A. Kh. Rzaev

Detection of regular low-amplitude photometric variability of the magnetic dwarf WD0009+501. on the possibility of photometric investigation of exoplanets on the basis of 1-meter class telescopes of the special and crimean astrophysical observatories

We present the results of photometric observations of the weak magnetic white dwarf WD 0009+501. The observations were carried out for two years with the 1-m telescopes of the Special and Crimean Astrophysical Observatories. As a result of these observations, we detected regular V -band luminosity variations with a period of P ≈ 8 hours. The amplitude of the variability is stable on timescales greater than two years and amounts to 11 ± 1 mmag. The difference in the variability amplitude from observations with different telescopes is 1–3 mmag. The result is interpreted within the concept of a rotation-modulated variability of magnetic properties of the star’s atmosphere. We also discuss a possible variability due to the presence of planetary companions around stars of this type. The results of monitoring were used to explore the capabilities of the telescopes for exoplanet investigation. We studied the dependences between the characteristic times of exposures, magnitudes of the objects, and a threshold level of the expected variability amplitudes for all the telescopes involved in our program. A program of exoplanet monitoring with the mentioned telescopes was drawn up for the next few years based on the results of the study.

Search for signatures of reflected light from the exoplanet HD 189733b by the method of residual dynamical spectra

The goal of the present study is the development and testing of a method for spectral detection of the light of host stars reflected from their exoplanets. The presented method is based on the analysis of dynamical spectra, which make it possible to obtain high signal-to-noise residual spectra after host star spectrum deduction. These residual spectra contain information on the light reflected from an exoplanet and on its albedo. The first results of such research for the exoplanet HD 189733b are presented in the paper. We obtained a series of a few dozens moderate-resolution spectra of the host star HD 189733. Individual spectra have a high signal-to-noise ratio (≈700) and cover a considerable part of the complete orbital cycle of the exoplanet. The use of the developed method allowed us to achieve a characteristic contrast of the reflected light detection at a level of 5 × 10−4 from the continuum. Investigation of the dynamic spectra with this characteristic value as a detection threshold has not revealed obvious evidence of the host star light reflected from the planet. Nevertheless, the obtained threshold is high, which demonstrates the necessity of the development of the method for the exoplanet monitoring studies.

Variability of the HeI line profiles in the spectrum of the hot O9.5V star HD 93521

CCD spectra acquired with the PFES echelle spectrograph on the 6 m telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory (Russian Academy of Sciences) were used to study short-term variations in the HeI-line profiles in the spectrum of HD 93521. For all the lines, the variability pattern relative to the mean profile is the same, and can be described as a sinusoidal wave passing through the profiles, from the blue to the red wings. The variability amplitudes and time scales are different for different HeI lines. We studied variations of the radial velocities at the level of 0.5 R0 of the line residual intensity, for the absorption bisector and the blue and red halves of the absorption profile. The variation time scales and amplitudes for the line halves differ from one HeI line to another, and show good correlations with the line central depths. Going from the weak to the strong lines, the time scale of the radial-velocity variations measured for both halves of the absorption profile increases, and the amplitude decreases. The time scale of the radial-velocity variations for weak lines is, on average, twice the time scale for strong HeI lines. A variable absorption feature was detected in the profiles of strong HeI lines, which moves across the profile synchronously with the star’s axial rotation. Generally, the observed line variations are probably due to nonradial photospheric pulsations, together with the influence of the stellar wind on the profiles of the strong lines.

Investigation of atmosphere nonstationarity in the supergiant 55Cyg. I. Temporal line profile variability

The CCD spectra taken with echelle spectrographs of the 2-m telescope of the Shemakha Astrophysical Observatory of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan and the 1-m telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences are used to study the line profile variations in the spectrum of the hot supergiant 55Cyg. The variability of the radial velocity and profiles of the lines of heavy elements is shown to be due to radial pulsation type motions. The corresponding variations for He I lines are due to nonradial pulsations. In the case of the Hβ and Hα lines the pattern and behavior of variations differ for different observing periods. The variability of these lines is mostly due to the photometric and positional variability of the absorption and emission components of their profiles. The profiles of these lines show additional emission components, which move from the blue toward the red line wing. Such a behavior is indicative of the clumpy structure of the stellar envelope.

Variability of Hell and hydrogen line profiles in the spectrum of HD 93521

We have studied the variability of the Hell λλ 4686 and 5411 Å Hβ, and Hα lines in the spectrum of the pulsating star HD 93521. All these line profiles display the same variability pattern relative to the average profiles: a sinusoidal wave that moves systematically from the short-to the long-wavelength wing of the profile. This variability is due to non-radial pulsations. To study the pulsation movements and stratification of the radial velocity in the atmosphere of HD 93521, we analyzed the variability of the radial velocities measured individually for the blue and red halves of the absorption profile at the half-level of the line intensity. The periods and amplitudes of this radial-velocity variability are different for different lines and are well correlated with their central depths. In the transition from weak to strong lines (i.e., from lower to upper layers of the atmosphere), the period of the radial-velocity variations measured using both halves of the absorption profile increases, while its amplitude decreases. When the morphology and variability of photospheric and wind-driven lines are compared, it is clear that the variability of their absorption components is due to the same process—non-radial pulsations. In this way, the non-radial pulsations partly affect the variability of the stellar wind. The effect of the stellar wind on the profiles of strong lines is observed as a variable absorption feature that moves along the profiles synchronous with the axial rotation of the star.

Nonstationarity of the α CYG atmosphere: IV. Some peculiarities of time variation in line profiles

We use 240 CCD spectra taken in 1998–2000 with the coude echelle spectrograph of the 2-m telescope of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan to study temporal radial velocity and line profile variations of the ion, HeI, and Hβ lines in the spectrumof the α Cyg supergiant. We demonstrate that these variations are caused by pulsation-type motions in the star’s atmosphere. Ion and HeI lines oscillate in the main fundamental mode with a period of about 12.0 ± 0.5d and an amplitude of 5.0 ± 0.5 km/s. These ion-line oscillations continue for about 35 days. Then the difference between the radial velocities of strong and weak ion lines results in a gradual decay of oscillations over a time interval of about 5.0 ± 1.0d. Thereafter the process repeats itself. For the Hβ line we found two significant periods, two amplitudes, and three characteristic radial velocity variability behaviors for the blue and red halves of the absorption profile: with equal variability parameters (period P and amplitude A); with equal P and A, but with a phase shift between the radial velocity variations of the blue and red halves of the absorption profile; with different P and A for the two halves of the absorption profile. The star’s center of mass radial velocity as inferred from the γ-velocity is −4.5 ± 0.5 km/s. The average expansion velocity of the atmospheric layers, where the Hβ line forms, amounts to about −16.5 ± 0.5 km/s and varies temporally with an amplitude of about 3.0 km/s.

Young massive binary θ1 OriC: Radial velocities of components

We succeeded in separating the absorption lines of both the primary C1 and the secondary C2 component in the spectra of the young massive binary θ1 OriC (O6Vp + B0V, mass sum 44 ± 7M⊙), obtained during the period from November 1995 to February 2013 with different telescopes. These observations allowed us to derive, for the first time, the radial velocities of both components. The orbitalmotion of the secondary star is traced through its weak (the line depth is approximately 0.01–0.02) absorption lines of CII, NII, OII, Si III, which are broadened by fast rotation of the star. Silicon absorptions Si III λλ 4553, 4568, and 4575 are better suited for radial velocity measurements than the other lines. From the velocity curves, we obtained the systemic velocity of the system, γ = 31 ±2 kms−1, and semi-amplitudes of the C1 and C2 velocities: K1 = 15 ± 2 kms−1, K2 = 43 ± 3 kms−1. This leads to individual component masses of M1 = 33 ± 5 M⊙ and M2 = 11 ± 5 M⊙, based on the adopted mass sum. At present, the combined spectroscopic-interferometric orbital solution cannot be obtained because of the large scatter of velocity measurements caused by chaotic line shifts in the spectrum of the primary star and by the weakness of wide absorptions from the secondary. New spectroscopy with a resolution of R ≥ 30000 and S/N ratio over 200 performed in the period close to the periastron passage in the second half of 2013, as well as additional long-baseline interferometry, will be decisive in refining the parameters of θ1 OriC. We expect that as a result of this campaign, masses and luminosities of the components will be determined with an accuracy of 2–3%.

Methodical peculiarities of study of pulsation-type motions in stellar atmospheres

An efficient methodical approach is proposed to the study of pulsation-type motions in the atmospheres of hot stars. Several well-studied stars are used as examples to demonstrate the appropriateness of the method, which allows to study in detail the kinematics of the atmosphere and do asteroseismological forecasts. This approach makes it possible to separately analyze different kinematics of the rising and falling layers of the stellar atmosphere, and to spectroscopically reveal different rotation of the star if such is the case. The differential rotation of atmospheric layers of HD 93521 is confirmed by the model computations.

Some features of the radial-velocity variations of lines of different intensity in the spectrum of HD 93521. Variability of the stellar wind

CCD spectra taken with the PFES echelle spectrograph of the 6-m telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences are used to perform a detailed study of the variability of the profiles of Hell, Hβ, and Hα lines in the spectrum of HD 93521. The pattern and nature of the variability of the Hell lines are similar to those of weak HeI lines and are due to nonradial pulsations. The period and amplitude of the radial-velocity variations are the same for the blue and red halves of the absorption profile but their phases are opposite. The behavior of the variations of Hβ and Hα hydrogen lines relative to their mean profiles is the same as that of strong HeI line and is due to nonradial pulsations. The period and phase of the radial-velocity oscillations are the same for the blue and red halves of the absorption profile but their amplitude are different. The behavior of the radial-velocity variations of the absorption and emission components of the Hα line indicates that the latter also are caused by nonradial pulsations. All this is indicative of the complex structure of the stellar wind in the region of its origin. The behavior of variability and wind kinematics differ in different directions and for different regions of the atmosphere and/or envelope.

Study of the non-stationarity of the atmosphere of κ Cas. Ii. Variability of the Hγ, Hβ, and Hα wind-line profiles

We study the variability of the Hγ, Hβ, and Hα line profiles in the spectrum of the supergiant κ Cas. The variability pattern proved to be the same for all the lines considered: their profiles are superimposed by blueshifted, central, and redshifted emission. For Hγ the positions of the emissions coincide with the positions of the corresponding emissions for He I λλ 5876, 6678 Å lines, and are equal to about −135 ± 30.0 km s−1, −20 ± 20 kms−1, and 135 ± 30.0 kms−1, respectively, whereas the three emissions in the Hβ profiles are fixed at about −170.0 ± 70.0 kms−1, 20 ± 30 kms−1, and 170.0 ± 70.0 km s−1, respectively. The positions of the blueshifted and central emissions for Hα are the same as for Hβ, with additional blueshifted emission at −135.0 ± 30.0 kms−1, whereas no traces of emission can be seen in the red wing of the line. These emissions show up more conspicuously in wind lines, however, their traces can be seen in all photospheric lines. When passing from wind lines to photospheric lines the intensity of superimposed emission components decreases and the same is true for the absolute values of their positions in line wings expressed in terms of radial velocities. The V/R variations of the lines studied found in the spectrum of κ Cas and the variability of the Hα emission indicate that the star is a supergiant showing Be phenomenon.