Clumps and Rings of Ejecta in SNR 0540–69.3 as Seen in 3D

The distribution of ejecta in young supernova remnants offers a powerful observational probe of their explosions and progenitors. Here we present a 3D reconstruction of the ejecta in SNR 0540-69.3, which is an O-rich remnant with a pulsar wind nebula located in the LMC. We use observations from the Very Large Telescope (VLT)/MUSE to study Hβ, [O iii] λ λ4959, 5007, Hα, [S ii] λ λ6717, 6731, [Ar iii] λ7136, and [S iii] λ9069. This is complemented by 2D spectra from VLT/X-shooter, which also cover [O ii] λ λ3726, 3729, and [Fe ii] λ12567. We identify three main emission components: (i) clumpy rings in the inner nebula (≲1000 km s−1) with similar morphologies in all lines; (ii) faint extended [O iii] emission dominated by an irregular ring-like structure with radius ∼1600 km s−1 and inclination ∼40°, but with maximal velocities reaching ∼3000 km s−1; and (iii) a blob of Hα and Hβ located southeast of the pulsar at velocities ∼1500–3500 km s−1. We analyze the geometry using a clump-finding algorithm and use the clumps in the [O iii] ring to estimate an age of 1146 ± 116 yr. The observations favor an interpretation of the [O iii] ring as ejecta, while the origin of the H-blob is more uncertain. An alternative explanation is that it is the blown-off envelope of a binary companion. From the detection of Balmer lines in the innermost ejecta we confirm that SNR 0540 was a Type II supernova and that hydrogen was mixed down to low velocities in the explosion.

Multi-Wavelength Monitoring and Reverberation Mapping of a Changing Look Event in the Seyfert Galaxy NGC 3516

We present the results of photometric and spectroscopic monitoring campaigns of the changing look AGN NGC 3516 carried out in 2018 to 2020 covering the wavelength range from the X-ray to the optical. The facilities included the telescopes of the CMO SAI MSU, the 2.3-m WIRO telescope, and the XRT and UVOT of Swift. We found that NGC 3516 brightened to a high state and could be classified as Sy1.5 during the late spring of 2020. We have measured time delays in the responses of the Balmer and He II λ4686 lines to continuum variations. In the case of the best-characterized broad Hβ line, the delay to continuum variability is about 17 days in the blue wing and is clearly shorter, 9 days, in the red, which is suggestive of inflow. As the broad lines strengthened, the blue side came to dominate the Balmer lines, resulting in very asymmetric profiles with blueshifted peaks during this high state. During the outburst the X-ray flux reached its maximum on 1 April 2020 and it was the highest value ever observed for NGC 3516 by the Swift observatory. The X-ray hard photon index became softer, ∼1.8 in the maximum on 21 Apr 2020 compared to the mean ∼0.7 during earlier epochs before 2020. We have found that the UV and optical variations correlated well (with a small time delay of 1–2 days) with the X-ray until the beginning of April 2020, but later, until the end of Jun. 2020, these variations were not correlated. We suggest that this fact may be a consequence of partial obscuration by Compton-thick clouds crossing the line of sight.

A STUDY OF THE TIME VARIABILITY AND LINE PROFILE VARIATIONS OF κ DRA

We present a spectroscopic analysis of the bright Be star Κ Dra. Two independent sets of radial velocity (RV) measurements were obtained by direct measurement and using a line profile disentangling technique. By combining solutions from codes FOTEL and KOREL, we derived improved orbital elements. From the RVs of the Balmer lines and also from some strong metallic lines we found that all RV variations are phase-locked with the orbital period. V/R variations were obtained for Hα, Hβ, Hγ and some other photospheric lines. A moving absorption bump superposed over the emission line profiles was detected. The orbital solutions for Κ Dra were derived assuming a circular orbit with a period P = 61d.5549 and K = 6.81 km s−1. We failed to find absorption or emission lines for the unresolved secondary component.

Detection of the hydrogen Balmer lines in the ultra-hot Jupiter WASP-33b

Ultra-hot Jupiters (UHJs) are highly irradiated giant exoplanets with extremely high day-side temperatures, which lead to thermal dissociation of most molecular species. It is expected that the neutral hydrogen atom is one of the main species in the upper atmospheres of UHJs. Neutral hydrogen has been detected in several UHJs by observing their Balmer line absorption. In this work, we report four transit observations of the UHJ WASP-33b, performed with the CARMENES and HARPS-North spectrographs, and the detection of the Hα, Hβ, and Hγ lines in the planetary transmission spectrum. The combined Hα transmission spectrum of the four transits has an absorption depth of 0.99 ± 0.05%, which corresponds to an effective radius of 1.31 ± 0.01 Rp. The strong Hα absorption indicates that the line probes the high-altitude thermosphere. We further fitted the three Balmer lines using the PAWN model, assuming that the atmosphere is hydrodynamic and in local thermodynamic equilibrium. We retrieved a thermosphere temperature 12 200−1000+1300 K and a mass-loss rate Ṁ = 1011.8−0.5+0.6 g s−1. The retrieved high mass-loss rate is compatible with the “Balmer-driven” atmospheric escape scenario, in which the stellar Balmer continua radiation in the near-ultraviolet is substantially absorbed by excited hydrogen atoms in the planetary thermosphere.

Low-luminosity Type II supernovae – III. SN 2018hwm, a faint event with an unusually long plateau

ABSTRACT In this work, we present photometric and spectroscopic data of the low-luminosity (LL) Type IIP supernova (SN) 2018hwm. The object shows a faint (Mr = −15 mag) and very long (∼130 d) plateau, followed by a 2.7 mag drop in the r band to the radioactive tail. The first spectrum shows a blue continuum with narrow Balmer lines, while during the plateau the spectra show numerous metal lines, all with strong and narrow P-Cygni profiles. The expansion velocities are low, in the 1000–1400 km s−1 range. The nebular spectrum, dominated by H α in emission, reveals weak emission from [O i] and [Ca ii] doublets. The absolute light curve and spectra at different phases are similar to those of LL SNe IIP. We estimate that 0.002 M⊙ of 56Ni mass were ejected, through hydrodynamical simulations. The best fit of the model to the observed data is found for an extremely low explosion energy of 0.055 foe, a progenitor radius of 215 R⊙, and a final progenitor mass of 9–10 M⊙. Finally, we performed a modelling of the nebular spectrum, to establish the amount of oxygen and calcium ejected. We found a low M(16O)$\approx 0.02\, \mathrm{ M}_{\odot }$, but a high M(40Ca) of 0.3 M⊙. The inferred low explosion energy, the low ejected 56Ni mass, and the progenitor parameters, along with peculiar features observed in the nebular spectrum, are consistent with both an electron-capture SN explosion of a superasymptotic giant branch star and with a low-energy, Ni-poor iron core-collapse SN from a 10–12 M⊙ red supergiant.

Properties of flares and CMEs on EV Lac: possible erupting filament

ABSTRACT Flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are very powerful events in which energetic radiation and particles are ejected within a short time. These events thus can strongly affect planets that orbit these stars. This is particularly relevant for planets of M-stars, because these stars stay active for a long time during their evolution and yet potentially habitable planets orbit at short distance. Unfortunately, not much is known about the relation between flares and CMEs in M-stars as only very few CMEs have so far been observed in M-stars. In order to learn more about flares and CMEs on M-stars, we monitored the active M-star EV Lac spectroscopically at high resolution. We find 27 flares with energies between 1.6 × 1031 and 1.4 × 1032 erg in $\rm H\alpha$ during 127 h of spectroscopic monitoring and 49 flares with energies between 6.3 × 1031 and 1.1 × 1033 erg during the 457 h of Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) observation. Statistical analysis shows that the ratio of the continuum flux in the TESS band to the energy emitted in $\rm H\alpha$ is 10.408 ± 0.026. Analysis of the spectra shows an increase in the flux of the He ii 4686 Å line during the impulsive phase of some flares. In three large flares, we detect a continuum source with a temperature between 6900 and 23 000 K. In none of the flares we find a clear CME event indicating that these must be very rare in active M-stars. However, in one relatively weak event, we found an asymmetry in the Balmer lines of ${\sim}220\, \rm km\, s^{-1}$, which we interpret as a signature of an erupting filament.

Evidence of vertical abundance stratification in the SB1 star HD 161660: a new HgMn

ABSTRACT In this paper, we present a detailed spectroscopic study of the SB1 system HD 161660. New spectroscopic observations have been obtained by us with Catania Astrophysical Observatory Spectropolarimeter (CAOS@OAC). Combining these observations with archive data from [email protected], we derived atmospheric parameters as temperature and gravity (from the fit of Balmer lines), microturbulence and rotational velocity (from metal lines), and chemical composition. We found underabundances of helium, carbon, magnesium, sulphur and chromium, overabundances of neon, phosphorus, argon, manganese, xenon, and mercury. All other elements have solar composition. In particular, mercury abundance is derived taking into account an isotopic mixture different from the terrestrial one (essentially pure 202Hg). Considering this chemical pattern, we definitively confirm HD 161660 is an HgMn star. Further, variability of equivalent widths points out a non-homogeneous distribution of helium and magnesium over stellar surface. As to iron and phosphorus, we found a non-constant abundance with the optical depth, a result currently considered an evidence of vertical stratification. Finally, we improved the fundamental parameters characterizing the HD 161660 orbit.

Voracious vortices in cataclysmic variables

Context. In Paper I we showed that the accretion disc radius of the dwarf nova HT Cas in its quiescent state has not changed significantly during many years of observations. It has remained consistently large, close to the tidal truncation radius. This result is inconsistent with the modern understanding of the evolution of the disc radius through an outburst cycle. Aims. Spectroscopic observations of HT Cas during its superoutburst offered us an exceptional opportunity to compare the properties of the disc of this object in superoutburst and in quiescence. Methods. We obtained a new set of time-resolved spectra of HT Cas in the middle of its 2017 superoutburst. We used Doppler tomography to map emission structures in the system, which we compared with those detected during the quiescent state. We used solutions of the restricted three-body problem to discuss again the location of emission structures and the disc size of HT Cas in quiescence. Results. The superoutburst spectrum is similar in appearance to the quiescent spectra, although the strength of most of the emission lines decreased. However, the high-excitation lines significantly strengthened in comparison with the Balmer lines. Many lines show a mix of broad emission and narrow absorption components. Hα in superoutburst was much narrower than in quiescence. Other emission lines have also narrowed in outburst, but they did not become as narrow as Hα. Doppler maps of Hα in quiescence and of the Hβ and He I lines in outburst are dominated by a bright emission arc at the right side of the tomograms, which is located at and even beyond the theoretical truncation limit. However, the bulk of the Hα emission in outburst has significantly lower velocities. Conclusions. We show that the accretion disc radius of HT Cas during its superoutburst has become hot but remained the same size as it was in quiescence. Instead, we detected cool gas beyond the Roche lobe of the white dwarf that may have been expelled from the hot disc during the superoutburst.

Photometric and spectroscopic evolution of the peculiar Type IIn SN 2012ab

ABSTRACT We present an extensive (∼1200 d) photometric and spectroscopic monitoring of the Type IIn supernova (SN) 2012ab. After a rapid initial rise leading to a bright maximum (MR = −19.39 mag), the light curves show a plateau lasting about 2 months followed by a steep decline up to about 100 d. Only in the U band, the decline is constant in the same interval. At later phases, the light curves remain flatter than the 56Co decline, suggesting the increasing contribution of the interaction between SN ejecta with circumstellar material (CSM). Although heavily contaminated by emission lines of the host galaxy, the early spectral sequence (until 32 d) shows persistent narrow emissions, indicative of slow unshocked CSM, and the emergence of broad Balmer lines of hydrogen with P-Cygni profiles over a blue continuum, arising from a fast expanding SN ejecta. From about 2 months to ∼1200 d, the P-Cygni profiles are overcome by intermediate width emissions [full width at half-maximum (FWHM) ∼6000 km s−1], produced in the shocked region due to interaction. On the red wing, a red bump appears after 76 d, likely a signature of the onset of interaction of the receding ejecta with the CSM. The presence of fast material both approaching and then receding is suggestive that we are observing the SN along the axis of a jet-like ejection in a cavity devoid of or uninterrupted by CSM in the innermost regions.