Phase-locked polarization by photospheric reflection in the semidetached eclipsing binary μ1 Sco
Article
Article Title | Phase-locked polarization by photospheric reflection in the semidetached eclipsing binary μ1 Sco |
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ERA Journal ID | 1074 |
Article Category | Article |
Authors | Cotton, Daniel V. (Author), Bailey, Jeremy (Author), Kedziora-Chudczer, Lucyna (Author) and De Horta, Ain (Author) |
Journal Title | Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society |
Journal Citation | 497 (2), pp. 2175-2189 |
Number of Pages | 15 |
Year | 2020 |
Publisher | Oxford University Press |
Place of Publication | United Kingdom |
ISSN | 0035-8711 |
1365-2966 | |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staa2053 |
Web Address (URL) | https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/497/2/2175/5870699 |
Abstract | We report the detection of phase-locked polarization in the bright (mV = 2.98−3.24) semidetached eclipsing binary μ1 Sco (HD 151890). The phenomenon was observed in multiple photometric bands using two different HIPPI-class (HIgh Precision Polarimetric Instrument) polarimeters with telescopes ranging in size from 35 cm to 3.9 m. The peak-to-trough amplitude of the polarization is wavelength dependent and large, ∼700 ppm in green light, and is easily seen with even the smallest telescope. We fit the polarization phase curve with a SYNSPEC/VLIDORT polarized radiative transfer model and a Wilson–Devinney geometric formalism, which we describe in detail. Light from each star reflected by the photosphere of the other, together with a much smaller contribution from tidal distortion and eclipse effects, wholly accounts for the polarization amplitude. In the past, polarization in semidetached binaries has been attributed mostly to scattering from extra-stellar gas. Our new interpretation facilitates determining masses of such stars in non-eclipsing systems. |
Keywords | stars: individual: μ1 Sco, stars: binaries: close, radiative transfer, polarization, techniques: polarimetric |
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020 | 510109. Stellar astronomy and planetary systems |
Public Notes | This article has been accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society ©: 2020 The Authors. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. |
Byline Affiliations | Centre for Astrophysics |
University of New South Wales | |
Western Sydney University | |
Institution of Origin | University of Southern Queensland |
https://research.usq.edu.au/item/q76xq/phase-locked-polarization-by-photospheric-reflection-in-the-semidetached-eclipsing-binary-1-sco
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