9 Sagittarii: uncovering an O-type spectroscopic binary with an 8.6 year period

in Astronomy and Astrophysics (2012), 542

Context. The O-type object 9 Sgr is a well-known synchrotron radio emitter. This feature is usually attributed to colliding-wind binary systems, but 9 Sgr was long considered a single star. <BR /> Aims ... [more ▼]

Context. The O-type object 9 Sgr is a well-known synchrotron radio emitter. This feature is usually attributed to colliding-wind binary systems, but 9 Sgr was long considered a single star. <BR /> Aims: We have conducted a long-term spectroscopic monitoring of this star to investigate its multiplicity and search for evidence for wind-wind interactions. <BR /> Methods: Radial velocities are determined and analysed using various period search methods. Spectral disentangling is applied to separate the spectra of the components of the binary system. <BR /> Results: We derive the first ever orbital solution of 9 Sgr. The system is found to consist of an O3.5 V((f[SUP]+[/SUP])) primary and an O5-5.5 V((f)) secondary moving around each other on a highly eccentric (e = 0.7), 8.6 year orbit. The spectra reveal no variable emission lines that could be formed in the wind interaction zone in agreement with the expected properties of the interaction in such a wide system. <BR /> Conclusions: Our results provide further support to the paradigm of synchrotron radio emission from early-type stars being a manifestation of interacting winds in a binary system. Based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory (La Silla, Chile and Cerro Paranal, Chile) and the San Pedro Mártir observatory (Mexico).Appendix A is available in electronic form at <A href="http://www.aanda.org">http://www.aanda.org</A>The reduced spectra are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via <A href="http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/542/A95">http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/542/A95</A> [less ▲]

Photometric multi-site campaign on the open cluster NGC 884. I. Detection of the variable stars

in Astronomy and Astrophysics (2010), 515

Context. Recent progress in the seismic interpretation of field β Cep stars has resulted in improvements of the physics in the stellar structure and evolution models of massive stars. Further ... [more ▼]

Context. Recent progress in the seismic interpretation of field β Cep stars has resulted in improvements of the physics in the stellar structure and evolution models of massive stars. Further asteroseismic constraints can be obtained from studying ensembles of stars in a young open cluster, which all have similar age, distance and chemical composition. <BR /> Aims: To improve our comprehension of the β Cep stars, we studied the young open cluster NGC 884 to discover new B-type pulsators, besides the two known β Cep stars, and other variable stars. <BR /> Methods: An extensive multi-site campaign was set up to gather accurate CCD photometry time series in four filters (U, B, V, I) of a field of NGC 884. Fifteen different instruments collected almost 77 500 CCD images in 1286 h. The images were calibrated and reduced to transform the CCD frames into interpretable differential light curves. Various variability indicators and frequency analyses were applied to detect variable stars in the field. Absolute photometry was taken to deduce some general cluster and stellar properties. <BR /> Results: We achieved an accuracy for the brightest stars of 5.7 mmag in V, 6.9 mmag in B, 5.0 mmag in I and 5.3 mmag in U. The noise level in the amplitude spectra is 50 μmag in the V band. Our campaign confirms the previously known pulsators, and we report more than one hundred new multi- and mono-periodic B-, A- and F-type stars. Their interpretation in terms of classical instability domains is not straightforward, pointing to imperfections in theoretical instability computations. In addition, we have discovered six new eclipsing binaries and four candidates as well as other irregular variable stars in the observed field. The photometric data of the variable stars are only available in electronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via <A href="http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/515/A16">http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/515/A16</A> [less ▲]