Browsing by Author "Kochukhov, O."

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    Magnetic field topology and chemical spot distributions in the extreme Ap star HD 75049
    (EDP Sciences, 2015) Kochukhov, O.; Rusomarov, N.; Valenti, J.A.; Stempels, H.C.; Snik, F.; Rodenhuis, M.; Piskunov, N.; Makaganiuk, V.; Keller, C.U.; Johns-Krull, C.M.
    Context. Intermediate-mass, magnetic chemically peculiar (Ap) stars provide a unique opportunity to study the topology of stellar magnetic fields in detail and to investigate magnetically driven processes of spot formation. Aims. Here we aim to derive the surface magnetic field geometry and chemical abundance distributions for the extraordinary Ap star HD 75049. This object hosts a surface field of ~30 kG, one of the strongest known for any non-degenerate star. Methods. We used time-series of high-resolution HARPS intensity and circular polarisation observations. These data were interpreted with the help of magnetic Doppler imaging and model atmospheres incorporating effects of a non-solar chemical composition and a strong magnetic field. Results. Based on high-precision measurements of the mean magnetic field modulus, we refined the rotational period of HD 75049 to Prot = 4.048267 ± 0.000036 d. We also derived basic stellar parameters, Teff = 10 250 ± 250 K and log g = 4.3 ± 0.1. Magnetic Doppler imaging revealed that the field topology of HD 75049 is poloidal and dominated by a dipolar contribution with a peak surface field strength of 39 kG. At the same time, deviations from the classical axisymmetric oblique dipolar configuration are significant. Chemical surface maps of Si, Cr, Fe, and Nd show abundance contrasts of 0.5–1.4 dex, which is low compared with many other Ap stars. Of the chemical elements, Nd is found to be enhanced close to the magnetic pole, whereas Si and Cr are concentrated predominantly at the magnetic equator. The iron distribution shows low-contrast features both at the magnetic equator and the pole. Conclusions. The morphology of the magnetic field and the properties of chemical spots in HD 75049 are qualitatively similar to those of Ap stars with weaker fields. Consequently, whatever mechanism forms and sustains global magnetic fields in intermediate-mass main-sequence stars, it operates in the same way over the entire observed range of magnetic field strengths.
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    Magnetic fields of intermediate mass T Tauri stars
    (EDP Sciences, 2017) Lavail, A.; Kochukhov, O.; Hussain, G.A.J.; Alecian, E.; Herczeg, G.J.; Johns-Krull, C.
    Aims: In this paper, we aim to measure the strength of the surface magnetic fields for a sample of five intermediate mass T Tauri stars and one low mass T Tauri star from late-F to mid-K spectral types. While magnetic fields of T Tauri stars at the low mass range have been extensively characterized, our work complements previous studies towards the intermediate mass range; this complementary study is key to evaluate how magnetic fields evolve during the transition from a convective to a radiative core. Methods: We studied the Zeeman broadening of magnetically sensitive spectral lines in the H-band spectra obtained with the CRIRES high-resolution near-infrared spectrometer. These data are modelled using magnetic spectral synthesis and model atmospheres. Additional constraints on non-magnetic line broadening mechanisms are obtained from modelling molecular lines in the K band or atomic lines in the optical wavelength region. Results: We detect and measure mean surface magnetic fields for five of the six stars in our sample: CHXR 28, COUP 107, V2062 Oph, V1149 Sco, and Par 2441. Magnetic field strengths inferred from the most magnetically sensitive diagnostic line range from 0.8 to 1.8 kG. We also estimate a magnetic field strength of 1.9 kG for COUP 107 from an alternative diagnostic. The magnetic field on YLW 19 is the weakest in our sample and is marginally detected, with a strength of 0.8 kG. Conclusions: We populate an uncharted area of the pre-main-sequence HR diagram with mean magnetic field measurements from high-resolution near-infrared spectra. Our sample of intermediate mass T Tauri stars in general exhibits weaker magnetic fields than their lower mass counterparts. Our measurements will be used in combination with other spectropolarimetric studies of intermediate mass and lower mass T Tauri stars to provide input into pre-main-sequence stellar evolutionary models.
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    Magnetism, chemical spots, and stratification in the HgMn star ϕ Phoenicis
    (EDP Sciences, 2012) Makaganiuk, V.; Kochukhov, O.; Piskunov, N.; Jeffers, S.V.; Johns-Krull, C.M.; Keller, C.U.; Rodenhuis, M.; Snik, F.; Stempels, H.C.; Valenti, J.A.
    Context. Mercury-manganese (HgMn) stars have been considered as non-magnetic and non-variable chemically peculiar (CP) stars for a long time. However, recent discoveries of the variability in spectral line profiles have suggested an inhomogeneous surface distribution of chemical elements in some HgMn stars. From the studies of other CP stars it is known that magnetic field plays a key role in the formation of surface spots. All attempts to find magnetic fields in HgMn stars have yielded negative results. Aims. In this study, we investigate the possible presence of a magnetic field in ϕ Phe (HD 11753) and reconstruct surface distribution of chemical elements that show variability in spectral lines.We also test a hypothesis that a magnetic field is concentrated in chemical spots and look into the possibility that some chemical elements are stratified with depth in the stellar atmosphere. Methods. Our analysis is based on high-quality spectropolarimetric time-series observations, covering a full rotational period of the star. Spectra were obtained with the HARPSpol at the ESO 3.6-m telescope. To increase the sensitivity of the magnetic field search, we employed the least-squares deconvolution (LSD) technique. Using Doppler imaging code INVERS10, we reconstructed surface chemical distributions by utilising information from multiple spectral lines. The vertical stratification of chemical elements was calculated with the DDAFit program. Results. Combining information from all suitable spectral lines, we set an upper limit of 4 G on the mean longitudinal magnetic field. For chemical spots, an upper limit on the longitudinal field varies between 8 and 15 G. We confirmed the variability of Y, Sr, and Ti and detected variability in Cr lines. Stratification analysis showed that Y and Ti are not concentrated in the uppermost atmospheric layers. Conclusions. Our spectropolarimetric observations rule out the presence of a strong, globally-organised magnetic field in ϕ Phe. This implies an alternative mechanism of spot formation, which could be related to a non-equilibrium atomic diffusion. However, the typical time scales of the variation in stratification predicted by the recent time-dependent diffusion models exceed significantly the spot evolution time-scale reported for ϕ Phe.