Atmospheric dynamics of red supergiant stars and Interferometry

We developed a 3D pure LTE radiative transfer code to derive observables expected for RSGs, with emphasis on small scale structures, from radiative-hydrodynamic (RHD) simulations of red supergiant stars (RSGs) carried out with CO5BOLD (Freytag et al. 2002). We show that the convection-related surface structures are observable with today's interferometers. Moreover, the RHD simulations are a great improvement over parametric models for the interpretation of interferometric observations.Comment: 6 pages, Perspectives in Radiative Transfer and Interferometry, EAS publication serie

Red supergiant star studies with CO5BOLD and Optim3D

We describe recent work focused towards a better understanding of red supergiant stars using 3D radiative-hydrodynamics (RHD) simulations with CO5BOLD. A small number of simulations now exist that span up to seven years of stellar time, at various numerical resolutions. Our discussion concentrates on interferometric and spectroscopic observations. We point out a number of problems, in particular the line depth and line width that are not well reproduced by simulations. The most recent introduction of a non-grey treatment of the radiation field dramatically improved the match with observations, without solving all difficulties. We also review the newly revived effective temperature scale controversy, and argue that it will only be solved using 3D RHD models.Comment: To be published on the proceedings of the CO5BOLD workshop 2012 on Memorie della SAIt Supplementi, Vol. 24, E. Caffau & L. Sbordone eds. (http://www.lsw.uni-heidelberg.de/co5bold/workshop/

Stellar granulation and interferometry

Stars are not smooth. Their photosphere is covered by a granulation pattern associated with the heat transport by convection. The convection-related surface structures have different size, depth, and temporal variations with respect to the stellar type. The related activity (in addition to other phenomena such as magnetic spots, rotation, dust, etc.) potentially causes bias in stellar parameters determination, radial velocity, chemical abundances determinations, and exoplanet transit detections. The role of long-baseline interferometric observations in this astrophysical context is crucial to characterize the stellar surface dynamics and correct the potential biases. In this Chapter, we present how the granulation pattern is expected for different kind of stellar types ranging from main sequence to extremely evolved stars of different masses and how interferometric techniques help to study their photospheric dynamics.Comment: To appear in the Book of the VLTI School 2013, held 9-21 Sep 2013 Barcelonnette (France), "What the highest angular resolution can bring to stellar astrophysics?", Ed. Millour, Chiavassa, Bigot, Chesneau, Meilland, Stee, EAS Publications Series (2015

Atmospheric dynamics of red supergiant stars and applications to Interferometry

We have written a 3D radiative transfer code that computes emerging spectra and intensity maps. We derive from radiative hydrodynamic (RHD) simulations of RSG stars carried out with CO5BOLD (Freytag et al. 2002) observables expected for red supergiant stars (RSG) especially for interferometric observations, with emphasis on small scale structures. We show that the convection-related surface structures are detectable in the H band with today's interferometers and that the diameter measurement should not be too dependent on the adopted model. The simulations are a great improvement over parametric models for the interpretation of interferometric observations.Comment: 6 pages, SF2A 2007 conferenc

The primary cosmic rays spectrum at knee energies. Experimental results and future developments

In this contribution I briefly review the most recent results obtained by experiments studying the primary cosmic rays spectrum at energies around the knee, i.e. the change of the slope observed at E0 ∼ 3 × 1015 eV. The contribution is completed discussing the arguments that still remain controversial, the measurements that will allow to clarify them and the experiments actually operating

The mass function of GX 339-4 from spectroscopic observations of its donor star

We obtained 16 VLT/X-shooter observations of GX 339-4 in quiescence in the period May - September 2016 and detected absorption lines from the donor star in its NIR spectrum. This allows us to measure the radial velocity curve and projected rotational velocity of the donor for the first time. We confirm the 1.76 day orbital period and we find that $K_2$ = $219 \pm 3$ km s$^{-1}$, $\gamma = 26 \pm 2$ km s$^{-1}$ and $v \sin i = 64 \pm 8$ km s$^{-1}$. From these values we compute a mass function $f(M) =1.91 \pm 0.08~M_{\odot}$, a factor $\sim 3$ lower than previously reported, and a mass ratio $q = 0.18 \pm 0.05$. We confirm the donor is a K-type star and estimate that it contributes $\sim 45-50\%$ of the light in the $J$- and H-band. We constrain the binary inclination to $37^\circ < i < 78^\circ$ and the black hole mass to $2.3~M_{\odot} < M_\mathrm{BH} < 9.5~M_{\odot}$. GX 339-4 may therefore be the first black hole to fall in the 'mass-gap' of $2-5~M_{\odot}$.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in Ap