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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1984

The resonance lines of Hg II in IUE spectra of chemically peculiar stars

Twenty IUE images of chemically peculiar (CP) stars are analyzed to demonstrate that the previously detected Hg II overabundances in CP stars is real. Attention was focused on the Hg II resonance lines at 1650 and 1942 A. A total of eight stars were scanned and spectrum synthesis computations were performed to characterize the model atmospheres for each object. The 1942 A line was found to be insensitive to effective temperature, microturbulence and isotopic mixture influences, and therefore well-suited to abundance analyses. A non-LTE process was ruled out as a source of the Hg anomaly. Finally, it is suggested that diffusion-type processes be attributed to Hg enhancements in main sequences B stars.

Leckrone, D. S.↗
NASA NTRS1981

The resonance line of B II in IUE spectra of chemically peculiar stars

A description is presented of high-dispersion spectroscopic observations of eight chemically peculiar stars including Kappa Cnc and Mu Lep, and of one normal comparison star, Nu Cap, in the vicinity of 1362 A. The reported data were obtained with the International Ultraviolet Explorer during the first 15 months of its operation. The initial reduction of the data, which were originally described in a qualitative summary by Leckrone (1980), was affected by a serious error in the calibration of the instrument's intensity transfer function. This error has been corrected in the currently presented data. The results of spectrum syntheses of the 1362 A feature are also described for several of the stars.

Leckrone, D. S.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Rotational Velocities of Am and Non-chemical-peculiar Stars Based on Kepler and LAMOST DR5

Rotation is a critical physical process operating in the formation of Am stars. There is a strong correlation between low-velocity rotation and chemical peculiarity. However, the existence of many non-chemical-peculiar slow rotators challenges the understanding of Am stars. The purpose of our work is to search for low-velocity rotating non-chemical-peculiar A-type stars and Am stars and to make a comparative analysis. In this paper, we pick out a sample from the LAMOST–Kepler project, including 21 Am stars, 125 non-chemical-peculiar slow rotators, and 53 non-chemical-peculiar fast rotators. We calculate the rotational frequencies through a periodic change of light curves caused by inhomogeneous stellar surfaces and then obtain the rotational velocities. For slow rotators, the age of Am stars is statistically younger than that of non-chemical-peculiar stars in the same temperature bin. In the comparison of the period, the average amplitude, and stellar mass of Am and non-chemical-peculiar stars, we discover that there is no difference in the photometric variability between Am and non-chemical-peculiar stars, which implies similar inhomogeneities on the surfaces. The average amplitude of non-chemical-peculiar stars has a downward trend with the increase of effective temperature and stellar mass, which is consistent with the theoretical prediction caused by weak dynamo-generated magnetic fields in A-type stars. In addition, we confirm four non-chemical-peculiar stars that have flares by checking field-of-view images, pixel images, and pixel-level light curves.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS2020

The Advanced Spectral Library (ASTRAL): Abundance Analysis of the Chemically Peculiar Star HR 465

This paper presents the results of the spectrum analysis of the B-type magnetic chemically peculiar star HR 465. HR 465 shows unusual abundance patterns that vary with a period of 21.5 yr. Our observations are recorded at ϕ = 0.45, 0.68, and 0.85 of the spectroscopic period, where ϕ = 0 represents the phase of maximum flux in the photometric y-band. Synthetic spectra, computed using an LTE atmosphere model, are fit to high-resolution ultraviolet Hubble Space Telescope (ϕ = 0.45) spectra obtained as part of the Advanced Spectral Library Project: Hot Stars program. The ultraviolet data are supplemented by high-resolution optical spectra (ϕ = 0.68 and 0.85) recorded at the Nordic Optical Telescope with the SOFIN spectrograph. The optical data are used as a complement to the high line-density ultraviolet spectrum to derive accurate abundances for elements without spectral lines in the ultraviolet and to improve the abundance phase coverage for many atoms/ions. This analysis presents abundance results for more than 70 atoms/ions and confirms parts of the abundance characteristics previously reported where elements with high mass numbers show significant abundance enhancements compared with solar values while some of the lighter elements show abundance deficiencies. In addition, our measured abundances are consistent with the periodic variability for chromium and rare-earth elements. Our results are compared with earlier investigations of this peculiar object to constrain stellar abundance and diffusion.

Krister E. Nielsen↗
NASA NTRS2022

Analysis of Eight Magnetic Chemically Peculiar Stars With Rotational Modulation

Since the end of 2018, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has provided stellar photometry to the astronomical community. We have used TESS data to study rotational modulation in the light curves of a sample of chemically peculiar stars with measured large-scale magnetic fields (mCP stars). In general, mCP stars show inhomogeneous distributions of elements in their atmospheres that lead to spectroscopic (line profile) and photometric (light curve) variations commensurate with the rotational period. We analyzed the available TESS data from 50 sectors for eight targets after post-processing them in order to minimize systematic instrumental trends. Analysis of the light curves allowed us to determine rotational periods for all eight of our targets. For each star, we provide a phase diagram calculated using the derived period from the light curves and from the available measurements of the disc-averaged longitudinal magnetic field B(sub z). In most cases, the phased light curve and B(sub z) measurements show consistent variability. Using our rotation periods, and global stellar parameters derived from fitting Balmer line profiles, and from Geneva and Strömgren–Crawford photometry, we determined the equatorial rotational velocities and calculated the respective critical rotational fractions v(sub eq)/v(crit). We have shown from our sample that the critical rotational fraction decreases with stellar age, at a rate consistent with the magnetic braking observed in the larger population of mCP stars.

Chemically peculiar stars↗
NASA NTRS1994

A search for radio emission from the 'nonmagnetic' chemically peculiar stars

We have observed 23 members of the Am and HgMn subclasses of chemically peculiar (CP) stars with the Very Large Array (VLA) to search for nonthermal radio emission at levels comparable to those found for the Si and He peculiar subclasses of the CP stars by Linsky et al. (1992). This study was motivated by recent claims that magnetic fields of kilogauss strength are present in at least some of the Am and HgMn stars, contrary to previous beliefs, which would indicate that radio-emitting magnetospheres could be present in these stars. We detected none of the Am and HgMn stars as radio emitters with upper limits typically less than 0.20 mJy. Applying a correlation between radio luminosity, surface magnetic field, and effective temperature derived from previous radio studies of the Si and He peculiar CP stars, we find that the predicted radio luminosities of alpha And (an HgMn star) and Sirius (a hot Am star) are more than an order of magnitude larger than the observed upper limits, indicating that these stars lack magnetospheres, and, by inference, surface magnetic fields.

Drake, S. A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Radio emission from chemically peculiar stars

In five VLA observing runs the initial survey of radio emission from magnetic Bp-Ap stars by Drake et al. is extended to include a total of 16 sources detected at 6 cm out of 61 observed, giving a detection rate of 26 percent. Of these stars, three are also detected at 2 cm, four at 3.6 cm, and five at 20 cm. The 11 new stars detected as radio sources have spectral types B5-A0 and are He-weak and Si-strong. No classical (SrCrEu-type) Ap stars have yet been detected. The 16 detected sources show a wide range of radio luminosities with the early-B He-S stars on average 20 times more radio luminous than the late-B He-W stars and 1000 times more luminous than Theta Aurigae. Multifrequency observations indicate flat spectra in all cases. Four stars have a detectable degree of circular polarization at one or more frequencies. It is argued that the radio-emitting CP (chemically peculiar) stars form a distinct class of radio stars that differs from both the hot star wind sources and the active late-type stars. The observed properties of radio emission from these stars may be understood in terms of optically thick gyrosynchrotron emission from a nonthermal distribution of electrons produced in a current sheet far from the star. In this model the electrons travel along magnetic fields to smaller radii and higher magnetic latitudes where they mirror and radiate microwave radiation.

Linsky, Jeffrey L.↗
NASA NTRS1994

X-ray emission from chemically peculiar stars

We have searched the Roentgen Satellite (ROSAT) All-Sky Survey (RASS) database at the positions of about 100 magnetic Bp-Ap stars of the helium-strong, helium-weak, silicon, and strontium-chromium subclasses. We detect X-ray sources at the positions of 10 of these stars; in four cases the X-ray emission presumably arises from an early-type companion with a radiatively driven wind, while we believe that the magnetic chemically peculiar (CP) star is the most likely X-ray source (as opposed to a binary companion) in at least three and at most five of the six remaining cases. The helium-strong stars have X-ray emission levels that are characteristic of the luminous OB stars with massive winds (log L(sub x)/L(sub bol) is about -7), whereas the He-weak and Si stars (which generally show no evidence for significant mass loss) have log L(sub x)/L(sub bol) values that can reach as high as about -6. In contrast, we find no convincing evidence that the cooler SrCrEu-type CP stars are intrinsic X-ray sources. We discuss the X-ray and radio emission properties of our sample of CP stars, and argue that both types of emission may be magnetospheric in origin; however, there is clearly not a simple one-to-one correspondence between them, since many of the magnetic stars that are detected radio sources were not detected as X-ray sources in the present survey.

Drake, S. A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) ultraviolet spectral atlas of selected astronomical objects

The IUE Ultraviolet Spectral Atlas of Selected Astronomical Objects (or 'the Atlas'), is based on the data that were available in the IUE archive in 1986, and is intended to be a quick reference for the ultraviolet spectra of many categories of astronomical objects. It shows reflected sunlight from the Moon, planets, and asteroids, and also shows emission from comets. Comprehensive compilations of UV spectra for main sequence, subgiant, giant, bright giant, and supergiant stars are published elsewhere. This Atlas contains the spectra for objects occupying other areas of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram: pre-main sequence stars, chemically peculiar stars, pulsating variables, subluminous stars, and Wolf-Rayet stars. This Atlas also presents phenomena such as the chromospheric and transition region emissions from late-type stars; composite spectra of stars, gas streams, accretion disks and gas envelopes of binary systems; the behavior of gas ejecta shortly after the outburst of novac and supernovac; and the H II regions, planetary nebulae, and supernova remnants. Population 2 stars, globular clusters, and luminous stars in the Magellanic Clouds, M31, and M33, are also included in this publication. Finally, the Atlas gives the ultraviolet spectra of galaxies of different Hubble types and of active galaxies.

Wu, Chi-Chao↗
NASA NTRS1989

Chromospheres of chemically peculiar giant stars

The chromospheres of evolved stars with peculiar chemical abundances are reviewed, emphasizing the dependence of chromospheric properties on the evolutionary status of the stars. A sample of intermediate mass stars observed in the radio, IR and UV wavelength regions is compiled. The chromospheres of MS, S, and C stars are compared with one another. The sample is used to study the relationship between stellar parameters and chromospheric heating. The results are used to construct a scenario for AGB evolution.

Judge, P. G.↗
NASA NTRS1994

An optical region elemental abundance analysis of the chemically peculiar HgMn star chi Lupi

The optical spectrum of the chemically peculiar HgMn type binary star chi Lupi has been analyzed to determine atmospheric parameters and elemental abundances. Echelle spectra were obtained with the 3.9 m Anglo-Australian telescope to exploit the extreme shape-lined nature of the spectrum. This study was undertaken in support of ultraviolet analyses currently underway that utilize echell spectra obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope. For the B9.5 V primary star we obtain T(sub eff) = 10650 K, log g = 3.9, and xi = 0 km/s, while for the A2 V secondary, T(sub eff) = 9200 K, log g = 4.0, and xi = 2 km/s. Most of the elemental abundances are typical of HgMn stars with similar T(sub eff) showing an overall iron-peak elemental abundance distribution that is basically solar in nature with enhancement of the light elements Si, P, and S, as well as all detected elements heavier than the iron group. Abundances for several elements have been determined for the first time in this star, including several of the rare-earths. The secondary star spectrum shows Am star characteristics. We also discuss the relative merits of the equivalent width and synthetic spectrum techniques in determining the elemental abundences, concluding that the synthetic spectrum technique is necessary for obtaining abundances with the utmost accuracy.

Wahlgren, Glenn M.↗
DOE OSTI2023

High-velocity CP2 stars in the Galactic halo

The second subclass of chemically peculiar stars, the CP2 stars, are early-type stars exhibiting anomalous abundances with variable line strengths possibly also accompanied by photometric variability that typically belong to the Galactic disk. However, a small fraction of these objects were recently found to be located far from the Galactic plane and are thought to belong to the Galactic halo, which is unexpected for this class of objects. Our study investigates the halo membership of the proposed halo CP2 star candidates based on their velocities and Galactic orbits, to determine their points of origin. In addition, we searched for further halo CP2 star candidates using an as-yet-unpublished sample of CP stars. Our analysis relied on the astrometry from the early third Gaia data release and radial velocities based on the spectroscopy from LAMOST and SDSS, which was also employed in spectral classification. The light variability of the confirmed CP2 stars in our sample was analyzed using data from the ZTF and ATLAS surveys. After filtering our initial sample using kinematic and spectroscopic criteria, we identified six CP2 stars with kinematical properties consistent with a halo membership. The orbits of these stars are in agreement with an origin in the Galactic disk where they were probably ejected through dynamical interactions or in the binary supernova scenario, making them the first runaway CP2 stars known.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1993

A search for magnetic fields in Am stars

Although Am stars have been assumed to be nonmagnetic stars, we found recently that the hot Am stars omicron Peg has a magnetic field of the order of 2 kG, with a complex structure. Therefore, we reconsidered the question of magnetism among upper main sequence chemically peculiar stars. We report here new observations of a pair of magnetically sensitive Fe II lines in the red spectrum of Am stars and of HgMn stars. Two other hot Am stars, HD 29173 and HD 195479A, are likely to possess also a magnetic field of about the same strength. It is striking that 3 out of 4 hot Am stars observed up to now could be magnetic. On the other hand, this fast method is limited by blends and cannot provide a satisfactory diagnosis for classical Am stars and for HgMn stars. A mutli-line approach must be the next step towards our understanding of magnetism among these chemically peculiar stars.

Lanz, T.↗
NASA NTRS1987

IUE observations of the broad continuum feature at 1400 A in the silicon and related stars

The upper main sequence chemically peculiar stars have previously been studied spectrophotometrically using low-resolution TD-1 spectra. These show that the broad continuum feature at 1400 A is a useful indicator of Si anomaly. In this paper the observations are extended to IUE low-resolution spectra and it is shown that this feature is indeed well correlated with Si and also with optical chemical peculiarity indices. Its utility in selecting silicon stars is further demonstrated. This feature is likely due to autoionization of Si II and is the best available discriminator of the overabundance of a key element in the Ap stars.

Shore, S. N.↗
NASA NTRS1991

First results from the Goddard High-Resolution spectrograph - High-resolution observations of the 1942 A resonance line of HG II in the chemically peculiar B star, Chi Lupi

The Goddard High-Resolution Spectrograph on the HST has been used to obtain high S/N observations of the sharp-lined, Hg- and Pt-rich B-type star, Chi Lupi, with a resolving power of 87,000. The observations reveal a level of spectroscopic detail never before observed at ultraviolet wavelengths for any star other than the sun. Concentrating on the region around the resonance line of Hg II at 1942 A, the profile and central position of this line confirm beyond doubt that the Hg isotope anomaly in Chi Lupi is real and extreme, with Hg being heavily concentrated in the form of Hg-204. The problems in atomic physics which impair the accurate analysis of spectra of this quality are emphasized.

Leckrone, David S.↗
DOE OSTI2025

The R -Process Alliance: Exploring the cosmic scatter among ten r -process sites with stellar abundances

Context. The astrophysical origin of the rapid neutron-capture process (r-process), responsible for producing roughly half of the elements heavier than iron, remains uncertain. Detailed chemical signatures from the oldest, most metal-poor stars, which act as fossil records of the earliest nucleosynthesis events, can be used to identify the dominant r-process sites. Aims. We present a homogeneous chemical abundance analysis of ten r-process element-enhanced stars. These old and metal-poor stars are strongly enriched in r-process elements with minimal contamination from other nucleosynthetic sources. By focusing on this chemically pure sample, we aim to investigate intrinsic variations in the r-process abundance patterns and explore their implications for the nature and potential diversity of r-process sites. Methods. We performed a detailed chemical abundance analysis of high-resolution, high-signal-to-noise spectra. For each star, we inspected over 1400 individual absorption lines using a combination of equivalent width measurements and spectral synthesis. The analysis was conducted under the assumption of 1D local thermodynamic equilibrium and employing the MOOG radiative transfer code. Results. We derived abundances for 54 chemical species, including 29 neutron-capture (n-capture) elements, covering the full mass range of the r-process abundance pattern. A kinematic analysis reveals that stars likely originated from ten kinematically distinct systems. Based on this assumption, we used the sample to probe the maximum variation expected from ten independent r-process nucleosynthesis events and computed the intrinsic dispersion of each element relative to Zr and Eu for the light and heavy r-process elements, respectively. This exercise resulted in a remarkably low cosmic scatter across the ten r-process sites enriching these stars; for the rare earth and third peak elements, for example, we find σ [La/Eu] = 0.08 and σ [Os/Eu] = 0.11 dex, while the scatter between light and heavy elements, σ [Zr/Eu] , is slightly higher at 0.18 dex. Conclusions. The elemental abundance patterns across the ten independent r-process sites show remarkably small cosmic dispersions. This minimal dispersion suggests a high degree of uniformity in r-process yields across diverse astrophysical environments.

Astronomy and AstroPhysics↗
DOE OSTI2020

Origin of Large Meteoritic SiC Stardust Grains in Metal-rich AGB Stars

Stardust grains that originated in ancient stars and supernovae are recovered from meteorites and carry the detailed composition of their astronomical sites of origin. We present evidence that the majority of large (μm-sized) meteoritic silicon carbide (SiC) grains formed in C-rich asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars that were more metal-rich than the Sun. In the framework of the slow neutron captures (the s process) that occur in AGB stars, the lower-than-solar $^{88}$Sr/$^{86}$Sr isotopic ratios measured in the large SiC grains can only be accompanied by Ce/Y elemental ratios that are also lower than solar and predominately observed in metal-rich barium stars—the binary companions of AGB stars. Such an origin suggests that these large grains represent the material from high-metallicity AGB stars needed to explain the s-process nucleosynthesis variations observed in bulk meteorites. In the outflows of metal-rich, C-rich AGB stars, SiC grains are predicted to be small (≃0.2 μm); large (≃μm-sized) SiC grains can grow if the number of dust seeds is 2–3 orders of magnitude lower than the standard value of 10 -13 times the number of H atoms. We therefore predict that with increasing metallicity, the number of dust seeds might decrease, resulting in the production of larger SiC grains.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Unexpected Short-period Variability in Dwarf Carbon Stars from the Zwicky Transient Facility

Dwarf carbon (dC) stars, main-sequence stars showing carbon molecular bands, are enriched by mass transfer from a previous asymptotic-giant-branch (AGB) companion, which has since evolved to a white dwarf. While previous studies have found radial-velocity variations for large samples of dCs, there are still relatively few dC orbital periods in the literature and no dC eclipsing binaries have yet been found. Here, we analyze photometric light curves from DR5 of the Zwicky Transient Facility for a sample of 944 dC stars. From these light curves, we identify 34 periodically variable dC stars. Remarkably, of the periodic dCs, 82% have periods less than two days. We also provide spectroscopic follow-up for four of these periodic systems, measuring radial velocity variations in three of them. Short-period dCs are almost certainly post-common-envelope binary systems, because the periodicity is most likely related to the orbital period, with tidally locked rotation and photometric modulation on the dC either from spots or from ellipsoidal variations. We discuss evolutionary scenarios that these binaries may have taken to accrete sufficient C-rich material while avoiding truncation of the thermally pulsing AGB phase needed to provide such material in the first place. We compare these dCs to common-envelope models to show that dC stars probably cannot accrete enough C-rich material during the common-envelope phase, suggesting another mechanism like wind-Roche lobe overflow is necessary. The periodic dCs in this paper represent a prime sample for spectroscopic follow-up and for comparison to future models of wind-Roche lobe overflow mass transfer.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗