arXiv subjects

H. Lehmann

Publications and source records attributed to H. Lehmann.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2014

HD 152246 - a new high-mass triple system and its basic properties

Analyses of multi-epoch, high-resolution (R ~ 50.000) optical spectra of the O-type star HD 152246 (O9 IV according to the most recent classification), complemented by a limited number of earlier published radial velocities, led to the finding that the object is a hierarchical triple system, where a close inner pair (Ba-Bb) with a slightly eccentric orbit (e = 0.11) and a period of 6.0049 days revolves in a 470-day highly eccentric orbit (e = 0.865) with another massive and brighter component A. The mass ratio of the inner system must be low since we were unable to find any traces of the secondary spectrum. The mass ratio A/(Ba+Bb) is 0.89. The outer system has recently been resolved using long-baseline interferometry on three occasions. The interferometry confirms the spectroscopic results and specifies elements of the system. Our orbital solutions, including the combined radial-velocity and interferometric solution indicate an orbital inclination of the outer orbit of 112° and stellar masses of 20.4 and 22.8 solar masses. We also disentangled the spectra of components A and Ba and compare them to synthetic spectra from two independent programmes, TLUSTY and FASTWIND. In either case, the fit was not satisfactory and we postpone a better determination of the system properties for a future study, after obtaining observations during the periastron passage of the outer orbit (the nearest chance being March 2015). For the moment, we can only conclude that component A is an O9 IV star with v*sin(i) = 210 +\- 10 km/s and effective temperature of 33000 +\- 500 K, while component Ba is an O9 V object with v*sin(i) = 65 +/- 3 km/s and T_eff = 33600 +\- 600 K.

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arXiv2014

Modelling of Sigma Scorpii, a high-mass binary with a Beta Cep variable primary component

High-mass binary stars are known to show an unexplained discrepancy between the dynamical masses of the individual components and those predicted by models. In this work, we study Sigma Scorpii, a double-lined spectroscopic binary system consisting of two B-type stars residing in an eccentric orbit. The more massive primary component is a Beta Cep-type pulsating variable star. Our analysis is based on a time-series of some 1000 high-resolution spectra collected with the CORALIE spectrograph in 2006, 2007, and 2008. We use two different approaches to determine the orbital parameters of the star; the spectral disentangling technique is used to separate the spectral contributions of the individual components in the composite spectra. The non-LTE based spectrum analysis of the disentangled spectra reveals two stars of similar spectral type and atmospheric chemical composition. Combined with the orbital inclination angle estimate found in the literature, our orbital elements allow a mass estimate of 14.7 +/- 4.5 and 9.5 +/- 2.9 solar mass for the primary and secondary component, respectively. The primary component is found to pulsate in three independent modes, of which two are identified as fundamental and second overtone radial modes, while the third is an l = 1 non-radial mode. Seismic modelling of the pulsating component refines stellar parameters to 13.5 +0.5/-1.4 and 8.7 +0.6/-1.2 solar mass, and delivers radii of 8.95 +0.43/-0.66 and 3.90 +0.58/-0.36 solar radii for the primary and secondary, respectively. The age of the system is estimated to be ~12 Myr.

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arXiv2014

A hydrodynamical study of multiple-shell planetary nebulae. III. Expansion properties and internal kinematics: Theory versus observation

We present the result of a study on the expansion properties and internal kinematics of round/elliptical planetary nebulae of the Milky Way disk, the halo, and of the globular cluster M15. The purpose of this study is to considerably enlarge the small sample of nebulae with precisely determined expansion properties. To this aim, we selected a representative sample of objects with different evolutionary stages and metallicities and conducted high-resolution echelle spectroscopy. In most cases, we succeeded in detecting the weak signals from the outer nebular shell which are attached to the main line emission from the bright nebular rim. Next to the measurement of the motion of the rim gas by decomposition of the main line components into Gaussians, we were able to measure separately, for most objects for the first time, the gas velocity immediately behind the leading shock of the shell, i.e. the post-shock velocity. We more than doubled the number of objects for which the velocities of both rim and shell are known and confirm that the overall expansion of planetary nebulae is accelerating with time. There are, however, differences between the expansion behaviour of the shell and the rim. This observed distinct velocity evolution of both rim and shell is explained by radiation-hydrodynamics simulations, at least qualitatively. Because of the time-dependent boundary conditions, a planetary nebula will never evolve into a simple self-similar expansion. Also the metal-poor objects behave as theory predicts: The post-shock velocities are higher and the rim flow velocities are equal or even lower compared to disk objects at similar evolutionary stage. We detected, for the first time, in some objects an asymmetric expansion behaviour: The relative expansions between rim and shell appear to be different for the receding and approaching parts of the nebular envelope.

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arXiv2014

KIC 3858884: a hybrid δ Sct pulsator in a highly eccentric eclipsing binary

The analysis of eclipsing binaries containing non-radial pulsators allows: i) to combine two different and independent sources of information on the internal structure and evolutionary status of the components, and ii) to study the effects of tidal forces on pulsations. KIC 3858884 is a bright Kepler target whose light curve shows deep eclipses, complex pulsation patterns with pulsation frequencies typical of δ Sct, and a highly eccentric orbit. We present the result of the analysis of Kepler photometry and of high resolution phaseresolved spectroscopy. Spectroscopy yielded both the radial velocity curves and, after spectral disentangling, the primary component effective temperature and metallicity, and line-of-sight projected rotational velocities. The Kepler light curve was analyzed with an iterative procedure devised to disentangle eclipses from pulsations which takes into account the visibility of the pulsating star during eclipses. The search for the best set of binary parameters was performed combining the synthetic light curve models with a genetic minimization algorithm, which yielded a robust and accurate determination of the system parameters. The binary components have very similar masses (1.88 and 1.86 Msun) and effective temperatures (6800 and 6600 K), but different radii (3.45 and 3.05 Rsun). The comparison with the theoretical models evidenced a somewhat different evolutionary status of the components and the need of introducing overshooting in the models. The pulsation analysis indicates a hybrid nature of the pulsating (secondary) component, the corresponding high order g-modes might be excited by an intrinsic mechanism or by tidal forces.

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arXiv2013

Extensive study of HD 25558, a long-period double-lined binary with two SPB components

We carried out an extensive observational study of the Slowly Pulsating B (SPB) star, HD 25558. The ~2000 spectra obtained at different observatories, the ground-based and MOST satellite light curves revealed that this object is a double-lined spectroscopic binary with an orbital period of about 9 years. The observations do not allow the inference of an orbital solution. We determined the physical parameters of the components, and found that both lie within the SPB instability strip. Accordingly, both show line-profile variations due to stellar pulsations. Eleven independent frequencies were identified in the data. All the frequencies were attributed to one of the two components based on Pixel-by-pixel variability analysis of the line profiles. Spectroscopic and photometric mode identification was also performed for the frequencies of both stars. These results suggest that the inclination and rotation of the two components are rather different. The primary is a slow rotator with ~6 d period, seen at ~60 deg inclination, while the secondary rotates fast with ~1.2 d period, and is seen at ~20 inclination. Spectropolarimetric measurements revealed that the secondary component has a magnetic field with at least a few hundred Gauss strength, while no magnetic field can be detected in the primary.

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arXiv2013

A search for pulsations in the HgMn star HD 45975 with CoRoT photometry and ground-based spectroscopy

The existence of pulsations in HgMn stars is still being debated. To provide the first unambiguous observational detection of pulsations in this class of chemically peculiar objects, the bright star HD 45975 was monitored for nearly two months by the CoRoT satellite. Independent analyses of the light curve provides evidence of monoperiodic variations with a frequency of 0.7572 c/d and a peak-to-peak amplitude of ~2800 ppm. Multisite, ground-based spectroscopic observations overlapping the CoRoT observations show the star to be a long-period, single-lined binary. Furthermore, with the notable exception of mercury, they reveal the same periodicity as in photometry in the line moments of chemical species exhibiting strong overabundances (e.g., Mn and Y). In contrast, lines of other elements do not show significant variations. As found in other HgMn stars, the pattern of variability consists in an absorption bump moving redwards across the line profiles. We argue that the photometric and spectroscopic changes are more consistent with an interpretation in terms of rotational modulation of spots at the stellar surface. In this framework, the existence of pulsations producing photometric variations above the ~50 ppm level is unlikely in HD 45975. This provides strong constraints on the excitation/damping of pulsation modes in this HgMn star.

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arXiv2013

The Planetary System to KIC 11442793: A Compact Analogue to the Solar System

We announce the discovery of a planetary system with 7 transiting planets around a Kepler target, a current record for transiting systems. Planets b, c, e and f are reported for the first time in this work. Planets d, g and h were previously reported in the literature (Batalha et al. 2013), although here we revise their orbital parameters and validate their planetary nature. Planets h and g are gas giants and show strong dynamical interactions. The orbit of planet g is perturbed in such way that its orbital period changes by 25.7h between two consecutive transits during the length of the observations, which is the largest such perturbation found so far. The rest of the planets also show mutual interactions: planets d, e and f are super-Earths close to a mean motion resonance chain (2:3:4), and planets b and c, with sizes below 2 Earth radii, are within 0.5% of the 4:5 mean motion resonance. This complex system presents some similarities to our Solar System, with small planets in inner orbits and gas giants in outer orbits. It is, however, more compact. The outer planet has an orbital distance around 1 AU, and the relative position of the gas giants is opposite to that of Jupiter and Saturn, which is closer to the expected result of planet formation theories. The dynamical interactions between planets are also much richer.

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arXiv2013

Modelling the asymmetric wind of the luminous blue variable binary MWC 314

We present a spectroscopic analysis of MWC 314, a luminous blue variable (LBV) candidate with an extended bipolar nebula. The detailed spectroscopic variability is investigated to determine if MWC 314 is a massive binary system with a supersonically accelerating wind or a low-mass B[e] star. We compare the spectrum and spectral energy distribution to other LBVs (such as P Cyg) and find very similar physical wind properties, indicating strong kinship. We combined long-term high-resolution optical spectroscopic monitoring and V-band photometric observations to determine the orbital elements and stellar parameters and to investigate the spectral variability with the orbital phases. We developed an advanced model of the large-scale wind-velocity and wind-density structure with 3-D radiative transfer calculations that fit the orbitally modulated P Cyg profile of He I lam5876, showing outflow velocities above 1000 km/s. We find that MWC 314 is a massive semi-detached binary system of ~1.22 AU, observed at an inclination angle of i=72.8 deg. with an orbital period of 60.8 d and e=0.23. The primary star is a low-vsini LBV candidate of m1=39.6 Msun and R1=86.8 Rsun. The detailed radiative transfer fits show that the geometry of wind density is asymmetric around the primary star with increased wind density by a factor of 3.3, which leads the orbit of the primary. The variable orientation causes the orbital modulation that is observed in absorption portions of P Cyg wind lines. Wind accretion in the system produces a circumbinary disc. MWC 314 is in a crucial evolutionary phase of close binary systems, when the massive primary star has its H envelope being stripped and is losing mass to a circumbinary disc. MWC 314 is a key system for studying the evolutionary consequences of these effects.

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arXiv2013

Physical properties of the eclipsing Delta Sct star KIC 10661783

KIC 10661783 is an eclipsing binary that shows Delta Sct-like oscillations. More than 60 pulsation frequencies have been detected in its light curve as observed by the Kepler satellite. We want to determine the fundamental stellar and system parameters of the eclipsing binary as a precondition for asteroseismic modelling of the pulsating component and to establish whether the star is a semi-detached Algol-type system. We measured the radial velocities of both components from new high-resolution spectra using TODCOR and compute the orbit using PHOEBE. We used the KOREL program to decompose the observed spectra into its components, and analysed the decomposed spectra to determine the atmospheric parameters. For this, we developed a new computer program for the normalisation of the KOREL output spectra. Fundamental stellar parameters are determined by combining the spectroscopic results with those from the analysis of the Kepler light curve. We obtain Teff, logg, vsini, and the absolute masses and radii of the components, together with their flux ratio and separation. Whereas the secondary star rotates synchronously with the orbital motion, the primary star rotates subsynchronously by a factor of 0.75. The newly determined mass ratio of 0.0911 is higher than previously thought and means a detached configuration is required to fit the light curve. With its low orbital period and very low mass ratio, the system shows characteristics of the R CMa-type stars but differs from this group by being detached. Its current state is assumed to be that of a detached post-Algol binary system with a pulsating primary component.

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arXiv2013

KIC 8410637: a 408-day period eclipsing binary containing a pulsating red giant

Detached eclipsing binaries (dEBs) are ideal targets for accurate measurement of masses and radii of ther component stars. If at least one of the stars has evolved off the main sequence (MS), the masses and radii give a strict constraint on the age of the stars. Several dEBs containing a bright K giant and a fainter MS star have been discovered by the Kepler satellite. The mass and radius of a red giant (RG) star can also be derived from its asteroseismic signal. The parameters determined in this way depend on stellar models and may contain systematic errors. It is important to validate the asteroseismically determined mass and radius with independent methods. This can be done when stars are members of stellar clusters or members of dEBs. KIC 8410637 consists of an RG and an MS star. The aim is to derive accurate masses and radii for both components and provide the foundation for a strong test of the asteroseismic method and the accuracy of the deduced mass, radius and age. We analyse high-resolution spectra from three different spectrographs. We also calculate a fit to the Kepler light curve and use ground-based photometry to determine the flux ratios between the component stars in the BVRI passbands. We measured the masses and radii of the stars in the dEB, and the classical parameters Teff, log g and [Fe/H] from the spectra and ground-based photometry. The RG component of KIC 8410637 is most likely in the core helium-burning red clump phase of evolution and has an age and composition very similar to the stars in the open cluster NGC 6819. The mass of the RG in KIC 8410637 should therefore be similar to the mass of RGs in NGC 6819, thus lending support to the most up-to-date version of the asteroseismic scaling relations. This is the first direct measurement of both mass and radius for an RG to be compared with values for RGs from asteroseismic scaling relations.

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arXiv2013

UX Monocerotis as a W Serpentis binary

Using our new photometric and spectroscopic observations as well as all available published data, we present a new interpretation of the properties of the peculiar emission-line binary UX Mon. We conclude that this binary is in a rare phase of fast mass transfer between the binary components prior to the mass ratio reversal. We firmly establish that the orbital period is secularly decreasing at a rate of $\dot{P}=-0.260$ seconds per year. From several lines of reasoning, we show that the mass ratio of the component losing mass to the mass-gaining component $q$ must be larger than 1 and find our most probable value to be $q=1.15\pm0.1$. The BINSYN suite of programs and the steepest descent method were used to perform the final modeling. We modeled the star as a W Ser star with a thick disk around its primary. Although the remaining uncertainties in some of the basic physical elements describing the system in our model are not negligible, the model is in fair agreement with available observations. Only the nature of the light variations outside the primary eclipse remains unexplained.

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arXiv2013

mu Eridani from MOST and from the ground: an orbit, the SPB component's fundamental parameters, and the SPB frequencies

MOST time-series photometry of mu Eri, an SB1 eclipsing binary with a rapidly-rotating SPB primary, is reported and analyzed. The analysis yields a number of sinusoidal terms, mainly due to the intrinsic variation of the primary, and the eclipse light-curve. New radial-velocity observations are presented and used to compute parameters of a spectroscopic orbit. Frequency analysis of the radial-velocity residuals from the spectroscopic orbital solution fails to uncover periodic variations with amplitudes greater than 2 km/s. A Rossiter-McLaughlin anomaly is detected from observations covering ingress. From archival photometric indices and the revised Hipparcos parallax we derive the primary's effective temperature, surface gravity, bolometric correction, and the luminosity. An analysis of a high signal-to-noise spectrogram yields the effective temperature and surface gravity in good agreement with the photometric values. From the same spectrogram, we determine the abundance of He, C, N, O, Ne, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, and Fe. The eclipse light-curve is solved by means of EBOP. For a range of mass of the primary, a value of mean density, very nearly independent of assumed mass, is computed from the parameters of the system. Contrary to a recent report, this value is approximately equal to the mean density obtained from the star's effective temperature and luminosity. Despite limited frequency resolution of the MOST data, we were able to recover the closely-spaced SPB frequency quadruplet discovered from the ground in 2002-2004. The other two SPB terms seen from the ground were also recovered. Moreover, our analysis of the MOST data adds 15 low-amplitude SPB terms with frequencies ranging from 0.109 c/d to 2.786 c/d.

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arXiv2013

Spectrum Analysis of Bright Kepler late B- to early F- Stars

The Kepler satellite mission delivers single band-pass light curves of a huge number of stars observed in the Cygnus-Lyra region opening a new window for asteroseismology. In order to accomplish one of the preconditions for the asteroseismic modelling of the stars, we aim to derive fundamental parameters and individual abundances for a sample of 18 Gamma Dor (GD)/Delta Sct (DSct) and 8 SPB/beta Cep candidate stars in the Kepler satellite field of view. We use the spectral synthesis method to model newly obtained, high-resolution spectra of 26 stars in order to derive their fundamental parameters and individual abundances. The stars are then placed into the log(Teff)-log(g) diagram and the obtained spectroscopic classification is compared to the existing photometric one. For hot stars, the KIC temperatures appear to be systematically underestimated, in agreement with previous findings. We also find that the temperatures derived from our spectra agree reasonably well with those derived from the SED fitting. According to their position in the log(Teff)-log(g) diagram, two stars are expected GD stars, four stars are expected DSct stars, and four stars are possibly DSct stars at the blue edge of the instability strip. Two stars are confirmed SPB variables, and one star falls into the SPB instability region but its parameters might be biased by binarity. Two of the four stars that fall into the DSct instability region show GD-type oscillation in their light curves implying that GD-like oscillations are much more common among the DSct stars than is theoretically expected. Moreover, one of the stars located at the hot border of the DSct instability strip is classified as DSct-GD hybrid pulsator from its light curve analysis. Given that these findings are fully consistent with recent investigations, we conclude that a revision of the GD and DSct instability strips is essential.

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arXiv2012

Low-frequency variations of unknown origin in the Kepler Delta Scuti star KIC 5988140 = HD 188774

We used high-quality Kepler photometry and spectroscopic data to investigate the Kepler binary candidate KIC 5988140. Using the spectrum synthesis method, we derived the fundamental parameters Teff, log g, [M/H], and v.sini and the abundances. Frequency analyses of both the photometric and the spectroscopic data were performed, revealing the same two dominant frequencies (F_1=0.688 and F_2=0.344 c/d). We also detected in the photometry the signal of nine more, significant frequencies located in the typical range of Delta Scuti pulsation. The light and radial velocity curves follow a similar, stable double-wave pattern which are not exactly in anti-phase but show a relative phase shift of about 0.1 period between the moment of minimum velocity and that of maximum light. We considered three different scenarios: binarity, co-existence of both Gamma Doradus and Delta Scuti pulsations and rotation of the stellar surface with an axisymmetric intensity distribution. However, none of these scenarios is capable of explaining all of the characteristics of the observed variations. We confirm the occurrence of various independent Delta Scuti-type pressure modes in the Kepler light curve. With respect to the low-frequency content, however, we argue that the physical cause of the remaining light and radial velocity variations of this late A-type star remains unexplained by any of the presently considered scenarios.

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arXiv2012

Multisite spectroscopic seismic study of the beta Cep star V2052 Oph: inhibition of mixing by its magnetic field

We used extensive ground-based multisite and archival spectroscopy to derive observational constraints for a seismic modelling of the magnetic beta Cep star V2052 Ophiuchi. The line-profile variability is dominated by a radial mode (f_1=7.14846 d^{-1}) and by rotational modulation (P_rot=3.638833 d). Two non-radial low-amplitude modes (f_2=7.75603 d^{-1} and f_3=6.82308 d^{-1}) are also detected. The four periodicities that we found are the same as the ones discovered from a companion multisite photometric campaign (Handler et al. 2012) and known in the literature. Using the photometric constraints on the degrees l of the pulsation modes, we show that both f_2 and f_3 are prograde modes with (l,m)=(4,2) or (4,3). These results allowed us to deduce ranges for the mass (M \in [8.2,9.6] M_o) and central hydrogen abundance (X_c \in [0.25,0.32]) of V2052 Oph, to identify the radial orders n_1=1, n_2=-3 and n_3=-2, and to derive an equatorial rotation velocity v_eq \in [71,75] km s^{-1}. The model parameters are in full agreement with the effective temperature and surface gravity deduced from spectroscopy. Only models with no or mild core overshooting (alpha_ov \in [0,0.15] local pressure scale heights) can account for the observed properties. Such a low overshooting is opposite to our previous modelling results for the non-magnetic beta Cep star theta Oph having very similar parameters, except for a slower surface rotation rate. We discuss whether this result can be explained by the presence of a magnetic field in V2052 Oph that inhibits mixing in its interior.

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arXiv2012

KIC 4247791: A SB4 system with two eclipsing binaries (2EBs)

KIC 4247791 is an eclipsing binary observed by the Kepler satellite mission. We wish to determine the nature of its components and in particular the origin of a shallow dip in its Kepler light curve that previous investigations have been unable to explain in a unique way. We analyze newly obtained high-resolution spectra of the star using synthetic spectra based on atmosphere models, derive the radial velocities of the stellar components from cross-correlation with a synthetic template, and calculate the orbital solution. We use the JKTEBOP program to model the Kepler light curve of KIC 4247791. We find KIC 4247791 to be a SB4 star. The radial velocity variations of its four components can be explained by two separate eclipsing binaries. In contradiction to previous photometric findings, we show that the observed composite spectrum as well as the derived masses of all four of its components correspond to spectral type F. The observed small dip in the light curve is not caused by a transit-like phenomenon but by the eclipses of the second binary system. We find evidence that KIC 4247791 might belong to the very rare hierarchical SB4 systems with two eclipsing binaries.

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arXiv2012

HD 181068: A Red Giant in a Triply-Eclipsing Compact Hierarchical Triple System

Hierarchical triple systems comprise a close binary and a more distant component. They are important for testing theories of star formation and of stellar evolution in the presence of nearby companions. We obtained 218 days of Kepler photometry of HD 181068 (magnitude of 7.1), supplemented by groundbased spectroscopy and interferometry, which show it to be a hierarchical triple with two types of mutual eclipses. The primary is a red giant that is in a 45-day orbit with a pair of red dwarfs in a close 0.9-day orbit. The red giant shows evidence for tidally-induced oscillations that are driven by the orbital motion of the close pair. HD 181068 is an ideal target for studies of dynamical evolution and testing tidal friction theories in hierarchical triple systems.

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arXiv2011

Modeling the Asymmetric Wind of Massive LBV Binary MWC 314

Spectroscopic monitoring with Mercator-HERMES over the past two years reveals that MWC 314 is a massive binary system composed of an early B-type primary LBV star and a less-luminous supergiant companion. We determine an orbital period Porb of 60.85 d from optical S II and Ne I absorption lines observed in this single-lined spectroscopic binary. We find an orbital eccentricity of e=0.26, and a large amplitude of the radial velocity curve of 80.6 km/s. The ASAS V light-curve during our spectroscopic monitoring reveals two brightness minima (ΔV~0.1 mag.) over the orbital period due to partial eclipses at an orbital inclination angle of ~70 degrees. We find a clear correlation between the orbital phases and the detailed shapes of optical and near-IR P Cygni-type line profiles of He I, Si II, and double- or triple-peaked stationary cores of prominent Fe II emission lines. A preliminary 3-D radiative transfer model computed with Wind3D shows that the periodic P Cygni line profile variability results from an asymmetric common-envelope wind with enhanced density (or line opacity) in the vicinity of the LBV primary. The variable orientation of the inner LBV wind region due to the orbital motion produces variable P Cygni line profiles (with wind velocities of ~200 km/s) between orbital phases ϕ= 0.65 to 0.85, while weak inverse P Cygni profiles are observed half an orbital period later around ϕ= 0.15 to 0.35. We do not observe optical or near-IR He II, C III, and Si III lines, signaling that the LBV's spectral type is later than B0. Detailed modeling of the asymmetrical wind properties of massive binary MWC 314 provides important new physical information about the most luminous hot (binary) stars such as Eta Carinae.

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