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Register a new userRomanos star in M33 - LBV candidate or LBV?
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Added by
Radostin Georgiev Kurtev
Publication date
2001
fields
Physics
and research's language is
English
Authors
R.Kurtev
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We present the light curve of Luminous Blue Variable candidate star GR290 (Romanos star) in M33. The photographic photometry was made in photographic plates taken in B band of the M33 galaxy and cover an eight year period, 1982 - 1990. Twenty five plates, separated in seven groups, have been used. CCD B magnitude of the star is also presented. The analysis of our data together with the Romanos magnitudes (1978) shows normal eruptions with amplitude of more than 1 mag and timescale of about 20 years and smaller oscillations with amplitude 0.5 mag and a period of about 320 days. This is a typical photometrical behavior for LBVs.
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We study the long term, S Dor-type variability and the present hot phase of the LBV star GR290 (Romanos Star) in M33 in order to investigate possible links between the LBV and WNL stages of very massive stars. We use intermediate resolution spectra, obtained with WHT in December 2008, when GR290 was at minimum (V = 18.6), as well as new low resolution spectra and B V R I photometry obtained with the Loiano and Cima Ekar telescopes during 2007-2010. We identify more than 80 emission lines in the 3100-10000 A range, belonging to different species and to forbidden transitions. Many lines, especially the HeI triplets, show a P Cygni profile with an a-e radial velocity difference from -300 to -500 km/s. The shape of the 4630-4713 A emission blend and of other emission lines resembles that of WN9 stars; the blend deconvolution shows that the HeII 4686 A has a strong broad component with FWHM simeq 1700 km/s. During 2003-2010 the star underwent large spectral variations, best seen in the 4630-4686 A emission feature. Using the late-WN spectral types of Crowther & Smith (1997), GR290 apparently varied between the WN11 and WN8-9 spectral types, the hotter being the star the fainter its visual magnitude. This spectrum-visual luminosity anticorrelation of GR290 is reminiscent of the behaviour of the best studied LBVs. During the 2008 minimum we find a significant decrease in bolometric luminosity, which could be attributed to absorption by newly formed circumstellar matter. We suggest that, presently, the broad 4686 A line and the optical continuum are formed in a central WR region, while the narrow emission line spectrum originate in an extended, slowly expanding envelope, that is composed by matter ejected during previous high luminosity phases, and ionized by the central nucleus. GR290 could have just entered in a phase preceeding the transition from the LBV state to late WN type.
The most massive evolved stars (above 50 M_sun) undergo a phase of extreme mass loss in which their evolution is reversed from a redward to a blueward motion in the HRD. In this phase the stars are known as Luminous Blue Variables (LBVs) and they are located in the HRD close to the Humphreys-Davidson limit. It is far from understood what causes the strong mass loss or what triggers the so-called giant eruptions, active events in which in a short time a large amount of mass is ejected. Here I will present results from a larger project devoted to better understand LBVs through studying the LBV nebulae. These nebulae are formed as a consequence of the strong mass loss. The analysis concentrates on the morphology and kinematics of these nebulae. Of special concern was the frequently observed bipolar nature of the LBV nebulae. Bipolarity seems to be a general feature and strongly constrains models of the LBV phase and especially of the formation of the nebulae. In addition we found outflows from LBV nebulae, the first evidence for ongoing instabilities in the nebulae.
MCA-1B (also called UIT003) is a luminous hot star in the western outskirts of M33, classified over 20yr ago with a spectral type of Ofpe/WN9 and identified then as a candidate luminous blue variable (LBV). Palomar Transient Factory data reveal that this star brightened in 2010, with a light curve resembling that of the classic LBV star AFAnd in M31. Other Ofpe/WN9 stars have erupted as LBVs, but MCA-1B was unusual because it remained hot. It showed a WN-type spectrum throughout its eruption, whereas LBVs usually get much cooler. MCA-1B showed an almost four-fold increase in bolometric luminosity and a doubling of its radius, but its temperature stayed around 29kK. As it faded, it shifted to even hotter temperatures, exhibiting a WN7/WN8-type spectrum, and doubling its wind speed. MCA-1B is reminiscent of some supernova impostors, and its location resembles the isolated environment of SN 2009ip. It is most similar to HD5980 (in the SMC) and GR 290 (also in M33). Whereas these two LBVs exhibited B-type spectra in eruption, MCA-1B is the first clear case where a Wolf-Rayet (WR) spectrum persisted at all times. Together, MCA-1B, HD 5980, and GR 290 constitute a class of WN-type LBVs, distinct from S Doradus LBVs. They are most interesting in the context of LBVs at low metallicity, a possible post-LBV/WR transition in binaries, and as likely Type~Ibn supernova progenitors.
So far the highly unstable phase of luminous blue variables (LBVs) has not been understood well. It is still uncertain why and which massive stars enter this phase. Investigating the variabilities by looking for a possible regular or even (semi-)periodic behaviour could give a hint at the underlying mechanism for these variations and might answer the question of where these variabilities originate. Finding out more about the LBV phase also means understanding massive stars better in general, which have (e.g. by enriching the ISM with heavy elements, providing ionising radiation and kinetic energy) a strong and significant influence on the ISM, hence also on their host galaxy. Photometric and spectroscopic data were taken for the LBV Var C in M33 to investigate its recent status. In addition, scanned historic plates, archival data, and data from the literature were gathered to trace Var Cs behaviour in the past. Its long-term variability and periodicity was investigated. Our investigation of the variability indicates possible (semi-)periodic behaviour with a period of 42.3 years for Var C. That Var Cs light curve covers a time span of more than 100 years means that more than two full periods of the cycle are visible. The critical historic maximum around 1905 is less strong but discernible even with the currently rare historic data. The semi-periodic and secular structure of the light curve is similar to the one of LMC R71. Both light curves hint at a new aspect in the evolution of LBVs.
We present an analysis of the kinematic and morphological structure of the nebula around the LMC LBV candidate S 119. On HST images, we find a predominantly spherical nebula which, however, seems to be much better confined in its eastern hemisphere than in the western one. The filamentary western part of the nebula is indicative of matter flowing out of the nebulas main body. This outflow is even more evidenced by our long-slit echelle spectra. They show that, while most of the nebula has an expansion velocity of 25.5 km/s, the outflowing material reaches velocities of almost 140 km/s, relative to the systemic one. A ROSAT HRI image shows no trace of S 119 and thus no indications of hot or shocked material.
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