T. Granzer

PEPSI: The high-resolution ichelle spectrograph and polarimeter for the Large Binocular Telescope

PEPSI is the bench-mounted, two-arm, fibre-fed and stabilized Potsdam Echelle Polarimetric and Spectroscopic Instrument for the 2×8.4 m Large Binocular Telescope (LBT). Three spectral resolutions of either 43 000, 120 000 or 270 000 can cover the entire optical/red wavelength range from 383 to 907 nm in three exposures. Two 10.3k×10.3k CCDs with 9-µm pixels and peak quantum efficiencies of 94–96 % record a total of 92 echelle orders. We introduce a new variant of a wave-guide image slicer with 3, 5, and 7 slices and peak efficiencies between 92–96 %. A total of six cross dispersers cover the six wavelength settings of the spectrograph, two of them always simultaneously. These are made of a VPH-grating sandwiched by two prisms. The peak efficiency of the system, including the telescope, is 15 % at 650 nm, and still 11 % and 10 % at 390 nm and 900 nm, respectively. In combination with the 110 m2 light-collecting capability of the LBT, we expect a limiting magnitude of ≈20th mag in V in the low-resolution mode. The R = 120 000 mode can also be used with two, dual-beam Stokes IQUV polarimeters. The 270 000-mode is made possible with the 7-slice image slicer and a 100-µm fibre through a projected sky aperture of 0.74″, comparable to the median seeing of the LBT site. The 43 000-mode with 12-pixel sampling per resolution element is our bad seeing or faint-object mode. Any of the three resolution modes can either be used with sky fibers for simultaneous sky exposures or with light from a stabilized Fabry-Perot etalon for ultra-precise radial velocities. CCD-image processing is performed with the dedicated data-reduction and analysis package PEPSI-S4S. Its full error propagation through all image-processing steps allows an adaptive selection of parameters by using statistical inferences and robust estimators. A solar feed makes use of PEPSI during day time and a 500-m feed from the 1.8 m VATT can be used when the LBT is busy otherwise. In this paper, we present the basic instrument design, its realization, and its characteristics. Some pre-commissioning first-light spectra shall demonstrate the basic functionality. (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Rotation, activity, and lithium abundance in cool binary stars†

We have used two robotic telescopes to obtain time-series high-resolution spectroscopy and V I and/or by photometry for a sample of 60 active stars. Orbital solutions are presented for 26 SB2 and 19 SB1 systems with unprecedented phase coverage and accuracy. The total of 6,609 R=55,000 echelle spectra are also used to systematically determine effective temperatures, gravities, metallicities, rotational velocities, lithium abundances and absolute H{\alpha}-core fluxes as a function of time. The photometry is used to infer unspotted brightness, V - I and/or b - y colors, spot-induced brightness amplitudes and precise rotation periods. Our data are complemented by literature data and are used to determine rotation-temperature-activity relations for active binary components. We also relate lithium abundance to rotation and surface temperature. We find that 74% of all known rapidly-rotating active binary stars are synchronized and in circular orbits but 26% are rotating asynchronously of which half have Prot > Porb and e > 0. Because rotational synchronization is predicted to occur before orbital circularization active binaries should undergo an extra spin-down besides tidal dissipation. We suspect this to be due to a magnetically channeled wind with its subsequent braking torque. We find a steep increase of rotation period with decreasing effective temperature for active stars. For inactive, single giants with Prot > 100 d, the relation is much weaker. Our data also indicate a period-activity relation for H{\alpha} of the form RH{\alpha} \propto P - 0.24 for binaries and RH{\alpha} \propto P -0.14 for singles. Lithium abundances in our sample increase with effective temperature. On average, binaries of comparable effective temperature appear to exhibit 0.25 dex less surface lithium than singles. We also find a trend of increased Li abundance with rotational period of form log n(Li) \propto - 0.6 log Prot.

Binary-induced magnetic activity? ⋆ Time-series echelle spectroscopy and photometry of HD 123351 = CZ CVn

Context. Multi-wavelength time-series observations with high cadence and long duration are needed to resolve and understand the many variations of magnetically active late-type stars, which is an approach often used to observe the Sun. Aims. We present a first and detailed study of the bright and active K 0IV-III star HD 123351. Methods. We acquired a total of 955 high-resolution STELLA echelle spectra during the years 2006‐2010 and a total of 2,260 photometric V IC data points during 1998‐2010. These data are complemented by some spectra from CFHT and KPNO. Results. The star is found to be a single-lined spectroscopic binary with a period of 147.8919±0.0003 days and a large eccentricity of e=0.8086±0.0001. The rms of the orbital solution is just 47 m s −1 , making it the most precise orbit ever obtained for an active binary system. The rotation period is constrained from long-term photometry to be 58.32±0.01 days. It shows that HD 123351 is a very asynchronous rotator, rotating five times slower than the expected pseudo-synchronous value. Two spotted regions persisted

The perihelion activity of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko as seen by robotic telescopes

Around the time of its perihelion passage the observability of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko from Earth was limited to very short windows each morning from any given site, due to the low solar elongation of the comet. The peak in the comets activity was therefore difficult to observe with conventionally scheduled telescopes, but was possible where service/queue scheduled mode was possible, and with robotic telescopes. We describe the robotic observations that allowed us to measure the total activity of the comet around perihelion, via photometry (dust) and spectroscopy (gas), and compare these results with the measurements at this time by Rosettas instruments. The peak of activity occurred approximately two weeks after perihelion. The total brightness (dust) largely followed the predictions from Snodgrass et al. (2013), with no significant change in total activity levels from previous apparitions. The CN gas production rate matched previous orbits near perihelion, but appeared to be relatively low later in the year.

Evidence for enhanced mixing on the super-meteoritic Li-rich red giant HD 233517

Context. HD 233517 is among the most Li-rich stars in the sky. It is a rapidly rotating, single K giant thought to be on its first ascent on the red giant branch. The star has also the highest known infrared excess among any of the known first-ascent giants. Aims. We revisit the physical parameters of the system and aim to map its surface temperature distribution. Methods. New time-series photometry and high-resolution spectroscopy were obtained with our robotic facilities STELLA and Amadeus Automatic Photoelectric Telescope (APT) in 2007‐2011. Inverse line-profile modelling is performed on a total of 167 echelle spectra and six Doppler images are presented. Results. Light and radial-velocity variations suggest a stellar rotation period of 47.6 ± 0.3 d. The atmospheric parameters agree with previous studies and verify a super-meteoritic log 7 Li abundance of 4.29 ± 0.10 with undetected 6 Li, while the metals are generally deficient by ‐0.4 dex with respect to the Sun. We determine a lower than normal isotopic carbon ratio of 12 C/ 13 C = 9 +4 −2 . Our Doppler images indicate warm and cool spots with an average temperature contrast of just ±65 K with respect to the effective temperature. Doppler maps from Li i 670.78 reveal practically identical surface morphology, with a higher average contrast of ±160 K and errors that are five times larger. Reconstructions with simultaneously 1617 and 3007 spectral lines showed both a signal degradation with respect to our 56-line final image. An error analysis indicates an average temperature error per surface pixel of just ± 4K . )

Three Years of Experience with the STELLA Robotic Observatory

Since May 2006, the two STELLA robotic telescopes at the Izana observatory in Tenerife, Spain, delivered an almost uninterrupted stream of scientific data. To achieve such a high level of autonomous operation, the replacement of all troubleshooting skills of a regular observer in software was required. Care must be taken on error handling issues and on robustness of the algorithms used. In the current paper, we summarize the approaches we followed in the STELLA observatory.

Time-series Doppler imaging of the red giant HD 208472 - Active longitudes and differential rotation

Context. HD 208472 is among the most active RS CVn binaries with cool starspots. Decade-long photometry has shown that the spots seem to change their longitudinal appearance with a period of about six years, coherent with brightness variations. Aims. Our aim is to spatially resolve the stellar surface of HD 208472 and relate the photometric results to the true longitudinal and latitudinal spot appearance. Furthermore, we investigate the surface differential rotation pattern of the star. Methods. We employed three years of high-resolution spectroscopic data with a high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) from the STELLA robotic observatory and determined new and more precise stellar physical parameters. Precalculated synthetic spectra were fit to each of these spectra, and we provide new spot-corrected orbital elements. A sample of 34 absorption lines per spectrum was used to calculate mean line profiles with a S/N of several hundred. A total of 13 temperature Doppler images were reconstructed from these line profiles with the inversion code iMap . Differential rotation was investigated by cross-correlating successive Doppler images in each observing season. Results. Spots on HD 208472 are distributed preferably at high latitudes and less frequently around mid-to-low latitudes. No polar-cap like structure is seen at any epoch. We observed a flip-flop event between 2009 and 2010, manifested as a flip of the spot activity from phase 0.0 to phase 0.5, while the overall brightness of the star continued to increase and reached an all-time maximum in 2014. Cross-correlation of successive Doppler images suggests a solar-like differential rotation that is ≈15 times weaker than that of the Sun.

A color-period diagram for the open cluster M 48 (NGC 2548), and its rotational age

Rotation periods are increasingly being used to derive ages for cool single field stars. Such ages are based on an empirical understanding of how cool stars spin down, acquired by constructing color-period diagrams (CPDs) for a series of open clusters. Our main aims here are to construct a CPD for M 48, to compare this with other clusters of similar age to check for consistency, and to derive a rotational age for M 48 using gyrochronology. We monitored M 48 photometrically for over 2 months with AIPs STELLA I 1.2 m telescope and the WiFSIP 4K imager in Tenerife. Light curves with 3 mmag precision for bright (V~14 mag) stars were produced and then analysed to provide rotation periods. A cluster CPD has then been constructed. We report 62 rotation periods for cool stars in M 48. The CPD displays a clear slow/I-sequence of rotating stars, similar to those seen in the 625 Myr-old Hyades and 590 Myr-old Praesepe clusters, and below both, confirming that M 48 is younger. A similar comparison with the 250 Myr-old M 34 cluster shows that M 48 is older and does not possess any fast/C-sequence G or early K stars like those in M 34, although relatively fast rotators do seem to be present among the late-K and M stars. A more detailed comparison of the CPD with rotational evolution models shows that the cluster stars have a mean age of 450 Myr, and its (rotating) stars can be individually dated to +-117 Myr (26%). Much of this uncertainty stems from intrinsic astrophysical spread in initial periods, and almost all stars are consistent with a single age of 450 Myr. The gyro-age of M 48 as a whole is 450+-50 Myr, in agreement with the previously determined isochrone age of 400+-100 Myr.

Magnitude-range brightness variations of overactive K giants

Context. Decades-long, phase-resolved photometry of overactive spotted cool stars has revealed that their long-term peak-to-peak light variations can be as large as one magnitude. Such brightness variations are too large to be solely explained by rotational modulation and/or a cyclic, or pseudo-cyclic, waxing and waning of surface spots and faculae as we see in the Sun. Aims. We study three representative, overactive spotted K giants (IL Hya, XX Tri, and DM UMa) known to exhibit V-band light variations between 0. 65–1. 05. Our aim is to find the origin of their large brightness variation. Methods. We employ long-term phase-resolved multicolor photometry, mostly from automatic telescopes, covering 42 yr for IL Hya, 28 yr for XX Tri, and 34 yr for DM UMa. For one target, IL Hya, we present a new Doppler image from NSO data taken in late 1996. Effective temperatures for our targets are determined from all well-sampled observing epochs and are based on a V − IC color-index calibration. Results. The effective temperature change between the extrema of the rotational modulation for IL Hya and XX Tri is in the range 50–200 K. The bolometric flux during maximum of the rotational modulation, i.e., the least spotted states, varied by up to 39% in IL Hya and up to 54% in XX Tri over the course of our observations. We emphasize that for IL Hya it is just about half of the total luminosity variation that can be explained by the photospheric temperature (spots/faculae) changes, while for XX Tri it is even about one third. The long-term, 0. 6 V-band variation of DM UMa is more difficult to explain because little or no B − V color index change is observed on the same timescale. Placing the three stars with their light and color variations into H-R diagrams, we find that their overall luminosities are generally too low compared to predictions from current evolutionary tracks. Conclusions. A change in the stellar radius due to strong and variable magnetic fields during activity cycles likely plays a role in explaining the anomalous brightness and luminosity of our three targets. At least for IL Hya, a radius change of about 9% is suggested from mbol and Teff, and is supported by independent v sini measurements.

Automation hardware and software for the STELLA-I robotic telescope

STELLA-I will be among the first fully robotic telescopes for high-resolution Echelle spectroscopy. First light is scheduled for summer 2002. We present a first status report on the development of the computer hardware and the operating software for the STELLA facility.