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Mg II chromospheric radiative loss rates in cool active and quiet stars
The Mg II k emission line is a good indicator of the level ofchromospheric activity in late-type stars. We investigate the dependenceof this activity indicator on fundamental stellar parameters. To thispurpose we use IUE observations of the Mg II k line in 225 late-typestars of luminosity classes I-V, with different levels of chromosphericactivity. We first re-analyse the relation between Mg II k lineluminosity and stellar absolute magnitude, performing linear fits to thepoints. The ratio of Mg II surface flux to total surface flux is foundto be independent of stellar luminosity for evolved stars and toincrease with decreasing luminosity for dwarfs. We also analyse the MgII k line surface flux-metallicity connection. The Mg II k emissionlevel turns out to be not dependent on metallicity. Finally, the Mg II kline surface flux-temperature relation is investigated by treatingseparately, for the first time, a large sample of very active and normalstars. The stellar surface fluxes in the k line of normal stars arefound to be strongly dependent on the temperature and slightly dependenton the gravity, thus confirming the validity of recently proposedmodels. In contrast, data relative to RS CVn binaries and BY Dra stars,which show very strong chromospheric activity, are not justified in theframework of a description based only on acoustic waves and uniformlydistributed magnetic flux tubes so that they require more detailedmodels.
| Local kinematics of K and M giants from CORAVEL/Hipparcos/Tycho-2 data. Revisiting the concept of superclusters
The availability of the Hipparcos Catalogue has triggered many kinematicand dynamical studies of the solar neighbourhood. Nevertheless, thosestudies generally lacked the third component of the space velocities,i.e., the radial velocities. This work presents the kinematic analysisof 5952 K and 739 M giants in the solar neighbourhood which includes forthe first time radial velocity data from a large survey performed withthe CORAVEL spectrovelocimeter. It also uses proper motions from theTycho-2 catalogue, which are expected to be more accurate than theHipparcos ones. An important by-product of this study is the observedfraction of only 5.7% of spectroscopic binaries among M giants ascompared to 13.7% for K giants. After excluding the binaries for whichno center-of-mass velocity could be estimated, 5311 K and 719 M giantsremain in the final sample. The UV-plane constructed from these datafor the stars with precise parallaxes (σπ/π≤20%) reveals a rich small-scale structure, with several clumpscorresponding to the Hercules stream, the Sirius moving group, and theHyades and Pleiades superclusters. A maximum-likelihood method, based ona Bayesian approach, has been applied to the data, in order to make fulluse of all the available stars (not only those with precise parallaxes)and to derive the kinematic properties of these subgroups. Isochrones inthe Hertzsprung-Russell diagram reveal a very wide range of ages forstars belonging to these groups. These groups are most probably relatedto the dynamical perturbation by transient spiral waves (as recentlymodelled by De Simone et al. \cite{Simone2004}) rather than to clusterremnants. A possible explanation for the presence of younggroup/clusters in the same area of the UV-plane is that they have beenput there by the spiral wave associated with their formation, while thekinematics of the older stars of our sample has also been disturbed bythe same wave. The emerging picture is thus one of dynamical streamspervading the solar neighbourhood and travelling in the Galaxy withsimilar space velocities. The term dynamical stream is more appropriatethan the traditional term supercluster since it involves stars ofdifferent ages, not born at the same place nor at the same time. Theposition of those streams in the UV-plane is responsible for the vertexdeviation of 16.2o ± 5.6o for the wholesample. Our study suggests that the vertex deviation for youngerpopulations could have the same dynamical origin. The underlyingvelocity ellipsoid, extracted by the maximum-likelihood method afterremoval of the streams, is not centered on the value commonly acceptedfor the radial antisolar motion: it is centered on < U > =-2.78±1.07 km s-1. However, the full data set(including the various streams) does yield the usual value for theradial solar motion, when properly accounting for the biases inherent tothis kind of analysis (namely, < U > = -10.25±0.15 kms-1). This discrepancy clearly raises the essential questionof how to derive the solar motion in the presence of dynamicalperturbations altering the kinematics of the solar neighbourhood: doesthere exist in the solar neighbourhood a subset of stars having no netradial motion which can be used as a reference against which to measurethe solar motion?Based on observations performed at the Swiss 1m-telescope at OHP,France, and on data from the ESA Hipparcos astrometry satellite.Full Table \ref{taba1} is only available in electronic form at the CDSvia anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/430/165}
| Kinematics of chromospherically active binaries and evidence of an orbital period decrease in binary evolution
The kinematics of 237 chromospherically active binaries (CABs) werestudied. The sample is heterogeneous with different orbits andphysically different components from F to M spectral-type main-sequencestars to G and K giants and supergiants. The computed U, V, W spacevelocities indicate that the sample is also heterogeneous in velocityspace. That is, both kinematically younger and older systems exist amongthe non-evolved main sequence and the evolved binaries containing giantsand subgiants. The kinematically young (0.95 Gyr) subsample (N= 95),which is formed according to the kinematical criteria of moving groups,was compared with the rest (N= 142) of the sample (3.86 Gyr) toinvestigate any observational clues of binary evolution. Comparing theorbital period histograms between the younger and older subsamples,evidence was found supporting the finding of Demircan that the CABs losemass (and angular momentum) and evolve towards shorter orbital periods.The evidence of mass loss is noticeable on the histograms of the totalmass (Mh+Mc), which is compared between theyounger (only N= 53 systems available) and older subsamples (only N= 66systems available). The orbital period decrease during binary evolutionis found to be clearly indicated by the kinematical ages of 6.69, 5.19and 3.02 Gyr which were found in the subsamples according to the periodranges of logP<= 0.8, 0.8 < logP<= 1.7 and 1.7 < logP<=3, respectively, among the binaries in the older subsample.
| A study of the Mg II 2796.34 Å emission line in late-type normal and RS CVn stars
We carry out an analysis of the Mg II 2796.34 Å emission line inRS CVn stars and make a comparison with the normal stars studied in aprevious paper (Paper I). The sample of RS CVn stars consists of 34objects with known HIPPARCOS parallaxes and observed at high resolutionwith IUE. We confirm that RS CVn stars tend to possess wider Mg II linesthan normal stars having the same absolute visual magnitude. However, wecould not find any correlation between the logarithmic line width logWdeg and the absolute visual magnitude MV (theWilson-Bappu relationship) for these active stars, contrary to the caseof normal stars addressed in Paper I. On the contrary, we find that astrong correlation exists in the (MV, log LMg II)plane (LMg II is the absolute flux in the line). In thisplane, normal and RS CVn stars are distributed along two nearly parallelstraight lines with RS CVn stars being systematically brighter by ~1dex. Such a diagram provides an interesting tool to discriminate activefrom normal stars. We finally analyse the distribution of RS CVn and ofnormal stars in the (log LMg II, log Wdeg) plane,and find a strong linear correlation for normal stars, which can be usedfor distance determinations.
| Reprocessing the Hipparcos Intermediate Astrometric Data of spectroscopic binaries. II. Systems with a giant component
By reanalyzing the Hipparcos Intermediate Astrometric Data of a largesample of spectroscopic binaries containing a giant, we obtain a sampleof 29 systems fulfilling a carefully derived set of constraints andhence for which we can derive an accurate orbital solution. Of these,one is a double-lined spectroscopic binary and six were not listed inthe DMSA/O section of the catalogue. Using our solutions, we derive themasses of the components in these systems and statistically analyzethem. We also briefly discuss each system individually.Based on observations from the Hipparcos astrometric satellite operatedby the European Space Agency (ESA 1997) and on data collected with theSimbad database.
| The Rotation of Binary Systems with Evolved Components
In the present study we analyze the behavior of the rotational velocity,vsini, for a large sample of 134 spectroscopic binary systems with agiant star component of luminosity class III, along the spectral regionfrom middle F to middle K. The distribution of vsini as a function ofcolor index B-V seems to follow the same behavior as their singlecounterparts, with a sudden decline around G0 III. Blueward of thisspectral type, namely, for binary systems with a giant F-type component,one sees a trend for a large spread in the rotational velocities, from afew to at least 40 km s-1. Along the G and K spectral regionsthere are a considerable number of binary systems with moderate tomoderately high rotation rates. This reflects the effects ofsynchronization between rotation and orbital motions. These rotatorshave orbital periods shorter than about 250 days and circular or nearlycircular orbits. Except for these synchronized systems, the largemajority of binary systems with a giant component of spectral type laterthan G0 III are composed of slow rotators.
| Catalogue of Apparent Diameters and Absolute Radii of Stars (CADARS) - Third edition - Comments and statistics
The Catalogue, available at the Centre de Données Stellaires deStrasbourg, consists of 13 573 records concerning the results obtainedfrom different methods for 7778 stars, reported in the literature. Thefollowing data are listed for each star: identifications, apparentmagnitude, spectral type, apparent diameter in arcsec, absolute radiusin solar units, method of determination, reference, remarks. Commentsand statistics obtained from CADARS are given. The Catalogue isavailable in electronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp tocdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcar?J/A+A/367/521
| On the Variability of Early K Stars
We investigate the Hipparcos Satellite photometry of K0-K4 stars tostudy their pattern of activity. Most are not particularly variable. Afew stars for which further study is desirable are identified.
| On X-Ray Variability in Active Binary Stars
We have compared the X-ray emissions of active binary stars observed atvarious epochs by the Einstein and ROSAT satellites in order toinvestigate the nature of their X-ray variability. The primary aim ofthis work is to determine whether or not active binaries exhibitlong-term variations in X-ray emission, perhaps analogous to theobserved cyclic behavior of solar magnetic activity. We find that, whilethe mean level of emission of the sample remains steady, comparison ofdifferent ROSAT observations of the same stars shows significantvariation on timescales <~2 yr, with an ``effective variability''ΔI/I=0.32+/-0.04, where I and ΔI represent the mean emissionand variation from the mean emission, respectively. A comparison of theROSAT All-Sky Survey and later pointed observations with earlierobservations of the same stars carried out with Einstein yields onlymarginal evidence for a larger variation (ΔI/I=0.38+/-0.04 forEinstein vs. ROSAT All-Sky Survey and 0.46+/-0.05 for Einstein vs. ROSATpointed) at these longer timescales (~10 yr), thus indicating thepossible presence of a long-term component to the variability. Whetheror not this long-term component is due to the presence of cyclicvariability cannot be decided on the basis of existing data. However,assuming that this component is analogous to the observed cyclicvariability of the Sun, we find that the relative magnitude of thecyclic component in the ROSAT passband can, at most, be a factor of 4,i.e., I_cyc/I_min<4. This is to be compared with the correspondingbut significantly higher solar value of ~10-10^2 derived from GOES,Yohkoh, and Solrad data. These results are consistent with thesuggestions of earlier studies that a turbulent or distributive dynamomight be responsible for the observed magnetic activity on the mostactive, rapidly rotating stars.
| A catalog of rotational and radial velocities for evolved stars
Rotational and radial velocities have been measured for about 2000evolved stars of luminosity classes IV, III, II and Ib covering thespectral region F, G and K. The survey was carried out with the CORAVELspectrometer. The precision for the radial velocities is better than0.30 km s-1, whereas for the rotational velocity measurementsthe uncertainties are typically 1.0 km s-1 for subgiants andgiants and 2.0 km s-1 for class II giants and Ib supergiants.These data will add constraints to studies of the rotational behaviourof evolved stars as well as solid informations concerning the presenceof external rotational brakes, tidal interactions in evolved binarysystems and on the link between rotation, chemical abundance and stellaractivity. In this paper we present the rotational velocity v sin i andthe mean radial velocity for the stars of luminosity classes IV, III andII. Based on observations collected at the Haute--Provence Observatory,Saint--Michel, France and at the European Southern Observatory, LaSilla, Chile. Table \ref{tab5} also available in electronic form at CDSvia anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/Abstract.html
| Absolute declinations with the photoelectric astrolabe at Calern Observatory (OCA)
A regular observational programme with a photoelectric astrolabe havebeen performed at ``Observatoire du Calern" (Observatoire de laCôte d'Azur, OCA, phi = +43() o44′55.011″; lambda =-0() h27() m42.44() s, Calern, Caussols, France) for the last twentyyears. It has been almost fully automatized between 1984 and 1987. Since1988 the photoelectric astrolabe was used without any modification. Inaddition to determining the daily orientation of the local vertical, theyearly analysis of the residuals permits to derive corrections to theused star catalogue \cite[(Vigouroux et al. 1992)]{vig92}. A globalreduction method was applied for the ASPHO observations. The new form ofthe equations \cite[(Martin & Leister 1997)]{mar97} give us thepossibility of using the entire set of the observing program using datataken at two zenith distances (30() o and 45() o). The program containsabout 41648 stars' transits of 269 different stars taken at``Observatoire du Calern" (OCA). The reduction was based on theHIPPARCOS system. We discuss the possibility of computing absolutedeclinations through stars belonging simultaneously to the 30() o and45() o zenith distances programmes. The absolute declination correctionswere determined for 185 stars with precision of 0.027arcsec and thevalue of the determined equator correction is -0.018arcsec +/-0.005arcsec . The instrumental effects were also determined. The meanepoch is 1995.29. Catalogue only available at CDS in electronic from viaanonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/Abstract.html
| The Wilson-Bappu relation for RS CVn stars
We investigate the extent to which the Wilson-Bappu relationship holdsfor chromospherically active binaries using the Mg ii h&k lines of41 RS CVn stars observed with IUE. The resulting fits are different fromthe relationships obtained for single, less active stars. The parallaxused were those from the hipparcos catalogue, these give a much bettercorrelation than the magnitudes taken from CABS. Within a particularluminosity class the relationship is good, however it tends to breakdown when we incorporate objects ranging in luminosity from class i tov. From model calculations there is very little dependence of the Mg iiline width on effective temperature. The line width does however dependon the column mass at the transition region boundary showing increasedline width at lower column mass. There is also a dependence on thecolumn mass adopted for the temperature minimum, however, the major anddominant parameter is the surface gravity scaling as g(-1/4) . Within aluminosity class more active objects will show larger lines widthsreflecting a higher column mass deeper in the atmosphere, e.g. at thetemperature minimum level.
| On the rotation-activity correlation for active binary stars
We present an investigation of rotation-activity correlations usingInternational Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) SWP measurements of the Civemission line at 1550Angstroms for 72 active binary systems. We use astandard stellar evolution code to derive non-empirical Rossby numbers,R_0, for each star in our sample and compare the resulting Civrotation-activity correlation to that found for empirically derivedvalues of the Rossby number and that based on rotation alone. For dwarfstars our values of R_0 do not differ greatly from empirical ones and wefind a corresponding lack of improvement in correlation. Only a marginalimprovement in correlation is found for evolved components in oursample. We discuss possible additional factors, other than rotation orconvection, that may influence the activity levels in active binaries.Our observational data imply, in contrast to the theoretical predictionsof convective motions, that activity is only weakly related to mass inevolved stars. We conclude that current dynamo theory is limited in itsapplication to the study of active stars because of the uncertainty inthe angular velocity-depth profile in stellar interiors and the unknowneffects of binarity and surface gravity.
| The ROSAT all-sky survey catalogue of optically bright late-type giants and supergiants
We present X-ray data for all late-type (A, F, G, K, M) giants andsupergiants (luminosity classes I to III-IV) listed in the Bright StarCatalogue that have been detected in the ROSAT all-sky survey.Altogether, our catalogue contains 450 entries of X-ray emitting evolvedlate-type stars, which corresponds to an average detection rate of about11.7 percent. The selection of the sample stars, the data analysis, thecriteria for an accepted match between star and X-ray source, and thedetermination of X-ray fluxes are described. Catalogue only available atCDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/Abstract.html
| UBV(RI)_C and UVBY photometry of HD 81410 and starspot distribution in RS CVn objects
We present UBVRI and uvby photometry of HD 81410 obtained on a total of40 nights during 1987-90, and an analysis of its long-term photometricbehaviour. The star is found to show two well-separated minima in itslight curve most of the time; probably there are two preferred effectivelongitudes about which spots are mainly formed. The migration of thephase of the light minimum usually seen in RS CVn stars is absent in HD81410. The rather small spread in the maximum V amplitudes observed inactive RS CVn objects seen at different inclinations of rotational axisimplies that the longitudinal asymmetry in the distribution of spots,which causes the light modulation, is largely restricted to withinaround +/-40(deg) latitudes. The total ranges of rotational periodswhich are quoted in the literature for several spotted stars based onlong-term photometry also imply a similar latitudinal extent of spotsabout the equator. We find that the light and colour curves produced byan equatorial band of spots limited by latitudes and covering the fullrange of longitudes across the hemisphere visible at light minimum canbe approximated reasonably well by two well-separated circular spots.Further, we find that the net effect in the colours produced bylimb-darkening depends on the exact distribution of spots on the stellarsurface; it could be even negligible for certain spot distributions.From the spot modeling of the light and colour curves of HD 81410 wefind that the maximum temperature difference between the photosphere andspots is around 1400 K. We also find that the light modulation is causedby several small individual spots, and during the epochs of shallowminimum spots are spread out, both latitudinally and longitudinally,over a wider region, as indicated by a higher temperature for theequivalent circular spots at those epochs. It seems that in RS CVn starsthe spots occur largely distributed about the equator as in the case ofthe Sun and the solutions which indicate polar spots result fromlimiting the number of spots in the modeling to a few. Based on theobservations collected at the European Southern Observatory, La Silla
| The age-mass relation for chromospherically active binaries. III. Lithium depletion in giant components
We present a study of the lithium abundances of a sample of evolvedcomponents of Chromospherically Active Binary Systems. We show that asignificant part of them have lithium excesses, independently of theirmass and evolutionary stage. Therefore, it can be concluded that Liabundance does not depend on age for giant components of CABS. Theseoverabundances appear to be closely related to the stellar rotation, andwe interpret them as a consequence of the transfer of angular momentumfrom the orbit to the rotation as the stars evolve in and off the MainSequence, in a similar way as it happens in the dwarf components of thesame systems and in the Tidally Locked Binaries belonging to the Hyadesand M67. Based on observations collected with the 2.2\,m telescope ofthe German-Spanish Observatorio de Calar Alto (Almeria, Spain), and withthe 2.56\,m Nordic Optical Telescope in the Spanish Observatorio delRoque de los Muchachos of the Instituto de Astrof\'\i sica de Canarias(La Palma, Spain)
| Rotational Velocities of Late-Type Stars
A calibration based on the results of Gray has been used to determineprojected rotational velocities for 133 bright stars with spectral typesof F, G, or K, most of which appear in {\it The Bright Star Catalogue}.The vast majority have {\it v} sin {\it i} $\leq$ 10 km s$^{-1}$ and,thus, are slow rotators. With the new calibration, projected rotationalvelocities have been determined for a sample of 111 late-type stars,most of which are chromospherically active. Some of the stars have hadtheir rotational velocities measured for the first time. (SECTION:Stars)
| The structure of roundchroms in close binary systems
The determination of common chromospheres - roundchroms - for 32 closebinary systems, all of RS CVn type, is described; the main parameters ofthese roundchroms - volumes, electron concentrations and masses, areestimated. Three types of roundchroms are established according to theirstructure. The empirical relationship between their electronconcentration n_e and intercomponent distance a - n_e = K a^-0.80,discovered earlier, is confirmed by data for over fifty close binarysystems. This law holds promise for the determination of component radiiof close binary systems and some parameters of their roundchroms.
| Common chromospheres - roundchroms - as a means for the study of binary systems
An independent method based on the concept of common chromospheres -roundchroms - is proposed for the determination of the radii of the maincomponents of RS CVn-type close binary systems. The essence of themethod is in the coincidence of the radius of the main component of thebinary system with the equipotential zero-velocity surface for somevalues of the Jacobi constant. As an illustration, the method is appliedto a sample of 15 RS CVn-type systems, and as a result the revised radiiof the main components in the systems are determined. The mainparameters, particularly the volumes, electron concentrations and massesof the roundchroms, are obtained as well. Empirical dependences of theelectron concentration in the roundchrom, n_e, and of the 2800 Mg iidoublet luminosity, L(Mg ii), on intercomponent distance a werediscovered, the first in the form n_e~a^-0.85 and the second in the formL(Mg ii)~a^1.66. The formation of a roundchrom in close binary systemsis inevitable, and the roundchrom is as essential a physical formationfor binary systems as are the corona and chromosphere for single stars.
| Classification of Population II Stars in the Vilnius Photometric System. II. Results
The results of photometric classification of 848 true and suspectedPopulation II stars, some of which were found to belong to Population I,are presented. The stars were classified using a new calibrationdescribed in Paper I (Bartkevicius & Lazauskaite 1996). We combinethese results with our results from Paper I and discuss in greaterdetail the following groups of stars: UU Herculis-type stars and otherhigh-galactic-latitude supergiants, field red horizontal-branch stars,metal-deficient visual binaries, metal-deficient subgiants, stars fromthe Catalogue of Metal-deficient F--M Stars Classified Photometrically(MDPH; Bartkevicius 1993) and stars from one of the HIPPARCOS programs(Bartkevicius 1994a). It is confirmed that high galactic latitudesupergiants from the Bartaya (1979) catalog are giants or even dwarfs.Some stars, identified by Rose (1985) and Tautvaisiene (1996a) as fieldRHB stars, appear to be ordinary giants according to our classification.Some of the visual binaries studied can be considered as physical pairs.Quite a large fraction of stars from the MDPH catalog are found to havesolar metallicity. A number of new possible UU Herculis-type stars, RHBstars and metal-deficient subgiants are identified.
| Accurate Positions for Radio Stars as Determined from CCD Observations in the Extragalactic Reference Frame.
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1997AJ....114.1679S&db_key=AST
| EUV Emission from RS Canum Venaticorum binaries.
We performed a study of 104 RS CVn systems in the extreme ultraviolet(EUV) using the all-sky survey data obtained by the Extreme UltravioletExplorer (EUVE). The present sample includes several new RS CVndetections; 11 more than in the published EUVE catalogs, and 8 more thanin the ROSAT Wide Field Camera catalog. The ratio of detections tonon-detections remained constant throughout the sky, implying that ourdetections are not limited by the exposure time but are most likelylimited by absorption from the interstellar medium. A general trend ofincreasing Lex/B (50-180Å) flux with decreasing rotational periodis clear. The dwarf systems exhibit a leveling-off for the fasterrotators. In contrast, the evolved systems exhibit no such effect. Forthe RS CVn systems the losses in the EUV represent a smaller fraction ofthe coronal radiative losses, as compared to active late-type dwarfs.
| A Search for Optical Flares in Chromospherically Active Stars
We have surveyed four years of archival UBV photometry of 69chromospherically active stars obtained with the Phoenix-10 automaticphotoelectric telescope in search of optical flares on these stars. Wedemonstrate taht, while flares can be detected in these data, the numberof events observed on evolved stars remains very small. Flares werefound only on UX Arietis, II Pegasi, and AR Piscium. (SECTION: Stars)
| A Catalogue of Correlations Between Eclipsing Binaries and Other Categories of Double Stars
Among the 9110 stars in The Bright Star Catalogue, there are 225eclipsing or ellipsoidal variables. A search has been made for these incatalogues of spectroscopic binaries, visual double or multiple stars,speckle interferometry, occulation binaries, and galatic clusters. Themajority of the photometric binaries are also members of groups ofhigher multiplicity. The variables are in systems ranging from one to 91stars, five on the average. 199 are either spectroscopic binaries (SB)or stars with variable radial velocity, with orbital periods known for160. Photometric periods are lacking for 48 while SB periods areavailable for 23 of these. Observers with photoelectric equipment areencouraged to plan observations to test if the SB periods are consistentwith photometric data. Observers are likewise encouraged to examinethose stars for which the photometric and SB periods appear to beinconsistent. Parallaxes are available for 86 of the stars, 41 of themindicating distances nearer than 50 parsecs.
| Random Spots on Chromospherically Active Stars
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1996ApJ...462..888E&db_key=AST
| Optical positions of radio stars. I.
The optical positions of 31 radio stars obtained from the observationswith the photoelectric astrolabe at Yunnan Observatory are presented inthis paper. These are all the stars in the astrometric catalogue ofradio stars observable by our astrolabe.
| The emission of the RS CVn binaries in the IRAS passbands.
In the literature, there is an ambiguity pertaining to the existence ofa far-IR excess in RS CVn systems. In the current paper we undertook astudy of the behaviour of 103 such systems in the IRAS passbands. Wefound 72 acceptable detections in the 12μm band, and 40 in the25μm band (50% more than the IRAS Point Source Catalog). Although ourfindings may be interpreted as indicating towards the existence of anexcess beyond 12μm for some systems, the evidence is not conclusivein all but two cases. These are systems GX Lib and HR 7428, with Capellabeing the only system where the IRAS fluxes in all four bands originatefrom the stellar photosphere. Given the accuracy of the data we did notfind 12μm excess for any system. We argue that the IRAS data alonecannot settle the issue, as their uncertainty is, in many cases, higherthan what the Signal-to-Noise ratio of each observation implies.Furthermore, at the higher wavelength bands the IRAS angular resolutiondrops from 0.5' at 12μm to 2' at 100μm and the background becomesvery complex, so one cannot be certain about the origin of the observedflux. The existence of IR excess in the RS CVn stars is important as faras the evolutionary scenarios for these systems are concerned. Futuremissions such as the Infrared Space Observatory will return moresensitive and accurate measurements and the ambiguity can be removed.The fluxes we quote will be helpful when planning these futureobservations, as we provide more accurate photometry and for a largerselection of sources than the IRAS Point Source Catalog.
| The behaviour of the excess CA II H and K and Hɛ emissions in chromospherically active binaries.
In this work we analyze the behaviour of the excess Ca II H and K andHɛ emissions in a sample of 73 chromospherically active binarysystems (RS CVn and BY Dra classes), of different activity levels andluminosity classes. This sample includes the 53 stars analyzed byFernandez-Figueroa et al. (1994) and the observations of 28 systemsdescribed by Montes et al. (1995c). By using the spectral subtractiontechnique (subtraction of a synthesized stellar spectrum constructedfrom reference stars of spectral type and luminosity class similar tothose of the binary star components) we obtain the active-chromospherecontribution to the Ca II H and K lines in these 73 systems. We havedetermined the excess Ca II H and K emission equivalent widths andconverted them into surface fluxes. The emissions arising from eachcomponent were obtained when it was possible to deblend bothcontributions. We have found that the components of active binaries aregenerally stronger emitters than single active stars for a giveneffective temperature and rotation rate. A slight decline of the excessCa II H and K emissions towards longer rotation periods, P_rot_, andlarger Rossby numbers, R_0_, is found. When we use R_0_ instead ofP_rot_ the scatter is reduced and a saturation at R_0_=~0.3 is observed.A good correlation between the excess Ca II K and Hɛchromospheric emission fluxes has been found. The correlations obtainedbetween the excess Ca II K emission and other activity indicators, (C IVin the transition region, and X-rays in the corona) indicate that theexponents of the power-law relations increase with the formationtemperature of the spectral features.
| On the link between coronal activity and orbital period in evolved binary stars.
The analysis of the relationship between X-emission flux and orbitalperiod indicates a drop in the X-ray emission of binaries with evolvedcomponents at orbital periods of about 100 days: Intense X-ray emittershave an orbital period lower than 100 days, whereas with an orbitalperiod greater than about 100 days are weak X-ray emitters. Thiscritical period corresponds to the orbital period separating binarysystems with circular orbits from those of eccentric orbits.
| Starspot evolution, differential rotation, and magnetic cycles in the chromospherically active binaries lambda andromedae, sigma Geminorum, II Pegasi, and V711 Tauri
We have analyzed 15-19 yr of photoelectric photometry, obtained manuallyand with automated telescopes, of the chromospherically active binarieslambda And, sigma Gem, II Peg, and V711 Tau. These observations let usidentify individual dark starspots on the stellar surfaces from periodicdimming of the starlight, follow the evolution of these spots, andsearch for long-term cyclic changes in the properties of these starspotsthat might reveal magnetic cycles analogous to the Sun's 11 yr sunspotcycle. We developed a computer code to fit a simple two-spot model toour observed light curves that allows us to extract the most easilydeterminable and most reliable spot parameters from the light curves,i.e., spot longitudes and radii. We then used these measured propertiesto identify individual spots and to chart their life histories byconstructing migration and amplitude curves. We identified and followed11 spots in lambda And, 16 in sigma Gem, 12 in II Peg, and 15 in V711Tau. Lifetimes of individual spots ranged from a few months to longerthan 6 yr. Differential rotation coefficients, estimated from theobserved range of spot rotation periods for each star and defined byequation (2), were 0.04 for lambda And, 0.038 for sigma Gem, 0.005 forII Peg, and 0.006 for V711 Tau, versus 0.19 for the Sun. We searched forcyclic changes in mean brightness, B-V color index, and spot rotationperiod as evidence for long-term cycles. Of these, long-term variabilityin mean brightness appears to offer the best evidence for such cycles inthese four stars. Cycles of 11.1 yr for lambda And, 8.5 yr for sigmaGem, 11 yr for II Peg, and 16 yr V711 Tau are implied by these meanbrightness changes. Cyclic changes in spot rotation period were found inlambda And and possibly II Peg. Errors in B-V were too large for anylong-term changes to be detectable.
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Observation and Astrometry data
| Constellation: | Lacerta |
| Right ascension: | 22h30m06.50s |
| Declination: | +49°21'22.0" |
| Apparent magnitude: | 6.4 |
| Distance: | 122.249 parsecs |
| Proper motion RA: | -25.5 |
| Proper motion Dec: | -29.9 |
| B-T magnitude: | 7.929 |
| V-T magnitude: | 6.553 |
Catalogs and designations:
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