Sixty four nights of UBV photometry of early‐type stars at La Sila

UBV measurements of early‐type stars, mostly eclipsing binaries, obtained at La Silla in the years 1990 to 1994 with the ESO 50 cm telescope are presented. Most of these data were already used in our individual studies of several binaries. Now all photometric measurements were reduced again with an advanced technique and are made available electronically. Our data for MY Ser have not yet been published; new light curve is given and solved. The result is that MY Ser is a contact binary, with very large fill‐out parameter. Also a light curve and its solution for V1051 Cen are provided, and the problem of the period of V871 Cen is pointed out. Besides binaries (and the comparison and check stars) data for several stars in southern H II regions are included. Extinction and transformation coefficients are given (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Search for contact,systems among EB-type binaries

In this third paper of the series, we analyze five more EB-type eclipsing binaries with short periods (<1 day) and suspected to be contact, or near-contact systems.We find that V747 Cen and ZZ Aur are almost contact systems, RY Ind is a semi-detached system, while AX Vir and ST Car are both detached systems.     

Light Curve Analysis of Early-Type Overcontact Systems

A method is presented to include irradiation effects in the modeling of over-contact binaries. The Roche potential is numerically modified in a way to account for mechanical effects of the mutual irradiation of the two binary components. The efficiency of radiative interaction is parametrized by means of the fraction of radiative over gravitational forces for each component of the binary. The modified Roche geometry is implemented as binary model in an eclipse light curve solution code, which is based on the general Wilson–Devinney scheme. As an example the method is applied to the early-type over-contact system V606 Cen.     

An analysis of the light curves of four W UMa-type stars

Kopal's method and the optimisation technique have been applied to the light curves of four binaries (AB And, FG Hyd, UZ Leo, and RR Cen). New sets of geometrical and physical elements have been derived.     

Orbital period investigations of two short-period early-type overcontact binaries BH Cen and V701 Sco in two extremely young galactic clusters IC 2944 and NGC 6383

Both V701 Sco and BH Cen are two early-type short-period overcontact systems (P = 0.^d762 and P = 0.^d792, respectively). V701 Sco is a member of the young galactic cluster NGC 6383, while BH Cen is a component of a younger galactic cluster IC 2944 where star formation is in process. They provide good opportunity to understand the formation and evolution of binary stars. In the present paper, orbital period changes of the two binaries are investigated. It is discovered that the orbital period of BH Cen shows a long-term increase with a rate of dP/dt = +1.70(±0.39) × 10⁻⁷ days/year while it undergoes a cyclic oscillation with a period of 44.6 years and an amplitude of A₃ = 0.^d0216. For V701 Sco, its O-C curve reveals a periodic change with a period of 41.2 years and amplitude of A₃ = 0.^d0158. The mass ratio of BH Cen is 0.84, but V701 Sco contains twin B1-1.5V type stars with a mass ratio of unit. The continuous period increase of BH Cen is caused by the mass transfer from the less massive component to the more massive one at a rate of dM₂/dt = 3.5 × 10⁻⁶ days/year.The cyclic period changes of both systems can be plausibly explained as the results of light-travel time effects suggesting that they are triple systems. The astrophysical parameters of the unseen tertiary components in the two systems have been determined. We think that the invisible tertiary components in both binaries played an important role in the formations and evolutions of the overcontact configurations by bringing angular momentum out from the central systems. For BH Cen, this process created the initial short period and will support its evolution into an overcontact configuration via a Case A mass transfer within the life time of the extremely young cluster IC 2944. For V701 Sco, two identical zero-age main-sequence components in an overcontact configuration suggest that it may have been formed by fission, possibly by the fission of the third body. The fact that no long-term continuous period variations were found for V701 Sco may suggest that an overcontact binary with the mass ratio of unity can be in an equilibrium revealing that the original configuration of the binary was overcontact as is its present state. It has been reported that faint stars in the two extremely young clusters are relatively scare. From the present study, it is shown that faint stars in young clusters are usually formed as companions of OB stars (including binaries). It is very difficult to detect them because of their low luminosity when compared with the more luminous OB stars.     

Models of α Centauri A and B with and without seismic constraints: time dependence of the mixing-length parameter

The α Centauri (α Cen) binary system is a well-known stellar system with very accurate observational constraints on the structure of its component stars. In addition to the classical non-seismic constraints, there are also seismic constraints for the interior models of α Cen A and B. These two types of constraint give very different values for the age of the system. While we obtain 8.9 Gyr for the age of the system from the non-seismic constraints, the seismic constraints imply that the age is about 5.6–5.9 Gyr. There may be observational or theoretical reasons for this discrepancy, which can be found by careful consideration of similar stars. The α Cen binary system, with its solar-type components, is also suitable for testing the stellar mass dependence of the mixing-length parameter for convection derived from the binaries of Hyades. The values of the mixing-length parameter for α Cen A and B are 2.10 and 1.90 for the non-seismic constraints. If we prioritize the seismic constraints, we obtain 1.64 and 1.91 for α Cen A and B, respectively. By taking into account these two contrasting cases for stellar mass dependence of the mixing-length parameter, we derive two expressions for its time dependence, which are also compatible with the mass dependence of the mixing-length parameter derived from the Hyades stars. For assessment, these expressions should be tested in other stellar systems and clusters.     

Massive X-ray binaries: Their physics and evolution

We review various aspects of the evolutionary history of massive X-ray binaries. It is expected that moderately massive close binaries evolve to Be X-ray binaries, while very massive systems evolve to standard X-ray binaries.The compact objects are formed through supernova explosions. The fairly low galactic latitudes of those systems indicate that the explosion should, in general, not have accelerated the system to a velocity larger than 50kms^–1. This implies that the mass of the exploding stars is in general less than 5 to 6M .After the explosion, tidal forces will circularize the orbit of short period systems. Even if the tidal evolution has been completed, the expansion of the optical star during the course of its evolution will continously disturb the stability of the orbit. Short period systems with large mass ratio may eventually become tidally unstable. Cen X-3 may be an example of such a system. The predicted rate of the orbital period decrease of Cen X-3 is in agreement with the observed rate.A way to represent the rotational and magnetic evolution of neutron stars in close binary systems is presented. The observed distribution of the pulsation periods of X-ray pulsars with Be companions is consistent with initial magnetic fields of 10¹²–10¹³ G of the neutron stars. We suggest that the fast X-ray pulsars 4U 0115+63 and A 0538-66 are young neutron stars, while Cen X-3 and SMC X-1 are recycled pulsars.The evolutionary relationship between massive X-ray binaries, binary pulsars, and millisecond pulsars is also discussed.Invited paper presented at the IAU Third Asian-Pacific Regional Meeting, held in Kyoto, Japan, between 30 September–6 October, 1984.     

On the accretion mode of the intermediate polar V1025 Centauri

The long white-dwarf spin periods in the magnetic cataclysmic variables EX Hya and V1025 Cen imply that if the systems possess accretion discs then they cannot be in equilibrium. It has been suggested that instead they are discless accretors in which the spin-up torques resulting from accretion are balanced by the ejection of part of the accretion flow back towards the secondary. We present phase-resolved spectroscopy of V1025 Cen aimed at deducing the nature of the accretion flow, and compare this with simulations of a discless accretor. We find that both the conventional disc-fed model and the discless-accretor model have strengths and weaknesses, and that further work is needed before we can decide which applies to V1025 Cen.     

Multicolour photopolarimetry of magnetic cataclysmic variables

Observational evidence of optical cyclotron emission from discrete regions on the highly magnetic white dwarf components of AM Herculis type binaries is presented on the basis of linear and circular polarimetry of EF Eri, AM Her, VV Pup, and V834 Cen. About the geometry of the main emitting region in VV Pup our simultaneousUBVRI photometry during the eclipse by the white dwarf shows that the size of the emitting region (0.1–0.3 in units of the white dwarf radius) increases by a factor of about two from ultraviolet to near-infrared.Paper presented at the 11th European Regional Astronomical Meetings of the IAU on New Windows to the Universe, held 3–8 July, 1989, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.     

The evolution of massive close binaries

The influence of tidal, interaction on the periods of massive X-ray binaries during the postsupernova evolution is investigated. It is assumed that after a certain time the orbit has become circular and synchronous. The tidal effects of subsequent evolutionary changes in the moment of inertia of the massive component are calculated. It is shown that, as is already suggested by Sparks and Stecher (1974), for small mass ratios and short binary periods a tidal instability may occur resulting in an accelerating inward spiral motion. Before the onset of the instability the tidal forces maintain a nearly synchronous orbit. Possibly the orbits of Cen X-3 and 3 U 1700-37 are already unstable at present.     

Pulsation–decline relationships in R Coronae Borealis stars

Decline onset times were measured in long-term visual light curves for five R Coronae Borealis (RCB) variable stars. These included RY Sgr and V854 Cen, the two RCB stars previously reported to have a relationship between dust formation events and pulsational variations. Analysis of the decline epochs showed that all decline onsets for a given star obey a linear ephemeris tied to the object's dominant radial pulsation period. Thus, in addition to confirming the pulsation–decline correlation for RY Sgr and V854 Cen, this same behaviour was demonstrated in UW Cen, R CrB and S Aps for the first time. This general result firmly establishes the connection between radial pulsation and mass loss in the RCB stars. The dominant pulsation period of ≈40 d for all of these objects therefore represents the characteristic time-scale on which these stars produce dust.     

Spectroscopic studies of southern-hemisphere Cepheids: Six objects in Centaurus (V Cen, V737 Cen) and Sagittarius (BB Sgr, W Sgr, X Sgr, Y Sgr)

This paper is the next one in the series of our works aimed at determining the atmospheric parameters and chemical composition of southern-hemisphere Cepheids. We present the results of our study for six bright Cepheids: V Cen, V737 Cen, BB Sgr, W Sgr, X Sgr, and Y Sgr. We have analyzed 14 high-resolution spectra taken with the 1.9-m telescope at the South African Astronomical Observatory. In addition to determining the chemical composition and atmospheric parameters, we point out and discuss several features in the spectra of individual Cepheids. In particular,we have detected emission in the cores of the Hβ and Hα lines forWSgr near its maximum light, while X Sgr shows the splitting of metal absorption lines into individual components without any change of the hydrogen lines. These peculiarities can be explained by different manifestations of shock waves in the Cepheid atmospheres and by the presence of circumstellar envelopes around X Sgr and W Sgr. The chemical composition has been estimated for V737 Cen, BB Sgr, and X Sgr for the first time. On the whole, our abundance estimates for α-elements, iron-peak elements, and r- and s-process elements are close to the solar ones for all objects, carbon is underabundant, the oxygen abundance is nearly solar, the “odd” elements, Na and Al, are overabundant (except X Sgr), magnesium is underabundant for V Cen and X Sgr and overabundant for the remaining objects. Such a chemical composition is typical of yellow supergiants after the first dredge-up. Keywords: Cepheids, spectra, atmospheric parameters, chemical composition.     

Precessing warped accretion discs in X-ray binaries

We study the radiation-driven warping of accretion discs in the context of X-ray binaries. The latest evolutionary equations are adopted, which extend the classical alpha theory to time-dependent thin discs with non-linear warps. We also develop accurate, analytical expressions for the tidal torque and the radiation torque, including self-shadowing.
We investigate the possible non-linear dynamics of the system within the framework of bifurcation theory. First, we re-examine the stability of an initially flat disc to the Pringle instability. Then we compute directly the branches of non-linear solutions representing steadily precessing discs. Finally, we determine the stability of the non-linear solutions. Each problem involves only ordinary differential equations, allowing a rapid, accurate and well-resolved solution.
We find that radiation-driven warping is probably not a common occurrence in low-mass X-ray binaries. We also find that stable, steadily precessing discs exist for a narrow range of parameters close to the stability limit. This could explain why so few systems show clear, repeatable 'superorbital' variations. The best examples of such systems, Her X-1, SS 433 and LMC X-4, all lie close to the stability limit for a reasonable choice of parameters. Systems far from the stability limit, including Cyg X-2, Cen X-3 and SMC X-1, probably experience quasi-periodic or chaotic variability as first noticed recently by Wijers and Pringle. We show that radiation-driven warping provides a coherent and persuasive framework but that it does not provide a generic explanation for the long-term variabilities in all X-ray binaries.     

Light curve solutions of six eclipsing binaries at the lower limit of periods for W UMa stars

Photometric observations are presented in V and I bands of six eclipsing binaries at the lower limit of the orbital periods for W UMa stars. Three of them are newly discovered eclipsing systems. The light curve solutions reveal that all shortperiod targets are contact or overcontact binaries and six new binaries are added to the family of short-period systems with estimated parameters. Four binaries have components that are equal in size and a mass ratio near 1. The phase variability shown by the V-I colors of all targets may be explained by lower temperatures on their back surfaces than those on their side surfaces. Five systems exhibit the O'Connell effect that can be modeled by cool spots on the side surfaces of their primary components.The light curves of V1067 Her in 2011 and 2012 are fitted by diametrically opposite spots. Applying the criteria for subdivision of W UMa stars to our targets leads to ambiguous results.     

V758 Centauri:UBV photometry

The W UMa system V758 Centauri has been observed photoelectrically in theUBV system at Bosque Alegre Station, and the comparison and check stars at Cerro Tololo Observatory. Full light curves were constructed from 1043 differentialUBV observations. A study of 11 photoelectric times of minimum light and of earlier photographic data shows that the period remained constant in the last century, V758 Cen shows a total occultation at secondary minimum, thus being an A-type W UMa system. Asymmetries are observed at primary minima whereas maxima are of different heights. Thermal decoupling of the components is suggested by the depth ratio of the minima; V758 Cen may be at the broken phase (or marginal contact) of a thermal relaxation oscillation.     

Deep optical imaging of nova remnants: a southern sky sample

We present an optical imaging study of 20 southern sky nova remnants which has resulted in the discovery of four previously unknown nova shells — those of V842 Cen, RR Cha, DY Pup and HS Pup. The study has also revealed previously unobserved features in three other known shells — those of BT Mon, CP Pup and RR Pic. The images of BT Mon, V842 Cen, RR Cha, DY Pup and HS Pup have been processed using several deconvolution algorithms (Richardson–Lucy, maximum entropy and CLEAN ) in addition to straightforward point-source subtraction in an attempt to resolve the shells from the central stars. The use of four different methods enables us to make a qualitative judgment of the results. Notably, the shell of RR Pic displays tails extending outwards from clumps in the main ejecta similar to those previously detected in DQ Her.     

57-second oscillations in Nova Centauri 1986 (V842 Cen)

High-speed photometry in 2008 shows that the light curve of V842 Cen possesses a coherent modulation at 56.825 s, with sidebands at 56.598 and 57.054 s. These have appeared since this nova remnant was observed in 2000 and 2002. We deduce that the dominant signal is the rotation period of the white dwarf primary and the sidebands are caused by reprocessing from a surface moving with an orbital period of 3.94 h. Thus, V842 Cen is an intermediate polar (IP) of the DQ Herculis subclass, is the fastest rotating white dwarf among the IPs and is the third fastest known in a cataclysmic variable. As in other IPs, we see no dwarf nova oscillations, but there are often quasi-periodic oscillations in the range 350–1500 s. There is a strong brightness modulation with a period of 3.78 h, which we attribute to negative superhumps, and there is an even stronger signal at 2.886 h which is of unknown origin but is probably a further example of that seen in GW Lib and some other systems. We used the Swift satellite to observe V842 Cen in the ultraviolet and in X-rays, although no periodic modulation was detected in the short observations. The X-ray luminosity of this object appears to be much lower than that of other IPs in which the accretion region is directly visible.     

Changes in the Period of V420 Cen,a W Vir-Type Cepheid

Astronomy Letters - The reduction of all the available photometry for the Cepheid V420 Cen has allowed its $$O-C$$ diagram spanning a time interval of 131 years to be constructed. The data obtained...     

Return mapping of phases and the analysis of the gravitational clustering hierarchy

We present spectroscopic and high-speed photometric data of the eclipsing polar V895 Cen. We find that the eclipsed component is consistent with it being the accretion regions on the white dwarf. This is in contrast to Stobie et al. who concluded that the eclipsed component was not the white dwarf. Further, we find no evidence for an accretion disc in our data. From our Doppler tomography results, we find that the white dwarf has   M ≳0.7 M_⊙  . Our indirect imaging of the accretion stream suggests that the stream is brightest close to the white dwarf. When we observed V895 Cen in its highest accretion state, emission was concentrated along field lines leading to the upper pole. There is no evidence for enhanced emission at the magnetic coupling region.