arXiv subjects

D. Koch

Publications and source records attributed to D. Koch.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2018

Revival of the magnetar PSR J1622-4950: observations with MeerKAT, Parkes, XMM-Newton, Swift, Chandra, and NuSTAR

New radio (MeerKAT and Parkes) and X-ray (XMM-Newton, Swift, Chandra, and NuSTAR) observations of PSR J1622-4950 indicate that the magnetar, in a quiescent state since at least early 2015, reactivated between 2017 March 19 and April 5. The radio flux density, while variable, is approximately 100x larger than during its dormant state. The X-ray flux one month after reactivation was at least 800x larger than during quiescence, and has been decaying exponentially on a 111+/-19 day timescale. This high-flux state, together with a radio-derived rotational ephemeris, enabled for the first time the detection of X-ray pulsations for this magnetar. At 5%, the 0.3-6 keV pulsed fraction is comparable to the smallest observed for magnetars. The overall pulsar geometry inferred from polarized radio emission appears to be broadly consistent with that determined 6-8 years earlier. However, rotating vector model fits suggest that we are now seeing radio emission from a different location in the magnetosphere than previously. This indicates a novel way in which radio emission from magnetars can differ from that of ordinary pulsars. The torque on the neutron star is varying rapidly and unsteadily, as is common for magnetars following outburst, having changed by a factor of 7 within six months of reactivation.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2016

Towards a fully size-consistent method of increments

The method of increments (MoI) allows one to successfully calculate cohesive energies of bulk materials with high accuracy, but it encounters difficulties when calculating whole dissociation curves. The reason is that its standard formalism is based on a single Hartree-Fock (HF) configuration whose orbitals are localized and used for the many-body expansion. Therefore, in those situations where HF does not allow a size-consistent description of the dissociation, the MoI cannot yield proper results either. Herein we address the problem by employing a size-consistent multiconfigurational reference for the MoI formalism. This leads to a matrix equation where a coupling derived by the reference itself is employed. In principle, such approach allows one to evaluate approximate values for the ground as well as excited states energies. While the latter are accurate close to the avoided crossing only, the ground state results are very promising for the whole dissociation curve, as shown by the comparison with density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) benchmarks. We tested this two-state constant-coupling (TSCC)-MoI on beryllium rings of different sizes and studied the error introduced by the constant coupling.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2016

Calculation of the static and dynamical correlation energy of pseudo-one-dimensional beryllium systems via a many-body expansion

Low-dimensional beryllium systems constitute interesting case studies for the test of correlation methods because of the importance of both static and dynamical correlation in the formation of the bond. Aiming to describe the whole dissociation curve of extended Be systems we chose to apply the method of increments (MoI) in its multireference (MR) formalism. However, in order to do so an insight into the wave function was necessary. Therefore we started by focusing on the description of small Be chains via standard quantum chemical methods and gave a brief analysis of the main characteristics of their wave functions. We then applied the MoI to larger beryllium systems, starting from the Be6 ring. First, the complete active space formalism (CAS-MoI) was employed and the results were used as reference for local MR calculations of the whole dissociation curve. Despite this approach is well established for the calculation of systems with limited multireference character, its application to the description of whole dissociation curves still requires further testing. After discussing the role of the basis set, the method was finally applied to larger rings and extrapolated to an infinite chain.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2015

Unit Quaternions and the Bloch Sphere

The spinor representation of spin-1/2 states can equally well be mapped to a single unit quaternion, yielding a new perspective despite the equivalent mathematics. This paper first demonstrates a useable map that allows Bloch-sphere rotations to be represented as quaternionic multiplications, simplifying the form of the dynamical equations. Left-multiplications generally correspond to non-unitary transformations, providing a simpler (essentially classical) analysis of time-reversal. But the quaternion viewpoint also reveals a surprisingly large broken symmetry, as well as a potential way to restore it, via a natural expansion of the state space that has parallels to second order fermions. This expansion to "second order qubits" would imply either a larger gauge freedom or a natural space of hidden variables.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2011

The architecture of the hierarchical triple star KOI 928 from eclipse timing variations seen in Kepler photometry

We present a hierarchical triple star system (KIC 9140402) where a low mass eclipsing binary orbits a more massive third star. The orbital period of the binary (4.98829 Days) is determined by the eclipse times seen in photometry from NASA's Kepler spacecraft. The periodically changing tidal field, due to the eccentric orbit of the binary about the tertiary, causes a change in the orbital period of the binary. The resulting eclipse timing variations provide insight into the dynamics and architecture of this system and allow the inference of the total mass of the binary ($0.424 \pm 0.017 \text{M}_\odot$) and the orbital parameters of the binary about the central star.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2011

Predicting the detectability of oscillations in solar-type stars observed by Kepler

Asteroseismology of solar-type stars has an important part to play in the exoplanet program of the NASA Kepler Mission. Precise and accurate inferences on the stellar properties that are made possible by the seismic data allow very tight constraints to be placed on the exoplanetary systems. Here, we outline how to make an estimate of the detectability of solar-like oscillations in any given Kepler target, using rough estimates of the temperature and radius, and the Kepler apparent magnitude.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2010

Kepler photometry of the prototypical Blazhko star RR Lyr: An old friend seen in a new light

We present our analysis of the long cadence Kepler data for the well-studied Blazhko star RR Lyr, gathered during the first two quarters of the satellite's observations and covering a total of 127d. Besides being of great importance for our understanding of RR Lyrae stars in general, these RR Lyr data can be regarded as a case study for observations of bright stars with Kepler. Kepler can perform high-precision photometry on targets like RR Lyr, as the saturated flux is conserved to a very high degree. The Kepler data on RR Lyr are revolutionary in several respects. Even with long-cadence sampling (one measurement per 29.4 min), the unprecedented precision (< mmag) of the Kepler photometry allows the study of the star's extreme light curve variations in detail. The multiplet structures at the main frequency and its harmonics, typical for Blazhko stars, are clearly detected up to the quintuplets. For the first time, photometric data of RR Lyr reveal the presence of half-integer frequencies, linked to a period doubling effect. This phenomenon may be connected to the still unexplained Blazhko modulation. Moreover, with three observed Blazhko cycles at our disposal, we observe that there is no exact repetition in the light curve changes from one modulation cycle to the next for RR Lyr. This may be due to additional periodicities in the star, or to transient or quasi-periodic changes.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2010

Asteroseismology of red giants from the first four months of Kepler data: Global oscillation parameters for 800 stars

We have studied solar-like oscillations in ~800 red-giant stars using Kepler long-cadence photometry. The sample includes stars ranging in evolution from the lower part of the red-giant branch to the Helium main sequence. We investigate the relation between the large frequency separation (Delta nu) and the frequency of maximum power (nu_max) and show that it is different for red giants than for main-sequence stars, which is consistent with evolutionary models and scaling relations. The distributions of nu_max and Delta nu are in qualitative agreement with a simple stellar population model of the Kepler field, including the first evidence for a secondary clump population characterized by M ~> 2 M_sun and nu_max ~ 40-110 muHz. We measured the small frequency separations delta nu_02 and delta nu_01 in over 400 stars and delta nu_03 in over 40. We present C-D diagrams for l=1, 2 and 3 and show that the frequency separation ratios delta nu_02/Delta nu and delta nu_01/Delta nu have opposite trends as a function of Delta nu. The data show a narrowing of the l=1 ridge towards lower nu_max, in agreement with models predicting more efficient mode trapping in stars with higher luminosity. We investigate the offset epsilon in the asymptotic relation and find a clear correlation with Delta nu, demonstrating that it is related to fundamental stellar parameters. Finally, we present the first amplitude-nu_max relation for Kepler red giants. We observe a lack of low-amplitude stars for nu_max ~> 110 muHz and find that, for a given nu_max between 40-110 muHz, stars with lower Delta nu (and consequently higher mass) tend to show lower amplitudes than stars with higher Delta nu.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2010

Kepler observations of the beaming binary KPD 1946+4340

The Kepler Mission has acquired 33.5d of continuous one-minute photometry of KPD 1946+4340, a short-period binary system that consists of an sdB and a white dwarf. In the light curve, eclipses are clearly seen, with the deepest occurring when the compact white dwarf crosses the disc of the sdB (0.4%) and the more shallow ones (0.1%) when the sdB eclipses the white dwarf. As expected, the sdB is deformed by the gravitational field of the white dwarf, which produces an ellipsoidal modulation of the light curve. Spectacularly, a very strong Doppler beaming (aka Doppler boosting) effect is also clearly evident at the 0.1% level. This originates from the sdB's orbital velocity, which we measure to be 164.0\pm1.9 km/s from supporting spectroscopy. We present light curve models that account for all these effects, as well as gravitational lensing. We derive system parameters and uncertainties from the light curve using Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulations. Adopting a theoretical white dwarf mass-radius relation, the mass of the subdwarf is found to be 0.47\pm0.03 Msun and the mass of the white dwarf 0.59\pm0.02 Msun. The effective temperature of the white dwarf is 15 900\pm300K. With a spectroscopic effective temperature of Teff = 34 730\pm250K and a surface gravity of log g = 5.43\pm0.04, the sdB is in a shell He burning stage. The detection of Doppler beaming in Kepler light curves potentially allows one to measure radial velocities without the need of spectroscopic data. For the first time, a photometrically observed Doppler beaming amplitude is compared to a spectroscopically established value. The sdB's radial velocity amplitude derived from the photometry 168\pm4 km/s is in perfect agreement with the spectroscopic value. After subtracting our best model for the orbital effects, we searched the residuals for stellar oscillations but did not find any significant pulsation frequencies.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2010

Flavours of variability: 29 RR Lyrae stars observed with Kepler

We present our analysis of Kepler observations of 29 RR Lyrae stars, based on 138-d of observation. We report precise pulsation periods for all stars. Nine of these stars had incorrect or unknown periods in the literature. Fourteen of the stars exhibit both amplitude and phase Blazhko modulations, with Blazhko periods ranging from 27.7 to more than 200 days. For V445 Lyr, a longer secondary variation is also observed in addition to its 53.2-d Blazhko period. The unprecedented precision of the Kepler photometry has led to the discovery of the the smallest modulations detected so far. Moreover, additional frequencies beyond the well-known harmonics and Blazhko multiplets have been found. These frequencies are located around the half-integer multiples of the main pulsation frequency for at least three stars. In four stars, these frequencies are close to the first and/or second overtone modes. The amplitudes of these periodicities seem to vary over the Blazhko cycle. V350 Lyr, a non-Blazhko star in our sample, is the first example of a double mode RR Lyrae star that pulsates in its fundamental and second overtone modes.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2010

Does Kepler unveil the mystery of the Blazhko effect? First detection of period doubling in Kepler Blazhko RR Lyrae stars

The first detection of the period doubling phenomenon is reported in the Kepler RR Lyrae stars RR Lyr, V808 Cyg and V355 Lyr. Interestingly, all these pulsating stars show Blazhko modulation. The period doubling manifests itself as alternating maxima and minima of the pulsational cycles in the light curve, as well as through the appearance of half-integer frequencies located halfway between the main pulsation period and its harmonics in the frequency spectrum. The effect was found to be stronger during certain phases of the modulation cycle. We were able to reproduce the period doubling bifurcation in our nonlinear RR Lyrae models computed by the Florida-Budapest hydrocode. This enabled us to trace the origin of this instability in RR Lyrae stars to a resonance, namely a 9:2 resonance between the fundamental mode and a high-order (9th) radial overtone showing strange-mode characteristics. We discuss the connection of this new type of variation to the mysterious Blazhko effect and argue that it may give us fresh insights to solve this century-old enigma.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2010

First Kepler results on compact pulsators I. Survey target selection and the first pulsators

We present results from the first two quarters of a survey to search for pulsations in compact stellar objects with the Kepler spacecraft. The survey sample and the various methods applied in its compilation are described, and spectroscopic observations are presented to separate the objects into accurate classes. From the Kepler photometry we clearly identify nine compact pulsators, and a number of interesting binary stars. Of the pulsators, one shows the strong, rapid pulsations typical for a V361 Hya type sdB variable (sdBV), seven show long-period pulsations characteristic of V1093 Her type sdBVs, and one shows low-amplitude pulsations with both short and long periods. We derive effective temperatures and surface gravities for all the subdwarf B stars in the sample and demonstrate that below the boundary region where hybrid sdB pulsators are found, all our targets are pulsating. For the stars hotter than this boundary temperature a low fraction of strong pulsators (<10 per cent) is confirmed. Interestingly, the short-period pulsator also shows a low-amplitude mode in the long-period region, and several of the V1093 Her pulsators show low amplitude modes in the short-period region, indicating that hybrid behaviour may be common in these stars, also outside the boundary temperature region where hybrid pulsators have hitherto been found.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2010

The Kepler Asteroseismic Investigation: Scientific goals and the first results

Kepler is a NASA mission designed to detect exoplanets and characterize the properties of exoplanetary systems. Kepler also includes an asteroseismic programme which is being conducted through the Kepler Asteroseismic Science Consortium (KASC), whose 400 members are organized into 13 working groups by type of variable star. So far data have been available from the first 7 month of the mission containing a total of 2937 targets observed at a 1-min. cadence for periods between 10 days and 7 months. The goals of the asteroseismic part of the Kepler project is to perform detailed studies of stellar interiors. The first results of the asteroseismic analysis are orders of magnitude better than seen before, and this bodes well for how the future analysis of Kepler data for many types of stars will impact our general understanding of stellar structure and evolution.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2010

2M1938+4603: A rich, multimode pulsating sdB star with an eclipsing dM companion observed with Kepler

2M1938+4603 (KIC 9472174) displays a spectacular light curve dominated by a strong reflection effect and rather shallow, grazing eclipses. The orbital period is 0.126 days, the second longest period yet found for an eclipsing sdB+dM, but still close to the minimum 0.1-d period among such systems. The phase-folded light curve was used to detrend the orbital effects from the dataset, and the resulting amplitude spectrum shows a rich collection of pulsation peaks spanning frequencies from ~50 to 4500 uHz. The presence of a complex pulsation spectrum in both the p-mode and the g-mode regions has never been seen before in a compact pulsator. Eclipsing sdB+dM stars are very rare, with only seven systems known and only one with a pulsating primary. Pulsating stars in eclipsing binaries are especially important since they permit masses derived from seismological model fits to be cross checked with orbital mass constraints. We present a first analysis of this star based on the Kepler 9.7-day commissioning light curve and extensive ground-based photometry and spectroscopy that allow us to set useful bounds on the system parameters. We derive a radial-velocity amplitude K_1 = 65.7 +/- 0.6 km/s, inclination angle i = 69.45 +/- 0.20 degrees, and find that the masses of the components are M_1 = 0.48 +/- 0.03 and M_2 = 0.12 +/- 0.01 solar masses.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2010

Automated classification of variable stars in the asteroseismology program of the Kepler space mission

We present the first results of the application of supervised classification methods to the Kepler Q1 long-cadence light curves of a subsample of 2288 stars measured in the asteroseismology program of the mission. The methods, originally developed in the framework of the CoRoT and Gaia space missions, are capable of identifying the most common types of stellar variability in a reliable way. Many new variables have been discovered, among which a large fraction are eclipsing/ellipsoidal binaries unknown prior to launch. A comparison is made between our classification from the Kepler data and the pre-launch class based on data from the ground, showing that the latter needs significant improvement. The noise properties of the Kepler data are compared to those of the exoplanet program of the CoRoT satellite. We find that Kepler improves on CoRoT by a factor 2 to 2.3 in point-to-point scatter.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2010

Solar-like oscillations in low-luminosity red giants: first results from Kepler

We have measured solar-like oscillations in red giants using time-series photometry from the first 34 days of science operations of the Kepler Mission. The light curves, obtained with 30-minute sampling, reveal clear oscillations in a large sample of G and K giants, extending in luminosity from the red clump down to the bottom of the giant branch. We confirm a strong correlation between the large separation of the oscillations (Delta nu) and the frequency of maximum power (nu_max). We focus on a sample of 50 low-luminosity stars (nu_max > 100 muHz, L <~ 30 L_sun) having high signal-to-noise ratios and showing the unambiguous signature of solar-like oscillations. These are H-shell-burning stars, whose oscillations should be valuable for testing models of stellar evolution and for constraining the star-formation rate in the local disk. We use a new technique to compare stars on a single echelle diagram by scaling their frequencies and find well-defined ridges corresponding to radial and non-radial oscillations, including clear evidence for modes with angular degree l=3. Measuring the small separation between l=0 and l=2 allows us to plot the so-called C-D diagram of delta nu_02 versus Delta nu. The small separation delta nu_01 of l=1 from the midpoint of adjacent l=0 modes is negative, contrary to the Sun and solar-type stars. The ridge for l=1 is notably broadened, which we attribute to mixed modes, confirming theoretical predictions for low-luminosity giants. Overall, the results demonstrate the tremendous potential of Kepler data for asteroseismology of red giants.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2010

The asteroseismic potential of Kepler: first results for solar-type stars

We present preliminary asteroseismic results from Kepler on three G-type stars. The observations, made at one-minute cadence during the first 33.5d of science operations, reveal high signal-to-noise solar-like oscillation spectra in all three stars: About 20 modes of oscillation may be clearly distinguished in each star. We discuss the appearance of the oscillation spectra, use the frequencies and frequency separations to provide first results on the radii, masses and ages of the stars, and comment in the light of these results on prospects for inference on other solar-type stars that Kepler will observe.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2010

Hybrid gamma Doradus - delta Scuti pulsators: New insights into the physics of the oscillations from Kepler observations

Observations of the pulsations of stars can be used to infer their interior structure and test theoretical models. The main sequence $γ$ Doradus (Dor) and $δ$ Scuti (Sct) stars with masses 1.2-2.5 $M_{\sun}$ are particularly useful for these studies. The $γ$ Dor stars pulsate in high-order $g$ modes with periods of order 1 day, driven by convective blocking at the base of their envelope convection zone. The $δ$ Sct stars pulsate in low-order $g$ and $p$ modes with periods of order 2 hours, driven by the $κ$ mechanism operating in the Heii ionization zone. Theory predicts an overlap region in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram between instability regions, where 'hybrid' stars pulsating in both types of modes should exist. The two types of modes with properties governed by different portions of the stellar interior provide complementary model constraints. Among the known $γ$ Dor and $δ$ Sct stars, only four have been confirmed as hybrids. Now, analysis of combined Quarter 0 and Quarter 1 Kepler data for hundreds of variable stars shows that the frequency spectra are so rich that there are practically no pure $δ$ Sct or $γ$ Dor pulsators, i.e. essentially all of the stars show frequencies in both the $δ$ Sct and $γ$ Dor frequency range. A new observational classification scheme is proposed that takes into account the amplitude as well as the frequency, and is applied to categorize 234 stars as $δ$ Sct, $γ$ Dor, $δ$ Sct/$γ$ Dor or $γ$ Dor/$δ$ Sct hybrids.

astro-ph.SR↗