arXiv subjects

K. Pavlovski

Publications and source records attributed to K. Pavlovski.

54 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2012

Detection of gravity modes in the massive binary V380 Cyg from Kepler spacebased photometry and high-resolution spectroscopy

We report the discovery of low-amplitude gravity-mode oscillations in the massive binary star V380 Cyg, from 180 d of Kepler custom-aperture space photometry and 5 months of high-resolution high signal-to-noise spectroscopy. The new data are of unprecedented quality and allowed to improve the orbital and fundamental parameters for this binary. The orbital solution was subtracted from the photometric data and led to the detection of periodic intrinsic variability with frequencies of which some are multiples of the orbital frequency and others are not. Spectral disentangling allowed the detection of line-profile variability in the primary. With our discovery of intrinsic variability interpreted as gravity mode oscillations, V380 Cyg becomes an important laboratory for future seismic tuning of the near-core physics in massive B-type stars.

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arXiv2011

Quantitative spectroscopy of close binary stars

The method of spectral disentangling has now created the opportunity for studying the chemical composition in previously inaccessible components of binary and multiple stars. This in turn makes it possible to trace their chemical evolution, a vital aspect in understanding the evolution of stellar systems. We review different ways to reconstruct individual spectra from eclipsing and non-eclipsing systems, and then concentrate on some recent applications to detached binaries with high-mass and intermediate-mass stars, and Algol-type mass-transfer systems.

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arXiv2011

Apsidal motion of the eclipsing binary AS Camelopardalis: discrepancy resolved

We present a spectroscopic study of the eclipsing binary system AS Camelopardalis, the first such study based on phase-resolved CCD echelle spectra. Via a spectral disentangling analysis we measure the minimum masses of the stars to be M_A sin^3 i = 3.213 +/- 0.007 M_sun and M_B sin^3 i = 2.323 +/- 0.006 M_sun, their effective temperatures to be T_eff(A) = 12840 +/- 120 K and T_eff(B) = 10580 +/- 240 K, and their projected rotational velocities to be v_A sin i_A = 14.5 +/- 0.1 km/s and v_B sin i_B = 4.6 +/- 0.1 km/s. These projected rotational velocities appear to be much lower than the synchronous values. We show that measurements of the apsidal motion of the system suffer from a degeneracy between orbital eccentricity and apsidal motion rate. We use our spectroscopically-measured e = 0.164 +/- 0.001 to break this degeneracy and measure (d omega_obs / dt) = 0.133 +/- 0.010 deg/yr. Subtracting the relativistic contribution of (d omega_GR / dt) = 0.0963 +/- 0.0002 deg/yr yields the contribution due to tidal torques: (d omega_cl / dt) = 0.037 +/- 0.010 deg/yr. This value is much smaller than the rate predicted by stellar theory, 0.40--0.87 deg/yr. We interpret this as a misalignment between the orbital axis of the close binary and the rotational axes of its component stars, which also explains their apparently low rotational velocities. The observed and predicted apsidal motion rates could be brought into agreement if the stars were rotating three times faster than synchronous about axes perpendicular to the orbital axis. Measurement of the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect can be used to confirm this interpretation.

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arXiv2011

Absolute dimensions of detached eclipsing binaries. II. The metallic-lined system XY Ceti

We present phase-resolved spectroscopy and extensive survey photometry of the detached eclipsing binary system XY Cet, which is composed of two metallic-lined stars. We measure their masses to be 1.773 +/- 0.016 and 1.615 +/- 0.014 Msun and their radii to be 1.873 +/- 0.035 and 1.773 +/- 0.029 Rsun, resulting in logarithmic surface gravities of 4.142 +/- 0.016 and 4.149 +/- 0.014 (cgs). We determine effective temperatures of 7870 +/- 115 and 7620 +/- 125 K. The projected rotational velocities are 34.4 +/- 0.4 and 34.1 +/- 0.4 km/s, which are close to synchronous. Theoretical models cannot match all of these properties, but come closest for a solar helium and metal abundance and an age in the region of 850 Myr. We obtain the individual spectra of the two stars by the spectral disentangling method, and compare them to synthetic spectra calculated for the measured effective temperatures and a solar chemical composition. Both stars show enhanced abundances of iron-group elements and clear deficiencies of Ca I and Sc II, confirming their classification as Am stars. We also find strong overabundances of Zr II and the rare-earth species La II, Ce II and Nd II, a hallmark of chemically peculiar A-stars. XY Cet is a prime candidate for detailed spectroscopic analyses of metallic-lined stars whose masses and radii are known to accuracies of 1-2%.

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arXiv2011

Kepler photometry of KIC 10661783: a binary star with total eclipses and delta Scuti pulsations

We present Kepler satellite photometry of KIC 10661783, a short-period binary star system which shows total eclipses and multi-periodic delta Scuti pulsations. A frequency analysis of the eclipse-subtracted light curve reveals at least 68 frequencies of which 55 or more can be attributed to pulsation modes. The main limitation on this analysis is the frequency resolution within the 27-day short-cadence light curve. Most of the variability signal lies in the frequency range 18 to 31 c/d, with amplitudes between 0.1 and 4 mmag. One harmonic term (2.f) and a few combination frequencies (f_i+f_j) have been detected. From a plot of the residuals versus orbital phase we assign the pulsations to the primary star in the system. The pulsations were removed from the short-cadence data and the light curve was modelled using the Wilson-Devinney code. We are unable to get a perfect fit due to the residual effects of pulsations and also to the treatment of reflection and reprocessing in the light curve model. A model where the secondary star fills its Roche lobe is favoured, which means that KIC 10661783 can be classified as an oEA system. Further photometric and spectroscopic observations will allow the masses and radii of the two stars to be measured to high precision and hundreds of delta Scuti pulsation frequencies to be resolved. This could lead to unique constraints on theoretical models of delta Scuti stars, if the evolutionary history of KIC 10661783 can be accounted for.

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arXiv2010

Constrained fitting of disentangled binary spectra: application to V615 Per in the open cluster h Persei

Using the technique of spectral disentangling, it is possible to determine the individual spectra of the components of a multiple star system from composite spectra observed at a range of orbital phases. This method has several advantages: it is unaffected by line blending, does not use template spectra, and returns individual component spectra with very high signal-to-noise ratios. The disentangled spectra of a binary star system are very well suited to spectroscopic analysis but for one problem: the absolute spectral line depths are unknown because this information is not contained in the original spectra (unless there is one taken in eclipse) without making assumptions about the spectral characteristics of the component stars. Here we present a method for obtaining the atmospheric parameters of the component stars by the constrained fitting of synthetic spectra to observed and disentangled spectra. Disentangled spectra are fitted using synthetic spectra and a genetic algorithm in order to determine the effective temperatures, surface gravities and relative light contributions of the two stars in a binary system. The method is demonstrated on synthetic spectra and then applied to the eclipsing binary V615 Per, a member of the young open cluster NGC 869 (h Persei). The method works well for disentangled spectra with signal-to-noise ratios of 100 or more. For V615 Per we find a normal He abundance but an Mg abundance, which indicates bulk metallicity, a factor of two lower than typical for nearby OB stars.

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arXiv2010

Observational approach to the chemical evolution of high-mass binaries

The complexity of composite spectra of close binaries makes the study of the individual stellar spectra extremely difficult. For this reason there exists very little information on the chemical composition of high-mass stars in close binaries, despite its importance for understanding the evolution of massive stars and close binary systems. A way around this problem exists: spectral disentangling allows a time-series of composite spectra to be decomposed into their individual components whilst preserving the total signal-to-noise ratio in the input spectra. Here we present the results of our ongoing project to obtain the atmospheric parameters of high-mass components in binary and multiple systems using spectral disentangling. So far, we have performed detailed abundance studies for 14 stars in eight eclipsing binary systems. Of these, V380 Cyg, V621 Per and V453 Cyg are the most informative as their primary components are evolved either close to or beyond the TAMS. Contrary to theoretical predictions of rotating single-star evolutionary models, both of these stars show no abundance changes relative to unevolved main sequence stars of the same mass. It is obvious that other effects are important in the chemical evolution of components in binary stars. Analyses are ongoing for further systems, including AH Cep, CW Cep and V478 Cyg.

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arXiv2009

Reconstruction and Analysis of Component Spectra of Binary and Multiple Stars

In the last two decades about a dozen methods were invented which derive, from a series of composite spectra over the orbit, the spectra of individual components in binary and multiple systems. Reconstructed spectra can then be analyzed with the tools developed for single stars. Eventually this has created the opportunity for chemical composition studies in previously inaccessible components of binary stars, and to follow their chemical evolution, an important aspect in understanding evolution of stellar systems. First, we review new developments in techniques to separate and reconstruct individual spectra, and thereafter concentrate on some applications. In particular, we emphasize the elemental abundance studies for high-mass stars, and present our recent results in probing theoretical evolution models which include effects of rotationally induced mixing.

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arXiv2009

Chemical evolution of high-mass stars in close binaries. II. The evolved component of the eclipsing binary V380 Cygni

The eclipsing and double-lined spectroscopic binary V380 Cyg is an extremely important probe of stellar evolution: its primary component is a high-mass star at the brink of leaving the main sequence whereas the secondary star is still in the early part of its main sequence lifetime. We present extensive high-resolution echelle and grating spectroscopy from Ondrejov, Calar Alto, Victoria and La Palma. We apply spectral disentangling to unveil the individual spectra of the two stars and obtain new spectroscopic elements. The secondary star contributes only about 6% of the total light, which remains the main limitation to measuring the system's characteristics. We determine improved physical properties, finding masses 13.1 +/- 0.3 and 7.8 +/- 0.1 M_sun, radii 16.2 +/- 0.3 and 4.06 +/- 0.08 R_sun, and effective temperatures 21750 +/- 280 and 21600 +/- 550 K, for the primary and secondary components respectively. We perform a detailed abundance analysis by fitting non-LTE theoretical line profiles to the disentangled spectrum of the evolved primary star, and reveal an elemental abundance pattern reminiscent of a typical nearby B star. Contrary to the predictions of recent theoretical evolution models with rotational mixing, no trace of abundance modifications due to the CNO cycle are detected. No match can be found between the predictions of these models and the properties of the primary star: a mass discrepancy of 1.5 M_sun exists and remains unexplained.

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arXiv2008

Chemical evolution of high-mass stars in close binaries. I. The eclipsing binary V453 Cygni

The eclipsing and double-lined spectroscopic binary system V453 Cygni consists of two early B-type stars, one of which is nearing the terminal age main sequence and one which is roughly halfway through its main sequence lifetime. Accurate measurements of the masses and radii of the two stars are available, which makes a detailed abundance analysis both more interesting and more precise than for isolated stars. We have reconstructed the spectra of the individual components of V453 Cyg from the observed composite spectra using the technique of spectral disentangling. From these disentangled spectra we have obtained improved effective temperature measurements of 27900 +/- 400 K and 26200 +/- 500 K, for the primary and secondary stars respectively, by fitting non-LTE theoretical line profiles to the hydrogen Balmer lines. Armed with these high-precision effective temperatures and the accurately known surface gravities of the stars we have obtained the abundances of helium and metallic elements. A detailed abundance analysis of the primary star shows a normal (solar) helium abundance if the microturbulence velocity derived from metallic lines is used. The elemental abundances show no indication that CNO-processed material is present in the photosphere of this high-mass terminal age main sequence star. The elemental abundances of the secondary star were derived by differential study against a template spectrum of a star with similar characteristics. Both the primary and secondary components display elemental abundances which are in the ranges observed in the Galactic OB stars.

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arXiv2006

Modern Analysis Techniques for Spectroscopic Binaries

Techniques to extract information from spectra of unresolved multi-component systems are revised, with emphasis on recent developments and practical aspects. We review the cross-correlation techniques developed to deal with such spectra, discuss the determination of the broadening function and compare techniques to reconstruct component spectra. The recent results obtained by separating or disentangling the component spectra is summarized. An evaluation is made of possible indeterminacies and random and systematic errors in the component spectra.

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arXiv2006

The Rest-frame Optical Colors of 99,000 SDSS Galaxies

We synthesize the rest-frame Stroemgren colors using SDSS spectra for 99,088 galaxies selected from Data Release 1. This narrow-band ~200 AA photometric system (uz, vz, bz, yz), first designed for the determination of effective temperature, metallicity and gravity of stars, measures the continuum spectral slope of galaxies in the rest-frame 3200-5800 AA wavelength range. Galaxies form a remarkably narrow locus (~0.03 mag) in the resulting color-color diagram. The Bruzual & Charlot population synthesis models suggest that the position of a galaxy along this locus is controlled by a degenerate combination of metallicity and age of the dominant stellar population. Galaxy distribution along the locus is bimodal, with the local minimum corresponding to an ~1 Gyr old single stellar population. The position perpendicular to the locus is independent of metallicity and age, and reflects the galaxy's dust content, as implied by both the models and the statistics of IRAS detections. A comparison of this locus with the galaxy locus in the H_delta-D_n(4000) diagram, utilized by Kauffmann et al. (2003) to estimate stellar masses, reveals a tight correlation, although the two analyzed spectral ranges barely overlap. Overall, the galaxy spectral energy distribution in the entire UV to near-IR range can be described as a single-parameter family with an accuracy of 0.1 mag, or better. This nearly one-dimensional distribution of galaxies in the multi-dimensional space of measured parameters strongly supports the conclusion of Yip et al. (2004), based on a principal component analysis, that SDSS galaxy spectra can be described by a small number of eigenspectra. Apparently, the contributions of stellar populations that dominate the optical emission from galaxies are combined in a simple and well-defined way.

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arXiv2006

Indirect imaging of an accretion disk rim in the long-period interacting binary W Crucis

Light curves of the long-period Algols are known for their complex shape (asymmetry in the eclipse, light variations outside eclipse, changes from cycle-to-cycle), and their interpretation is not possible in the standard model of binary stars. Complex structures present in these active Algol systems could be studied with the eclipse-mapping method which was successfully applied to the new 7-color photometric observations in the Geneva system of W Cru, belonging to the isolated group of these active Algols. Several cycles of this long-period (198.5 days) eclipsing binary have been covered by observations. We have used a modified Rutten's approach to the eclipse-mapping. The optimization of the system's parameters and the recovery of the disk intensity distribution are performed using a genetic algorithm (GA). It is found that a hot component is hidden in the thick accretion disk which confirms previous findings. The mass of the component, M1 = 8.2 Ms indicates that it is a mid-B type star. The mass-losing component is filling its critical lobe which means it is a G-type supergiant with a mass M2 = 1.6 Ms. The disk is geometrically very extended and its outer radius is about 80% of the primary's critical lobe. A reconstructed image reveals a rather clumpy and nonuniform brightness distribution of an accretion disk rim in this almost edge-on seen system. This clumpyness accounts for light curve distortions and asymmetries, as well as for secular changes.

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arXiv2005

Abundances from disentangled component spectra of close binary stars: An observational test of an earlz mixing in high-mass stars

Recent theoretical calculations of stellar evolutionary tracks for rotating high-mass stars suggests that the chemical composition of the surface layers changes even whilst the star is evolving on the Main Sequence. The abundance analysis of binary components with precisely known fundamental stellar quantities allows a powerful comparison with theory. The observed spectra of close binary stars can be separated into the individual spectra of the component stars using the method of spectral disentangling on a time-series of spectra taken over the orbital cycle. Recently, Pavlovski & Hensberge (2005, A&A, 439, 309) have shown that, even with moderately high line-broadening, metal abundances can be derived from disentangled spectra with a precision of 0.1 dex. In a continuation of this project we have undertaken a detailed abundance analysis of the components of another two high-mass binaries, V453 Cyg, and V380 Cyg. Both binaries are well-studied systems with modern solutions. The components are close to the TAMS and therefore very suitable for an observational test of early mixing in high-mass stars.

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arXiv2005

CCD-Delta a and BVR photometry of NGC 7296

The first CCD photometric investigation of the open cluster NGC 7296 up to now was performed within the narrow band Delta a photometric system, which enables us to detect peculiar objects. A deeper investigation of that cluster followed, using the standard BVR-Bessel filter set. The age and E(B-V) was determined independently to log t= 8.0 and 0.15 respectively by using Delta a and broadband photometry. In total five Be/Ae objects and two metal-weak stars showing significant negative Delta a-values as well as one classical chemically peculiar star could be identified within that intermediate age open cluster.

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arXiv2005

Abundances from disentangled component spectra: the eclipsing binary V578 Mon

Chemical abundances of the early-B type components of the binary V578 Mon are derived from disentangled component spectra. This is a pilot study showing that, even with moderately high line-broadening, metal abundances can be derived from disentangled spectra with a precision 0.1 dex, relative to sharp-lined single stars of the same spectral type. This binary is well-suited for such an assessment because of its youth as a member of the Rosette Nebula cluster NGC 2244, strengthening the expectation of an unevolved ZAMS chemical composition. The method is of interest to study rotational driven mixing in main-sequence stars, with fundamental stellar parameters known with higher accuracy in (eclipsing) binaries. The paper also includes an evaluation of the bias that might be present in disentangled spectra.

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arXiv2004

A Second Stellar Color Locus: a Bridge from White Dwarfs to M stars

We report the discovery of a locus of stars in the SDSS g-r vs. u-g color-color diagram that connects the colors of white dwarfs and M dwarfs. While its contrast with respect to the main stellar locus is only ~1:2300, this previously unrecognized feature includes 863 stars from the SDSS Data Release 1. The position and shape of the feature are in good agreement with predictions of a simple binary star model that consists of a white dwarf and an M dwarf, with the components' luminosity ratio controlling the position along this binary system locus. SDSS DR1 spectra for 47 of these objects strongly support this model. The absolute magnitude--color distribution inferred for the white dwarf component is in good agreement with the models of Bergeron et al. (1995).

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arXiv1998

An abundance analysis for Vega: Is it a lambda Boo star?

Since Baschek & Slettebak (1988) drew attention to the similarity between the abundance pattern of lambda Boo stars and that of Vega, there has been a long debate whether Vega should be listed among the chemically peculiar stars of lambda Boo type. We performed an elemental abundance analysis using a high dispersion spectrum in the optical region, and confirmed its mild metal underabundance. In our discussion we reinforce the suggestion that Vega is a mild lambda Boo star.

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