2021/02/19 by Chien-De Lee, Jia-Yu Ou, J. Ou +29 · 7 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Astrophysics #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Balmer series #Be star #Emission spectrum #Light curve #Photometry (optics) #Physics #Spectral energy distribution #Spectral line #Stars #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph.SR
paper · pdf · doi:10.3847/1538-4357/abe871
published in The Astrophysical Journal 911(1), 51 (IOP Publishing) · 24 pages, 7 tables and 12 figures; ApJ accepted
arxiv created 2021/02/19 · openalex publication_date 2021/04/01 · arxiv updated 2021/04/21 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06
Abstract HO Puppis (HO Pup) was considered as a Be-star candidate based on its γ Cassiopeiae-type light curve, but lacked spectroscopic confirmation. Using distance measured from Gaia Data Release 2 and the spectral-energy-distribution fit on broadband photometry, the Be-star nature of HO Pup is ruled out. Furthermore, based on the 28,700 photometric data points collected from various time-domain surveys and dedicated intensive-monitoring observations, the light curves of HO Pup closely resemble those of IW And-type stars (as pointed out by Kimura et al.), exhibiting characteristics such as a quasi-standstill phase, brightening, and dips. The light curve of HO Pup displays various variability timescales, including brightening cycles ranging from 23 to 61 days, variations with periods between 3.9 days and 50 minutes during the quasi-standstill phase, and a semiregular ∼14 day period for the dip events. We have also collected time-series spectra (with various spectral resolutions), in which Balmer emission lines and other spectral lines expected for an IW And-type star were detected (even though some of these lines were also expected to be present for Be stars). We detect Bowen fluorescence near the brightening phase, and that can be used to discriminate between IW And-type stars and Be stars. Finally, despite only observing for four nights, the polarization variation was detected, indicating that HO Pup has significant intrinsic polarization.