arXiv subjects

R. E. Mennickent

Publications and source records attributed to R. E. Mennickent.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2019

ALMA monitoring of mm line variation in IRC+10216: I. Overview of millimeter variability

Temporal variation of millimeter lines is a new direction of research for evolved stars. It has the potential to probe the dynamical wind launching processes from time dimension. We report here the first ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter Array) results that cover 817 days of an on-going monitoring of 1.1 mm lines in the archetypal carbon star IRC +10216. The monitoring is done with the compact 7-m array (ACA) and in infrared with a 1.25 m telescope in Crimea. A high sensitivity of the cumulative spectra covering a total of ~7.2 GHz between 250 - 270 GHz range has allowed us to detect about 148 known transitions of 20 molecules, together with more of their isotopologues, and 81 unidentified lines. An overview of the variabilities of all detected line features are presented in spectral plots. Although a handful of lines are found to be very possibly stable in time, most other lines are varying either roughly in phase or in anti-correlation with the near-infrared light. Several lines have their variations in the ALMA data coincident with existing single dish monitoring results, while several others do not, which requires an yet unknown mechanism in the circumstellar envelop to explain.

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arXiv2019

H-band discovery of additional Second-Generation stars in the Galactic Bulge Globular Cluster NGC 6522 as observed by APOGEE and Gaia

We present elemental abundance analysis of high-resolution spectra for five giant stars, deriving Fe, Mg, Al, C, N, O, Si and Ce abundances, and spatially located within the innermost regions of the bulge globular cluster NGC 6522, based on H-band spectra taken with the multi-object APOGEE-north spectrograph from the SDSS-IV Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE) survey. Of the five cluster candidates, two previously unremarked stars are confirmed to have second-generation (SG) abundance patterns, with the basic pattern of depletion in C and Mg simultaneous with enrichment in N and Al as seen in other SG globular cluster populations at similar metallicity. } In agreement with the most recent optical studies, the NGC 6522 stars analyzed exhibit (when available) only mild overabundances of the s-process element Ce, contradicting the idea of the NGC 6522 stars being formed from gas enriched by spinstars and indicating that other stellar sources such as massive AGB stars could be the primary intra-cluster medium polluters. The peculiar abundance signature of SG stars have been observed in our data, confirming the presence of multiple generations of stars in NGC 6522.

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arXiv2019

On the long cycle variability of the Algol OGLE-LMC-DPV-065 and its stellar, orbital and disk parameters

OGLE-LMC-DPV-065 is an interacting binary whose double-hump long photometric cycle remains hitherto unexplained. We analyze photometric time series available in archive datasets spanning 124 years and present the analysis of new high-resolution spectra. A refined orbital period is found of 10\fd0316267 $\pm$ 0\fd0000056 without any evidence of variability. In spite of this constancy, small but significant changes in timings of the secondary eclipse are detected. We show that the long period continuously decreases from 350 to 218 days during 13 years, then remains almost constant for about 10 years. Our study of radial velocities indicates a circular orbit for the binary and yields a mass ratio of 0.203 $\pm$ 0.001. From the analysis of the orbital light curve we find that the system contains 13.8 and 2.81 \msun\ stars of radii 8.8 and 12.6 \rsun\ and absolute bolometric magnitudes -6.4 and -3.0, respectively. The orbit semi-major axis is 49.9 \rsun\ and the stellar temperatures are 25460 K and 9825 K. We find evidence for an optically and geometrically thick disk around the hotter star. According to our model, the disk has a radius of 25 \rsun, central and outer vertical thickness of 1.6 \rsun\ and 3.5 \rsun, and temperature of 9380 K at its outer edge. Two shock regions located at roughly opposite parts of the outer disk rim can explain the light curves asymmetries. The system is a member of the double periodic variables and its relatively high-mass and long photometric cycle make it similar in some aspects to $β$ Lyrae.

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arXiv2018

Evolutionary process of the interacting binary V495 Centauri

We present a simple model for the Double Periodic Variable (DPV) V495 Cen, which evolves as a binary system of intermediate mass, where the gainer cannot accrete at high rate, limited by the Eddington accretion rate, leading to the formation of an accretion disc. The theoretical model begins at the zero age main sequence considering the rotation for both stars. For this purpose we used the stellar evolution code MESA, developed to calculate the evolution of stars in a wide range of parameters. We started the model adjusting fundamental parameters published for this system through a chi-square optimization algorithm, and adopting an initial orbital period of 3.9 days and initial masses for the primary component $M_{i,d} = 3.40$ $M_{\odot}$ and $M_{i,g}= 3.18$ $M_{\odot}$ for the gainer, with a metallicity associated to this type of DPV of $Z = 0.02$. The method converged successfully for eight free degrees and 5% of confidence with a chi-square of $Δχ^{2}_{0.95,8}= 0.212$. We describe each evolutionary stage of both components until that the donor reaches 20% core helium depletion as stop criterion. We offer a complementary analysis for understanding the mechanism of the magnetic dynamos inside the donor star using the Tayler-Spruit formalism. Currently, the theoretical model is consistent with the fundamental parameters published for V495 Cen and we discuss how our predictions can help to develop efficients theoretical models for DPV stars.

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arXiv2018

Dynamo effect in the double periodic variable DQ Velorum

DQ Velorum is a galactic double periodic variable (DPV), this system is a semi-detached binary comprised of a B-type gainer and an A-type donor star plus an extended accretion disc around the gainer. The system also presents an orbital period of $6.08337$~days and a long period of $189$~days whose origin is still under debate. Here we studied the possibility that this period may be driven by a magnetic dynamo investigating the entire evolution of the system. The model matches in a very good way the current state of the system and it can potentially be used to describe the evolution of DQ Velorum. It also predicts an increase of the dynamo number of the donor during epochs of high mass transfer in this system, and a theoretical long/orbital period ratio very close to the observed one at the present system age.

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arXiv2018

Creating music based on quantitative data from variable stars

In this work we show a technique that allows for the musical interpretation of the brightness variations of stars. This method allows composers a lot of freedom to incorporate their own ideas into the score, based on the melodic line generated from the quantitative data obtained from the stars. There are a wide number of possible applications for this technique, including avant-garde music creation, teaching and promotion of the association between music and science.

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arXiv2018

Fundamental properties of red-clump stars from long-baseline H-band interferometry

Observations of 48 red-clump stars were obtained in the H band with the PIONIER instrument installed at the Very Large Telescope Interferometer. Limb-darkened angular diameters were measured by fitting radial intensity profile I(r) to square visibility measurements. Half the angular diameters determined have formal errors better than 1.2%, while the overall accuracy is better than 2.7%. Average stellar atmospheric parameters (effective temperatures, metallicities and surface gravities) were determined from new spectroscopic observations and literature data and combined with precise Gaia parallaxes to derive a set of fundamental stellar properties. These intrinsic parameters were then fitted to existing isochrone models to infer masses and ages of the stars. The added value from interferometry imposes a better and independent constraint on the R-Teff plane. Our derived values are consistent with previous works, although there is a strong scatter in age between various models. This shows that atmospheric parameters, mainly metallicities and surface gravities, still suffer from a non-accurate determination, limiting constraints on input physics and parameters of stellar evolution models.

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arXiv2018

Long-term variations in the X-ray activity of HR 1099

Although timing variations in close binary systems have been studied for a long time, their underlying causes are still unclear. A possible explanation is the so-called Applegate mechanism, where a strong, variable magnetic field can periodically change the gravitational quadrupole moment of a stellar component, thus causing observable period changes. One of the systems exhibiting such strong orbital variations is the RS CVn binary HR 1099, whose activity cycle has been studied by various authors via photospheric and chromospheric activity indicators, resulting in contradicting periods. We aim at independently determining the magnetic activity cycle of HR 1099 using archival X-ray data to allow for a comparison to orbital period variations. Archival X-ray data from 80 different observations of HR 1099 acquired with 12 different X-ray facilities and covering almost four decades were used to determine X-ray fluxes in the energy range of 2-10 keV via spectral fitting and flux conversion. Via the Lomb-Scargle periodogram we analyze the resulting long-term X-ray light curve to search for periodicities. We do not detect any statistically significant periodicities within the X-ray data. An analysis of optical data of HR 1099 shows that the derivation of such periods is strongly dependent on the time coverage of available data, since the observed optical variations strongly deviate from a pure sine wave. We argue that this offers an explanation as to why other authors derive such a wide range of activity cycle periods based on optical data. We conclude that our analysis constitutes the longest stellar X-ray activity light curve acquired to date, yet the still rather sparse sampling of the X-ray data, along with stochastic flaring activity, does not allow for the independent determination of an X-ray activity cycle.

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arXiv2018

Structural changes in the hot Algol OGLE-LMC-DPV-097 and its disk related to its long-cycle

Double Periodic Variables (DPVs) are hot Algols showing a long photometric cycle of uncertain origin. We report the discovery of changes in the orbital light curve of OGLE-LMC-DPV-097 which depend on the phase of its long photometric cycle. During the ascending branch of the long-cycle the brightness at the first quadrature is larger than during the second quadrature, during the maximum of the long-cycle the brightness is basically the same at both quadratures, during the descending branch the brightness at the second quadrature is larger than during the first quadrature and during the minimum of the long-cycle the secondary minimum disappears. We model the light curve at different phases of the long-cycle and find that the data are consistent with changes in the properties of the accretion disk and two disk spots. The disk's size and temperature change with the long-cycle period. We find a smaller and hotter disk at minimum and larger and cooler disk at maximum. The spot temperatures, locations and angular sizes also show variability during the long-cycle.

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arXiv2018

Spectroscopic and photometric study of the eclipsing interacting binary V495 Centauri

Double Periodic Variables (DPV) are among the new enigmas of semi-detached eclipsing binaries. These are intermediate-mass binaries characterized by a long photometric period lasting on average 33 times the orbital period. We present a spectroscopic and photometric study of the DPV V495 Cen based on new high-resolution spectra and the ASAS V-band light curve. We have determined an improved orbital period of $33.492 \pm 0.002$ d and a long period of 1283 d. We find a cool evolved star of $M_{2}=0.91\pm 0.2 M_{\odot}$, $T_{2}= 6000\pm 250 K$ and $R_{2}=19.3 \pm 0.5 R_{\odot}$ and a hot companion of $M_{1}= 5.76\pm 0.3 M_{\odot}$, $T_{1}=16960\pm 400 K$ and $R=4.5\pm0.2 R_{\odot}$. The mid-type B dwarf is surrounded by a concave and geometrically thick disc, of radial extension $R_{d}= 40.2\pm 1.3 R_{\odot}$ contributing $\sim$ 11 percent to the total luminosity of the system at the V band. The system is seen under inclination $84.\!\!^{\circ}8$ $\pm$ $0.\!\!^{\circ}6$ and it is at a distance $d= 2092 \pm 104.6$ pc. The light curve analysis suggests that the mass transfer stream impacts the external edge of the disc forming a hot region 11 % hotter than the surrounding disc material. The persistent $V<R$ asymmetry of the H$α$ emission suggests the presence of a wind and the detection of a secondary absorption component in He I lines indicates a possible wind origin in the hotspot region.

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arXiv2017

Discovery of a possible symbiotic binary in the Large Magellanic Cloud

We report the discovery of a possible symbiotic star, in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). The object under consideration here, designated as RP 870, was detected during the course of a comprehensive H$α$ survey of the LMC by Reid & Parker (2012). The spectrum of RP 870 showed high ionization emission lines of He I, He II and [O III] and molecular absorption bands of TiO $λ$$λ$6180, 7100. The collective signatures of a hot component (high excitation/ionization lines) and of a cool component (TiO molecular bands) are seen in RP 870, from which we propose it as a symbiotic star. Since known symbiotic systems are rare in the LMC, possibly less than a dozen are known, we thought the present detection to be interesting enough to be reported.

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arXiv2017

The SMC B-type supergiant AzV322: a g-mode pulsator with a circumstellar disc

We present a photometric and spectroscopic study of AzV322, an emission line object located in the Small Magellanic Cloud previously classified between O9 and B0. We analyze 17.5 years of $I$ and $V$ band OGLE-II, III and IV light curves and find four significant frequencies, viz. $f_1$= 0.386549 $\pm$ 0.000003, $f_2$= 0.101177 $\pm$ 0.000005, $f_3$= 0.487726 $\pm$ 0.000015 and $f_4$= 0.874302 $\pm$ 0.000020 c/d. The $f_1$ frequency (period 2.58700 $\pm$ 0.00002 days) provides the stronger periodogram peak and gives a single wave light curve of full amplitude 0.066 mag in the $I$-band. High-resolution optical spectroscopy confirms the early B-type spectral type and reveals prominent double peak Balmer, Paschen, OI 8446 and HeI 5875 emissions. The spectral energy distribution shows significant color excess towards long wavelengths possibly attributed to free-free emission in a disk-like envelope. Our analysis yields $T_{eff}$ = 23000 $\pm$ 1500 K, log g = 3.0 $\pm$ 0.5, $M$ = 16 $\pm$ 1 M$_{\odot}$, $R$ = 31.0 $\pm$ 1.1 R$_{\odot}$, and $L_{bol}$ = 10$^{4.87 \pm 0.06}$ $L_{\odot}$. AzV322 might be a member of the new class of slowly pulsating B supergiants introduced by Saio et al. (2006) and documented by Lefever, Puls & Aerts (2007), however its circumstellar disk make it an hitherto unique object. Furthermore, we notice that a O-C analysis for $f_1$ reveals quasi-cyclic changes for the times of maximum in a time scale of 20 years which might indicate a light-travel time effect in a very wide orbit binary with an undetected stellar component.

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arXiv2017

Atypical Mg-poor Milky Way field stars with globular cluster second-generation like chemical patterns

We report the peculiar chemical abundance patterns of eleven atypical Milky Way (MW) field red giant stars observed by the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE). These atypical giants exhibit strong Al and N enhancements accompanied by C and Mg depletions, strikingly similar to those observed in the so-called second-generation (SG) stars of globular clusters (GCs). Remarkably, we find low-Mg abundances ([Mg/Fe]$<$0.0) together with strong Al and N overabundances in the majority (5/7) of the metal-rich ([Fe/H]$\gtrsim - 1.0$) sample stars, which is at odds with actual observations of SG stars in Galactic CGs of similar metallicities. This chemical pattern is unique and unprecedented among MW stars, posing urgent questions about its origin. These atypical stars could be former SG stars of dissolved GCs formed with intrinsically lower abundances of Mg and enriched Al (subsequently self-polluted by massive AGB stars) or the result of exotic binary systems. We speculate that the stars Mg-deficiency as well as the orbital properties suggest that they could have an extragalactic origin. This discovery should guide future dedicated spectroscopic searches of atypical stellar chemical patterns in our Galaxy; a fundamental step forward to understand the Galactic formation and evolution.

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arXiv2017

Studying the photometric and spectroscopic variability of the magnetic hot supergiant $ζ$ Orionis Aa

Massive stars play a significant role in the chemical and dynamical evolution of galaxies. However, much of their variability, particularly during their evolved supergiant stage, is poorly understood. To understand the variability of evolved massive stars in more detail, we present a study of the O9.2Ib supergiant $ζ$ Ori Aa, the only currently confirmed supergiant to host a magnetic field. We have obtained two-color space-based BRIght Target Explorer photometry (BRITE) for $ζ$ Ori Aa during two observing campaigns, as well as simultaneous ground-based, high-resolution optical CHIRON spectroscopy. We perform a detailed frequency analysis to detect and characterize the star's periodic variability. We detect two significant, independent frequencies, their higher harmonics, and combination frequencies: the stellar rotation period $P_{\mathrm{rot}} = 6.82\pm0.18$ d, most likely related to the presence of the stable magnetic poles, and a variation with a period of $10.0\pm0.3$ d attributed to circumstellar environment, also detected in the H$α$ and several He I lines, yet absent in the purely photospheric lines. We confirm the variability with $P_{\mathrm{rot}}$/4, likely caused by surface inhomogeneities, being the possible photospheric drivers of the discrete absorption components. No stellar pulsations were detected in the data. The level of circumstellar activity clearly differs between the two BRITE observing campaigns. We demonstrate that $ζ$ Ori Aa is a highly variable star with both periodic and non-periodic variations, as well as episodic events. The rotation period we determined agrees well with the spectropolarimetric value from the literature. The changing activity level observed with BRITE could explain why the rotational modulation of the magnetic measurements was not clearly detected at all epochs.

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arXiv2016

Discovery of a Metal-Poor Field Giant with a Globular Cluster Second-Generation Abundance Pattern

We report on detection, from observations obtained with the APOGEE spectroscopic survey, of a metal-poor ([Fe/H] $= -1.3$ dex) field giant star with an extreme Mg-Al abundance ratio ([Mg/Fe] $= -0.31$ dex; [Al/Fe] $= 1.49$ dex). Such low Mg/Al ratios are seen only among the second-generation population of globular clusters, and are not present among Galactic disk field stars. The light element abundances of this star, 2M16011638-1201525, suggest that it could have been born in a globular cluster. We explore several origin scenarios, in particular studying the orbit of the star to check the probability of it being kinematically related to known globular clusters. We performed simple orbital integrations assuming the estimated distance of 2M16011638-1201525 and the available six-dimensional phase-space coordinates of 63 globular clusters, looking for close encounters in the past with a minimum distance approach within the tidal radius of each cluster. We found a very low probability that 2M16011638-1201525 was ejected from most globular clusters; however, we note that the best progenitor candidate to host this star is globular cluster $ω$ Centauri (NGC 5139). Our dynamical investigation demonstrates that 2M16011638-1201525 reaches a distance $|Z_{max}| < 3 $ kpc from the Galactic plane and a minimum and maximum approach to the Galactic center of $R_{min}<0.62$ kpc and $R_{max}<7.26$ kpc in an eccentric ($e\sim0.53$) and retrograde orbit. Since the extreme chemical anomaly of 2M16011638-1201525 has also been observed in halo field stars, this object could also be considered a halo contaminant, likely been ejected into the Milky Way disk from the halo. We conclude that, 2M16011638-20152 is also kinematically consistent with the disk but chemically consistent with halo field stars.

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arXiv2016

New spectroscopic binary companions of giant stars and updated metallicity distribution for binary systems

We report the discovery of 24 spectroscopic binary companions to giant stars. We fully constrain the orbital solution for 6 of these systems. We cannot unambiguously derive the orbital elements for the remaining stars because the phase coverage is incomplete. Of these stars, 6 present radial velocity trends that are compatible with long-period brown dwarf companions.The orbital solutions of the 24 binary systems indicate that these giant binary systems have a wide range in orbital periods, eccentricities, and companion masses. For the binaries with restricted orbital solutions, we find a range of orbital periods of between $\sim$ 97-1600 days and eccentricities of between $\sim$ 0.1-0.4. In addition, we studied the metallicity distribution of single and binary giant stars. We computed the metallicity of a total of 395 evolved stars, 59 of wich are in binary systems. We find a flat distribution for these binary stars and therefore conclude that stellar binary systems, and potentially brown dwarfs, have a different formation mechanism than planets.This result is confirmed by recent works showing that extrasolar planets orbiting giants are more frequent around metal-rich stars. Finally, we investigate the eccentricity as a function of the orbital period. We analyzed a total of 130 spectroscopic binaries, including those presented here and systems from the literature. We find that most of the binary stars with periods $\lesssim$ 30 days have circular orbits, while at longer orbital periods we observe a wide spread in their eccentricities.

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arXiv2016

Doppler tomography of the Double Periodic Variable HD 170582 at low and high stage

HD170582 is an interacting binary of the Double Periodic Variable (DPV) type, showing ellipsoidal variability with a period of 16.87 days along with a long photometric cycle of 587 days. It was recently studied by Mennickent et al. (2015), who found a slightly evolved B-type star surrounded by a luminous accretion disc fed by a Roche-lobe overflowing A-type giant. Here we extend their analysis presenting new spectroscopic data and studying the Balmer emission lines. We find orbitally modulated double-peak Halpha and Hbeta emissions whose strength also vary in the long-term. In addition, Doppler maps of the emission lines reveal sites of enhanced line emission in the 1st and 4th velocity quadrants, the first one consistent with the position of one of the bright zones detected by the light curve analysis. We find a difference between Doppler maps at high and low stage of the long cycle; evidence that the emission is optically thicker at high state in the stream-disc impact region, possibly reflecting a larger mass transfer rate. We compare the system parameters with a grid of synthetic binary evolutionary tracks and find the best fitting model. The system is found to be semi-detached, in a conservative Case-B mass transfer stage, with age 7.68E7 yr and mass transfer rate 1.6E-6 Msun/yr. For 5 well-studied DPVs, the disc luminosity scales with the primary mass and is much larger than the theoretical accretion luminosity.

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arXiv2016

Near-infrared observations of PSR J1357-6429

PSR J1357$-$6429 is a young radio pulsar that was detected in X-rays and $γ$-rays. We present the high spatial resolution near-infrared imaging of the pulsar field in $J$, $H$ and $K_s$ bands obtained with the VLT/NaCo using the Adaptive Optic system. We found a faint source at the most precise pulsar radio position which we propose as the pulsar near-infrared counterpart candidate. It is confidently detected in the $J$ and $K_s$ bands, with $J$ = 23.51$\pm$0.24 and $K_s$ = 21.82$\pm$0.25. There is a hint of the source in the $H$ band with an upper limit $H$ $>$ 22.8. The dereddened source fluxes are compatible with the extrapolation of the pulsar X-ray spectrum towards the near-infrared. If the candidate is the true counterpart, by this property PSR J1357$-$6429 would be similar to the nearby middle-age pulsar PSR B0656+14. In this case, both pulsars demonstrate an unusually high near-infrared efficiency relative to the X-ray efficiency as compared to other pulsars detected in both ranges.

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