M E R C A T O R M A S T E R P R O J E C T

APPLICATION FOR GUARANTEED TIME ON MERCATOR

To be submitted to: degenaar@uva.nl, r.a.d.wijnands@uva.nl, s.c.fijma@uva.nl Year: 2024

1. Title
Constraining the orbital period of the Wolf Rayet star HIP 94289 to investigate its binary nature.

2. Abstract
A significant number of Wolf-Rayet + Compact Object (Black holes/Neutron Stars/White Dwarfs) systems
are predicted by evolutionary theory but observational evidence for their presence is severely lacking. WR
124 (HIP 94289) is a candidate WR + CO system, with contradicting, measured periods of ∼ 2.4 and
∼ 2.7 days. The Wolf-Rayet star is part of nebula that has a bipolar-outflow, which is another indication of a
companion. It is also a run-away star, which is indicative of a supernova kick in its past. The orbital period
suggests a mass of M ≳ 1M⊙ , which along with the other evidence, suggests the presence of Neutron Star. We
aim to confirm the presence and the nature of the companion using radial velocity measurements
derived through HERMES spectra. This confirmation is especially interesting as WR+CO systems are
progenitors for CO-CO binaries, which are potential sources of Gravitational Waves.

3. Run Period Instrument Time Month Moon Seeing Sky Trans. Obs.Mode
A 24 HERMES 6h Oct n ≤ 1.4′′ CLR v

4. Special remarks:
We require 8 nights of observation in a row, as this ensures complete phase coverage.

5. Students:
Divyanshi Agrawal, Shashanth Sriramanathan & Siddarth Gandini (Amsterdam, NL)

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6. Description of the proposed programme (max. 2 pages)

A) Scientific Rationale:
Wolf-Rayet & Compact Companion Systems
A significant number of Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars are said to either be a product of massive binary evolution or
have experienced binary interactions during their evolution (Shenar, T. et al. (2016)), implying the presence of
a companion. Theoretical estimations and population synthesis studies suggest the presence of 500 Wolf-Rayet
+ Compact Companion (WR + CC) (Lommen et. al 2005), but Cyg X-3 is the only system that has been
detected (Koljonen et al. 2018). There haven’t been any further confirmed cases, however, it is important to
look for such potential sources as they may give us information as progenitors of compact binaries.
Our Target: Wolf-Rayet 124
Wolf-Rayet 124 (WR 124) is one such candidate that has been speculated to have a neutron star companion. It
is the fastest runaway star in the galaxy and its immense speed is suggested to be a result of a supernova kick
from a binary companion. There is a very high probability that this system remained bound after the explosion,
as the least massive star might have evolved first due to Roche-lobe overflow from the WR star (Moffat et al.
(1982).)
WR 124 is one of the few WN8h type stars found in our galaxy (Chu & Treffers (1981)), surrounded by an
axisymmetric planetary nebula, extending in the north-west and south-east directions. Models of the nebula
predict the target to be in a common envelope with its binary companion, which would then have been ejected
due to an explosive event creating the bipolar structure (Zavala et al. (2022)). (INSERT WHAT EXPLOSIVE
EVENT)
Early studies also show different values of its period. A spectroscopic analysis conducted using a low-resolution
spectrograph (Moffat et al. (1982)) records a period of 2.36 ± 0.2 days while a photometric measurement
(Moffat & Shara (1986)) indicates a period of 2.73 ± 0.2 days. However, this was not a very good fit. The
discrepancy observed suggests the presence of a companion, though further investigation is needed to clarify
the inconsistency and confirm this.
Our Proposal
We aim to cover the full phase of WR 124, taking the uncertainty in period into account, by observing for 8
continuous nights using the high efficiency and resolution Mercator echelle spectrograph (HERMES) (Raskin
et al. (2011)). We intend to confirm the orbital period of the system and identify the presence of a companion
to the system. This is expected to be done using Radial Velocity (RV) measurements of the spectrum.
Importance of our Observations Previous spectroscopic observations by Moffat is alow resolution spectra,
which isn’t suitable for radial velocity measurement
Spectroscopic analysis by Moffat et al. 1982 provided low resolution data for our target, making. Even though a
follow up observation was conducted by Dsilva et al. (2022), poor sampling and large gaps in the observations,
did not allow them to rule out the possibility of a companion.
have been performed regarding our target (Moffat et al. 1982, Dsilva et al. 2022), however, either large
gaps in observations or poor quality of data makes it unsuitable for a radial-velocity analysis to determine the
presence of a companion. Therefore, we aim to cover the full phase of WR 124, taking the uncertainty in period
into account, by observing for 8 continuous nights using the high efficiency and resolution Mercator echelle
spectrograph (HERMES) (Raskin et al. 2011). We intend to confirm the orbital period of the system and
identify the presence of a companion to the system. This is expected to be done using Radial Velocity (RV)
measurements of the spectrum.
X-ray studies by Toala et al. (2018) mentions a lack of x-ray emissions from WR 124. It also denotes the
optically thick nature of its winds, implying possible trapped x-ray emissions. This is imperative because of the
probability of an accreting neutron star being present close to the target. Hence, the only way to confirm such
a binary nature, observations in the optical regime is viable.
Nature of the Companion
The points highlighted below outline evidence supporting a NS as the Compact Companion.
1. The runaway nature of WR 124 can be explained by a supernova kick from a companion binary. This can
only occur when its companion is massive enough to undergo a supernova and hence become a compact object.
2. Lack of wind collision features and significant features in the optical or infrared spectrum, rule out the
possibility of a massive star companion (Toala et al. 2018 ).
3. Based on mass estimates of the Wolf Rayet star, a period of ∼ 2 days and assuming values for inclination,
Moffat et al. (1982) estimates the mass of the companion to be around 1-2M⊙ . This suggests that the Compact
Object is a Neutron Star rather than a Black Hole.
Other Possibilities
6. Description of the proposed programme (continued)
It is possible that the companion to the WR star is a low-mass, stripped He Star. Even though current
evolutionary theory predicts that the He star would collapse before the primary star evolves to the WR stage,
this is not set in stone (refer Toala paper). This would also mean that the runaway nature was not caused
by a supernova kick but rather through dynamical interactions. There is, however, no corroborating evidence
for this in the form of a kinematical study.
If both a CO and a stripped He star are ruled out, it is also possible that the system is a late phase Thorne-
Zytkow Object (TZO). We cannot currently model the TZO atmospheres beyond a critical point in their
evolution, which means that we cannot rule out the possibility of a late-stage TZO object looking like a WN8h
object. (refer Toala paper). This is exciting because TZOs have only been speculated about and have no
confirmed detection.
Further Studies: Wind variability in Wolf-Rayet stars occurs in timescales of hours to days. Hence, the data
we would obtain from our observations also facilitate these studies. These studies are important in determining
clumping factors The data that we obtain is ideal even for studying wind variability in Wolf-Rayet stars.
Studying Line-Profile Variabilities allows us to derive clumping factors.

B) Immediate Objective:
Constrain Orbital Period: Radial velocity measurements are important in order to establish the presence
of a companion as photometric variability can be caused by stellar effects such as pulsations and Co-rotating
Interior Regions. These effects can be Using measurements of the Radial Velocity, we can measure the period
of the system and contrast it with the two different measured periods. Photometric variability could be caused
by pulsations or other stellar effects such as Co-rotating Interior Regions. Hence we need RV measurements to
ensure that these are caused by a companion. Poor resolution of previous spectroscopic measurements meant
that a proper orbital solution was not found, hence this is not a confirmation of a Compact Object companion
either.
Confirming the Nature of the Companion: We aim to measure the orbital motion of WR 124 using
Radial Velocity (RV) Measurements. Using mass estimates of the primary star from models of its atmosphere
(Hamann, W.-R. et al. (2006)) and the radial velocity measurements, we can place constraints on the mass of
the companion and hence determine its nature. A sinusoidal fit to the RV measurements can be used to further
determine orbital parameters such as systemic velocities and semi-amplitudes (Crowther et al. (2010)).
Radial Velocity Measurements: We plan to measure Radial velocities using the Cross Correlation Method
(Zucker (2003)). This method allows us to fit multiple spectral lines at once, allowing a more accurate mea-
surement of the radial velocity.
Minimizing Wind Variability: We can minimize the effect of wind variability in our observations by following
the methods outlined in Dsilva et al. (2023). This works by measuring RVs using different spectral lines and
selecting those that have the least variance. These selected lines are least affected by wind variability but are
still modulated by the companion. Hence, we can use these lines to look for a periodic modulation of the Radial
Velocity.

C) Technical feasibility and Strategy

WR 124 has a V-band magnitude of 11.50, making it faint but observable with HERMES. Its position in the
sky is away from the moon’s motion. At the proposed observation dates (October 4th - 15th , 2024), the star
reaches its peak altitude before dusk and is observable from 20:00 UTC at an altitude of 75 degrees. The star
remains visible until 00:00 UTC, maintaining an airmass value of 1.
We propose individual observations of 45 minutes each (including 5 minutes of overhead) over
8 consecutive nights, resulting in a total proposed observational time of 6 hours. This gives a minimum
signal-to-noise(S/N) ratio of ∼50 in the relevant wavelength range: Dsilva et al. (2023) observed our
target using the same instrument and achieved a velocity resolution of 1-2 km/s with an average S/N ratio of
50. Hence, we expect to achieve a similar velocity resolution with our observations. This resolution is sufficient
for our objectives, as we expect a low velocity modulation following the data from Moffat et al. (1982). The
observation schedule also lets us cover an entire phase of the orbit (shown in Figures 2 and 3), allowing us to
determine the system’s orbital parameters.
Data analysis and reduction The data reduction will be done by HERMES pipeline (Kos et al. (2017)).
It automates the processes of bias subtraction, flat-field corrections and flux and wavelength calibrations. By
plotting RV measurements vs time we create an RV curve to determine the orbital period using methods like
the Lomb-Scargle method.
6. References and Figures (max. 2 pages)
References:

Chu, Y. H. & Treffers, R. R. 1981, ApJ, 249, 586

Crowther, P. A., Barnard, R., Carpano, S., et al. 2010, MNRAS, 403, L41
Dsilva, K., Shenar, T., Sana, H., & Marchant, P. 2023, A&A, 674, A88
Hamann, W.-R., Gräfener, G., & Liermann, A. 2006, AA, 457, 1015
Kos, J. et al. 2017, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 464,
1259
Moffat, A. F. J., Lamontagne, R., & Seggewiss, W. 1982, A&A, 114, 135
Moffat, A. F. J. & Shara, M. M. 1986, AJ, 92, 952
Raskin, G., van Winckel, H., Hensberge, H., et al. 2011, A&A, 526, A69
Shenar, T., Hainich, R., Todt, H., et al. 2016, AA, 591, A22
Zavala, S., Toalá, J. A., Santamarı́a, E., et al. 2022, MNRAS, 513, 3317
Zucker, S. 2003, MNRAS, 342, 1291

Figures:

4
Normalized Flux

0
4660 4670 4680 4690 4700 4710 4720
(Å)
Fig 1: He-II Line at 4686 Å
He-II (4686 Å) emission line from HERMES, taken with a 1800s Exposure (Dsilva et al. (2023)).
6. References and Figures (max. 2 pages)
Observation nights for a 2.4 and 2.7 day period
T = 2.4 days
1.0
0.5

Amplitude
0.0
Night 1
0.5 Night 2
1.0 Night 3
Night 4
T = 2.7 days Night 5
1.0 Night 6
Night 7
0.5 Night 8
Amplitude

0.0
0.5
1.0
60589 60590 60591 60592 60593 60594 60595 60596
Day (mjd)
Fig 2
One hour observation windows per night, from the 5th of October to the 12th of October. The 8 nights of
continuous observations allows a full coverage of the 2.4-2.7 day period.

Fig 3
Phase coverage of the observations for both a period of 2.4 days and a period of 2.7 days. In order to determine
orbital parameters, we need to ensure that we have good phase coverage of the orbit.
7. Justification of requested observing time and lunar phase

Lunar Phase Justification: No Constraint

Time Justification: (including seeing overhead)

We request to observe the target once every night for 8 consecutive nights with 40 minute exposures. An
exposure time of 40 minutes (plus 5 minutes of overhead) for each observation allows us to get an SNR of 49,
56 and 51 at 380 nm, 440 nm and 550 nm respectively (based on the HERMES exposure calculator), assuming
an airmass of 1.2 and a seeing of 1.4. This wavelength range covers the important spectral lines from the
Wolf-Rayet star. This amounts to a total observation time of 6 hours.
Two different studies have found periods of 2.36 days (Moffat et al. (1982)) and 2.73 days (Moffat & Shara
(1986)) respectively. Hence, our observation plan provides a complete coverage for these two values, as shown
in Figures 2 and 3.

Calibration Request: Standard Calibration

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8. List of MERCATOR targets proposed in this programme
Run Name R.A. (J2000) Dec. (J2000) V (mag) ToT (hr)

A HIP 94289 19 11 30.8749 16 51 38.2009 11.50 6

MERCATOR Target Notes: A note that applies to all targets

MERCATOR Set-up: HERMES HRF mode