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Alexander Mustill. Profile picture.

Alexander Mustill

Researcher

Alexander Mustill. Profile picture.

Exocomet signatures around the A-shell star φ Leonis?

Author

  • C. Eiroa
  • I. Rebollido
  • B. Montesinos
  • E. Villaver
  • O. Absil
  • Th Henning
  • A. Bayo
  • H. Canovas
  • A. Carmona
  • Ch Chen
  • S. Ertel
  • D. P. Iglesias
  • R. Launhardt
  • J. Maldonado
  • G. Meeus
  • A. Moór
  • A. Mora
  • A. J. Mustill
  • J. Olofsson
  • P. Riviere-Marichalar
  • A. Roberge

Summary, in English

We present an intensive monitoring of high-resolution spectra of the Ca ii K line in the A7IV shell star φ Leo at very short (minutes, hours), short (night to night), and medium (weeks, months) timescales. The spectra show remarkable variable absorptions on timescales of hours, days, and months. The characteristics of these sporadic events are very similar to most that are observed toward the debris disk host star β Pic, which are commonly interpreted as signs of the evaporation of solid, comet-like bodies grazing or falling onto the star. Therefore, our results suggest the presence of solid bodies around φ Leo. To our knowledge, with the exception of β Pic, our monitoring has the best time resolution at the mentioned timescales for a star with events attributed to exocomets. Assuming the cometary scenario and considering the timescales of our monitoring, our results indicate that φ Leo presents the richest environment with comet-like events known to date, second only to β Pic.

Department/s

  • Lund Observatory - Undergoing reorganization

Publishing year

2016-10-01

Language

English

Publication/Series

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Volume

594

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

EDP Sciences

Topic

  • Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology

Keywords

  • Circumstellar matter
  • Comets: general
  • Planetary systems
  • Stars: individual: φLeo

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0004-6361