@article{BaranOstensenTeltingetal.2018, author = {Baran, Andrzej S. and Ostensen, R. H. and Telting, J. H. and Vos, Joris and Kilkenny, D. and Vuckovic, Maja and Reed, M. D. and Silvotti, R. and Jeffery, C. Simon and Parsons, Steven G. and Dhillon, V. S. and Marsh, T. R.}, title = {Pulsations and eclipse-time analysis of HW Vir}, series = {Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society}, volume = {481}, journal = {Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society}, number = {2}, publisher = {Oxford Univ. Press}, address = {Oxford}, issn = {0035-8711}, doi = {10.1093/mnras/sty2473}, pages = {2721 -- 2735}, year = {2018}, abstract = {We analysed recent K2 data of the short-period eclipsing binary system HW Vir, which consists of a hot subdwarf-B type primary with an M-dwarf companion. We determined the mid-times of eclipses, calculated O-C diagrams, and an average shift of the secondary minimum. Our results show that the orbital period is stable within the errors over the course of the 70 days of observations. Interestingly, the offset from mid-orbital phase between the primary and the secondary eclipses is found to be 1.62 s. If the shift is explained solely by light-travel time, the mass of the sdB primary must be 0.26 M-circle dot, which is too low for the star to be core-helium burning. However, we argue that this result is unlikely to be correct and that a number of effects caused by the relative sizes of the stars conspire to reduce the effective light-travel time measurement. After removing the flux variation caused by the orbit, we calculated the amplitude spectrum to search for pulsations. The spectrum clearly shows periodic signal from close to the orbital frequency up to 4600 mu Hz, with the majority of peaks found below 2600 mu Hz. The amplitudes are below 0.1 part-per-thousand, too low to be detected with ground-based photometry. Thus, the high-precision data from the Kepler spacecraft has revealed that the primary of the HW Vir system is a pulsating sdBV star. We argue that the pulsation spectrum of the primary in HW Vir differs from that in other sdB stars due to its relatively fast rotation that is (nearly) phase-locked with the orbit.}, language = {en} } @article{CharpinetBrassardFontaineetal.2019, author = {Charpinet, St{\´e}phane and Brassard, P. and Fontaine, G. and Van Grootel, Valerie and Zong, Weika and Giammichele, N. and Heber, Ulrich and Bogn{\´a}r, Zs{\´o}fia and Geier, Stephan Alfred and Green, Elizabeth M. and Hermes, J. J. and Kilkenny, D. and Ostensen, R. H. and Pelisoli, Ingrid Domingos and Silvotti, R. and Telting, J. H. and Vuckovic, Maja and Worters, H. L. and Baran, Andrzej S. and Bell, Keaton J. and Bradley, Paul A. and Debes, J. H. and Kawaler, S. D. and Kolaczek-Szymanski, P. and Murphy, S. J. and Pigulski, A. and Sodor, A. and Uzundag, Murat and Handberg, R. and Kjeldsen, H. and Ricker, G. R. and Vanderspek, R. K.}, title = {TESS first look at evolved compact pulsators Discovery and asteroseismic probing of the g-mode hot B subdwarf pulsator EC 21494-7018}, series = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, volume = {632}, journal = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, publisher = {EDP Sciences}, address = {Les Ulis}, issn = {0004-6361}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201935395}, pages = {23}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Context. The TESS satellite was launched in 2018 to perform high-precision photometry from space over almost the whole sky in a search for exoplanets orbiting bright stars. This instrument has opened new opportunities to study variable hot subdwarfs, white dwarfs, and related compact objects. Targets of interest include white dwarf and hot subdwarf pulsators, both carrying high potential for asteroseismology. Aims. We present the discovery and detailed asteroseismic analysis of a new g-mode hot B subdwarf (sdB) pulsator, EC 21494-7018 (TIC 278659026), monitored in TESS first sector using 120-s cadence. Methods. The TESS light curve was analyzed with standard prewhitening techniques, followed by forward modeling using our latest generation of sdB models developed for asteroseismic investigations. By simultaneously best-matching all the observed frequencies with those computed from models, we identified the pulsation modes detected and, more importantly, we determined the global parameters and structural configuration of the star. Results. The light curve analysis reveals that EC 21494-7018 is a sdB pulsator counting up to 20 frequencies associated with independent g-modes. The seismic analysis singles out an optimal model solution in full agreement with independent measurements provided by spectroscopy (atmospheric parameters derived from model atmospheres) and astrometry (distance evaluated from Gaia DR2 trigonometric parallax). Several key parameters of the star are derived. Its mass (0.391 +/- 0.009x2006;M-circle dot) is significantly lower than the typical mass of sdB stars and suggests that its progenitor has not undergone the He-core flash; therefore this progenitor could originate from a massive (greater than or similar to 2;M-circle dot) red giant, which is an alternative channel for the formation of sdBs. Other derived parameters include the H-rich envelope mass (0.0037 +/- 0.0010;M-circle dot), radius (0.1694 +/- 0.0081;R-circle dot), and luminosity (8.2 +/- 1.1;L-circle dot). The optimal model fit has a double-layered He+H composition profile, which we interpret as an incomplete but ongoing process of gravitational settling of helium at the bottom of a thick H-rich envelope. Moreover, the derived properties of the core indicate that EC 21494-7018 has burnt similar to 43\% (in mass) of its central helium and possesses a relatively large mixed core (M-core;=;0.198 +/- 0.010;M-circle dot), in line with trends already uncovered from other g-mode sdB pulsators analyzed with asteroseismology. Finally, we obtain for the first time an estimate of the amount of oxygen (in mass; X(O)(core) = 0.16(-0.05)(+0.13)X(O)core=0.16-0.05+0.13\$ X(mathrm{O})_{mathrm{core}}=0.16_{-0.05}<^>{+0.13} \$) produced at this stage of evolution by an helium-burning core. This result, along with the core-size estimate, is an interesting constraint that may help to narrow down the still uncertain C-12(alpha,;gamma)O-16 nuclear reaction rate.}, language = {en} } @article{SchaffenrothBarlowGeieretal.2019, author = {Schaffenroth, Veronika and Barlow, Brad N. and Geier, Stephan Alfred and Vuckovic, Maja and Kilkenny, D. and Wolz, M. and Kupfer, Thomas and Heber, Ulrich and Drechsel, H. and Kimeswenger, S. and Marsh, T. and Wolf, M. and Pelisoli, Ingrid Domingos and Freudenthal, Joseph and Dreizler, S. and Kreuzer, S. and Ziegerer, E.}, title = {The EREBOS project: Investigating the effect of substellar and low-mass stellar companions on late stellar evolution Survey, target selection, and atmospheric parameters}, series = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, volume = {630}, journal = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, publisher = {EDP Sciences}, address = {Les Ulis}, issn = {1432-0746}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201936019}, pages = {29}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Eclipsing post-common-envelope binaries are highly important for resolving the poorly understood, very short-lived common-envelope phase of stellar evolution. Most hot subdwarfs (sdO/Bs) are the bare helium-burning cores of red giants that have lost almost all of their hydrogen envelope. This mass loss is often triggered by common-envelope interactions with close stellar or even substellar companions. Cool companions to hot subdwarf stars such as late-type stars and brown dwarfs are detectable from characteristic light-curve variations - reflection effects and often eclipses. In the recently published catalog of eclipsing binaries in the Galactic Bulge and in the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) survey, we discovered 125 new eclipsing systems showing a reflection effect seen by visual inspection of the light curves and using a machine-learning algorithm, in addition to the 36 systems previously discovered by the Optical Gravitational Lesing Experiment (OGLE) team. The Eclipsing Reflection Effect Binaries from Optical Surveys (EREBOS) project aims at analyzing all newly discovered eclipsing binaries of the HW Vir type (hot subdwarf + close, cool companion) based on a spectroscopic and photometric follow up to derive the mass distribution of the companions, constrain the fraction of substellar companions, and determine the minimum mass needed to strip off the red-giant envelope. To constrain the nature of the primary we derived the absolute magnitude and the reduced proper motion of all our targets with the help of the parallaxes and proper motions measured by the Gaia mission and compared those to the Gaia white-dwarf candidate catalog. It was possible to derive the nature of a subset of our targets, for which observed spectra are available, by measuring the atmospheric parameter of the primary, confirming that less than 10\% of our systems are not sdO/Bs with cool companions but are white dwarfs or central stars of planetary nebula. This large sample of eclipsing hot subdwarfs with cool companions allowed us to derive a significant period distribution for hot subdwarfs with cool companions for the first time showing that the period distribution is much broader than previously thought and is ideally suited to finding the lowest-mass companions to hot subdwarf stars. The comparison with related binary populations shows that the period distribution of HW Vir systems is very similar to WD+dM systems and central stars of planetary nebula with cool companions. In the future, several new photometric surveys will be carried out, which will further increase the sample of this project, providing the potential to test many aspects of common-envelope theory and binary evolution.}, language = {en} } @article{VosBobrickVuckovic2020, author = {Vos, Joris and Bobrick, Alexey and Vuckovic, Maja}, title = {Observed binary populations reflect the Galactic history}, series = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal / European Southern Observatory (ESO)}, volume = {641}, journal = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal / European Southern Observatory (ESO)}, publisher = {EDP Sciences}, address = {Les Ulis}, issn = {1432-0746}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201937195}, pages = {19}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Context. Wide hot subdwarf B (sdB) binaries with main-sequence companions are outcomes of stable mass transfer from evolved red giants. The orbits of these binaries show a strong correlation between their orbital periods and mass ratios. The origins of this correlation have, so far, been lacking a conclusive explanation. Aims. We aim to find a binary evolution model which can explain the observed correlation. Methods. Radii of evolved red giants, and hence the resulting orbital periods, strongly depend on their metallicity. We performed a small but statistically significant binary population synthesis study with the binary stellar evolution code MESA. We used a standard model for binary mass loss and a standard metallicity history of the Galaxy. The resulting sdB systems were selected based on the same criteria as was used in observations and then compared with the observed population. Results. We have achieved an excellent match to the observed period-mass ratio correlation without explicitly fine-tuning any parameters. Furthermore, our models produce a very good match to the observed period-metallicity correlation. We predict several new correlations, which link the observed sdB binaries to their progenitors, and a correlation between the orbital period, metallicity, and core mass for subdwarfs and young low-mass helium white dwarfs. We also predict that sdB binaries have distinct orbital properties depending on whether they formed in the Galactic bulge, thin or thick disc, or the halo. Conclusions We demonstrate, for the first time, how the metallicity history of the Milky Way is imprinted in the properties of the observed post-mass transfer binaries. We show that Galactic chemical evolution is an important factor in binary population studies of interacting systems containing at least one evolved low-mass (M-init< 1.6 M-circle dot) component. Finally, we provide an observationally supported model of mass transfer from low-mass red giants onto main-sequence stars.}, language = {en} } @article{VosVuckovicChenetal.2019, author = {Vos, Joris and Vuckovic, Maja and Chen, X. and Han, Zh and Boudreaux, Thomas and Barlow, Brad N. and Ostensen, R. and Nemeth, P{\´e}ter}, title = {Using wide hot subdwarf binaries to constrain Roche-lobe overflow models}, series = {Contributions of the Astronomical Observatory Skalnat{\´e} Pleso}, volume = {49}, journal = {Contributions of the Astronomical Observatory Skalnat{\´e} Pleso}, number = {2}, publisher = {Astronomick{\´y} {\´U}stav SAV}, address = {Tatransk{\´a} Lomnica}, issn = {1335-1842}, pages = {264 -- 270}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Hot subdwarf B (sdB) stars are evolved core helium burning stars that have lost most of their hydrogen envelope due to binary interaction on the red giant branch. As sdB stars in wide binary systems can only be created by stable Roche lobe overflow, they are a great test sample to constrain the theoretical models for stable mass loss on the red giant branch. We present here the findings of a long term monitoring program of wide sdB+MS binaries. We found two main features in the orbital parameters. The majority of the systems have eccentric orbits with systems on longer orbital period having a higher eccentricity. As these systems have undergone mass loss near the tip of the RGB, tidal circularisation theory predicts them to be circularized. Our observations suggest that efficient eccentricity pumping mechanisms are active during the mass loss phase. Secondly we find a strong correlation between the mass ratio and the orbital period. Using binary evolution models, this relation is used to derive both an upper and lower limit on the initial mass ratio at which RLOF will be stable. These limits depend on the core mass of the sdB progenitor.}, language = {en} } @article{VosVuckovicChenetal.2018, author = {Vos, Joris and Vuckovic, Maja and Chen, Xuefei and Han, Zhanwen and Boudreaux, Thomas and Barlow, Brad N. and Ostensen, Roy and N{\´e}meth, P{\´e}ter}, title = {The orbital period-mass ratio relation of wide sdB plus MS binaries and its application to the stability of RLOF}, series = {Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society}, volume = {482}, journal = {Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society}, number = {4}, publisher = {Oxford Univ. Press}, address = {Oxford}, issn = {0035-8711}, doi = {10.1093/mnras/sty3017}, pages = {4592 -- 4605}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Wide binaries with hot subdwarf-B (sdB) primaries and main sequence companions are thought to form only through stable Roche-lobe overflow (RLOF) of the sdB progenitor near the tip of the red giant branch (RGB). We present the orbital parameters of 11 new long-period composite sdB binaries based on spectroscopic observations obtained with the UVES, FEROS, and CHIRON spectrographs. Using all wide sdB binaries with known orbital parameters, 23 systems, the observed period distribution is found to match very well with theoretical predictions. A second result is the strong correlation between the orbital period (P) and the mass ratio (q) in the observed wide sdB binaries. In the P-q plane two distinct groups emerge, with the main group (18 systems) showing a strong correlation of lower mass ratios at longer orbital periods. The second group comprises systems that are thought to be formed from higher mass progenitors. Based on theoretical models, a correlation between the initial mass ratio at the start of RLOF and core mass of the sdB progenitor is found, which defines a mass-ratio range at which RLOF is stable on the RGB.}, language = {en} }