118771675
The Kepler characterization of the variability among A- and F-type stars. - I: General overview
Context. The Kepler spacecraft is providing time series of photometric data with micromagnitude precision for hundreds of A-F type stars. Aims. We present a first general characterization of the pulsational behaviour of A-F type stars as observed in the Kepler light curves of a sample of 750 candidate A-F type stars, and observationally investigate the relation between γ Doradus (γ Dor), δ Scuti (δ Sct), and hybrid stars. Methods. We compile a database of physical parameters for the sample stars from the literature and new ground-based observations. We analyse the Kepler light curve of each star and extract the pulsational frequencies using different frequency analysis methods. We construct two new observables, “energy ”a nd “efficiency”, related to the driving energy of the pulsation mode and the convective efficiency of the outer convective zone, respectively. Results. We propose three main groups to describe the observed variety in pulsating A-F type stars: γ Dor, δ Sct, and hybrid stars. We assign 63% of our sample to one of the three groups, and identify the remaining part as rotationally modulated/active stars, binaries, stars of different spectral type, or stars that show no clear periodic variability. 23% of the stars (171 stars) are hybrid stars, which is a much higher fraction than what has been observed before. We characterize for the first time a large number of A-F type stars (475 stars) in terms of number of detected frequencies, frequency range, and typical pulsation amplitudes. The majority of hybrid stars show frequencies with all kinds of periodicities within the γ Dor and δ Sct range, also between 5 and 10 d −1 , which is a challenge for the current models. We find indications for the existence of δ Sct and γ Dor stars beyond the edges of the current observational instability strips. The hybrid stars occupy the entire region within the δ Sct and γ Dor instability strips and beyond. Non-variable stars seem to exist within the instability strips. The location of γ Dor and δ Sct classes in the (Teff ,l ogg)-diagram has been extended. We investigate two newly constructed variables, “efficiency ”a nd “energy”, as a means to explore the relation between γ Dor and δ Sct stars. Conclusions. Our results suggest a revision of the current observational instability strips of δ Sct and γ Dor stars and imply an investigation of pulsation mechanisms to supplement the κ mechanism and convective blocking effect to drive hybrid pulsations. Accurate physical parameters for all stars are needed to confirm these findings.
54027022
Detection of gravity modes in the massive binary V380 Cyg from Kepler space-based photometry and high-resolution spectroscopy★
We report the discovery of low-amplitude gravity-mode oscillations in the massive binary star V380 Cyg, from 180 d of Kepler custom-aperture space photometry and 5 months of highresolution high signal-to-noise ratio spectroscopy. The new data are of unprecedented quality and allowed the improvement of the orbital and fundamental parameters for this binary. The orbital solution was subtracted from the photometric data and led to the detection of periodic intrinsic variability with frequencies, of which some are multiples of the orbital frequency and others are not. Spectral disentangling allowed the detection of line-profile variability in the primary. With our discovery of intrinsic variability interpreted as gravity-mode oscillations, V380 Cyg becomes an important laboratory for future seismic tuning of the near-core physics in massive B-type stars.
56413934
KIC 11285625: A double-lined spectroscopic binary with a γ Doradus pulsator discovered from Kepler space photometry
Aims. We present the first binary modelling results for the pulsating, eclipsing binary KIC 11285625 that was discovered by the Kepler mission. An automated method to disentangle the pulsation spectrum and the orbital variability in high quality light curves was developed and applied. The goal was to obtain accurate orbital and component properties in combination with essential information derived from spectroscopy. Methods. A binary model for KIC 11285625 was obtained, using a combined analysis of high-quality space-based Kepler light curves and ground-based high-resolution HERMES echelle spectra. The binary model was used to separate the pulsation characteristics from the orbital variability in the Kepler light curve in an iterative way. We used an automated procedure based on the JKTEBOP binary modelling code to perform this task, and adapted codes for frequency analysis and prewhitening of periodic signals. Using a disentangling technique applied to the composite HERMES spectra, we obtained a higher signal-to-noise mean spectrum for both the primary and the secondary components. A model grid search method for fitting synthetic spectra was used for fundamental parameter determination for both components. Results. Accurate orbital and component properties of KIC 11285625 were derived, and we have obtained the pulsation spectrum of the γ Dor pulsator in the system. Detailed analysis of the pulsation spectrum revealed amplitude modulation on a timescale of a hundred days, and strong indications of frequency splittings at both the orbital frequency and the rotational frequency derived from spectroscopy. © ESO, 2013.
115150797
Spectrum analysis of bright Kepler γ Doradus candidate stars
Ground-based spectroscopic follow-up observations of the pulsating stars observed by the Kepler satellite mission are needed for their asteroseismic modelling. We aim to derive the fundamental parameters for a sample of 26 γ Doradus candidate stars observed by the Kepler satellite mission to accomplish one of the required pre-conditions for their asteroseismic modelling and to compare our results with the types of pulsators expected from the existing light-curve analysis. We use the spectrum synthesis method to derive the fundamental parameters like T eff ,l ogg, [M/H] and v sini from newly obtained spectra and compute the spectral energy distribution from literature photometry to get an independent measure of T eff. We find that most of the derived T eff values agree with the values given in the Kepler Input Catalog. According to their positions in the HR diagram, three stars are expected γ Dor stars, 10 stars are expected δ Sct stars and seven stars are possibly δ Sct stars at the hot border of the instability strip. Four stars in our sample are found to be spectroscopic binary candidates and four stars have very low metallicity where two show about solar C abundance. Six of the 10 stars located in the δ Sct instability region of the HR diagram show both δ Sct- and γ Dor-type oscillations in their light curves, implying that γ Dor-like oscillations are much more common among the δ Sct stars than predicted by theory. Moreover, seven stars showing periods in the δ Sct and the δ Sct-γ Dor range in their light curves are located in the HR diagram left of the blue edge of the theoretical δ Sct instability strip. The consistency of these findings with recent investigations based on high-quality Kepler data implies the need for a revision of the theoretical γ Dor and δ Sct instability strips.
118487818
Masses and accretion rates of supermassive black holes in active galactic nuclei from the INTEGRAL survey
The masses of 68 supermassive black holes (SMBHs) in nearby (z < 0.15) active galactic nuclei (AGNs) detected by the INTEGRAL observatory in the hard X-ray energy band (17–60 keV) outside the Galactic plane (|b| 5°) have been estimated. Well-known relations between the SMBHmass and (1) the infrared luminosity of the stellar bulge (from 2MASS data) and (2) the characteristics of broad emission lines (from RTT-150 data) have been used. A comparison with the more accurate SMBH mass estimates obtained by the reverberation-mapping technique and from direct dynamical measurements is also made for several objects. The SMBH masses derived from the correlation with the bulge luminosity turn out to be systematically higher than the estimates made by other methods. The ratio of the bolometric luminosity to the critical Eddington luminosity has been found for all AGNs. It ranges from 1 to 100% for the overwhelming majority of objects.
120692336
The optical system of the TUS space experiment
The TUS space experiment has been proposed to address some of the most important astrophysical and particle physics problems. It is aimed to study the energy spectrum, composition and angular distribution of Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECR) at E ≈ 10 20 eV in the region of the GZK cutoff. The TUS mission is now planned for operation at the Small Space Apparatus (SSA) as an additional payload of the Foton-4 Russian-ESA satellite. The TUS optical system is an important part of the detector which will measure the fluorescence light radiated by EAS of the UHECR. It consists of a 7-segment Fresnel mirror-concentrator of 2 sq. m. The photo receiver at the mirror focal surface comprises 256 PMT pixels. In this paper the TUS optical system is described. Production of its technological prototype is in progress.
119196445
New cataclysmic variable 1RXS J073346.0+261933 in Gemini
In the course of our search for the optical identifications of ROSAT X-ray sources, we have found a highly variable object with a very unusual behavior on long time scales, rare color indices, and a high X-ray-to-optical flux ratio. We present the archival light curve from the Catalina Sky Survey, optical spectroscopy from RTT150, and time-resolved photometry from the Astrotel-Caucasus telescope. The object appears to be a magnetic cataclysmic variable (a polar) with an orbital period P = 3.20 h.
121298042
Separation of the electron component by the shower shape in an ionization calorimeter for the NUCLEON experiment
An ionization calorimeter introduced in the composition of the NUCLEON research equipment is described. The possibility of employing it to study the spectrum of the electromagnetic charged component of cosmic rays in the energy range of 100–2000 GeV is discussed on the basis of data from a simulation.