arXiv subjects

B. Powell

Publications and source records attributed to B. Powell.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Discovery of the First Octupole Pulsation Mode in a delta Scuti Star: A Stationary l = 3 Sectoral Mode

Aims. We are attempting to better understand how stellar pulsations in close binary systems are affected, and possibly induced, by tidal, Coriolis, and centrifugal forces. Methods. We analyzed TESS data for some 50,000 potential eclipsing binaries selected by machine learning algorithms in order to search for pulsation multiplets split by integer multiples of the orbital frequency. Results. We report on the discovery of an octupole pulsation mode in the binary star system TIC 287869463, which contains a delta Scuti star. This mode is actually a combination of Y3+3 and Y3-3 modes that are perturbed into a new eigenmode of the star via tidal, Coriolis, and centrifugal forces, which we call a Y33+ mode. The mode is stationary on the star. To our knowledge, this is the first time that such an l = 3 mode identification has been securely made in any delta Scuti star, and the first stationary l = 3 sectoral mode of this type seen in any star, including the Sun. The l = 3 pulsations appear as a combination of two components at 34.94617 per day and 39.31127 per day, split by exactly six times the frequency of the orbital motion to within better than 1 part in 100,000. We extract the pulsation frequencies from the TESS data spanning more than three years, and model the system to gain a better understanding of this novel asteroseismic discovery. The pulsation frequencies are found to be steadily increasing with time, but always maintaining a split equal to six times the orbital frequency. Conclusions. We discuss the implications for the broader class of "tidally tilted pulsators" and "tri-axial pulsators" that have been discovered to date. We conclude that these previous categories can all be interpreted as linear combinations of spherical harmonics whose axes coincide with the orbital axis and form new eigenmodes of the star via tidal, Coriolis, and centrifugal perturbations

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2025

Ten new, ultracompact triply eclipsing triple star systems

We have identified more than a hundred close triply eclipsing hierarchical triple star systems from data taken with the space telescope TESS. Many of them have outer periods less than or, close to 100 days, hence, we call them `ultracompact hierarchical triples'. These systems are noteworthy in that we can potentially determine their dynamical and astrophysical parameters with a high precision, in many cases even without radial velocity data. In the present paper we report the comprehensive study of ten new ultracompact triply eclipsing triple star systems, located in the northern ecliptic hemisphere, taken from this larger sample: TICs 198581208, 265274458, 283846096, 337993842, 351404069, 378270875, 403792414, 403916758, 405789362, 461500036. Most of the data for this study come from TESS observations, but we obtained supplemental ground-based photometric measurements for two of the systems. The eclipse timing variation curves extracted from the TESS and the ground-based follow up data, the photometric light curves, and the spectral energy distribution are combined in a complex photodynamical analysis to yield the stellar and orbital parameters of all ten systems. The outer periods are in the range of 46.8-101.4 days. We found third-body forced, rapid apsidal motion in four systems. Moreover, TIC 403916758 was found to be a double twin triple (i.e. both the inner and the outer mass ratios are close to unity). All of the systems are substantially flat, with mutual inclination angles of $<5^o$. Finally, we have taken the results for the ten systems in the present paper, and combined them with the system parameters for more than 30 other compact triples that we have reported on in previous work, in order to examine some of the global properties of these systems on a statistical basis.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2025

Starspots on eclipsing giant stars I.: The sample and eclipse mapping examples

Spotted stars in eclipsing binary systems allow us to gather significant information about the stellar surface inhomogeneities that is otherwise impossible from only photometric data. Starspots can be scanned using the eclipse (or transit) mapping technique, which takes advantage of the passage of a companion star (or planet) in front of a spotted giant star in a binary system. Based on the characteristics of their ultra-precise space photometric light curves, we compile a list of eclipsing binaries whose primary component is a spotted subgiant or giant star, with the aim of applying the eclipse mapping technique to them. Eclipsing binaries with giant primaries were selected from Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) light curves by visual inspection. Spots showing up as bumps during eclipses are modeled with an eclipse mapping technique specialized for two stars, and the number of spots are found with the help of Bayes factors. The full light curves themselves were analyzed with time series spot modeling, and the results of the two approaches were compared. We present a catalog of 29 eclipsing close binaries with active giant components and analyze TIC 235934420, TIC 271892852 and TIC 326257590 from the Continuous Viewing Zones (CVZ) of TESS. Remarkable agreement is found between the starspot temperatures, sizes, and longitudes from the eclipse mapping results and the corresponding full light curve solutions. Spots are always present at the substellar points of the tidally locked binaries. Data from the TESS CVZ allow us to follow the changes of spot patterns on yearly timescales.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2024

Seven new triply eclipsing triple star systems

We have identified nearly a hundred close triply eclipsing hierarchical triple star systems from data taken with the space telescope TESS. These systems are noteworthy in that we can potentially determine their dynamical and astrophysical parameters with a high precision. In the present paper, we report the comprehensive study of seven new compact triply eclipsing triple star systems taken from this larger sample: TICs 133771812, 176713425, 185615681, 287756035, 321978218, 323486857, and 650024463. Most of the data for this study come from TESS observations, but two of them have Gaia measurements of their outer orbits, and we obtained supplemental radial velocity (RV) measurements for three of the systems. The eclipse timing variation curves extracted from the TESS data, the photometric light curves, the RV points, and the spectral energy distribution (SED) are combined in a complex photodynamical analysis to yield the stellar and orbital parameters of all seven systems. Four of the systems are quite compact with outer periods in the range of 41-56 days. All of the systems are substantially flat, with mutual inclination angles of < ~2 degrees. Including the systems reported in this work, we have now studied in considerable detail some 30 triply eclipsing triples with TESS, and are accumulating a meaningful census of these systems.

astro-ph.SR↗