Philippe Bendjoya

A mid-infrared imaging catalogue of post-AGB stars ?

Post-asymptotic giant branch (post-AGB) stars are key objects for the study of the dramatic morphological changes of low- to intermediate-mass stars on their evolution from the AGB towards the planetary nebula stage. There is growing evidence that binary interaction processes may very well have a determining role in the shaping process of many objects, but so far direct evidence is still weak. We aim at a systematic study of the dust distribution around a large sample of post-AGB stars as a probe of the symmetry breaking in the nebulae around these systems. We used imaging in the mid-infrared to study the inner part of these evolved stars to probe direct emission from dusty structures in the core of post-AGB stars in order to better understand their shaping mechanisms. We imaged a sample of 93 evolved stars and nebulae in the mid-infrared using VLT spectrometer and imager for the mid-infrared (VISIR)/VLT, T-Recs/Gemini-South and Michelle/Gemini-North. We found that all the proto-planetary nebulae we resolved show a clear departure from spherical symmetry. 59 out of the 93 observed targets appear to be non-resolved. The resolved targets can be divided into two categories. (i) The nebulae with a dense central core, that are either bipolar and multipolar and (ii) the nebulae with no central core, with an elliptical morphology. The dense central torus observed likely hosts binary systems which triggered fast outflows that shaped the nebulae.

A mid-infrared imaging catalogue of post-asymptotic giant branch stars★

Post-asymptotic giant branch (post-AGB) stars are key objects for the study of the dramatic morphological changes of low- to intermediate-mass stars on their evolution from the AGB towards the planetary nebula stage. There is growing evidence that binary interaction processes may very well have a determining role in the shaping process of many objects, but so far direct evidence is still weak. We aim at a systematic study of the dust distribution around a large sample of post-AGB stars as a probe of the symmetry breaking in the nebulae around these systems. We used imaging in the mid-infrared to study the inner part of these evolved stars to probe direct emission from dusty structures in the core of post-AGB stars in order to better understand their shaping mechanisms. We imaged a sample of 93 evolved stars and nebulae in the mid-infrared using VLT spectrometer and imager for the mid-infrared (VISIR)/VLT, T-Recs/Gemini-South and Michelle/Gemini-North. We found that all the proto-planetary nebulae we resolved show a clear departure from spherical symmetry. 59 out of the 93 observed targets appear to be non-resolved. The resolved targets can be divided into two categories. (i) The nebulae with a dense central core, that are either bipolar and multipolar and (ii) the nebulae with no central core, with an elliptical morphology. The dense central torus observed likely hosts binary systems which triggered fast outflows that shaped the nebulae.

SOPHIE velocimetry of Kepler transit candidates XII. KOI-1257 b: a highly eccentric three-month period transiting exoplanet

In this paper we report a new transiting warm giant planet: KOI-1257 b. It was first detected in photometry as a planet-candidate by the Kepler space telescope and then validated thanks to a radial velocity :follow-up with the SOPHIE spectrograph. It orbits its host star with a period of 86,647661 d +/- 3 s and a high eccentricity of 0.772 +/- 0.045. The planet transits the main star of a metal-rich, relatively old binary system With stars of mass of 0.99 +/- 0.05 M-circle dot and 0.70 +/- 0.07 M-circle dot for the primary and secondary, respectively. This binary system is constrained thanks to a self-consistent modelling of the Kepler transit light curve; the SOPHIE radial velocities; line bisector and full-width half maximum (FWHM) variations, and the spectral energy distribution. However, future observations are needed to confirm it. The PASTIS fully-Bayesian software was used to validate the nature of the planet and to determine which star of the binary system is the transit host. By accounting for the dilution from the binary both in photometry and in radial velocity, we find that the planet has a mass of 1.45 +/- 0.35 M-4, and a radius of 0.94(4) +/- 0.12 R-4 and thus a bulk density of 2.1 +/- 1.2 g cm(-3). The planet has an equilibrium temperature of 511 +/- 50K, making it one of the few known members of the warm-Jupiter population. The HARPS-N spectrograph was also used to observe a transit of KOI-1257 b, simultaneously with a joint amateur and professional photometric follow up, with the aim of constraining the orbital obliquity of the planet. However, the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect was not clearly detected, resulting in poor constraints on the orbital obliquity of the planet.

The galactic unclassified B[e] star HD 50138. II. Interferometric constraints on the close circumstellar environment

Context. HD 50138 is a southern star that presents the B[e] phenomenon, but its evolutionary stage is still not well known. This object presents spectral variability, which can be explained by outbursts or shell phases. Spectropolarimetric observations have shown the presence of a non-spherically symmetric circumstellar environment that is responsible for the B[e] phenomenon. However, up to now, the structure of the circumstellar medium of this object has not been studied deeply. Aims. Based on recent optical long baseline interferometric observations from the VLTI/MIDI and VLTI/AMBER, and also from the Keck segment-tilting experiment, we study the structure of the circumstellar environment of HD 50138. Methods. The analysis of our data is based on geometrical analytical modeling, also using the recent LITpro software and considering a large space of parameters, which allows us to obtain a good estimate of the geometry of the circumstellar medium of HD 50138, responsible for the emission in the H, K ,a ndN-bands. Results. We resolve the circumstellar environment of HD 50138 and describe its geometry for the first time in detail. Through analysis of multiwavelength data, the presence of a dusty circumstellar disk with an orientation onto the sky-plane of 71 ± 7 ◦ ,w hich is perpendicular to the polarimetric measurements from the literature, was derived. We also derived that HD 50138 is seen under an intermediate angle related to the line of sight, 56 ± 4 ◦ . In addition, the structure of the disk and the flux contributions of the gas and dust components is discussed. Conclusions. Based on analysis of different sets of interferometric data, we describe the circumstellar disk whose geometric parameters were determined, allowing us to understand the geometry of the circumstellar material of this bright star with the B[e] phenomenon.

Photodynamical mass determination of the multiplanetary system K2-19

K2-19 is the second multiplanetary system discovered with K2 observations. The system is composed of two Neptune size planets close to the 3: 2 mean-motion resonance. To better characterize the system we obtained two additional transit observations of K2-19b and five additional radial velocity observations. These were combined with K2 data and fitted simultaneously with the system dynamics ( photodynamical model) which increases the precision of the transit time measurements. The higher transit time precision allows us to detect the chopping signal of the dynamic interaction of the planets that in turn permits to uniquely characterize the system. Although the reflex motion of the star was not detected, dynamic modelling of the system allowed us to derive planetary masses of M-b = 44 +/- 12 M-circle plus and M-c = 15.9 +/- 7.0 M-circle plus for the inner and the outer planets, respectively, leading to densities close to Uranus. We also show that our method allows the derivation of mass ratios using only the 80 d of observations during the first campaign of K2.

Prototyping coronagraphs for exoplanet characterization with SPHERE

The detection and characterization of extrasolar planets with SPHERE (Spectro Polarimetric High contrast Exoplanet REsearch) is challenging and in particular relies on the ability of a coronagraph to attenuate the diffracted starlight. SPHERE includes 3 instruments, 2 of which can be operated simultaneously in the near IR from 0.95 to 1.8 microns. This requirements is extremely critical for coronagraphy. This paper briefly introduces the concepts of 2 coronagraphs, the Half-Wave Plate Four Quadrant Phase Masks and the Apodized Pupil Lyot Coronagraph, prototyped within the SPHERE consortium by LESIA (Observatory of Paris) and FIZEAU (University of Nice) respectively. Then, we present the measurements of contrast and sensitivity analysis. The comparison with technical specifications allows to validate the technology for manufacturing these coronagraphs.

The environment of the fast rotating star Achernar - III. Photospheric parameters revealed by the VLTI

Context. Rotation significantly impacts on the structure and life of stars. In phases of high rotation velocity (close to critical), the photospheric structure can be highly modified, and present in particular geometrical deformation (rotation flattening) and latitudinaldependent flux (gravity darkening). The fastest known rotators among the nondegenerate stars close to the main sequence, Be stars, are key targets for studying the e ects of fast rotation on stellar photospheres. Aims. We seek to determine the purely photospheric parameters of Achernar based on observations recorded during an emission-free phase (normal B phase). Methods. Several recent works proved that optical/IR long-baseline interferometry is the only technique able to su ciently spatially resolve and measure photospheric parameters of fast rotating stars. We thus analyzed ESO-VLTI (PIONIER and AMBER) interferometric observations of Achernar to measure its photospheric parameters by fitting our physical model CHARRON using a Markov chain Monte Carlo method. This analysis was also complemented by spectroscopic, polarimetric, and photometric observations to investigate the status of the circumstellar environment of Achernar during the VLTI observations and to cross-check our model-fitting results. Results. Based on VLTI observations that partially resolve Achernar, we simultaneously measured five photospheric parameters of a Be star for the first time: equatorial radius (equatorial angular diameter), equatorial rotation velocity, polar inclination, position angle of the rotation axis projected on the sky, and the gravity darkening coe cient (e ective temperature distribution). The close circumstellar environment of Achernar was also investigated based on contemporaneous polarimetry, spectroscopy, and interferometry, including image reconstruction. This analysis did not reveal any important circumstellar contribution, so that Achernar was essentially in a normal B phase at least from mid-2009 to end-2012, and the model parameters derived in this work provide a fair description of its photosphere. Finally, because Achernar is the flattest interferometrically resolved fast rotator to-date, the measured and flattening, combined with values from previous works, provide a crucial test for a recently proposed gravity darkening model. This model o ers a promising explanation to the fact that the measured parameter decreases with flattening and shows significantly lower values than the classical prediction of von Zeipel.

Beyond the diffraction limit of optical/IR interferometers - I. Angular diameter and rotation parameters of Achernar from differential phases

Context. Spectrally resolved long-baseline optical/IR interferometry of rotating stars opens perspectives to investigate their fundamental parameters and the physical mechanisms that govern their interior, photosphere, and circumstellar envelope structures. Aims. Based on the signatures of stellar rotation on observed interferometric wavelength-differential phases, we aim to measure angular diameters, rotation velocities, and orientation of stellar rotation axes. Methods. We used the AMBER focal instrument at ESO-VLTI in its high-spectral resolution mode to record interferometric data on the fast rotator Achernar. Differential phases centered on the hydrogen Br γ line (K band) were obtained during four almost consecutive nights with a continuous Earth-rotation synthesis during ∼5 h/night, corresponding to ∼60° position angle coverage per baseline. These observations were interpreted with our numerical code dedicated to long-baseline interferometry of rotating stars. Results. By fitting our model to Achernars differential phases from AMBER, we could measure its equatorial radius R e q = 11.6 ± 0.3 R ⊙ , equatorial rotation velocity V eq = 298 ± 9 km s ―1 , rotation axis inclination angle i = 101.5 ± 5.2°, and rotation axis position angle (from North to East) PA rot = 34.9 ± 1.6°. From these parameters and the stellar distance, the equatorial angular diameter ∅ eq of Achernar is found to be 2.45 ± 0.09 mas, which is compatible with previous values derived from the commonly used visibility amplitude. In particular, ∅ eq and PA rot measured in this work with VLTI/AMBER are compatible with the values previously obtained with VLTI/VINCI. Conclusions. The present paper, based on real data, demonstrates the super-resolution potential of differential interferometry for measuring sizes, rotation velocities, and orientation of rotating stars in cases where visibility amplitudes are unavailable and/or when the star is partially or poorly resolved. In particular, we showed that differential phases allow the measurement of sizes up to ∼4 times smaller than the diffraction-limited angular resolution of the interferometer.

New cases of unusual polarimetric behavior in asteroids

Aims. Results of different polarimetric campaigns at Complejo Astronomico El Leoncito (Casleo), San Juan, Argentina are presented. The aim of these campaigns was to search for objects exhibiting anomalous polarimetric properties, similar to those shown by the Ld-class asteroid (234) Barbara, among members of the same or similar taxonomic classes. Methods. The data have been obtained with Torino and CASPROF polarimeters at the 2.15 m telescope. The Torino polarimeter is an instrument that allows simultaneous measurement of polarization in five different bands, and CASPROF polarimeter is a two-hole aperture polarimeter with rapid modulation. Results. The campaigns began in 2005, and we found four new asteroids with Barbara-like polarimetric properties: the L-class objects (172) Baucis, (236) Honoria and (980) Anacostia, and the K-class asteroid (679) Pax. The polarimetric properties of the phase-polarization curves of these objects may be produced by a mixture of high- and low-albedo particles in their regolith as a result of the fragmentation of a substrate that is spectrally analog to the CO3/CV3 chondrites.

Diameter and photospheric structures of Canopus from AMBER/VLTI interferometry ,

Context. Direct measurements of fundamental parameters and photospheric structures of post-main-sequence intermediate-mass stars are required for a deeper understanding of their evolution. Aims. Based on near-IR long-baseline interferometry we aim to resolve the stellar surface of the F0 supergiant star Canopus, and to precisely measure its angular diameter and related physical parameters. Methods. We used the AMBER/VLTI instrument to record interferometric data on Canopus: visibilities and closure phases in the H and K bands with a spectral resolution of 35. The available baselines (’ 60 110 m) and the high quality of the AMBER/VLTI observations allowed us to measure fringe visibilities as far as in the third visibility lobe. Results. We determined an angular diameter of = = 6:93 0:15 mas by adopting a linearly limb-darkened disk model. From this angular diameter and Hipparcos distance we derived a stellar radius R = 71:4 4:0R . Depending on bolometric fluxes existing in the literature, the measured = provides two estimates of the e ective temperature: Te = 7284 107 K and Te = 7582 252 K. Conclusions. In addition to providing the most precise angular diameter obtained to date, the AMBER interferometric data point towards additional photospheric structures on Canopus beyond the limb-darkened model alone. A promising explanation for such surface structures is the presence of convection cells. We checked such a hypothesis using first order star-cell models and concluded that the AMBER observations are compatible with the presence of surface convective structures. This direct detection of convective cells on Canopus from interferometry can provide strong constraints to radiation-hydrodynamics models of photospheres of F-type supergiants.