Deneb is a large-amplitude polarimetric variable

Daniel V. Cotton, Jeremy Bailey, Jean Perkins, Derek L. Buzasi, Ievgeniia Boiko

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Abstract

We write to report the discovery that Deneb is a large-amplitude polarization variable. Over a ∼400 days time span from 2022 August Deneb's polarization was typically around 3900 parts per million (ppm) in the SDSS g "² band. Yet, it varied by several hundred parts per million in an irregular way on a timescale of weeks. The largest polarization change, amounting to 2500 ppm, occurred shortly after the last pulsation "resumption" event identified by Abt et al. in TESS photometry. The relationship between the observed polarization"”particularly corresponding to the resumption event"”and its brightness and Hα spectra suggests a mechanism involving density changes in its wind and/or extended atmosphere. Smaller effects due to pulsations are not ruled out, and further study is recommended.
Original languageEnglish
Article numberL43
Number of pages6
JournalAstrophysical Journal Letters
Volume967
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jun 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024. The Author(s). Published by the American Astronomical Society.

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