Interactions in Massive Binary Stars as Seen by Interferometry

Millour, F.; Meilland, A.; Stee, Philippe; Chesneau, O.

doi:10.1007/978-3-642-30648-8_5

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Fig. C.5 at MJD 55 238) that are commonly interpreted as signatures of rotating circumstellar structures (see for instance Millour et al 2013).…”

Section: Differential Phases and Circumstellar Structuresmentioning

confidence: 97%

The variable stellar wind of Rigel probed at high spatial and spectral resolution

Chesneau¹,

Kaufer²,

Stahl³

et al. 2014

A&A

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Context. Luminous BA-type supergiants are the brightest stars in the visible that can be observed in distant galaxies and are potentially accurate distance indicators. The impact of the variability of the stellar winds on the distance determination remains poorly understood. Aims. Our aim is to probe the inhomogeneous structures in the stellar wind using spectro-interferometric monitoring.Methods. We present a spatially resolved, high-spectral resolution (R = 12 000) K-band temporal monitoring of the bright supergiant β Orionis (Rigel, B8 Iab) using AMBER at the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI). period is much quieter with virtually no detectable variations in the dispersed visibilities but a strong S-shaped signal is observed in differential phase coinciding with a strong ejection event discernible in the optical spectra. The differential phase signal that is sometimes detected is reminiscent of the signal computed from hydrodynamical models of corotating interaction regions. For some epochs the temporal evolution of the signal suggests the rotation of the circumstellar structures.

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“…Fig. C.5 at MJD 55 238) that are commonly interpreted as signatures of rotating circumstellar structures (see for instance Millour et al 2013).…”

Section: Differential Phases and Circumstellar Structuresmentioning

confidence: 97%

The variable stellar wind of Rigel probed at high spatial and spectral resolution

Chesneau¹,

Kaufer²,

Stahl³

et al. 2014

A&A

Self Cite

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“…The B[e] phenomenon is characterized by a B-type central star surrounded by a disk at the origin of the large infrared excess and the forbidden lines observed. This broad definition leads to a heterogeneous group (Lamers et al 1998), but despite this, there is a growing amount of evidence that the evolved supergiants stars exhibiting the B[e] phenomenon (named SgB[e]) are most probably binaries having recently experienced mass-exchange (Millour et al 2009(Millour et al , 2013Clark et al 2013;Kraus et al 2012Kraus et al , 2013Wang et al 2012;Wheelwright et al 2012). As an example, HD 62623 is an interacting binary harboring an AIab[e] supergiant and a less massive star (q ∼ 20) orbiting very close in a 150 d period.…”

Section: Hypergiants and Binaritymentioning

confidence: 99%

The yellow hypergiant HR 5171 A: Resolving a massive interacting binary in the common envelope phase

Chesneau

Meilland

Chapellier

et al. 2014

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Context. Only a few stars are caught in the very brief and often crucial stages when they quickly traverse the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, and none has yet been spatially resolved in the mass transfer phase. Aims. We initiated long-term optical interferometry monitoring of the diameters of massive and unstable yellow hypergiants (YHG) with the goal of detecting both the long-term evolution of their radius and shorter term formation of a possible pseudo-photosphere related to proposed large mass-loss events. Methods. We observed HR 5171 A with AMBER/VLTI. We also examined archival photometric data in the visual and near-IR spanning more than 60 years, as well as sparse spectroscopic data. Results. HR 5171 A exhibits a complex appearance. Our AMBER data reveal a surprisingly large star for a YHG R * = 1315 ± 260 R (or ∼6.1 AU) at the distance of 3.6 ± 0.5 kpc. The source is surrounded by an extended nebulosity, and these data also show a large level of asymmetry in the brightness distribution of the system, which we attribute to a newly discovered companion star located in front of the primary star. The companion's signature is also detected in the visual photometry, which indicates an orbital period of P orb = 1304 ± 6 d. Modeling the light curve with the NIGHTFALL program provides clear evidence that the system is a contact or possibly over-contact eclipsing binary. A total current system mass of 39 +40 −22 M and a high mass ratio q ≥ 10 is inferred for the system. Conclusions. The low-mass companion of HR 5171 A is very close to the primary star that is embedded within its dense wind. Tight constraints on the inclination and v sin i of the primary are lacking, which prevents us from determining its influence precisely on the mass-loss phenomenon, but the system is probably experiencing a wind Roche-Lobe overflow. Depending on the amount of angular momentum that can be transferred to the stellar envelope, HR 5171 A may become a fast-rotating B[e]/luminous blue variable/Wolf-Rayet star. In any case, HR 5171 A highlights the possible importance of binaries for interpreting the unstable YHGs and for massive star evolution in general.

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Interactions in Massive Binary Stars as Seen by Interferometry

Cited by 2 publications

References 42 publications

The variable stellar wind of Rigel probed at high spatial and spectral resolution

The variable stellar wind of Rigel probed at high spatial and spectral resolution

The yellow hypergiant HR 5171 A: Resolving a massive interacting binary in the common envelope phase

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