LCO observations of a super-critical distorted pulsation in the roAp star J0855 (TYC 2488-1241-1)

TL;DR

This study presents a detailed photometric analysis of the roAp star J0855, confirming its rotation period, identifying a high-amplitude distorted pulsation mode, and classifying it as a super-critical pulsator with frequencies above the acoustic cutoff.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed pulsation modeling of J0855, revealing its super-critical pulsation mode and geometric orientation, expanding understanding of pulsation behavior in roAp stars.

Findings

Confirmed rotation period of 3.0918 days.

Detected high-amplitude pulsation with 24 mmag peak-to-peak.

Classified as a super-critical pulsator with frequency above acoustic cutoff.

Abstract

We report the results of a 60-hr photometric campaign of a rapidly oscillating Ap star, J0855 (TYC 2488-1241-1). We have utilised the multi-site Las Cumbres Observatory's (LCO) 0.4-m telescopes to obtain short cadence B-band observations of an roAp star previously lacking detailed study. Our observations confirm the rotation period presented in the discovery paper of this star ($P_{\rm rot}=3.0918$ d), and reveal the star to be pulsating in a distorted mode. The B data show this star to be among the highest amplitude roAp stars, with a peak-to-peak amplitude of 24 mmag. Modelling of the pulsation frequency at 197.2714 d$^{-1}$ (2283 $\mu$Hz; P=7.30 min) shows that this star belongs to the subgroup of super-critical pulsators, where the observed frequencies are above the theoretical acoustic cutoff frequency. From the modelling, we deduce that the star's rotation axis is inclination angle of about $30^\circ$ to the line-of-sight, with an angle of obliquity of the magnetic axis to the rotation axis of either $40^\circ$ or $24^\circ$ depending on whether the pulsation mode is dipole or quadrupole, respectively.