Optical interferometry is a powerful tool to investigate the close environment of AGB stars. With a spatial resolution of a few milli-arcseconds, it is even possible to image directly the surface of angularly large objects. This is of special interest forMira stars and red supergiants for which the dust-wind is initiated from or very close to the photosphere by an interplay between pulsation and convection. Based on two-epoch interferometric observations of the Mira star X Hya, we present how the variation of the angular size with wavelength challenges pulsation models and how reconstructed images can reveal the evolution of the object shape and of its asymmetric structures.
Optical long baseline interferometry was recently established as a technique capable of resolving stars and their circumstellar environments at the milliarcsecond (mas) resolution level. This high-resolution opens an entire new window to the study of astrophysical systems, providing information inaccessible by other techniques. Astrophysical disks are observed in a wide variety of systems, from galaxies up to planetary rings, commonly sharing similar physical processes. Two particular disk like systems are studied in the thesis: (i) B He-rich stars that exhibits magnetic fields in order of kG …
An interferometric study of the post-AGB binary 89 Herculis I Spatially resolving the continuum circumstellar environment at optical and near-IR wavelengths with the VLTI, NPOI, IOTA, PTI, and the CHARA Array
To investigate the potential connection between the intense X-ray emission from young, low-mass stars and the lifetimes of their circumstellar, planet-forming disks, we have compiled the X-ray luminosities ($L_X$) of M stars in the $\sim$8 Myr-old TW Hya Association (TWA) for which X-ray data are presently available. Our investigation includes analysis of archival Chandra data for the TWA binary systems TWA 8, 9, and 13. Although our study suffers from poor statistics for stars later than M3, we find a trend of decreasing $L_X/L_{bol}$ with decreasing $T_{eff}$ for TWA M stars wherein the earl…
Context. The mass-loss mechanism of cool massive evolved stars is poorly understood. The proximity of Betelgeuse makes it an appealing target to study its atmosphere, map the shape of its envelope, and follow the structure of its wind from the photosphere out to the interstellar medium. Aims. A link is suspected between the powerful convective motions in Betelgeuse and its mass loss. We aim to constrain the spatial structure and temporal evolution of the convective pattern on the photosphere and to search for evidence of this link. Methods. We report new interferometric observations in the inf…
ATOMIUM: Inner circumstellar envelopes of oxygen-rich AGB stars as revealed by highly excited SiO lines
National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (Public Organization)（泰国国家天文研究所）；Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, The University of Manchester（曼彻斯特大学乔德雷尔银行天体物理学中心）；Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Bordeaux, Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS（波尔多大学CNRS波尔多天体物理实验室）；School of Physics & Astronomy, Monash University（蒙纳士大学物理与天文学院）；Institute of Astronomy, KU Leuven（荷鲁汶大学天文研究所）；School of Chemistry, University of Leeds（利兹大学化学学院）；Leiden Observatory, Leiden University（莱顿大学莱登天文台）；Departament de Física, EEBE, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya（加泰罗尼亚理工大学EEBE物理系）；Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics（哈佛-史密森尼天体物理中心）；Universität zu Köln, Astrophysik/I. Physikalisches Institut（科隆大学天体物理/第一物理研究所）；California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory（加州理工学院喷气推进实验室）；Theoretical Astrophysics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University（乌普萨拉大学物理与天文学院理论天体物理）；Department of Computer Science, University College London（伦敦大学学院计算机科学系）
通过高分辨率 ALMA 观测，研究氧丰富晚生星的内 circumstellar 包层，发现高激发 SiO 线的分布特征及与质量损失的关系。
Spatially resolved mid-infrared observations of the triple system T Tauri
为了提高我们的知识的特点和分布的拱星尘埃与年轻的层次三重系统T头的各个组成部分，在N-波段的观测与VLTI进行。我们的研究是基于干涉和分光光度测量，并辅以新的视觉和红外光度。此外，相位进行了研究，以确定在近南双星中占主导地位的中红外光源。这些数据是在一个复杂的物理磁盘模型的帮助下拟合的。该模型利用基于蒙特卡罗方法的辐射转移代码MC 3D。在系统的所有三个组件周围都发现了扩展的中红外发射。同时配合测光和干涉测量数据证实了一个几乎面对拱盘周围的T头N的图片。朝向这颗恒星，在发射中可以看到硅酸盐带。这个发射特征被用来模拟星周盘的尘埃含量。在T Tau S附近，在吸收中可以看到硅酸盐带。这种吸收对红外伴星T Tau Sa非常明显，这可以从两个南部分量的第一个单独的N带光谱中看出。我们的配合支持以前的建议，一个几乎边缘上的光盘是目前围绕T头萨。因此，这个圆盘相对于T Tau N周围的拱星圆盘没有对准。干涉测量数据表明，磁盘T头萨周围是面向南北方向，这有利于这个源作为发射场的东西射流。我们进一步确定从干涉数据的相对位置的组件的南方二进制。
FU Orionis-type objects are young, low-mass stars with large outbursts in visible light that last for several years or decades. They are thought to represent an evolutionary phase during the life of every young star when accretion from the circumstellar disk is enhanced during recurring time periods. These outbursts are able to rapidly build up the star while affecting the circumstellar disk and thus the ongoing or future planet formation. In many models infall from a circumstellar envelope seems to be necessary to trigger the outbursts. We observed the J=1$-$0 rotational transition of $^{13}$…
Stars on the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) lose considerable amounts of matter through their dust-driven stellar winds. A number of such sources have been imaged by Herschel/PACS, revealing a diverse sample of different morphological types. Among them are a few examples which show geometrically thin, spherically symmetric shells which can be used to probe the mass loss history of their host stars. We aim to determine the physical properties of the dust envelope around the two carbon stars U Hya and W Ori. With the much-improved spatial constraints from the new far-infrared maps, our primary go…
We use archival ALMA observations of the CO(2-1) and SiO(5-4) molecular line emissions of AGB star R Hya to illustrate the relative contributions of rotation, expansion and line broadening to the morphology and kinematics of the circumstellar envelope (CSE) within some ~70 au (~0.5 arcsec) from the centre of the star. We give evidence for rotation and important line broadening to dominate the inner region, within ~14 au (~100 mas) from the centre of the star. The former is about an axis that projects a few degrees west of north and has a projected rotation velocity of a few km/s. The latter oc…
Stars with initial masses between $\sim0.8$ and 8~$M_\odot$ present copious mass loss during the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) at the end of their lives. The accepted mass-loss mechanism requires radiation pressure acting on dust grains that form in the extended AGB stellar atmospheres. The details of this process are not yet well understood, however. Using the extreme-adaptive-optics imager and polarimeter SPHERE/ZIMPOL, we observed light polarised by grains around W\,Hya, SW\,Vir, and R\,Crt, which have mass-loss rates between 10$^{-7}$ and 10$^{-6}~M_\odot~{\rm yr^{-1}}$. We find the distri…
We present visible polarimetric imaging observations of the well-studied AGB star W Hya taken with VLT/SPHERE-ZIMPOL as well as high spectral resolution long-baseline interferometric observations with the AMBER instrument of the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI). We observed W Hya with VLT/SPHERE-ZIMPOL at three wavelengths in the continuum (645, 748, and 820 nm), in the Halpha line at 656.3 nm, and in the TiO band at 717 nm. The VLTI/AMBER observations were carried out in the wavelength region of the CO first overtone lines near 2.3 micron with a spectral resolution of 12000. Taking …
Our recent visible polarimetric images of the well-studied AGB star W Hya taken at pre-maximum light (phase 0.92) with VLT/SPHERE-ZIMPOL have revealed clumpy dust clouds close to the star at ~2 Rstar. We present second-epoch SPHERE-ZIMPOL observations of W Hya at minimum light (phase 0.54) in the continuum (645, 748, and 820 nm), in the Halpha line (656.3 nm), and in the TiO band (717 nm) as well as high-spectral resolution long-baseline interferometric observations in 2.3 micron CO lines with the AMBER instrument at the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI). The high-spatial resolution p…
HD50138 is a Herbig B[e] star with a circumstellar disc detected at IR and mm wavelength. Its brightness makes it a good candidate for NIR interferometry observations. We aim to resolve, spatially and spectrally, the continuum and hydrogen emission lines in the 2.12-2.47 micron region, to shed light on the immediate circumstellar environment of the star. VLTI/AMBER K-band observations provide spectra, visibilities, differential phases, and closure phases along three long baselines for the continuum, and HI emission in Br$γ$ and five high-n Pfund lines. By computing the pure-line visibilities, …
The lack of short baselines, referred to as short-spacing problem (SSP), is a well-known limitation of the performance of radio interferometers, causing a reduction of the detected flux from large scale source structures. The very large number of antennas operated in the Atacama Large Millimeter/sub-millimeter Array (ALMA) generates situations for which the impact of the SSP takes a complex form, not simply measurable by a single number, such as the maximal recoverable scale. In particular extended antenna configurations, complemented by a small group of closeby antennas at the centre of the a…
This paper is framed within a large project devoted to studying the presence of circumstellar material around main sequence stars, and looking for exocometary events. The work concentrates on HR 10 (A2 IV/V), known for its conspicuous variability in the circumstellar narrow absorption features of Ca II K and other lines, so far interpreted as $β$ Pic-like phenomena, within the falling evaporating body scenario. The main goal of this paper is to carry out a thorough study of HR 10 to find the origin of the observed variability, determine the nature of the star, its absolute parameters, and evol…
We present the results of a search for new circumstellar disks around low-mass stars and brown dwarfs with spectral types >K5 that are confirmed or candidate members of nearby young moving groups. Our search input sample was drawn from the BANYAN surveys of Malo et al. and Gagné et al. Two-Micron All-Sky Survey and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer data were used to detect near- to mid-infrared excesses that would reveal the presence of circumstellar disks. A total of 13 targets with convincing excesses were identified: four are new and nine were already known in the literature. The new cand…
We studied the disc of the unclassified B[e] star HD 50138, in order to explore its structure, and to find indications for the evolutionary status of this system, whether it is a young Herbig Be or a post-main-sequence star. Using high spatial resolution interferometric measurements from MIDI instrument (N-band) on the Very Large Telescope Interferometer, we analysed the disc size, the time-variability of the disc's thermal emission, and the spectral shape of the $10~μ$m silicate feature. By fitting simple disc models, we determined the inclination and the mid-infrared size of the disc, confir…
We analyse archival ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array) observations of two molecular line emissions, $^{12}$CO(3-2) and $^{29}$SiO(8-7), from oxygen-rich AGB (Asymptotic Giant Branch) star W Hya. Together with results of earlier VLT observations at visible and infrared wavelengths, our results suggest a two-component picture of the morpho-kinematics of the circumstellar envelope (CSE), one stable over time, at the scale of centuries, and the other variable, at the scale of years. The stable component consists of an approximately spherical shell of gas and dust expanding radial…
The VLTI/MIDI survey of massive young stellar objects - Sounding the inner regions around intermediate- and high-mass young stars using mid-infrared interferometry
MWC158 is a star with the B[e] phenomenon that shows strong spectrophotometric variability (in lines and in UV and visible continuum) attributed to phases of shell ejection. The evolutionary stage of this star was never clearly determined. Previous interferometric, spectropolarimetric and spectro-interferometric studies suggest a disk morphology for its environment. We investigate the origin of the variability within the inner astronomical unit of the central star using near-infrared interferometric observations with PIONIER at the VLTI over a two-year period. We performed an image reconstruct…
Observation of CO emission around asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars is the primary method to determine gas mass-loss rates. While radiative transfer models have shown that molecular levels of CO can become mildly inverted, causing maser emission, CO maser emission has yet to be confirmed observationally. High-resolution observations of the CO emission around AGB stars now have the brightness temperature sensitivity to detect possible weak CO maser emission. We used high angular resolution observations taken with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to observe the small-sca…
