arXiv subjects

C. E. Jones

Publications and source records attributed to C. E. Jones.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

High-spatial-resolution simulations of Be star disks in binary systems: I. Structure and kinematics of coplanar disks

Binarity in massive stars has proven to be an important aspect in the their evolution. For Be stars, it might be the cause of their spin up, and thus part of the mechanism behind the formation of their viscous decretion disks. Detecting companions in systems with Be stars is challenging, making it difficult to obtain observational constraints on their binary fraction. We explore the effects of a binary companion in a system with a Be star, from disk formation to quasi steady-state using smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) simulations of coplanar, circular binary systems. High spatial resolution is achieved by adopting particle splitting in the SPH code, as well as a more realistic description of the secondary star and the disk viscosity. The tidal forces considerably affect the Be disk, forming distinct regions in the system, with observational consequences that can be used to infer the presence of a otherwise undetectable companion. With the upgraded code, we can probe a region approximately 4 times larger than previously possible. We describe the configuration and kinematics of each part of the system, and provide a summary of their expected observational signals. Material that enters the Roche lobe of the companion is partially captured by it, forming a rotationally supported, disk-like structure. Material not accreted escapes and forms a circumbinary disk around the system. This is the first work to describe the region beyond the truncation region of the Be disk and its observational consequences with detail. We argue that observational features of previously unclear origin, such as the intermittent shell features and emission features of HR 2142 and HD 55606, originate in areas beyond the truncation region. This new understanding of the behavior of disks in Be binaries will allow not just for better interpretation of existing data, but also for the planning of future observations.

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arXiv2025

Decretion disc evolution and neutron star accretion in short-period eccentric Be/X-ray binaries

We examine Be star discs in highly eccentric Be/X-ray systems. We use a three-dimensional smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) code to model the structure of the Be star disc and investigate its interactions with the secondary star over time. We use system parameters consistent with the eccentric, short-period (P $\approx$ 16 d) Be/X-ray binary A0538-66 as the basis for our models. We explore a range of system geometries by incrementally varying the misalignment angle of the neutron star's orbital plane with respect to the primary star's equatorial plane to cover a complete range from coplanar prograde to coplanar retrograde. For all simulations, we follow the evolution of the disc's total mass and angular momentum as well as the average eccentricity and inclination with respect to the equatorial planes of both the primary and secondary. We also determine the neutron star accretion rates. We find that the high eccentricity of the binary orbit causes all calculated disc parameters to vary with orbital phase in all models. The amplitude of these variations is negatively correlated with misalignment angle for models with misalignment angles less than 90°, and positively correlated for models with misalignment angles greater than 90°. Accretion rates are affected by the number of particles the neutron star interacts with as well as the length of the interaction time between the particles and the neutron star. We find that accretion rates are largest for models with misalignment angles less than 90°, and smaller for models with those greater than 90°.

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arXiv2024

Investigating Kozai-Lidov Oscillations and Disc Tearing in Be Star Discs

Recent simulations of Be stars in misaligned binary systems have revealed that misalignment between the disc and binary orbit can cause the disc to undergo Kozai-Lidov (KL) oscillations or disc-tearing. We build on our previous suite of three-dimensional smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulations of equal-mass systems by simulating eight new misaligned Be star binary systems, with mass-ratios of 0.1 and 0.5, or equal-mass systems with varying viscosity. We find the same phenomena occur as previously for mass ratios of 0.5, while the mass ratio of 0.1 does not cause KL oscillations or disc-tearing for the parameters examined. With increased viscosity in our equal-mass simulations, we show that these phenomena and other oscillations are damped out and do not occur. We also briefly compare two viscosity prescriptions and find they can produce the same qualitative disc evolution. Next, we use the radiative transfer code HDUST to predict observable trends of a KL oscillation, and show how the observables oscillate in sync with disc inclination and cause large changes in the polarization position angle. Our models generate highly complex line profiles, including triple-peak profiles that are known to occur in Be stars. The mapping between the SPH simulations and these triple-peak features gives us hints as to where they originate. Finally, we construct interferometric predictions of how a gap in the disc, produced by KL oscillations or disc-tearing, perturbs the visibility versus baseline curve at multiple wavelengths, and can cause large changes to the differential phase profile across an emission line.

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arXiv2024

Evolution of the disk in the Be binary $δ$ Scorpii probed during three periastron passages

We examine the evolution of the disk surrounding the Be star in the highly eccentric binary system $δ$ Scorpii over its three most recent periastron passages. $V$-band and $B-V$ photometry, along with H$α$ spectroscopy are combined with a new set of extensive multi-band polarimetry data to produce a detailed comparison of the disk's physical conditions during the time periods surrounding each closest approach of the secondary star. We use the three-dimensional Monte Carlo radiative transfer code \textsc{HDUST} and smoothed particle hydrodynamics (\textsc{SPH}) code to support our observations with models of disk evolution, discussing the behaviour of the H$α$ and He\,\textsc{i} 6678 lines, $V$-band magnitude, and polarization degree. We compare the characteristics of the disk immediately before each periastron passage to create a baseline for the unperturbed disk. We find that the extent of the H$α$ emitting region increased between each periastron passage, and that transient asymmetries in the disk become more pronounced with each successive encounter. Asymmetries of the H$α$ and He\,\textsc{i} 6678 lines in 2011 indicate that perturbations propagate inward through the disk near periastron. When the disk's direction of orbit is opposite to that of the secondary, the parameters used in our models do not produce spiral density enhancements in the H$α$ emitting region because the tidal interaction time is short due to the relative velocities of the disk particles with the secondary. The effects of the secondary star on the disk are short-lived and the disk shows independent evolution between each periastron event.

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arXiv2023

Disc Tearing in a Be Star: Predicted 3D Observations

We build on our previous work involving smoothed particle hydrodynamic simulations of Be stars, by using the model that exhibited disc tearing as input into the three-dimensional Monte Carlo radiative transfer code HDUST to predict observables from a variety of viewing angles throughout the disc tearing process. We run one simulation at the start of each orbital period from 20 to 72 orbital periods, which covers two complete disc tearing events. The resulting trends in observables are found to be dependent on the relative position of the observer and the tearing disc. The $\rm Hα$ equivalent width, $V$ magnitude, and polarization can all increase or decrease in any combination depending on the viewpoint of the observer. The $\rm Hα$ line profile also displays changes in strength and peak separation throughout the tearing process. We show how the outer disc of the torn system can have a large effect on the $\rm Hα$ line profile, and also contributes to a wavelength-dependent polarization position angle, resulting in a similar sawtooth shape to the polarization percentage. Finally, we compare our predictions to Pleione (28 Tau) where evidence has suggested that a disc tearing event has occurred in the past. We find that our tearing disc model can broadly match the trends seen in Pleione's observables, as well as produce the two-component $\rm Hα$ lines observed in Pleione. This is the strongest evidence, thus far, of Pleione's disc having indeed experienced a tearing event.

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arXiv2023

Bayesian sampling with BeAtlas, a grid of synthetic Be star spectra I. Recovering the fundamental parameters of αEri and βCMi

Classical Be stars are fast rotating, near main sequence B-type stars. The rotation and the presence of circumstellar discs profoundly modify the observables of active Be stars. Our goal is to infer stellar and disc parameters, as well as distance and interstellar extinction, using the currently most favoured physical models for these objects. We present BeAtlas, a grid of 61.600 NLTE radiative transfer models for Be stars, calculated with the HDUST code. The grid was coupled with a Monte Carlo Markov chain code to sample the posterior distribution. We test our method on two well-studied Be stars, $α$ Eri and $β$ CMi, using photometric, polarimetric and spectroscopic data as input to the code. We recover literature determinations for most of the parameters of the targets, in particular the mass and age of $α$ Eri, the disc parameters of $β$ CMi, and their distances and inclinations. The main discrepancy is that we estimate lower rotational rates than previous works. We confirm previously detected signs of disc truncation in $β$ CMi and note that its inner disc seems to have a flatter density slope than its outer disc. The correlations between the parameters are complex, further indicating that exploring the entire parameter space simultaneously is a more robust approach, statistically. The combination of BeAtlas and Bayesian-MCMC techniques proves successful, and a powerful new tool for the field: the fundamental parameters of any Be star can now be estimated in a matter of hours or days.

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arXiv2023

Non-LTE Monte Carlo Radiative Transfer. III. The thermal properties of Tilted and Warped Be Star Discs

We use the three-dimensional Monte Carlo radiative transfer code HDUST to model Be stars where the disc is tilted from the equatorial plane of the star. We compute 128 models across 4 spectral types, B0, B2, B5 and B8, tilting the disc by $0^o$, $10^o$, $20^o$, and $40^o$, while varying disc density according to spectral type. We also compute every model for an average and high stellar rotation rate. We first discuss non-tilted disc temperatures and show its non-linear dependence on stellar and disc parameters. We find that tilting the disc minimally affects the density-weighted average disc temperature, but tilting does create a temperature asymmetry in disc cross sections, which is more pronounced for a faster rotation rate. We also investigate the effect tilting has on $V$-band magnitude, polarization, and the H$α$ line. Tilting the disc does affect these observables, but the changes are entirely dependent on the position of the observer relative to the direction of tilt. We find the observables that distinguish tilting from a change in density or geometry are the H$α$ line shape, where it can transition between single-peaked and double-peaked, and the polarization position angle, whose value is dependent on the projected major elongation axis of the disc on the sky. We also present one early and one late-type model with warped discs. We find their temperature structure varies a small amount from the uniformly tilted models, and the different observables correspond to different tilt angles, consistent with their expected volume of origin within the disc.

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arXiv2022

Ultraviolet Spectropolarimetry: on the origin of rapidly rotating B stars

UV spectroscopy and spectropolarimetry hold the key to understanding certain aspects of massive stars that are largely inaccessible with optical or longer wavelength observations. This is especially true for the rapidly-rotating Be and Bn stars, owing to their high temperatures, geometric asymmetries, binary properties, and evolutionary history. UV spectropolarimetric observations are extremely sensitive to the photospheric consequences of rapid rotation (i.e. oblateness, temperature, and surface gravity gradients). Our polarized radiative-transfer modelling predicts that with low-resolution UV spectropolarimetry covering 120 -- 300 nm the inclination angle of a rapid rotator can be determined to within 5 degrees, and the rotation rate to within 1%. The origin of rapid rotation in Be/n stars can be explained by either single-star or binary evolution, but their relative importance is largely unknown. Some Be stars have hot sub-luminous (sdO) companions, which at an earlier phase transferred their envelope (and with it mass and angular momentum) to the present-day rapid rotator. Through spectral modelling of a wide range of simulated Be/n+sdO configurations, we demonstrate that high-resolution high-SNR UV spectroscopy can detect an sdO star even when $\sim$1,000 times fainter in the UV than its Be/n star companion. This degree of sensitivity is needed to more fully explore the parameter space of Be/n+sdO binaries, which so far has been limited to about a dozen systems with relatively luminous sdO stars. We suggest that a UV spectropolarimetric survey of Be/n stars is the next step forward in understanding this population. Such a dataset would, when combined with population synthesis models, allow for the determination of the relative importance of the possible evolutionary pathways traversed by these stars, which is also crucial for understanding their future evolution and fate.

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arXiv2022

Angular Momentum Loss Rates in Be Stars Determined by the Viscous Decretion Disc Model

Circumstellar discs around Be stars are formed by the material ejected by the central star. This process removes excess angular momentum from the star as viscosity facilitates the mass and angular momentum transfer within the disc and its growth. The angular momentum loss rates (AMLR) of Be stars is a subject of debate in the literature. Through the modelling of the disc formation and dissipation phases observed from Be stars, their average AMLR can be determined and this is the goal of this work. We use the viscous decretion disc (VDD) model to provide a range of the average AMLR for Be stars and compare these rates with predicted values from the literature. We explore the reasons for discrepancies between the predicted values of average AMLR using the VDD and Geneva stellar evolution (GSE) models that were previously reported in literature and find that the largest differences occur when Be stars are rotating below their critical speeds. We show that the time over which the mass reservoir builds up is inversely proportional to the average AMLR. Also, we determine a revised value of the average AMLR for the Galactic Be star omega CMa of 4.7x10^36 g cm^2/s^2, which is in better agreement with the values expected for a typical B2 type star. Finally, the effect of disc truncation due to the presence of a companion star is investigated and we find that this has a minimal effect on the average AMLR.

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arXiv2021

Growth and Dissipation of Be Star Discs in Misaligned Binary Systems

We use a three-dimensional smoothed particle hydrodynamics code to simulate growth and dissipation of Be star discs in systems where the binary orbit is misaligned with respect to the spin axis of the primary star. We investigate six different scenarios of varying orbital period and misalignment angle, feeding the disc at a constant rate for 100 orbital periods, and then letting the disc dissipate for 100 orbital periods. During the disc growth phase, we find that the binary companion tilts the disc away from its initial plane at the equator of the primary star before settling to a constant orientation after 40 to 50 orbital periods. While the mass-injection into the disc is ongoing, the tilting of the disc can cause material to reaccrete onto the primary star prematurely. Once disc dissipation begins, usually the disc precesses about the binary companion's orbital axis with precession periods ranging from 20 to 50 orbital periods. In special cases we detect phenomena of disc tearing, as well as Kozai-Lidov oscillations of the disc. These oscillations reach a maximum eccentricity of about 0.6, and a minimum inclination of about \ang{20} with respect to the binary's orbit. We also find the disc material to have highly eccentric orbits beyond the transition radius, where the disc changes from being dominated by viscous forces, to heavily controlled by the companion star, in contrast to its nearly circular motion inward of the transition radius. Finally, we offer predictions to how these changes will affect Be star observables.

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arXiv2021

Decay spectroscopy of $^{50}$Sc and $^{50m}$Sc to $^{50}$Ti

The $β$ decay of the isomeric and ground state of $^{50}$Sc to the semi-magic nucleus $^{50}_{22}$Ti$_{28}$ has been studied using a $^{50}$Ca beam delivered to the GRIFFIN $γ$-ray spectrometer at the TRIUMF-ISAC facility. $β$-decay branching ratios are reported to 16 excited states with a total of 38 $γ$-ray transitions linking them. These new data significantly expands the information available over previous studies. Relative intensities are measured to less than 0.001$\%$ that of the strongest transition with the majority of $γ$-ray transitions observed here in $β$ decay for the first time. The data are compared to shell-model calculations utilizing both phenomenologically-derived interactions employed in the ${\it pf}$ shell as well as a state-of-the-art, ${\it ab~initio}$ based interaction built in the valence-space in-medium similarity renormalization group framework.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2020

The Large Scale Behaviour in the Disk of $δ$ Scorpii from 2000-2018

We model the circumstellar disk of $δ$ Sco using the 3-dimensional Monte Carlo radiative transfer code HDUST in order to quantify the large scale changes in the disk through the years 2000 to 2018, and to see if these changes can be attributed to the secondary star affecting the disk throughout its orbit. We determine our best-fitting models through matching simulated observations to actual H$\rm α$ spectroscopy and V-band photometric observations. Our modelling results confirm previous findings that the disk of $δ$ Sco was forming early in the century. We also find a period of disk dissipation when the companion is at apastron, as well as a significant growth of the disk between 2009 and 2011, prior to the periastron of 2011. Due to the steady-state nature of the disk after 2011, it is difficult to say whether the variations seen are due to the effect of the close passage of the binary companion.

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arXiv2017

Quiescent and active phases in Be stars: A WISE snapshot of young galactic open clusters

Through the modelling of near-infrared photometry of star plus disk systems with the codes BEDISK/BERAY, we successfully describe the WISE photometric characteristics of Be stars in five young open clusters, NGC 663, NGC 869, NGC 884, NGC 3766 and NGC 4755, broadly studied in the literature. WISE photometry allows previously known Be stars to be detected and to find new Be candidates which could be confirmed spectroscopically. The location of Be stars in the WISE colour-magnitude diagram, separates them in two groups; active (Be stars hosting a developed circumstellar disk) and quiescent objects (Be stars in a diskless phase), and this way, we can explore how often stars are observed in these different stages. The variability observed in most active variable Be stars is compatible with a disk dissipation phase. We find that 50 percent of Be stars in the studied open clusters are in an active phase. We can interpret this as Be stars having a developed circumstellar disk half of the time. The location of Be stars with a developed disk in the CMD require mass loss rates in agreement with values recently reported in the literature. For these objects, we expect to have a tight relation between the equivalent width of the Hα line and the mass of the disk, if the inclination is known. Also, near-infrared photometry of Be stars in stellar clusters has the potential of being useful to test whether there is a preferential viewing angle.

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arXiv2017

Computing the Photometric and Polarimetric Variability of Be Stars

We investigate variations in the linear polarization as well as in the V-band and B-band colour-magnitudes for classical Be star disks. We present two models: disks with enhanced disk density and disks that are tilted or warped from the stellar equatorial plane. In both cases, we predict variation in observable properties of the system as the disk rotates. We use a non-LTE radiative transfer code BEDISK (Sigut & Jones) in combination with a Monte Carlo routine that includes multiple scattering (Halonen et al.) to model classical Be star systems. We find that a disk with an enhanced density region that is one order of magnitude denser than the disk's base density shows as much as $\sim$0.2% variability in the polarization while the polarization position angle varies by $\sim$8°. The $Δ$V magnitude for the same system shows variations of up to $\sim$0.4 magnitude while the $Δ$(B-V) colour varies by at most $\sim$0.01 magnitude. We find that disks tilted from the equatorial plane at small angles of $\sim$30°more strongly reflect the values of polarization and colour-magnitudes reported in the literature than disks tilted at larger angles. For this model, the linear polarization varies by $\sim$0.3%, the polarization position angle varies by $\sim$60°, the $Δ$V magnitude varies up to 0.35 magnitude, and the $Δ$(B-V) colour varies up to 0.1 magnitude. We find that the enhanced disk density models show ranges of polarization and colour-magnitudes that are commensurate with what is reported in the literature for all sizes of the density enhanced regions. From this, we cannot determine any preference for small or large density enhanced regions.

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arXiv2017

$Ω$-Slow Solutions and Be Star Disks

As the disk formation mechanism(s) in Be stars is(are) as yet unknown, we investigate the role of rapidly rotating radiation-driven winds in this process. We implemented the effects of high stellar rotation on m-CAK models accounting for: the shape of the star, the oblate finite disk correction factor, and gravity darkening. For a fast rotating star, we obtain a two-component wind model, i.e., a fast, thin wind in the polar latitudes and an $Ω$-slow, dense wind in the equatorial regions. We use the equatorial mass densities to explore H$α$ emission profiles for the following scenarios: 1) a spherically symmetric star, 2) an oblate shaped star with constant temperature, and 3) an oblate star with gravity darkening. One result of this work is that we have developed a novel method for solving the gravity darkened, oblated m-CAK equation of motion. Furthermore, from our modeling we find a) the oblate finite disk correction factor, for the scenario considering the gravity darkening, can vary by at least a factor of two between the equatorial and polar directions, influencing the velocity profile and mass-loss rate accordingly, b) the H$α$ profiles predicted by our model are in agreement with those predicted by a standard power-law model for following values of the line-force parameters: $1.5 \lesssim k \lesssim 3$, $ \, α\sim 0.6$ and $\, δ\gtrsim 0.1$, and c) the contribution of the fast wind component to the H$α$ emission line profile is negligible; therefore, the line profiles arise mainly from the equatorial disks of Be stars.

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arXiv2017

The disk physical conditions of 48 Persei constrained by contemporaneous Hα spectroscopy and interferometry

We utilize a multi-step modelling process to produce synthetic interferometric and spectroscopic observables, which are then compared to their observed counterparts. Our extensive set of interferometric observations of the Be star 48 Per, totaling 291 data points, were obtained at the Navy Precision Optical Interferometer from 2006 Nov 07 to 2006 Nov 23. Our models were further constrained by comparison with contemporaneous H$α$ line spectroscopy obtained at the John S. Hall Telescope at Lowell Observatory on 2006 Nov 1. Theoretical spectral energy distributions, SEDs, for 48~Per were confirmed by comparison with observations over a wavelength regime of 0.4 to 60 microns from Touhami et al. (2010) and Vieira et al. (2017). Our best-fitting combined model from H$α$ spectroscopy, H$α$ interferometry and SED fitting has a power law density fall off, $n$, of 2.3 and an initial density at the stellar surface of $ρ_0 = 1.0 \times 10^{-11} \rm{g\,cm}^{-3}$ with a inclination constrained by H$α$ spectroscopy and interferometry of 45$^{\circ} \pm 5^{\circ}$. The position angle for the system, measured east from north, is 121$^{\circ}$ $\pm$ 1$^{\circ}$. Our best-fit model shows that the disk emission originates in a moderately large disk with a radius of 25 R$_{*}$ which is consistent with a disk mass of approximately 5 $\times$ 10$^{24}$ g or 3 $\times$ 10$^{-10}$ M$_{*}$. Finally, we compare our results with previous studies of 48~Per by Quirrenbach et al. (1997) with agreement but find, with our much larger data set, that our disk size contradicts the findings of Delaa et al. (2011).

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arXiv2017

Evidence for Different Disk Mass Distributions Between Early and Late-Type Be Stars in the BeSOS Survey

The circumstellar disk density distributions for a sample of 63 Be southern stars from the BeSOS survey were found by modelling their H$α$ emission line profiles. These disk densities were used to compute disk masses and disk angular momenta for the sample. Average values for the disk mass are 3.4$\times$10$^{-9}$ and 9.5$\times$10$^{-10}$ $M_{\star}$ for early (B0-B3) and late (B4-B9) spectral types, respectively. We also find that the range of disk angular momentum relative to the star are between 150-200 and 100-150 $J_{\star}/M_{\star}$, again for early and late-type Be stars respectively. The distributions of the disk mass and disk angular momentum are different between early and late-type Be stars at a 1\% level of significance. Finally, we construct the disk mass distribution for the BeSOS sample as a function of spectral type and compare it to the predictions of stellar evolutionary models with rapid rotation. The observed disk masses are typically larger than the theoretical predictions, although the observed spread in disk masses is typically large.

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arXiv2016

Investigating the Circumstellar Disk of the Be Shell Star 48 Librae

A global disk oscillation implemented in the viscous decretion disk (VDD) model has been used to reproduce most of the observed properties of the well known Be star $ζ$ Tau. 48 Librae shares several similarities with $ζ$ Tau -- they are both early-type Be stars, they display shell characteristics in their spectra, and they exhibit cyclic $V/R$ variations -- but has some marked differences as well, such as a much denser and more extended disk, a much longer $V/R$ cycle, and the absence of the so-called triple-peak features. We aim to reproduce the photometric, polarimetric, and spectroscopic observables of 48 Librae with a self-consistent model, and to test the global oscillation scenario for this target. Our calculations are carried out with the three-dimensional NLTE radiative transfer code HDUST. We employ a rotationally deformed, gravity-darkened central star, surrounded by a disk whose unperturbed state is given by the VDD model. A two-dimensional global oscillation code is then used to calculate the disk perturbation, and superimpose it on the unperturbed disk. A very good, self-consistent fit to the time-averaged properties of the disk is obtained with the VDD. The calculated perturbation has a period $P = 12$ yr, which agrees with the observed period, and the behaviour of the $V/R$ cycle is well reproduced by the perturbed model. The perturbed model improves the fit to the photometric data and reproduces some features of the observed spectroscopic data. Some suggestions to improve the synthesized spectroscopy in a future work are given.

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