our 1992 study (Sareyan et al., 1998): the star shows real irregular behaviour superimposed onto its double-wave "mean" light curve; these changes may show up as a progressive, or sometimes abrupt, modification of the shape of the double-wave light curve (Fig. 1)

Long term disc variability in the Be star o Andromedae

We present 18 years of high resolution and S/N H α spectroscopy of the Be shell star o And, obtained between 1985-2002. Spectra taken during late 1985 show a pure photospheric profile, with disc re-formation commencing in 1986; a process that is found to occur over long timescales (103 days). Analysis of the evolution of the properties of the H α shell profile suggest that the disc kinematics are dominated by rotational motion. It has been shown that disc loss in o And occurs "inside out''; we find that the disc also appears to be rebuilt in a similar manner, with disc material gradually diffusing to larger radii. The long timescale for changes in the bulk properties of the disc, domination of rotational over radial velocities and manner of disc loss and formation are all consistent with the predictions of the viscous decretion disc model for Be star discs

A comprehensive study of the SX Phoenicis star BL Camelopardalis

Astronomy and Astrophysics, v. 451, p. 999-1008, 2006. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20053841International audienc

HD 173977: An ellipsoidal d Scuti star variable

Astronomy and Astrophysics, v. 426, p. 247-252, 2004. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20034068International audienc

Asteroseismology of the Beta Cephei star 12 (DD) Lacertae: photometric observations, pulsational frequency analysis and mode identification

We report a multisite photometric campaign for the Beta Cephei star 12 Lacertae. 750 hours of high-quality differential photoelectric Stromgren, Johnson and Geneva time-series photometry were obtained with 9 telescopes during 190 nights. Our frequency analysis results in the detection of 23 sinusoidal signals in the light curves. Eleven of those correspond to independent pulsation modes, and the remainder are combination frequencies. We find some slow aperiodic variability such as that seemingly present in several Beta Cephei stars. We perform mode identification from our colour photometry, derive the spherical degree l for the five strongest modes unambiguously and provide constraints on l for the weaker modes. We find a mixture of modes of 0 <= l <= 4. In particular, we prove that the previously suspected rotationally split triplet within the modes of 12 Lac consists of modes of different l; their equal frequency splitting must thus be accidental. One of the periodic signals we detected in the light curves is argued to be a linearly stable mode excited to visible amplitude by nonlinear mode coupling via a 2:1 resonance. We also find a low-frequency signal in the light variations whose physical nature is unclear; it could be a parent or daughter mode resonantly coupled. The remaining combination frequencies are consistent with simple light-curve distortions. The range of excited pulsation frequencies of 12 Lac may be sufficiently large that it cannot be reproduced by standard models. We suspect that the star has a larger metal abundance in the pulsational driving zone, a hypothesis also capable of explaining the presence of Beta Cephei stars in the LMC.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures, MNRAS, in pres

A Giant Crater on 90 Antiope?

Mutual event observations between the two components of 90 Antiope were carried out in 2007-2008. The pole position was refined to lambda0 = 199.5+/-0.5 eg and beta0 = 39.8+/-5 deg in J2000 ecliptic coordinates, leaving intact the physical solution for the components, assimilated to two perfect Roche ellipsoids, and derived after the 2005 mutual event season (Descamps et al., 2007). Furthermore, a large-scale geological depression, located on one of the components, was introduced to better match the observed lightcurves. This vast geological feature of about 68 km in diameter, which could be postulated as a bowl-shaped impact crater, is indeed responsible of the photometric asymmetries seen on the "shoulders" of the lightcurves. The bulk density was then recomputed to 1.28+/-0.04 gcm-3 to take into account this large-scale non-convexity. This giant crater could be the aftermath of a tremendous collision of a 100-km sized proto-Antiope with another Themis family member. This statement is supported by the fact that Antiope is sufficiently porous (~50%) to survive such an impact without being wholly destroyed. This violent shock would have then imparted enough angular momentum for fissioning of proto-Antiope into two equisized bodies. We calculated that the impactor must have a diameter greater than ~17 km, for an impact velocity ranging between 1 and 4 km/s. With such a projectile, this event has a substantial 50% probability to have occurred over the age of the Themis family.Comment: 30 pages, 3 Tables, 8 Figures. Accepted for publication in Icaru