Multiple variability time-scales of the early nitrogen-rich Wolf-Rayet star WR 7

J. A. Toalá, D. M. Bowman, T. Van Reeth, H. Todt, K. Dsilva, T. Shenar, G. Koenigsberger, S. Estrada-Dorado, L. M. Oskinova, W. R. Hamann

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present the analysis of the optical variability of the early, nitrogen-rich Wolf-Rayet (WR) star WR 7. The analysis of multisector Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) light curves and high-resolution spectroscopic observations confirm multiperiodic variability that is modulated on time-scales of years. We detect a dominant period of 2.6433 ± 0.0005 d in the TESS sectors 33 and 34 light curves in addition to the previously reported high-frequency features from sector 7. We discuss the plausible mechanisms that may be responsible for such variability in WR 7, including pulsations, binarity, co-rotating interaction regions (CIRs), and clumpy winds. Given the lack of strong evidence for the presence of a stellar or compact companion, we suggest that WR 7 may pulsate in quasi-coherent modes in addition to wind variability likely caused by CIRs on top of stochastic low-frequency variability. WR 7 is certainly a worthy target for future monitoring in both spectroscopy and photometry to sample both the short (≲1 d) and long (≳1000 d) variability time-scales.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2269-2277
Number of pages9
JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume514
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Aug 2022
Externally publishedYes

Funding

FundersFunder number
Horizon 2020 Framework Programme772225, 101024605
Dirección General de Asuntos del Personal Académico, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoIA101622

    Keywords

    • Outflows
    • Stars: Atmospheres
    • Stars: Evolution
    • Stars: Individual: Wr 7
    • Stars: Winds
    • Stars: Wolft-rayet

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