We present a spectroscopic survey of known and candidate γ Doradus stars. The high-resolution, high signal-to-noise spectra of 52 objects were collected by five different spectrographs. The spectral ...classification, atmospheric parameters (T
eff, log g, ξ), vsin i and chemical composition of the stars were derived. The stellar spectral and luminosity classes were found between G0–A7 and IV–V, respectively. The initial values for T
eff and log g were determined from the photometric indices and spectral energy distribution. Those parameters were improved by the analysis of hydrogen lines. The final values of T
eff, log g and ξ were derived from the iron lines analysis. The T
eff values were found between 6000 K and 7900 K, while log g values range from 3.8 to 4.5 dex. Chemical abundances and vsin i values were derived by the spectrum synthesis method. The vsin i values were found between 5 and 240 km s−1. The chemical abundance pattern of γ Doradus stars were compared with the pattern of non-pulsating stars. It turned out that there is no significant difference in abundance patterns between these two groups. Additionally, the relations between the atmospheric parameters and the pulsation quantities were checked. A strong correlation between the vsin i and the pulsation periods of γ Doradus variables was obtained. The accurate positions of the analysed stars in the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram have been shown. Most of our objects are located inside or close to the blue edge of the theoretical instability strip of γ Doradus.
A precise characterisation of the red giants in the seismology fields of the CoRoT satellite is a prerequisite for further in-depth seismic modelling. High-resolution FEROS and HARPS spectra were ...obtained as part of the ground-based follow-up campaigns for 19 targets holding great asteroseismic potential. These data are used to accurately estimate their fundamental parameters and the abundances of 16 chemical species in a self-consistent manner. Some powerful probes of mixing are investigated (the Li and CNO abundances, as well as the carbon isotopic ratio in a few cases). The information provided by the spectroscopic and seismic data is combined to provide more accurate physical parameters and abundances. The stars in our sample follow the general abundance trends as a function of the metallicity observed in stars of the Galactic disk. After an allowance is made for the chemical evolution of the interstellar medium, the observational signature of internal mixing phenomena is revealed through the detection at the stellar surface of the products of the CN cycle. A contamination by NeNa-cycled material in the most massive stars is also discussed. With the asteroseismic constraints, these data will pave the way for a detailed theoretical investigation of the physical processes responsible for the transport of chemical elements in evolved, low- and intermediate-mass stars.
Context. The availability of asteroseismic constraints for a large sample of red giant stars from the CoRoT and Kepler missions paves the way for various statistical studies of the seismic properties ...of stellar populations. Aims. We use a detailed spectroscopic study of 19 CoRoT red giant stars to compare theoretical stellar evolution models to observations of the open cluster NGC 6633 and field stars. Methods. In order to explore the effects of rotation-induced mixing and thermohaline instability, we compare surface abundances of carbon isotopic ratio and lithium with stellar evolution predictions. These chemicals are sensitive to extra-mixing on the red giant branch. Results. We estimate mass, radius, and distance for each star using the seismic constraints. We note that the Hipparcos and seismic distances are different. However, the uncertainties are such that this may not be significant. Although the seismic distances for the cluster members are self consistent they are somewhat larger than the Hipparcos distance. This is an issue that should be considered elsewhere. Models including thermohaline instability and rotation-induced mixing, together with the seismically determined masses can explain the chemical properties of red giant targets. However, with this sample of stars we cannot perform stringent tests of the current stellar models. Tighter constraints on the physics of the models would require the measurement of the core and surface rotation rates, and of the period spacing of gravity-dominated mixed modes. A larger number of stars with longer times series, as provided by Kepler or expected with Plato, would help ensemble asteroseismology.
Context. The results obtained by asteroseismology with data from space missions such as CoRoT and Kepler are providing new insights into stellar evolution. After five years of observations, CoRoT is ...continuing to provide high-quality data and we here present an analysis of the CoRoT observations of the double star HD 169392, complemented by ground-based spectroscopic observations. Aims. This work aims at characterising the fundamental parameters of the two stars, their chemical composition, the acoustic-mode global parameters including their individual frequencies, and their dynamics. Methods. We analysed HARPS observations of the two stars to derive their chemical compositions. Several methods were used and compared to determine the global properties of stars’ acoustic modes and their individual frequencies from the photometric data of CoRoT. Results. The new spectroscopic observations and archival astrometric values suggest that HD 169392 is a weakly bound wide binary system. We obtained spectroscopic parameters for both components which suggest that they originate from the same interstellar cloud. However, only the signature of oscillation modes of HD 169392 A was measured; the signal-to-noise ratio of the modes in HD 169392B is too low to allow any confident detection. For HD 169392 A we were able to extract parameters of modes for ℓ = 0, 1, 2, and 3. The analysis of splittings and inclination angle gives two possible solutions: one with with splittings and inclination angles of 0.4−1.0 μHz and 20 − 40°, the other with 0.2−0.5 μHz and 55−86°. Modelling this star using the Asteroseismic Modeling Portal (AMP) gives a mass of 1.15 ± 0.01 M⊙, a radius of 1.88 ± 0.02 R⊙, and an age of 4.33 ± 0.12 Gyr. The uncertainties come from estimated errors on the observables but do not include uncertainties on the surface layer correction or the physics of stellar models.
Aims. We present the results obtained with the CoRoT satellite for HD 50870, a δ Sct star which was observed for 114.4 d. The aim of these observations was to evaluate the results obtained for HD ...50844, the first δ Sct star monitored with CoRoT, on a longer time baseline. Methods. The 307,570 CoRoT datapoints were analysed with different techniques. The photometric observations were complemented over 15 nights of high-resolution spectroscopy with HARPS on a baseline of 25 d. These spectra were analysed to study the line profile variations and to derive the stellar physical parameters. Some uvby photometric observations were also obtained to better characterize the pulsation modes. Results. HD 50870 proved to be a low-amplitude, long-period spectroscopic binary system seen almost pole-on (i ≃ 21°). The brighter component, which also has the higher rotational velocity (vsini = 37.5 km s-1), is a δ Sct-type variable with a full light amplitude variation of about 0.04 mag. There is a dominant axisymmetric mode (17.16 d-1). Moreover, there are two groups of frequencies (about 19) in the intervals 6 − 9 and 13 − 18 d-1, with amplitudes ranging from a few mmag to 0.3 mmag. After the detection of about 250 terms (corresponding to an amplitude of about 0.045 mmag) a flat plateau appears in the power spectrum in the low-frequency region up to about 35 d-1. We were able to detect this plateau only thanks to the short cadence sampling of the CoRoT measurements (32 s). The density distribution vs. frequency of the detected frequencies seems to rule out the possibility that this plateau is the result of a process with a continuum power spectrum. The spacings of the strongest modes suggest a quasi-periodic pattern. We failed to find a satisfactory seismic model that simultaneously matches the frequency range, the position in the HR diagram, and the quasi-periodic pattern interpreted as a large separation. Nineteen modes were detected spectroscopically from the line profile variations and associated to the photometric ones. Tentative ℓ,m values have been attributed to the modes detected spectroscopically. Prograde as well as retrograde modes are present with ℓ values up to 9. There are no traces of variability induced by solar-like oscillations.
Context. HD 144277 was previously discovered by Microvariability and Oscillations of Stars (MOST) space photometry to be a young and hot δ Scuti star showing regular groups of pulsation frequencies. ...The first asteroseismic models required lower than solar metallicity to fit the observed frequency range based on a purely photometric analysis. Aims. The aim of the present paper is to determine, by means of high-resolution spectroscopy, fundamental stellar parameters required for the asteroseismic model of HD 144277, and subsequently, to refine it. Methods. High-resolution, high signal-to-noise spectroscopic data obtained with the HARPS spectrograph were used to determine the fundamental parameters and chemical abundances of HD 144277. These values were put into context alongside the results from asteroseismic models. Results. The effective temperature, Teff, of HD 144277 was determined as 8640 +300-100 K, log g is 4.14 ± 0.15 and the projected rotational velocity, υsini, is 62.0 ± 2.0 km s-1. As the υsini value is significantly larger than previously assumed, we refined the first asteroseimic model accordingly. The overall metallicity Z was determined to be 0.011 where the light elements He, C, O, Na, and S show solar chemical composition, but the heavier elements are significantly underabundant. In addition, the radius of HD 144277 was determined to be 1.55 ± 0.65 R⊙ from spectral energy distribution fitting, based on photometric data taken from the literature. Conclusions. From the spectroscopic observations, we could confirm our previous assumption from asteroseismic models that HD 144277 has less than solar metallicity. The fundamental parameters derived from asteroseismology, Teff, log g, L/L⊙ and R/R⊙ agree within one sigma to the values found from spectroscopic analysis. As the υsini value is significantly higher than assumed in the first analysis, near-degeneracies and rotational mode coupling were taken into account in the new models. These suggest that HD 144277 has an equatorial rotational velocity of about 80 km s-1 and is seen equator-on. The observed frequencies are identified as prograde modes.
Aims. The detection of small-amplitude nonradial modes in high-amplitude δ Sct (HADS) variables has been very elusive until at least five of them were detected in the light curve of V974 Oph obtained ...from ground-based observations. The combination of radial and nonradial modes has a high asteroseismic potential, thanks to the strong constraints we can put in the modelling. The continuous monitoring of ASAS 192647-0030.0 ≡ CoRoT 101155310 (P = 0.1258 d, V = 13.4) ensured from space by the CoRoT (COnvection, ROtation and planetary Transits) mission constitutes a unique opportunity to exploit such potential. Methods. The 22270 CoRoT measurements were performed in the chromatic mode. They span 152 d and cover 1208 consecutive cycles. After the correction for one jump and the long-term drift, the level of the noise turned out to be 29 μmag. The phase shifts and amplitude ratios of the coloured CoRoT data, the HARPS spectra, and the period-luminosity relation were used to determine a self-consistent physical model. In turn, it allowed us to model the oscillation spectrum, also giving feedback on the internal structure of the star. Results. In addition to the fundamental radial mode f1 = 7.949 d-1 with harmonics up to 10f1, we detected 12 independent terms. Linear combinations were also found and the light curve was solved by means of 61 frequencies (smallest amplitude 0.10 mmag). The newest result is the detection of a periodic modulation of the f1 mode (triplets at ± 0.193 d-1 centred on f1 and 2f1), discussed as a rotational effect or as an extension of the Blazhko effect to HADS stars. The physical model suggests that CoRoT 101155310 is an evolved star, with a slight subsolar metallic abundance, close to the terminal age main sequence. All the 12 additional terms are identified with mixed modes in the predicted overstable region.
High resolution spectroscopic observations obtained in 1995 of the delta Scuti star BV Circini are analyzed and the results compared with those obtained by Mantegazza et al. (2002) from spectroscopic ...observations in 1996 and 1998. Non-radial pulsation modes both of low and high degree have been observed. Most of them are the same detected in the other two campaigns, however the strongest high-degree one (14.62 cd super(-1)) is different from that observed in 1996 (13.85 cd super(-1)), which in turn is different from that observed in 1998 (17.28 cd super(-1)). The 13.85 cd super(-1) mode is the only one of these independently detected in the three seasons, in which it kept about the same amplitude. One high-degree retrograde mode at 1.48 cd super(-1) has been independently detected in the three campaigns. The mode amplitude variations are discussed and it is shown that large variations can occur from one year to the next. The mode identifications performed on the three datasets by means of the fit of line profile variations supply results in good agreement among themselves. The high degree prograde modes have azimuthal orders between 12 and 14, while the retrograde one is about 7. Finally the stellar pulsation spectrum as derived from all the available spectroscopic and photometric data, and which consists of about 20 terms, is discussed.
Context. Prior analysis of the light curve of the eclipsing binary ψ Cen has shown the possible presence of g-mode pulsations. Aims. We will try to confirm this claim by means of the analysis of ...high-resolution and high signal-to-noise echelle spectrograms. Methods. We studied both the radial velocity curve and the line profile variations of ψ Cen. Results. We obtained accurate measurements of the masses and radii of the two components. Regarding the study of pulsations, the orbital motion of the stars can explain all the observed variations in the spectrograms. Conclusions. There is no evidence of g-mode pulsations in ψ Cen in the spectroscopic data.
Gravity modes present in γ Doradus stars probe the deep stellar interiors and are thus of particular interest in asteroseismology. Mode identification will improve the knowledge of these stars ...considerably and allow an understanding of the issues with current pulsational models. A frequency analysis followed by a mode identification were done based on the high-resolution spectroscopic data of two γ Doradus stars: HD 189631 and HD 40745. Extensive spectroscopic data sets are obtained by three instruments: HARPS, FEROS and HERCULES. We obtained 422 spectra for HD 189631 and 248 spectra for HD 40745. The pulsational frequencies were determined by four methods: analysis of the variation in equivalent width, variation in radial velocity, asymmetry of the line profile and the pixel-by-pixel frequency analysis. The mode identification was done using the recently developed Fourier Parameter Fit method. Without achieving the same degree of confidence for all results, we report the identification of four pulsational modes in HD 189631: (ℓ= 1; m =+1) at f
1= 1.67 d−1; (3; −2) at f
2= 1.42 d−1; (2; −2) at f
3= 0.07 d−1; and (4; +1) at f
4= 1.82 d−1; and two modes in HD 40745: (2; −1) at f
1= 0.75 d−1 and (3; −3) at f
2= 1.09 d−1. This study provides the first pulsational analysis based on spectroscopy of HD 189631 and HD 40745. We discuss the performance of current methods of analysis and outline the difficulties presented by γ Doradus stars.
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