Multi-epoch <i>L</i>-band Spectroscopy of the Be Star μ Centauri Prior to Outburst

With the aim of contributing to the understanding of the disk formation process in Be stars, we pursued a one-year spectroscopic observing campaign of the Be star μ Centauri in the <i>L</i>-band, using VLT/ISAAC. We present the nine near-IR spectra we obtained in an epoch of relative pho...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Aguayo, G., Mennickent, R. E., Granada, Anahí, Otero, S.
Formato: Articulo
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: 2018
Materias:
Acceso en línea:http://sedici.unlp.edu.ar/handle/10915/93705
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-3881/aad5db
https://ri.conicet.gov.ar/handle/11336/82431
Aporte de:
id I19-R120-10915-93705
record_format dspace
institution Universidad Nacional de La Plata
institution_str I-19
repository_str R-120
collection SEDICI (UNLP)
language Inglés
topic Astronomía
circumstellar matter
infrared: stars
stars: emission-line, Be
stars: mass-loss
spellingShingle Astronomía
circumstellar matter
infrared: stars
stars: emission-line, Be
stars: mass-loss
Aguayo, G.
Mennickent, R. E.
Granada, Anahí
Otero, S.
Multi-epoch <i>L</i>-band Spectroscopy of the Be Star μ Centauri Prior to Outburst
topic_facet Astronomía
circumstellar matter
infrared: stars
stars: emission-line, Be
stars: mass-loss
description With the aim of contributing to the understanding of the disk formation process in Be stars, we pursued a one-year spectroscopic observing campaign of the Be star μ Centauri in the <i>L</i>-band, using VLT/ISAAC. We present the nine near-IR spectra we obtained in an epoch of relative photometric quiescence prior to an outburst of ΔV = 0.4 magnitude. Visual estimates during the epoch of our <i>L</i>-band spectroscopy are also presented for the first time, together with the unpublished complete visual light curve between the years 1998 and 2014. We observe significant and monotonic changes in emission line strength of Bracket-α and Pfund-γ lines relative to Humphreys lines, and also in the continuum slope. We interpret these observed changes in terms of important changes to the column density of the line emitting regions, moving from an optically thin to an optically thick stage just prior to a major outburst. For each observing date, we provide estimates for the column density and relative extension of the line emitting region. If the changes observed toward the end of our observing campaign were related to mass-loss changes from the central star, they would correspond to an increase in a factor of two in the mass of the disk in the innermost region. If related to the visual outburst observed one month later, the variability observed in our spectra would be the first detection of the early disk formation process in the <i>L</i>-band.
format Articulo
Articulo
author Aguayo, G.
Mennickent, R. E.
Granada, Anahí
Otero, S.
author_facet Aguayo, G.
Mennickent, R. E.
Granada, Anahí
Otero, S.
author_sort Aguayo, G.
title Multi-epoch <i>L</i>-band Spectroscopy of the Be Star μ Centauri Prior to Outburst
title_short Multi-epoch <i>L</i>-band Spectroscopy of the Be Star μ Centauri Prior to Outburst
title_full Multi-epoch <i>L</i>-band Spectroscopy of the Be Star μ Centauri Prior to Outburst
title_fullStr Multi-epoch <i>L</i>-band Spectroscopy of the Be Star μ Centauri Prior to Outburst
title_full_unstemmed Multi-epoch <i>L</i>-band Spectroscopy of the Be Star μ Centauri Prior to Outburst
title_sort multi-epoch <i>l</i>-band spectroscopy of the be star μ centauri prior to outburst
publishDate 2018
url http://sedici.unlp.edu.ar/handle/10915/93705
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-3881/aad5db
https://ri.conicet.gov.ar/handle/11336/82431
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AT mennickentre multiepochilibandspectroscopyofthebestarmcentauripriortooutburst
AT granadaanahi multiepochilibandspectroscopyofthebestarmcentauripriortooutburst
AT oteros multiepochilibandspectroscopyofthebestarmcentauripriortooutburst
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