# RR Lyrae variables in M5 as a test of pulsational theory

## 1 Introduction

After about a century of investigation, the precise and detailed knowledge of structural parameters of RR Lyrae variables in galactic globulars is still a relevant target for stellar astrophysics. As a matter of the fact, the true luminosity of these variables is still under debate (see, e.g., Gratton et al. 1997, Caputo 1997, Cacciari 1999, and references therein), vis-a-vis the tantalizing evidence that an improved knowledge of such an evolutionary parameter would produce firm constraints about several relevant issues, as the distance of the parent clusters and - in turn - on the distance to the Magellanic Clouds, which is a key–stone for assessing a reliable distance scale in the Universe. In this context, observational data for these variables have become even more interesting, since we are now facing rather detailed scenarios of theoretical evolutionary and pulsational predictions which obviously require to be tested to observations.

In a previous paper (Brocato et al. 1996, hereinafter BCR96) we have already presented new light curves for 15 RR Lyrae stars in M5, pointing out the occurrence of several further pulsators in the crowded core of the cluster. In this paper we present data for these variables in the cluster central region, adding new data for 32 variables and giving suitable light curves and mean magnitudes for 17 RR Lyrae. The next section will present the explored fields, discussing the existing literature on M5 variables to give suitable cross correlations among the nomenclatures adopted by different authors and advancing a proposal for a homogeneous cataloguing for these variables. The new data will be discussed in section 3. The final section will discuss available data for M5 variables to the light of recent predictions from pulsational theories. A brief conclusion will close the paper.

## 2 RR Lyrae in M5 central region

Observational material was secured in April 1989 with the 1.54 m. “Danish” telescope at ESO (La Silla, Chile), equipped with a RCA CCD 331 $`\times `$ 512 pixels. For details regarding observations, calibration and the reduction procedure the reader is referred to BCR96. Fig.1 shows the four explored frames, giving the identification map for the variables we will discuss in this paper. However, the nomenclature of the variables needs here to be discussed in some details.

As early as 1973, the Sawyer Hogg catalogue was already listing 103 variables in M5, with 93 RR Lyrae. Since that time several further pulsators have been found, mainly in the crowded central region. However, the contemporary publication of several papers dedicated to these variables has produced some overlap in their identification and nomenclature, worth to be discussed and clarified.

In BCR96 we presented 26 new cluster RR Lyrae variables, which were added to the Sawyer Hogg list, from V104 to V129. However, now we find that V124 was already marked as V102 in the Sawyer Hogg list whereas 22 out of these 26 variables appear in the list by Evstigneeva et al. (1995; \[ESST\]), who added 30 new variables to the Sawyer Hogg catalogue (from V104 to V133) collecting data from Kadla et al. (1987: \[KGYI\]), Kravtsov, (1988, 1990, 1991, 1992: \[K88\], \[K90\], \[K91\], \[K92\]). In this series of papers one can find positions and finding charts for the 30 new variables near the cluster core, together with indications about periods and rather scattered light curves from photographic $`B`$ photometry. In the present investigation we tested 4 out of the 8 stars in that list not in common with BCR96. As for the remaining four, V122, 126 and V127 were not detected because of crowding, while V133 lies outside our fields. We confirm the variability for three out of the four objects, with the exception of V124 which does not show magnitude variations within 0.1 mag.

More recently, Reid (1996: \[R96\]) has published an extensive $`V`$, $`I`$ survey of RR Lyrae variables in M5, reporting light curves and mean magnitudes for 49 RR Lyrae, 44 from the Sawyer Hogg list and 5 which belong to the Evstigneeva extension. In addition, R96 lists several RR Lyrae candidates in the cluster central region (Table 5 in R96). We tested for variability all these candidates, detecting variability only in stars 315, which appears a RR Lyrae variable. Moreover, both R96 and Yan & Reid (1996: \[YR96\]) discovered several eclipsing binaries in the cluster field, all outside our explored region.

In the meantime, Sandquist et al., (1996: \[SBSH\]) reported the discovery of 8 new variables which were added to the list of ESST with numbers from V134 to V141. No period was given. From our observations it appears that V134 was already named as V129 in ESST, V135 is a new RR, V137 is the star V118 in BCR96, and V139 is the star 315 in R96 whereas we were not able to detect variability neither in V136 nor in V140 and V144. We can say nothing about V138 and V141 because the former is saturated and the latter one lies out of our fields. Finally, on the basis of $`F336W`$ filter HST observations, Drissen & Shara, (1998: DS) have recently given light curves for 29 variables in the core of M5, with 5 new variables. Because of crowding, we were able to detect only one among those variables, which appears a RR Lyrae pulsator.

As a whole, one finds that the literature on M5 variables would greatly benefit by a reorganization of the above discussed observations. Table 1 summarizes the situation, giving in the first column our adopted nomenclature which runs as follows: from V104 to V133 we follow the notation by ESST, from V134 to V141 the classification by SBSH, arranging from V142 to V158 further variables from various authors. Next columns give the cross identifications for all the variables in M5 not in Sawyer Hogg (1973) catalogue, together with the source of the variable identifications. Last four columns give details for stars in the field of the present investigation or, for objects outside our fields, we give within brackets the original classification of the objects.

According to the data summarized in Table 1, one finds that out of 44 objects nominally present in our field 1, V134 is a duplicated nomenclature, in four cases (V124, V136, V140 and V144) we failed to detect luminosity variations, 7 objects are in a too crowded region and, finally, the image of a further object appears saturated. This paper will deal with the data for the remaining 31 variables plus V103 which falls in the investigated fields. The first column in Table 2 gives the list of these objects.

### 2.1 Light curves and notes on individual variables

In order to obtain light curves for the observed variables, we searched for periods by using a standard discrete Fourier decomposition (Deeming 1975, Kurtz 1985). However, in some cases the restricted time allowed for the observations caused the occurrence of too few phase points along the pulsational cycle. In that case we adopted periods from the literature. Data on Periods, Epochs of maximum, $`B`$ and $`V`$ amplitudes are reported in the same Table 2, together with the period source for each variable. Light curves for all variables listed in Table 2 are shown in Figure 2. HJD and $`BV`$ magnitudes will be available via anonymous ftp at the address: oacosf.na.astro.it (pub/M5RR) or upon request by e-mail.

¿From the sample of RR Lyrae in Table 2 we selected 17 objects with the best light curves allowing a suitable estimate of mean magnitudes and colors. For this purpose, data for the selected objects have been best-fitted with a spline function and then integrated over the fitted curve to find mean quantities by averaging i) over the magnitude curve and ii) over the intensity curve. The results of this procedure are reported in Table 3, where individual columns give: (1) variable name; (2) period in days; (3) magnitude and (4) intensity averaged $`V`$; (5) magnitude and (6) intensity averaged $`BV`$; (7) corrected $`(BV)_c`$ colors following Bono et al. (1995: \[BCS\]) prescriptions; (8) visual and (9) blue amplitudes.

As discussed by BCS, $`<V>`$ appears a good indicator for the magnitude of the “static star”, whereas the observed averaged colors need to be corrected in order to give the “static” color. The consistency of BCS corrections is displayed in Fig. 3, where the upper panel shows the comparison between observed $`<B><V>`$ and $`(BV)`$ colors and the lower panel gives the same comparison but after applying BCS corrections to the observed data. The agreement between the two corrected colors is almost perfect.

Comments on individual stars, are as follows:

* V104: this relevant object has been classified by R96 as a probable double mode RR Lyrae with a fundamental period P=0<sup>d</sup>.464243. However, DS reports this variable (their HST-V1) as contact or semi-detached binary, with a period larger than $`0^d`$.47. Our observations agree with DS, giving a period of about 0.74 days. The light curve by R96 shows both an eclipsing binary-like and a RR Lyrae-like shape, and our conclusion is that the nature of V104 remains a mystery, deserving more observations.
* V105: the star shows a visual magnitude significantly fainter ($``$0.3 mag) than other RR mean magnitudes, with a color ($`BV0.20`$) in agreement with the blue edge of the instability strip. Possibly a foreground variable.
* V113: this star shows a color which is significantly bluer that the blue edge for first–overtone pulsation but a visual magnitude in agreement with the average luminosity of the other variables. This evidence is not consistent with an explanation in terms of blending effect, nor this star is embedded in a crowded field (see Fig. 1). Accordingly, the color of V113 remains unexplained.
* V121: this star shows a visual magnitude significantly fainter ($``$0.3 mag) than the mean magnitude but a rather red color.
* V139: again a peculiar variable; the color is bluer than the blue edge of the instability strip and its visual magnitude is about 0.2 mag brighter than the mean value. In this case a blending effect (due to a very blue HB companion) could be invoked.
* V143: from the HJD vs. magnitude plot (see Fig. 2) this star appears clearly variable even though we were unable to find any periodicity. Thus also the nature of this star remains uncertain.

Our complete sample (this paper + BCR96) contains 11 RR Lyrae in common with R96, namely, in R96 notation, V36, V45, V81, V82, V97 ($`ab`$–type variables) and V35, V57, V78, V100, V116, V131 ($`c`$–type variables). Figure 4 compares $`<V>`$ and $`A(V)`$ for these common objects. ¿From the upper panel of the figure one finds that our observations appear on the average fainter in $`<V>`$ by only $``$ 0.03 mag. As for visual amplitudes (lower panel), we have similar results with the remarkable exception of V97. However, a simple inspection of R96 light curve for V97 reveals that this star shows a Blazhko effect, as many others in this sample.

Implementing the data given in this paper with similar data already presented in BCR96 and with the $`B`$,$`V`$ photometry given by Storm et al. (1991: \[SCB\]) for 11 RR Lyrae in the cluster periphery, we are eventually dealing with reliable light curves for a sample of 42 variables, as given by 22 RR<sub>ab</sub> and 20 RR<sub>c</sub>. This sample, with the large occurrence of core RR Lyrae variables, appears abnormally rich of c-type pulsators, with the ratio $`N_c`$/$`N_{RR}`$ 0.5 against the value of 0.26 found from the Sawyer Hogg catalogue (see, e.g., Castellani & Quarta 1987). However, this is due, at least in part, to the marked asymmetry of $`ab`$ light curves which not allowed a suitable coverage of the pulsational cycle within the too restricted sets of observational data, nor the rather small number of objects gives a strong statistical significance to this ratio.

It is obviously interesting to compare the pulsational behavior of our sample with the behavior of variables in the outer regions of the cluster. Moreover, the availability of magnitudes and colors of the ”static” structures will allow to investigate the color-magnitude (CM) location of the variables. As for the first point, Figure 5 shows the Bailey diagram (visual amplitude $`A(V)`$ $`vs`$ period) for our sample, together with previous data for regularly pulsating variables (no Blazhko effect) from SCB and R96 studies. The remarkable similar distribution of stars in the various samples shows that RR Lyrae in the various cluster regions have a common pulsational behavior.

The CM diagram of our complete sample of 22 RR<sub>ab</sub> and 20 RR<sub>c</sub> variables is shown in Fig. 6 together with the data for static HB stars by Brocato et al. (1995). By excluding V113 and V139 for the peculiar blue color, and V105 and V121 for the peculiar faint magnitude, one derives that the edges of the observed instability strip occur at $`(BV)`$=0.20$`\pm `$0.02 and 0.45$`\pm `$0.02 , as well as that the lower envelope of the RR Lyrae distribution can be safely put at $`V`$=15.14$`\pm `$0.04 mag. Note that we are well confident in the colors of the RR Lyrae near the edges of the instability strip, whereas the few non-variable stars within the instability strip appear in general affected by crowding or blending.

## 3 Discussion and conclusions

In the previous figure 5 observational data are compared with theoretical predictions from pulsating convective models with mass $`M=0.65M_{}`$, luminosity log$`L/L_{}`$=1.61 (solid line) and 1.72 (dashed line) and the labeled chemical composition. One finds that the left envelope of the RR<sub>ab</sub> distribution appears in agreement with the log$`L/L_{}`$=1.61 line. Taking the pulsational results to their face value, this would suggest a ZAHB luminosity in excellent agreement with theoretical predictions given by Castellani et al. (1991) but somewhat lower than the value log$`L/L_{}`$=1.66 suggested by the more recent ”improved” computations by Cassisi et al. (1998: \[C98\]). Note that all the most recent evaluations of such a luminosity, as given by various authors under slightly different assumptions, appear in the range 1.66$`\pm `$0.01 (Caloi et al. 1997, Straniero et al. 1997).

To discuss such a disagreement, one has to notice that while the luminosity of the HB appears as a rather firm theoretical prediction, theoretical pulsator masses rely on the assumption of a solar-like distribution of heavy elements. However, the suggested occurrence of $`\alpha `$ enhanced mixtures in metal poor globular cluster stars (see, e.g., Gratton et al. 1997) is not of help, since lower pulsator masses will imply even lower ”pulsational” luminosities (see, e.g., figure 15 in Bono et al. 1997a).

In order to compare theoretical predictions about the boundaries of the instability region with the observational results given in the previous section one needs an estimate of the cluster distance modulus. Let us here assume the value one would derive from the already quoted C98 evolutionary results, namely $`DM`$=14.59 ($`\pm `$0.04) mag. On this ground, Figure 7 compares the CM diagram location of the variables with theoretical predictions evaluated for the purpose of this paper (with the same code and input physics as in Bono et al., 1997b) about the boundaries of the instability strip for $`M=0.65M_{}`$, $`Z`$=0.001 (solar scaled), $`Y`$=0.24 and for selected assumptions about the cluster reddening. The theoretical boundaries have been transformed into the observational plane by adopting the Castelli et al. (1997a,b) static model atmospheres.

One finds that the the fitting between theory and observation would require a negligible amount of reddening, running against a rather well established reddening of the order of E(B-V)$``$0.02 (see, e.g., R96), if not larger (Gratton et al. 1997). Quite similar results are obtained when R96 data are compared with pulsational predictions in $`(VI)`$ colors. Reasonable variations in the distance modulus do not play a relevant role, because of the mild dependence of the blue edge color on luminosity, nor the occurrence of $`\alpha `$ enhanced mixtures will be again of help, since lower pulsator masses will imply even cooler blue boundaries (see again Bono et al. 1997a).

However, one finds that the problem arises from the adoption of new model atmospheres by Castelli et al. (1997a,b), since model atmospheres by Kurucz (1992) adopted in previous works like, e.g., in Bono et al. (1997) would give for M5 a ”pulsational” reddening of the order of E(B-V)$``$0.02 mag. Since it is not clear to us if ”new model atmospheres” means in all cases ”better models”, and taking also into account reasonable ($`\pm 0.02`$ mag) errors in the pulsator colors, we conclude for a suggestion (rather than an evidence) for too cool FOBE predictions from the adopted theoretical pulsational scenario.

As a conclusion, observational evidence concerning the M5 pulsators appears in marginal disagreement with the observed color of FOBE, whereas a clearer disagreement appears between the ZAHB luminosities predicted through evolutionary or the theoretical Bailey diagram. Before closing the paper, we will notice that one should be not too surprised about the quoted disagreements: in all cases we are dealing with rather small quantities ($`\mathrm{\Delta }M_V`$ not larger than 0.1 mag, $`\mathrm{\Delta }(BV)0.02`$ mag) and, in that sense, both evolutionary and pulsational theories appear in a rather satisfactory agreement with observations. Conversely, when dealing -as we do -with fine details of theoretical predictions, one should be surprised if these results do not show any evidence of the many uncertainties we know are existing in the theoretical scenario.

Acknowledgment: We wish to thank Dr. Kravtsov who sent us that part of his Candidate’s dissertation regarding M5 variables, and E. Brocato and A. Weiss for useful discussion. This work was partially supported by Consorzio Nazionale per l’Astronomia e l’Astrofisica (C.N.A.A.) through a postdoc research grant to M. Marconi.