Diagnostic of the Symbiotic Stars Environment by Thomson, Raman and Rayleigh Scattering Processes

Symbiotic stars are long-period interacting binaries consisting of a cool giant as the donor star and a white dwarf as the acretor. Due to acretion of the material from the giant’s stellar wind, the white dwarf becomes very hot and luminous. The circumstellar material partially ionized by the hot star, represents an ideal medium for processes of scattering. To investigate the symbiotic nebula we modeled the wide wings of the resonance lines OVI λ1032 Å, λ1038 Å and HeII λ1640 Å emission line in the spectrum of AG Dra, broadened by Thomson scattering. On the other hand, Raman and Rayleigh scattering arise in the neutral part of the circumstellar matter around the giant and provide a powerful tool to probe e.g. the ionization structure of the symbiotic systems and distribution of the neutral hydrogen atoms in the giant’s wind

What Powers the 2006 Outburst of the Symbiotic Star BF Cygni?

BF Cygni is a classical symbiotic binary. Its optical light curve occasionally shows outbursts of the Z And-type, whose nature is not well understood. During the 2006 August, BF Cyg underwent the recent outburst, and continues its active phase to the present. The aim of this contribution is to determine the fundamental parameters of the hot component in the binary during the active phase. For this purpose we used a high- and low-resolution optical spectroscopy and the multicolour UBV RCIC photometry. Our photometric monitoring revealed that a high level of the star’s brightness lasts for unusually long time of > 7 years. A sharp violet-shifted absorption component and broad emission wings in the Hα profile developed during the whole active phase. From 2009, our spectra revealed a bipolar ejection from the white dwarf (WD). Modelling the spectral energy distribution (SED) of the low-resolution spectra showed simultaneous presence of a warm (< 10 000 K) disk-like pseudophotosphere and a strong nebular component of radiation (emission measure of ~1061 cm−3). The luminosity of the hot active object was estimated to > 5−8×103 Lʘ. Such high luminosity, sustained for the time of years, can be understood as a result of an enhanced transient accretion rate throughout a large disk, leading also to formation of collimated ejection from the WD

Contribution of the Electron Scattering Process to the Broad Hα Wings

We modeled the extended wings of the OVI 1032, 1038 Å resonance lines and He II 1640 Å emission line in the spectra of Z And, AG Dra and V1016 Cyg by the electron scattering process. By this way we determined the electron temperature and the electron optical depth of the layer of electrons, through which the line photons are transferred in the direction of the observer. We derived an empirical relationship between the emission measure of the symbiotic nebula and the electron optical depth. This relationship allows us to distinguish the flux contribution in the broad Hα wings, which is due to the electron scattering and that produced by the Hα transition in the moving hydrogen plasma. For example, subtracting the electron scattering contribution from the Hα line profile leads to a reduction in the mass-loss rate by approximately 15 %

Raman-Scattered HeII 1025 Line in The Symbiotic Binary V1016 Cyg As a Diagnostic Tool of The Wind From Its Mira-Type Donor

V1016 Cyg is a symbiotic binary comprising a Mira-type evolved cool giant and a white dwarf (WD). The WD ionizes a part of the surrounding environment consisting mainly of the giant*s wind. We investigated a weak emission feature at 6545 Å – a result of Raman scattering of the HeII 1025 line photons, emitted in the ionized region around the WD, on the neutral hydrogen (H0) atoms located around the giant. Using the scattering efficiency, η, and a simplified ionization model of symbiotic stars (SySs), we determined the mass-loss rate, FX1, from the cool giant in V1016 Cyg to 2 − 3 × 10−6 M⊙ yr−1

Rapid Photometric Variability Of The Symbiotic System CH Cyg During 2008–15

Our photometric monitoring of CH Cyg revealed a gradual increase of its brightness in U from 2010. More recent observations, made during 2014–2015 suggest that CH Cyg entered a new active phase. Monitoring for rapid variability demonstrated unambiguous connection between appearance of pronounced rapid variations and the level of the overall brightness in U, i.e. the activity of CH Cyg

New outburst of the symbiotic nova AG Pegasi after 165 yr

Context. AG Peg is known as the slowest symbiotic nova, which experienced its nova-like outburst around 1850. After 165 yr, during June of 2015, it erupted again showing characteristics of the Z And-type outburst. Aims. The primary objective is to determine basic characteristics, the nature and type of the 2015 outburst of AG Peg. Methods. We achieved this aim by modelling the spectral energy distribution using low-resolution spectroscopy (330–750 nm; R = 500–1000), medium-resolution spectroscopy (420–720 nm; R ~ 11 000), and UBVRCIC photometry covering the 2015 outburst with a high cadence. Optical observations were complemented with the archival HST and FUSE spectra from the preceding quiescence. Results. During the outburst, the luminosity of the hot component was in the range of 2–11 × 1037 (d/ 0.8 kpc)2 erg s-1, being in correlation with the light curve (LC) profile. To generate the maximum luminosity by the hydrogen burning, the white dwarf (WD) had to accrete at ~ 3 × 10-7 M⊙ yr-1, which exceeds the stable-burning limit and thus led to blowing optically thick wind from the WD. We determined its mass-loss rate to a few × 10-6 M⊙ yr-1. At the high temperature of the ionising source, 1.5–2.3 × 105 K, the wind converted a fraction of the WD’s photospheric radiation into the nebular emission that dominated the optical. A one order of magnitude increase of the emission measure, from a few × 1059 (d/ 0.8 kpc)2 cm-3 during quiescence, to a few × 1060 (d/ 0.8 kpc)2 cm-3 during the outburst, caused a 2 mag brightening in the LC, which is classified as the Z And-type of the outburst. Conclusions. The very high nebular emission and the presence of a disk-like H