arXiv subjects

Sergio Messina

Publications and source records attributed to Sergio Messina.

31 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2016

The triple system AT Mic AB + AU Mic in the beta Pictoris Association

Equal-mass stars in young open clusters and loose associations exhibit a wide spread of rotation periods, which likely originates from differences in the initial rotation periods and in the primordial disc lifetimes. We want to explore if the gravitational effects by nearby companions may play an additional role in producing the observed rotation period spread. We measure the photometric rotation periods of components of multiple stellar systems and look for correlations of the period differences among the components to their reciprocal distances. In this paper, we analysed the triple system AU Mic + AT Mic A&B in the 25-Myr beta Pictoris Association. We have retrieved from the literature the rotation period of AU Mic (P = 4.85d) and measured from photometric archival data the rotation periods of both components of AT Mic (P = 1.19d and P = 0.78d) for the first time. Moreover, we detected a high rate of flare events from AT Mic. Whereas the distant component AU Mic has evolved rotationally as a single star, the A and B components of AT Mic, separated by about 27 AU, exhibit a rotation rate a factor 5 larger than AU Mic. Moreover, the A and B components, despite have about equal mass, show a significant difference (about 40%) between their rotation periods. A possible explanation is that the gravitational forces between the A and B components of AT Mic (that are a factor about 7.3 x 10^6 more intense than those between AU Mic and AT Mic) have enhanced the dispersal of the AT Mic primordial disc, shortening its lifetime and the disc-locking phase duration, making the component A and B of AT Mic to rotate faster than the more distant AU Mic. We suspect that a different level of magnetic activity between the A and B components of AT Mic may be the additional parameter responsible for the difference between their rotation periods.

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arXiv2016

Is the $β$ Pictoris member GJ3039AB a physical binary? What the rotation periods tell us

We have carried out a multi-band photometric monitoring of the close visual binary GJ3039, consisting of a M4 primary and a fainter secondary component, and likely member of the young stellar association $β$ Pictoris (24-Myr old). From our analysis we found that both components are photometric variables and, for the first time, we detected two micro-flare events. We measured from periodogram analysis of the photometric time series two rotation periods P = 3.355d and P = 0.925d, that we could attribute to the brighter GJ3039A and the fainter GJ3039B components, respectively. A comparison of these rotation periods with the period distribution of other $β$ Pictoris members further supports that GJ3039A is a member of this association. We find that also GJ3039B could be a member, but the infrared magnitude differences between the two components taken from the literature and the photometric variability, which is found to be comparable in both stars, suggest that GJ3039B could be a foreground star physically unbound to the primary A component.

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arXiv2015

Physical parameters and long-term photometric variability of V1481 Ori, a SB2 member of Orion Nebula Cluster with an accreting component

We present the results of our analysis on V1481 Ori (JW 239), a young SB2 in the Orion Nebula Cluster with a circumbinary disc accreting on the lower-mass component. The analysis is based on high-resolution spectroscopic data and high-quality photometric time series about 20-yr long. Thanks to the spectroscopy, we confirm the binary nature of this system consisting of M3 + M4 components and derive the mass ratio M_B/M_A = 0.54, a variable luminosity ratio L_B/L_A = 0.68--0.94, and an orbital period P_orb = 4.433d. The photometric data allowed us to measure the rotation periods of the two components P_phot = 4.4351d and they are found to be synchronized with the orbital period. The simultaneous modeling of V-, I-band, and radial velocity curves in the 2005 season suggests that the variability is dominated by one hot spot on the secondary component covering at least about 3.5% of the stellar surface and about 420K hotter than the unperturbed photosphere. Such a spot may originate from the material of the circumbinary disc accreting onto the secondary component. We also detect an apparent 6-yr periodic variation in the position of this hot spot, which is inferred from the phase migration of the light curve maximum, which we interpret as due to either the presence of surface differential rotation as large as 0.065%, a value compatible with the fully convective components, or to a periodic exchange of angular momentum between the disc and the star, which implies a minimum magnetic field strength of 650G at the stellar surface.

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arXiv2015

The visual binary AG Tri in $β$ Pictoris Association: can a debris disc cause very different rotation periods of its components?

We measure the photometric rotation periods of the components of multiple systems in young stellar associations to investigate the causes of the observed rotation period dispersion. We present the case of the wide binary AG Tri in the 23-Myr young beta Pictoris Association consisting of K4 + M1 dwarfs. Our multi-band, multi-season photometric monitoring allowed us to measure the rotation periods of both components P_A = 12.4d and P_B = 4.66d, to detect a prominent magnetic activity in the photosphere, likely responsible for the measured radial velocity variations, and for the first time, a flare event on the M1 component AG Tri B. We investigate either the possibility that the faster rotating component may have suffered an enhanced primordial disc dispersal, starting its PMS spin-up earlier than the slower rotating component, or the possibility that the formation of a debris disc may have prevented AG Tri A from gaining part of the angular momentum from the accreting disc.

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arXiv2015

Optical imaging polarimetry of the LkCa 15 protoplanetary disk with SPHERE ZIMPOL

We present the first optical (590--890 nm) imaging polarimetry observations of the pre-transitional protoplanetary disk around the young solar analog LkCa 15, addressing a number of open questions raised by previous studies. We detect the previously unseen far side of the disk gap, confirm the highly eccentric scattered-light gap shape that was postulated from near-infrared imaging, at odds with the symmetric gap inferred from millimeter interferometry. Furthermore, we resolve the inner disk for the first time and trace it out to 30 AU. This new source of scattered light may contribute to the near-infrared interferometric signal attributed to the protoplanet candidate LkCa 15 b, which lies embedded in the outer regions of the inner disk. Finally, we present a new model for the system architecture of LkCa 15 that ties these new findings together. These observations were taken during science verification of SPHERE ZIMPOL and demonstrate this facility's performance for faint guide stars under adverse observing conditions.

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arXiv2015

HIP10680/HIP10679: a visual binary in the $β$ Pictoris Association with the fastest rotating member

We present the results of a multi-filter photometric monitoring of the wide binary HIP10680/HIP10679. We found both component to be variable with amplitude up to $Δ$V = 0.03 mag in the case of HIP10680 and $Δ$V = 0.07 mag in the case of HIP10679. We could measure the rotation periods P = 0.2396d of the hotter F5V component HIP10680 and P = 0.777d of the cooler G5V component HIP10679. We found that the rotation axes of both components are aligned with an inclination $i$ = $\sim$ 10$^{\circ}$. Although the two components have a mass difference not larger than 15%, they exhibit a significant difference between their rotation periods. Such difference may arise either from different initial rotation periods or to different disc life times. For instance, the slower rotating component HIP 10679 hosts a well know debris disc.

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arXiv2015

On the rotation periods of the components of the triple system TYC9300-0891-1AB/TYC9300-0529-1 in the Octans Association

Stellar rotation depends on different parameters. The range of values of these parameters causes the dispersion in the rotation period distributions observed in young stellar clusters/associations. We focus our investigation on the effects of different circumstellar environments on stellar rotation. More specifically, we are searching in stellar Associations for visual triple systems where all stellar parameters are similar, with the only exceptions of the unknown initial rotation period, and of the circum-stellar environment, in the sense that one of the two about equal-mass components has a close-by third 'perturber' component. In the present study we analyse the 35-Myr old visual triple system TYC 9300-0891-1AB + TYC 9300-0529-1 in the young Octans stellar association consisting of three equal-mass K0V components. We collected from the literature all information that allowed us to infer that the three components are actually physically bound forming a triple system and are members of the Octans Association. We collected broad-band photometric timeseries in two observation seasons. We discovered that all the components are variable, magnetically active, and from periodogram analysis we found the unresolved components TYC 9300-0891-1AB to have a rotation period P = 1.383d and TYC 9300-0529-1 a rotation period P = 1.634d. TYC 9300-0891-1A, TYC 9300-0891-1B, and TYC 9300-0529-1 have same masses, ages, and initial chemical compositions. The relatively small 16% rotation period difference measured by us indicates that all components had similar initial rotation periods and disc lifetimes, and the separation of 157AU between the component A and the 'perturber' component B (or vice-versa) has been sufficiently large to prevent any significant perturbation/shortening of the accretion-disc lifetime.

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arXiv2015

Photometric study of HD 155555 C in the $β$ Pictoris Association

We are carrying out a series of photometric monitoring to measure the rotation periods of members in the young $β$ Pictoris Association, as part of the RACE-OC project (Rotation and ACtivity Evolution in Open Clusters). In this paper, we present the results for HD 155555C which is believed to be physically associated to the spectroscopic binary V824 Ara (HD155555) and thus constituting a triple system. We collected B, V, and R-band photometric data timeseries and discovered from periodogram analysis the rotation period P = 4.43d. Combined with stellar radius and projected rotational velocity, we find this star almost equator-on with an inclination $i$ $\simeq$ 90$^{\circ}$. The rotational properties of HD155555C fit well into the period distribution of other $β$ Pic members, giving further support to the suggested membership to the association and to its physical association to V824 Ara. A comparison with Pre-Main-Sequence isochrones from various models allows us to estimate an age of 20$\pm$15 Myr for this triple system.

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arXiv2012

An unusual very low-mass high-amplitude pre-main sequence periodic variable

We have investigated the nature of the variability of CHS7797, an unusual periodic variable in the Orion Nebula Cluster. An extensive I-band photometric data set of CHS7797 was compiled between 2004-2010 using various telescopes. Further optical data have been collected in R and z' bands. In addition, simultaneous observations of the ONC region including CHS7797 were performed in the I, J, Ks and IRAC [3.6] and [4.5] bands over a time interval of about 40d. CHS7797 shows an unusual large-amplitude variation of about 1.7 mag in the R, I, and z' bands with a period 17.786. The amplitude of the brightness modulation decreases only slightly at longer wavelengths. The star is faint during 2/3 of the period and the shape of the phased light-curves for seven different observing seasons shows minor changes and small-amplitude variations. Interestingly, there are no significant colour-flux correlations for wavelengths smaller than 2microns, while the object becomes redder when fainter at longer wavelengths. CHS7797 has a spectral type of M6 and an estimated mass between 0.04-0.1Msun. The analysis of the data suggests that the periodic variability of CHS7797 is most probably caused by an orbital motion. Variability as a result of rotational brightness modulation by spots is excluded by the lack of any color-brightness correlation in the optical. The latter indicates that CHS7797 is most probably occulted by circumstellar matter in which grains have grown from typical 0.1 microns to 1-2 micron sizes. We discuss two possible scenarios in which CHS7797 is periodically eclipsed by structures in a disc, namely that CHS7797 is a single object with a circumstellar disc, or that CHS7797 is a binary system, similar to KH15D, in which an inclined circumbinary disc is responsible of the variability. Possible reasons for the typical 0.3mag variations in I-band at a given phase are discussed.

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arXiv2010

Photometric monitoring of Luminous Blue Variables

We present some preliminary results from our program of intensive near-infrared photometric monitoring of a sample of confirmed and candidate Luminous Blue Variables (LBVs) conducted from 2008 to 2010. Clear long-term variability has been observed for Wray 17-96 and V481 Sct, with overall brightness variation greater than 1 mag in the J band. Other sources, such as LBV 1806-20 showed detectable variability with amplitudes of few tenths of a magnitude with time-scale of about 60 days.

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arXiv2010

Dissecting the Moth: Discovery of an off-centered ring in the HD 61005 debris disk with high-resolution imaging

The debris disk known as "The Moth" is named after its unusually asymmetric surface brightness distribution. It is located around the ~90 Myr old G8V star HD 61005 at 34.5 pc and has previously been imaged by the HST at 1.1 and 0.6 microns. Polarimetric observations suggested that the circumstellar material consists of two distinct components, a nearly edge-on disk or ring, and a swept-back feature, the result of interaction with the interstellar medium. We resolve both components at unprecedented resolution with VLT/NACO H-band imaging. Using optimized angular differential imaging techniques to remove the light of the star, we reveal the disk component as a distinct narrow ring at inclination i=84.3 \pm 1.0°. We determine a semi-major axis of a=61.25 \pm 0.85 AU and an eccentricity of e=0.045 \pm 0.015, assuming that periastron is located along the apparent disk major axis. Therefore, the ring center is offset from the star by at least 2.75 \pm 0.85 AU. The offset, together with a relatively steep inner rim, could indicate a planetary companion that perturbs the remnant planetesimal belt. From our imaging data we set upper mass limits for companions that exclude any object above the deuterium-burning limit for separations down to 0.3". The ring shows a strong brightness asymmetry along both the major and minor axis. A brighter front side could indicate forward-scattering grains, while the brightness difference between the NE and SW components can be only partly explained by the ring center offset, suggesting additional density enhancements on one side of the ring. The swept-back component appears as two streamers originating near the NE and SW edges of the debris ring.

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arXiv2009

Exploring pre-main sequence variables of ONC: The new variables

Since 2004, we have been engaged in a long-term observing program to monitor young stellar objects in the Orion Nebula Cluster. We have collected about two thousands frames in V, R, and I broad-band filters on more than two hundred nights distributed over five consecutive observing seasons. The high-quality and time-extended photometric data give us an opportunity to address various phenomena associated with young stars. The prime motivations of this project are i) to explore various manifestations of stellar magnetic activity in very young low-mass stars; ii) to search for new pre-main sequence eclipsing binaries; and iii) to look for any EXor and FUor like transient activities associated with YSOs. Since this is the first paper on this program, we give a detailed description of the science drivers, the observation and the data reduction strategies as well. In addition to these, we also present a large number of new periodic variables detected from our first five years of time-series photometric data. Our study reveals that about 72% of CTTS in our FoV are periodic, whereas, the percentage of periodic WTTS is just 32%. This indicates that inhomogeneities patterns on the surface of CTTS of the ONC stars are much more stable than on WTTS. From our multi-year monitoring campaign we found that the photometric surveys based on single-season are incapable of identifying all periodic variables. And any study on evolution of angular momentum based on single-season surveys must be carried out with caution.

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arXiv2009

CoRoT-2a magnetic activity: hints for possible star-planet interaction

CoRoT-2a is a young (about 0.5 Gyr) G7V star accompanied by a transiting hot-Jupiter, discovered by the CoRoT satellite (Alonso et al. 2008; Bouchy et al. 2008). An analysis of its photospheric activity, based on spot modelling techniques previously developed by our group for the analysis of the Sun as a star, shows that the active regions on CoRoT-2a arised within two active longitudes separated by about 180 degrees and rotating with periods of 4.5221 and 4.5543 days, respectively, at epoch of CoRoT observations (112 continous days centered at 2007.6). We show that the total spotted area oscillates with a period of about about 8.9 days, a value close to 10 times the synodic period of the planet with respect to the active longitude pattern rotating in 4.5221 days. Moreover, the variance of the stellar flux is modulated in phase with the planet orbital period. This suggests a possible star-planet magnetic interaction, a phenomenon already seen in other extrasolar planetary systems hosting hot-Jupiters.

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