Study of the weakly magnetic star HD 116656

Astronomy Letters - We studied the spectroscopic binary HD 116656 (ζ1 UMa) that has previously been suspected to be a Si-type chemically peculiar star. The magnetic field of each individual...     

The atmospheres of helium-deficient Bp stars

Based on spectra taken with a 6-m telescope, we analyzed the abundances of chemical elements in the He-weak stars HD 21699 and HD 217833, estimated their surface magnetic fields (B_s = 4000 and 4500 G, respectively) from the magnetic intensification of spectral lines, and determined their microturbulences (V _t = 0.80 and 0.75 km s⁻¹, respectively). The low values of V _t show that the stellar atmospheres are stabilized by a magnetic field, which explains the presence of diffusion processes that lead to chemical anomalies. Helium is strongly underabundant, and its deficiency is −1.50 and −1.81 dex in HD 21699 and HD 217833, respectively. We used model atmospheres to determine the effective temperatures, T _eff = 16 000 and 15 450 K, and surface gravities, log g = 4.15 and 3.88, for the stars from the Hδ line, implying that they lie on the main sequence near the stars of luminosity class V.     

Structure of the atmosphere of the magnetic star hd21699

The temperature distribution with depth in the atmosphere of the magnetic star HD21699 is modelled for each observed rotational phase using Hδ line profiles obtained with a signal to noise ratio S/N = 1000. The observed temperature distributions were averaged within and outside the region of the magnetic spots. It appears that these average temperatures are equal to within the limits of error. This shows that the magnetic field does not affect the physical condition of the matter in the star and does not disturb its thermodynamic state.     

Rapid spectral variability of ɛ PerA

The results of high-resolution spectropolari metric observations (R = 60 000) of the B0.5-type subgiant ? PerA are reported. Regular components of line profile variations with the frequencies 3.82–12.99 d^?1 are found. A possible relation between the non-radial pulsations of the star and the observed regular variations of the line profiles is shown. A wavelet analysis of the difference of line profiles in the spectrum of ? PerA is performed. The amplitude of the wavelet spectrum is found to have two maxima at 10–20 and 50–60 km/s velocity scales. It is suggested that the first maxi mum corresponds to the amplitude of fluctuations in the velocity field of large-scale motions in the non-radially pulsating photosphere of the star, whereas the second maximum is associated with the variation of the half widths of spectral line profiles. An upper limit for the effective magnetic field of the star is inferred.     

Investigation of Weakly Magnetic CP Stars. I

The magnetic fields of a sample of chemically peculiar stars, in which they had not been detected earlier, are reinvestigated on the basis of our own measurements and literature data. Despite the considerably higher measurement accuracy, again no magnetic fields were detected in any of them. An upper limit on the field of HD 10221 of 40 G was obtained. Despite the weakness of the fields, the parameters characterizing an anomaly in chemical composition correspond to those for strong fields. The same parameters in stars with strong fields generally correspond in value, although they are lower than expected in the case of HD 47152.     

Features of calcium and strontium distribution on the surface of CP star HD49976

Modelling the magnetic field structure in HD49976, we obtained a map of its magnetic field distribution on the surface and its main parameters. Simulating the distribution of Ca and Sr by the phase dependences of the Ca II 3934 Å and Sr II 4215 Å equivalent line widths revealed that their abundances are most likely increased between the magnetic poles. An insufficiently clear result is due to the structure of the magnetic field of HD49976, which proved to be complex, not corresponding to the central dipole. It is modelled by two dipoles, the stronger of them is in the center of the star, and the other, weaker, is at distance of 0.3R _* from the center. The synthetic spectrum method yielded abundances of 28 elements in the moments of magnetic field extrema. The carbon and sulfur abundances proved to be close to the solar values, silicon showed a deficit of 1.0 dex, lithium, calcium, iron and the iron peak elements, strontium, rare earths are in excess, especially significant in the case of rare earths. High-resolution spectropolarimetric observations closely covering the entire rotation period are required to investigate the distribution of chemical elements in complex multi-dipole magnetic configurations, applying the Magnetic Doppler Imaging method.     

Results of magnetic field measurements in young stars DO Tau, DR Tau, and DS Tau

The results of longitudinal magnetic field measurements B _z in the hot accretion spot in three classical T Tauri stars (CTTS) are reported. In all three stars the magnetic field is detected at a level above 2σ in the formation region of the narrow component of the He I 5876 Å emission line. In the case of DS Tau the longitudinal field B _z in the hot spot was also measured from the narrow emission components of the Na I D lines, implying +0.8 ± 0.3 kG, which is equal to the B _z field component measured from the He I 5876 Å line. Our results suggest that the 6-m telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory can be used to study magnetic fields in the hot spots of CTTS with magnitudes down to 13^m, making it possible to double the number of stars of this type with measured B _z values in the accretion zone.     

Magnetic field of the young star RW Aur

Results of ourmeasurements of the longitudinal magnetic field B _z for the young star RWAur A are presented. B _z measured from the so-called narrow component of the He I 5876 line varies in the range from −1.47 ± 0.15 to +1.10 ± 0.15 kG. Our data are consistent with a stellar rotation period of }~5.6 days and the model of two hot spots with opposite magnetic field polarities spaced about 180° apart in longitude. Relative to the Earth, the spot with B _z < 0 lies in the hemisphere above the midplane of the accretion disk, while the spot with B _z > 0 is below the midplane. The upper limit for B _z (at the 3σ level) obtained by averaging all observations is 180 G for the photosphere and 220 and 230 G for the Hα and [OI] 6300 line formation regions, respectively. We have also failed to detect a field in the formation region of broad emission line components: the upper limit for B _z is 600 G. In two of 11 cases, we have detected a magnetic field in the formation region of the blue absorption wing of the Na I D doublet lines, i.e., in the wind from RW Aur A: B _z = −180 ± 50 and −810 ± 80 G. The radial velocity of the photospheric lines in RW Aur A averaged over all our observations is }~+10.5 km s⁻¹, i.e., a value lower than that obtained by Petrov et al. (2001) ten years earlier by 5.5 km s⁻¹. Therefore, we discuss the possibility that RW Aur is not a binary but a triple system.     

Main stellar spectrograph of the 6-meter telescope. Analysis,reconstruction, and operation

The Main Stellar Spectrograph (MSS) of the 6-m telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory was developed in the early 1970s and has been in permanent operation since 1975. This instrument has been successfully kept operational for a long time by equipping it with modern detectors and significantly upgrading its optical layout. In this paper we present the main parameters of the optomechanical layout of the MSS, the design features of auxiliary devices, operational experience and statistics of the use of the instrument with various detectors, and the characteristics of the corresponding observational techniques.     

Dynamical Processes in the Neighborhood of the Herbig Ae Star MWC 480 Based on Spectral Monitoring Data

Spectral observations of the Herbig Ae star MWC 480 are reported. Observations were made on the 2.6 m telescope at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory and the 6 m telescope at the Special Astrophysical Observatory in the neighborhoods of the sodium resonance doublet, the He I 5876 line, the oxygen O I 7774 line, the H line, and some others. The H line has a P Cyg-type profile which is typical of anisotropic decelerated material outflows. The parameters of the line profile vary on a time scale on the order of days or longer. The blue wing of the line profile, in which noticeable changes are detectable over times of a few hours, is subject to the greatest variation. An unusual line shape is observed in the sodium lines. Their profiles resemble type P Cyg profiles with discrete absorption components can be seen in the blue wing. The number, shape, and radial velocities of the components change with time. The maximum radial velocity is -330 km/s and the minimum, about -50 km/s. The high velocity components are subject to the greatest variability. An analysis of the spectral variability yields the following conclusions: (1) the inner layers of the accretion disk of MWC 480 reach right to the star. The maximum rotation velocity of the circumstellar gas derived from the oxygen OI 7774 line shape is close to 400-500 km/s, which corresponds roughly to the radius of the last Keplerian orbit. (2) A highly nonuniform, high velocity component of the disk wind, which contains dense fragments (microjets), develops in this region. They appear to form as a result of the unstable structure of the magnetic field in the layers of the accretion disk closest to the star. (3) The maximum velocities of the microjets are only slightly higher than the escape velocity at the star's surface. Thus, the bulk of the momentum which they acquire is expended in overcoming the star's gravity and this causes a deceleration in the radial motion of the gas. This kind of structure for the radiating region is consistent with magneto-centrifugal models of the disk wind in which the intrinsic magnetic field of the accretion disk plays a dominant role in the acceleration of the gas.