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Register a new userAn In-Depth Spectroscopic Analysis of RR Lyr Variations over the Pulsation Cycle
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The stellar parameters of RR Lyrae stars vary considerably over a pulsation cycle, and their determination is crucial for stellar modelling. We present a detailed spectroscopic analysis of the pulsating star RR Lyr, the prototype of its class, over a complete pulsation cycle, based on high-resolution spectra collected at the 2.7-m telescope of McDonald Observatory. We used simultaneous photometry to determine the accurate pulsation phase of each spectrum and determined the effective temperature, the shape of the depth-dependent microturbulent velocity, and the abundance of several elements, for each phase. The surface gravity was fixed to 2.4. Element abundances resulting from our analysis are stable over the pulsation cycle. However, a variation in ionisation equilibrium is observed around minimum radius. We attribute this mostly to a dynamical acceleration contributing to the surface gravity. Variable turbulent convection on time scales longer than the pulsation cycle has been proposed as a cause for the Blazhko effect. We test this hypothesis to some extent by using the derived variable depth-dependent microturbulent velocity profiles to estimate their effect on the stellar magnitude. These effects turn out to be wavelength-dependent and much smaller than the observed light variations over the Blazhko cycle: if variations in the turbulent motions are entirely responsible for the Blazhko effect, they must surpass the scales covered by the microturbulent velocity. This work demonstrates the possibility of a self-consistent spectroscopic analysis over an entire pulsation cycle using static atmosphere models, provided one takes into account certain features of a rapidly pulsating atmosphere.
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The knowledge of accurate stellar parameters is a keystone in several fields of stellar astrophysics, such as asteroseismology and stellar evolution. Although the fundamental parameters can be derived both from spectroscopy and multicolour photometry, the results obtained are sometimes affected by systematic uncertainties. In this paper, we present a self-consistent spectral analysis of the pulsating star RR Lyr, which is the primary target for our study of the Blazhko effect. We used high-resolution and high signal-to-noise ratio spectra to carry out a consistent parameter determination and abundance analysis for RR Lyr. We provide a detailed description of the methodology adopted to derive the fundamental parameters and the abundances. Stellar pulsation attains high amplitudes in RR Lyrae stars, and as a consequence the stellar parameters vary significantly over the pulsation cycle. The abundances of the star, however, are not expected to change. From a set of available high-resolution spectra of RR Lyr we selected the phase of maximum radius, at which the spectra are least disturbed by the pulsation. Using the abundances determined at this phase as a starting point, we expect to obtain a higher accuracy in the fundamental parameters determined at other phases. The set of fundamental parameters obtained in this work fits the observed spectrum accurately. Through the abundance analysis, we find clear indications for a depth-dependent microturbulent velocity, that we quantified. We confirm the importance of a consistent analysis of relevant spectroscopic features, application of advanced model atmospheres, and the use of up-to-date atomic line data for the determination of stellar parameters. These results are crucial for further studies, e.g., detailed theoretical modelling of the observed pulsations.
RRab stars are large amplitude pulsating stars in which the pulsation is associated with strong shock wake propagating in the atmosphere. The objective of this study is to provide a general overview of the dynamical structure of the atmosphere occurring over a typical pulsation cycle. We report new high-resolution observations with high time resolution of H$alpha$ and sodium lines in the brightest RR Lyrae star of the sky: RR Lyr (HD 182989). A detailed analysis of line profile variations over the whole pulsation cycle is performed to understand the dynamical structure of the atmosphere. The main shock wave appears when it exits from the photosphere at $varphisimeq0.89$, i.e., when the main H$alpha$ emission is observed. Whereas the acceleration phase of the shock is not observed, a significant deceleration of the shock front velocity is clearly present. The radiative stage of the shock wave is short: $4%$ of the pulsation period ($0.892<varphi<0.929$). A Mach number $M>10$ is required to get such a radiative shock. The sodium layer reaches its maximum expansion well before that of H$alpha$ ($Deltavarphi=0.135$). Thus, a rarefaction wave is induced between the H$alpha$ and sodium layers. A strong atmospheric compression occurring around $varphi=0.36$, which produces the third H$alpha$ emission, takes place in the highest part of the atmosphere. The region located lower in the atmosphere where the sodium line is formed is not involved. The amplification of gas turbulence seems mainly due to strong shock waves propagating in the atmosphere rather than to the global compression of the atmosphere caused by the pulsation. It has not yet been clearly established whether the microturbulence velocity increases or decreases with height in the atmosphere. Furthermore, it seems very probable that an interstellar component is visible within the sodium profile.
We report here on two types of cyclic variations that can be observed in the periods of RR Lyr stars, i.e., the Blazhko and the light-time effects. The former has been investigated by studying the amplitude variations recorded in RR Lyr itself, firstly by Kepler and then by the network of the Very Tiny Telescopes (VTTs). The latter on the basis of the new spectroscopic observations of the most promising candidate, KIC 2831097. The start of the search for binary candidates in the RR Lyr stars observed with the TAROT telescopes is also announced.
RR Lyrae stars play an important role as distance indicators and stellar population tracers. In this context the construction of accurate pulsation models is crucial to understand the observed properties and to constrain the intrinsic stellar parameters of these pulsators. The physical mechanism driving pulsation in RR Lyrae stars has been known since the middle of the 20th century and many efforts have been performed during the last few decades in the construction of more and more refined pulsation models. In particular, nonlinear pulsation models including a nonlocal time-dependent treatment of convection, such as the ones originally developed in Los Alamos in the seventies, allow us to reproduce all the relevant observables of radial pulsation and to establish accurate relations and methods to constrain the intrinsic stellar properties and the distance of these variables. The most recent results on RR Lyrae pulsation obtained through these kinds of models will be presented and a few still debated problems will be discussed.
The variability of the spectral solar irradiance (SSI) over the course of the 11-year solar cycle is one of the manifestations of solar magnetic activity. There is a strong evidence that the SSI variability has an effect on the Earths atmosphere. The faster rotation of the Sun in the past lead to a more vigorous action of solar dynamo and thus potentially to larger amplitude of the SSI variability on the timescale of the solar activity cycle. This could led to a stronger response of the Earths atmosphere as well as other solar system planets atmospheres to the solar activity cycle. We calculate the amplitude of the SSI and TSI variability over the course of the solar activity cycle as a function of solar age. We employ the relationship between the stellar magnetic activity and the age based on observations of solar twins. Using this relation we reconstruct solar magnetic activity and the corresponding solar disk area coverages by magnetic features (i.e. spots and faculae) over the last four billion years. These disk coverages are then used to calculate the amplitude of the solar-cycle SSI variability as a function of wavelength and solar age. Our calculations show that the young Sun was significantly more variable than the present Sun. The amplitude of the solar-cycle Total Solar Irradiance (TSI) variability of the 600 Myr old Sun was about 10 times larger than that of the present Sun. Furthermore, the variability of the young Sun was spot-dominated (the Sun being brighter at the activity minimum than in the maximum), i.e. the Sun was overall brighter at activity minima than at maxima. The amplitude of the TSI variability decreased with solar age until it reached a minimum value at 2.8 Gyr. After this point, the TSI variability is faculae-dominated (the Sun is brighter at the activity maximum) and its amplitude increases with age.
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