Article (Scientific journals)
The long period eccentric orbit of the particle accelerator HD 167971 revealed by long baseline interferometry
De Becker, Michaël; Sana, H; Absil, Olivier et al.
2012In Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 423, p. 2711-2717
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Keywords :
Astrophysics; Interferometry; Particle acceleration; Stars: massive; Binary stars
Abstract :
[en] Using optical long baseline interferometry, we resolved for the first time the two wide components of HD167971, a candidate hierarchical triple system known to efficiently accelerate particles. Our multi-epoch VLTI observations provide direct evidence for a gravitational link between the O8 supergiant and the close eclipsing O + O binary. The separation varies from 8 to 15 mas over the three-year baseline of our observations, suggesting that the components evolve on a wide and very eccentric orbit (most probably e>0.5). These results provide evidence that the wide orbit revealed by our study is not coplanar with the orbit of the inner eclipsing binary. From our measurements of the near-infrared luminosity ratio, we constrain the spectral classification of the components in the close binary to be O6-O7, and confirm that these stars are likely main-sequence objects. Our results are discussed in the context of the bright non-thermal radio emission already reported for this system, and we provide arguments in favour of a maximum radio emission coincident with periastron passage. HD167971 turns out to be an efficient O-type particle accelerator that constitutes a valuable target for future high angular resolution radio imaging using VLBI facilities.
Disciplines :
Space science, astronomy & astrophysics
Author, co-author :
De Becker, Michaël  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO)
Sana, H
Absil, Olivier  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Astroph. extragalactique et observations spatiales (AEOS)
Le Bouquin, J-B
Blomme, R
Language :
English
Title :
The long period eccentric orbit of the particle accelerator HD 167971 revealed by long baseline interferometry
Publication date :
July 2012
Journal title :
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
ISSN :
0035-8711
eISSN :
1365-2966
Publisher :
Blackwell Publishing, Oxford, United Kingdom
Volume :
423
Pages :
2711-2717
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Available on ORBi :
since 27 April 2012

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