The VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey V. The peculiar B[e]-like supergiant,   VFTS698, in 30 Doradus
  We present an analysis of a peculiar supergiant B-type star (VFTS698/Melnick 2/Parker 1797) in the 30 Doradus region of the Large Magellanic Cloud which exhibits characteristics similar to the broad class of B[e] stars. We analyse optical spectra from the VLT-FLAMES survey, together with archival optical and infrared photometry and X-ray imaging to characterise the system. We find radial velocity variations of around 400 km/s in the high excitation Si IV, N III and He II spectra, and photometric variability of ~0.6 mag with a period of 12.7 days. In addition, we detect long-term photometric variations of ~0.25 mag, which may be due to a longer-term variability with a period of ~400 days. We conclude that VFTS698 is likely an interacting binary comprising an early B-type star secondary orbiting a veiled, more massive companion. Spectral evidence suggests a mid-to-late B-type primary, but this may originate from an optically-thick accretion disc directly surrounding the primary. 
P. R. Dunstall, M. Fraser, J. S. Clark, P. A. Crowther, P. L. Dufton,   C. J. Evans, D. J. Lennon, I. Soszy\'nski, W. D. Tay...
astro-ph.SR