Long-term optical spectroscopy of B[e] star CI Cam in a quiet state

TL;DR

This study presents a long-term optical spectroscopic analysis of the B[e] star CI Cam from 2002 to 2023, revealing variability in emission profiles, stable systemic velocity, and infrequent appearance of certain emission lines, contributing to understanding its circumstellar environment.

Contribution

It provides the first extensive temporal spectroscopic dataset of CI Cam over two decades, highlighting emission variability and systemic velocity stability, and discusses the implications for the star's orbital and circumstellar structure.

Findings

Variability in Hα and HeI emission profiles over time.

Stable systemic velocity of approximately -55.4 km/s.

Rare appearance of the 4686 Å emission line.

Abstract

High-resolution optical spectra of the B[e] star CI Cam were obtained on arbitrary dates 2002-2023 using the echelle spectrograph NES of the 6-m BTA telescope. The temporal variability of the powerful emissions of H$\alpha$ and HeI profiles is found. For two-peaked emissions with ``rectangular'' profiles, the intensity ratio of blue-shifted and red-shifted peaks is $V/R \ge 1$, except one date. A decrease in the intensity of all double-peaked emissions, Vr(emis-d), with ``rectangular'' profiles was revealed as they moved away in time from the 1998 outburst. The average velocity Vr(emis-d) for all observational dates varies in the range $(-50.8 \div -55.7)\pm 0.2$ km/s. The half-amplitude of the change (standard deviation) is equal to $\Delta$Vr=2.5 km/s. The velocity for single-peaked ion emissions (SiIII, AlIII, FeIII) differs little from the values of Vr(emis-d), but the measurement accuracy for these emissions is worse: the average error for different dates ranges from 0.4 to 1.3 km/s. The systemic velocity is assumed to be Vsys=$-55.4\pm 0.6$ km/s according to the stable position of the forbidden emission [NII] 5754 A. The position of single-peaked emissions [OIII] 4959 and 5007 A is also stable: Vr[OIII]=$-54.2\pm 0.4$ km/s. Forbidden emissions [OI] 5577, 6300, 6363, [CaII] 7291 and 7324 A are absent from the spectra. Appearence of the emission near 4686 A is an infrequent event, its intensity rarely exceeds the noise level. Only a wide asymmetric emission with an intensity of about 16% above the local continuum was registered in the spectrum for March 9, 2015. Questions arise about the use of this emission to estimate the orbital period of the star and about localization of this feature in the CI Cam system. The photospheric absorptions of NII, SII, and FeIII with a variable position are identified.