Spin transition in Gd3_3N@C80_{80}, detected by low-temperature on-chip SQUID technique

We present a magnetic study of the Gd$_3$N@C$_{80}$ molecule, consisting of a Gd-trimer via a Nitrogen atom, encapsulated in a C$_{80}$ cage. This molecular system can be an efficient contrast agent for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) applications. We used a low-temperature technique able to detect small magnetic signals by placing the sample in the vicinity of an on-chip SQUID. The technique implemented at NHMFL has the particularity to operate in high magnetic fields of up to 7 T. The Gd$_3$N@C$_{80}$ shows a paramagnetic behavior and we find a spin transition of the Gd$_3$N structure at 1.2 K. We perform quantum mechanical simulations, which indicate that one of the Gd ions changes from a $^8S_{7/2}$ state ($L=0, S=7/2$) to a $^7F_{6}$ state ($L=S=3, J=6$), likely due to a charge transfer between the C$_{80}$ cage and the ion

Cation occupancy determination in manganese zinc ferrites using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

The magnetic and electric properties of ferrites are influenced by the cation distribution within the crystalline spinel lattice. Methods such as extended x-ray-absorption fine structure(EXAFS) have been used to determine cation occupancies within the crystalline structure of materials such as manganesezincferrite (MZFO); however, it is not practical to be used for daily analysis. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR)spectroscopy is another technique which has the potential to determine cation occupancy while offering speed and convenience. In the literature it has been demonstrated that in ferrite systems FTIR data can be correlated to cation percentages when comparing tetrahedral (Td) and octahedral (Oh) sites. FTIRspectra were collected on a series of MZFO nanoparticles in the range from 200 to 600cm−1 and two absorbance peaks were observed. The first absorption region shifted with changing sample composition as calculated from transmission EXAFS experiments and elemental analysis. The data was normalized to the maximum of the peak of interest and the shifts were correlated to cation occupancy

Investigating the Magnetospheres of Rapidly Rotating B-type Stars

Recent spectropolarimetric surveys of bright, hot stars have found that ~10% of OB-type stars contain strong (mostly dipolar) surface magnetic fields (~kG). The prominent paradigm describing the interaction between the stellar winds and the surface magnetic field is the magnetically confined wind shock (MCWS) model. In this model, the stellar wind plasma is forced to move along the closed field loops of the magnetic field, colliding at the magnetic equator, and creating a shock. As the shocked material cools radiatively it will emit X-rays. Therefore, X-ray spectroscopy is a key tool in detecting and characterizing the hot wind material confined by the magnetic fields of these stars. Some B-type stars are found to have very short rotational periods. The effects of the rapid rotation on the X-ray production within the magnetosphere have yet to be explored in detail. The added centrifugal force due to rapid rotation is predicted to cause faster wind outflows along the field lines, leading to higher shock temperatures and harder X-rays. However, this is not observed in all rapidly rotating magnetic B-type stars. In order to address this from a theoretical point of view, we use the X-ray Analytical Dynamical Magnetosphere (XADM) model, originally developed for slow rotators, with an implementation of new rapid rotational physics. Using X-ray spectroscopy from ESA's XMM-Newton space telescope, we observed 5 rapidly rotating B-type stars to add to the previous list of observations. Comparing the observed X-ray luminosity and hardness ratio to that predicted by the XADM allows us to determine the role the added centrifugal force plays in the magnetospheric X-ray emission of these stars.Comment: IAUS Conference Proceeding

Photometric variability of the LAMOST sample of magnetic chemically peculiar stars as seen by TESS

High-quality light curves from space missions have opened up a new window on the rotational and pulsational properties of magnetic chemically peculiar (mCP) stars and have fuelled asteroseismic studies. They allow the internal effects of surface magnetic fields to be probed and numerous astrophysical parameters to be derived with great precision. We present an investigation of the photometric variability of a sample of 1002 mCP stars discovered in the LAMOST archival spectra with the aims of measuring their rotational periods and identifying interesting objects for follow-up studies. TESS photometry was available for 782 mCP stars and was analysed using a Fourier two-term frequency fit to determine the stars' rotational periods. The rotational signal was then subtracted from the light curve to identify non-rotational variability. A pixel-level blending analysis was performed to check whether the variability originates in the target star or a nearby blended neighbour. We investigated correlations between the rotational periods, fractional age on the main sequence, mass, and several other observables. We present rotational periods and period estimates for 720 mCP stars. In addition, we identified four eclipsing binary systems that likely host an mCP star, as well as 25 stars with additional signals consistent with pulsation (12 stars with frequencies above 10 d$^{-1}$ and 13 stars with frequencies below 10 $^{-1}$). We find that more evolved stars have longer rotation periods, in agreement with the assumption of the conservation of angular momentum during main-sequence evolution. With our work, we increase the sample size of mCP stars with known rotation periods and identify prime candidates for detailed follow-up studies. This enables two paths towards future investigations: population studies of even larger samples of mCP stars and the detailed characterisation of high-value targets.Comment: 30 pages, 9 figures, 1 table. Accepted for publication in the Journal of Astronomy and Astrophysics (A&A

MOBSTER -- VII. Using light curves to infer magnetic and rotational properties of stars with centrifugal magnetospheres

Early-type B stars with strong magnetic fields and rapid rotation form centrifugal magnetospheres (CMs), as the relatively weak stellar wind becomes magnetically confined and centrifugally supported above the Kepler co-rotation radius. CM plasma is concentrated at and above the Kepler co-rotation radius at the intersection between the rotation and magnetic field axis. Stellar rotation can cause these clouds of material to intersect the viewer's line-of-sight, leading to photometric eclipses. However, for stars with strong ($\sim 10\,{\rm kG}$) magnetic fields and rapid rotation, CMs can become optically thick enough for emission to occur via electron scattering. Using high-precision space photometry from a sample of stars with strong H$\alpha$ emission, we apply simulated light curves from the Rigidly Rotating Magnetosphere model to directly infer magnetic and rotational properties of these stars. By comparing the values inferred from photometric modelling to those independently determined by spectropolarimetry, we find that magnetic obliquity angle $\beta$, viewer inclination $i$ and critical rotation fraction $W$ can be approximately recovered for 3 of the 4 stars studied here. However, there are large discrepancies between the optical depth at the Kepler radius $\tau_{\rm K}$ expected from magnetometry, and the values required to match the observations. We show that $\tau_{\rm K}$ of order unity is needed to reasonably match the light curve morphology of our sample stars.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA

Discovery Of A Magnetic Field In The Rapidly Rotating O-Type Secondary Of The Colliding-Wind Binary HD 47129 (Plaskett\u27s Star)

We report the detection of a strong, organized magnetic field in the secondary component of the massive O8III/I+O7.5V/III double-lined spectroscopic binary system HD 47129 (Plaskett\u27s star) in the context of the Magnetism in Massive Stars survey. Eight independent Stokes V observations were acquired using the Echelle SpectroPolarimetric Device for the Observations of Stars (ESPaDOnS) spectropolarimeter at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope and the Narval spectropolarimeter at the Telescope Bernard Lyot. Using least-squares deconvolution we obtain definite detections of signal in Stokes V in three observations. No significant signal is detected in the diagnostic null (N) spectra. The Zeeman signatures are broad and track the radial velocity of the secondary component; we therefore conclude that the rapidly rotating secondary component is the magnetized star. Correcting the polarized spectra for the line and continuum of the (sharp-lined) primary, we measured the longitudinal magnetic field from each observation. The longitudinal field of the secondary is variable and exhibits extreme values of -810 +/- 150 and +680 +/- 190 G, implying a minimum surface dipole polar strength of 2850 +/- 500 G. In contrast, we derive an upper limit (3 sigma) to the primary\u27s surface magnetic field of 230 G. The combination of a strong magnetic field and rapid rotation leads us to conclude that the secondary hosts a centrifugal magnetosphere fed through a magnetically confined wind. We revisit the properties of the optical line profiles and X-ray emission - previously interpreted as a consequence of colliding stellar winds - in this context. We conclude that HD 47129 represents a heretofore unique stellar system - a close, massive binary with a rapidly rotating, magnetized component - that will be a rich target for further study

Critical evaluation of magnetic field detections reported for pulsating B-type stars in the light of ESPaDOnS, Narval and reanalyzed FORS1/2 observations

Recent spectropolarimetric studies of 7 SPB and $\beta$ Cep stars have suggested that photospheric magnetic fields are more common in B-type pulsators than in the general population of B stars, suggesting a significant connection between magnetic and pulsational phenomena. We present an analysis of new and previously published spectropolarimetric observations of these stars. New Stokes $V$ observations obtained with the high-resolution ESPaDOnS and Narval instruments confirm the presence of a magnetic field in one of the stars ($\epsilon$ Lup), but find no evidence of magnetism in 5 others. A re-analysis of the published longitudinal field measurements obtained with the low-resolution FORS1/2 spectropolarimeters finds that the measurements of all stars show more scatter from zero than can be attributed to Gaussian noise, suggesting the presence of a signal and/or systematic under-estimation of error bars. Re-reduction and re-measurement of the FORS1/2 spectra from the ESO archive demonstrates that small changes in reduction procedure lead to substantial changes in the inferred longitudinal field, and substantially reduces the number of field detections at the 3$\sigma$ level. Furthermore, we find that the published periods are not unique solutions to the time series of either the original or the revised FORS1/2 data. We conclude that the reported field detections, proposed periods and field geometry models for $\alpha$ Pyx, 15 CMa, 33 Eri and V1449 Aql are artefacts of the data analysis and reduction procedures, and that magnetic fields at the reported strength are no more common in SPB/$\beta$ Cep stars than in the general population of B stars.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ, 2012, typo correcte

The MiMeS Project: Overview and Current Status

The Magnetism in Massive Stars (MiMeS) Project is a consensus collaboration among many of the foremost international researchers of the physics of hot, massive stars, with the basic aim of understanding the origin, evolution and impact of magnetic fields in these objects. At the time of writing, MiMeS Large Programs have acquired over 950 high-resolution polarised spectra of about 150 individual stars with spectral types from B5-O4, discovering new magnetic fields in a dozen hot, massive stars. The quality of this spectral and magnetic mat\'eriel is very high, and the Collaboration is keen to connect with colleagues capable of exploiting the data in new or unforeseen ways. In this paper we review the structure of the MiMeS observing programs and report the status of observations, data modeling and development of related theory.Comment: Proceedings of IAUS272: Active OB star