SPH modelling of AGB wind morphology in hierarchical triple systems \& comparison to observation of R Aql

TL;DR

This study uses 3D hydrodynamic simulations to explore how hierarchical triple systems influence the asymmetric wind structures of AGB stars, and compares the results to ALMA observations of R Aql.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed modeling approach of triple star systems affecting AGB star winds and applies it to interpret observed asymmetries in R Aql's outflow.

Findings

Hierarchical triples produce characteristic spiral and waved wind structures.

Outer companions significantly influence the morphology of AGB star outflows.

Comparison suggests R Aql's environment may be shaped by a similar triple system.

Abstract

Asymmetric 3D structures are observed in the outflows of evolved low- and intermediate-mass stars, and are believed to be shaped through the interaction of companions that are hidden within the dense wind. We investigate how triple systems can shape the outflow of AGB stars. We focus on coplanar systems in a hierarchical, stable orbit, consisting of an AGB star with one relatively close companion, and one at large orbital separation. We model a grid of hierarchical triple systems including a wind-launching AGB star, with the smoothed-particle-hydrodynamic Phantom code. We vary the outer companion mass, the AGB wind velocity and the orbital eccentricities to study the impact of these parameters on the wind morphology. Further, we investigate if the outflow of the AGB star R Aql could be shaped by a triple system, by post-processing one of our triple models with a radiative transfer routine, and comparing this to data of the ALMA ATOMIUM programme. The characteristic wind structures resulting from a hierarchical triple system are the following. A large two-edged spiral wake results behind the outer companion star. This structure lies on top of the spiral structure formed by the close binary, which is affected by the orbital motion around the system centre-of-mass. This dense inner spiral pattern interacts with, and strongly impacts, the spiral wake of the outer companion, resulting in a waved-pattern on the outer edge of this spiral wake. From the comparison of our models to the observations of R Aql, we conclude that this circumstellar environment might be shaped by a similar system as the ones modelled in this work, but an elaborate study of the observational data is needed to determine better the orbital parameters and characteristics of the central system.