since 05 February 2011 :
View(s): 308 (4 ULiège)
Download(s): 327 (6 ULiège)
print        
Erika D. Grundstrom, M. V. McSwain, C. Aragona, T. S. Boyajian, A. N. Marsh & R. M. Roettenbacher

Observations of Be Disk Building: Optical Spectra of NW Serpentis (HD 168797) over 35 days

(Volume 80 - Année 2011)
Article
Open Access

Abstract

The classical Be star NW Serpentis (HD 168797) is part of the CoRoT field and has long been studied photometrically and is known to have multi-periodic pulsational modes. Such pulsations are thought to be a way to generate the Be equatorial circumstellar disk. In an earlier survey, we identified this star as a possible non-radial pulsator and a known B Be variable. During Fall 2008, we obtained 23 spectra over 35 nights in the Halpha region. During this time, we observed Halpha to go from purely photospheric absorption to double-peaked emission then ”fade” back toward photospheric absorption. We present our determination of stellar parameters, our analysis of the circumstellar disk construction, and the possibility of a binary companion. These observations also suggest that frequent observations of Be stars known to be non-radial pulsators may yield more opportunities to study the disk-building phenomenon and thus assist in constraining theoretical models of disk generation.

To cite this article

Erika D. Grundstrom, M. V. McSwain, C. Aragona, T. S. Boyajian, A. N. Marsh & R. M. Roettenbacher, «Observations of Be Disk Building: Optical Spectra of NW Serpentis (HD 168797) over 35 days», Bulletin de la Société Royale des Sciences de Liège [En ligne], Volume 80 - Année 2011, 371 - 375 URL : https://popups.ulg.ac.be/0037-9565/index.php?id=2839.

About: Erika D. Grundstrom

Dept. of Physics & Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA, and Dept. of Physics, Fisk University, Nashville, TN, USA

About: M. V. McSwain

Dept. of Physics, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA

About: C. Aragona

Dept. of Physics, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA

About: T. S. Boyajian

CHARA, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA

About: A. N. Marsh

Dept. of Physics, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA

About: R. M. Roettenbacher

Dept. of Physics, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA