Low-frequency variability and binarity of theδScuti star XX Pyx

Abstract

We analyse 147 h of single-site CCD time series photometry of the multiperiodic low-amplitude δ Scuti star XX Pyx with the aim of investigating variability at low frequencies. Part of the data were obtained in the context of the 1998 multisite campaign on XX Pyx, the results of which were described by Handler et al. We find that periodic low-frequency variations are present in the XX Pyx light curves, and we detect two frequencies at fA=0.8695 cycle d−1 and fB=1.7352 cycle d−1, respectively, with amplitudes of 4.5 and 5.4 mmag. The low-frequency variability is intrinsic to XX Pyx, and cannot be attributed to instrumental or atmospheric effects. The near 2:1 ratio of the frequencies leads us to suggest that XX Pyx is a δ Scuti star in a binary system, with a possible binary period of 27.6 h. This is strongly supported by the detection of radial velocity variations from the re-analysis of echelle spectra obtained by Handler et al. However, in the absence of a spectroscopic period, alternative explanations of the photometric variability involving pulsation are also possible; the variations occur close to possible combination frequencies of the short-period (δ Scuti) variations, but high Q values of 0.57 and 0.28 d suggest that the variations are not a result of normal (p-)modes. They could possibly be due to g-modes excited to observable amplitudes as a result of resonance effects. Surface features (spots) are unlikely to be the cause of the variations. We searched for combination frequencies ( fi−fj), f being the normal δ Scuti frequencies detected by Handler et al., but failed to detect any.