First X-ray detection of the young variable V1180 Cassiopeiae
Journal
Date Issued
2015
Author(s)
•
Nucita, A. A.
•
•
Lorenzetti, D.
•
•
Gerardi, D.
•
Delle Rose, S.
•
•
Giordano, M.
•
Manni, L.
•
Strafella, F.
Description
The authors are very grateful to the referee, M. Güdel, for his insightful comments and suggestions that helped us to improve the quality of the paper. This publication makes use of VOSA, developed under the Spanish Virtual Observatory project supported by the Spanish MICINN through grant AyA2011-24052. S.A. acknowledges support from the T-REX-project, the INAF (Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica) national project aimed at maximizing the participation of astrophysicists and Italian industries in the E-ELT (European Extremely Large Telescope). The T-REX project has been approved and funded by the Italian Ministry for Research and University (MIUR) in the framework of “Progetti Premiali 2011” and then “Progetti Premiali 2012”.
Abstract
Context. V1180 Cas is a young variable that has shown strong photometric fluctuations (∆I ~ 6 mag) in the recent past, which have been attributed to events of enhanced accretion. The source has entered a new high-brightness state in September 2013, which we have previously analysed through optical and near-infrared spectroscopy.
Aims: To investigate the current active phase of V1180 Cas, we performed observations with the Chandra satellite aimed at studying the X-ray emission from the object and its connection to accretion episodes.
Methods: Chandra observations were performed in early August 2014. Complementary JHK photometry and J-band spectroscopy were taken at our Campo Imperatore facility to relate the X-ray and near-infrared emission from the target.
Results: We observe a peak of X-ray emission at the nominal position of V1180 Cas and estimate that the confidence level of the detection is about 3σ. The observed signal corresponds to an X-ray luminosity LX(0.5-7 keV) in the range 0.8 ÷ 2.2 × 1030 erg s-1. Based on the relatively short duration of the dim states in the light curve and on stellar luminosity considerations, we explored the possibility that the brightness minima of V1180 Cas are driven by extinction variations. From the analysis of the spectral energy distribution of the high state we infer a stellar luminosity of 0.8-0.9 L☉ and find that the derived LX is comparable to the average X-ray luminosity values observed in T Tauri objects. Moreover, the X-ray luminosity appears to be lower than the X-ray emission levels around 5 × 1030 ÷ 1 × 1031 erg s-1 detected at outbursts in similar low-mass objects.
Conclusions: Our analysis suggests that at least part of the photometric fluctuations of V1180 Cas might be extinction effects rather than the result of accretion excess emission. However, because the source displays spectral features indicative of active accretion, we speculate that its photometric variations might be the result of a combination of accretion-induced and extinction-driven effects, as suggested for other young variables, such as V1184 Tau and V2492 Cyg.
Aims: To investigate the current active phase of V1180 Cas, we performed observations with the Chandra satellite aimed at studying the X-ray emission from the object and its connection to accretion episodes.
Methods: Chandra observations were performed in early August 2014. Complementary JHK photometry and J-band spectroscopy were taken at our Campo Imperatore facility to relate the X-ray and near-infrared emission from the target.
Results: We observe a peak of X-ray emission at the nominal position of V1180 Cas and estimate that the confidence level of the detection is about 3σ. The observed signal corresponds to an X-ray luminosity LX(0.5-7 keV) in the range 0.8 ÷ 2.2 × 1030 erg s-1. Based on the relatively short duration of the dim states in the light curve and on stellar luminosity considerations, we explored the possibility that the brightness minima of V1180 Cas are driven by extinction variations. From the analysis of the spectral energy distribution of the high state we infer a stellar luminosity of 0.8-0.9 L☉ and find that the derived LX is comparable to the average X-ray luminosity values observed in T Tauri objects. Moreover, the X-ray luminosity appears to be lower than the X-ray emission levels around 5 × 1030 ÷ 1 × 1031 erg s-1 detected at outbursts in similar low-mass objects.
Conclusions: Our analysis suggests that at least part of the photometric fluctuations of V1180 Cas might be extinction effects rather than the result of accretion excess emission. However, because the source displays spectral features indicative of active accretion, we speculate that its photometric variations might be the result of a combination of accretion-induced and extinction-driven effects, as suggested for other young variables, such as V1184 Tau and V2492 Cyg.
Volume
584
Start page
A21
Issn Identifier
0004-6361
Ads BibCode
2015A&A...584A..21A
Rights
open.access
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