The Angular Diameter and Fundamental Parameters of Sirius A

The Sydney University Stellar Interferometer (SUSI) has been used to make a new determination of the angular diameter of Sirius A. The observations were made at an effective wavelength of 694.1 nm and the new value for the limb-darkened angular diameter is 6.048 +/- 0.040mas (+/-0.66%). This new result is compared with previous measurements and is found to be in excellent agreement with a conventionally calibrated measurement made with the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) at 2.176 microns (but not with a second globally calibrated VLTI measurement). A weighted mean of the SUSI and first VLTI results gives the limb-darkened angular diameter of Sirius A as 6.041 +/- 0.017mas (+/-0.28%). Combination with the Hipparcos parallax gives the radius equal to 1.713 +/- 0.009R_sun. The bolometric flux has been determined from published photometry and spectrophotometry and, combined with the angular diameter, yields the emergent flux at the stellar surface equal to (5.32+/- 0.14)x10^8 Wm^-2 and the effective temperature equal to 9845 +/- 64 K. The luminosity is 24.7 +/- 0.7 L_sun.Comment: Accepted for publication in PAS

Dust Scattering in Miras R Car and RR Sco resolved by optical interferometric polarimetry

We present optical interferometric polarimetry measurements of the Mira-like variables R Car and RR Sco, using the Sydney University Stellar Interferometer. By making visibility measurements in two perpendicular polarisations, the relatively low-surface brightness light scattered by atmospheric dust could be spatially separated from the bright Mira photospheric flux. This is the first reported successful use of long-baseline optical interferometric polarimetry. Observations were able to place constraints on the distribution of circumstellar material in R Car and RR Sco. The inner radius of dust formation for both stars was found to be less than 3 stellar radii: much closer than the expected innermost stable location for commonly-assumed astrophysical ``dirty silicate'' dust in these systems (silicate dust with a significant iron content). A model with the dust distributed over a shell which is geometrically thin compared to the stellar radius was preferred over an outflow. We propose dust components whose chemistry and opacity properties enable survival at these extreme inner radii.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, accepted for MNRA

Bringing closure to microlensing mass measurement

Interferometers offer multiple methods for studying microlensing events and determining the properties of the lenses. We investigate the study of microlensing events with optical interferometers, focusing on narrow-angle astrometry, visibility, and closure phase. After introducing the basics of microlensing and interferometry, we derive expressions for the signals in each of these three channels. For various forecasts of the instrumental performance, we discuss which method provides the best means of measuring the lens angular Einstein radius theta_E, a prerequisite for determining the lens mass. If the upcoming generation of large-aperture, AO-corrected long baseline interferometers (e.g. VLTI, Keck, OHANA) perform as well as expected, theta_E may be determined with signal-to-noise greater than 10 for all bright events. We estimate that roughly a dozen events per year will be sufficiciently bright and have long enough durations to allow the measurement of the lens mass and distance from the ground. We also consider the prospects for a VLTI survey of all bright lensing events using a Fisher matrix analysis, and find that even without individual masses, interesting constraints may be placed on the bulge mass function, although large numbers of events would be required.Comment: 23 pages, aastex, submitted to Ap

\gamma^2 Velorum: Orbital Solution and Fundamental Parameter Determination with SUSI

The first complete orbital solution for the double-lined spectroscopic binary system \gamma^2 Velorum, obtained from measurements with the Sydney University Stellar Interferometer (SUSI), is presented. This system contains the closest example of a Wolf-Rayet star and the promise of full characterisation of the basic properties of this exotic high-mass system has subjected it to intense study as an archetype for its class. In combination with the latest radial-velocity results, our orbital solution produces a distance of 336^{+8}_{-7} pc, significantly more distant than the Hipparcos estimation (Schaerer et al. 1997; van der Hucht 1997). The ability to fully specify the orbital parameters has enabled us to significantly reduce uncertainties and our result is consistent with the VLTI observational point (Millour et al. 2006), but not with their derived distance. Our new distance, which is an order of magnitude more precise than prior work, demands critical reassessment of all distance-dependent fundamental parameters of this important system. In particular, membership of the Vela OB2 association has been reestablished, and the age and distance are also in good accord with the population of young stars reported by Pozzo et al. (2000). We determine the O-star primary component parameters to be M_V(O) = -5.63 \pm 0.10 mag, R(O) = 17 \pm 2 R_{\sun} and {\cal M}(O) = 28.5 \pm 1.1 M_{\sun}. These values are consistent with calibrations found in the literature if a luminosity class of II--III is adopted. The parameters of the Wolf-Rayet component are M_v(WR) = -4.33 \pm 0.17 mag and {\cal M}(WR) = 9.0 \pm 0.6 M_{\sun}.Comment: 3 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

A new embedded control system for SUSI

The Sydney University Stellar Interferometer uses embedded processors to control each siderostat station as well as other major components of the instrument. The maintenance of the original controllers has become a significant issue and we set out to design a new system that would be inexpensive, suitable for the relatively harsh operating environment and simple to maintain. We have demonstrated that the new system works satisfactorily and we are currently replacing the existing controllers with new ones.This research was supported under the Australian Research Council’s Discovery Projects funding scheme. Dr Ireland was supported by an Australian Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship

The radius and mass of the subgiant star bet Hyi from interferometry and asteroseismology

We have used the Sydney University Stellar Interferometer (SUSI) to measure the angular diameter of beta Hydri. This star is a nearby G2 subgiant whose mean density was recently measured with high precision using asteroseismology. We determine the radius and effective temperature of the star to be 1.814+/-0.017 R_sun (0.9%) and 5872+/-44 K (0.7%) respectively. By combining this value with the mean density, as estimated from asteroseismology, we make a direct estimate of the stellar mass. We find a value of 1.07+/-0.03 M_sun (2.8%), which agrees with published estimates based on fitting in the H-R diagram, but has much higher precision. These results place valuable constraints on theoretical models of beta Hyi and its oscillation frequencies.Comment: 3 figures, 3 tables, to appear in MNRAS Letter

Long-Baseline Interferometric Multiplicity Survey of the Sco-Cen OB Association

We present the first multiplicity-dedicated long baseline optical interferometric survey of the Scorpius-Centaurus-Lupus-Crux association. We used the Sydney University Stellar Interferometer to undertake a survey for new companions to 58 Sco-Cen B- type stars and have detected 24 companions at separations ranging from 7-130mas, 14 of which are new detections. Furthermore, we use a Bayesian analysis and all available information in the literature to determine the multiplicity distribution of the 58 stars in our sample, showing that the companion frequency is F = 1.35 and the mass ratio distribution is best described as a power law with exponent equal to -0.46, agreeing with previous Sco-Cen high mass work and differing significantly from lower-mass stars in Tau-Aur. Based on our analysis, we estimate that among young B-type stars in moving groups, up to 23% are apparently single stars. This has strong implications for the understanding of high-mass star formation, which requires angular momentum dispersal through some mechanism such as formation of multiple systems.Comment: 7 figures, 5 tables, accepted for publication in MNRA

Orbital parameters, masses and distance to Beta Centauri determined with the Sydney University Stellar Interferometer and high resolution spectroscopy

The bright southern binary star beta Centauri (HR 5267) has been observed with the Sydney University Stellar Interferometer (SUSI) and spectroscopically with the ESO CAT and Swiss Euler telescopes at La Silla. The interferometric observations have confirmed the binary nature of the primary component and have enabled the determination of the orbital parameters of the system. At the observing wavelength of 442 nm the two components of the binary system have a magnitude difference of 0.15. The combination of interferometric and spectroscopic data gives the following results: orbital period 357 days, semi-major axis 25.30 mas, inclination 67.4 degrees, eccentricity 0.821, distance 102.3 pc, primary and secondary masses M1 = M2 = 9.1 solar masses and absolute visual magnitudes of the primary and secondary M1V = -3.85 and M2V = -3.70. The high accuracy of the results offers a fruitful starting point for future asteroseismic modelling of the pulsating binary components.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA