I. Kolka

The Gaia astrophysical parameters inference system (Apsis) - Pre-launch description

The Gaia satellite will survey the entire celestial sphere down to 20th magnitude, obtaining astrometry, photometry, and low resolution spectrophotometry on one billion astronomical sources, plus radial velocities for over one hundred million stars. Its main objective is to take a census of the stellar content of our Galaxy, with the goal of revealing its formation and evolution. Gaias unique feature is the measurement of parallaxes and proper motions with hitherto unparalleled accuracy for many objects. As a survey, the physical properties of most of these objects are unknown. Here we describe the data analysis system put together by the Gaia consortium to classify these objects and to infer their astrophysical properties using the satellites data. This system covers single stars, (unresolved) binary stars, quasars, and galaxies, all covering a wide parameter space. Multiple methods are used for many types of stars, producing multiple results for the end user according to different models and assumptions. Prior to its application to real Gaia data the accuracy of these methods cannot be assessed definitively. But as an example of the current performance, we can attain internal accuracies (RMS residuals) on F,G,K,M dwarfs and giants at G=15 (V=15-17) for a wide range of metallicites and interstellar extinctions of around 100K in effective temperature (Teff), 0.1mag in extinction (A0), 0.2dex in metallicity ([Fe/H]), and 0.25dex in surface gravity (logg). The accuracy is a strong function of the parameters themselves, varying by a factor of more than two up or down over this parameter range. After its launch in November 2013, Gaia will nominally observe for five years, during which the system we describe will continue to evolve in light of experience with the real data.

The peculiar variable V838 Monocerotis

Spectroscopic observations of the peculiar variable V838 Mon during the period from the second light outburst until the fast dimming are presented. We describe high resolution (R ≈ 60 000) high S /N spectra obtained a day before the second light maximum and low resolution (R ≈ 6000) spectra covering the whole period. The temporal run of intensities and radial velocities of various lines is presented. Using Na  D IS lines we determine the reddening distance of V838 Mon d > 3.1 kpc, and kinematic distance d > 4 kpc. We estimate that V838 Mon is slightly metal deficient but otherwise has a quite solar-like chemical composition except for enhanced abundances of Li, Ba and La.

Wind structure of late B supergiants. I. Multi-line analyses of near-surface and wind structure in HD 199 478 (B8 Iae).

Aims. We provide a quantitative analysis of time-variable phenomena in the photospheric, near-star, and outflow regions of the late-B supergiant (SG) HD 199 478. This study aims to provide new perspectives on the nature of outflows in late-B SGs and on the influence of large-scale structures rooted at the stellar surface. Methods. The analysis is based primarily on optical spectroscopic datasets secured between 1999 and 2000 from the Bulgarian NAO, Tartu, and Ritter Observatories. The acquired time-series samples a wide range of weak metal lines, He i absorption, and both emission and absorption signatures in Hα. Non-LTE line synthesis modelling is conducted using FASTWIND for a strategic set of late-B SGs to constrain and compare their fundamental parameters within the context of extreme behaviour in the Hα lines. Results. The temporal behaviour of HD 199 478 is characterised by three key empirical properties: (i) systematic central velocity shifts in the photospheric absorption lines, including C ii and He i, over a characteristic time-scale of ∼20 days; (ii) extremely strong, variable Hα emission with no clear modulation signal; and (iii) the occurrence in 2000 of a (rare) high-velocity absorption (HVA) event in Hα, which evolved over ∼60 days, showing the clear signature of mass infall and outflows. In these properties HD 199 478 resembles few other late-B SGs with peculiar emission and HVAs in Hα (HD 91 619, HD 34 085, HD 96919). Different possibilities accounting for the phenomenon observed are indicated and briefly discussed. Conclusions. At the cooler temperature edge of B SGs, there are objects whose wind properties, as traced by Hα, are inconsistent with the predictions of the smooth, spherically symmetric wind approximation. This discordance is still not fully understood and may highlight the role of a non-spherical, disk-like, geometry, which may result from magnetically-driven equatorial compression of the gas. Ordered dipole magnetic fields may also lead to confined plasma held above the stellar surface, which ultimately gives rise to transient HVA events.

Eclipse of the B3V companion and flaring of emission lines in V838 Monocerotis

After four years during which only the spectacular light echo was showing continuous and rapid evolution while the central star was nearly constant, in autumn 2006 V838 Mon began a sequence of events which profoundly altered its spectroscopic and photometric behavior: (a) an eclipse of the B3V companion, characterized by the disappearance and reappearance of the B3V companion from optical spectra, and an eclipse-like lightcurve of ∼70 day duration and ∆B ∼ 1.15 mag, ∆V ∼ 0.55 mag, ∆RC ∼ 0.10 mag maximum depth; (b) a large increase in intensity of the [FeII] and FeII emission lines, and the appearance in emission for the first time since the 2002 outburst of Hα and higher Balmer series lines. While the [FeII] and FeII lines maintained a very sharp and unresolved profile, the Hα developed into a wide and structured profile, characterized by a sharp central reversal at the same velocity as one of the CO radio emission components. The disappearance of the B3V companion is equally well explained by a grazing eclipse from the outbursting L-type supergiant or by an eclipse from a dust cloud characterized by EB−V = 0.55 and RV = 3.1. We believe the flaring of the emission lines occurred at a similar time as the B3V eclipse just by chance.

The hypergiant HR 8752 evolving through the yellow evolutionary void

Context. We study the time history of the yellow hypergiant HR 8752 based on high-resolution spectra (1973–2005), the observed MK spectral classification data, B − V -a ndV-observations (1918–1996) and yet earlier V-observations (1840–1918). Aims. Our local thermal equilibrium analysis of the spectra yields accurate values of the effective temperature (Teff), the acceleration of gravity (g), and the turbulent velocity (vt) for 26 spectra. The standard deviations average are 82 K for Teff ,0 .23 for logg, and 1.1 km s −1 for vt. Methods. A comparison of B−V observations, MK spectral types, and Teff-data yields E(B−V), “intrinsic” B−V,Teff, absorption AV, and the bolometric correction BC. With the additional information from simultaneous values of B −V,V, and an estimated value of R, the ratio of specific absorption to the interstellar absorption parameter E(B − V), the “unreddened” bolometric magnitude mbol,0 can be determined. With Hipparcos distance measurements of HR 8752, the absolute bolometric magnitude Mbol,0 can be determined. Results. Over the period of our study, the value of Teff gradually increased during a number of downward excursions that were observable over the period of sufficient time coverage. These observations, together with those of the effective acceleration g and the turbulent velocity vt, suggest that the star underwent a number of successive gas ejections. During each ejection, a pseudo photosphere was produced of increasingly smaller g and higher vt values. After the dispersion into space of the ejected shells and after the restructuring of the star’s atmosphere, a hotter and more compact photosphere became visible. From the B −V and V observations, the basic

A THREE-DIMENSIONAL VIEW OF THE REMNANT OF NOVA PERSEI 1901 (GK Per)

We present a kinematical study of the optical ejecta of GK Per. It is based on proper-motion measurements of 282 knots from ~20 images spanning 25 years. Doppler shifts are also computed for 217 knots. The combination of proper motions and radial velocities allows a unique three-dimensional view of the ejecta to be obtained. The main results are as follows: (1) the outflow is a thick shell in which knots expand with a significant range of velocities, mostly between 600 and 1000 km s–1, (2) kinematical ages indicate that knots have suffered only a modest deceleration since their ejection a century ago, (3) no evidence for anisotropy in the expansion rate is found, (4) velocity vectors are generally aligned along the radial direction, but a symmetric pattern of non-radial velocities is also observed at specific directions, and (5) the total Hα+[N II] flux has been linearly decreasing at a rate of 2.6% per year in the past decade. The eastern nebular side is fading at a slower rate than the western side. Some of the knots were displayed a rapid change of brightness during the 2004-2011 period. Over a longer timescale, a progressive circularization and homogenization of the nebula are taking place; (6) a kinematic distance of 400 ± 30 pc is determined. These results raise some problems with the previous interpretations of the evolution of GK Per. In particular, the idea of a strong interaction of the outflow with the surrounding medium in the southwest quadrant is not supported by our data.

Variability survey of brightest stars in selected OB associations

Context. The stellar evolution theory of massive stars remains uncalibrated with high-precision photometric observational data mainly due to a small number of luminous stars that are monitored from space. Automated all-sky surveys have revealed numerous variable stars but most of the luminous stars are often overexposed. Targeted campaigns can improve the time base of photometric data for those objects. Aims. The aim of this investigation is to study the variability of luminous stars at different timescales in young open clusters and OB associations. Methods. We monitored 22 open clusters and associations from 2011 to 2013 using a 0.25-m telescope. Variable stars were detected by comparing the overall light-curve scatter with measurement uncertainties. Variability was analysed by the light curve feature extraction tool FATS. Periods of pulsating stars were determined using the discrete Fourier transform code SigSpec. We then classified the variable stars based on their pulsation periods and available spectral information. Results. We obtained light curves for more than 20 000 sources of which 354 were found to be variable. Amongst them we find 80 eclipsing binaries, 31 α Cyg, 13 β Cep, 62 Be, 16 slowly pulsating B, 7 Cepheid, 1 γ Doradus, 3 Wolf-Rayet and 63 late-type variable stars. Up to 55% of these stars are potential new discoveries as they are not present in the Variable Star Index (VSX) database. We find the cluster membership fraction for variable stars to be 13% with an upper limit of 35%.

Period change of massive binaries from combined photometric and spectroscopic data in Cygnus OB2

Context. Mass loss is an important property in evolution models of massive stars. As up to 90% of the massive stars have a visual or spectroscopic companion and many of them exhibit mass exchange, mass-loss rates can be acquired through the period study of massive binaries. Aims. Using our own photometric observations as well as archival data, we look for variations in orbital periods of seven massive eclipsing binary systems in the Cygnus OB2 association and estimate their mass-loss rates and stellar parameters. Methods. We use a Bayesian parameter estimation method to simultaneously fit the period and period change to all available data and a stellar modelling tool to model the binary parameters from photometric and radial-velocity data. Results. Four out of the seven selected binaries show non-zero period change values at two-sigma confidence level. We also report for the first time the eclipsing nature of a star MT059.

Detection and Characterisation of H‐α Emission Lines from Gaia BP/RP Spectra

The Gaia probe, set to launch in 2011, will measure an estimated billion astronomical objects, producing an enormous amount of data. One of the data analysis tasks will be the identification and classification of measured objects. A vast majority of them will be “ordinary” stars from our Galaxy but a certain percentage will belong to “peculiar” objects. We are interested in detecting emission line stars (ELS). The characteristic feature of most ELS is the presence of a H‐α emission line in their spectra. In the case of Gaia measurements, the influence of this line could be detected in low resolution prismatic spectra which will be recorded both in blue (BP) and red (RP) spectral region. In this work, we compare different algorithms for detecting and characterising H‐α lines in Gaia spectra. These include a simple, integrated flux ratio‐based algorithm and several machine learning algorithms, such as neural networks, support vector machines and support vector regression. We study line detection both from s...

Phase Shifts Between Cyclical Spectral Parameters of P Cygni

The results of measurements of three typical spectral lines of hydrogen covering two time-intervals (1981–83 and 1989–91) are presented in Fig. 1.