arXiv subjects

R. Smolec

Publications and source records attributed to R. Smolec.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Revisiting candidates for non-pulsating stars located in the Cepheid instability strip in the Large Magellanic Cloud

We analyzed photometric and spectroscopic data for 11 candidates for non-pulsating stars located in the Cepheid instability strip (IS) of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) in order to investigate the reasons for the lack of pulsations. We used available temperature calibrations based on photometric colors to estimate the effective temperatures of the candidates, which served as initial parameters for the spectroscopic analysis. We also applied surface brightness-color relations calibrated for Cepheid variables, giants, and supergiants to estimate stellar radii. The spectral analysis was performed using the spectral synthesis method to determine the atmospheric parameters; namely, the effective temperature, metallicity, surface gravity, microturbulent velocity, projected rotational velocity, and chemical abundances for up to ~30 elements. For most objects, only a single spectrum was available. However, no significant variations in radial velocities were detected among the stars with repeat observations; therefore, all stars were treated as single object in the analysis. Two stars exhibit broad spectral lines, which may indicate high rotational velocities or possible binarity; however, additional spectra are required to confirm this interpretation. One of these objects also shows asymmetric line profiles, which might be related to the presence of non-radial pulsation modes causing line-shape variations. A common feature among all analyzed candidates is an enhancement of barium-peak s-process elements compared to solar values. This may indicate past mass transfer from a companion during its post-asymptotic giant branch phase. This study provides an insight into the physical parameters of candidates for non-pulsating stars residing within the Cepheid IS in the LMC, although the lack of pulsations remains a mystery and challenges pulsation theory.

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arXiv2026

Pulsation periods reveal tension between theoretical and empirical radii for classical Cepheids in eclipsing binary systems

Context. With their precisely determined physical parameters, classical Cepheids in eclipsing binary systems are often used to constrain stellar evolution and pulsation theories. To this end, their position in the HR diagram, effective temperature and luminosity, and radius are commonly used when matching best-fitting evolutionary models. However, the pulsation period of Cepheids, the most precise observable, is rarely used in such studies. Aims. We explore how including the pulsation period as a constraint in matching evolutionary models affects the best-fitting solution. As the pulsation period follows the period-mean density relation, we examine whether it provides information consistent with that based on the stellar radius. Methods. We modeled four eclipsing binary systems with Cepheids from the LMC. We used $\chi^2$ minimization to find the best-matching evolutionary model from a grid of models computed with MESA. The evolutionary models are supplemented with pulsation periods computed with RSP, with nonlinear period corrections taken into account. Results. Depending on whether the radius or the pulsation period is used to select the best-fitting model, discrepant solutions are obtained. In solutions selected based on the pulsation period, the stellar radius is systematically too low compared with observations. Conversely, for solutions based on the radius, the pulsation period is systematically too long. The tension amounts to a few sigma for stars with precisely determined radii and part of it is traced to a nonlinear increase in radius for large-amplitude pulsators, which has not been studied in detail in the literature. Conclusions. When using Cepheids in eclipsing binary systems to constrain stellar models, we recommend using the pulsation period instead of the radius. A systematic study of nonlinear effects on stellar radius in large-amplitude pulsators is needed.

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arXiv2026

Toward a Comprehensive Grid of Cepheid Models with MESA. IV. Modest Effects of Rotation on Blue Loops

Evolutionary tracks for $2-8M_\odot$ stars, with metallicities of $Z=0.014$, $0.006$, and $0.002$, including rotation, are computed with Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA). We study how rotation impacts the evolutionary properties of classical Cepheids. We examine whether rotation can offer a plausible explanation for the mass discrepancy problem when it is included in the evolutionary code using the fully diffusive approximation for rotationally induced mixing processes. We find that rotation barely influences the appearance and luminosity levels of the blue loops. While luminosity increases with increasing initial rotation rate, the increase does not exceed 0.04 dex, a fraction of the increase resulting from including the main sequence (MS) core overshooting of $0.2H_p$. As a consequence, rotation alone cannot resolve the mass discrepancy problem without simultaneously requiring significant MS core overshooting. Similar to the mass-luminosity relation, the period-radius and period-luminosity relations are barely affected by rotation, while the period-age relation predicts Cepheid ages to be only a few per cent longer compared with models without rotation. The predicted surface rotational velocities are too large compared with observations. These results are in contrast with those obtained with the Geneva code, which implements rotational mixing using the advective-diffusive scheme. In that approach, the luminosity levels of the loops are significantly higher, their luminosity extent increases, and the predicted rotation velocities are lower, compared with MESA models. The differences between the two approaches arise from significantly more efficient rotation-induced mixing during the MS evolution in models computed with the advective-diffusive scheme.

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arXiv2026

Finding the elusive RR Lyrae companions via speckle imaging

Despite their key role in astrophysics, the binary properties of RR Lyrae stars (RRL) remain almost completely unknown since only a single RRL is confirmed as belonging to a binary system. Finding companions to RRL is difficult since most of them will be at wider orbits, given that close orbits will likely ensue mass transfer disrupting the conditions to develop stellar pulsations. These wide orbits open the possibility that RRL companions may be more easily found by high-resolution imaging. We observed 81 RRL with the speckle interferometers Zorro and 'Alopeke at the Gemini telescopes, reaching the diffraction limit of $\sim$20 mas of these 8m-class telescopes, and therefore exploring a new parameter space around RRL. We have detected 10 newly identified companions around these 81 RRL, with projected separations between 20 AU to 220 AU. An analysis of the field contamination shows that all of these detected companions are most likely gravitationally bound binaries. From these observations we can estimate an RRL binary fraction higher than 12%, ruling out a binary fraction higher than 25% at the 99% confidence level. These numbers are significantly more elevated than previous estimations which were close to a binary fraction of only 1%, albeit derived with methods exploring a different parameter space. For RRL with thin disc kinematics, we find that the binary fraction is significantly lower, at around 6%, with a single thin disc RRL having a companion out of the 16 observed. The nature of the companions, found to be stars in the lower red giant branch and upper main sequence, is also studied via the measurement of the minimum light colors of the RRL, which appears as a useful method for the search and analysis of RRL in binary systems.

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arXiv2026

Toward a Comprehensive Grid of Cepheid Models with MESA. III. Evolutionary and Pulsation Relations for Models with Core and Envelope Overshooting

Evolutionary tracks for 2-8M$_\odot$ models, covering a [Fe/H]=$-$1.0 ($Z=0.0014$) to [Fe/H]=+0.2 ($Z=0.02$) metallicity range are computed with Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics, MESA, to investigate evolutionary and pulsation properties of classical, fundamental mode Cepheids. We examine in detail the effects of convective overshooting from the Main Sequence core, as well as from the convective envelope on the Red Giant Branch. Mass loss is also included in a few model sets. Linear pulsation properties are derived consistently with a module of MESA, Radial Stellar Pulsation, RSP. We provide edges of the classical Instability Strip, as well as ages, crossing times through the Instability Strip and period change rates. Period-Luminosity, Mass-Luminosity, Period-Radius and Period-Age relations are provided, both in analytical and tabular form. Their dependence on metallicity, crossing number and overshooting parameters are investigated. Qualitative comparisons with classical Cepheids in the Milky Way and Magellanic Clouds as well as other theoretical relations are presented. We find satisfactory agreement for most of the observables and good match with other theoretical work, however reproducing short-period Cepheids in the Small Magellanic Cloud as well as Cepheid mass discrepancy pose a challenge for the presented models. Considering metallicity effect of the Period-Luminosity relation, we find $\gamma\approx -0.20$ mag dex$^{-1}$, nearly independent on photometric pass band and in good agreement with recent observational studies. The magnitude of this effect depends on the underlying mass-luminosity relation, being stronger for relations that predict higher luminosities at a given mass.

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arXiv2026

Self-Consistent Nonlinear Classical Cepheid Pulsations During Stellar Evolution with MESA

We extend the time-dependent convection treatment in \code{MESA} by introducing eddy-viscous damping. This software change brings \code{MESA-TDC} into closer alignment with the radial stellar pulsation framework of \code{MESA-RSP}. We demonstrate that the inclusion of the eddy viscosity in hydrodynamic stellar models remains stable on evolutionary timescales. We then present the first self-consistent integration of large-amplitude, nonlinear Classical Cepheid pulsations directly within a \code{MESA-star} evolutionary run, demonstrating that the time-dependent convection formalism implemented in \code{MESA-star} and the \code{MESA} radial stellar pulsation (RSP) module are physically identical. Starting from a 6~\Msun\ blue-loop stellar evolution model, we demonstrate evolving the entire stellar model through pulsations as well as pausing the evolution, excising the core, and remeshing the envelope to match the grid used by \code{MESA-RSP}. We compare the pulsation properties (e.g., period, light and radius curves, and growth rate) with a matched \code{MESA-RSP} run, and find reasonable agreement between the two modules. This unified approach eliminates the reliance on separate post-processing workflows and enables fully coupled evolution-pulsation simulations. This approach enables future studies of stellar pulsations with the inclusion of composition gradients, mass loss, or rotation. It also enables future studies of the $\epsilon$ mechanism as well as providing a physical source of viscosity for other science cases explored using \code{MESA}'s hydrodynamics solver. We have integrated these modifications into the \code{MESA-star} module, enabling open-source use by the community.

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arXiv2026

Reconstruction of Cepheid Radial Velocity Curves from the shape of the V-band Light Curves

This paper aims to develop the first method to reconstruct the shape of the RV curves of short-period fundamental-mode Cepheids, based exclusively on their pulsation period and the morphology of their $V$-band light curves (LCs). We compiled a dataset of high-quality spectroscopic and photometric measurements from the literature for 81 short-period fundamental-mode Galactic Cepheids up to a pulsation period of 8\,days, enabling precise determination of the Fourier parameters and their uncertainties. We investigated correlations between LC and RV Fourier parameters and used these relations to reconstruct the RV curves. We further assessed the accuracy of these reconstructions by examining potential metallicity effects with an additional dataset of 23 metal-poor Cepheids. For pulsation periods between 3.5 and 7.0\,days, we found tight correlations between different combinations of LC and RV Fourier parameters up to order 7, in particular $R_{21}(RV)/R_{21}(LC)$ and $R_{31}(RV)/R_{31}(LC)$ are correlated with the pulsation period. These relationships enable the reconstruction of RV curves of Cepheids with their LC. The reconstructed curve has an uncertainty of about 0.60${\rm km\,s}^{-1}$ relative to the Fourier fit of true spectroscopic RV measurements. For individual Cepheids, the reconstructed RV curves integrated along the pulsation cycle (i.e. the linear radius variations) are accurate to less than 1\% and precise to within 4.16\% in comparison to the integrated true spectroscopic RV curves. This approach provides a valuable tool for the reconstruction of RV curves for extragalactic Cepheids through photometric data alone. It opens the road to a purely photometric parallax-of-pulsation method in the context of photometric surveys, such as the Vera Rubin Telescope.

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arXiv2026

Toward a Comprehensive Grid of Cepheid Models with MESA II. Impact of Physical and Numerical Assumptions on Elemental Abundances

Modern tools for modeling stellar evolution, such as MESA (Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics), offer state-of-the-art implementations of stellar theories. However, this parametric approach introduces many free parameters that are often not constrained by observations. This is particularly important for evolved stars, like classical Cepheids, because uncertainties increase with evolution time. In previous work, we studied the effect of varying microphysics, including solar abundance mixtures, nuclear networks, atmosphere models, mixing-length prescriptions, treatments of convective boundaries, and numerical setup on evolutionary tracks. Here, we extend this analysis to the surface abundances of the dominant elements H, He, C, N, O, Ne, and Mg. We establish a reference model and 22 variants for each mass and metallicity, evolving them from the Zero-Age Main Sequence to central helium exhaustion. Masses between 2 to 8 solar mass and metallicities Z=0.0014, 0.004, 0.014 are explored, spanning the range of classical Cepheids. Both canonical and overshooting models are computed and compared. We find that uncertainties in surface abundances are generally small, arising mainly from variations in the depth of the convective envelope during the first dredge-up. The size of the convective envelope is sensitive to many aspects, including mass and metallicity. The central C/O ratio, relevant for white dwarf evolution, can vary by about 0.15, driven largely by convective boundary treatments or by modifying the 12C(alpha,gamma)16O reaction rate during helium burning. Surface and central abundances for the considered models at several benchmark points during the evolution are provided online.

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arXiv2025

Period-Luminosity Relations for Galactic Type II Cepheids in the Sloan bands

Type II Cepheids (T2Ceps), alongside RR Lyrae stars, serve as important distance indicators for old population II stars due to their period-luminosity (PL) relations. However, studies of these relations in the Sloan photometric system are rather limited in the literature. Our goal is to calibrate PL relations (and their counterparts in Wesenheit magnitudes) in the Sloan-Pan-STARRS gP1rP1iP1 bands for Galactic T2Ceps located in the vicinity of the Sun. We collected data for 16 T2Ceps of the BLHer type and 17 of the WVir type using 40 cm telescopes of the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network. Geometric parallaxes were adopted from Gaia Data Release 3. We have calibrated PL and period-Wesenheit relations for Milky Way BLHer and WVir stars in the solar neighborhood, as well as for a combined sample of both types. The relationships derived here will allow to determine the distances to T2Ceps that will be discovered by the Legacy Survey of Space and Time survey and, in turn, to probe the extended halo of the Milky Way, as well as the halos of nearby galaxies. To the best of our knowledge, the relations derived in this study are the first for Milky Way T2Ceps in the Sloan bands.

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arXiv2025

Non-evolutionary effects on period change in Magellanic Cepheids

Classical Cepheids are a cornerstone class of pulsators, fundamental to testing stellar evolution and pulsation theories. Their secular period changes, characterized through $O-C$ (Observed minus Calculated) diagrams, offer valuable insights into their evolution. While evolutionary period changes are well understood from both observational and theoretical perspectives, shorter timescale period changes (on the order of ($\sim$ 10$^{2}$-10$^{4}$ days) - known as non-evolutionary period changes are yet to be systematically explored. In this work, we present a detailed and comprehensive search for non-evolutionary period changes using $O-C$ analysis of Magellanic Cloud (MC) Cepheids, based on 20+ years of OGLE photometry data. Our sample includes both the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) Cepheids, focusing on single radial mode Cepheids (both fundamental (FU) and first overtone (FO) modes). The results are grouped into two phenomena: (a) Cepheids in binary systems (b) Non-linear period changes.

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arXiv2024

Circumstellar emission of Cepheids across the instability strip: Mid-infrared observations with VLTI/MATISSE

The circumstellar envelopes (CSE) of Cepheids are still not well characterized despite their potential impact on distance determination via both the period-luminosity relation and the parallax-of-pulsation method. This paper aims to investigate Galactic Cepheids across the instability strip in the mid-infrared with MATISSE/VLTI in order to constrain the geometry and physical nature (gas and/or dust) of their CSEs. We secured observations of eight Galactic Cepheids from short up to long period of pulsation, with MATISSE/VLTI in $L$, $M$ and $N$-bands. The SED analysis in the mid-IR confirms the absence of dust spectral signature for all the star sample. For each star in $L$, $M$ and $N$-band we observe closure phases which are consistent with centro-symmetric geometry for the different targets. Finally, the visibilities in $L$, $M$ and $N$ bands are in agreement with the expected star angular diameter, although the observations are compatible with the presence of compact CSEs within the uncertainties. We provide 2$\,\sigma$ upper limits on the CSE flux contribution based on model residuals for several CSE radius, which yield to exclude models simultaneously large and bright ($R_\mathrm{CSE}\approx10\,R_\star$ and $f_\mathrm{CSE}\approx10\%$) for all the stars of the sample. Last, the visibilities in the $N$-band rule out CSE models with significant amount of different type of dust. The MATISSE observations of eight Cepheids with different pulsation period (from 7 up to 38$\,$day) and evolution stage, provide for the first time a comprehensive picture of Cepheids from mid-IR interferometry. We present additional evidences that circumstellar dust emission is negligible or absent around Cepheids for a wide range of stellar parameters in the instability strip. Further interferometric observations in the visible and the near-infrared will be necessary to disentangle the star and the CSE.

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arXiv2024

On the incidence rate of RR Lyrae stars with non-radial modes

Over the recent years, additional low-amplitude non-radial modes were detected in many of the first-overtone RR Lyrae stars. These non-radial modes form a characteristic period ratio with the dominant first-overtone mode of around 0.61. The incidence rate of this phenomenon changes from population to population. It is also strongly dependent on the quality of the analyzed data. Current models explaining these additional signals involve non-radial modes of degrees 8 and 9. Using synthetic horizontal branch populations, we investigate the incidence rate of first-overtone RR Lyrae stars with non-radial modes depending on the population properties, i.e., ages and metallicities. We compare our results with the observed results for globular clusters and the numerous collection of field first-overtone RR Lyrae stars to test the predictions of the models. We used synthetic horizontal branches combined with pulsation models to predict how the incidence rate would depend on the age and metallicity of the population. To test whether the results based on synthetic horizontal branches are realistic, we compared them to incidence rates observed by TESS in first-overtone field RR Lyrae stars, using photometric metallicity values from a newly established calibration for TESS. The analysis of synthetic horizontal branches showed that the incidence rate decreases with decreasing metallicity. We inferred photometric metallicity for RR Lyrae stars observed by TESS and showed that the theoretical predictions are in agreement with the observations. Using the same method, we also conclude that the metallicity distribution of RR Lyrae stars showing an additional mode with a period-ratio around $0.68$ appears to be different from that of both all first-overtone stars and those showing additional non-radial modes.

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arXiv2024

The Galactic bulge exploration II. Line-of-sight velocity templates for single-mode RR~Lyrae stars

We present a new set of tools to derive systemic velocities for single-mode RR~Lyrae stars from visual and near-infrared spectra. We derived scaling relations and line-of-sight velocity templates using both APOGEE and {\it Gaia} spectroscopic products combined with photometric $G$-band amplitudes. We provide a means to estimate systemic velocities for the RR~Lyrae subclasses, RRab and RRc. Our analysis indicates that the scaling relation between the photometric and line-of-sight velocity amplitudes is nonlinear, with a break in a linear relation occurring around 0.4mag in both the $V$-band and $G$-band amplitudes. We did not observe such a break in the relation for the first-overtone pulsators. Using stellar pulsation models, we further confirm and examine the nonlinearity in scaling relation for the RRab subclass. We observed little to no variation with stellar parameters (mass, metallicity, and luminosity) in the scaling relation between the photometric and line-of-sight velocity amplitudes for fundamental-mode pulsators. We observed an offset in the scaling relation between the observations and stellar pulsation models, mainly in the low-amplitude RR~Lyrae regime. This offset disappears when different sets of convective parameters are used. Thus, the Fourier amplitudes obtained from the photometry and line-of-sight velocity measurements can be utilized to constrain convective parameters of stellar pulsation models. The scaling relations and templates for APOGEE and {\it Gaia} data accurately predict systemic velocities compared to literature values. In addition, our tools derived from the {\it Gaia} spectra improve the precision of the derived systemic velocities by approximately 50 percent and provide a better description of the uncertainty distribution in comparison with previous studies. Our newly derived tools will be used for RR~Lyrae variables observed toward the Galactic bulge.

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arXiv2023

Pulsation modelling of the Cepheid Y Ophiuchi with RSP/MESA. Impact of the circumstellar envelope and a high projection factor on Baade-Wesselink method

Y~Ophiuchi (Y~Oph) is a classical Cepheid reported to be as dim as a Cepheid of about half its pulsation period, and exhibits a low radial velocity and light-curves amplitude. Our objective is to conduct hydrodynamical pulsation modeling of Y~Oph to derive its distance and provide physical insight to its low amplitude and luminosity, constrained by an extensive set of observations. We first perform a linear analysis on a grid of models using hydrodynamical pulsation code \texttt{MESA-RSP} in order to find the combinations of mass, metallicity, effective temperature and luminosity resulting in linear excitation of pulsations with period of about 17$\,$days. Then, for the best combinations of stellar parameters, we perform non-linear computations to obtain the full-amplitude pulsations of these models. Last, we compare the results to a complete set of observations along the pulsation cycle. We adjust simultaneously the distance, the color excess and circumstellar envelope (CSE) model to fit the light curves and the angular diameter. We find that all pulsation models at high effective temperature are in remarkable agreement with the observations along the pulsation cycle. This result suggests that the low amplitude of Y~Oph can be explained by its location close to the blue edge of the instability strip. We also find that a pulsational mass of about 7-8$\,\mathrm{M}_\odot$ is consistent with a non-canonical evolutionary model with moderate overshooting, PL relation and \textit{Gaia} parallax. However, a much lower mass below 5$\,$M$_\odot$ is required to match Baade-Wesselink (BW) distance measurements from the literature. We show that the combination of the impact of the CSE on the photometry together with a projection factor of about 1.5 explains the discrepant distance and luminosity values obtained from BW methods.

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arXiv2023

Precise Fourier parameters of Cepheid Radial Velocity Curves

The primary goal of this paper is to derive precise Fourier parameters of the radial velocity (RV) curves for fundamental and first-overtone Galactic Cepheids. For each star, we carefully selected RV measurements available in the literature which yield the highest precision of Fourier parameters. We performed a Fourier decomposition of the RV curves. We subtracted RV modulations caused by binary motion and have removed other residual trends. Finally, we have displayed and analyzed qualitatively the progressions found for Fourier parameters. We applied a standard identification of their pulsation mode based on their Fourier phase $\phi_{21}$. Our final sample includes 178 fundamental-mode and 33 first overtone pulsators, as well as 7 additional Cepheids whose pulsation mode is uncertain or undetermined according to our criteria. For the fundamental-mode Cepheids, we improved the precision of Fourier parameters in comparison of previous results from the literature. We are able to firmly identify V495 Cyg as a new first-overtone Cepheid. We confirm first-overtone nature of several other stars. We also show that $\alpha$ UMi should be definitely classified as a first-overtone pulsator. In 3 objects (VY Per, AQ Pup and QZ Nor) we found significant $\gamma$-velocity variations that we attribute to spectroscopic binarity. Finally, the analysis of the F-mode Fourier parameters up to 7th order reveals tight progression of Fourier phases. For $P<10\,$day we find a well defined upper limit for the Fourier amplitude $A_1$. The pulsation period coverage and the precision obtained, in particular for Fourier phase $\phi_{21}$, will be useful for studying the dynamics of Cepheid pulsations with the help of hydrodynamical models. Further radial velocity measurements from modern high-resolution spectroscopic instruments will be important to improve these results.

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arXiv2023

Catalogue of BRITE-Constellation targets I. Fields 1 to 14 (November 2013 - April 2016)

The BRIght Target Explorer (BRITE) mission collects photometric time series in two passbands aiming to investigate stellar structure and evolution. Since their launches in the years 2013 and 2014, the constellation of five BRITE nano-satellites has observed a total of more than 700 individual bright stars in 64 fields. Some targets have been observed multiple times. Thus, the total time base of the data sets acquired for those stars can be as long as nine years. Our aim is to provide a complete description of ready-to-use BRITE data, to show the scientific potential of the BRITE-Constellation data by identifying the most interesting targets, and to demonstrate and encourage how scientists can use these data in their research. We apply a decorrelation process to the automatically reduced BRITE-Constellation data to correct for instrumental effects. We perform a statistical analysis of the light curves obtained for the 300 stars observed in the first 14 fields during the first ~2.5 years of the mission. We also perform cross-identification with the International Variable Star Index. We present the data obtained by the BRITE-Constellation mission in the first 14 fields it observed from November 2013 to April 2016. We also describe the properties of the data for these fields and the 300 stars observed in them. Using these data, we detected variability in 64% of the presented sample of stars. Sixty-four stars or 21.3% of the sample have not yet been identified as variable in the literature and their data have not been analysed in detail. They can therefore provide valuable scientific material for further research. All data are made publicly available through the BRITE Public Data Archive and the Canadian Astronomy Data Centre.

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arXiv2023

Empirical instability strip for classical Cepheids: I. The LMC galaxy

The instability strip (IS) of classical Cepheids has been extensively studied theoretically. Comparison of the theoretical IS edges with those obtained empirically, using the most recent Cepheids catalogs available, can provide us with insights into the physical processes that determine the position of the IS boundaries. In this study, we investigate the empirical positions of the IS of the classical Cepheids in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), considering any effect that increases its width, to obtain intrinsic edges that can be compared with theoretical models. We use data of classical fundamental-mode (F) and first-overtone (1O) LMC Cepheids from the OGLE-IV variable star catalog, together with a recent high-resolution reddening map from the literature. Our final sample includes 2058 F and 1387 1O Cepheids. We studied their position on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram and determined the IS borders by tracing the edges of the color distribution along the strip. We obtain the blue and red edges of the IS in V- and I-photometric bands, in addition to $\log T_{\rm eff}$ and $\log L$. The results obtained show a break located at the Cepheids' period of about 3 days, which was not reported before. We compare our empirical borders with theoretical ones published in the literature obtaining a good agreement for specific parameter sets. The break in the IS borders is most likely explained by the depopulation of second and third crossing classical Cepheids in the faint part of the IS, since blue loops of evolutionary tracks in this mass range do not extend blueward enough to cross the IS at the LMC metallicity. Results from the comparison of our empirical borders with theoretical ones prove that our empirical IS is a useful tool for constraining theoretical models.

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arXiv2023

Binary central stars of planetary nebulae in the Large Magellanic Cloud

Close binary central stars of planetary nebulae (PNe) must have formed through a common envelope evolution during the giant phase experienced by one of the stars. Transfer of the angular momentum from the binary system to the envelope leads to the shortening of the binary separations from the radius of red giant to the radius of the order of few tenths of AU. Thus, close binary central stars of planetary nebulae are laboratories to study the common envelope phase of evolution. The close binary fraction in the Galaxy has been measured in various sky surveys, but the close binary fraction is not yet well constrained for the Magellanic Clouds, and our results may help the study of common envelope evolution in low-metallicity environments. This paper presents a continuation of our study of variability in the Magellanic Cloud planetary nebulae on the basis of data from the OGLE survey. Previously, we had analysed the OGLE data in the Small Magellanic Cloud. Here, the study is extended to the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). In this paper we search for close binary central stars with the aim to constrain the binary fraction and period distribution in the LMC. We identified 290 counterparts of PNe in the LMC in the I-band images from the OGLE-III and OGLE-IV surveys. However, the light curves of ten objects were not accessible in the OGLE database, and thus we analysed the time series photometry of 280 PNe. In total, 32 variables were found, but 5 of them turned out to be foreground objects. Another 18 objects show irregular or regular variability that is not attributable to the binarity of their central stars. Their status and the nature of their variability will be verified in the follow-up paper. Nine binary central stars of PNe with periods between 0.24 and 23.6 days were discovered. The obtained fraction for the LMC PNe is 3.3^(+2.6)_(-1.6)% without correcting for incompleteness.

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