355 research outputs found
The circumstellar envelope of AFGL 4106
We present new imaging and spectroscopy of the post-red supergiant binary
AFGL 4106. Coronographic imaging in H-alpha reveals the shape and extent of the
ionized region in the circumstellar envelope (CSE). Echelle spectroscopy with
the slit covering almost the entire extent of the CSE is used to derive the
physical conditions in the ionized region and the optical depth of the dust
contained within the CSE.
The dust shell around AFGL 4106 is clumpy and mixed with ionized gas. H-alpha
and [N II] emission is brightest from a thin bow-shaped layer just outside of
the detached dust shell. On-going mass loss is traced by [Ca II] emission and
blue-shifted absorption in lines of low-ionization species. A simple model is
used to interpret the spatial distribution of the circumstellar extinction and
the dust emission in a consistent way.Comment: 10 pages, 11 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy &
Astrophysics Main Journa
Dust-grain processing in circumbinary discs around evolved binaries. The RV Tauri spectral twins RU Cen and AC Her
Context: We study the structure and evolution of circumstellar discs around
evolved binaries and their impact on the evolution of the central system. Aims:
To study in detail the binary nature of RUCen and ACHer, as well as the
structure and mineralogy of the circumstellar environment. Methods: We combine
multi-wavelength observations with a 2D radiative transfer study. Our radial
velocity program studies the central stars, while our Spitzer spectra and
broad-band SEDs are used to constrain mineralogy, grain sizes and physical
structure of the circumstellar environment. Results: We determine the orbital
elements of RUCen showing that the orbit is highly eccentric with a rather long
period of 1500 days. The infrared spectra of both objects are very similar and
the spectral dust features are dominated by Mg-rich crystalline silicates. The
small peak-to-continuum ratios are interpreted as being due to large grains.
Our model contains two components with a cold midplain dominated by large
grains, and the near- and mid-IR which is dominated by the emission of smaller
silicates. The infrared excess is well modelled assuming a hydrostatic passive
irradiated disc. The profile-fitting of the dust resonances shows that the
grains must be very irregular. Conclusions: These two prototypical RVTauri
pulsators with circumstellar dust are binaries where the dust is trapped in a
stable disc. The mineralogy and grain sizes show that the dust is highly
processed, both in crystallinity and grain size. The cool crystals show that
either radial mixing is very efficient and/or that the thermal history at grain
formation has been very different from that in outflows. The physical processes
governing the structure of these discs are similar to those observed in
protoplanetary discs around young stellar objects.Comment: 11 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication by A&
Variability and nature of the binary in the Red Rectangle Nebula
We present new observations of the central binary inside the Red Rectangle
nebula. The detection of zinc in the optical spectrum confirms that the
peculiar photospheric abundances are due to accretion of circumstellar gas.
Grey brightness variations with the orbital period are observed. They are
interpreted as being due to the variation of the scattering angle with orbital
phase. The small orbital separation of the system is not compatible with
previous normal evolution of the primary on the AGB. We point out the
similarity of the orbital history of this and other similar systems with those
of some close Barium stars and suggest that the nonzero eccentricity of the
orbit is the result of tidal interaction with the circumbinary disk.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, A&A Letters accepte
Resolving the compact dusty discs around binary post-AGB stars using N-band interferometry
We present the first mid-IR long baseline interferometric observations of the
circumstellar matter around binary post-AGB stars. Two objects, SX Cen and HD
52961, were observed using the VLTI/MIDI instrument during Science
Demonstration Time. Both objects are known binaries for which a stable
circumbinary disc is proposed to explain the SED characteristics. This is
corroborated by our N-band spectrum showing a crystallinity fraction of more
than 50 % for both objects, pointing to a stable environment where dust
processing can occur. Surprisingly, the dust surrounding SX Cen is not resolved
in the interferometric observations providing an upper limit of 11 mas (or 18
AU at the distance of this object) on the diameter of the dust emission. This
confirms the very compact nature of its circumstellar environment. The dust
emission around HD 52961 originates from a very small but resolved region,
estimated to be ~ 35 mas at 8 micron and ~ 55 mas at 13 micron. These results
confirm the disc interpretation of the SED of both stars. In HD 52961, the dust
is not homogeneous in its chemical composition: the crystallinity is clearly
concentrated in the hotter inner region. Whether this is a result of the
formation process of the disc, or due to annealing during the long storage time
in the disc is not clear.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in A &
Strong dust processing in circumstellar discs around 6 RV Tauri stars. Are dusty RV Tauri stars all binaries?
We present extended Spectral Energy Distributions (SEDs) of seven classical
RV Tauri stars, using newly obtained submillimetre continuum measurements and
Geneva optical photometry supplemented with literature data. The broad-band
SEDs show a large IR excess with a black-body slope at long wavelengths in six
of the seven stars, R Sct being the noticeable exception. This long wavelength
slope is best explained assuming the presence of a dust component of large
grains in the circumstellar material. We show that the most likely distribution
of the circumstellar dust around the six systems is that the dust resides in a
disc. Moreover, very small outflow velocities are needed to explain the
presence of dust near the sublimation temperature and we speculate that the
discs are Keplerian. The structure and evolution of these compact discs are as
yet not understood but a likely prerequisite for their formation is that the
dusty RV Tauri stars are binaries.Comment: 10 pages, will be published in A&
Post-AGB stars in the Magellanic Clouds and neutron-capture processes in AGB stars
We explore modifications to the current scenario for the slow neutron capture
process in asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars to account for the Pb deficiency
observed in post-AGB stars of low metallicity ([Fe/H] ~ -1.2) and low initial
mass (~ 1 - 1.5 Msun) in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. We calculated
the stellar evolution and nucleosynthesis for a 1.3 Msun star with [Fe/H]=-1.3
and tested different amounts and distributions of protons leading to the
production of the main neutron source within the 13C-pocket and proton
ingestion scenarios. No s-process models can fully reproduce the abundance
patterns observed in the post-AGB stars. When the Pb production is lowered the
abundances of the elements between Eu and Pb, such as Er, Yb, W, and Hf, are
also lowered to below those observed. Neutron-capture processes with neutron
densities intermediate between the s and the rapid neutron-capture processes
may provide a solution to this problem and be a common occurrence in low-mass,
low-metallicity AGB stars.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures. To be published in Astronomy and Astrophysic
Analysis of the infrared spectra of the peculiar post-AGB stars EPLyr and HD52961
Aim: We aim to study in detail the peculiar mineralogy and structure of the
circumstellar environment of two binary post-AGB stars, EPLyr and HD52961. Both
stars were selected from a larger sample of evolved disc sources observed with
Spitzer and show unique solid-state and gas features in their infrared spectra.
Moreover, they show a very small infrared excess in comparison with the other
sample stars. Methods: The different dust and gas species are identified on the
basis of high-resolution Spitzer-IRS spectra. We fit the full spectrum to
constrain grain sizes and temperature distributions in the discs. This,
combined with our broad-band spectral energy distribution and interferometric
measurements, allows us to study the physical structure of the disc, using a
self-consistent 2D radiative-transfer disc model. Results: We find that both
stars have strong emission features due to CO_2 gas, dominated by
^{12}C^{16}O_2, but with clear ^{13}C^{16}O_2 and even ^{16}O^{12}C^{18}O
isotopic signatures. Crystalline silicates are apparent in both sources but
proved very hard to model. EP Lyr also shows evidence of mixed chemistry, with
emission features of the rare class-C PAHs. Whether these PAHs reside in the
oxygen-rich disc or in a carbon-rich outflow is still unclear. With the
strongly processed silicates, the mixed chemistry and the low ^{12}C/^{13}C
ratio, EP Lyr resembles some silicate J-type stars, although the depleted
photosphere makes nucleosynthetic signatures difficult to probe. We find that
the disc environment of both sources is, to a first approximation, well
modelled with a passive disc, but additional physics such as grain settling,
radial dust distributions, and an outflow component must be included to explain
the details of the observed spectral energy distributions in both stars.Comment: 14 pages, accepted for publication by A&
Keplerian discs around post-AGB stars: a common phenomenon?
Aims: We aim at showing that the broad-band SED characteristics of our sample
of post-AGB stars are best interpreted, assuming the circumstellar dust is
stored in Keplerian rotating passive discs.
Methods: We present a homogeneous and systematic study of the Spectral Energy
Distributions (SEDs) of a sample of 51 post-AGB objects. The selection criteria
to define the whole sample were tuned to cover the broad-band characteristics
of known binary post-AGB stars. The whole sample includes 20 dusty RV Tauri
stars from the General Catalogue of Variable Stars (GCVS). We supplemented our
own Geneva optical photometry with literature data to cover a broad range of
fluxes from the UV to the far-IR.
Results: All the SEDs display very similar characteristics: a large IR excess
with a dust excess starting near the sublimation temperature, irrespective of
the effective temperature of the central star. Moreover, when available, the
long wavelength fluxes show a black-body slope indicative of the presence of a
component of large mm sized grains.
Conclusions: We argue that in all systems, gravitationally bound dusty discs
are present. The discs must be puffed-up to cover a large opening angle for the
central star and we argue that the discs have some similarity with the passive
discs detected around young stellar objects. We interpret the presence of a
disc to be a signature for binarity of the central object, but this will need
confirmation by long-term monitoring of the radial velocities. We argue that
dusty RV Tauri stars are those binaries which happen to be in the Population II
instability strip.Comment: 29 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in A&
A new look inside Planetary Nebula LoTr 5: A long-period binary with hints of a possible third component
LoTr 5 is a planetary nebula with an unusual long-period binary central star.
As far as we know, the pair consists of a rapidly rotating G-type star and a
hot star, which is responsible for the ionization of the nebula. The rotation
period of the G-type star is 5.95 days and the orbital period of the binary is
now known to be 2700 days, one of the longest in central star of
planetary nebulae. The spectrum of the G central star shows a complex H
double-peaked profile which varies with very short time scales, also reported
in other central stars of planetary nebulae and whose origin is still unknown.
We present new radial velocity observations of the central star which allow us
to confirm the orbital period for the long-period binary and discuss the
possibility of a third component in the system at 129 days to the G star.
This is complemented with the analysis of archival light curves from SuperWASP,
ASAS and OMC. From the spectral fitting of the G-type star, we obtain a
effective temperature of = 5410250 K and surface gravity of
= 2.70.5, consistent with both giant and subgiant stars. We also
present a detailed analysis of the H double-peaked profile and conclude
that it does not present correlation with the rotation period and that the
presence of an accretion disk via Roche lobe overflow is unlikely.Comment: 12 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
SPITZER survey of dust grain processing in stable discs around binary post-AGB stars
Aims: We investigate the mineralogy and dust processing in the circumbinary
discs of binary post-AGB stars using high-resolution TIMMI2 and SPITZER
infrared spectra. Methods: We perform a full spectral fitting to the infrared
spectra using the most recent opacities of amorphous and crystalline dust
species. This allows for the identification of the carriers of the different
emission bands. Our fits also constrain the physical properties of different
dust species and grain sizes responsible for the observed emission features.
Results: In all stars the dust is oxygen-rich: amorphous and crystalline
silicate dust species prevail and no features of a carbon-rich component can be
found, the exception being EPLyr, where a mixed chemistry of both oxygen- and
carbon-rich species is found. Our full spectral fitting indicates a high degree
of dust grain processing. The mineralogy of our sample stars shows that the
dust is constituted of irregularly shaped and relatively large grains, with
typical grain sizes larger than 2 micron. The spectra of nearly all stars show
a high degree of crystallinity, where magnesium-rich end members of olivine and
pyroxene silicates dominate. Other dust features of e.g. silica or alumina are
not present at detectable levels. Temperature estimates from our fitting
routine show that a significant fraction of grains must be cool, significantly
cooler than the glass temperature. This shows that radial mixing is very
efficient is these discs and/or indicates different thermal conditions at grain
formation. Our results show that strong grain processing is not limited to
young stellar objects and that the physical processes occurring in the discs
are very similar to those in protoplanetary discs.Comment: 22pages, 50 figures (in appendix), accepted for A&
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