Astrophysics, Vol. 42, No.

4, 1999

CLASSIFICATION OF THE LIGHT CURVES OF MIRA VARIABLES

N. D. Melikian UDC 524.33

Based on an analysis of light curves of 223 long-period variables of the Mira Ceti type, recorded using the
HIPPARCOS space telescope, it is shown that all the light curves of these stars can be divided by outward form
into two groups: stars exhibiting simple light curves of sinusoidal shape and stars with complicated light
curves, with hump-shaped formations on the ascending branch of the curve. Some observational parameters of
the investigated stars display a tendency to separation into groups of stars with complicated and simple light
curves. Stars with complicated light curves have longer periods, they are brighter in absolute bolometric
magnitude, and there is a greater probability of detecting polari:ation in their light.

1. Introduction

Long-period variable stars are among the most numerous variable stars in the Galaxy. At the beginning of this
century, the Harvard Catalog of Long-Period Variable Stars included 1760 objects, 1040 of which had periods exceeding
100 days [1]. There are now about 28,000 known variable stars, given in the General Catalog of Variable Stars (GCVS),
and about 5800 are long-period variables [2]. Such abundance indicates that these stars are a very important link in the
evolutionary chain of red giants and supergiants.
According to the GCVS [2], long-period variables have the following characteristics: the simultaneous presence of
hydrogen emission lines and TiO absorption bands, a late spectral type of Me, Ce, and Se, and periods of brightness
variation of from 80 to 1000 days with amplitudes in V light of from 2".5 to I Ira.0. They are sources of infrared and radio
emission. The variations in these forms of emission occur with periods close to the optical periods but with far smaller
amplitudes. The observed continuous mass loss from these stars (10~-10 -~ M| indicates their major contribution to the
formation of the gas-dust component of the interstellar medium. Having high luminosities, they are observed at very great
distances, thanks to which their investigation facilitates the study of not only the structure of our Galaxy but also that of
neighboring galaxies. They are also good indicators in determining the distances to the latter.
The light curves of Miras, together with their periods, spectra, and amplitudes, are among their main observable
characteristics. They are quite varied: from a purely sinusoidal shape to a very complicated structure, often with a "hump"
on the ascending or descending branch Of the light curve, and sometimes with a secondary maximum. The shape of the
light curve is also characterized by the quantity f, which is the ratio of the flare-up time to the total period. This quantity
in Miras ranges from 0.3 to 0.55. The study of Mira light curves in recent years has also made it possible to discover other
details, the so-called rapid brightness changes, encountered mainly near their minima [3-7]. Such changes have been
recorded in many Miras, lasting from several hours to one month and with amplitudes up to 1".I 1. They appear randomly
and are not a characteristic part of the light curve.

V. A. Ambartsumian Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory, Armenia. Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 42, No. 4, pp.
541-554, October-December, 1999. Original article submitted May 18, 1999; accepted for publication June 30, 1999.

408 0571-7256/99/4204-0408522.00 9 Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers

 The study of light curves of Miras was taken up long ago. For a long time, visual and photographic light curves
averaged over many cycles were mainly considered. Such research did not yield essential results, since some parameters
of certain Miras sometimes vary even from cycle to cycle. It was already shown in 1955 that there is a connection between
the period and the shape of the light curve of a Mira [8]. It was found that there is a correlation between the period and
the infrared excess, owing to the presence of a circumstellar dust shell [9, 10].
A detailed examination of the light curves of Miras showed that their form is the combined result of many
observational parameters, In the present work, on the basis of the rather rich and uniform observational material obtained
by HIPPARCOS, we have attempted to classify the light curves of long-period variables of the Mira Ceti type based on
their outward form. The analyzed Miras were divided into two characteristic groups by the form of light curve. The
behavior of certain observable parameters with respect to the separate groups was considered. It is shown that these
observational parameters depend, on the average, on the form of the light curve.

2. Observational Material

In carrying out the present work we used curves of brightness variation of Miras and other observational data,
presented mainly in the main HIPPARCOS Catalog [1 l]. The photometric system of the HIPPARCOS observations covers
a fairly wide band (3400-8900/~), while the receiver's maximum sensitivity lies at 4500 A [12]. For the 118,000 program
stars included in the Catalog, 13,000,000 photometric measurements have been obtained at different epochs: an average
of I l0 measurements have been obtained for each star, on the basis of which the light curves were constructed. The accuracy
in determining magnitudes is fairly high: 0".012 for stars with V < 9%0, while for stars at the limiting brightness the accuracy
reaches 0".06 [12]. Note that such accuracy enables one to bring out fairly reliably the characteristic features on a light
curve; for example, rapid changes at a brightness minimum with amplitudes of some (Y".2 have been detected [7].
Light curves for a large number of long-period variables are given in the catalog [11]. An investigation of these
curves enables one to detect weak details that far exceed the measurement errors. Many of them are rapid brightness
variations that do not significantly alter the overall shape of the curve and are encountered mainly near the minimum of
such a star. Weak brightness fluctuations are sometimes encountered in individual segments of a curve that, just like the
rapid variations, do not alter the overall form of the light curve and do not have a periodic character [3-7]: the appearance
of these details always has a random character.
In the present work, none of the observed details whose appearance on the light curves of the investigated long-
period variables had only a random character were taken into account in classifying the light curves. Only actual brightness
changes of a periodic character were chosen in the classification.

3. Classification of Light Curves

Recorded light curves are given in the HIPPARCOS Catalog [11] for a large number of variable stars. They also
include a large number of curves of irregular, semiregular, and periodic variables. For the classification of light curves we
chose only stars that exhibit periodic variations, and to enhance the uniformity of our sample we investigated only the
light curves of stars with this type of variability (M). There were 223 such stars in the HIPPARCOS Catalog.
At first glance, all the curves seem to be the same. A detailed analysis of the curves, with allowance for weak
brightness variations exceeding 30 [12], suggests that no two completely identical curves exist. But as we said above,
individual details not having a periodic character were ignored, but even allowance for them does not distort the general
form of a light curve. An examination of all 223 light curves showed that they can be clearly divided into two groups
by outward form:
1. Light curves having a smooth rise and the same kind of decline in brightness, in other words, light curves of

409
a "simple" sinusoidal form.
2. Light curves showing a "hump-shaped" increase in brightness on the ascending branch of the light curve: curves
of complicated form.
There were 141 stars in the first group and 82 stars in the second. As an illustration, in Fig. 1 we give light curves
of the stars R Dra, T Her, R Mic, and V Cas, which have a simple form, and in Fig. 2 we give complicated light curves of
R Aur, RU Her, T Cep, and R Cas. Note that all the light curves given in Figs. 1 and 2 were borrowed from the HIPPARCOS
Catalog [11]. We also note that such a division of Miras by the outward form of the light curve, with allowance for the
presence or absence of a secondary maximum (hump) on the ascending branch of the curve, has been done for the first
time.
It is clearly seen in the figures that in the case of simple curves we are dealing with light curves of almost sinusoidal
form, while the complicated curves resemble a superposition of two curves that differ in intensity and duration. We can
assume that near a brightness minimum or, more accurately, at the very start of the rise in brightness, physical processes
occur in the outer layers of the atmosphere of a star with a complicated curve that result in the formation of a "hump"
Stars with simple light curves must therefore differ from stars with complicated curves precisely by the absence of the
presumed physical processes. Such a difference cannot result only in a light curve with a different outward form. The
presence of additional physical processes in the period of a flareup in brightness obviously must also result in a difference
in other observational parameters in these two groups of long-period variables.
For most of the 223 Miras investigated there are data on the spectra, periods, and absolute bolometric magnitudes.
There are results of polarimetric observations for 34 of the Miras. Let us examine the manifestation of these parameters
in the two groups of Miras that differ in the outward form of the light curve.

4. Period-Spectrum Relationship

Up to now, all correlations between observational parameters have been considered for a set of long-period variables.
Such an approach almost always leads to good qualitative results, but it also necessarily contains large scatters.
We consider the period-spectrum correlation both for all 223 stars together and separately for the two groups of
stars that exhibit simple and complicated light curves. We consider this correlation only for stars for which the spectral
subtype at maximum brightness has been precisely determined. We note that the spectral subtype is not known for about
10% of the stars in our sample.
In Fig. 3a-c we give the period-spectrum relationship for all the stars in our sample (Fig. 3a), for the stars that exhibit
simple light curves (Fig. 3b), and for the stars with complicated curves (Fig. 3c). As is clearly seen from Fig. 3a, there is
a definite dependence between these quantities: longer periods correspond to late spectral subtypes. This dependence for
long-period variables has long been known and studied in detail. It is an exact duplicate of the dependence given in Fig.
3a for the set of stars in our sample. In an examination of the same dependence for stars that exhibit simple light curves
(Fig. 3b), it is seen that such a dependence (see Fig. 3a) remains, but the scatters decrease. In Fig. 3c, as we said above,
the period-spectrum relationship is given only for stars with complicated light curves. It is clearly seen in the figure that
only three stars have a spectral subtype earlier than M3. If these three stars are ignored, and even with allowance for them,
the correlation that is easily traced in Fig. 3a and b has disappeared in Fig. 3c. We can say that the period-spectrum
correlation for Miras with complicated light curves either does not exist or is very weak.
We have thus found that stars exhibiting simple and complicated light curves are divided into two groups on the
period-spectrum diagram. Stars with complicated curves have longer periods and later spectral subtypes, on the average.

410
 9 iS' ' I [ t'
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8.00 I I
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9.00
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Phase

Fig. 1. Simple light curves of Miras.

411
 7.00 ' H I P 024645: R A u r '--

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I ii . !-.. .
9.00 ' I,

10.00 a "i 1
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9 " HIP 104451: T Ccp -,-."
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9.00
t i I i i i i I , , j j

Phase

Fig. 2. Complicatedlight curves of Miras.

412
 600

500 .............. 1
400
.= 300
200
100'
0
0 2 4 6 8 10

45,0
4OO
350 !* i
3OO
250 ....~ ++I~ -lq
*j
L.

200 t'1t q~
150 .....u k t + : - ,
i+ @ ' ~
........
,

100 "~ .........+

H

;
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600
t
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4OO
k
.r-
3OO $ ,__],_~ t. ~ ....
+

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100 - - - - - - <

0
0 2 4 6 8 10
Spectrum (M)
Fig. 3. Period-Spectrum relationship.

413
S. Period Distribution

It was shown above that long-period variables that exhibit complicated light curves have longer periods and belong
to later spectral subtypes, on the average. Let us consider the period distribution of the Miras in our sample.
The distribution of the periods of long-period variables has repeatedly been investigated in detail. The periods of
the Miras given in the GCVS range from 80 to 1000 days, with a distribution maximum in the interval of 250-350 days.
An examination of period distributions for any random sample of Miras should result in a distribution similar to the
distribution of Miras in the GCVS.
Despite the fact that the periods of the 223 Miras that we investigated lie in the range from 100 to 550 days, the
distribution maximum, as in the case of stars in the GCVS, lies in the interval of 250-350 days. A separate examination
of the period distributions of stars that exhibit complicated and simple light curves shows different results, in contrast to
the aforementioned cases. For example, the maximum in the period distribution for stars that exhibit complicated light
curves lies in the interval of 350-400 days, whereas the period distribution of stars with simple curves has a maximum in
the interval of 250-300 days. These distributions for 82 and 141 stars, respectively, are shown in Fig. 4a and b. As is clearly
seen in Fig. 4, the maxima in the period distributions of stars in the two separate groups are strongly displaced from one
another. We can also examine the average periods for the individual groups, averaged over all the stars in a group. In
this case, for stars that exhibit complicated curves we obtain
Pay = 369 days, n = 82,
and for stars with simple curves
Pav= 248 days, n = 141.

,tO
3t~
3D
25

*Q
5
0

l-

20

10

Period

Fig. 4. Distribution of periods of Miras with simple

(a) and complicated (b) light curves.

414
 The two groups of stars thus differ strongly both in the maxima of the period distributions and in their average
values. As in the case of the examination of the period-spectrum relationship, it is found that Miras with complicated light
curves have longer periods. We can conclude that long-period variables with longer periods are more likely to exhibit
complicated light curves, while shorter periods correspond to simple curves.

6. Absolute Bolometric Magnitudes

As mentioned above, long-period variables of the Mira Ceti type have high luminosities, thanks to which they are
observed even in neighboring galaxies and are good indicators in determining the distances to them. In our Galaxy they
are observed at very large distances, including at the center of the Galaxy, and make a definite contribution to the study
of its structure. Their absolute bolometric magnitudes lie in a fairly narrow range. Let us consider the behavior of the
absolute bolometric magnitudes for these two groups of stars.
Alvarez and Mennessier [13] give the absolute bolometric magnitudes for 165 long-period variables. Of our sample,
72 stars are among those with measured bolometric magnitudes, including 24 stars exhibiting complicated curves and 48
stars with simple curves. The absolute bolometric magnitudes of these 72 stars, like those of all 165 Miras in [13], are
in the interval M~oj = -(3".1-4".3). In Fig. 5 we give distributions of absolute bolometric magnitudes for all 72 stars
(Fig. 5a), for the 48 stars with simple light curves (Fig. 5b), and for the 24 stars exhibiting complicated curves (Fig. 5c).
As seen from Fig. 5, the maxima in the distributions for stars with simple and complicated light curves are displaced
considerably from each other. It is clearly seen that stars with complicated light curves are brighter in absolute bolometric
magnitude, on the average, than stars with simple light curves. The average absolute bolometric magnitude of Miras with
simple light curves is
MboI = -3".57, n = 48,
while for stars with complicated light curves it is
Mboj = -3"~.92, n = 24.
We note that the root-mean-square deviations from the average bolometric magnitudes for the Miras divided into
the two groups are small and do not differ much:
0"(n=24)---~:L-0".20; (~lnlffi48) = +0".24.

It appears at first glance that such a difference in average magnitudes (0".35) is slight. But one must bear in mind
that the entire interval covered by the absolute bolometric magnitudes of all 72 stars is only 1".2. In the present case,
therefore, the difference in these magnitudes of 0".35 is fairly large.
We have thus found that the average absolute bolometric magnitudes of Miras that exhibit complicated light curves
exceed that quantity for stars with simple light curves. In other words, we can say that the absolute bolometric magnitudes
of the long-period variables in our sample also exhibit a tendency to gather into separate groups of Miras, distinguished
by the outward form of the light curves. Of course, as seen in Fig. 4, of the 48 stars exhibiting simple light curves, 5 have
absolute magnitudes exceeding --4".0. They are RT Cyg, W Lyr, U Ori, R Peg, and S Vir. These stars evidently differ in
some observational parameters from the other stars in their group. We note, for example, that RT Cyg shows strong changes
in the degree of light polarization over two to three days, in addition to the cyclic changes in polarization that correlate
with periodic changes in the star's brightness [14, 15].

415
 :18
16
"14
'12
'10
8
6
4
2
0
5.0-3.2 3.2-3.4 3.4-3.6 3.6-3.8 3.8-4.0 4.0-4.2 4.2-4.4

i2
iO
8
= 6

4
2
0
3.0-3.2 3.2-3.4 3.4-3.6 3.6-3.8 3.8-4.0 4.0-4.2 4.2-4.4

3.0-3.2 3 . 2 - 3 . 4 3.4-3.6 3.6-3.8 3.8-4.0 4.0-4.2 4.2-4.4

M bol

Fig. 5. Distribution of absolute bolometric magnitudes of Miras.

416
7. Polarimetric Observations

Over the last several years, polarimetric observations of 34 Miras of moderate brightness have been carded out at
Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory. Light polarization was detected in 15 of the 34 program stars [14]. It was shown
that the recorded light polarization has a stellar character in all cases. Of the 34 program stars, 29 are in the group of stars
whose light curves are analyzed in the present work, and the curves of these stars were also classified, naturally. As a result,
14 of them have complicated light curves and 15 have simple ones.
Of the 14 Miras with complicated light curves, light polarization was detected in 7, while of the 15 stars with simple
light curves it was detected in only 3. We note that in all the stars the degree of polarization varies with the phase of
the star's brightness variation, and all these stars have been observed for a fairly long time.
We have thus found that polarization of the light from Miras with complicated light curves is observed in 50% of
cases, while for Miras with simple curves it is observed in 20% of cases. We can therefore assume that Miras are, in all
probability, also divided into two groups by ability to exhibit polarization: the probability of detecting polarization in
Miras with complicated light curves is at least twice as high as in Miras with simple curves.
We note that RT Cyg is one of the three stars with simple light curves that exhibit polarization. It appears as an
exception for a second time. It has a high absolute bolometric magnitude [13] and a high degree of polarization [14], and
has a relatively short period of brightness variation (189~ and a simple light curve. Special attention should be paid
to such exceptions in the future.

8. Discussion

In the present work we have attempted to classify Miras by the form of their light curves. We examined the behavior
of certain observational parameters of individual groups of long-period stars. The attempt at this classification led to the
following results.
a. Miras are clearly divided into two groups by the form of their light curves: stars with simple and with complicated
curves. The first group of stars have light curves of almost sinusoidal form. Curves with a smooth rise and decay in
brightness are typical of stars of this group. Most Miras have simple light curves. Curves of stars of the second group
are characterized by the presence of a "hump" on the ascending branch of the light curve. These formations have different
amplitudes.
b. These two groups of stars behave differently on the period-spectrum diagram. Whereas a dependence between
the period and spectrum is clearly traced for stars with simple curves, this dependence is hardly noticed for the second group
of stars.
c. An examination of the period distribution of these stars clearly reveals two groups differing in periods. And stars
that exhibit complicated light curves correspond to larger amplitudes, on the average. The average periods for these two
groups of stars differ from each other by 120 days.
d. The difference between stars with different light curves is also manifested in the distributions of absolute
bolometric magnitudes: stars with complicated light curves are brighter, on the average, than stars with simple light curves.
e. It was shown that light polarization is observed with greater probability in stars with complicated light curves.
Stars that exhibit complicated light curves thus differ from stars of the other group not only in the form of the curve
but also in other parameters. All the enumerated differences are evidently due to additional physical processes that occur
at different phases of the rise in brightness in the group of stars with complicated light curves. Other observational
foundations for such an assumption can also be enumerated. In many Miras the U - B color assumes negative values at
the brightness minimum [16]. Rapid brighmess variations with durations of from several hours to one month are observed
near the minimum in some Miras [3-7]. The light polarization in Miras exhibits changes of a periodic character with a
maximum on the ascending branch of the light curve [15].
None of the observational results enumerated above is explained within the framework of the pulsation mechanism.

417
The existence of a close blue component can be considered as one of the probable mechanisms. Unfortunately, there are
very few observational data on the duplicity of Miras. Nevertheless, there is evidence of the presence of a close blue
component, in the case of the long-period variable R Aqr, for example [17-20].

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418