arXiv subjects

J. D. Monnier

Publications and source records attributed to J. D. Monnier.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2014

A new interferometer architecture combining nulling with phase closure measurements

Imaging the direct light signal from a faint exoplanet against the overwhelming glare of its host star presents one of the fundamental challenges to modern astronomical instrumentation. Achieving sufficient signal-to-noise for detection by direct imaging is limited by three basic physical processes: aberration of the wavefronts (both instrumental and atmospheric), photon noise, and detector noise. In this paper, we advance a novel optical setup which synthesizes the advantages of two different techniques: nulling interferometry to mitigate photon noise, and closure phase to combat optical aberrations. Our design, which employs technology from integrated optics and photonics, is intended to combine the advantageous aspects of both a coronagraph and a non-redundant interferometer inside a single optical device. We show that such an instrument would have a dynamic range limited either by i) the readout noise (if perfect co-phasing), or ii) the photon noise due to stellar flux leakage (in the case of imperfect nulling). This concept is optimal when the readout noise is not the main limitation, ie, for space interferometry or for ground based observations of bright stellar hosts (apparent magnitude brighter than 10).

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arXiv2013

Multiplicity of Galactic Cepheids from long-baseline interferometry. II. The Companion of AX Circini revealed with VLTI/PIONIER

Aims: We aim at detecting and characterizing the main-sequence companion of the Cepheid AX Cir ($P_\mathrm{orb} \sim $ 18 yrs). The long-term objective is to estimate the mass of both components and the distance to the system. Methods: We used the PIONIER combiner at the VLT Interferometer to obtain the first interferometric measurements of the short-period Cepheid AX Cir and its orbiting component. Results: The companion is resolved by PIONIER at a projected separation $ρ= 29.2 \pm 0.2$ mas and projection angle $PA = 167.6 \pm 0.3^{\circ}$. We measured $H$-band flux ratios between the companion and the Cepheid of $0.90 \pm 0.10$ % and $0.75 \pm 0.17$ %, respectively at a pulsation phase for the Cepheid $ϕ= 0.24$ and 0.48. The lower contrast at $ϕ= 0.48$ is due to increased brightness of the Cepheid compared to the $ϕ= 0.24$. This gives an average apparent magnitude $m\mathrm{_H (comp)} = 9.06 \pm 0.24$ mag. The limb-darkened angular diameter of the Cepheid at the two pulsation phases was measured to be $θ_\mathrm{LD} = 0.839 \pm 0.023$ mas and $θ_\mathrm{LD} = 0.742 \pm 0.020$ mas, respectively at $ϕ= 0.24$ and 0.48. A lower limit on the total mass of the system was also derived based on our measured separation, we found $M_\mathrm{T} \geq 9.7 \pm 0.6 M_\odot$.

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arXiv2013

An interferometric study of the post-AGB binary 89 Herculis I Spatially resolving the continuum circumstellar environment at optical and near-IR wavelengths with the VLTI, NPOI, IOTA, PTI, and the CHARA Array

Binary post-AGB stars are interesting laboratories to study both the evolution of binaries as well as the structure of circumstellar disks. A multiwavelength high angular resolution study of the prototypical object 89 Herculis is performed with the aim of identifying and locating the different emission components seen in the SED. A large interferometric data set, collected over the past decade and covering optical and near-IR wavelengths, is analyzed with simple geometric models. Combining the interferometric constraints with the photometry and the optical spectra, we reassess the energy budget of the post-AGB star and its circumstellar environment. We report the first (direct) detection of a large (35-40%) optical circumstellar flux contribution and spatially resolve its emission region. Given this large amount of reprocessed and/or redistributed optical light, the fitted size of the emission region is rather compact and fits with(in) the inner rim of the circumbinary dust disk. This rim dominates our K band data through thermal emission and is rather compact, emitting significantly already at a radius of twice the orbital separation. We interpret the circumstellar optical flux as due to a scattering process, with the scatterers located in the extremely puffed-up inner rim of the disk and possibly also in a bipolar outflow seen pole-on. A non-LTE gaseous origin in an inner disk cannot be excluded but is considered highly unlikely. This direct detection of a significant amount of circumbinary light at optical wavelengths poses several significant questions regarding our understanding of both post-AGB binaries and the physics in their circumbinary disks. Although the identification of the source of emission/scattering remains inconclusive without further study on this and similar objects, the implications are manifold.

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arXiv2013

A near-infrared interferometric survey of debris disc stars. III. First statistics based on 42 stars observed with CHARA/FLUOR

(Abridged) Dust is expected to be ubiquitous in extrasolar planetary systems owing to the dynamical activity of minor bodies. Inner dust populations are, however, still poorly known because of the high contrast and small angular separation with respect to their host star. We aim to determine the level of near-infrared exozodiacal dust emission around a sample of 42 nearby main sequence stars with spectral types ranging from A to K and to investigate its correlation with various stellar parameters and with the presence of cold dust belts. We use high-precision K-band visibilities obtained with the FLUOR interferometer on the shortest baseline of the CHARA array. The calibrated visibilities are compared with the expected visibility of the stellar photosphere to assess whether there is an additional, fully resolved circumstellar emission. Near-infrared circumstellar emission amounting to about 1% of the stellar flux is detected around 13 of our 42 target stars. Follow-up observations showed that one of them (eps Cep) is associated with a stellar companion, while another one was detected around what turned out to be a giant star (kap CrB). The remaining 11 excesses found around single main sequence stars are most probably associated with hot circumstellar dust, yielding an overall occurrence rate of 28+8-6% for our (biased) sample. We show that the occurrence rate of bright exozodiacal discs correlates with spectral type, K-band excesses being more frequent around A-type stars. It also correlates with the presence of detectable far-infrared excess emission in the case of solar-type stars. This study provides new insight into the phenomenon of bright exozodiacal discs, showing that hot dust populations are probably linked to outer dust reservoirs in the case of solar-type stars. For A-type stars, no clear conclusion can be made regarding the origin of the detected near-infrared excesses.

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arXiv2013

Optical Interferometry of early-type stars with PAVO@CHARA. I. Fundamental stellar properties

We present interferometric observations of 7 main-sequence and 3 giant stars with spectral types from B2 to F6 using the PAVO beam combiner at the CHARA array. We have directly determined the angular diameters for these objects with an average precision of 2.3%. We have also computed bolometric fluxes using available photometry in the visible and infrared wavelengths, as well as space-based ultraviolet spectroscopy. Combined with precise \textit{Hipparcos} parallaxes, we have derived a set of fundamental stellar properties including linear radius, luminosity and effective temperature. Fitting the latter to computed isochrone models, we have inferred masses and ages of the stars. The effective temperatures obtained are in good agreement (at a 3% level) with nearly-independent temperature estimations from spectroscopy. They validate recent sixth-order polynomial (B-V)-$T_\mathrm{eff}$ empirical relations \citep{Boyajian2012a}, but suggest that a more conservative third-order solution \citep{vanBelle2009} could adequately describe the (V-K)-$T_\mathrm{eff}$ relation for main-sequence stars of spectral type A0 and later. Finally, we have compared mass values obtained combining surface gravity with inferred stellar radius (\textit{gravity mass}) and as a result of the comparison of computed luminosity and temperature values with stellar evolutionary models (\textit{isochrone mass}). The strong discrepancy between isochrone and gravity mass obtained for one of the observed stars, $γ$\,Lyr, suggests that determination of the stellar atmosphere parameters should be revised.

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arXiv2013

Interferometric radii of bright Kepler stars with the CHARA Array: θ Cygni and 16 Cygni A and B

We present the results of long-baseline optical interferometry observations using the Precision Astronomical Visual Observations (PAVO) beam combiner at the Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA) Array to measure the angular sizes of three bright Kepler stars: θ Cygni, and both components of the binary system 16 Cygni. Supporting infrared observations were made with the Michigan Infrared Combiner (MIRC) and Classic beam combiner, also at the CHARA Array. We find limb-darkened angular diameters of 0.753+/-0.009 mas for θ Cyg, 0.539+/-0.007 mas for 16 Cyg A and 0.490+/-0.006 mas for 16 Cyg B. The Kepler Mission has observed these stars with outstanding photometric precision, revealing the presence of solar-like oscillations. Due to the brightness of these stars the oscillations have exceptional signal-to-noise, allowing for detailed study through asteroseismology, and are well constrained by other observations. We have combined our interferometric diameters with Hipparcos parallaxes, spectrophotometric bolometric fluxes and the asteroseismic large frequency separation to measure linear radii (θ Cyg: 1.48+/-0.02 Rsun, 16 Cyg A: 1.22+/-0.02 Rsun, 16 Cyg B: 1.12+/-0.02 Rsun), effective temperatures (θ Cyg: 6749+/-44 K, 16 Cyg A: 5839+/-42 K, 16 Cyg B: 5809+/-39 K), and masses (θ Cyg: 1.37+/-0.04 Msun, 16 Cyg A: 1.07+/-0.05 Msun, 16 Cyg B: 1.05+/-0.04 Msun) for each star with very little model dependence. The measurements presented here will provide strong constraints for future stellar modelling efforts.

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arXiv2013

The H-band Emitting Region of the Luminous Blue Variable P Cygni: Spectrophotometry and Interferometry of the Wind

We present the first high angular resolution observations in the nearinfrared H-band (1.6 microns) of the Luminous Blue Variable star P Cygni. We obtained six-telescope interferometric observations with the CHARA Array and the MIRC beam combiner. These show that the spatial flux distribution is larger than expected for the stellar photosphere. A two component model for the star (uniform disk) plus a halo (two-dimensional Gaussian) yields an excellent fit of the observations, and we suggest that the halo corresponds to flux emitted from the base of the stellar wind. This wind component contributes about 45% of the H-band flux and has an angular FWHM = 0.96 mas, compared to the predicted stellar diameter of 0.41 mas. We show several images reconstructed from the interferometric visibilities and closure phases, and they indicate a generally spherical geometry for the wind. We also obtained near-infrared spectrophotometry of P Cygni from which we derive the flux excess compared to a purely photospheric spectral energy distribution. The H-band flux excess matches that from the wind flux fraction derived from the two component fits to the interferometry. We find evidence of significant near-infrared flux variability over the period from 2006 to 2010 that appears similar to the variations in the H-alpha emission flux from the wind. Future interferometric observations may be capable of recording the spatial variations associated with temporal changes in the wind structure.

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arXiv2012

Resolving Vega and the inclination controversy with CHARA/MIRC

Optical and infrared interferometers definitively established that the photometric standard Vega (alpha Lyrae) is a rapidly rotating star viewed nearly pole-on. Recent independent spectroscopic analyses could not reconcile the inferred inclination angle with the observed line profiles, preferring a larger inclination. In order to resolve this controversy, we observed Vega using the six-beam Michigan Infrared Combiner on the Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy Array. With our greater angular resolution and dense (u,v)-coverage, we find Vega is rotating less rapidly and with a smaller gravity darkening coefficient than previous interferometric results. Our models are compatible with low photospheric macroturbulence and also consistent with the possible rotational period of ~0.71 days recently reported based on magnetic field observations. Our updated evolutionary analysis explicitly incorporates rapid rotation, finding Vega to have a mass of 2.15+0.10_-0.15 Msun and an age 700-75+150 Myrs, substantially older than previous estimates with errors dominated by lingering metallicity uncertainties (Z=0.006+0.003-0.002).

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arXiv2012

The Keck Aperture Masking Experiment: Dust Enshrouded Red Giants

While the importance of dusty asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars to galactic chemical enrichment is widely recognised, a sophisticated understanding of the dust formation and wind-driving mechanisms has proven elusive due in part to the difficulty in spatially-resolving the dust formation regions themselves. We have observed twenty dust-enshrouded AGB stars as part of the Keck Aperture Masking Experiment, resolving all of them in multiple near-infrared bands between 1.5 microns and 3.1 microns. We find 45% of the targets to show measurable elongations that, when correcting for the greater distances of the targets, would correspond to significantly asymmetric dust shells on par with the well-known cases of IRC+10216 or CIT6. Using radiative transfer models, we find the sublimation temperature of 1130 +- 90 K and 1170 +- 60 K for silicates and amorphous carbon respectively, both somewhat lower than expected from laboratory measurements and vastly below temperatures inferred from the inner edge of YSO disks. The fact that O-rich and C-rich dust types showed the same sublimation temperature was surprising as well. For the most optically-thick shells (tau > 2 at 2.2 microns), the temperature profile of the inner dust shell is observed to change substantially, an effect we suggest could arise when individual dust clumps become optically-thick at the highest mass-loss rates.

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arXiv2012

Disentangling Confused Stars at the Galactic Center with Long Baseline Infrared Interferometry

We present simulations of Keck Interferometer ASTRA and VLTI GRAVITY observations of mock star fields in orbit within ~50 milliarcseconds of Sgr A*. Dual-field phase referencing techniques, as implemented on ASTRA and planned for GRAVITY, will provide the sensitivity to observe Sgr A* with infrared interferometers. Our results show an improvement in the confusion noise limit over current astrometric surveys, opening a window to study stellar sources in the region. Since the Keck Interferometer has only a single baseline, the improvement in the confusion limit depends on source position angles. The GRAVITY instrument will yield a more compact and symmetric PSF, providing an improvement in confusion noise which will not depend as strongly on position angle. Our Keck results show the ability to characterize the star field as containing zero, few, or many bright stellar sources. We are also able to detect and track a source down to mK~18 through the least confused regions of our field of view at a precision of ~200 microarcseconds along the baseline direction. This level of precision improves with source brightness. Our GRAVITY results show the potential to detect and track multiple sources in the field. GRAVITY will perform ~10 microarcsecond astrometry on a mK=16.3 source and ~200 microarcsecond astrometry on a mK=18.8 source in six hours of monitoring a crowded field. Monitoring the orbits of several stars will provide the ability to distinguish between multiple post-Newtonian orbital effects, including those due to an extended mass distribution around Sgr A* and to low-order General Relativistic effects. Early characterizations of the field by ASTRA including the possibility of a precise source detection, could provide valuable information for future GRAVITY implementation and observation.

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arXiv2012

Imaging the Algol Triple System in H Band with the CHARA Interferometer

Algol (Beta Per) is an extensively studied hierarchical triple system whose inner pair is a prototype semi-detached binary with mass transfer occurring from the sub-giant secondary to the main-sequence primary. We present here the results of our Algol observations made between 2006 and 2010 at the CHARA interferometer with the Michigan Infrared Combiner in the H band. The use of four telescopes with long baselines allows us to achieve better than 0.5 mas resolution and to unambiguously resolve the three stars. The inner and outer orbital elements, as well as the angular sizes and mass ratios for the three components are determined independently from previous studies. We report a significantly improved orbit for the inner stellar pair with the consequence of a 15% change in the primary mass compared to previous studies. We also determine the mutual inclination of the orbits to be much closer to perpendicularity than previously established. State-of-the-art image reconstruction algorithms are used to image the full triple system. In particular an image sequence of 55 distinct phases of the inner pair orbit is reconstructed, clearly showing the Roche-lobe-filling secondary revolving around the primary, with several epochs corresponding to the primary and secondary eclipses.

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arXiv2012

Imaging the heart of astrophysical objects with optical long-baseline interferometry

The number of publications of aperture-synthesis images based on optical long-baseline interferometry measurements has recently increased due to easier access to visible and infrared interferometers. The interferometry technique has now reached a technical maturity level that opens new avenues for numerous astrophysical topics requiring milli-arcsecond model-independent imaging. In writing this paper our motivation was twofold: 1) review and publicize emblematic excerpts of the impressive corpus accumulated in the field of optical interferometry image reconstruction; 2) discuss future prospects for this technique by selecting four representative astrophysical science cases in order to review the potential benefits of using optical long baseline interferometers. For this second goal we have simulated interferometric data from those selected astrophysical environments and used state-of-the-art codes to provide the reconstructed images that are reachable with current or soon-to-be facilities. The image reconstruction process was "blind" in the sense that reconstructors had no knowledge of the input brightness distributions. We discuss the impact of optical interferometry in those four astrophysical fields. We show that image reconstruction software successfully provides accurate morphological information on a variety of astrophysical topics and review the current strengths and weaknesses of such reconstructions. We investigate how to improve image reconstruction and the quality of the image possibly by upgrading the current facilities. We finally argue that optical interferometers and their corresponding instrumentation, existing or to come, with 6 to 10 telescopes, should be well suited to provide images of complex sceneries.

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arXiv2012

New Spatially Resolved Mid-IR Observations of the Transitional Disk TW Hya and Tentative Evidence for a Self-Luminous Companion

We present spatially resolved observations of the canonical transition disk object TW Hya at 8.74 μm, 11.66 μm, and 18.30 μm, obtained with the T-ReCS instrument on the Gemini telescope. These observations are a result of a novel observing mode at Gemini that enables speckle imaging. Using this technique, we image our target with short enough exposure times to achieve diffraction limited images. We use Fourier techniques to reduce our data, which allows high-precision calibration of the instrumental point spread function. Our observations span two epochs and we present evidence for temporal variability at 11.66 μm in the disk of TW Hya. We show that previous models of TW Hya's disk from the literature are incompatible with our observations, and construct a model to explain the discrepancies. We detect marginal asymmetry in our data, most significantly at the shortest wavelengths. To explain our data, we require a model that includes an optically thin inner disk extending from 0.02 to 3.9 AU, an optically thick ring representing the outer disk wall at 3.9 AU and extending to 4.6 AU, and a hotter-than-disk-equilibrium source of emission located at ~3.5 AU.

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arXiv2012

The relationship between gamma Cassiopeiae's X-ray emission and its circumstellar environment

γCas is the prototypical classical Be star and is best known for its variable hard X-ray emission. To elucidate the reasons for this emission, we mounted a multiwavelength campaign in 2010 centered around 4 XMM observations. The observational techniques included long baseline optical interferometry (LBOI), monitoring by an Automated Photometric Telescope and Halpha observations. Because gamma Cas is also known to be in a binary, we measured Halpha radial velocities and redetermined its period as 203.55+/-0.2 days and an eccentricity near zero. The LBOI observations suggest that the star's decretion disk was axisymmetric in 2010, has an inclination angle near 45^o, and a larger radius than previously reported. The Be star began an "outburst" at the beginning of our campaign, made visible by a disk brightening and reddening during our campaign. Our analyses of the new high resolution spectra disclosed many attributes found from spectra obtained in 2001 (Chandra) and 2004 (XMM). As well as a dominant hot 14 keV thermal component, these familiar ones included: (i) a fluorescent feature of Fe K stronger than observed at previous times, (ii) strong lines of N VII and Ne XI lines indicative of overabundances, and (iii) a subsolar Fe abundance from K-shell lines but a solar abundance from L-shell ions. We also found that 2 absorption columns are required to fit the continuum. While the first one maintained its historical average of 1X10^21 cm^-2, the second was very large and doubled to 7.4X10^23 cm^-2 during our X-ray observations. Although we found no clear relation between this column density and orbital phase, it correlates well with the disk brightening and reddening both in the 2010 and earlier observations. Thus, the inference from this study is that much (perhaps all?) of the X-ray emission from this source originates behind matter ejected by gamma Cas into our line of sight.

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arXiv2011

First visual orbit for the prototypical colliding-wind binary WR 140

Wolf-Rayet stars represent one of the final stages of massive stellar evolution. Relatively little is known about this short-lived phase and we currently lack reliable mass, distance, and binarity determinations for a representative sample. Here we report the first visual orbit for WR 140(=HD193793), a WC7+O5 binary system known for its periodic dust production episodes triggered by intense colliding winds near periastron passage. The IOTA and CHARA interferometers resolved the pair of stars in each year from 2003--2009, covering most of the highly-eccentric, 7.9 year orbit. Combining our results with the recent improved double-line spectroscopic orbit of Fahed et al. (2011), we find the WR 140 system is located at a distance of 1.67 +/- 0.03 kpc, composed of a WR star with M_WR = 14.9 +/- 0.5 Msun and an O star with M_O = 35.9 +/- 1.3 Msun. Our precision orbit yields key parameters with uncertainties times 6 smaller than previous work and paves the way for detailed modeling of the system. Our newly measured flux ratios at the near-infrared H and Ks bands allow an SED decomposition and analysis of the component evolutionary states.

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arXiv2011

Spectroscopy and Interferometry of Luminous Blue Variables

We report on the preliminary results of a three-year monitoring campaign of Galactic and Magellanic LBVs with both moderate and high resolution spectroscopy. We have collected more than 500 moderate-resolution spectra of 20 stars in the red portion of the optical spectrum, which includes the wind-sensitive transitions of H$α$ and He I 5876 and 6678 Angstroms. We summarize our detailed study of 15 years of high resolution H$α$ spectroscopy of the prototypical luminous blue variable, P Cygni. We report on the discovery of discrete absorption components in P Cygni's H$α$ profile, and we discuss their relationship to structure in the wind. These results are compared to our recent high resolution interferometric imaging of the $H$-band emitting region surrounding the star. We discuss recent observations of $η$ Car, highlighting its unusual recovery from the previous periastron passage. Our results on HDE 326823 indicate that the star has a short period binary orbit, with Roche Lobe overflow onto an unseen massive companion.

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arXiv2011

Toward Direct Detection of Hot Jupiters with Precision Closure Phase: Calibration Studies and First Results from the CHARA Array

Direct detection of thermal emission from nearby hot Jupiters has greatly advanced our knowledge of extrasolar planets in recent years. Since hot Jupiter systems can be regarded as analogs of high contrast binaries, ground-based infrared long baseline interferometers have the potential to resolve them and detect their thermal emission with precision closure phase - a method that is immune to the systematic errors induced by the Earth's atmosphere. In this work, we present closure phase studies toward direct detection of nearby hot Jupiters using the CHARA interferometer array outfitted with the MIRC instrument. We carry out closure phase simulations and conduct a large number of observations for the best candidate υ And. Our experiments suggest the method is feasible with highly stable and precise closure phases. However, we also find much larger systematic errors than expected in the observations, most likely caused by dispersion across different wavelengths. We find that using higher spectral resolution modes (e.g., R=150) can significantly reduce the systematics. By combining all calibrators in an observing run together, we are able to roughly recalibrate the lower spectral resolution data, allowing us to obtain upper limits of the star-planet contrast ratios of υ And b across the H band. The data also allow us to get a refined stellar radius of 1.625\pm0.011 R\odot. Our best upper limit corresponds to a contrast ratio of 2.1\times10^3:1 with 90% confidence level at 1.52μm, suggesting that we are starting to have the capability of constraining atmospheric models of hot Jupiters with interferometry. With recent and upcoming improvements of CHARA/MIRC, the prospect of detecting emission from hot Jupiters with closure phases is promising.

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arXiv2011

Hot exozodiacal dust resolved around Vega with IOTA/IONIC

Although debris discs have been detected around a significant number of main-sequence stars, only a few of them are known to harbour hot dust in their inner part where terrestrial planets may have formed. Thanks to infrared interferometric observations, it is possible to obtain a direct measurement of these regions, which are of prime importance for preparing future exo-Earth characterisation missions. In this context, we have resolved the exozodiacal dust disc around Vega with the help of infrared stellar interferometry and estimated the integrated H-band flux originating from the first few AUs of the debris disc. Using precise H-band interferometric measurements obtained with the 3-telescope IOTA/IONIC interferometer (Mount Hopkins, Arizona), thorough modelling of both interferometric data (squared visibility and closure phase) and spectral energy distribution was performed to constrain the nature of the near-infrared excess emission. The most straightforward scenario consists in a compact dust disc producing a thermal emission that is largely dominated by small grains located between 0.1 and 0.3 AU from Vega and accounting for 1.23 +/- 0.45% of the near-infrared stellar flux for our best-fit model. This flux ratio is shown to vary slightly with the geometry of the model used to fit our interferometric data (variations within +/-0.19%). Initially revealed by K-band CHARA/FLUOR observations, the presence of hot exozodiacal dust in the vicinity of Vega is confirmed by our H-band IOTA/IONIC measurements at the 3-sigma level. Whereas the origin of the dust is still uncertain, its presence and the possible connection with the outer disc suggest that the Vega system is currently undergoing major dynamical perturbations.

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