Bibcode
DOI
Hamilton, Catrina M.; Herbst, William; Vrba, Frederick J.; Ibrahimov, Mansur A.; Mundt, Reinhard; Bailer-Jones, Coryn A. L.; Filippenko, Alexei V.; Li, Weidong; Béjar, Víctor J. S.; Ábrahám, Péter; Kun, Mária; Moór, Attila; Benkő, József; Csizmadia, Szilárd; DePoy, Darren L.; Pogge, Richard W.; Marshall, Jennifer L.
Referencia bibliográfica
The Astronomical Journal, Volume 130, Issue 4, pp. 1896-1915.
Fecha de publicación:
10
2005
Número de citas
42
Número de citas referidas
32
Descripción
We present results from the most recent (2002-2004) observing campaigns
of the eclipsing system KH 15D, in addition to rereduced data obtained
at Van Vleck Observatory (VVO) between 1995 and 2000. Phasing 9 yr of
photometric data shows substantial evolution in the width and depth of
the eclipses. The most recent data indicate that the eclipses are now
approximately 24 days in length, or half the orbital period. These
results are interpreted and discussed in the context of the recent
models for this system put forward by Winn and coworkers and Chiang
& Murray-Clay. A periodogram of the entire data set yields a highly
significant peak at 48.37+/-0.01 days, which is in accord with the
spectroscopic period of 48.38+/-0.01 days determined by Johnson and
coworkers. Another significant peak, at 9.6 days, was found in the
periodogram of the out-of-eclipse data at two different epochs. We
interpret this as the rotation period of the visible star and argue that
it may be tidally locked in pseudosynchronism with its orbital motion.
If so, application of Hut's theory implies that the eccentricity of the
orbit is e=0.65+/-0.01. Analysis of the Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle
Spectrograph VLT spectra obtained by Hamilton and coworkers shows that
the vsini of the visible star in this system is 6.9+/-0.3 km
s-1. Using this value of vsini and the measured rotation
period of the star, we calculate the lower limit on the radius to be
R=(1.3+/-0.1) Rsolar, which concurs with the value obtained
by Hamilton and coworkers from its luminosity and effective temperature.
Here we assume that i=90deg, since it is likely that the spin
and orbital angular momenta vectors are nearly aligned. One unusually
bright data point obtained in the 1995/1996 observing season at VVO is
interpreted as the point in time when the currently hidden star B made
its last appearance. Based on this datum, we show that star B is
0.46+/-0.03 mag brighter than the currently visible star A, which is
entirely consistent with the historical light curve. Finally,
well-sampled VJ and IJ data obtained at the Cerro
Tololo Inter-American Observatory Yale 1 m telescope during 2001/2002
show an entirely new feature: the system becomes bluer by a small but
significant amount in very steady fashion as it enters eclipse and shows
an analogous reddening as it emerges from eclipse. This suggests an
extended zone of hot gas located close to but above the photosphere of
the currently visible star. The persistence of the bluing of the light
curve shows that its length scale is comparable to a stellar radius.