First Detection of Radio Emission Associated with a Classical Cepheid

Abstract

We report the detection of 15 GHz radio continuum emission associated with the classical Cepheid variable star δ Cephei (δ Cep) based on observations with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array. Our results constitute the first probable detection of radio continuum emission from a classical Cepheid. We observed the star at pulsation phase ϕ ≈ 0.43 (corresponding to the phase of maximum radius and minimum temperature) during three pulsation cycles in late 2018 and detected statistically significant emission (>5σ) during one of the three epochs. The observed radio emission appears to be variable at a ≳10% level on timescales of days to weeks. We also present an upper limit on the 10 GHz flux density at pulsation phase ϕ = 0.31 from an observation in 2014. We discuss possible mechanisms that may produce the observed 15 GHz emission, but cannot make a conclusive identification from the present data. The emission does not appear to be consistent with originating from a close-in, late-type dwarf companion, although this scenario cannot yet be strictly excluded. Previous X-ray observations have shown that δ Cep undergoes periodic increases in X-ray flux during pulsation phase ϕ ≈ 0.43. The lack of radio detection in two out of three observing epochs at ϕ ≈ 0.43 suggests that either the radio emission is not linked with a particular pulsation phase, or else that the strength of the generated radio emission in each pulsation cycle is variable.