Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics – Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2011-08-17
Astrophysical Journal (Letters) 2011
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
2 figures (Fig. 1 in color)
Scientific paper
Binarity is believed to dramatically affect the history and geometry of mass loss in AGB and post-AGB stars, but observational evidence of binarity is sorely lacking. As part of a project to look for hot binary companions to cool AGB stars using the GALEX archive, we have discovered a late-M star, Y Gem, to be a source of strong and variable UV emission. Y Gem is a prime example of the success of our technique of UV imaging of AGB stars in order to search for binary companions. Y Gem's large and variable UV flux makes it one of the most prominent examples of a late AGB star with a mass accreting binary companion. The UV emission is most likely due to emission associated with accretion activity and a disk around a main-sequence companion star. The physical mechanism generating the UV emission is extremely energetic, with an integrated luminosity of a few L(sun) at its peak. We also find weak CO J=2-1 emission from Y Gem with a very narrow line profile (FWHM of 3.4 km/s). Such a narrow line is unlikely to arise in an outflow, and is consistent with emission from an orbiting, molecular reservoir of radius 300 AU. Y Gem may be the progenitor of the class of post-AGB stars which are binaries and possess disks but no outflows.
Contreras Carmen Sánchez
Gil de Paz Armando
Neill James D.
Sahai Raghvendra
No associations
LandOfFree
Strong Variable Ultraviolet Emission from Y Gem: Accretion Activity in an AGB Star with a Binary Companion? does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Strong Variable Ultraviolet Emission from Y Gem: Accretion Activity in an AGB Star with a Binary Companion?, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Strong Variable Ultraviolet Emission from Y Gem: Accretion Activity in an AGB Star with a Binary Companion? will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-180460