Atmospheric dynamics and shock waves in RR Lyr -- I. The three H$\alpha$ emissions

TL;DR

This study investigates the physical origins of the three successive Hα emissions in RR Lyrae stars, linking them to atmospheric shock dynamics and the Blazhko effect, with detailed velocity and ionization analyses.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of the three Hα emissions in RR Lyrae stars and connects their behavior to shock velocities and atmospheric dynamics, supporting a shock model for the Blazhko effect.

Findings

Shock velocity estimated between 100-150 km/s.

Hα emission intensity peaks at a shock velocity of ~137 km/s.

The second emission results from atmospheric compression during pulsation.

Abstract

Although spectroscopic observations of RR Lyrae stars have now been carried out for almost a century, it is only recently that it has been identified that the hydrogen line exhibits three successive emissions in each pulsation cycle. The purpose of this study is to clarify the physical origin of these three emissions and their connection with atmospheric dynamics and the influence of Blazhko modulation on their intensity. From the value of the blueshift of the main H$\alpha$ emission, the velocity of the hypersonic shock front was estimated between 100 and 150 $\pm 10$ km$\,$s$^{-1}$ (Mach number between 10 and 15). It has been established that the shock velocity increases from the minimum Blazhko to its maximum, and after that, gradually decreases to the Blazhko minimum to start growing again. This observational result is consistent with the shock model proposed in 2013 to explain the Blazhko effect. The intensity of the H$\alpha$ emission increases with the shock velocity up to a maximum value around 137 km$\,$s$^{-1}$ and then decreases as the shock velocity increases further. This effect would be the consequence of the more and more important ionization of the atoms in the radiative shock wake. The second (blueshifted) H$\alpha$ emission, is the consequence of an approximately constant supersonic compression (Mach number between 2 and 3) of the upper atmosphere falling on the photospheric layers, during 3 to 16% of the pulsation period. Finally, the third H$\alpha$ emission (P-Cygni profile) would be the consequence of the expansion of the high atmosphere induced by the shock wave during its final weakening.