ROTATION AND GRANULATION OF THE K2 GIANT α SER

Abstract

ABSTRACT The red giant α Ser was observed over 10 seasons, 2001–2010, at the Elginfield Observatory with the high-resolution coudé spectrograph. Season-mean radial velocities appear to show a small secular rise ∼11 ± 3 m s−1 yr−1. The absolute spectroscopic radial velocity with convective blueshifts taken into account is 2730 m s−1. Ten line-depth ratios were investigated and show that the star's temperature is constant with any secular variation below 1.3 ± 1.0 K over the 11 years of observation. Fourier analysis of the line broadening yields v sin i = 2.0 ± 0.3 km s−1 and a radial-tangential macroturbulence dispersion ζ RT = 4.50 ± 0.10 km s−1. The third-granulation-signature plot shows that the granulation velocities of α Ser are only 0.55 ± 0.10 as large as the Sun's. The line bisector of Fe i λ6253 has the usual “C” shape and when mapped onto the third-signature plot results in a flux deficit that is slightly broader than seen in other measured K giants. The deficit fractional area of 12.3 ± 1.5% suggests a temperature difference between granules and lanes of 105 K as seen averaged over the stellar disk.