On the Brightest Horizontal Branch Population II Star γ Piscium

The bright star γ Psc is among the nearest Population II giants located in the red clump region. Here we demonstrate that γ Psc is actually a core-helium burning horizontal branch star. As such, the τ ≃ 12 Gyr old γ Psc is found to be slightly over-massive at M HB = 0.97 ± 0.12 M ⊙, which suggests that it is possibly a rejuvenated source.

Study of Dust Structure nearby Asymptotic Giant Branch Star using IRAS Survey

This study performed an investigation of a dust environment, in the far-infrared bands (60 and 100 µm) of Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) survey, using the Sky View Virtual Observatory (https://skyview.gsfc.nasa.gov/current/). A far-infrared cavity structure (depression in the far-infrared background emission) of major diameter ∼ 61.8 pc and minor diameter ∼ 46.5 pc, in the sky coordinate, R.A. (J2000) = 21h 32m 44.47s and Dec. (J2000) = +55d 15m 16.8s, at a distance ∼ 3.58 kpc was found to lie around a carbon-rich Asymptotic Giant Branch star. We studied the temperature and mass of the dust, radiation intensity distribution, visual extinction, and far-infrared spectral distribution of the cavity structure using the softwares Aladin v2.5, SalsaJ, and ORIGIN 8.5. The range of temperature of dust was observed between 22.24 ± 0.81 K to 23.27 ± 0.21 K, and the entire mass of the cavity was determined to be 2.19 × 1031 kg. In addition, the fluctuating nature of the dust color temperature and Planck function was observed along major and minor diameters of the structure. Moreover, an opposite relationship of dust color temperature and visual extinction was found within the structure. Finally, from the far-infrared spectral distribution, abrupt reduction at 60 µm flux rather than a continual increase was observed, the connection between the AGB wind and the ambient interstellar medium could be the possible reason behind this. Our results obey the similar trends obtained for the other cavity structures in the previous studies; these findings validate the existing results for a new cavity structure around AGB star within the galactic coordinate -6o < b < +6o.

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.

Gaia DR2 data and the evolutionary status of eight high-velocity hot post-AGB candidates

From Gaia DR2 data of eight high-velocity hot post-AGB candidates, LS 3593, LSE 148, LS 5107, HD 172324, HD 214539, LS IV −12 111, LS III +52 24, and LS 3099, we found that six of them have accurate parallaxes which made it possible to derive their distances, absolute visual magnitudes (MV) and luminosity (log L/L⊙). All the stars except LS 5107 have an accurate effective temperature (Teff) in the literature. Some of these stars are metal poor, and some of them do not have circumstellar dust shells. In the past, the distances of some stars were estimated to be 6 kpc, which we find to be incorrect. The accurate Gaia DR2 parallaxes show that they are relatively nearby, post-AGB stars. When compared with post-AGB evolutionary tracks we find their initial masses to be in the range 1 M⊙ to 2 M⊙. We find the luminosity of LSE 148 to be significantly lower than that of post-AGB stars, suggesting that this is a post-horizontal-branch star or post-early-AGB star. LS 3593 and LS 5107 are new high-velocity hot post-AGB stars from Gaia DR2.

Understanding the rotational variability of K2 targets

Context. Ultraprecise space photometry enables us to reveal light variability even in stars that were previously deemed constant. A large group of such stars show variations that may be rotationally modulated. This type of light variability is of special interest because it provides precise estimates of rotational rates. Aims. We aim to understand the origin of the light variability of K2 targets that show signatures of rotational modulation. Methods. We used phase-resolved medium-resolution X-shooter spectroscopy to understand the light variability of the stars KIC 250152017 and KIC 249660366, which are possibly rotationally modulated. We determined the atmospheric parameters at individual phases and tested the presence of the rotational modulation in the spectra. Results. KIC 250152017 is a HgMn star, whose light variability is caused by the inhomogeneous surface distribution of manganese and iron. It is only the second HgMn star whose light variability is well understood. KIC 249660366 is a He-weak, high-velocity horizontal branch star with overabundances of silicon and argon. The light variability of this star is likely caused by a reflection effect in this post-common envelope binary.

Discovery of a nitrogen-enhanced mildly metal-poor binary system: Possible evidence for pollution from an extinct AGB star

We report the serendipitous discovery of a nitrogen-rich, mildly metal-poor ([Fe/H] = −1.08) giant star in a single-lined spectroscopic binary system found in the SDSS-IV Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE-2) survey, Data Release 14 (DR14). Previous work has assumed that two percent of halo giants with unusual elemental abundances have been evaporated from globular clusters, but other origins for their abundance signatures, including binary mass transfer, must also be explored. We present the results of an abundance reanalysis of the APOGEE-2 high-resolution near-infrared spectrum of 2M12451043+1217401 with the Brussels Automatic Stellar Parameter (BACCHUS) automated spectral analysis code. We manually re-derive the main element families, namely light elements (C, N), elements (O, Mg, Si), the iron-peak element (Fe), s-process element (Ce), and light odd-Z element (Al). Our analysis confirms the N-rich nature of 2M12451043+1217401, which has a [N/Fe] ratio of +0.69, and shows that the abundances of C and Al are slightly discrepant from those of a typical mildly metal-poor red giant branch star, but exhibit Mg, Si, O and s-process abundances (Ce) of typical field stars. We also detect a particularly large variability in the radial velocity of this star over the period of the APOGEE-2 observations; the most likely orbit fit to the radial velocity data has a period of 730.89 ± 106.86 days, a velocity semi-amplitude of 9.92 ± 0.14 km s−1, and an eccentricity of ∼0.1276 ± 0.1174. These data support the hypothesis of a binary companion, which has probably been polluted by a now-extinct asymptotic giant branch star.

Load-sharing analysis of two-stage three-branch star gearing based on deformation compatibility

A load-sharing analysis methodology was proposed for the multiple-branch star gear transmission which is composed of a number of closed-loop power flows. The moment equilibrium and deformation compatibility equations for the two-stage star gearing were derived, which are clearly different from that used in planetary gear transmission. Then the load-sharing analysis model was established and employed to systematically study the load-sharing behavior of the two-stage three-branch star gearing, some untouched aspects were investigated. Results show that the most sensitive directions of the central and star gear assembly errors on load-sharing are along the meshing line. The effects of the size and direction of the central gear–manufacturing errors on load sharing are the same for each branch, the initial directions of the central or a certain star gear–manufacturing errors will have no effect on the load-sharing coefficient of the system, but the initial directions of the assembly errors will. The conditions in which the load distribution curves repeat the first track were also obtained. Finally, a numerical example of a three-branch star gear aviation reducer was adopted to verify the feasibility of this proposed method, and the calculation results show good agreement with a previously published and validated model.