Long-period Variables Research Articles

The long-period variables inωCentauri

Context. Recent studies have detected multiple populations in globular clusters. The massive globular cluster ω Cen hosts at least three populations of different metallicity. The most metal-rich one is thought to show also an overabundance of He. These differences should become visible in the structure, evolution, and pulsation of its stars. Aims. We aim to study the effects of the different starting compositions of the three populations in ω Cen on the most luminous red giants in this cluster. Methods. The long-periodic variability of evolved stars in ω Cen opens a comparably easy access window to the structure and composition of these objects. We made a detailed search for long-period variables (LPVs) in ω Cen leading to the detection of many new variables and period determinations for a significant number of them. Periods and luminosities were then compared with the most recent pulsation models for these kinds of stars. Results. Some of the LPVs belong to each of the main metallicity sub-groups of ω Cen. Almost all detected variables with periods are fundamental mode pulsators. For the metal-rich group, our comparison with pulsation models favours a high He abundance of Y = 0.4. Conclusions. Our study can be considered an independent piece of evidence supporting a high helium abundance among the metalrich stars in ω Cen.

On the nature of long-period variations in mass concentration of near-ground aerosol

Variations in the aerosol concentration with periods more than one month are analyzed using measurements of mass concentration of the near-ground aerosol at Zvenigorod Scientific Station of the A.M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences. It is shown that the variations can be associated with the periodic recurrences of atmospheric transport trajectories from certain directions. We considered the cases when long-period variations in aerosol concentration were due to episodes of increased or decreased concentrations caused by aerosol advection from the corresponding directions. In particular, the 1.5-month variations in the aerosol mass concentration in 1995 were found to be due to the 1.5-month recurrences of the concentration maxima caused by southeasterly transport. The three-month periodicity of the transport episodes from directions of Baltic and North Atlantic in 2004 manifested themselves in 3-month recurrence of the aerosol concentration minima. A statistical relation is revealed between the near-ground aerosol concentration and the Arctic upper troposphere dynamics.

Frequency analysis of the non-principal-axis rotation of uniaxial space debris in circular orbit subjected to gravity-gradient torque

The non-principal-axis rotational motion of uniaxial space debris can be decomposed into periodic motions associated with two frequencies: the polhode frequency of the space debris rotating around the symmetry axis, and the tumbling frequency of the symmetry axis rotating around the angular momentum. To determine from optical measurements the rotational motion of upper rocket stages in circular orbits subjected to gravity-gradient torque, the evolutions of these two frequencies need to be analyzed. Taking into account only the long-term changes in the long-period variables, the differential equations of the non-principal axis rotational motion of the uniaxial space debris are averaged and reduced, from which the evolutions of the polhode and tumbling frequencies are then obtained analytically. The theoretical results are verified by numerical simulations of the diffuse reflection model. The frequencies in the variation of the reflected light intensity in the simulation are analyzed using the frequency map analysis (FMA) method. Errors of these results are found to be less than 1%. Based on the theoretical expressions, the rotational state of the uniaxial space debris can be estimated in the simulation without any prior information except the orbital parameters. A series of state variables are estimated, including the ratio of the moments of inertia about the transverse axis and the symmetry axis, the instantaneous rotation velocity, the orientation of the angular momentum, and the precession cone of the symmetry axis.

Modulation of radio source radiation at a frequency of 37 GHz by long-period oscillations of a nearby sunspot

The phenomenon of time delays of long-period variations of the millimeter emission of near-sunspot and intersunspot radio sources with respect to variations of the magnetic field strength of nearby photospheric sunspots was studied. The physical interpretation of this phenomenon within a novel concept of the magnetic structure of a sunspot (the model of three magnetic fluxes) is provided.

Ubiquitous time variability of integrated stellar populations.

Long-period variable stars arise in the final stages of the asymptotic giant branch phase of stellar evolution. They have periods of up to about 1,000 days and amplitudes that can exceed a factor of three in the I-band flux. These stars pulsate predominantly in their fundamental mode, which is a function of mass and radius, and so the pulsation periods are sensitive to the age of the underlying stellar population. The overall number of long-period variables in a population is directly related to their lifetimes, which is difficult to predict from first principles because of uncertainties associated with stellar mass-loss and convective mixing. The time variability of these stars has not previously been taken into account when modelling the spectral energy distributions of galaxies. Here we construct time-dependent stellar population models that include the effects of long-period variable stars, and report the ubiquitous detection of this expected 'pixel shimmer' in the massive metal-rich galaxy M87. The pixel light curves display a variety of behaviours. The observed variation of 0.1 to 1 per cent is very well matched to the predictions of our models. The data provide a strong constraint on the properties of variable stars in an old and metal-rich stellar population, and we infer that the lifetime of long-period variables in M87 is shorter by approximately 30 per cent compared to predictions from the latest stellar evolution models.

A Spectroscopic study of the envelope of the hybrid nova V458 Vul and the surrounding planetary nebula

Spectroscopic observations of the hybrid V458 Vul obtained between days 9 and 778 after the brightness maximum are analyzed. Short-period, daily profile variations of forbidden [FeVII] iron lines were detected in the nebular phase, as well as a long-period (about 60-day) cyclic variation that was correlated with the photometric and X-ray cycles. The abundances of helium, neon, and iron in the nova's envelope have been estimated. The helium, neon, and iron abundances exceed the solar values by factors of 4.4, 4.8, and 3.7. The envelope mass is 1.4$\times$ 10$^{-5}$M$_{\odot}$. The electron temperatures and number densities have been calculated for the Northwestern and Southeastern knots of the planetary nebula. The temperature derived for the Northwestern knot is Te = 10 000 K and the electron number density, n$_{e}$ = 600 cm $^{-3}$ for the Southeastern knot, Te = 13 000 K and n$_{e}$ = 750 cm$^{-3}$.

Tracing the tidal streams of the Sagittarius dSph, and halo Milky Way features, with carbon-rich long-period variables

We assemble 121 spectroscopically-confirmed halo carbon stars, drawn from the literature, exhibiting measurable variability in the Catalina Surveys. We present their periods and amplitudes, which are used to estimate distances from period-luminosity relationships. The location of the carbon stars - and their velocities when available - allow us to trace the streams of the Sagittarius (Sgr) dwarf spheroidal galaxy. These are compared to a canonical numerical simulation of the accretion of Sgr. We find that the data match this model well for heliocentric distances of 15-50 kpc, except for a virtual lack of carbon stars in the trailing arm just north of the Galactic Plane, and there is only tentative evidence of the leading arm south of the Plane. The majority of the sample can be attributed to the Sgr accretion. We also find groups of carbon stars which are not part of Sgr; most of which are associated with known halo substructures. A few have no obvious attribution and may indicate new substructure. We find evidence that there may be a structure behind the Sgr leading stream apocentre, at ~100 kpc, and a more distant extension to the Pisces Overdensity also at ~100 kpc. We study a further 75 carbon stars for which no good period data could be obtained, and for which NIR magnitudes and colours are used to estimate distances. These data add support for the features found at distances beyond 100 kpc.

KIC 9533489: a genuineγDoradus – δScutiKeplerhybrid pulsator with transit events

Context: Several hundred candidate hybrid pulsators of type A-F have been identified from space-based observations. Their large number allows both statistical analyses and detailed investigations of individual stars. This offers the opportunity to study the full interior of the genuine hybrids, in which both low-radial-order p- and high-order g-modes are self-excited at the same time. However, a few other physical processes can also be responsible for the observed hybrid nature, related to binarity or to surface inhomogeneities. The finding that most delta Scuti stars also show long-period light variations represents a real challenge for theory. Methods: Fourier analysis of all the available Kepler light curves. Investigation of the frequency and period spacings. Determination of the stellar physical parameters from spectroscopic observations. Modelling of the transit events. Results: The Fourier analysis of the Kepler light curves revealed 55 significant frequencies clustered into two groups, which are separated by a gap between 15 and 27 c/d. The light variations are dominated by the beating of two dominant frequencies located at around 4 c/d. The amplitudes of these two frequencies show a monotonic long-term trend. The frequency spacing analysis revealed two possibilities: the pulsator is either a highly inclined moderate rotator (v~70 km/s, i > 70 deg) or a fast rotator (v~200 km/s) with i~20 deg. The transit analysis disclosed that the transit events which occur with a ~197 c/d period may be caused by a 1.6 R_Jup body orbiting a fainter star, which would be spatially coincident with KIC 9533489.

Воздействие метеорологических факторов на длиннопериодные вариации меры Кульбака флуктуаций напряжения на электролитических ячейках

Воздействие метеорологических факторов на длиннопериодные вариации меры Кульбака флуктуаций напряжения на электролитических ячейках

Long-lived, long-period radial velocity variations in Aldebaran: A planetary companion and stellar activity

We investigate the nature of the long-period radial velocity variations in Alpha Tau first reported over 20 years ago. We analyzed precise stellar radial velocity measurements for Alpha Tau spanning over 30 years. An examination of the Halpha and Ca II 8662 spectral lines, and Hipparcos photometry was also done to help discern the nature of the long-period radial velocity variations. Our radial velocity data show that the long-period, low amplitude radial velocity variations are long-lived and coherent. Furthermore, Halpha equivalent width measurements and Hipparcos photometry show no significant variations with this period. Another investigation of this star established that there was no variability in the spectral line shapes with the radial velocity period. An orbital solution results in a period of P = 628.96 +/- 0.90 d, eccentricity, e = 0.10 +/- 0.05, and a radial velocity amplitude, K = 142.1 +/- 7.2 m/s. Evolutionary tracks yield a stellar mass of 1.13 +/- 0.11 M_sun, which corresponds to a minimum companion mass of 6.47 +/- 0.53 M_Jup with an orbital semi-major axis of a = 1.46 +/- 0.27 AU. After removing the orbital motion of the companion, an additional period of ~ 520 d is found in the radial velocity data, but only in some time spans. A similar period is found in the variations in the equivalent width of Halpha and Ca II. Variations at one-third of this period are also found in the spectral line bisector measurements. The 520 d period is interpreted as the rotation modulation by stellar surface structure. Its presence, however, may not be long-lived, and it only appears in epochs of the radial velocity data separated by $\sim$ 10 years. This might be due to an activity cycle. The data presented here provide further evidence of a planetary companion to Alpha Tau, as well as activity-related radial velocity variations.

Investigation of temperature and barometric pressure variation effects on radon concentration in the Sopronbánfalva Geodynamic Observatory, Hungary

Radon concentration variation has been monitored since 2009 in the artificial gallery of the Sopronbánfalva Geodynamic Observatory, Hungary. In the observatory, the radon concentration is extremely high, 100–600 kBq m−3 in summer and some kBq m−3 in winter. The relationships between radon concentration, temperature and barometric pressure were separately investigated in the summer and winter months by Fast Fourier Transform, Principal Component Analysis, Multivariable Regression and Partial Least Square analyses in different frequency bands. It was revealed that the long-period radon concentration variation is mainly governed by the temperature (20 kBq m−1 °C−1) both in summer and winter. The regression coefficients between long-period radon concentration and barometric pressure are −1.5 kBq m−3 hPa−1 in the summer and 5 kBq m−3 hPa−1 in the winter months. In the 0.072–0.48 cpd (cycles per day) frequency band the effect of the temperature is about −1 kBq m−3 °C−1 and that of the barometric pressure is −5 kBq m−3 hPa−1 in summer and −0.5 kBq m−3 hPa−1 in winter. In the high frequency range (>0.48 cpd) all regression coefficients are one order of magnitude smaller than in the range of 0.072–0.48 cpd. Fast Fourier Transform of the radon concentration, temperature and barometric pressure time series revealed S1, K1, P1, S2, K2, M2 tidal constituents in the data and weak O1 components in the radon concentration and barometric pressure series. A detailed tidal analysis, however, showed that the radon tidal components are not directly driven by the gravitational force but rather by solar radiation and barometric tide. Principal Component Analysis of the raw data was performed to investigate the yearly, summer and winter variability of the radon concentration, temperature and barometric pressure. In the summer and winter periods the variability does not change. The higher variability of the radon concentration compared to the variability of the temperature and the barometric pressure shows that besides the temperature and barometric pressure variations other agents, e.g. natural ventilation of the observatory, wind, etc. also play an important role in the radon concentration variation.

Low-mass protoplanetary disk of the herbig Ae star DDser: Thermal radiation of dust and possible presence of massive planets

We detected thermal IR radiation from DDSer, a low-activity UXOri-type star, the source of which is a disk with a complex structure (an inner ring with the dust temperature of about 900 K and an outer disk with the temperature below 300 K). The 15.1-year period, which we estimated from our longterm photometric observations, indicates the perturbation of this ring by a low-mass companion (a planet perhaps) with an orbital radius of 8 a.u. In general, the detected characteristics of the DDSer disk (a dust ring with the densitymodulated with a 10-year scale period, the presence of compact dust clumps inside the ring’s inner lobe) are almost identical to the characteristics of the RZ Psc disk, where an active asteroid belt inside the orbit of a planet or a similar low-mass companion is assumed. Although the suggestion about a collisional source of the dust in these systems is disputable, the complex structure of their disks,manifested in the IR spectrum shape and photometric variability, especially the long-period variability, gives evidence for massive planets already formed in these systems.

2-D Modelling of Long Period Variations of Galactic Cosmic Ray Intensity

A new two-dimensional (2-D) time dependent model describing long-period variations of the Galactic Cosmic Ray (GCR) intensity has been developed. New approximations for the changes of the magnitude B of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF), the tilt angle δ of the Heliospheric Neutral Sheet (HNS) and drift effects of the GCR particles have been included into the model. Moreover, temporal changes of the exponent γ expressing the power law - rigidity dependence of the amplitudes of the 11-year variation of the GCR intensity have been added. We show that changes of the expected GCR particle density precedes changes of the GCR intensity measured by the Moscow Neutron (MN) monitor by about 18 months. So ∼18 months can be taken as an effective delay time between the expected intensity caused by the combined influence of the changes of the parameters implemented in the time-dependent 2-D model and the GCR intensity measured by neutron monitors during the 21 cycle of solar activity.

Rigidity spectrum of the long-period variations of the galactic cosmic ray intensity in different epochs of solar activity

We investigate character of correlations between the rigidity spectrum exponent γ of the 11-year variations of the Galactic Cosmic Ray (GCR) intensity and the exponent v of the Power Spectral Density (PSD) of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) turbulence in period 1968-2012 using data of the IMF and carefully selected neutron monitors. We show that a clear inversely correlation between γ and v is observed when a resonance frequency range f1-f2 of the IMF turbulence (using for calculation of v), are determined taking into account changes of the solar wind velocity Vsw and strength B of the IMF versus solar activity. We assume that an essential contribution to the scattering of GCR particles in the heliosphere is setting up generally by the turbulence of By and Bz components of the IMF. Therefore, in this paper we use the exponents vy and vz of PSD of the By and Bz components of the IMF turbulence. Generally, both γ and v can be accepted as the essential proxies to study GCR propagation near earth orbit in heliosphere for the rigidity range of GCR particles to which neutron monitors and ground muon telescopes respond

Discovery of a new group of double-periodic RR Lyrae stars in the OGLE-IV photometry

Abstract We report the discovery of a new group of double-periodic RR Lyrae stars from the analysis of the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment - IV (OGLE-IV) Galactic bulge photometry. In 11 stars identified in the OGLE catalogue as first overtone pulsators (RRc stars), we detect additional longer period variability of low amplitude, in the mmag regime. One additional star of the same type is identified in a published analysis of the Kepler space photometry. The period ratio between the shorter first overtone period and a new, longer period lies in a narrow range around 0.686. Thus, the additional period is longer than the expected period of the undetected radial fundamental mode. The obvious conclusion that addition periodicity corresponds to a gravity or a mixed mode faces difficulties, however.

Recent results of monitoring of the vertical component of the electrical field in Lake Baikal on the surface-bed baseline

The vertical component of the electrical field was monitored on the surface-bed baseline in the region of the Baikal Deep Underwater Neutrino Observatory from 2003 to 2010. This monitoring allowed us to obtain data on internal and external field sources. However, the insufficient accuracy and reliability of the measurement setup slowed the progress in interpreting the measurements. A novel setup, which was the first to provide the means to control the base potentials of electrodes, was designed in order to overcome these constraints. The setup in its final configuration started taking measurements in 2013. Analysis of the measurement results obtained in 2013 and 2014 does, on the one hand, confirm the conclusions drawn previously on the nature of variations of the vertical component of the electrical field, but, on the other hand, it raises new questions. The field induced by flows was compared to direct velocity measurements. The conclusion regarding the correlation between long-period current variations in the hydrosphere region of the global electric circuit and the solar activity variations was confirmed, but the considerable lag observed in this correlation stands in need of explanation. A nonlocal response of the electrode base potentials that preceded an impending earthquake by up to 12 days was revealed.

The pulsation modes, masses and evolution of luminous red giants

The period-luminosity sequences and the multiple periods of luminous red giant stars are examined using the OGLE III catalogue of long-period variables in the Large Magellanic Cloud. It is shown that the period ratios in individual multimode stars are systematically different from the ratios of the periods at a given luminosity of different period-luminosity sequences. This leads to the conclusion that the masses of stars at the same luminosity on the different period-luminosity sequences are different. An evolutionary scenario is used to show that the masses of stars on adjacent sequences differ by about 16-26% at a given luminosity, with the shorter period sequence being more massive. The mass is also shown to vary across each sequence by a similar percentage, with the mass increasing to shorter periods. On one sequence, sequence B, the mass distribution is shown to be bimodal. It is shown that the small amplitude variables on sequences A', A and B pulsate in radial and nonradial modes of angular degree l=0, 1 and 2, with the l=1 mode being the most common. The stars on sequences C' and C are predominantly radial pulsators (l=0). Matching period ratios to pulsation models shows that the radial pulsation modes associated with sequences A', A, B, C' and C are the 4th, 3rd, 2nd and 1st overtones and the fundamental mode, respectively.

A COMPARISON OF THE VELOCITY PARAMETERS OF SIOV= 1,J= 1 − 0, ANDJ= 2 − 1 MASER EMISSION IN SEMIREGULAR VARIABLES

We have determined and compared the SiO maser velocity parameters of semiregular variables in the v = 1, J = 1 − 0 (J10{sup 1}) and the v = 1, J = 2 − 1 (J21) transitions. Fourteen sources in the Mopra SiO Maser Catalogue are classified as semiregular variables of types SR, SRa, SRb, or SRc. (L2 Puppis, an SRa star with an unusual SiO maser spectrum, has been analyzed individually.) We have previously presented the overall and phase dependent velocity parameters of SiO masers associated with long period variables (LPVs) of well-established periods and maxima. A comparison of the velocity centroid (VC) difference, VC21–VC10, shows mixed results for the variable types. Some differences are negative and some positive. The SRc difference is negative, large, and relatively stable. The SRb difference has the widest distribution. The velocity ranges (VRs) of the maser emission have been compared using arithmetic averages, Gaussian fits to the distributions, and Weibull fits to the distributions. For LPVs, SRs, SRas, and SRcs the VR10 is one to a few km s{sup −1} greater than the VR21. SRcs have the largest VRs by a factor of two or three indicating the greater range over which themore » conditions necessary for masers to originate exist in these supergiant stars. SRbs are the only classification of semiregular variable in which the VR21 exceeds the VR10. The larger VR21 compared to VR10 for SRbs appears in all comparisons. The difference in the SRb SiO maser velocity parameters may be due to a difference in the oscillation mechanism of the star. The suggested overtone oscillations of SRbs may affect the circumstellar cloud dynamics. Little theoretical work has specifically addressed the masers in semiregular variables. Qualitative comparisons of the data with the existing models of the SiO masers in LPVs are made.« less

VI-BAND FOLLOW-UP OBSERVATIONS OF ULTRA-LONG-PERIOD CEPHEID CANDIDATES IN M31

The ultra-long period Cepheids (ULPCs) are classical Cepheids with pulsation periods exceeding $\approx 80$ days. The intrinsic brightness of ULPCs are ~1 to ~3 mag brighter than their shorter period counterparts. This makes them attractive in future distance scale work to derive distances beyond the limit set by the shorter period Cepheids. We have initiated a program to search for ULPCs in M31, using the single-band data taken from the Palomar Transient Factory, and identified eight possible candidates. In this work, we presented the VI-band follow-up observations of these eight candidates. Based on our VI-band light curves of these candidates and their locations in the color-magnitude diagram and the Period-Wesenheit diagram, we verify two candidates as being truly ULPCs. The six other candidates are most likely other kinds of long-period variables. With the two confirmed M31 ULPCs, we tested the applicability of ULPCs in distance scale work by deriving the distance modulus of M31. It was found to be $\mu_{M31,ULPC}=24.30\pm0.76$ mag. The large error in the derived distance modulus, together with the large intrinsic dispersion of the Period-Wesenheit (PW) relation and the small number of ULPCs in a given host galaxy, means that the question of the suitability of ULPCs as standard candles is still open. Further work is needed to enlarge the sample of calibrating ULPCs and reduce the intrinsic dispersion of the PW relation before re-considering ULPCs as suitable distance indicators.

VARIABLE STARS IN METAL-RICH GLOBULAR CLUSTERS. IV. LONG-PERIOD VARIABLES IN NGC 6496

We present VI-band photometry for stars in the metal-rich globular cluster NGC 6496. Our time-series data were cadenced to search for long period variables (LPVs) over a span of nearly two years, and our variability search yielded the discovery of thirteen new variable stars, of which six are LPVs, two are suspected LPVs, and five are short period eclipsing binaries. An additional star was found in the ASAS database, and we clarify its type and period. We argue that all of the eclipsing binaries are field stars, while 5-6 of the LPVs are members of NGC 6496. We compare the period-luminosity distribution of these LPVs with those of LPVs in the Large Magellanic Cloud and 47 Tucanae, and with theoretical pulsation models. We also present a VI color magnitude diagram, display the evolutionary states of the variables, and match isochrones to determine a reddening of E(B-V) ~ 0.21 mag and apparent distance modulus of ~ 15.60 mag.