Aims. We present the results of an automated variability analysis of the Kepler public data measured in the first quarter (Q1) of the mission. In total, about 150 000 light curves have been analysed ...to detect stellar variability and to identify new members of known variability classes. We also focus on detecting variables present in eclipsing binary systems, given the strong constraints on stellar fundamental parameters they can provide. Methods. The methodology we use here is based on the automated variability classification pipeline, which was previously developed for and successfully applied to the CoRoT exofield database and to the limited subset of a few thousand Kepler asteroseismology light curves. We use a Fourier decomposition of the light curves to describe their variability behaviour and use the resulting parameters to perform a supervised classification. Several improvements were made, including a separate extractor method to detect the presence of eclipses when other variability is present in the light curves. We also included two new variability classes compared to previous work: variables showing signs of rotational modulation and of activity. Results. Statistics are given on the number of variables and the number of good candidates per class. A comparison is made with results obtained for the CoRoT exoplanet data. We present some special discoveries, including variable stars in eclipsing binary systems. Many new candidate non-radial pulsators are found, mainly δ Sct and γ Dor stars. We studied those samples in more detail by using 2MASS colours, and the full classification results are made available as an online catalogue.
Context. The MOST, CoRoT, and Kepler space missions have led to the discovery of a large number of intriguing, and in some cases unique, objects among which are pulsating stars, stars hosting ...exoplanets, binaries, etc. Although the space missions have delivered photometric data of unprecedented quality, these data are lacking any spectral information and we are still in need of ground-based spectroscopic and/or multicolour photometric follow-up observations for a solid interpretation. Aims. The faintness of most of the observed stars and the required high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of spectroscopic data both imply the need to use large telescopes, access to which is limited. In this paper, we look for an alternative, and aim for the development of a technique that allows the denoising of the originally low S/N (typically, below 80) spectroscopic data, making observations of faint targets with small telescopes possible and effective. Methods. We present a generalization of the original least-squares deconvolution (LSD) method by implementing a multicomponent average profile and a line strengths correction algorithm. We tested the method on simulated and real spectra of single and binary stars, among which are two intrinsically variable objects. Results. The method was successfully tested on the high-resolution spectra of Vega and a Kepler star, KIC 04749989. Application to the two pulsating stars, 20 Cvn and HD 189631, showed that the technique is also applicable to intrinsically variable stars: the results of frequency analysis and mode identification from the LSD model spectra for both objects are in good agreement with the findings from literature. Depending on the S/N of the original data and spectral characteristics of a star, the gain in S/N in the LSD model spectrum typically ranges from 5 to 15 times. Conclusions. The technique introduced in this paper allows an effective denoising of the originally low S/N spectroscopic data. The high S/N spectra obtained this way can be used to determine fundamental parameters and chemical composition of the stars. The restored LSD model spectra contain all the information on line profile variations present in the original spectra of pulsating stars, for example. The method is applicable to both high- (>30 000) and low- (<30 000) resolution spectra, although the information that can be extracted from the latter is limited by the resolving power itself.
Gamma Doradus stars (hereafter gamma Dor stars) are gravity-mode pulsators of spectral type A or F. Such modes probe the deep stellar interior, offering a detailed fingerprint of their structure. ...Four-year high-precision space-based Kepler photometry of gamma Dor stars has become available, allowing us to study these stars with unprecedented detail. We selected, analyzed, and characterized a sample of 67 gamma Dor stars for which we have Kepler observations available. For all the targets in the sample we assembled high-resolution spectroscopy to confirm their F-type nature. We found fourteen binaries, among which are four single-lined binaries, five double-lined binaries, two triple systems, and three binaries with no detected radial velocity variations. We estimated the orbital parameters whenever possible. For the single stars and the single-lined binaries, fundamental parameter values were determined from spectroscopy. We searched for period spacing patterns in the photometric data and identified this diagnostic for 50 of the stars in the sample, 46 of which are single stars or single-lined binaries. We found a strong correlation between the spectroscopic v sin iand the period spacing values, confirming the influence of rotation on gamma Dor-type pulsations as predicted by theory. We also found relations between the dominant g-mode frequency, the longest pulsation period detected in series of prograde modes, v sin i, and log T sub(eff).
Aims. We present a mid-IR interferometric survey of the circumstellar environment of a specific class of post-asymptotic giant branch (post-AGB) binaries. For this class the presence of a compact ...dusty disk has been postulated on the basis of various spatially unresolved measurements. The aim is to determine the angular extent of the N-band emission directly and to resolve the compact circumstellar structures. Methods. Our interferometric survey was performed with the MIDI instrument on the VLTI. In total 19 different systems were observed using variable baseline configurations. Combining all the visibilities at a single wavelength at 10.7 μm, we fitted two parametric models to the data: a uniform disk and a ring model mimicking a temperature gradient. We compared our observables of the whole sample, with synthetic data computed from a grid of radiative transfer models of passively irradiated disks in hydrostatic equilibrium. These models are computed with a Monte Carlo code that has been widely applied to describe the structure of protoplanetary disks around young stellar objects (YSO). Results. The spatially resolved observations show that the majority of our targets cluster closely together in the distance-independent size-colour diagram, and have extremely compact N-band emission regions. The typical uniform disk diameter of the N-band emission region is ~40 mas, which corresponds to a typical brightness temperature of 400–600 K. The resolved objects display very similar characteristics in the interferometric observables and in the spectral energy distributions. Therefore, the physical properties of the disks around our targets must be similar. Our results are discussed in the light of recently published sample studies of YSOs to compare quantitatively the secondary discs around post-AGB stars to the ones around YSOs. Conclusions. Our high-angular-resolution survey further confirms the disk nature of the circumstellar structures present around wide post-AGB binaries. The grid of protoplanetary disk models covers very well the observed objects. Much like for young stars, the spatially resolved N-band emission region is determined by the hot inner rim of the disk. Continued comparisons between post-AGB and protoplanetary disks will help to understand grain growth and disk evolution processes, and to constrain planet formation theories. These second-generation disks are an important missing ingredient in binary evolution theory of intermediate-mass stars.
ABSTRACT
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 Teff, log g, M/H and v sin i from newly obtained spectra and compute the spectral energy distribution from literature photometry to get an independent measure of Teff. We find that most of the derived Teff 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.
Context. The stellar halo holds some of the best preserved fossils of Galactic formation history that can be detected as overdensities. The detection and analysis of merger by-products within the ...halo enables the reconstruction of the accretion history of the Milky Way. Upcoming large-scale all-sky surveys such as Gaia and The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) will provide a huge and rich data set, which at the same time poses challenges for automated halo debris detection. Aims. We investigate the overdensity detection algorithm Ordering Points To Identify the Clustering Structure (OPTICS) as a method to identify tidal debris in the Galactic halo with large-scale surveys, as well as the variant FOPTICS which is capable of handling data sets with multi-dimensional uncertainty ellipsoids. Methods. We applied OPTICS to the a simulated Galactic stellar Halo to assess the detection performance. Additionally, we tested the performance of FOPTICS is tested by introducing uncertainty ellipsoids to the 6D phase space of two test cases. We present the Jaccard index as an alternative way to test the stability of halo debris overdensity detections without the need for a local background density estimate. Results. We optimized the OPTICS overdensity detection algorithm so that it has a slightly superlinear run-time complexity, making the method suitable for large-scale surveys. Our test on a mock galactic halo in 6D phase space shows an excellent capability to not only detect the compact dense clusters, but also the larger streams that cover a significant part of the sky. The output of OPTICS, the so-called 2D reachability diagram, proved to be a very useful tool to grasp the size, density, and substructure of the overdensities without needing to resort to complex projections of the 6D phase space. Using FOPTICS, we show the effects of introducing uncertainty ellipsoids in the 6D phase space on the retrieved tidal streams, and how the detectability of a cluster depends on whether its size and density is sufficiently large to overcome the effects of the uncertainties on the attributes.
Context. Detached eclipsing binaries (dEBs) are ideal targets for accurately measuring the masses and radii of their component stars. If at least one of the stars has evolved off the main sequence ...(MS), the masses and radii give a strict constraint on the age of the stars. Several dEBs containing a bright K giant and a fainter MS star have been discovered by the Kepler satellite. The mass and radius of a red giant (RG) star can also be derived from its asteroseismic signal. The parameters determined in this way depend on stellar models and may contain systematic errors. It is important to validate the asteroseismically determined mass and radius with independent methods. This can be done when stars are members of stellar clusters or members of dEBs. Aims. This paper presents an analysis of the dEB system KIC 8410637, which consists of an RG and an MS star. The aim is to derive accurate masses and radii for both components and provide the foundation for a strong test of the asteroseismic method and the accuracy of the deduced mass, radius, and age. Methods. We analysed high-resolution, high-signal-to-noise spectra from three different spectrographs. We also calculated a fit to the Kepler light curve and used ground-based photometry to determine the flux ratios between the component stars in the BVRI passbands. Results. We measured the masses and radii of the stars in the dEB, and the classical parameters Teff, log g, and Fe/H from the spectra and ground-based photometry. The RG component of KIC 8410637 is most likely in the core helium-burning red clump phase of evolution and has an age and composition that are very similar to the stars in the open cluster NGC 6819. The mass of the RG in KIC 8410637 should therefore be similar to the mass of RGs in NGC 6819, thus lending support to the latest version of the asteroseismic scaling relations. This is the first direct measurement of both mass and radius for an RG to be compared with values for RGs from asteroseismic scaling relations thereby providing an accurate comparison. We find excellent agreement between log g values derived from the binary analysis and asteroseismic scaling relations. Conclusions. We have determined the masses and radii of the two stars in the binary accurately. A detailed asteroseismic analysis will be presented in a forthcoming paper, allowing an informative comparison between the parameters determined for the dEB and from asteroseismology.
We present a detailed analysis and interpretation of the high-mass binary V380 Cyg, based on high-precision space photometry gathered with the Kepler space mission as well as high-resolution ...ground-based spectroscopy obtained with the HERMES spectrograph attached to the 1.2 m Mercator telescope. We derive a precise orbital solution and the full physical properties of the system, including dynamical component mass estimates of 11.43 ± 0.19 and 7.00 ± 0.14 M for the primary and secondary, respectively. Our frequency analysis reveals the rotation frequency of the primary in both the photometric and spectroscopic data and additional low-amplitude stochastic variability at low frequency in the space photometry with characteristics that are compatible with recent theoretical predictions for gravity-mode oscillations excited either by the convective core or by sub-surface convective layers. Doppler imaging analysis of the silicon lines of the primary suggests the presence of two high-contrast stellar surface abundance spots which are located either at the same latitude or longitude. Comparison of the observed properties of the binary with present-day single-star evolutionary models shows that the latter are inadequate and lack a serious amount of near-core mixing.
Semi-regular (SR) variables are not a homogeneous class and their variability is often explained due to pulsations and/or binarity. This study focuses on IRAS 19135+3937, an SRd variable with an ...infrared excess indicative of a dusty disc. A time series of high-resolution spectra, UBV photometry as well as a very accurate light curve obtained by the Kepler satellite, allowed us to study the object in unprecedented detail. We discovered it to be a binary with a period of 127 d. The primary has a low surface gravity and an atmosphere depleted in refractory elements. This combination of properties unambiguously places IRAS 19135+3937 in the subclass of post-asymptotic giant branch stars with dusty discs. We show that the light variations in this object cannot be due to pulsations, but are likely caused by the obscuration of the primary by the circumbinary disc during orbital motion. Furthermore, we argue that the double-peaked Fe emission lines provide evidence for the existence of a gaseous circumbinary Keplerian disc inside the dusty disc. A secondary set of absorption lines has been detected near light minimum, which we attribute to the reflected spectrum of the primary on the disc wall, which segregates due to the different Doppler shift. This corroborates the recent finding that reflection in the optical by this type of discs is very efficient. The system also shows a variable H α profile indicating a collimated outflow originating around the companion. IRAS 19135+3937 thus encompasses all the major emergent trends about evolved disc systems, that will eventually help to place these objects in the evolutionary context.
Stellar evolution models are most uncertain for evolved massive stars. Asteroseismology based on high-precision uninterrupted space photometry has become a new way to test the outcome of stellar ...evolution theory and was recently applied to a multitude of stars, but not yet to massive evolved supergiants.Our aim is to detect, analyse and interpret the photospheric and wind variability of the O9.5 Iab star HD 188209 from Kepler space photometry and long-term high-resolution spectroscopy. We used Kepler scattered-light photometry obtained by the nominal mission during 1460 d to deduce the photometric variability of this O-type supergiant. In addition, we assembled and analysed high-resolution high signal-to-noise spectroscopy taken with four spectrographs during some 1800 d to interpret the temporal spectroscopic variability of the star. The variability of this blue supergiant derived from the scattered-light space photometry is in full in agreement with the one found in the ground-based spectroscopy. We find significant low-frequency variability that is consistently detected in all spectral lines of HD 188209. The photospheric variability propagates into the wind, where it has similar frequencies but slightly higher amplitudes. The morphology of the frequency spectra derived from the long-term photometry and spectroscopy points towards a spectrum of travelling waves with frequency values in the range expected for an evolved O-type star. Convectively-driven internal gravity waves excited in the stellar interior offer the most plausible explanation of the detected variability.
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