arXiv subjects

T. ten Brummelaar

Publications and source records attributed to T. ten Brummelaar.

44 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2009

Imaging and Modeling Rapidly Rotating Stars: Alpha Cephei and Alpha Ophiuchi

We present sub-milliarcseond resolution imaging and modeling of two nearby rapid rotators Alpha Cephei and Alpha Ophiuchi, obtained with the CHARA array - the largest optical/IR interferometer in the world. Incorporating a gravity darkening model, we are able to determine the inclination, the polar and equatorial radius and temperature, as well as the fractional rotation speed of the two stars with unprecedented precision. The polar and equatorial regions of the two stars have ~2000K temperature gradient, causing their apparent temperatures and luminosities to be dependent on their viewing angles. Our modeling allow us to determine the true effective temperatures and luminosities of Alpha Cep and Alpha Oph, permitting us to investigate their true locations on the H-R diagram. These properties in turn give us estimates of the masses and ages of the two stars within a few percent of error using stellar evolution models. Also, based on our gravity darkening modeling, we propose a new method to estimate the masses of single stars in a more direct way through Vsin(i) measurements and precise geometrical constraint. Lastly, we investigate the degeneracy between the inclination and the gravity darkening coefficient, which especially affects the modeling of Alpha Oph. Although incorporating Vsin(i) has lifted the degeneracy to some extent, higher resolution observations are still needed to further constrain the parameters independently.

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arXiv2008

Dust in the inner regions of debris disks around A stars

We present infrared interferometric observations of the inner regions of two A-star debris disks, beta Leo and zeta Lep, using the FLUOR instrument at the CHARA interferometer on both short (30 m) and long (>200 m) baselines. For the target stars, the short baseline visibilities are lower than expected for the stellar photosphere alone, while those of a check star, delta Leo, are not. We interpret this visibility offset of a few percent as a near-infrared excess arising from dust grains which, due to the instrumental field of view, must be located within several AU of the central star. For beta Leo, the near-infrared excess producing grains are spatially distinct from the dust which produces the previously known mid-infrared excess. For zeta Lep, the near-infrared excess may be spatially associated with the mid-infrared excess producing material. We present simple geometric models which are consistent with the near and mid-infrared excess and show that for both objects, the near-infrared producing material is most consistent with a thin ring of dust near the sublimation radius with typical grain sizes smaller than the nominal radiation pressure blowout radius. Finally, we discuss possible origins of the near-infrared emitting dust in the context of debris disk evolution models.

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arXiv2008

A Tale of Two Herbig Ae stars -MWC275 and AB Aurigae: Comprehensive Models for SED and Interferometry

We present comprehensive models for the Herbig Ae stars MWC275 and AB Aur that aim to explain their spectral energy distribution (from UV to millimeter) and long baseline interferometry (from near-infrared to millimeter) simultaneously. Data from the literature, combined with new mid-infrared (MIR) interferometry from the Keck Segment Tilting Experiment, are modeled using an axisymmetric Monte Carlo radiative transfer code. Models in which most of the near-infrared (NIR) emission arises from a dust rim fail to fit the NIR spectral energy distribution (SED) and sub-milli-arcsecond NIR CHARA interferometry. Following recent work, we include an additional gas emission component with similar size scale to the dust rim, inside the sublimation radius, to fit the NIR SED and long-baseline NIR interferometry on MWC275 and AB Aur. In the absence of shielding of star light by gas, we show that the gas-dust transition region in these YSOs will have to contain highly refractory dust, sublimating at ~1850K. Despite having nearly identical structure in the thermal NIR, the outer disks of MWC275 and AB Aur differ substantially. In contrast to the AB Aur disk, MWC275 lacks small grains in the disk atmosphere capable of producing significant 10-20micron emission beyond ~7AU, forcing the outer regions into the "shadow" of the inner disk

astro-ph↗

arXiv2008

First Resolved Images of the Eclipsing and Interacting Binary Beta Lyrae

We present the first resolved images of the eclipsing binary Beta Lyrae, obtained with the CHARA Array interferometer and the MIRC combiner in the H band. The images clearly show the mass donor and the thick disk surrounding the mass gainer at all six epochs of observation. The donor is brighter and generally appears elongated in the images, the first direct detection of photospheric tidal distortion due to Roche-lobe filling. We also confirm expectations that the disk component is more elongated than the donor and is relatively fainter at this wavelength. Image analysis and model fitting for each epoch were used for calculating the first astrometric orbital solution for Beta Lyrae, yielding precise values for the orbital inclination and position angle. The derived semi-ma jor axis also allows us to estimate the distance of Beta Lyrae; however, systematic differences between the models and the images limit the accuracy of our distance estimate to about 15%. To address these issues, we will need a more physical, self-consistent model to account for all epochs as well as the multi-wavelength information from the eclipsing light curves.

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arXiv2007

Imaging the Surface of Altair

Spatially resolving the surfaces of nearby stars promises to advance our knowledge of stellar physics. Using optical long-baseline interferometry, we present here a near-infrared image of the rapidly rotating hot star Altair with <1 milliarcsecond resolution. The image clearly reveals the strong effect of gravity darkening on the highly-distorted stellar photosphere. Standard models for a uniformly rotating star can not explain our results, requiring differential rotation, alternative gravity darkening laws, or both.

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arXiv2007

Extended envelopes around Galactic Cepheids III. Y Oph and alpha Per from near-infrared interferometry with CHARA/FLUOR

Unbiased angular diameter measurements are required for accurate distances to Cepheids using the interferometric Baade Wesselink method (IBWM). The precision of this technique is currently limited by interferometric measurements at the 1.5% level. At this level, the center-to-limb darkening (CLD) and the presence of circumstellar envelopes (CSE) seem to be the two main sources of bias. The observations we performed aim at improving our knowledge of the interferometric visibility profile of Cepheids. In particular, we assess the systematic presence of CSE around Cepheids in order determine accurate distances with the IBWM free from CSE biased angular diameters. We observed a Cepheid (Y Oph) for which the pulsation is well resolved and a non-pulsating yellow supergiant (alpha Per) using long-baseline near-infrared interferometry. We interpreted these data using a simple CSE model we previously developed. We found that our observations of alpha Per do not provide evidence for a CSE. The measured CLD is explained by an hydrostatic photospheric model. Our observations of Y Oph, when compared to smaller baseline measurements, suggest that it is surrounded by a CSE with similar characteristics to CSE found previously around other Cepheids. We have determined the distance to Y Oph to be d=491+/-18 pc. Additional evidence points toward the conclusion that most Cepheids are surrounded by faint CSE, detected by near infrared interferometry: after observing four Cepheids, all show evidence for a CSE. Our CSE non-detection around a non-pulsating supergiant in the instability strip, alpha Per, provides confidence in the detection technique and suggests a pulsation driven mass-loss mechanism for the Cepheids.

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arXiv2006

The Angular Diameter of $λ$ Boötis}

Using the CHARA Array and the Palomar Testbed Interferometer, the chemically peculiar star $λ$ Boötis has been spatially resolved. We have measured the limb darkened angular diameter to be $θ_{LD} = 0.533\pm0.029$ mas, corresponding to a linear radius of $R_{\star} = 1.70 \pm 0.10 R_\odot$. The measured angular diameter yields an effective temperature for $λ$ Boo of $T_{eff} = 8887 \pm 242$ K. Based upon literature surface gravity estimates spanning $\log{(g)} = 4.0-4.2$ $[\rm{cm s}^{-\rm{2}}]$, we have derived a stellar mass range of $M_{\star} = 1.1 - 1.7$ $M_\odot$. For a given surface gravity, the linear radius uncertainty contributes approximately $σ(M_\star) = 0.1-0.2 M_\odot$ to the total mass uncertainty. The uncertainty in the mass (i.e., the range of derived masses) is primarily a result of the uncertainty in the surface gravity. The upper bound of our derived mass range ($\log(g)=4.2, M_\star = 1.7\pm0.2 M_\odot$) is consistent with 100-300 MYr solar-metallicity evolutionary models. The mid-range of our derived masses ($\log(g)=4.1, M_\star = 1.3\pm0.2 M_\odot$) is consistent with 2-3 GYr metal-poor evolutionary models. A more definitive surface gravity determination is required to determine a more precise mass for $λ$ Boo.

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arXiv2005

First Results from the CHARA Array. III. Oblateness, Rotational Velocity and Gravity Darkening of Alderamin

We present observations of the A7IV-V star Alderamin ($α$ Cep, HR 8162, HD 203280) from the Georgia State University CHARA Array. These infrared interferometric angular size measurements indicate a non-circular projected disk brightness distribution for this known rapid rotator. The interferometric observations are modeled as arising from an elongated rigid atmosphere, with apparent polar and equatorial radii of $r_p=0.6753^{+0.0119}_{-0.0135}$ milliarcseconds (mas) and $r_e=0.8767^{+0.0293}_{-0.0183}$ mas, respectively, for a difference of $201\pm 32$ microarcseconds ($μ$as), and with an axial ratio of $r_e/r_p =1.298\pm 0.051$. Using the Hipparcos distance of $14.96\pm 0.11$ pc, these angular measures translate to $2.18\pm0.05$ and $2.82\pm0.10$ $R_\odot$. The inclination of Alderamin to the line of sight indicated by this modeling is effectively edge-on ($i=88.2^{+1.8}_{-13.3}$). The star has a true rotational velocity of $283\pm 10$ km/s ($\sim83$% of breakup velocity), and a polar temperature of roughly 8400 K. Significantly, a necessary aspect of this modeling is a determination of the gravity darkening coefficient, which at a value of $β=0.084^{+0.026}_{-0.049}$ is consistent with a convective photosphere, as expected for an A7IV-V star. Our detailed characterization of this object allows us to investigate various scenarios for the angular momentum history of Alderamin and the appropriateness of certain stellar evolution models.

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