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Title: The 2014–2017 outburst of the young star ASASSN-13db: A time-resolved picture of a very-low-mass star between EXors and FUors*

Journal Article · · Astronomy and Astrophysics
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [7];  [6];  [8];  [8];  [9];  [10];  [11];  [3];  [3];  [3]
  1. Univ. of Dundee (United Kingdom); Univ. of St Andrews (United Kingdom)
  2. Univ. of Edinburgh, Scotland (United Kingdom); Univ. of Kent, Canterbury (United Kingdom)
  3. Univ. of Kent, Canterbury (United Kingdom)
  4. Univ. of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (United States)
  5. Diego Portales Univ., Santiago (Chile); Millennium Inst. of Astrophysics, Santiago (Chile)
  6. The Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH (United States)
  7. Univ. of St Andrews (United Kingdom)
  8. Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Heidelberg (Germany)
  9. Millennium Inst. of Astrophysics, Santiago (Chile) ; The Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH (United States)
  10. Pontifical Catholic Univ. of Chile, Santiago (Chile); Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Heidelberg (Germany)
  11. Carnegie Observatories, Pasadena, CA (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations

Context. Accretion outbursts are key elements in star formation. ASASSN-13db is a M5-type star with a protoplanetary disk, the lowest-mass star known to experience accretion outbursts. Since its discovery in 2013, it has experienced two outbursts, the second of which started in November 2014 and lasted until February 2017. Aims. We observe the photometric and spectroscopic behavior of ASASSN-13db during the 2014–2017 outburst. Methods. We use high- and low-resolution spectroscopy and time-resolved photometry from the ASAS-SN survey, the LCOGT and the Beacon Observatory to study the light curve of ASASSN-13db and the dynamical and physical properties of the accretion flow. Results. The 2014–2017 outburst lasted for nearly 800 days. A 4.15 d period in the light curve likely corresponds to rotational modulation of a star with hot spot(s). The spectra demonstrate multiple emission lines with variable inverse P-Cygni profiles and a highly variable blue-shifted absorption below the continuum. Line ratios from metallic emission lines (Fe I/Fe II, Ti I/Ti II) suggest temperatures of ~5800–6000 K in the accretion flow. Conclusions. Photometrically and spectroscopically, the 2014–2017 event displays an intermediate behavior between EXors and FUors. The accretion rate ([$$\dot{M}$$]= 1–3 × 10-7 M⊙/yr), about two orders of magnitude higher than the accretion rate in quiescence, is not vastly different from the accretion rate observed in 2013. The absorption features in the spectra suggest that the system is viewed at a high angle and drives a powerful, non-axisymmetric wind, maybe related to magnetic reconnection. The properties of ASASSN-13db suggest that temperatures lower than those for solar-type stars are needed for modeling accretion in very-low-mass systems. Finally, the rotational modulation during the outburst reveals that accretion-related structures settle after the beginning of the outburst and can be relatively stable and long-lived. Our work also demonstrates the power of time-resolved photometry and spectroscopy to explore the properties of variable and outbursting stars.

Research Organization:
Krell Institute, Ames, IA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR)
Grant/Contract Number:
FG02-97ER25308
OSTI ID:
1547046
Journal Information:
Astronomy and Astrophysics, Vol. 607; ISSN 0004-6361
Publisher:
EDP SciencesCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 20 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (9)

IRAM and Gaia views of multi-episodic star formation in IC 1396A: The origin and dynamics of the Class 0 protostar at the edge of an HII region journal February 2019
Sparkling nights and very hot days on WASP-18b: the formation of clouds and the emergence of an ionosphere journal June 2019
Time-resolved photometry of the young dipper RX J1604.3-2130A: Unveiling the structure and mass transport through the innermost disk journal January 2020
Simulations and Modeling of Intermediate Luminosity Optical Transients and Supernova Impostors journal August 2018
ASASSN-13db 2014–2017 Eruption as an Intermediate Luminosity Optical Transient journal December 2019
The New EXor Outburst of ESO-H α 99 Observed by Gaia ATLAS and TESS journal November 2019
Simulations and Modeling of Intermediate Luminosity Optical Transients and Supernova Impostors preprint January 2018
The New EXor Outburst of ESO-H-alpha~99 observed by Gaia ATLAS and TESS text January 2019
ASASSN-13db 2014-2017 Eruption as an Intermediate Luminosity Optical Transient preprint January 2019

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Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
stars: pre-main sequence
stars: variables: T Tauri
Herbig Ae/Be
stars: individual: ASASSN-13db
stars: low-mass
protoplanetary disks
techniques: spectroscopic