Chemically Peculiar Research Articles

Hyperfine structure and isotope shifts in Mo II

We have applied fast-ion-beam laser-fluorescence spectroscopy to measure the hyperfine structures of seven even-parity and six odd-parity levels in Mo II and the isotope shifts of nine transitions in the wavelength range 424.5–443.4 nm. These are the first measurements of these parameters and almost the first such measurements in Mo II. These atomic data are essential for astrophysical studies of chemical abundances, allowing correction for saturation and the effects of blended lines. They also provide important constraints on stellar diffusion modeling, particularly in chemically peculiar (CP) stars, and serve as valuable input to semi-empirical theoretical models of hyperfine structure and isotope shifts.

Analysis of the multiple system with chemically peculiar component φ Draconis

The star phi Dra comprises a spectroscopic binary and a third star that together form a visual triple system. It is one of the brightest chemically peculiar (CP) stars of the upper main sequence. Despite these facts, no comprehensive study of its multiplicity has been performed yet. In this work, we present a detailed analysis of the triple system based on available measurements. We use radial velocities taken from four sources in the literature in a re-analysis of the inner spectroscopic binary (Aab). An incorrect value of the orbital period of the inner system Aab about 27 days was accepted in literature more than forty years. A new solution of orbit with the 128-day period was determined. Relative position measurements of the outer visual binary system (AB) from Washington Double Star Catalog were compared with known orbital models. Furthermore, it was shown that astrometric motion in system AB is well described by the model of Andrade (2005) with a 308-year orbital period. Parameters of A and B components were utilized to estimate individual brightness for all components and their masses from evolutionary tracks. Although we found several facts which support the gravitational bond between them, unbound solution cannot be fully excluded yet.

The Nainital-Cape Survey

The Nainital-Cape survey is a dedicated ongoing survey programme to search for and study pulsational variability in chemically peculiar (CP) stars to understand their internal structure and evolution. The main aims of this survey are to find new pulsating Ap and Am stars in the northern and southern hemisphere and to perform asteroseismic studies of these new pulsators. The survey is conducted using high-speed photometry. The candidate stars were selected on the basis of having Stromgren photometric indices similar to those of known pulsating CP stars. Over the last decade a total of 337 candidate pulsating CP stars were observed for the Nainital-Cape survey, making it one of the longest ground-based surveys for pulsation in CP stars in terms of time span and sample size. The previous papers of this series presented seven new pulsating variables and 229 null results. In this paper we present the light curves, frequency spectra and the various astrophysical parameters of the 108 additional CP stars observed since the last reported results. We have also tabulated the basic physical parameters of the known roAp stars. As part of establishing the detection limits in the Nainital-Cape survey, we investigated the scintillation noise level at the two observing sites used in this survey, Sutherland and Nainital, by comparing the combined frequency spectra stars observed from each location. Our analysis shows that both the sites permit the detection of variations on the order of 0.6 milli-magnitude (mmag) in the frequency range 1-4 mHz, with Sutherland being marginally better, on average.

Chemically peculiar stars as seen with 2MASS

The chemically peculiar (CP) stars of the upper main sequence are well suited for investigating the impact of magnetic fields and diffusion on the surface layers of slowly rotating stars. They can even be traced in the Magellanic Clouds and are important to the understanding of the stellar formation and evolution. A systematic investigation of the near-infrared (NIR), 2MASS JHKs, photometry for the group of CP stars has never been performed. Nowadays, there is a great deal of data available in the NIR that reach very large distances. It is therefore very important for CP stars to be unambiguously detected in the NIR region and for these detections to be used to derive astrophysical parameters (age and mass) by applying isochrone fitting. Furthermore, we investigated whether the CP stars behave in a different way to normal-type stars in the various photometric diagrams. For our analysis, we carefully compiled a sample of CP and apparently normal (non-peculiar) type stars. Only stars for which high-quality (i.e. with low error levels), astrometric, and photometric data are available were chosen. In total, 639 normal and 622 CP stars were selected and further analysed. All stars were dereddened and calibrated in terms of the effective temperature and absolute magnitude (luminosity). Finally, isochrone fitting was applied. No differences in the astrophysical parameters derived from 2MASS and Johnson UBV photometry were found. Furthermore, no statistical significant deviations from the normal type stars within several colour-colour and colour-magnitude diagrams were discovered. Therefore, it is not possible to detect new CP stars with the help of the photometric 2MASS colours only. A new effective temperature calibration, valid for all CP stars, using the (V-Ks)0 colour was derived.

Modelling of variability of the chemically peculiar starϕDraconis

Context: The presence of heavier chemical elements in stellar atmospheres influences the spectral energy distribution (SED) of stars. An uneven surface distribution of these elements, together with flux redistribution and stellar rotation, are commonly believed to be the primary causes of the variability of chemically peculiar (CP) stars. Aims: We aim to model the photometric variability of the CP star PHI Dra based on the assumption of inhomogeneous surface distribution of heavier elements and compare it to the observed variability of the star. We also intend to identify the processes that contribute most significantly to its photometric variability. Methods: We use a grid of TLUSTY model atmospheres and the SYNSPEC code to model the radiative flux emerging from the individual surface elements of PHI Dra with different chemical compositions. We integrate the emerging flux over the visible surface of the star at different phases throughout the entire rotational period to synthesise theoretical light curves of the star in several spectral bands. Results: The synthetic light curves in the visible and in the near-UV regions are in very good agreement with the observed variability of the star. The lack of usable far-UV measurements of the star precludes making any conclusions about the correctness of our model in this spectral region. We also obtained 194 new BVRI observations of PHI Dra and improved its rotational period to P=1.716500(2). Conclusions: We show that the inhomogeneous distribution of elements, flux redistribution, and rotation of the star are fully capable of explaining the stellar variability in the visible and the near-UV regions. The flux redistribution is mainly caused by bound--free transitions of silicon and bound--bound transitions of iron.

A search for photometric variability in magnetic chemically peculiar stars using ASAS-3 data

The (magnetic) chemically peculiar (CP) stars of the upper main sequence are well-suited laboratories for investigating the influence of magnetic fields on the stellar surface because they produce abundance inhomogeneities (spots), which results in photometric variability that is explained in terms of the oblique rotator model. CP stars exhibiting this phenomenon are normally classified as alpha2 Canum Venaticorum (ACV) variables. It is important to increase the sample of known rotational periods among CP stars by discovering new ACV variables. The ASAS-3 data were cross-correlated with the Catalogue of Ap, HgMn, and Am stars in order to analyse the light curves of bona fide CP and related stars. The light curves were downloaded and cleaned of outliers and data points with a flag indicating bad quality. Promising candidates showing a larger scatter than observed for constant stars in the corresponding magnitude range were searched for periodic signals using a standard Fourier technique. In total, we found 323 variables, from which 246 are reported here for the first time, and 77 were probably wrongly classified before. The observed variability pattern of most stars is in accordance with an ACV classification. For some cases, it is difficult to distinguish between the light curves of double-waved ACVs and the variability induced by orbital motion (ellipsoidal variables/eclipsing variables), especially for objects exhibiting very small amplitudes and/or significant scatter in their light curves. Thus, some eclipsing or rotating ellipsoidal variables might be present. However, we are confident that the given periods are the correct ones. There seems to be a possible weak correlation between the rotational period and colour, in the sense that cooler magnetic CP stars rotate more slowly. However, this correlation seems to disappear when correcting for the interstellar reddening.

Precision age indicators that exploit chemically peculiar stars

We would like to find a way to improve the determination of galaxy star formation history from integrated light spectroscopy. To this end, several classes of chemically peculiar (CP) stars arise during the course of normal evolution in single stars and noninteracting binary stars. An aging stellar population has periods of time in which CP stars contribute to the integrated light, and others in which the contributions fade. The HgMn stars, for example, occupy a narrow temperature range of 10500 to 16000 K, which maps to a narrow range of ages. Wolf-Rayet stars, He-poor stars, Bp-Ap stars, Am-Fm stars, and C stars all become very common in a normal stellar population at various ages between zero and several Gyr, fading in and out in a way that is analogous to features used in stellar spectral classification. We examine population fractions and light fractions in order to assess the feasibility of using CP stars as age tracers. We find that, even though CP stars do not usually dominate in number, there are enough of them so that the CP spectral features are detectable in high-quality integrated spectra of young and intermediate age stellar populations. The new technique should be calibratable and useful. Furthermore, using CP signatures as age dating tools sidesteps reliance on photometry that is susceptible to dust and Balmer features that are susceptible to nebular fill-in.

Transition Probabilities and Oscillator Strengths for E1 Transitions of Ce III

The lanthanide elements (Z = 57−71) are important in astrophysics in relation to nucleosynthesis and star formation considerations. Spectroscopic investigations of the doubly ionized elements of this group are motivated by astrophysical interest because, in the hot chemically peculiar (CP) stars, there is an overwhelming presence of lines belonging to the third spectrum which corresponds to the dominant ionization stage [1]. The rare-earth element cerium has a particularly rich, even by rare-earth standards, optical emission spectrum from both its neutral and singly ionized stages. This characteristic has made cerium attractive for use in highintensity discharge light sources where it improves both luminous e cacy and colour rendering [2]. The works for energy levels and lifetimes of doubly ionized cerium (Ce III) can be found in, for example, [3 7]. Many strong lines of cerium in the ultraviolet evidently arise from doubly ionized atoms. King and King published a list of these [8]. Triplet and singlet terms of Ce III were reported by Russell et al. [9]. Observations of the third spectrum of cerium from 757 to 11091 A were given by Sugar [10]. The 4f 4f5d lines of Ce III were measured by Johansson and Litzen [11]. Bord and co-workers calculated oscillator strengths for some Ce III lines [12]. Later, the spectroscopic analysis of Ce III was extended. Wyart and Palmeri gave a list of computed oscillator strengths for some selected transitions [6]. Transition probabilities for Ce III were obtained from branching fractions calculated by Cowan code and experimental lifetimes by Li and co-workers [7]. Biemont et al. emphasized the importance of corepolarization e ects on oscillator strength determination in Ce III [1]. The multicon guration Dirac Fock calculation of the transition energies and oscillator strengths for the 6s S0 6s6p P1, P1 transitions in rare earth

The CoRoT chemical peculiar target star HD 49310

Context. The magnetic chemically peculiar (CP) stars of the upper main sequence are well-suited laboratories for investigating the influence of local magnetic fields on the stellar surface because they produce inhomogeneities (spots) that can be investigated in detail as the star rotates. Aims. We studied the inhomogeneous surface structure of the CP2 star HD 49310 based on high-quality CoRoT photometry obtained during 25 days. The data have nearly no gaps. This analysis is similar to a spectroscopic Doppler-imaging analysis, but it is not a tomographic method. Methods. We performed detailed light-curve fitting in terms of stationary circular bright spots. Furthermore, we derived astrophysical parameters with which we located HD 49310 within the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. We also investigated the possible connection of this star to the nearby young open cluster NGC 2264. Results. With a Bayesian technique, we produced a surface map that shows six bright spots. After removing some artefacts, the residuals of the observed and synthetic photometric data are ±0.123 mmag. The rotational period of the star is P = 1.91909 ± 0.00001 days. Our photometric observations therefore cover about 13 full rotational cycles. Three spots are very large with diameters of � 40 deg. The spots are brighter by 40% than the unperturbed stellar photosphere. Conclusions. HD 49310 is a classical silicon (CP2) star with a mass of about 3 M� . It is not a member of NGC 2264. Our analysis shows the potential of using high-quality photometric data to analyse the surface structure of CP stars. A comprehensive analysis of similar archival data, preferrably from space missions, would contribute significantly to our understanding of surface phenomena of CP stars and their temporal evolution.

Project VeSElkA: Vertical Stratification of Element Abundances in CP stars

A new research project on spectral analysis which aims to characterize the vertical stratification of element abundances in stellar atmospheres of chemically peculiar (CP) stars, is discussed in detail. Some results on detection of vertical abundance stratification in several slowly rotating main sequence CP stars are presented and considered as an indicator of the effectiveness of the atomic diffusion mechanism responsible for the observed peculiarities of chemical abundances. This study is carried out in the frame of Project VeSElkA (Vertical Stratification of Elements Abundance) for which 34 slowly rotating CP stars have been observed with the ESPaDOnS spectropolarimetre at CFHT.

Electron excitation and autoionisation cross sections for elements of chemically peculiar stars: Study of bismuth

Electron impact excitation from the ground state of bismuth atoms has been studied. A beam of electrons was scattered from a beam of atoms and the intensity of scattered electrons was measured for scattering angles up to 150° and incident electron energies of 40 and 60 eV. Obtained intensities were used for the calculation of relative differential cross sections (DCS). In addition, we recorded the energy loss-spectra at different incident electron energies and scattering angles. These spectra were analysed in order to identify the energy levels of bismuth atom below and above (autoionisation) the first ionization limit in electron spectroscopy. The presence of bismuth was confirmed in spectra of the chemically peculiar (CP) magnetic Ap 73 Dra and HR 465 and nonmagnetic Hg-Mn HR 7775 and χ Lupi stars. The obtained results for relative DCS and identified autoionised energy levels of bismuth were analysed and compared with previous experimental and theoretical data. The connection between our investigations of bismuth and astrophysical measurements are discussed.

The first Δa observations of three globular clusters

Globular clusters are main astrophysical laboratories to test and modify evolutionary models. Thought to be rather homogeneous in their local elemental Distribution of members, results suggest a wide variety of chemical peculiarities. Besides different main sequences, believed to be caused by different helium abundances, peculiarities of blue horizontal-branch stars and on the red giant branch were found. This whole zoo of peculiar objects has to be explained in the context of stellar formation and evolution. The tool of Delta a photometry is employed in order to detect peculiar stars in the whole spectral range. This three filter narrow band system measures the flux distribution in the region from 4900 to 5600A in order to find any peculiarities around 5200A. It is highly efficient to detect classical chemically peculiar stars of the upper main sequence, Be/Ae, shell and metal-weak objects in the Milky Way and Magellanic Clouds. We present Delta a photometry of 2266 stars from 109 individual frames for three globular Clusters (NGC 104, NGC 6205, and NGC 7099). A comparison with published abundances, for three horizontal-branch stars, only, yield an excellent agreement. According to the 3 sigma detection limit of each globular cluster, about 3% of the stars lie in abnormal regions in the diagnostic diagrams. The first observations of three widely different aggregates give very promising results, which will serve as a solid basis for follow-up observations including photometric as well as spectroscopic studies.

Interferometry of chemically peculiar stars: theoretical predictions versus modern observing facilities

By means of numerical experiments we explore the application of interferometry to the detection and characterization of abundance spots in chemically peculiar (CP) stars using the brightest star eps~Uma as a case study. We find that the best spectral regions to search for spots and stellar rotation signatures are in the visual domain. The spots can clearly be detected already at a first visibility lobe and their signatures can be uniquely disentangled from that of rotation. The spots and rotation signatures can also be detected in NIR at low spectral resolution but baselines longer than 180~m are needed for all potential CP candidates. According to our simulations, an instrument like VEGA (or its successor e.g., FRIEND) should be able to detect, in the visual, the effect of spots and spots+rotation, provided that the instrument is able to measure $V^2\approx10^{-3}$, and/or closure phase. In infrared, an instrument like AMBER but with longer baselines than the ones available so far would be able to measure rotation and spots. Our study provides necessary details about strategies of spot detection and the requirements for modern and planned interferometric facilities essential for CP star research.

A probable pre-main sequence chemically peculiar star in the open cluster Stock 16

We used the Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph of the ESO-Very Large Telescope to obtain a high resolution and high signal-to-noise ratio spectrum of Stock 16-12, an early-type star which previous Delta-a photometric observations suggest being a chemically peculiar (CP) star. We used spectral synthesis to perform a detailed abundance analysis obtaining an effective temperature of 8400 +/- 400 K, a surface gravity of 4.1 +/- 0.4, a microturbulence velocity of 3.4 +0.7/-0.3 km/s, and a projected rotational velocity of 68 +/- 4 km/s. We provide photometric and spectroscopic evidence showing the star is most likely a member of the young Stock 16 open cluster (age 3-8 Myr). The probable cluster membership, the star's position in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, and the found infrared excess strongly suggest the star is still in the pre-main-sequence (PMS) phase. We used PMS evolutionary tracks to determine the stellar mass, which ranges between 1.95 and 2.3 Msun, depending upon the adopted spectroscopic or photometric data results. Similarly, we obtained a stellar age ranging between 4 and 6 Myr, in agreement with that of the cluster. Because the star's chemical abundance pattern resembles well that known of main sequence CP metallic line (Am) stars, the object sets important constraints to the diffusion theory. Additional spectroscopic and spectropolarimetric data allowed us to conclude that the object is probably a single non-magnetic star.

Time Resolved Photometric and Spectroscopic Analysis of Chemically Peculiar Stars

AbstractHere we present the report on the “Nainital–Cape survey” research project aiming to search for and study the pulsational variability of main-sequence chemically peculiar (CP) stars. For this study, the time-series photometric observations of the sample stars were carried out at the 1.04 m ARIES telescope (India), while the high-resolution spectroscopic and spectro-polarimetric observations were carried out at the the 6.0 m Russian telescope. Under this project, we have recently found clear evidence of photometric variability in the Am star HD 73045, which is likely to be pulsating in nature with a period of about 36 min, hence adding a new member to the family of the δ Scuti pulsating variables that have peculiar abundances.

Physical and Chemical Parameters of HgMn Stars Based on Available Data

HgMn stars are among the quietest stars of the main sequence. They represent the A2-B5 subclasses, being slow rotators, and they are more often in binary systems than in normal stars. Their effective temperatures are in the range from 10000 K to 16000 K, and the existence of the magnetic field in their atmospheres is still the subject of debates. HgMn stars belong to the group of Chemically Peculiar (CP) stars, and as a separate subgroup they are characterized by unusually strong lines of HgII and MnII. The HgMn stars often show mild helium deficiencies, and sometimes the presence of other peculiarities has been reported: for instance, isotopic anomalies in platinum and mercury are mentioned in some of them. To see the trends of chemical abundances in those stars, I used the element abundances expressed by solar values and the final results are compared with the ones compiled by Smith [1]. For the first time, such kind of search Astrophysics, Vol. 57, No. 1, March , 2014

Two spotted and magnetic early B-type stars in the young open cluster NGC 2264 discovered by MOST and ESPaDOnS

Star clusters are known as superb tools for understanding stellar evolution. In a quest for understanding the physical origin of magnetism and chemical peculiarity in about 7% of the massive main-sequence stars, we analysed two of the ten brightest members of the ~10 Myr old Galactic open cluster NGC 2264, the early B-dwarfs HD47887 and HD47777. We find accurate rotation periods of 1.95 and 2.64 days, respectively, from MOST photometry. We obtained ESPaDOnS spectropolarimetric observations, through which we determined stellar parameters, detailed chemical surface abundances, projected rotational velocities, and the inclination angles of the rotation axis. Because we found only small (<5 km/s) radial velocity variations, most likely caused by spots, we can rule out that HD47887 and HD47777 are close binaries. Finally, using the least-squares deconvolution technique, we found that both stars possess a large-scale magnetic field with an average longitudinal field strength of about 400 G. From a simultaneous fit of the stellar parameters we determine the evolutionary masses of HD47887 and HD47777 to be 9.4+/-0.7 M0 and 7.6+/-0.5 M0. Interestingly, HD47777 shows a remarkable helium underabundance, typical of helium-weak chemically peculiar stars, while the abundances of HD47887 are normal, which might imply that diffusion is operating in the lower mass star but not in the slightly more massive one. Furthermore, we argue that the rather slow rotation, as well as the lack of nitrogen enrichment in both stars, can be consistent with both the fossil and the binary hypothesis for the origin of the magnetic field. However, the presence of two magnetic and apparently single stars near the top of the cluster mass-function may speak in favour of the latter.

Spectrophotometric analysis of the 5200 Å region for peculiar and normal stars

Many chemically peculiar (CP) stars, especially the magnetic CP2 stars, show a flux depression at 5200A. The "Delta a" photometric System takes advantage of this characteristic to detect these objects in an efficient way. In addition, it is capable of finding metal-weak, emission-type, and shell-type objects of the upper main sequence. To compare available observations and to detect new peculiar objects, we used a spectrophotometric catalogue consisting of 1159 stars. From this catalogue, we selected 1067 objects to synthesize three different "a" indices to find the most efficient one for further observations. In addition, we extended the analysis to stars cooler than F5. We employed classical "Delta a" photometry described by Maitzen, using simulated filter curves, the spectrophotometric "Delta a" index by Adelman, and a modified index. During this investigation magnetic chemically peculiar stars could be confirmed using the data of the catalogue and in addition we noticed an unknown behavior for red stars in "Delta a", becoming independent of B-V. Even though the accuracy of the spectrophotometry used for this investigation is significantly lower than the photometric "Delta a" measurements, we are able to confirm peculiarity for most of the known CP2 stars above a certain limit of "Delta a". We investigated 631 stars hotter than spectral type F5 to find additional that are not yet identified peculiar objects. We find that for very low mass stars (M0), the "a" index is independent of the colour (effective temperature). The "Delta a" photometric system is very closely correlated with the effective temperature over a wide range of the main sequence. It is able to detect any kind of peculiarity connected to the 5200A region. Especially for low-mass stars, this opens up a new possibility of detecting peculiar objects in an efficient way.

Normal A0−A1 stars with low rotational velocities

Context. The study of rotational velocity distributions for normal stars requires an accurate spectral characterization of the objects in order to avoid polluting the results with undetected binary or peculiar stars. This piece of information is a key issue in the understanding of the link between rotation and the presence of chemical peculiarities. Aims. A sample of 47 low v sin i A0-A1 stars (v sin i < 65km/s), initially selected as main-sequence normal stars, are investigated with high-resolution and high signal-to-noise spectroscopic data. The aim is to detect spectroscopic binaries and chemically peculiar stars, and eventually establish a list of confirmed normal stars. Methods. A detailed abundance analysis and spectral synthesis is performed to derive abundances for 14 chemical species. A hierarchical classification, taking measurement errors into account, is applied to the abundance space and splits the sample into two different groups, identified as the chemically peculiar stars and the normal stars. Results. We show that about one third of the sample is actually composed of spectroscopic binaries (12 double-lined and five single-lined spectroscopic binaries). The hierarchical classification breaks down the remaining sample into 13 chemically peculiar stars (or uncertain) and 17 normal stars.

Discovery of secular variations in the atmospheric abundances of magnetic Ap stars

The stars of the middle main sequence have relatively quiescent outer layers, and unusual chemical abundance patterns may develop in their atmospheres. The presence of chemical peculiarities reveal the action of such subsurface phenomena as gravitational settling and radiatively driven levitation of trace elements, and their competition with mixing processes such as turbulent diffusion. We want to establish whether abundance peculiarities change as stars evolve on the main sequence, and provide observational constraints to diffusion theory. We have performed spectral analysis of 15 magnetic Bp stars that are members of open clusters (and thus have well-known ages), with masses between about 3 and 4 M_sun. For each star, we measured the abundances of He, O, Mg, Si, Ti, Cr, Fe, Pr and Nd. We have discovered the systematic time evolution of trace elements through the main-sequence lifetime of magnetic chemically peculiar stars as their atmospheres cool and evolve toward lower gravity. During the main sequence lifetime, we observe clear and systematic variations in the atmospheric abundances of He, Ti, Cr, Fe, Pr and Nd. For all these elements, except He, the atmospheric abundances decrease with age. The abundances of Fe-peak elements converge toward solar values, while the rare-earth elements converge toward values at least 100 times more abundant than in the Sun. Helium is always underabundant compared to the Sun, evolving from about 1% up to 10% of the solar He abundance. We have attempted to interpret the observed abundance variations in the context of radiatively driven diffusion theory, which appears to provide a framework to understand some, but not all, of the observed anomalous abundance levels and variations.