Marek Skarka

Bright Blazhko RRab Lyrae stars observed by ASAS and the SuperWASP surveys

Aims. Period study of 321 fundamental mode RR Lyrae type stars (RRab), which had appropriate data in ASAS and SuperWASP surveys, was performed to complement and extend the list of known Blazhko stars in galactic field with bright stars up to 12.5 mag in maximum light. Methods. An individual approach was applied to each studied star. Permanent visual supervision was maintained to each procedure in data analysis (data cleaning, frequency spectra examination) to avoid missing any possible sign of the Blazhko effect. Period analysis was performed using Period04 software. Results. We found 100 stars to be definitely modulated. In 25 cases, previously unknown modulation was revealed and 8 new candidates for Blazhko stars were identified. Their modulation needs to be confirmed. In 18 previously found Blazhko stars, no modulation was detectable. Multiple modulation was revealed for eight stars that were previously proposed to show simple modulation. In total, there were twelve stars with some peculiarity in their modulation in the sample. This brings the incidence rate of multiple/irregularlymodulated stars to 12%. The ratio of the modulation periods of five of the double-modulated stars was within the ratios of small integers. One of stars studied, IK Hya, showed a very interesting frequency spectrum, which we interpret as changing Blazhko period between 71.81 and 75.57 days and an additional 1403-day-long cycle analogous to a four-year cycle of the prototype RR Lyr. The limits of the shorter period produce a beating period that is approximately twice as big as a 1403-day period. The newly revealed Blazhko star RZ CVn seems to undergo changes in the amplitude of the modulation, as well as in the basic pulsation and Blazhko periods. We found that the incidence rate of the Blazhko RR Lyraes is at least 31%, more likely even higher. It was also found that the majority of the Blazhko variables show triplet structures in their frequency spectra and that in 89% of these cases, the peak with larger amplitude is on the right-hand side of the main pulsation component.

Known Galactic field Blazhko stars

A list of known Galactic field stars exhibiting Blazhko effect containing 242 stars is presented. All the entries including their designations, positions, pulsation, and Blazhko periods were collected from the available literature. The actual values of parameters are given.

Apsidal motion and a light curve solution for eighteen SMC eccentric eclipsing binaries

Aims. The Danish 1.54-meter telescope at the La Silla observatory was used for photometric monitoring of selected eccentric eclipsing binaries located in the Small Magellanic Cloud. The new times of minima were derived for these systems, which are needed for accurate determination of the apsidal motion. Moreover, many new times of minima were derived from the photometric databases OGLE and MACHO. Eighteen early-type eccentric-orbit eclipsing binaries were studied. Methods. Their O–C diagrams of minima timings were analysed and the parameters of the apsidal motion were obtained. The light curves of these eighteen binaries were analysed using the program PHOEBE, giving the light curve parameters. For several systems, the additional third light also was detected. Results. We derived for the first time and significantly improved the relatively short periods of apsidal motion from 19 to 142 years for these systems. The relativistic effects are weak, up to 10% of the total apsidal motion rate. For one system (OGLE-SMC-ECL-0888), the third-body hypothesis was also presented, which agrees with high value of the third light for this system detected during the light curve solution.

Cyclic variations in O−C diagrams of field RR Lyrae stars as a result of LiTE

This paper presents an extensive overview of known and proposed RR Lyrae stars in binaries. The aim is to revise and extend the list with new Galactic field systems. We utilized maxima timings for 11 RRab type stars with suspicious behaviour from the GEOS data base, and determined maxima timings from data of sky surveys and our own observations. This significantly extended the number of suitable maxima timings. We modelled the proposed Light Time Effect (LiTE) in O-C diagrams to determine orbital parameters for these systems. In contrast to recent studies, our analysis focused on decades-long periods instead of periods in the order of years. Secondary components were found to be predominantly low-mass objects. However, for RZ Cet and AT Ser the mass of the suspected companion of more than one solar mass suggests that it is a massive white dwarf, a neutron star or even a black hole. We found that the semimajor axes of the proposed orbits are between 1 and 20 au. Because the studied stars belong to the closest RR Lyraes, maximal angular distances between components during orbit should at least be between 1 and 13 mas and this improves the chance to detect both stars using current telescopes. However, our interpretation of the O-C diagrams as a consequence of the LiTE should be considered as preliminary without reliable spectroscopic measurements. On the other hand, our models give a prediction of the period and radial velocity evolution which should be sufficient for plausible proof of binarity.

New analysis of the light time effect in TU Ursae Majoris

We investigate in detail the LiTE of the most probable binary candidate TU UMa. We used a new code applied on previously available and newly determined maxima timings to confirm binarity and refine parameters of the orbit of the RRab component in the binary system. The binary hypothesis is also tested using RV measurements. We used new approach to determine brightness maxima timings based on template fitting. This can also be used on sparse or scattered data. This approach was successfully applied on measurements from different sources. To determine the orbital parameters of the double star TU UMa, we developed a new code to analyse LiTE that also includes secular variation in the pulsation period. Its usability was successfully tested on CL Aur, an eclipsing binary with mass-transfer in a triple system that shows similar changes in the O-C diagram. Since orbital motion would cause systematic shifts in mean RVs (dominated by pulsations), we computed and compared our model with centre-of-mass velocities. They were determined using high-quality templates of RV curves of RRab stars. Maxima timings adopted from the GEOS database (168) together with those newly determined from sky surveys and new measurements (85) were used to construct an O-C diagram spanning almost five proposed orbital cycles. This data set is three times larger than data sets used by previous authors. Modelling of the O-C dependence resulted in 23.3-year orbital period, which translates into a minimum mass of the second component of about 0.33 M_s. Secular changes in the pulsation period of TU UMa over the whole O-C diagram were satisfactorily approximated by a parabolic trend with a rate of -2.2 ms/yr. To confirm binarity, we used RV measurements from nine independent sources. Although our results are convincing, additional long-term monitoring is necessary to unambiguously confirm the binarity of TU UMa.

Ultraviolet and visual flux and line variations of one of the least variable Bp stars HD 64740

Context. The light variability of hot magnetic chemically peculiar stars is typically caused by the flux redistribution in spots with peculiar abundance. This raises the question why some stars with surface abundance spots show significant rotational light variability, while others do not. Aims. We study the Bp star HD 64740 to investigate how its remarkable inhomogeneities in the surface distribution of helium and silicon, and the corresponding strong variability of many spectral lines, can result in one of the faintest photometric variabilities among the Bp stars. Methods. We used model atmospheres and synthetic spectra calculated for the silicon and helium abundances from surface abundance maps to predict the ultraviolet and visual light and line variability of HD 64740. The predicted fluxes and line profiles were compared with the observed ones derived with the IUE, HST, and Hipparcos satellites and with spectra acquired using the FEROS spectrograph at the 2.2 m MPG/ESO telescope in La Silla. Results. We are able to reproduce the observed visual light curve of HD 64740 assuming an inhomogeneous distribution of iron correlated with silicon distribution. The light variations in the ultraviolet are hardly detectable. We detect the variability of many ultraviolet lines of carbon, silicon, and aluminium and discuss the origin of these lines and the nature of their variations. Conclusions. The maximum abundances of helium and silicon on the surface of HD 64740 are not high enough to cause significant light variations. The detected variability of many ultraviolet lines is most likely of atmospheric origin and reflects the inhomogeneous elemental surface distribution. The variability of the C iv resonance lines of carbon is stronger and it probably results from the dependence of the wind mass-loss rate on the chemical composition and magnetic field orientation. We have not been able to detect a clear signature of the matter trapped in the circumstellar clouds.

KIC 2831097 – a 2-yr-orbital-period RR Lyrae binary candidate

We report the discovery of a new Kepler first-overtone RR Lyrae pulsator, KIC 2831097. The pulsation shows large, 0.1 d amplitude, systematic phase variations that can be interpreted as light travel-time effect caused by orbital motion in a binary system, superimposed on a linear pulsation-period decrease. The assumed eccentric (e=0.47) orbit with the period of approximately 2 yr is the shortest among the non-eclipsing RR Lyrae binary candidates. The binary model gives a lowest estimate for the mass of the companion of 8.4 M_Sun, that places it among black hole candidates. Beside the first-overtone pulsation, numerous additional non-radial pulsation frequencies were also identified. We detected an ~47-d Blazhko-like irregular light-curve modulation.

Characteristics of bright ab-type RR Lyrae stars from the ASAS and WASP surveys

In this article, we present results based on high-density, high-precision Wide-Angle Search for Planets (WASP) light curves supplemented with lower-precision photometry from the All-Sky Automated Survey (ASAS) for 268 RR Lyrae stars (176 regular, 92 Blazhko). Light curves were Fourier-decomposed and coefficients from WASP were transformed to the ASAS standard using 24 common stars. Coefficients were then compared with similar data from Galactic globular clusters, the Galactic bulge and the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds (LMC and SMC). Using Fourier coefficients, we also calculated physical parameters via standard equations from the literature. We confirmed the results of previous authors, including lower amplitudes and longer rise times for Blazhko stars. It was found that in the R31 versus R21 plot the location of a star depends mainly on its metallicity and that Blazhko stars prefer a different location from modulation-free stars. Field and globular cluster RR Lyrae variables have a different phi21 and phi31 from stars in the LMC, SMC and Galactic bulge. Although there are some weak indications that Blazhko stars could tend towards a slightly lower metallicity and shorter periods, no convincing proof was found. The most interesting highlight is the identification of a very recently proposed new group of metal-rich RR Lyrae type stars. These low-luminosity, metal-strong variables, comprising both Blazhko and regular stars, have shorter periods and about 180 K higher temperature at constant (B-V)0 than the rest of the stars in the sample.

HD 54272, a classical λ Bootis star and γ Doradus pulsator

We detect the second known lambda Bootis star (HD 54272) which exhibits gamma Doradus-type pulsations. The star was formerly misidentified as a RR Lyrae variable. The lambda Bootis stars are a small group (only 2 per cent) of late B to early F-type, Population I stars which show moderate to extreme (up to a factor 100) surface underabundances of most Fe-peak elements and solar abundances of lighter elements (C, N, O, and S). The photometric data from the Wide Angle Search for Planets (WASP) and All Sky Automated Survey (ASAS) projects were analysed. They have an overlapping time base of 1566 d and 2545 d, respectively. Six statistically significant peaks were identified (f(1) = 1.410 116 d(-1), f(2) = 1.283 986 d(-1), f(3) = 1.293 210 d(-1), f(4) = 1.536 662 d(-1), f(5) = 1.157 22 d(-1) and f(6) = 0.226 57 d(-1)). The spacing between f(1) and f(2), f(1) and f(4), f(5) and f(2) is almost identical. Since the daily aliasing is very strong, the interpretation of frequency spectra is somewhat ambiguous. From spectroscopic data, we deduce a high rotational velocity (250 +/- 25 km s(-1)) and a metal deficiency of about -0.8 to -1.1 dex compared to the Sun. A comparison with the similar star, HR 8799, results in analogous pulsational characteristics but widely different astrophysical parameters. Since both are lambda Bootis-type stars, the main mechanism of this phenomenon, selective accretion, may severely influence gamma Doradus-type pulsations.

Photometric study of the star with changing Blazhko effect: TV Bootis

This study investigates periodic modulation of the light curve of the RRc star TV Boo and its physical parameters based on photometric data. This phenomenon, known as the Blazhko effect, is quite rare among RRc stars. The frequency analysis based on the data gathered at the Masaryk University Observatory (MUO) and also using SuperWASP data revealed symmetrically structured peaks around the main pulsation frequency and its harmonics, which indicate two modulation components of the Blazhko period. The main modulation periodicity was found to be 9.7374 +- 0.0054 d. This is one of the shortest known Blazhko periods among RRc stars. The second modulation period (21.5 +- 0.2 d) causes changes of the Blazhko effect itself. Some indices show that TV Boo could be affected by long-term changes of the order of years. Basic physical parameters were estimated via an MUO V light-curve solution using Fourier parameters. TV Boo seems to be a low-metallicity star with [Fe/H] = -1.89.