2016MNRAS.456..192Z

We pursue the study of S Arae, an RRab Lyrae Blazho star, using unique, uninterrupted and accurate optical photometric data acquired from Antarctica at Dome C by PAIX - Photometer AntarctIca eXtraction - during 150 d. The PAIX data were analysed using both Period04 and PDM13. Besides a main pulsation period of 0.452 d and a modulation period of 47.264 d, three other significant frequencies were found. Multiplet patterns, up to the ninth order, were also extracted, showing a clear asymmetric structure. Following these results, a new approximation of the main-frequency harmonics amplitude decrease is suggested, replacing the usual exponential fit by a hyperbolic one. The physical properties of the Blazhko star, namely metallicity, temperature, mass, were obtained using a new approach based on the study of these parameters for each Blazhko phase. Finally, the PAIX data reveal a residual scatter that occurs during a small phase interval, 10 per cent of the pulsation period, corresponding to the phase of the main shock passage across the atmosphere. The position of the so-called main bump, corresponding to the shock resulting from the infalling atmosphere and the expanding photosphere, varies from one cycle to another and, moreover, around this main bump, two other bumps appear and vanish at different phases during a Blazhko cycle. Following these observations, we discuss the relation between the bump topology and the Blazhko period and give new insights for future Blazhko theoretical investigations.