New BRITE-Constellation observations of the roAp star α Cir

Context. Chemically peculiar (CP) stars with a measurable magnetic field comprise the group of mCP stars. The pulsating members define the subgroup of rapidly oscillating Ap (roAp) stars, of which α Cir is the brightest member. Hence, α Cir allows the application of challenging techniques, such as interferometry, very high temporal and spectral resolution photometry, and spectroscopy in a wide wavelength range, that have the potential to provide unique information about the structure and evolution of a star. Aims. Based on new photometry from BRITE-Constellation, obtained with blue and red filters, and on photometry from WIRE, SMEI, and TESS we attempt to determine the surface spot structure of α Cir and investigate pulsation frequencies. Methods. We used photometric surface imaging and frequency analyses and Bayesian techniques in order to quantitatively compare the probability of different models. Results. BRITE-Constellation photometry obtained from 2014 to 2016 is put in the context of space photometry obtained by WIRE, SMEI, and TESS. This provides improvements in the determination of the rotation period and surface features (three spots detected and a fourth one indicated). The main pulsation frequencies indicate two consecutive radial modes and one intermediate dipolar mode. Advantages and problems of the applied Bayesian technique are discussed.

HD 42659: the only known roAp star in a spectroscopic binary observed with B photometry, TESS, and SALT

ABSTRACT We present a multi-instrument analysis of the rapidly oscillating Ap (roAp) star HD 42659. We have obtained B photometric data for this star and use these data, in conjunction with the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) observations, to analyse the high-frequency pulsation in detail. We find a triplet that is split by the rotation frequency of the star (νrot = 0.3756 d−1; Prot = 2.66 d) and present both distorted dipole and distorted quadrupole mode models. We show that the pulsation frequency, 150.9898 d−1 (Ppuls = 9.54 min), is greater than the acoustic cut-off frequency. We utilize 27 high-resolution ($R\simeq 65\, 000$), high signal-to-noise ratio (∼120) spectra to provide new orbital parameters for this, the only known roAp star to be in a short-period binary (Porb = 93.266 d). We find the system to be more eccentric than previously thought, with e = 0.317, and suggest the companion is a mid-F to early-K star. We find no significant trend in the average pulsation mode amplitude with time, as measured by TESS, implying that the companion does not have an effect on the pulsation in this roAp star. We suggest further photometric observations of this star, and further studies to find more roAp stars in close binaries to characterize how binarity may affect the detection of roAp pulsations.