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Isabelle Baraffe

Publications and source records attributed to Isabelle Baraffe.

65 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
arXiv2002

1RXS J232953.9+062814: A Dwarf Nova with a 64-minute Orbital Period and a Conspicuous Secondary Star

We present spectroscopy and time-series photometry of the newly discovered dwarf nova 1RXS J232953.9+062814. Photometry in superoutburst reveals a superhump with a period of 66.06(6) minutes. The low state spectrum shows Balmer and HeI emission on a blue continuum, and in addition shows a rich absorption spectrum of type K4 +- 2. The absorption velocity is modulated sinusoidally at P_orb = 64.176(5) min, with semi-amplitude K = 348(4) km/s. The low-state light curve is double-humped at this period, and phased as expected for ellipsoidal variations. The absorption strength does not vary appreciably around the orbit. The orbital period is shorter than any other cataclysmic variable save for a handful of helium-star systems and V485 Centauri (59 minutes). The secondary is much hotter than main sequence stars of similar mass, but is well-matched by helium-enriched models, indicating that the secondary evolved from a more massive progenitor. A preliminary calculation in which a 1.2 solar-mass star begins mass transfer near the end of H burning matches this system's characteristics remarkably well.

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arXiv1999

Secondary Stars in CVs: The Theoretical Perspective

We apply the new generation of theoretical models of low-mass stars to secondaries in CVs, focussing on systems above the period gap. The models confirm that the spectral type should be a good indicator of the donor mass. The orbital period-spectral type diagram can potentially constrain the long-term mean mass transfer rate. A transfer rate that increases with decreasing period is most easily reconciled with the observational data.

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arXiv1999

Brown Dwarfs and the Cataclysmic Variable Period Minimum

Using improved, up-to-date stellar input physics tested against observations of low-mass stars and brown dwarfs we calculate the secular evolution of low-mass donor cataclysmic variables (CVs), including those which form with a brown dwarf donor. Our models confirm the mismatch between the calculated minimum period (Pmin ~ 70 min) and the observed short-period cut-off (~ 80 min) in the CV period histogram. We find that tidal and rotational corrections applied to the one-dimensional stellar structure equations have no significant effect on the period minimum. Theoretical period distributions synthesized from our model sequences always show an accumulation of systems at the minimum period, a feature absent from the observed distribution. We suggest that non-magnetic CVs become unobservable as they are effectively trapped in permanent quiescence before they reach Pmin, and that small-number statistics may hide the period spike for magnetic CVs.

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arXiv1998

The CV Period Minimum

Using improved, up-to-date stellar input physics tested against observations of low-mass stars and brown dwarfs we calculate the secular evolution of low-mass donor CVs, including those which form with a brown dwarf donor star. Our models confirm the mismatch between the calculated minimum period (P_min ~ 70min) and the observed short-period cut-off (~80min) in the CV period histogram. Theoretical period distributions synthesized from our model sequences always show an accumulation of systems at the minimum period, a feature absent in the observed distribution. We suggest that non-magnetic CVs become unobservable as they are effectively trapped in permanent quiescence before they reach P_min, and that small-number statistics may hide the period spike for magnetic CVs. We calculate the minimum period for high mass transfer rate sequences and discuss the relevance of these for explaining the location of CV secondaries in the orbital period - spectral type diagram. We also show that a recently suggested revised mass-radius relation for low-mass main-sequence stars cannot explain the CV period gap.

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arXiv1998

Evolutionary models for solar metallicity low-mass stars: mass-magnitude relationships and color-magnitude diagrams

We present evolutionary models for low mass stars from 0.075 to 1 $\msol$ for solar-type metallicities [M/H]= 0 and -0.5. The calculations include the most recent interior physics and the latest generation of non-grey atmosphere models. We provide mass-age-color-magnitude relationships for both metallicities. The mass-M$_V$ and mass-M$_K$ relations are in excellent agreement with the empirical relations derived observationally. The theoretical color-magnitude diagrams are compared with the sequences of globular clusters (47 Tucanae) and open clusters (NGC2420 and NGC2477) observed with the Hubble Space Telescope. Comparison is also made with field star sequences in $M_V$-$(V-I)$, $M_K$-$(I-K)$ and $M_K$-$(J-K)$ diagrams. These comparisons show that the most recent improvements performed in low-mass star atmosphere models yield now reliable stellar models in the near-infrared. These models can be used for metallicity, mass, temperature and luminosity calibrations. Uncertainties still remain, however, in the optical spectral region below $T_{eff} \sim 3700K$, where predicted (V-I) colors are too blue by 0.5 mag for a given magnitude. The possible origins for such a discrepancy, most likely a missing source of opacity in the optical and the onset of grain formation are examined in detail.

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arXiv1997

Pulsations in red supergiants with high L/M ratio -- Implications for the stellar and circumstellar structure of supernova progenitors

We investigate the pulsational properties of RSG models --- which we evolve from ZAMS masses in the range 10 to $20 \Msun$ --- by means of linear and non-linear calculations. We find period and growth rate of the dominant fundamental mode to increase with increasing luminosity-to-mass ratio $L/M$. Our models obtain relatively large $L/M$ values due to the inclusion of rotation in the evolutionary calculations; however, the largest values are obtained at and beyond central He-exhaustion due to major internal rearrangements of the nuclear burning regions. Our non-linear calculations as well as the behavior of the linear period and growth rate of the pulsations for periods approaching the Kelvin-Helmholtz time scale of the H-rich stellar envelope point towards the possibility of large amplitude pulsations. Such properties are similar to that found in AGB stars and suggest the possibility of a ``superwind'' to occur before the RSGs explode as supernovae. We conclude that changes in global stellar properties during the last few $10^4 \yr$ before core collapse may lead to drastic changes in the pulsational and wind properties of pre-supernova stars, with marked consequences for the immediate pre-supernova structure of the star and the circumstellar medium. We compare our results with observations of long-period OH/IR variables and discuss observational evidence for our scenario from observed supernova light curves, spectra and remnants.

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arXiv1997

Atmosphere Models for Very Low Mass Stars, Brown Dwarfs and Exoplanets

Over the past decade considerable effort, both observational and theoretical, has been directed towards a more accurate determination of the stellar lower main sequence and of the sub-stellar domain covered by Brown Dwarfs and Planets. A review of the recent improvement in the theory of cool model atmospheres is presented.

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arXiv1997

Evolutionary models for metal-poor low-mass stars. Lower main sequence of globular clusters and halo field stars

We have performed evolutionary calculations of very-low-mass stars from 0.08 to 0.8 $\msol$ for different metallicites from [M/H]= -2.0 to -1.0 and we have tabulated the mechanical, thermal and photometric characteristics of these models. The calculations include the most recent interior physics and improved non-grey atmosphere models. The models reproduce the entire main sequences of the globular clusters observed with the Hubble Space Telescope over the afore-mentioned range of metallicity. Comparisons are made in the WFPC2 Flight system including the F555, F606 and F814 filters, and in the standard Johnson-Cousins system. We examine the effects of different physical parameters, mixing-length, $α$-enriched elements, helium fraction, as well as the accuracy of the photometric transformations of the HST data into standard systems. We derive mass-effective temperature and mass-magnitude relationships and we compare the results with the ones obtained with different grey-like approximations. These latter are shown to yield inaccurate relations, in particular near the hydrogen-burning limit. We derive new hydrogen-burning minimum masses, and the corresponding absolute magnitudes, for the different metallicities. We predict color-magnitude diagrams in the infrared NICMOS filters, to be used for the next generation of the HST observations, providing mass-magnitudes relationships in these colors down to the brown-dwarf limit. We show that the expected signature of the stellar to substellar transition in color-magnitude diagrams is a severe blueshift in the infrared colors, due to the increasing collision-induced absorption of molecular hydrogen with increasing density and decreasing temperature.

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arXiv1997

Structure and evolution of low-mass stars

We present extensive calculations of the structure and the evolution of low-massstars in the range 0.07-0.8 $\msol$, for metallicities $-2.0\le \mh \le 0.0$. These calculations are based on the most recent description of the microphysics characteristic of these dense and cool objects and on the lattest generation of grainless non-grey atmosphere models. We examine the evolution of the different mechanical and thermal properties of these objects as a function of mass and metallicity. We also demonstrate the inaccuracy of grey models and $T(τ)$ relationships under these conditions. We provide detailed tables of the mass-radius-luminosity-effective temperature relations for various ages and metallicities, aimed at calibrating existing or future observations of low-mass stars and massive brown dwarfs. We derive new hydrogen-burning minimum masses, within the afore-mentioned metallicity range. These minimum masses are found to be smaller than previous estimates, a direct consequence of non-grey effects. At last, we examine the evolution of the abundance of light elements, $Li, Be$ and $B$, as a function of age, mass and metallicity.

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arXiv1996

Synthetic Spectra and Mass Determination of the Brown Dwarf Gl229B

We present preliminary non-grey model atmospheres and interiors for cool brown dwarfs. The resulting synthetic spectra are compared to available spectroscopic and photometric observations of the coolest brown dwarf yet discovered, Gl229B (Nakajima \etal, 1995). Despite recognized shortcomings of current methane opacities, we find that the model spectra provide an excellent fit to most of the spectral features of the brown dwarf. We confirm the presence of methane absorption and the substellar nature of Gl229B. These preliminary models set an upper limit for the effective temperature of 1000~K. We also compute the evolution of brown dwarfs with solar composition and masses from 0.02 to 0.065 $\msol$. While uncertainties in the age of the system yield some undetermination for the mass of Gl229B, the most likely solution is $m\approx 0.04-0.055 \msol$. In any case, we can set an upper limit $m= 0.065\msol$ for a very unlikely age $t=10$ Gyr.

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