• Corpus ID: 117879709

High cadence measurement of neutral sodium and potassium absorption during the 2009-2011 eclipse of epsilon Aurigae

@article{Leadbeater2012HighCM,
  title={High cadence measurement of neutral sodium and potassium absorption during the 2009-2011 eclipse of epsilon Aurigae},
  author={Robin Leadbeater and Christian Buil and T. Garrel and S. Gorodenski and T. Hansen and Lothar Schanne and Robert E. Stencel and Ba. Stober and Olivier Thizy},
  journal={arXiv: Solar and Stellar Astrophysics},
  year={2012}
}

• R. Leadbeater, C. Buil, +6 authors O. Thizy
• Published 28 June 2012
• Physics
• arXiv: Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

The results of a spectroscopic survey of epsilon Aurigae during eclipse using a network of small telescopes are presented. The spectra have a resolution of 0.35 to 0.65{\AA} and cover the period 2008 to 2012 with a typical interval of 4 days during eclipse. This paper specifically covers variations in the K I 7699{\AA}, Na D and Mg II 4481{\AA} lines. Absorption started increasing in the KI 7699{\AA} line 3 months before the eclipse began photometrically and had not returned to pre eclipse levels by the end of the survey March 2012, 7 months after the brightness had returned to normal outside eclipse levels. The contribution of the eclipsing object to the KI 7699{\AA} line has been isolated and the data show the excess absorption increasing and decreasing in a series of steps during ingress and egress. This is interpreted as an indication of structure within the eclipsing object. The F star is totally obscured by the eclipsing object at the Na D wavelength during eclipse. The radial velocity of the F star and the mean and maximum radial velocity of the eclipsing material in front of the F star at any given time have been isolated and tracked throughout the eclipse. The quasi-periodic variations seen in the F star RV outside eclipse continued during the eclipse. It is hoped that these results can be used to constrain proposed models of the system and its components.