Spectral variability of the peculiar A-type supergiant 3Pup

Optical spectra taken in 1997–2008 are used to analyze the spectral peculiarities and velocity field in the atmosphere of the peculiar supergiant 3 Pup. The profiles of strong Fe II lines and of the lines of other iron-group ions have a specific shape: the wings are raised by emissions, whereas the core is sharpened by a depression. The latter feature becomes more pronounced with the increasing line strength, and the increasing wavelength. Line profiles are variable: the magnitude and sign of the absorption asymmetry, and the blue-to-red emission intensity ratios vary from one spectrum to another. The temporal V r variations are minimal for the forbidden emissions and sharp shell cores of the absorption features of FeII(42), and other strong lines of iron-group ions. The average velocity for the above lines can be adopted as the systemic velocity: V sys = 28.5 ± 0.5 km/s. The weakest photospheric absorptions and photospheric MgII, Si II absorptions exhibit well-defined day-to-day velocity variations of up to 7 km/s. Quantitative spectral classification yields the spectral type of A2.7±0.3 Ib. The equivalent widths and profiles of H δ and H γ , and the equivalent width of the OI 7774 Å triplet yield an absolute magnitude estimate of Mv=−5.5 m ± 0.3 m , implying the heliocentric distance of 0.7 kpc.