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Forty Years of Spectroscopic Stellar Astrophysics in Japan
The development of Japanese spectroscopic stellar astrophysics in therecent 40 years is reviewed from an observational point of view. In thisarticle, the research activities are provisionally divided into fourfields: hot stars, hot emission-line (Be) stars, cool stars, and otherstars. Historical developments of the observational facilities atOkayama Astrophysical Observatory (spectrographs and detectors) are alsosummarized in connection with the progress in scientific researchactivities.
| The S-Type Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars RS Cnc, ST Her, OP Her And HR Peg
We present FCAPT differential Johnson l BV and Cousins l RI photometryand radial velocities of the S-type AGB stars RS Cnc, ST Her, OP Her andHR Peg. We performed multiperiodic analyses of this photometry to learnabout the frequencies of variability. The l B, V, R, and l I lightcurves are generally in phase. RS Cnc has periods of order 122 and 248days. Repeating the analyses using our data with the extensive l V and lR photometry of Percy et al. (2001) shows several periods near 248 daysand a period near 135 days. The primary period of ST Her appears to beabout 144 days although it is manifested most readily by its 103 dayalias. OP Her and HR Peg exhibit periods, respectively, of about 416 and116 days and of 54 and 74 days. The differences between our data set andthe larger one of Percy et al. (2001) for RS Cnc raises importantquestions about multiperiodic analyses for AGB stars.Tables 2, 4 and 6 are only available in electronic form at the CDS viaanonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/Abstract.html.
| CHARM2: An updated Catalog of High Angular Resolution Measurements
We present an update of the Catalog of High Angular ResolutionMeasurements (CHARM, Richichi & Percheron \cite{CHARM}, A&A,386, 492), which includes results available until July 2004. CHARM2 is acompilation of direct measurements by high angular resolution methods,as well as indirect estimates of stellar diameters. Its main goal is toprovide a reference list of sources which can be used for calibrationand verification observations with long-baseline optical and near-IRinterferometers. Single and binary stars are included, as are complexobjects from circumstellar shells to extragalactic sources. The presentupdate provides an increase of almost a factor of two over the previousedition. Additionally, it includes several corrections and improvements,as well as a cross-check with the valuable public release observationsof the ESO Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI). A total of 8231entries for 3238 unique sources are now present in CHARM2. Thisrepresents an increase of a factor of 3.4 and 2.0, respectively, overthe contents of the previous version of CHARM.The catalog is only available in electronic form at the CDS viaanonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/431/773
| Lithium in the symbiotic Mira V407 Cyg
We report an identification of the lithium resonance doublet Li I 6708Å in the spectrum of V407 Cyg, a symbiotic Mira with a pulsationperiod of about 745 d. The resolution of the spectra used wasR=λ/Δλ~ 18 500 and the measured equivalent width ofthe line is ~0.34 Å. It is suggested that the lithium enrichmentis due to hot bottom burning in the intermediate-mass asymptotic giantbranch (AGB) variable, although other possible origins cannot be totallyruled out. In contrast to lithium-rich AGB stars in the MagellanicClouds, ZrO λλ5551, 6474 absorption bands were not foundin the spectrum of V407 Cyg. These are the bands used to classify theS-type stars at low-resolution. Although we identified weak ZrOλλ5718, 6412 these are not visible in the low-resolutionspectra, and we therefore classify the Mira in V407 Cyg as an M type.This, together with other published work, suggests lithium enrichmentcan precede the third dredge up of s-process enriched material ingalactic AGB stars.
| Infrared investigation from earth and space on the evolutionary state of a sample of LPV
We selected a sample of highly reddened AGB stars among the sourcesobserved with the SWS instrument on the ISO satellite. These SWS dataallow us to compute the source's photometry in the mid-IR filters of thecamera TIRCAM at the TIRGO telescope. Our photometric data, supplementedwith other measurements taken from the literature, permit to select thecarbon-rich sources in the sample. For these stars, a linear relationholds between dust mass loss and the color index [8.8]-[12.5]. One maythen, from photometric data alone, evaluate the total mass loss (forwhich we used the estimate of \citet{loup}, based on radio data). Theoxygen-rich sources, on the other hand, are distributed in two branches,of which the upper one appears superimposed with carbon stars; the starsin this group have both high luminosity and high wind velocity andtherefore higher masses. Finally S stars lie between the carbon-starbranch and the low-mass oxygen-rich stars, in agreement with theirintermediate evolutionary status.
| Detection of Lithium in the Spectrum of the Symbiotic Mira Star V407 Cygni
We detected the resonance lithium doublet, 7LiI lambda 6708,in the spectra of the symbiotic Mira V407 Cyg (P = 763 days) obtainedwith a resolution R = lambda/Delta lambda = 18500. The line equivalentwidth is 0.34 A. The presence of lithium in the atmosphere of the Mira,which, judging by its period, appreciably ascended the asymptotic giantbranch (AGB), can be explained by the penetration of its convectiveenvelope into the hot-bottom-burning (HBB) hydrogen-shell source. At thesame time, the spectrum of V407 Cyg does not reveal the ZrO lambda 5551,6474 absorption bands, which are used to classify S-type stars fromlow-resolution spectra. We found only weak ZrO lambda 5718, 6412 bands,which are, however, invisible in low-resolution spectra. Thus, the Mirastar V407 Cyg should be classified as being of the spectral type M. Ingeneral, the spectrum of V407 Cyg is similar to the spectrum of the redgiant in the symbiotic star CH Cyg, but the latter exhibits no lithiumlines. The switch-on of the HBB process without any significantenrichment of the atmosphere of an AGB star with s-process elementsimplies that the third dredge-up is not efficient for some of thesestars.
| Spectral observations of the symbiotic Mira variable V407 Cyg in 1993 2002
We present high-and low-resolution spectral observations of thesymbiotic Mira variable V407 Cyg obtained in 1993 2002. Both emissionand absorption spectra of the star are analyzed in detail. We presentthe basic spectral parameters for three states of the hot component ofV407 Cygits passive and quiescent states and an outburst in1998and study the evolution of the emission-line profiles duringtransitions from one state to another.
| Really Cool Stars and the Star Formation History at the Galactic Center
We present λ/Δλ=550-1200 near-infrared H and Kspectra for a magnitude-limited sample of 79 asymptotic giant branch andcool supergiant stars in the central ~5 pc (diameter) of the Galaxy. Weuse a set of similar spectra obtained for solar neighborhood stars withknown Teff and Mbol that is in the same range asthe Galactic center (GC) sample to derive Teff andMbol for the GC sample. We then construct the H-R diagram forthe GC sample. Using an automated maximum likelihood routine, we derivea coarse star formation history of the GC. We find that (1) roughly 75%of the stars formed in the central few parsecs are older than 5 Gyr; (2)the star formation rate (SFR) is variable over time, with a roughly 4times higher SFR in the last 100 Myr compared to the average SFR; (3)our model can match dynamical limits on the total mass of stars formedonly by limiting the initial mass function to masses above 0.7Msolar (this could be a signature of mass segregation or ofthe bias toward massive star formation from the unique star formationconditions in the GC); (4) blue supergiants account for 12% of the totalsample observed, and the ratio of red to blue supergiants is roughly1.5; and (5) models with isochrones with [Fe/H]=0.0 over all ages fitthe stars in our H-R diagram better than models with lower [Fe/H] in theoldest age bins, consistent with the finding of Ramírez et al.that stars with ages between 10 Myr and 1 Gyr have solar [Fe/H].
| Reprocessing the Hipparcos data of evolved stars. III. Revised Hipparcos period-luminosity relationship for galactic long-period variable stars
We analyze the K band luminosities of a sample of galactic long-periodvariables using parallaxes measured by the Hipparcos mission. Theparallaxes are in most cases re-computed from the Hipparcos IntermediateAstrometric Data using improved astrometric fits and chromaticitycorrections. The K band magnitudes are taken from the literature andfrom measurements by COBE, and are corrected for interstellar andcircumstellar extinction. The sample contains stars of several spectraltypes: M, S and C, and of several variability classes: Mira, semiregularSRa, and SRb. We find that the distribution of stars in theperiod-luminosity plane is independent of circumstellar chemistry, butthat the different variability types have different P-L distributions.Both the Mira variables and the SRb variables have reasonablywell-defined period-luminosity relationships, but with very differentslopes. The SRa variables are distributed between the two classes,suggesting that they are a mixture of Miras and SRb, rather than aseparate class of stars. New period-luminosity relationships are derivedbased on our revised Hipparcos parallaxes. The Miras show a similarperiod-luminosity relationship to that found for Large Magellanic CloudMiras by Feast et al. (\cite{Feast-1989:a}). The maximum absolute Kmagnitude of the sample is about -8.2 for both Miras and semi-regularstars, only slightly fainter than the expected AGB limit. We show thatthe stars with the longest periods (P>400 d) have high mass lossrates and are almost all Mira variables.Based on observations from the Hipparcos astrometric satellite operatedby the European Space Agency (ESA \cite{Hipparcos}).Table \ref{Tab:data1} is only available in electronic form at the CDSvia anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/403/993
| How many Hipparcos Variability-Induced Movers are genuine binaries?
Hipparcos observations of some variable stars, and especially oflong-period (e.g. Mira) variables, reveal a motion of the photocentercorrelated with the brightness variation (variability-induced mover -VIM), suggesting the presence of a binary companion. A re-analysis ofthe Hipparcos photometric and astrometric data does not confirm the VIMsolution for 62 among the 288 VIM objects (21%) in the Hipparcoscatalogue. Most of these 288 VIMs are long-period (e.g. Mira) variables(LPV). The effect of a revised chromaticity correction, which accountsfor the color variations along the light cycle, was then investigated.It is based on ``instantaneous'' V-I color indices derived fromHipparcos and Tycho-2 epoch photometry. Among the 188 LPVs flagged asVIM in the Hipparcos catalogue, 89 (47%) are not confirmed as VIM afterthis improved chromaticity correction is applied. This dramatic decreasein the number of VIM solutions is not surprising, since the chromaticitycorrection applied by the Hipparcos reduction consortia was based on afixed V-I color. Astrophysical considerations lead us to adopt a morestringent criterion for accepting a VIM solution (first-kind risk of0.27% instead of 10% as in the Hipparcos catalogue). With this moresevere criterion, only 27 LPV stars remain VIM, thus rejecting 161 ofthe 188 (86%) of the LPVs defined as VIMs in the Hipparcos catalogue.Based on observations from the Hipparcos astrometric satellite operatedby the European Space Agency (ESA 1997).Table 1 is also available in electronic form at the CDS, via anonymousftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/399/1167
| Hipparcos red stars in the HpV_T2 and V I_C systems
For Hipparcos M, S, and C spectral type stars, we provide calibratedinstantaneous (epoch) Cousins V - I color indices using newly derivedHpV_T2 photometry. Three new sets of ground-based Cousins V I data havebeen obtained for more than 170 carbon and red M giants. These datasetsin combination with the published sources of V I photometry served toobtain the calibration curves linking Hipparcos/Tycho Hp-V_T2 with theCousins V - I index. In total, 321 carbon stars and 4464 M- and S-typestars have new V - I indices. The standard error of the mean V - I isabout 0.1 mag or better down to Hp~9 although it deteriorates rapidly atfainter magnitudes. These V - I indices can be used to verify thepublished Hipparcos V - I color indices. Thus, we have identified ahandful of new cases where, instead of the real target, a random fieldstar has been observed. A considerable fraction of the DMSA/C and DMSA/Vsolutions for red stars appear not to be warranted. Most likely suchspurious solutions may originate from usage of a heavily biased color inthe astrometric processing.Based on observations from the Hipparcos astrometric satellite operatedby the European Space Agency (ESA 1997).}\fnmsep\thanks{Table 7 is onlyavailable in electronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp tocdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/397/997
| Near-infrared observations of candidate extrinsic S stars
Photometric observations in the near infrared for 161 S stars, including18 Tc-rich (intrinsic) stars, 19 Tc-deficient (extrinsic) ones and 124candidates for Tc-deficient S stars, are presented in this paper. Basedon some further investigations into the infrared properties of bothTc-rich and Tc-deficient S stars, 104 candidates are identified as verylikely Tc-deficient S stars. The large number of infrared-selectedTc-deficient S stars provides a convenient way to study the physicalproperties and the evolutionary status of this species of S stars.
| CHARM: A Catalog of High Angular Resolution Measurements
The Catalog of High Angular Resolution Measurements (CHARM) includesmost of the measurements obtained by the techniques of lunaroccultations and long-baseline interferometry at visual and infraredwavelengths, which have appeared in the literature or have otherwisebeen made public until mid-2001. A total of 2432 measurements of 1625sources are included, along with extensive auxiliary information. Inparticular, visual and infrared photometry is included for almost allthe sources. This has been partly extracted from currently availablecatalogs, and partly obtained specifically for CHARM. The main aim is toprovide a compilation of sources which could be used as calibrators orfor science verification purposes by the new generation of largeground-based facilities such as the ESO Very Large Interferometer andthe Keck Interferometer. The Catalog is available in electronic form atthe CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/386/492, and from theauthors on CD-Rom.
| Nucleosynthesis and Mixing on the Asymptotic Giant Branch. III. Predicted and Observed s-Process Abundances
We present the results of s-process nucleosynthesis calculations forasymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars of different metallicities anddifferent initial stellar masses (1.5 and 3 Msolar), and wepresent comparisons of them with observational constraints fromhigh-resolution spectroscopy of evolved stars over a wide metallicityrange. The computations were based on previously published stellarevolutionary models that account for the third dredge-up phenomenonoccurring late on the AGB. Neutron production is driven by the13C(α,n)16O reaction during the interpulseperiods in a tiny layer in radiative equilibrium at the top of the He-and C-rich shell. The neutron source 13C is manufacturedlocally by proton captures on the abundant 12C; a few protonsare assumed to penetrate from the convective envelope into the radiativelayer at any third dredge-up episode, when a chemical discontinuity isestablished between the convective envelope and the He- and C-richzones. A weaker neutron release is also guaranteed by the marginalactivation of the reaction 22Ne(α,n)25Mgduring the convective thermal pulses. Owing to the lack of a consistentmodel for 13C formation, the abundance of 13Cburnt per cycle is allowed to vary as a free parameter over a wideinterval (a factor of 50). The s-enriched material is subsequently mixedwith the envelope by the third dredge-up, and the envelope compositionis computed after each thermal pulse. We follow the changes in thephotospheric abundance of the Ba-peak elements (heavy s [hs]) and thatof the Zr-peak ones (light s [ls]), whose logarithmic ratio [hs/ls] hasoften been adopted as an indicator of the s-process efficiency (e.g., ofthe neutron exposure). Our model predictions for this parameter show acomplex trend versus metallicity. Especially noteworthy is theprediction that the flow along the s-path at low metallicities drainsthe Zr and Ba peaks and builds an excess at the doubly magic208Pb, which is at the termination of the s-path. We thendiscuss the effects on the models of variations in the crucialparameters of the 13C pocket, finding that they are notcritical for interpreting the results. The theoretical predictions arecompared with published abundances of s-elements for AGB giants ofclasses MS, S, SC, post-AGB supergiants, and for various classes ofbinary stars, which supposedly derive their composition by mass transferfrom an AGB companion. This is done for objects belonging both to theGalactic disk and to the halo. The observations in general confirm thecomplex dependence of neutron captures on metallicity. They suggest thata moderate spread exists in the abundance of 13C that isburnt in different stars. Although additional observations are needed,it seems that a good understanding has been achieved of s-processoperation in AGB stars. Finally, the detailed abundance distributionincluding the light elements (CNO) of a few s-enriched stars atdifferent metallicities are examined and satisfactorily reproduced bymodel envelope compositions.
| Speckle Interferometry of New and Problem Hipparcos Binaries. II. Observations Obtained in 1998-1999 from McDonald Observatory
The Hipparcos satellite made measurements of over 9734 known doublestars, 3406 new double stars, and 11,687 unresolved but possible doublestars. The high angular resolution afforded by speckle interferometrymakes it an efficient means to confirm these systems from the ground,which were first discovered from space. Because of its coverage of adifferent region of angular separation-magnitude difference(ρ-Δm) space, speckle interferometry also holds promise toascertain the duplicity of the unresolved Hipparcos ``problem'' stars.Presented are observations of 116 new Hipparcos double stars and 469Hipparcos ``problem stars,'' as well as 238 measures of other doublestars and 246 other high-quality nondetections. Included in these areobservations of double stars listed in the Tycho-2 Catalogue andpossible grid stars for the Space Interferometry Mission.
| Stellar and circumstellar evolution of long period variable stars
In a first paper, HIPPARCOS astrometric and kinematic data were used tocalibrate both infrared K and IRAS luminosities at the same time askinematic parameters of Long Period Variable stars (LPVs). Individualestimated absolute magnitudes and a probabilistic assignation togalactic populations were deduced from these calibrations for each LPVof our sample. Here we propose a scenario of simultaneous stellar andcircumstellar evolution according to the galactic populations. Thetransitory states of S and Tc stars allow us to confirm the location ofthe first dredge-up at Mbol=-3.5. There is also evidencesuggesting that a previous enrichment in s-elements from a more evolvedcompanion may accelerate the evolution along the AGB. The possibleevolution to OH LPVs is included in this scenario, and any of thesestars may have a mass at the limit of the capability for a C enrichmentup to C/O > 1. A list of bright massive LPVs with peculiar envelopeand luminosity properties is proposed as Hot Bottom Burning candidates.The He-shell flash star, R Cen, is found to be exceptionally bright andcould become, before leaving the AGB, a C-rich LPV brighter than theusual luminosity limit of carbon stars.
| Lower limits on the maximum orbital frequency around rotating strange stars
Observations of kHz quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) in the X-rayfluxes of low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) have been used in attempts toconstrain the external metric of the compact members of these binaries,as well as their masses and the equations of state of matter atsupranuclear denisties. We compute the maximum orbital frequency ofstable circular motion around uniformly rotating strange stars describedby the MIT bag model. The calculations are performed for both normal andsupramassive constant baryon mass sequences of strange stars rotating atall possible rates. We find the lower limits on the maximum orbitalfrequency and discuss them for a range of masses and for all rotationalfrequencies allowed in the model considered. We show that for slowly andmoderately rotating strange stars the maximum value of orbital frequencycan be a good indicator of the mass of the compact object. However, forrapidly rotating strange stars the same value of orbital frequency inthe innermost stable circular orbit is obtained for stars with massesranging from that of a planetoid to about three solar masses. Atsufficiently high rotation rates of the strange star, the rotationalperiod alone constrains the stellar mass to a surprisingly narrow range.
| Long period variable stars: galactic populations and infrared luminosity calibrations
In this paper HIPPARCOS astrometric and kinematic data are used tocalibrate both infrared luminosities and kinematical parameters of LongPeriod Variable stars (LPVs). Individual absolute K and IRAS 12 and 25luminosities of 800 LPVs are determined and made available in electronicform. The estimated mean kinematics is analyzed in terms of galacticpopulations. LPVs are found to belong to galactic populations rangingfrom the thin disk to the extended disk. An age range and a lower limitof the initial mass is given for stars of each population. A differenceof 1.3 mag in K for the upper limit of the Asymptotic Giant Branch isfound between the disk and old disk galactic populations, confirming itsdependence on the mass in the main sequence. LPVs with a thin envelopeare distinguished using the estimated mean IRAS luminosities. The levelof attraction (in the classification sense) of each group for the usualclassifying parameters of LPVs (variability and spectral types) isexamined. Table only available in electronic form at the CDS viaanonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/374/968 or via ASTRIDdatabase (http://astrid.graal.univ-montp2.fr).
| Speckle Interferometry of New and Problem HIPPARCOS Binaries
The ESA Hipparcos satellite made measurements of over 12,000 doublestars and discovered 3406 new systems. In addition to these, 4706entries in the Hipparcos Catalogue correspond to double star solutionsthat did not provide the classical parameters of separation and positionangle (rho,theta) but were the so-called problem stars, flagged ``G,''``O,'' ``V,'' or ``X'' (field H59 of the main catalog). An additionalsubset of 6981 entries were treated as single objects but classified byHipparcos as ``suspected nonsingle'' (flag ``S'' in field H61), thusyielding a total of 11,687 ``problem stars.'' Of the many ground-basedtechniques for the study of double stars, probably the one with thegreatest potential for exploration of these new and problem Hipparcosbinaries is speckle interferometry. Results are presented from aninspection of 848 new and problem Hipparcos binaries, using botharchival and new speckle observations obtained with the USNO and CHARAspeckle cameras.
| Starspot photometry with robotic telescopes. UBV(RI)_C and by light curves of 47 active stars in 1996/97
We present continuous multicolor photometry for 47 stars from October1996 through June 1997. Altogether, 7073 V(RI)_c, UBV, and by datapoints, each the average of three individual readings, were acquiredwith three automatic photoelectric telescopes (APTs) at FairbornObservatory in southern Arizona. Most of our targets arechromospherically active single and binary stars of spectral type G to Kbut there are also four pre-main-sequence objects and three pulsatingstars in our sample. The light variability is generally due torotational modulation of an asymmetrically spotted stellar surface andtherefore precise rotational periods and their seasonal variations aredetermined from Fourier analysis. We also report on photometricvariations of gamma CrB (A0V) with a period of 0.44534 days. All dataare available in numerical form. All data are available from CDS viaanonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/Abstract.html
| A search for Technetium in semiregular variables
We searched for the lines of Tc in the spectra of Semiregular variables(SRVs) in the wavelength region from 4180 to 4300 Å using highresolution spectroscopy. Tc as an s-process element is produced on thethermally pulsing AGB and is therefore a good indicator for theevolutionary status of Semiregular variables. Combining our results withprevious investigations we get a database large enough for a statisticalstudy. Tc is not found in SRVs with periods below 100 days, spectraltypes earlier than M5 and photospheric IRAS colours. These objects are`blue' SRVs in the classification system of Kerschbaum & Hron(\cite{KH94}). Among the `red' SRVs (periods longer than 100 days) thefraction of stars showing Tc in their spectra is about 15 % with aprobably lower fraction among the stars with periods above 150 days.This is significantly lower than for the typical Miras. Taking intoaccount the probable conditions for the occurence of the third dredge-upand the expected behavior of the Tc abundance along an evolutionarytrack on the AGB, our results support an evolutionary scenario from`blue' SRVs (early AGB) to `red' SRVs (early TP-AGB) and on to longperiod Miras. Only the most massive (masses above 2M_ȯ) stars showTc during the SRV stage. The luminosities of the Tc-rich SRVs and Mirasare compatible with theoretical estimates of the minimum core massrequired for the third dredge-up. Based on observations collected at theEuropean Southern Observatory, La Silla, Chile (ESO No.54.E-0350), theGerman Spanish Astronomical Centre, Calar Alto, operated by theMax-Planck-Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg, jointly with the SpanishNational Commission for Astronomy, and Kitt Peak National Observatory,USA.
| Heavy-element abundances in seven SC stars and several related stars
We employ spectra of resolution 20-35,000 of seven SC stars, four Sstars, two Ba stars, and two K-M stars to derive abundances of a varietyof elements from Sr to Eu relative to iron. Special attention is paid toRb and Tc, and to the ratio of the heavy s-process species to the lights-process elements. Abundances are derived in LTE, both by using modelatmospheres in which the carbon and oxygen abundances are nearly equaland by using curves of growth. Spectrum synthesis is used for criticallines, such as the 5924-A line of Tc and the 7800-A line of Rb. For mostof the heavy-element stars, the enhancement of the s-process elements isabout a factor of 10. The ratio of the heavy to light s-process speciesis not far from solar, except for RR Her, for which the same ratio is +0.45 dex. For Tc the blending by other lines is severe. While we haveprobably detected the 5924-A line, we can only present abundances in theless-than-or-equal-to category.
| On the Variability of S Stars as Observed by the Hipparcos
The Hipparcos photometry of S type stars shows that they are allvariable. The intrinsic S stars show a larger range of amplitudes thando the extrinsic S stars.
| Spectra of Cool Stars in the J Band (1.0-1.3 μm) at Medium Resolution
A spectroscopic survey of 103 cool S-, C-, and M-type stars wasundertaken with the Kitt Peak cryogenic spectrograph on the 1.3 mtelescope to make a detailed search for new molecular bands in the1.0-1.3 μm J-band region. While the spectra have high signal-to-noiseratios and good repeatability, no strong new features were found. Higherresolution spectra of a small sample of representative stars observedwith the 4 m Fourier transform spectrometer were invoked in order toidentify the features in these spectra. With few exceptions, the detailsof these spectra are well understood. Laboratory spectra were obtainedto aid in the identification of some weak features. Spectral featuresfrom dominant lines of Ti, Fe, Al, Si, Mn, Na, and K, and molecularbands due to TiO, TiS, ZrO, ZrS, VO, H_2O, and CN, have been identifiedin the spectra. Several weak unidentified bands are found.
| A CORAVEL radial-velocity monitoring of giant BA and S stars: Spectroscopic orbits and intrinsic variations. I.
With the aim of deriving the binary frequency among Ba and S stars, 56new spectroscopic orbits (46 and 10, respectively) have been derived forthese chemically-peculiar red giants monitored with the \coravel\spectrometers. These orbits are presented in this paper (38 orbits) andin a companion paper \cite[(Udry et al. 1998,]{Udry} Paper II; 18orbits). The results for 12 additional long-period binary stars (6 and6, respectively), for which only minimum periods (generally exceeding 10y) can be derived, are also presented here (10) and in Paper II (2). Theglobal analysis of this material, with a few supplementary orbits fromthe literature, is presented in \cite[Jorissen et al.(1998).]{Jorissen98} For the subsample of Mira S, SC and (Tc-poor) Cstars showing intrinsic radial-velocity variations due to atmosphericphenomena, orbital solutions (when available) have been retained if thevelocity and photometric periods are different (3 stars). However, it isemphasized that these orbit determinations are still tentative. Threestars have been found with radial-velocity variations synchronous withthe light variations. Pseudo-orbital solutions have been derived forthose stars. In the case of RZ Peg, a line-doubling phenomenon isobserved near maximum light, and probably reflects the shock wavepropagating through the photosphere. Based on observations obtained atthe Haute-Provence Observatory (France) and at the European SouthernObservatory (ESO, La Silla, Chile).
| CO observations and mass loss of MS- and S-stars
We present (12) CO J = 1-0 and 2-1 observations of 14 S-stars, andreport 6 new detections. Two stars were observed in the (13) CO J = 1-0and 2-1 lines, and one tentative 2-1 detection is reported. Acompilation is presented of all CO observations of S-stars. The stars inthis sample are separated into ``intrinsic'' and ``extrinsic'' S-stars,based on direct observation of the Technetium line, or infraredproperties. The dust mass loss rate per unit distance is derived fromIRAS 60 mu m data taking into the fact that for small mass loss ratesthe observed flux is an overestimate of the excess emission due to dust.The gas mass loss rate per unit distance is derived from CO data.Distances and luminosities are estimated, partly from hipparcos parallaxdata. The largest mass loss rate derived is that for W Aql with(0.8-2.0) x 10(-5) {Msun} yr(-1) , and the lowest is that foro Ori with <1.2 x 10(-9) {Msun} yr(-1) . The S-starswithout Tc have smaller mass loss rates, than those with Tc. Diagramsshowing mass loss rate, dust-to-gas ratio and expansion velocity versuspulsation period are presented, and compared to similar data for carbon-and oxygen-rich Miras. The S-Miras stand not out in any way from the C-or O-Miras in these diagrams. In the diagram with expansion velocityversus pulsation period, the S-SRs span the same range in velocity asthe S-Miras, but they have periods which are about a factor of 2.5shorter. This was previously noted for O-rich SRs. As in that case, themost straightforward explanantion is that the SRs among the S-starspulsate in a higher order pulsation mode. Based on data from the ESAhipparcos astrometry satellite.
| Infrared study of the two categories of S stars
Photometric observations of 20 Tc-deficient and 24 Tc-rich S stars inthe near infrared are presented in this paper. With the IRAS data,infrared two color diagrams, IRAS low-resolution spectra and energydistributions are discussed to summarize the way to segregate Tc-richstars from Tc-deficient ones.
| Insights into the formation of barium and Tc-poor S stars from an extended sample of orbital elements
The set of orbital elements available for chemically-peculiar red giant(PRG) stars has been considerably enlarged thanks to a decade-longCORAVEL radial-velocity monitoring of about 70 barium stars and 50 Sstars. When account is made for the detection biases, the observedbinary frequency among strong barium stars, mild barium stars andTc-poor S stars (respectively 35/37, 34/40 and 24/28) is compatible withthe hypothesis that they are all members of binary systems. Thesimilarity between the orbital-period, eccentricity and mass-functiondistributions of Tc-poor S stars and barium stars confirms that Tc-poorS stars are the cooler analogs of barium stars. A comparative analysisof the orbital elements of the various families of PRG stars, and of asample of chemically-normal, binary giants in open clusters, revealsseveral interesting features. The eccentricity - period diagram of PRGstars clearly bears the signature of dissipative processes associatedwith mass transfer, since the maximum eccentricity observed at a givenorbital period is much smaller than in the comparison sample of normalgiants. be held The mass function distribution is compatible with theunseen companion being a white dwarf (WD). This lends support to thescenario of formation of the PRG star by accretion of heavy-element-richmatter transferred from the former asymptotic giant branch progenitor ofthe current WD. Assuming that the WD companion has a mass in the range0.60+/-0.04 Msb ȯ, the masses of mild and strong barium starsamount to 1.9+/-0.2 and 1.5+/-0.2 Msb ȯ, respectively. Mild bariumstars are not restricted to long-period systems, contrarily to what isexpected if the smaller accretion efficiency in wider systems were thedominant factor controlling the pollution level of the PRG star. Theseresults suggest that the difference between mild and strong barium starsis mainly one of galactic population rather than of orbital separation,in agreement with their respective kinematical properties. There areindications that metallicity may be the parameter blurring the period -Ba-anomaly correlation: at a given orbital period, increasing levels ofheavy-element overabundances are found in mild barium stars, strongbarium stars, and Pop.II CH stars, corresponding to a sequence ofincreasingly older, i.e., more metal-deficient, populations. PRG starsthus seem to be produced more efficiently in low-metallicitypopulations. Conversely, normal giants in barium-like binary systems mayexist in more metal-rich populations. HD 160538 (DR Dra) may be such anexample, and its very existence indicates at least that binarity is nota sufficient condition to produce a PRG star. This paper is dedicated tothe memory of Antoine Duquennoy, who contributed many among theobservations used in this study
| The HIPPARCOS Hertzsprung-Russell diagram of S stars: probing nucleosynthesis and dredge-up
HIPPARCOS trigonometrical parallaxes make it possible to compare thelocation of Tc-rich and Tc-poor S stars in the Hertzsprung-Russell (HR)diagram: Tc-rich S stars are found to be cooler and intrinsicallybrighter than Tc-poor S stars. The comparison with the Genevaevolutionary tracks reveals that the line marking the onset of thermalpulses on the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) matches well the observedlimit between Tc-poor and Tc-rich S stars. Tc-rich S stars are, asexpected, identified with thermally-pulsing AGB stars of low andintermediate masses, whereas Tc-poor S stars comprise mostly low-massstars (with the exception of 57 Peg) located either on the red giantbranch or on the early AGB. Like barium stars, Tc-poor S stars are knownto belong exclusively to binary systems, and their location in the HRdiagram is consistent with the average mass of 1.6+/-0.2 Msb ȯderived from their orbital mass-function distribution (Jorissen et al.1997, A&A, submitted). A comparison with the S stars identified inthe Magellanic Clouds and in the Fornax dwarf elliptical galaxy revealsthat they have luminosities similar to the galactic Tc-rich S stars.However, most of the surveys of S stars in the external systems did notreach the lower luminosities at which galactic Tc-poor S stars arefound. The deep Westerlund survey of carbon stars in the SMC uncovered afamily of faint carbon stars that may be the analogues of thelow-luminosity, galactic Tc-poor S stars. Based on data from theHIPPARCOS astrometry satellite
| The nucleosynthesis of heavy elements in low-mass AGB stars
We take 13C(α,n)16O as neutron source, allowfor variation of the mass of the nucleus with thermal pulse number andadopt the unbranched s process path from 56Fe to210Bi in an attempt to explain the overabundance of heavyelements in MS and S stars. We found stars with larger masses havelarger dilution factors because of a stronger convection and that thesestars fall in four different regions in the abundance diagram, thusenabling a rough estimate of the mass to be made. We show that, for a2.5 Msolar star, the third dredge-up stops after a certain number ofpulses because of the formation of a hollow shell structure, so the starwill show no Tc and this can account for the existence of binary systemsconsisting of a ``Tc-no'' AGB star with a main-sequence star companion.
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Observation and Astrometry data
| Constellation: | Pegasus |
| Right ascension: | 22h54m35.70s |
| Declination: | +16°56'30.0" |
| Apparent magnitude: | 6.12 |
| Distance: | 296.736 parsecs |
| Proper motion RA: | 13.3 |
| Proper motion Dec: | -6.8 |
| B-T magnitude: | 8.71 |
| V-T magnitude: | 6.646 |
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INHABITED SKY
