On X-ray pulsations in beta Cephei-type variables

Abstract

Beta Cephei-type variables are early B-type stars that are characterized by oscillations observable in their optical light curves. At least one Beta Cep-variable also shows periodic variability in X-rays. Here we study the X-ray light curves in a sample of beta Cep-variables to investigate how common X-ray pulsations are for this type of stars. We searched the Chandra and XMM-Newton X-ray archives and selected stars that were observed by these telescopes for at least three optical pulsational periods. We retrieved and analyzed the X-ray data for kappa Sco, beta Cru, and alpha Vir. The X-ray light curves of these objects were studied to test for their variability and periodicity. While there is a weak indication for X-ray variability in beta Cru, we find no statistically significant evidence of X-ray pulsations in any of our sample stars. This might be due either to the insufficient data quality or to the physical lack of modulations. New, more sensitive observations should settle this question.

accepted in A&A

References in corpus (24)

• Catalog of Galactic Beta Cephei Stars
• Discovery of magnetic fields in the beta Cephei star xi^1 CMa and in several Slowly Pulsating B stars
• Early magnetic B-type stars: X-ray emission and wind properties
• On the Enhancement of Mass Loss in Cepheids Due to Radial Pulsation
• Periodic X-ray Emission from the O7 V Star theta^1 Orionis C
• X-rays from Magnetically Confined Wind Shocks: Effect of Cooling-Regulated Shock Retreat
• On the use of the Fourier Transform to determine the projected rotational velocity of line-profile variable B stars
• A detailed X-ray investigation of zeta Puppis - The variability on short and long timescales
• Chandra spectroscopy of the hot star beta Crucis and the discovery of a pre-main-sequence companion
• The Secret Lives of Cepheids: Evolutionary Changes and Pulsation-Induced Shock Heating in the Prototype Classical Cepheid δ Cep
• On the H$\alpha$ emission from the $\beta$ Cephei system
• A new type of X-ray pulsar
• Testing magnetically confined wind shock models for Beta Cep using XMM-Newton and Chandra phase-resolved X-ray observations
• First HARPSpol discoveries of magnetic fields in massive stars
• CIR Modulation of the X-ray Flux from the O7.5 III(n)((f)) Star xi Persei?
• Time-series photometry of the O4 I(n)fp star zeta Puppis
• The XMM-Newton EPIC X-ray Light Curve Analysis of WR 6
• High-precision elements of double-lined spectroscopic binaries from combined interferometry and spectroscopy. Application to the beta Cephei star beta Centauri
• A Multi-Phase Suzaku Study of X-rays from tau Sco
• Spectral modelling of the Alpha Virginis (Spica) binary system
• Modelling X-ray variability in the structured atmospheres of hot stars
• An investigation of the close environment of beta Cep with the VEGA/CHARA interferometer
• Time-resolved multicolour photometry of bright B-type variable stars in Scorpius
• Smooth X-ray variability from $\rho$ Ophiuchi A+B. A strongly magnetized primary B2 star?

Cited by in corpus (8)

• Massive pulsating stars observed by BRITE-Constellation. I. The triple system Beta Centauri (Agena)
• Impact of Winds from Intermediate-Mass Stars on Molecular Cloud Structure and Turbulence
• The Secret Lives of Cepheids: $\delta$ Cep -- the Prototype of a New Class of Pulsating X-ray Variable Stars
• The pulsating magnetosphere of the extremely slowly rotating magnetic $\beta$ Cep star ${\xi }^1$ CMa
• X-ray diagnostics of massive star winds
• X-ray emission of massive stars and their winds
• B stars seen at high resolution by XMM-Newton
• Perspectives for observing hot massive stars with XMM-Newton in the years 2017 -- 2027