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EROS 2 photometry of probable R Coronae Borealis stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud

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 نشر من قبل Jean-Baptiste Marquette
 تاريخ النشر 2004
  مجال البحث فيزياء
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EROS 2 (Experience de Recherche dObjets Sombres) conducted a survey of the SMC between July 1996 and February 2003 in two EROS broad-band colours, V_E and R_E. The photometric data of 4.2 million stars have been searched for behaviour typical of R Coronae Borealis (RCB) candidates such as drastic changes in magnitude. Five objects have been found, four of them being catalogued in the Simbad database as RAW 21, RAW 233, RAW 476, and [MH95] 431 with confirmed carbon-rich atmospheres, characteristic of RCB. From the EROS 2 light curve of RAW 21 and its spectrum reported by Morgan et al. (2003), we confirm that it is the first RCB to be found in the SMC. The other objects are new RCB candidates with absolute luminosity and colour close to those found for RCBs in the LMC. We propose that 2 of them are DY Per-like RCBs.

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Rare types of variable star may give unique insight into short-lived stages of stellar evolution. The systematic monitoring of millions of stars and advanced light curve analysis techniques of microlensing surveys make them ideal for discovering also such rare variable stars. One example is the R Coronae Borealis (RCB) stars, a rare type of evolved carbon-rich supergiant. We have conducted a systematic search of the EROS-2 database for the Galactic catalogue Bulge and spiral arms to find Galactic RCB stars. The light curves of $sim$100 million stars, monitored for 6.7 years (from July 1996 to February 2003), have been analysed to search for the main signature of RCB stars, large and rapid drops in luminosity. Follow-up spectroscopy has been used to confirm the photometric candidates. We have discovered 14 new RCB stars, all in the direction of the Galactic Bulge, bringing the total number of confirmed Galactic RCB stars to about 51. After reddening correction, the colours and absolute magnitudes of at least 9 of the stars are similar to those of Magellanic RCB stars. This suggests that these stars are in fact located in the Galactic Bulge, making them the first RCB stars discovered in the Bulge. The localisation of the 5 remaining RCBs is more uncertain: 4 are either located behind the Bulge at an estimated maximum distance of 14 kpc or have an unusual thick circumstellar shell; the other is a DY Per RCB which may be located in the Bulge, even if it is fainter than the known Magellanic DY Per. From the small scale height found using the 9 new Bulge RCBs, $61<h^{RCB}_{Bulge}<246$ pc (95% C.L.), we conclude that the RCB stars follow a disk-like distribution inside the Bulge.
R Coronae Borealis stars (RCB) are a rare type of evolved carbon-rich supergiant stars that are increasingly thought to result from the merger of two white dwarfs, called the Double degenerate scenario. This scenario is also studied as a source, at h igher mass, of type Ia Supernovae (SnIa) explosions. Therefore a better understanding of RCBs composition would help to constrain simulations of such events. We searched for and studied RCB stars in the EROS Magellanic Clouds database. We also extended our research to DY Per type stars (DYPers) that are expected to be cooler RCBs (T~3500 K) and much more numerous than their hotter counterparts. The light curves of ~70 millions stars have been analysed to search for the main signature of RCBs and DYPers: a large drop in luminosity. Follow-up optical spectroscopy was used to confirm each photometric candidate found. We have discovered and confirmed 6 new Magellanic Cloud RCB stars and 7 new DYPers, but also listed new candidates: 3 RCBs and 14 DYPers. We estimated a range of Magellanic RCB shell temperatures between 360 and 600 K. We confirm the wide range of absolute luminosity known for RCB stars, M_V~-5.2 to -2.6. Our study further shows that mid-infrared surveys are ideal to search for RCB stars, since they have thinner and cooler circumstellar shells than classical post-AGB stars. In addition, by increasing the number of known DYPers by ~400%, we have been able to shed light on the similarities in the spectral energy distribution between DYPers and ordinary carbon stars. We also observed that DYPer circumstellar shells are fainter and hotter than those of RCBs. This suggests that DYPers may simply be ordinary carbon stars with ejection events, but more abundance analysis is necessary to give a status on a possible evolutionnary connexion between RCBs and DYPers.
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The R Coronae Borealis (RCB) stars are rare hydrogen-deficient, carbon-rich, supergiants, best known for their spectacular declines in brightness at irregular intervals. Efforts to discover more RCB stars have more than doubled the number known in th e last few years and they appear to be members of an old, bulge population. Two evolutionary scenarios have been suggested for producing an RCB star, a double degenerate merger of two white dwarfs, or a final helium shell flash in a planetary nebula central star. The evidence pointing toward one or the other is somewhat contradictory, but the discovery that RCB stars have large amounts of 18O has tilted the scales towards the merger scenario. If the RCB stars are the product of white dwarf mergers, this would be a very exciting result since RCB stars would then be low-mass analogs of type Ia supernovae. The predicted number of RCB stars in the Galaxy is consistent with the predicted number of He/CO WD mergers. But, so far, only about 65 of the predicted 5000 RCB stars in the Galaxy have been discovered. The mystery has yet to be solved.
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