arXiv subjects

Gy. Szabo

Publications and source records attributed to Gy. Szabo.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2016

Planet Hunters X. KIC 8462852 - Where's the Flux?

Over the duration of the Kepler mission, KIC8462852 was observed to undergo irregularly shaped, aperiodic dips in flux of up to $\sim 20$\%. The dipping activity can last for between 5 and 80 days. We characterize the object with high-resolution spectroscopy, spectral energy distribution fitting, radial velocity measurements, high-resolution imaging, and Fourier analyses of the Kepler light curve. We determine that KIC8462852 is a typical main-sequence F3 V star that exhibits no significant IR excess, and has no very close interacting companions. In this paper, we describe various scenarios to explain the dipping events observed in the Kepler light curve. We confirm that the dipping signals in the data are not caused by any instrumental or data processing artifact, and thus are astrophysical in origin. We construct scenario-independent constraints on the size and location of a body in the system that is needed to reproduce the observations. We deliberate over several assorted stellar and circumstellar astrophysical scenarios, most of which have problems explaining the data in hand. By considering the observational constraints on dust clumps in orbit around a normal main-sequence star, we conclude that the scenario most consistent with the data in hand is the passage of a family of exocomet or planetesimal fragments, all of which are associated with a single previous break-up event, possibly caused by tidal disruption or thermal processing. The minimum total mass associated with these fragments likely exceeds $10^{-6}$~\mearth, corresponding to an original rocky body of $>100$~km in diameter. We discuss the necessity of future observations to help interpret the system.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2012

Analysis of the rotation period of asteroids (1865) Cerberus, (2100) Ra-Shalom, and (3103) Eger - search for the YORP effect

The spin state of small asteroids can change on a long timescale by the Yarkovsky-O'Keefe-Radzievskii-Paddack (YORP) effect, the net torque that arises from anisotropically scattered sunlight and proper thermal radiation from an irregularly-shaped asteroid. The secular change in the rotation period caused by the YORP effect can be detected by analysis of asteroid photometric lightcurves. We analyzed photometric lightcurves of near-Earth asteroids (1865) Cerberus, (2100) Ra-Shalom, and (3103) Eger with the aim to detect possible deviations from the constant rotation caused by the YORP effect. We carried out new photometric observations of the three asteroids, combined the new lightcurves with archived data, and used the lightcurve inversion method to model the asteroid shape, pole direction, and rotation rate. The YORP effect was modeled as a linear change in the rotation rate in time dω/dt. Values of dω/ dt derived from observations were compared with the values predicted by theory. We derived physical models for all three asteroids. We had to model Eger as a nonconvex body because the convex model failed to fit the lightcurves observed at high phase angles. We probably detected the acceleration of the rotation rate of Eger dω/ dt = (1.4 +/- 0.6) x 10^{-8} rad/d (3σerror), which corresponds to a decrease in the rotation period by 4.2 ms/yr. The photometry of Cerberus and Ra-Shalom was consistent with a constant-period model, and no secular change in the spin rate was detected. We could only constrain maximum values of |dω/ dt| < 8 x 10^{-9} rad/d for Cerberus, and |dω/ dt| < 3 x 10^{-8} rad/d for Ra-Shalom.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2001

A variable star survey of the open cluster M37

A CCD photometric study of the dense galactic open cluster M37 is presented and discussed. The majority of the analysed data are time-series measurements obtained through an R_C filter. The observations were carried out on seven nights between December 1999 and February 2000, and have led to the discovery of 7 new variable stars in the field. Three of them have been unambiguously identified as W UMa-type eclipsing binaries, while two more are monoperiodic pulsating stars, most probably high-amplitude delta Scuti-type variables. The remaining two stars seem to be long-period eclipsing binaries without firm period determination. Johnson B and V frames have been used to construct a new colour-magnitude (CM) diagram of the cluster, and to find the locations of the new variable stars. The pulsating variables are most likely background objects. The CM diagram is fitted with recent isochrones yielding the main parameters of the cluster.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2001

Photometric observations of 9 Near-Earth Objects

We present new CCD observations of nine Near-Earth Asteroids carried out between February, 1999 and July, 2000. The bulk of the data was acquired through an R_C filter, while the minor planet 11405 was observed without filter. We could determine synodic periods and amplitudes for 5 asteroids, 699: 3.3 h, 0.18 mag; 1866: 2.7 h, 0.12 mag; 1999 JD6: 7.68 h, 1.2 mag; 2000 GK137: 4.84 h, 0.27 mag; 2000 NM: 9.24 h, 0.30 mag. Based on observations taken at different phases, we could infer a phase parameter m of 0.018+/-0.005 for 1865 Cerberus. An epoch-method yielded a sidereal period of 0.27024003(5) d for this object with retrograde rotation. The remaining 3 objects have only partial coverage, thus no firm conclusion on their synodic period is possible.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2001

Photometric observations of distant active comets

We present CCD VR_C observations of 6 distant comets located at heliocentric distances of 3.4--7.2 AU. Time-series data were obtained on three nights in July, 2000 covering 16 hours. Each comet was observed after the perihelion, when a lower activity was expected. Contrary to expectation, we found well-defined circular comae and extended tails visible out to a few (3-5) arcminutes. We detected a quasi-cyclic light variation of C/1999 J2, while C/1999 N4 showed some hints of a more complex variation. C/2000 K1 was constant to +/-0.04 mag during the observing run. The standard V and R_C data were used to estimate nuclear diameters, while the colour indices implied a slighly reddish (V-R=0.68, C/2000 K1), a neutral (V-R=0.47, C/1999 N4) and a slightly bluish (V-R=0.25, C/1999 J2) coma. Simple fits of the surface brightness distributions are also presented enabling order of magnitude estimates of nuclear radii. Beside the time-series observations, further single-shot observations of three faint comets are briefly described.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2001

Distance to the Active Galaxy NGC 6951 via the Type Ia Supernova 2000E

CCD-photometry and low-resolution spectroscopy of the bright supernova SN 2000E in NGC 6951 are presented. Both the light curve extending up to 150 days past maximum and the spectra obtained at 1 month past maximum confirm that SN 2000E is of Type Ia. The reddening of SN 2000E is determined as E(B-V)=0.36+/-0.15, its error is mainly due to uncertainties in the predicted SN (B-V) colour at late epochs. The V(RI)_C light curves are analyzed with the Multi-Colour Light Curve Shape (MLCS) method. The shape of the late light curve suggests that SN 2000E was overluminous by about 0.5 mag at maximum comparing with a fiducial SN Ia. This results in an updated distance of 33+/-8 Mpc of NGC 6951 (corrected for interstellar absorption). The SN-based distance modulus is larger by about +0.7 mag than the previous Tully-Fisher estimates. However, possible systematic errors due to ambiguities in the reddening determination and estimates of the maximum luminosity of SN 2000E may plague the present distance measurement.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2000

Multiperiodicity in semiregular variables II. Systematic amplitude variations

We present a detailed lightcurve analysis for a sample of bright semiregular variables based on long-term (70--90 years) visual magnitude estimates carried out by amateur astronomers. Fundamental changes of the physical state (amplitude and/or frequency modulations, mode change and switching) are studied with the conventional Fourier- and wavelet analysis. The light curve of the carbon Mira Y Per showing a gradual amplitude decrease has been re-analysed after collecting and adding current data to earlier ones. The time scales of the sudden change and convection are compared and their similar order of magnitude is interpreted to be a possible hint for strong coupling between pulsation and convection. The periods of the biperiodic low-amplitude light curve and their ratios suggest a pulsation in the first and third overtone modes. An alternative explanation of the observed behaviour could be a period halving due to the presence of weak chaos. Beside two examples of repetitive mode changes (AF Cyg and W Cyg) we report three stars with significant amplitude modulations (RY Leo, RX UMa and RY UMa). A simple geometric model of a rotationally induced amplitude modulation in RY UMa is outlined assuming low-order nonradial oscillation, while the observed behaviour of RX UMa and RY Leo is explained as a beating of two closely separated modes of pulsation. This phenomenon is detected unambiguously in V CVn, too. The period ratios found in these stars (1.03-1.10) suggest either high-order overtone or radial+non-radial oscillation.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1999

CCD photometry and new models of 5 minor planets

We present new R filtered CCD observations of 5 faint and moderately faint asteroids carried out between October, 1998 and January, 1999. The achieved accuracy is between 0.01-0.03 mag, depending mainly on the target brightness. The obtained sinodic periods and amplitudes: 683 Lanzia - 4.6+/-0.2 h, 0.13 mag; 725 Amanda - >3.0 h, >=0.40 mag; 852 Wladilena - 4.62+/-0.01 h, 0.32 mag (December, 1998) and 0.27 mag (January, 1999); 1627 Ivar - 4.80+/-0.01, 0.77 mag (December, 1998) and 0.92 mag (January, 1999). The Near Earth Object 1998 PG unambiguously showed doubly-periodic lightcurve, suggesting the possibility of a relatively fast precession (P_1=1.3 h, P_2=5.3 h). Collecting all data from the literature, we determined new models for 3 minor planets. The resulting spin vectors and triaxial ellipsoids have been calculated by an amplitude-method. Sidereal periods and senses of rotation were calculated for two asteroids (683 and 1627) by a modified epoch-method. The results are: 683 - lambda_p=15/195+/-25 deg, beta_p=52+/-15 deg, a/b=1.15+/-0.05, b/c=1.05+/-0.05, P_sid=0.1964156+/-0.0000001 d, retrograde; 852 - lambda_p=30/210+/-20 deg, beta_p=30+/-10 deg, a/b=2.3+/-0.3, b/c=1.2+/-0.2; 1627 - lambda_p=145/325+/-8 deg, beta_p=34+/-6 deg, a/b=2.0+/-0.1, b/c=1.09+/-0.05, P_sid=0.1999154+/-0.0000003 d, retrograde. The obtained shape of 1627 is in good agreement with radar images by Ostro et al. (1990).

astro-ph↗