arXiv subjects

S. P. Jarvinen

Publications and source records attributed to S. P. Jarvinen.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2017

A search for the presence of magnetic fields in the two Supergiant Fast X-ray Transients IGR J08408-4503 and IGR J11215-5952

A significant fraction of high-mass X-ray binaries are supergiant fast X-ray transients (SFXTs). The prime model for the physics governing their X-ray behaviour suggests that the winds of donor OB supergiants are magnetized. To investigate if magnetic fields are indeed present in the optical counterparts of such systems, we acquired low-resolution spectropolarimetric observations of the two optically brightest SFXTs, IGR J08408-4503 and IGR J11215-5952 with the ESO FORS2 instrument during two different observing runs. No field detection at a significance level of 3sigma was achieved for IGR J08408-4503. For IGR J11215-5952, we obtain 3.2sigma and 3.8sigma detections ( _hydr = -978+-308G and _hydr = 416+-110G) on two different nights in 2016. These results indicate that the model involving the interaction of a magnetized stellar wind with the neutron star magnetosphere can indeed be considered to characterize the behaviour of SFXTs. We detected long-term spectral variability in IGR J11215-5952, while for IGR J08408-4503 we find an indication of the presence of short-term variability on a time scale of minutes.

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arXiv2017

Rotationally modulated variability and pulsations of the He-rich star CPD -62 2124 with an extraordinarily strong magnetic field

A longitudinal magnetic field with a strength of 5.2kG was recently detected in CPD -62 2124, which has a fractional main-sequence lifetime of about 60%. Strongly magnetic early-B type chemically peculiar stars in an advanced evolutionary state are of special interest to understand the evolution of the angular momentum and spin-down timescales in the presence of a global magnetic field. We exploited 17 FORS2 low-resolution spectropolarimetric observations and 844 ASAS3 photometric measurements for the determination of the rotation period, pulsations, and the magnetic field geometry of the star. We calculated periodograms and applied phenomenological models of photometric, spectral and spectropolarimetric variability. We found that all quantities studied, specifically equivalent widths, the mean longitudinal magnetic field , and the flux in the V filter, vary with the same period P = 2.628d, which was identified as the rotation period. The observed variations can be fully explained by a rigidly rotating main-sequence star with an uneven distribution of chemical elements, photometric spots, and a stable, nearly dipolar magnetic field with a polar field strength of about 21kG, frozen into the body of the star. The magnetic field of CPD -62 2124 is tilted to the rotation axis by beta=28+-7deg, while the inclination of the rotation axis towards the line of sight is only i=20+-5deg. In the acquired FORS2 spectra, we detect short-term line profile variations indicating the presence of beta Cephei type pulsations. As of today, no other pulsating star of this type is known to possess such a strong magnetic field.

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arXiv2017

Magnetic field geometry and chemical abundance distribution of the He-strong star CPD -57 3509

The magnetic field of CPD -57 3509 was recently detected in the framework of the BOB (B fields in OB stars) collaboration. We acquired low-resolution spectropolarimetric observations of CPD -57 3509 with FORS2 and high-resolution UVES observations randomly distributed over a few months to search for periodicity, to study the magnetic field geometry, and to determine the surface distribution of silicon and helium. We also obtained supplementary photometric observations at a timeline similar to the spectroscopic and spectropolarimetric observations. A period of 6.36d was detected in the measurements of the mean longitudinal magnetic field. A sinusoidal fit to our measurements allowed us to constrain the magnetic field geometry and estimate the dipole strength in the range of 3.9-4.5kG. Our application of the Doppler imaging technique revealed the presence of He I spots located around the magnetic poles, with a strong concentration at the positive pole and a weaker one around the negative pole. In contrast, high concentration Si III spots are located close to the magnetic equator. Further, our analysis of the spectral variability of CPD -57 3509 on short time scales indicates distinct changes in shape and position of line profiles possibly caused by the presence of beta Cep-like pulsations. A small periodic variability in line with the changes of the magnetic field strength is clearly seen in the photometric data.

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arXiv2016

Spectroscopic signatures of magnetospheric accretion in Herbig Ae/Be stars. I. The case of HD101412

Models of magnetically-driven accretion and outflows reproduce many observational properties of T Tauri stars. This concept is not well established for the more massive Herbig Ae/Be stars. We intend to examine the magnetospheric accretion in Herbig Ae/Be stars and search for rotational modulation using spectroscopic signatures, in this first paper concentrating on the well-studied Herbig Ae star HD101412. We used near-infrared spectroscopic observations of the magnetic Herbig Ae star HD101412 to test the magnetospheric character of its accretion disk/star interaction. We reduced and analyzed 30 spectra of HD101412, acquired with the CRIRES and X-shooter spectrographs installed at the VLT (ESO, Chile). The spectroscopic analysis was based on the He I lambda 10,830 and Pa gamma lines, formed in the accretion region. We found that the temporal behavior of these diagnostic lines in the near-infrared spectra of HD101412 can be explained by rotational modulation of line profiles generated by accreting gas with a period P = 20.53+-1.68 d. The discovery of this period, about half of the magnetic rotation period P_m = 42.076 d previously determined from measurements of the mean longitudinal magnetic field, indicates that the accreted matter falls onto the star in regions close to the magnetic poles intersecting the line-of-sight two times during the rotation cycle. We intend to apply this method to a larger sample of Herbig Ae/Be stars.

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arXiv2015

Stellar activity as noise in exoplanet detection I. Methods and application to solar-like stars and activity cycles

The detection of exoplanets using any method is prone to confusion due to the intrinsic variability of the host star. We investigate the effect of cool starspots on the detectability of the exoplanets around solar-like stars using the radial velocity method. For investigating this activity-caused "jitter" we calculate synthetic spectra using radiative transfer, known stellar atomic and molecular lines, different surface spot configurations, and an added planetary signal. Here, the methods are described in detail, tested and compared to previously published studies. The methods are also applied to investigate the activity jitter in old and young solar-like stars, and over a solar-like activity cycles. We find that the mean full jitter amplitude obtained from the spot surfaces mimicking the solar activity varies during the cycle approximately between 1 m/s and 9 m/s. With a realistic observing frequency a Neptune mass planet on a one year orbit can be reliably recovered. On the other hand, the recovery of an Earth mass planet on a similar orbit is not feasible with high significance. The methods developed in this study have a great potential for doing statistical studies of planet detectability, and also for investigating the effect of stellar activity on recovered planetary parameters.

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