Flares of accretion activity of the 20 Myr old UXOR RZ Psc

¹ Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Lermontov Str. 126A, 664033 Irkutsk, Russia
e-mail: ilya.astro@gmail.com
² Pulkovo Astronomical Observatory, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pulkovo, 196140 St. Petersburg, Russia
³ V. V. Sobolev Astronomical Institute, Saint-Petersburg State University, Universitetski pr. 28, 198504 St. Petersburg, Russia
⁴ Kazan Federal University, Kremlyovskaya Str. 18, 420008 Kazan, Russia

Received: 19 March 2019
Accepted: 13 August 2019

Abstract

We discuss a revision of accretion activity and kinematics of the enigmatic isolated UX Ori type star RZ Psc. Previously, RZ Psc was known to possess only spectroscopic signatures of outflow in the low-excitation lines of alkali metals. The archival high-resolution spectra reveal a short-lived episode of magnetospheric accretion in the system observed via inverse P Cyg profiles at the Hα and Ca II 8542 Å lines. The simultaneous presence of accretion and outflow signatures at Ca II 8542 Å is suggestive of an accretion-driven origin of the RZ Psc wind. We argue that RZ Psc experiences matter ejection via the magnetic propeller mechanism but variable accretion episodes allow it to sometimes move in the magnetospheric accretion regime. The presence of the weak accretion in the system is also supported by the radiation of the hot accretion spot on the stellar surface observed spectroscopically at the deep photometric minimum of the star. The Galactic motion of RZ Psc calculated with new Gaia DR2 astrometric data suggests possible membership in Cas-Tau OB association with an age of t = 20₋₅⁺³ Myr.