VLTI observations of the Orion Belt stars: I. eps Orionis

Fuente: arXiv
Enregistré dans:
Détails bibliographiques
Auteurs principaux: Oplištilová, Alžběta, Brož, Miroslav, Hummel, Christian A., Harmanec, Petr, Barlow, Brad
Format: Preprint
Publié: 2025
Sujets:
Accès en ligne:
Tags: Ajouter un tag
Pas de tags, Soyez le premier à ajouter un tag!
_version_ 1866911373355646976
author Oplištilová, Alžběta
Brož, Miroslav
Hummel, Christian A.
Harmanec, Petr
Barlow, Brad
author_facet Oplištilová, Alžběta
Brož, Miroslav
Hummel, Christian A.
Harmanec, Petr
Barlow, Brad
contents Massive stars play a decisive role in the evolution of the Universe. In order to constrain their current state and structure, we need sufficiently complex models, constrained by astrometric, interferometric, and spectroscopic observations. However, they are not available for distant stars. Instead, we focused on the nearest massive stars in the Orion Belt. We obtained VLTI interferometric observations of Orion Belt stars and calibrated visibility data from the GRAVITY and PIONIER instruments. Additionally, we obtained spectroscopic data from the CFHT and CTIO observatories. For modelling, we used a modified version of PHOEBE2, extended with new interferometric and spectroscopic modules. To describe non-spherical, rotating, or Roche-like stars, integrals over triangular meshes have to be computed, using extensive grids of synthetic spectra. For fitting, we used the simplex algorithm and chi2 mapping of the parameter space. In this paper, we present single-star models of the B0Ia supergiant eps Ori. Interferometric visibilities indicate that the star is not spherical but rotating close to its critical velocity. The preferred distance, d=(384+-8)pc, corresponds to the median of distances for the Orion OB1b association. We obtained the following parameters: m=(28.4+-2.0)Msol, R=(27.6+-1.5)Rsol, Teff=25000 K, i=45deg, longitude of the ascending node, Omega=300deg, and Prot=4.3+1.0d. This compromise model provides a reasonable fit to wind-free Balmer line profiles, but there is still some tension between interferometric and spectroscopic datasets, corresponding to a faster- vs. slower-rotating star. Our fast-rotating model implies that circumstellar matter should be naturally present, in the form of wind or disk, and contribute to continuum radiation. The fast rotation of eps Ori is compatible with a merger, formed from a multiple system of comparable mass, like del, zet or sig Ori.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2507_02276
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle VLTI observations of the Orion Belt stars: I. eps Orionis
Oplištilová, Alžběta
Brož, Miroslav
Hummel, Christian A.
Harmanec, Petr
Barlow, Brad
Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Astrophysics of Galaxies
Massive stars play a decisive role in the evolution of the Universe. In order to constrain their current state and structure, we need sufficiently complex models, constrained by astrometric, interferometric, and spectroscopic observations. However, they are not available for distant stars. Instead, we focused on the nearest massive stars in the Orion Belt. We obtained VLTI interferometric observations of Orion Belt stars and calibrated visibility data from the GRAVITY and PIONIER instruments. Additionally, we obtained spectroscopic data from the CFHT and CTIO observatories. For modelling, we used a modified version of PHOEBE2, extended with new interferometric and spectroscopic modules. To describe non-spherical, rotating, or Roche-like stars, integrals over triangular meshes have to be computed, using extensive grids of synthetic spectra. For fitting, we used the simplex algorithm and chi2 mapping of the parameter space. In this paper, we present single-star models of the B0Ia supergiant eps Ori. Interferometric visibilities indicate that the star is not spherical but rotating close to its critical velocity. The preferred distance, d=(384+-8)pc, corresponds to the median of distances for the Orion OB1b association. We obtained the following parameters: m=(28.4+-2.0)Msol, R=(27.6+-1.5)Rsol, Teff=25000 K, i=45deg, longitude of the ascending node, Omega=300deg, and Prot=4.3+1.0d. This compromise model provides a reasonable fit to wind-free Balmer line profiles, but there is still some tension between interferometric and spectroscopic datasets, corresponding to a faster- vs. slower-rotating star. Our fast-rotating model implies that circumstellar matter should be naturally present, in the form of wind or disk, and contribute to continuum radiation. The fast rotation of eps Ori is compatible with a merger, formed from a multiple system of comparable mass, like del, zet or sig Ori.
title VLTI observations of the Orion Belt stars: I. eps Orionis
topic Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Astrophysics of Galaxies
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.02276