Characterization of the variability of the blue supergiant HD 14134

The post-main sequence (MS) evolution of massive stars encompasses phases in which the stars display high variability. One such class of objects are the blue supergiants which may be in either the pre- or post-red supergiant phase of their evolution. Their variability patterns might provide constraints for a proper classification of the objects. We aim to characterise the observed variability of the B supergiant HD14134 and to investigate the imprint of a time-variable wind on the brightness variation of the star and its impact on the detectability of pulsation signals. Spectroscopic data were collected over a 5-month period and combined with photometry from TESS. Stellar parameters were derived from modelling of the time-averaged spectrum with CMFGEN and the SED and were confirmed with stellar evolution models computed with MESA. The light curves and radial velocity curves of selected lines were analysed to determine pulsation signals. The wind variability and its imprint on the stellar brightness were investigated from an analysis of the Halpha line. Predictions of mode excitations were computed with the GYRE pulsation code and compared to the frequencies determined from the observations. A g-mode with a period of 19.2 d and its harmonics are consistently detected in all data sets. The spectra unveil strong, non-periodic wind variability and 3 frequency signals were identified as due to this wind variability. The stellar parameters and age derived for HD14134 together with the absence of radial pulsations classify the star as a post-MS object evolving towards the red-supergiant stage, questioning its classification as alpha Cyg variable. The results reinforce that simultaneous long-term spectroscopic and photometric monitoring is indispensable for reliable frequency detections and for disentangling of variabilities imprinted by a time-variable wind from those imposed by pulsations.