Spectroscopic studies of the classical Cepheid ζ Gem: Analysis of the velocity field in the atmosphere and manifestation of the presence of a circumstellar envelope

Abstract

Based on five high-resolution spectra in the range 5625–7525 ˚A taken in 1995 and covering the ascending branch of the light curve from minimum to maximum, we have performed spectroscopic studies of the classical Cepheid ζ Gem. The atmospheric parameters and chemical composition of the Cepheid have been refined. The abundances of the key elements of the evolution of yellow supergiants are typical for an object that has passed the first dredge-up: a C underabundance, N, Na, and Al overabundances, and nearly solar O and Mg abundances. We have estimated [Fe/H] = +0.01 dex; the abundances of the remaining elements are also nearly solar. The metal absorption lines in all spectra show a clear asymmetry and the formation of secondary blue (B1 and B2) and red (R1 and R2) components, just as for the Cepheid X Sgr. The Hα absorption line is also split into blue (B) and red (R) components with different depths changing with pulsation phase. To analyze the velocity field in the atmosphere of ζ Gem, we have estimated the radial velocities from specially selected (with clear signatures of the B1, B2, R1, and R2 components) absorption lines (neutral atoms and ions) of metals (38 lines) and the B and R components of the Hα line. Analysis of these estimates has shown that their scatter is from −22 to 36 km s−1 for all pulsation phases but does not exceed 35–40 km s−1 for each individual phase, while it does not exceed 22 km s−1 for the Hα line components. The radial velocity estimates for the metal lines and their B1 and B2 components have been found to depend on the depths, suggesting the presence of a velocity gradient in the atmosphere. No significant difference in velocities between the atoms and ions of the metal lines is observed, i.e., there is no significant inhomogeneity in the upper atmospheric layers of the Cepheid. Since the averaged radial velocity estimates for the cores of the metal lines and their B1 and B2 components change with pulsation phase and coincide with those for the B component of the Hα line, they are all formed in the Cepheid’s atmosphere. The formation and passage of a shock wave due to the κ-mechanism at work can be responsible for the stronger scatter of the B1 and B2 components in their velocities at phases after the Cepheid’s minimum radius. The averaged velocities of the R1 components also change with pulsation phase and differ only slightly from the remaining ones. On the other hand, the mean velocity estimate for the R component of the Hα line at all phases is +32.72 ± 2.50 km s−1 and differs significantly from the bulk of the velocities, suggesting the formation of this component in the envelope around the Cepheid. The unusual behavior of the mean velocities for the R2 components of the metal absorption lines can also point to their formation in the envelope and can be yet another indicator of its presence around ζ Gem.