arXiv subjects

Hiroyuki Maehara

Publications and source records attributed to Hiroyuki Maehara.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

arXiv2013

High Dispersion Spectroscopy of the Superflare Star KIC6934317

We conducted the high-resolution spectroscopic observation with Subaru/HDS for a G-type star (KIC6934317). We selected this star from the data of the Kepler spacecraft. This star produces a lot of superflares, and the total energy of the largest superflare on this star is ~10^3 times larger (~2.2*10^35 erg) than that of the most energetic flare on the Sun (~10^32 erg). The core depth and emission flux of Ca II infrared triplet lines and Ha line show high chromospheric activity in this star, in spite of its low lithium abundance and the small amplitude of the rotational modulation. Using the empirical relations between emission flux of chromospheric lines and X-ray flux, this star is considered to show much higher coronal activity than that of the Sun. It probably has large starspots which can store a large amount of magnetic energy enough to give rise to superflares. We also estimated the stellar parameters, such as effective temperature, surface gravity, metallicity, projected rotational velocity (v sin_i), and radial velocity. KIC6934317 is then confirmed to be an early G-type main sequence star. The value of v sin_i is estimated to be ~1.91 km s^-1. In contrast, the rotational velocity is calculated to be ~20 km s^-1 by using the period of the brightness variation as the rotation period. This difference can be explained by its small inclination angle (nearly pole-on). The small inclination angle is also supported by the contrast between the large superflare amplitude and the small stellar brightness variation amplitude. The lithium abundance and isochrones implies that the age of this star is more than about a few Gyr, though a problem why this star with such an age has a strong activity remains unsolved.

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arXiv2013

Superflares on Solar-Type Stars Observed with Kepler II. Photometric Variability of Superflare-Generating Stars : A Signature of Stellar Rotation and Starspots

We performed simple spot-model calculations for quasi-periodic brightness variations of solar-type stars showing superflares, by using Kepler photometric data. Most of superflare stars show quasi-periodic brightness modulations with the typical period of one to a few tens of days. Our results indicate that these brightness variations of superflare stars can be explained by the rotation of the star with fairly large starspots. Using the result of the period analysis, we investigated the relation between the energy and frequency of superflares and the rotation period. Stars with relatively slower rotation rates can still produce flares that are as energetic as those of more rapidly rotating stars, although the average flare frequency is lower for more slowly rotating stars. We found that the energy of superflares are related to the total coverage of starspots. The correlation between the spot coverage and the flare energy in superflares is similar to that in solar flares. These results suggest that the energy of superflares can be explained by the magnetic energy stored around starspots.

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arXiv2013

Analysis of a Kepler Light Curve of the Novalike Cataclysmic Variable KIC 8751494

We analyzed a Kepler light curve of KIC 8751494, a recently recognized novalike cataclysmic variable in the Kepler field. We detected a stable periodicity of 0.114379(1) d, which we identified as being the binary's orbital period. The stronger photometric period around 0.12245 d, which had been detected from the ground-based observation, was found to be variable, and we identified this period as being the positive superhump period. This superhump period showed short-term (10-20 d) and strong variations in period most unexpectedly when the object entered a slightly faint state. The fractional superhump excess varied as large as ~30%. The variation of the period very well traced the variation of the brightness of the system. The time-scales of this variation of the superhump period was too slow to be interpreted as the variation caused by the change in the disk radius due to the thermal disk instability. We interpreted that the period variation was caused by the varying pressure effect on the period of positive superhumps. This finding suggests that the pressure effect, in at least novalike systems, plays a very important (up to ~30% in the precession rate) role in producing the period of the positive superhumps. We also described a possible detection of the negative superhumps with a varying period of 0.1071-0.1081 d in the Q14 run of the Kepler data. We also found that the phase of the velocity variation of the emission lines reported in the earlier study is compatible with the SW Sex-type classification. Further, we introduced a new two-dimentional period analysis using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) and showed superior advantage of this method.

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arXiv2013

Survey of Period Variations of Superhumps in SU UMa-Type Dwarf Novae. IV: The Fourth Year (2011-2012)

Continuing the project described by Kato et al. (2009, arXiv:0905.1757), we studied 86 SU UMa-type dwarf novae. We confirmed the general trends such as the relation between period derivatives and orbital periods. There are some systems showing positive period derivatives despite the long orbital periods. We observed the 2011 outburst of the WZ Sge-type dwarf nova BW Scl, and recorded an O-C diagram similar to those of previously known WZ Sge-type dwarf novae. The WZ Sge-type dwarf nova OT J184228.1+483742 showed an unusual pattern of double outbursts composed of an outburst with early superhumps and one with ordinary superhumps. We propose an interpretation that a very small growth rate of the 3:1 resonance due to an extremely low mass-ratio led to a quenching of the superoutburst before the ordinary superhumps appeared. We studied ER UMa-type dwarf novae and found that V1159 Ori showed positive superhumps similar to ER UMa in the 1990s. The recently recognized ER UMa-type object BK Lyn dominantly showed negative superhumps, and its behavior was very similar to the present-day state of ER UMa. The pattern of period variations in AM CVn-type objects were very similar to short-period hydrogen-rich SU UMa-type dwarf novae, making them helium analogue of hydrogen-rich SU UMa-type dwarf novae. SBS 1108+574, a peculiar hydrogen-rich dwarf nova below the period minimum, showed a very similar pattern of period variations to those of short-period SU UMa-type dwarf novae. The mass-ratio derived from the detected orbital period suggests that this secondary is a somewhat evolved star whose hydrogen envelope was mostly stripped during the mass-exchange. CC Scl, MASTER OT J072948.66+593824.4 and OT J173516.9+154708 showed only low-amplitude superhumps with complex profiles. These superhumps are likely a combination of closely separated two periods.

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arXiv2012

Can Superflares Occur on Our Sun?

Recent observations of solar type stars with the Kepler satellite by Maehara et al. have revealed the existence of superflares (with energy of 10^33 - 10^35 erg) on Sun-like stars, which are similar to our Sun in their surface temperature (5600 K - 6000 K) and slow rotation (rotational period > 10 days). From the statistical analysis of these superflares, it was found that superflares with energy 10^34 erg occur once in 800 years and superflares with 10^35 erg occur once in 5000 years on Sun-like stars. In this paper, we examine whether superflares with energy of 10^33 - 10^35 erg could occur on the present Sun through the use of simple order-of-magnitude estimates based on current ideas relating to the mechanisms of the solar dynamo.

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arXiv2012

Discovery of Negative Superhumps during a Superoutburst of January 2011 in ER Ursae Majoris

We report on a discovery of "negative" superhumps during the 2011 January superoutburst of ER UMa. During the superoutburst which started on 2011 January 16, we detected negative superhumps having a period of 0.062242(9) d, shorter than the orbital period by 2.2%. No evidence of positive superhumps was detected during this observation. This finding indicates that the disk exhibited retrograde precession during this superoutburst, contrary to all other known cases of superoutbursts. The duration of this superoutburst was shorter than those of ordinary superoutbursts and the intervals of normal outbursts were longer than ordinary ones. We suggest a possibility that such unusual outburst properties are likely a result of the disk tilt, which is supposed to be a cause of negative superhumps: the tilted disk could prevent the disk from being filled with materials in the outmost region which is supposed to be responsible for long-duration superoutbursts in ER UMa-type dwarf novae. The discovery signifies the importance of the classical prograde precession in sustaining long-duration superoutbursts. Furthermore, the presence of pronounced negative superhumps in this system with a high mass-transfer rate favors the hypothesis that hydrodynamical lift is the cause of the disk tilt.

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arXiv2012

Characterization of Dwarf Novae Using SDSS Colors

We have developed a method for estimating the orbital periods of dwarf novae from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) colors in quiescence using an artificial neural network. For typical objects below the period gap with sufficient photometric accuracy, we were able to estimate the orbital periods with an accuracy to a 1 sigma error of 22 %. The error of estimation is worse for systems with longer orbital periods. We have also developed a neural-network-based method for categorical classification. This method has proven to be efficient in classifying objects into three categories (WZ Sge type, SU UMa type and SS Cyg/Z Cam type) and works for very faint objects to a limit of g=21. Using this method, we have investigated the distribution of the orbital periods of dwarf novae from a modern transient survey (Catalina Real-Time Survey). Using Bayesian analysis developed by Uemura et al. (2010, arXiv:1003.0945), we have found that the present sample tends to give a flatter distribution toward the shortest period and a shorter estimate of the period minimum, which may have resulted from the uncertainties in the neural network analysis and photometric errors. We also provide estimated orbital periods, estimated classifications and supplementary information on known dwarf novae with quiescent SDSS photometry.

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arXiv2012

Survey of Period Variations of Superhumps in SU UMa-Type Dwarf Novae. III: The Third Year (2010--2011)

Continuing the project described by Kato et al. (2009, PASJ 61, S395, arXiv:0905.1757), we collected times of superhump maxima for 51 SU UMa-type dwarf novae mainly observed during the 2010-2011 season. Although most of the new data for systems with short superhump periods basically confirmed the findings by Kato et al. (2009) and Kato et al. (2010, PASJ 62, 1525, arXiv:1009.5444), the long-period system GX Cas showed an exceptionally large positive period derivative. An analysis of public Kepler data of V344 Lyr and V1504 Cyg yielded less striking stage transitions. In V344 Lyr, there was prominent secondary component growing during the late stage of superoutbursts, and the component persisted at least for two more cycles of successive normal outbursts. We also investigated the superoutbursts of two conspicuous eclipsing objects: HT Cas and the WZ Sge-type object SDSS J080434.20+510349.2. Strong beat phenomena were detected in both objects, and late-stage superhumps in the latter object had an almost constant luminosity during the repeated rebrightenings. The WZ Sge-type object SDSS J133941.11+484727.5 showed a phase reversal around the rapid fading from the superoutburst. The object showed a prominent beat phenomenon even after the end of the superoutburst. A pilot study of superhump amplitudes indicated that the amplitudes of superhumps are strongly correlated with orbital periods, and the dependence on the inclination is weak in systems with inclinations smaller than 80 deg.

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arXiv2011

Eclipses During the 2010 Eruption of the Recurrent Nova U Scorpii

The eruption of the recurrent nova U Scorpii on 28 January 2010 is now the all-time best observed nova event. We report 36,776 magnitudes throughout its 67 day eruption, for an average of one measure every 2.6 minutes. This unique and unprecedented coverage is the first time that a nova has any substantial amount of fast photometry. With this, two new phenomena have been discovered: the fast flares in the early light curve seen from days 9-15 (which have no proposed explanation) and the optical dips seen out of eclipse from days 41-61 (likely caused by raised rims of the accretion disk occulting the bright inner regions of the disk as seen over specific orbital phases). The expanding shell and wind cleared enough from days 12-15 so that the inner binary system became visible, resulting in the sudden onset of eclipses and the turn-on of the supersoft X-ray source. On day 15, a strong asymmetry in the out-of-eclipse light points to the existence of the accretion stream. The normal optical flickering restarts on day 24.5. For days 15-26, eclipse mapping shows that the optical source is spherically symmetric with a radius of 4.1 R_sun. For days 26-41, the optical light is coming from a rim-bright disk of radius 3.4 R_sun. For days 41-67, the optical source is a center-bright disk of radius 2.2 R_sun. Throughout the eruption, the colors remain essentially constant. We present 12 eclipse times during eruption plus five just after the eruption.

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arXiv2011

Spectral Evolution of the Unusual Slow Nova V5558 Sgr

We report on the spectral evolution of the enigmatic, very slow nova V5558 Sgr, based on the low-resolution spectra obtained at the Fujii-Bisei Observatory and the Bisei Astronomical Observatory, Japan during a period of 2007 April 6 to 2008 May 3. V5558 Sgr shows a pre-maximum halt and then several flare-like rebrightenings, which is similar to another very slow nova V723 Cas. In our observations, the spectral type of V5558 Sgr evolved from the He/N type toward the Fe II type during the pre-maximum halt, and then toward the He/N type again. This course of spectral transition was observed for the first time in the long history of the nova research. In the rebrightening stage after the initial brightness maximum, we could identify many emission lines accompanied by a stronger absorption component of the P-Cygni profile at the brightness maxima. We found that the velocity of the P-Cygni absorption component measured from the emission peak decreased at the brightness maxima. Furthermore, we compared the spectra of V5558 Sgr with V723 Cas, and other novae which exhibited several rebrightenings during the early phase.

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arXiv2010

Survey of Period Variations of Superhumps in SU UMa-Type Dwarf Novae. II: The Second Year (2009-2010)

As an extension of the project in Kato et al. (2009, arXiv:0905.1757), we collected times of superhump maxima for 61 SU UMa-type dwarf novae mainly observed during the 2009-2010 season. The newly obtained data confirmed the basic findings reported in Kato et al. (2009): the presence of stages A-C, as well as the predominance of positive period derivatives during stage B in systems with superhump periods shorter than 0.07 d. There was a systematic difference in period derivatives for systems with superhump periods longer than 0.075 d between this study and Kato et al. (2009). We suggest that this difference is possibly caused by the relative lack of frequently outbursting SU UMa-type dwarf novae in this period regime in the present study. We recorded a strong beat phenomenon during the 2009 superoutburst of IY UMa. The close correlation between the beat period and superhump period suggests that the changing angular velocity of the apsidal motion of the elliptical disk is responsible for the variation of superhump periods. We also described three new WZ Sge-type objects with established early superhumps and one with likely early superhumps. We also suggest that two systems, VX For and EL UMa, are WZ Sge-type dwarf novae with multiple rebrightenings. The O-C variation in OT J213806.6+261957 suggests that the frequent absence of rebrightenings in very short-Porb objects can be a result of sustained superoutburst plateau at the epoch when usual SU UMa-type dwarf novae return to quiescence preceding a rebrightening. We also present a formulation for a variety of Bayesian extension to traditional period analyses.

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arXiv2010

Optical and Near-Infrared Photometry of Nova V2362 Cyg : Rebrightening Event and Dust Formation

We present optical and near-infrared (NIR) photometry of a classical nova, V2362 Cyg (= Nova Cygni 2006). V2362 Cyg experienced a peculiar rebrightening with a long duration from 100 to 240 d after the maximum of the nova. Our multicolor observation indicates an emergence of a pseudophotosphere with an effective temperature of 9000 K at the rebrightening maximum. After the rebrightening maximum, the object showed a slow fading homogeneously in all of the used bands for one week. This implies that the fading just after the rebrightening maximum ( less or equal 1 week ) was caused by a slowly shrinking pseudophotosphere. Then, the NIR flux drastically increased, while the optical flux steeply declined. The optical and NIR flux was consistent with blackbody radiation with a temperature of 1500 K during this NIR rising phase. These facts are likely to be explained by dust formation in the nova ejecta. Assuming an optically thin case, we estimate the dust mass of 10^(-8) -- 10^(-10) M_solar, which is less than those in typical dust-forming novae. These results support the senario that a second, long-lasting outflow, which caused the rebrightening, interacted with a fraction of the initial outflow and formed dust grains.

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arXiv2009

A Prediction of Supersoft X-Ray Phase of Classical Nova V5583 Sagittarii

We have observed the fast nova V5583 Sagittarii with five B, V, y, R_C, and I_C bands, and found that these multi-band light curves are almost identical with those of V382 Vel 1999 until at least 100 days after outburst. A supersoft X-ray phase of V382 Vel was detected with BeppoSAX about six months after outburst. V5583 Sgr outbursted a few days ago the discovery on 2009 August 6.5 UT near its optical peak. From a complete resemblance between these two nova light curves, we expect a supersoft X-ray phase of V5583 Sgr six months after outburst. Detection of supersoft X-ray turn-on/turnoff dates strongly constrain the evolution of a nova and, as a result, mass range of the WD. For a timely observation of a supersoft X-ray phase of V5583 Sgr, we have calculated nova outburst evolution based on the optically thick wind theory, which predicts the supersoft X-ray phase: it will most probably start between days 100 and 140 and continue until days 200-240 after outburst. We strongly recommend multiple observations during 2009 December, and 2010 January, February, and March to detect the turn-on and turnoff times of the supersoft X-ray phase of V5583 Sgr.

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arXiv2009

Dwarf Novae in the Shortest Orbital Period Regime: I. A New Short Period Dwarf Nova, OT J055717+683226

We report the observation of a new dwarf nova, OT J055717+683226, during its first-ever recorded superoutburst in December 2006. Our observation shows that this object is an SU UMa-type dwarf nova having a very short superhump period of 76.67+/- 0.03 min (0.05324+/-0.00002 d). The next superoutburst was observed in March 2008. The recurrence time of superoutbursts (supercycle) is, hence, estimated to be ~480 d. The supercycle is much shorter than those of WZ Sge-type dwarf novae having supercycles of >~ 10 yr, which are a major population of dwarf novae in the shortest orbital period regime (<~85 min). Using a hierarchical cluster analysis, we identified seven groups of dwarf novae in the shortest orbital period regime. We identified a small group of objects that have short supercycles, small outburst amplitudes, and large superhump period excesses, compared with those of WZ Sge stars. OT J055717+683226 probably belongs to this group.

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arXiv2009

Survey of Period Variations of Superhumps in SU UMa-Type Dwarf Novae

We systematically surveyed period variations of superhumps in SU UMa-type dwarf novae based on newly obtained data and past publications. In many systems, the evolution of superhump period are found to be composed of three distinct stages: early evolutionary stage with a longer superhump period, middle stage with systematically varying periods, final stage with a shorter, stable superhump period. During the middle stage, many systems with superhump periods less than 0.08 d show positive period derivatives. Contrary to the earlier claim, we found no clear evidence for variation of period derivatives between superoutburst of the same object. We present an interpretation that the lengthening of the superhump period is a result of outward propagation of the eccentricity wave and is limited by the radius near the tidal truncation. We interpret that late stage superhumps are rejuvenized excitation of 3:1 resonance when the superhumps in the outer disk is effectively quenched. Many of WZ Sge-type dwarf novae showed long-enduring superhumps during the post-superoutburst stage having periods longer than those during the main superoutburst. The period derivatives in WZ Sge-type dwarf novae are found to be strongly correlated with the fractional superhump excess, or consequently, mass ratio. WZ Sge-type dwarf novae with a long-lasting rebrightening or with multiple rebrightenings tend to have smaller period derivatives and are excellent candidate for the systems around or after the period minimum of evolution of cataclysmic variables (abridged).

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arXiv2009

Photometry of Three Superoutbursts of the SU UMa-type Dwarf Nova, SW Ursae Majoris

We investigated the superhump evolution, analysing optical photometric observations of the 2000 February-March, the 2002 October-November, and the 2006 September superoutbursts of SW UMa. The superhumps evolved in the same way after their appearance during the 2000 and the 2002 superoutbursts, and probably during the 2006 one. This indicates that the superhump evolution may be governed by the invariable binary parameters. We detected a periodicity in light curve after the end of the 2000 superoutburst without phase shift, which seems to be the remains of the superhumps. We found QPOs at the end stage of the 2000 and the 2002 superoutbursts, but failed to find extraordinarily large-amplitude QPOs called `super-QPOs' which previously have been observed in SW UMa.

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arXiv2009

Rebrightening Phenomenon in Classical Novae

Two classical novae V1493 Aql and V2362 Cyg were known to exhibit unprecedented large-amplitude rebrightening during the late stage of their evolution. We analyzed common properties in these two light curves. We show that these unusual light curves are very well expressed by a combination of power-law decline, omnipresent in fast novae, and exponential brightening. We propose a schematic interpretation of the properties common to these rebrightenings can be a consequence of a shock resulting from a secondary ejection and its breakout in the optically thick nova winds. This interpretation has an advantage in explaining the rapid fading following the rebrightening and the subsequent evolution of the light curve. The exponential rise might reflect emerging light from the shock front, analogous to a radiative precursor in a supernova shock breakout. The consequence of such a shock in the nova wind potentially explains many kinds of unusual phenomena in novae including early-stage variations and potentially dust formation.

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arXiv2009

SDSS J080434.20+510349.2: Eclipsing WZ Sge-Type Dwarf Nova with Multiple Rebrightenings

We observed the 2006 superoutburst of SDSS J080434.20+510349.2 during its plateau phase, rebrightening phase, and post-superoutburst final decline. We found that this object is a grazing eclipsing system with a period of 0.0590048(2) d. Well-defined eclipses were only observed during the late stage of the superoutburst plateau and the depth decreased during the subsequent stages. We determined the superhump period during the superoutburst plateau to be 0.059539(11) d, giving a fractional superhump excess of 0.90(2)%. During the rebrightening and post-superoutburst phases, persisting superhumps with periods longer than those of superhumps during the plateau phase: 0.059632(6) during the rebrightening phase and 0.05969(4) d during the final fading. This phenomenon is very well in line with the previously known long-period "late superhumps" in GW Lib, V455 And and WZ Sge. The amplitudes of orbital humps between different states of rebrightenings suggest that these humps do not arise from the classical hot spot, but are more likely a result of projection effect in a high-inclination system. There was no clear evidence for the enhanced hot spot during the rebrightening phase. We also studied previously reported "mini-outbursts" in the quiescent state and found evidence that superhumps were transiently excited during these mini-outbursts. The presence of grazing eclipses and distinct multiple rebrightenings in SDSS J080434.20+510349.2 would provide a unique opportunity to understanding the mechanism of rebrightenings in WZ Sge-type dwarf novae.

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