372 research outputs found
No magnetic field variation with pulsation phase in the roAp star gamma Equulei
We present an analysis of 210 high-resolution time-resolved
spectropolarimetric observations of the roAp star gamma Equ obtained over three
nights in August and September 2003. Radial velocity variations due to p-mode
non-radial pulsations are clearly detected in the lines of rare-earth elements,
in particular Pr III, Nd II and Nd III. In contrast, we find absolutely no
evidence for the variation of the mean longitudinal magnetic field over the
pulsation period in gamma Equ at the level of 110-240 G which was recently
reported by Leone & Kurtz (2003). Our investigation of the variability of
circularly polarized profiles of 13 Nd III lines demonstrates that, at the 3
sigma confidence level, no magnetic field variation with an amplitude above
40-60 G was present in gamma Equ during our monitoring of this star.Comment: accepted for publication by Astronomy & Astrophysic
Non-LTE line formation for Pr II and Pr III in A and Ap stars
Non-LTE line formation for Pr II and Pr III is considered through a range of
effective temperatures between 7250 K and 9500 K. A comprehensive model atom
for Pr II/III is based on the measured and the predicted energy levels, in
total, 6708 levels of Pr II and Pr III. We describe calculations of the Pr II
energy levels and oscillator strengths for the transitions in Pr II and Pr III.
The influence of departures from LTE on Pr abundance determinations is
evaluated. At Teff >= 8000 K departures from LTE lead to overionization of Pr
II and to systematically depleted total absorption in the line and positive
abundance corrections. At the lower temperatures, different lines of Pr II may
be either weakened or amplified depending on the line strength. The non-LTE
effects strengthen the Pr III lines and lead to negative abundance corrections.
Non-LTE corrections grow with effective temperature for the Pr II lines, and,
in contrast, they decline for the Pr III lines. The Pr II/III model atom is
applied to determine the Pr abundance in the atmosphere of the roAp star HD
24712 from the lines of two ionization stages. In the chemically uniform
atmosphere with [Pr/H] = 3, the departures from LTE may explain only small part
(0.3 dex) of the difference between the LTE abundances derived from the Pr II
and Pr III lines (2 dex). We find that the lines of both ionization stages are
described for the vertical distribution of the praseodymium where the Pr
enriched layer with [Pr/H] > 4 exists in the outer atmosphere at log tau_5000 <
-4. The departures from LTE for Pr II/III are strong in the stratified
atmosphere and have the opposite sign for the Pr II and Pr III lines. Using the
revised partition function of Pr II and experimental transition probabilities,
we determine the solar non-LTE abundance of Pr as log (Pr/H) = -11.15\pm0.08.Comment: 17 pages, 4 tables, 11 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Pulsation in the atmosphere of the roAp star HD 24712. I. Spectroscopic observations and radial velocity measurements
We have investigated the structure of the pulsating atmosphere of one of the
best studied rapidly oscillating Ap stars, HD 24712. For this purpose we
analyzed spectra collected during 2001-2004. An extensive data set was obtained
in 2004 simultaneously with the photometry of the Canadian MOST mini-satellite.
This allows us to connect directly atmospheric dynamics observed as radial
velocity variations with light variations seen in photometry. We directly
derived for the first time and for different chemical elements, respectively
ions, phase shifts between photometric and radial velocity pulsation maxima
indicating, as we suggest, different line formation depths in the atmosphere.
This allowed us to estimate for the first time the propagation velocity of a
pulsation wave in the outer stellar atmosphere of a roAp star to be slightly
lower than the sound speed. We confirm large pulsation amplitudes (150-400 m/s)
for REE lines and the Halpha core, while spectral lines of the other elements
(Mg, Si, Ca, and Fe-peak elements) have nearly constant velocities. We did not
find different pulsation amplitudes and phases for the lines of rare-earth
elements before and after the Balmer jump, which supports the hypothesis of REE
concentration in the upper atmosphere above the hydrogen line-forming layers.
We also discuss radial velocity amplitudes and phases measured for individual
spectral lines as tools for a 3D tomography of the atmosphere of HD 24712.Comment: accepted by A&
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