1. Variability

2. Learning outcomes Variability classes of long period variables Various time scales of variability phenomena Spectroscopic variability Connection between variability and atmospheric structure

3. Mira – the wonderful star

4. Historical Background Catalog der rothen, isolirten Sterne, welche bis zum Jahre 1866 bekannt gevorden sind. Von Herrn Professor, Dr. Schjellerup 1782 observation of semiregular variability of µ Cep by Sir William Herschel

5. Variability class: Mira Mira (Omicron) Ceti-type variables. These are long-period variable giants with characteristic late-type emission spectra (Me, Ce, Se) and light amplitudes from 2.5 to 11 mag in V. Their periodicity is well pronounced, and the periods lie in the range between 80 and 1000 days. Infrared amplitudes are usually less than in the visible and may be <2.5 mag. For example, in the K band they usually do not exceed 0.9 mag. If the amplitudes exceed 1 - 1.5 mag, but it is not certain that the true light amplitude exceeds 2.5 mag, the symbol "M" is followed by a colon, or the star is attributed to the semiregular class with a colon following the symbol for that type (SR).

6. Variability class: SRV SRA Semiregular late-type (M, C, S or Me, Ce, Se) giants displaying persistent periodicity and usually small (<2.5 mag in V) light amplitudes (Z Aqr). Amplitudes and light- curve shapes generally vary and periods are in the range of 35-1200 days. Many of these stars differ from Miras only by showing smaller light amplitudes; SRB Semiregular late-type (M, C, S or Me, Ce, Se) giants with poorly defined periodicity (mean cycles in the range of 20 to 2300 days) or with alternating intervals of periodic and slow irregular changes, and even with light constancy intervals (RR CrB, AF Cyg). Every star of this type may usually be assigned a certain mean period (cycle), which is the value given in the Catalogue. In a number of cases, the simultaneous presence of two or more periods of light variation is observed;

7. SRV lightcurves Kerschbaum et al. 2003

8. Variability class: SRV SRC Semiregular late-type (M, C, S or Me, Ce, Se) supergiants (Mu Cep) with amplitudes of about 1 mag and periods of light variation from 30 days to several thousand days; SRD Semiregular variable giants and supergiants of F, G, or K spectral types, sometimes with emission lines in their spectra. Amplitudes of light variation are in the range from 0.1 to 4 mag, and the range of periods is from 30 to 1100 days (SX Her, SV UMa).

9. Variability class: L LB Slow irregular variables of late spectral types (K, M, C, S); as a rule, they are giants (CO Cyg). This type is also ascribed, in the GCVS, to slow red irregular variables in the case of unknown spectral types and luminosities. LC Irregular variable supergiants of late spectral types having amplitudes of about 1 mag in V (TZ Cas). stars are often attributed to this type because of being insufficiently studied

10. Variability on various time scales Short time variations Humps Long secondary periods Period changes

11. Outbursts in miras de Laverny et al. 1998

12. Long secondary periods Lebzelter & Hinkle 2002

13. Bedding et al. 2002 L 2 Pup

14. Secular evolution Tempelton et al. 2005

15. Colour variations 1 Le Bertre 1993 Le Bertre 1992

16. Colour variations 2 Whitelock et al. 2000

17. Colour variations 3 Bouchet 1984

18. Spectral variability Strong changes in the shape of visual spectra with pulsation phase TiO-bands dominant feature – sensitive to temperature changes IR-spectrum: mainly changes due to H 2 O Occurrence of emission lines Radial velocity variations

19. Aringer et al. 2002 H2OH2OCO 2 Max Min ~Max

20. Emission lines in miras and some semiregular variables present over 2/3 of the light cycle (not present after minimum) typically brightest after maximum first H lines, later Fe II, Fe I, Mg I, Si I, Mn II, Cr II, Ca II, Sr II,... in some stars: He I 10830 Å

21. Fox et al. 1984 multiple emission or self-absorption?

22. Joy 1954

23. Hinkle, Hall & Ridgway 1982 Near-IR absorption lines

24. Hinkle, Lebzelter & Scharlach 1997

25. Alvarez et al. 2000 Nowotny et al. 2005

26. Lebzelter et al. 2005 Lebzelter et al. 2001

28. Wallerstein 1985 Na I, K I Cr I, Mn I TiO? 400 nm 800 nm CO lines  v=1 low exc.  v=2 mod.exc.  v=2 high exc.  v=2  v=3 high exc.  v=2  v=3

29. Variability and Parallax Bastian & Hefele 2005

30. Filin 1952

31. Microlensing surveys and LPVs MACHO: http://wwwmacho.mcmaster.ca/ OGLE: http://www.astrouw.edu.pl/~ogle/ EROS: http://eros.in2p3.fr/ MOA: http://www.phys.canterbury.ac.nz/moa/