Observational Evidence for a Correlation Between Macroturbulent Broadening and Line-profile Variations in OB Supergiants
Abstract
The spectra of O and B supergiants (Sgs) are known to be affected by a significant form of extra line broadening (usually referred to as macroturbulence) in addition to that produced by stellar rotation. Recent analyses of high-resolution spectra have shown that the interpretation of this line broadening as a consequence of large-scale turbulent motions would imply highly supersonic velocity fields in photospheric regions, making this scenario quite improbable. Stellar oscillations have been proposed as a likely alternative explanation. As part of a long-term observational project, we are investigating the macroturbulent broadening in O and B Sgs and its possible connection with spectroscopic variability phenomena and stellar oscillations. In this Letter, we present the first encouraging results of our project, namely, firm observational evidence for a strong correlation between the extra broadening and photospheric line-profile variations in a sample of 13 Sgs with spectral types ranging from O9.5 to B8.
Based on observations made with the Nordic Optical Telescope, operated on the island of La Palma jointly by Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, in the Spanish Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos of the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias.- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- September 2010
- DOI:
- 10.1088/2041-8205/720/2/L174
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1008.0712
- Bibcode:
- 2010ApJ...720L.174S
- Keywords:
-
- stars: atmospheres;
- stars: early-type;
- stars: oscillations;
- stars: rotation;
- supergiants;
- Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 8 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in ApJL