Chromospherically Active Stars. XX. The Giant Single-Lined Binary HD 161570
Author(s) -
Francis C. Fekel,
Gregory W. Henry,
Steve Henry
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
the astronomical journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.61
H-Index - 271
eISSN - 1538-3881
pISSN - 0004-6256
DOI - 10.1086/324107
Subject(s) - physics , astrophysics , giant star , rotation period , astronomy , stars , stellar rotation , amplitude , red giant , jupiter (rocket family) , light curve , red giant branch , metallicity , space shuttle , quantum mechanics
Spectroscopy of HD 161570 shows it to be a single-lined spectroscopic binary with a period of 45.623 days and a nearly circular orbit. The primary star has spectral type G7 III, and the secondary is most likel yaGo r Kdwarf. A high-resolution spectrum of the 3950 region con—rms that the primary has Aé Ca II H and K emission lines. The logarithm of the giants lithium abundance is less than 0.9, indicating that it is not lithium-rich. From photometric observations covering six seasons, we detected periodic short-term light variability with an amplitude ranging from 0.02 to 0.04 mag. We interpret these short- term variations as due to stellar rotation and —nd that the rotation period varied somewhat from season to season, with a representative value of 64.1 days. Thus, the very diÜerent orbital and rotation periods make HD 161570 an asynchronous rotator. Low-amplitude, long-term photometric variability was also seen. The giants weak Ca II H and K emission, low-amplitude photometric variations, and relatively low v sin i of 7.0 km s~1 indicate that this star is only modestly chromospherically active. This result, plus the spectral type and asynchronous rotation of the primary, suggest that it is just beginning to ascend the red giant branch.
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