Flare stars and the fast electron hypothesis

An extensive analysis is made of the theory of flare stars based on the fast electron hypothesis, in the light of the latest observational evidence. It is shown that an adequate agreement of theory with the observations obtains regarding the internal regular features in the flare amplitude data inUBV rays, as well as the changes of the colour characteristics of stars during the flares; in the latter case the analysis is made not only in respect of the UV Cet-type stars, but flare stars as well, forming a part of the Orion association. Problems bearing on the negative flare and the screening effect are dealt with. New properties of the light curves of flares are revealed, based on the above theory.Particular emphasis is laid on the X-ray radiation from flare stars. It is shown that the observed spectrum of X-ray radiation of flare stars differs sharply from that of X-ray radiation both of the stellar corona and solar X-ray flares. At the same time, the observed X-ray spectrum of flares is in complete harmony with the previously calculated theoretical spectrum corresponding to nonthermal bremsstrahlung with the energy of monoenergetic fast electrons 1.5 MeV. The durations of X-ray flares should be essentially shorter than that of the optical flares. The very high momentary intensities of the X-ray brightness with the exceedingly small duration at the curve maximum is predicted. It is shown that the gamma-ray bursts recorded so far have no relation whatever to flare stars.     

Flare stars in the taurus cloud region

In the Winters of 1975 and 1977, observations of flare stars in the Taurus Cloud region were made with the 40 cm double astrograph of the Purple Mountain Observatory. Two flare stars and one repeat outburst of FH Tau were identified. We give also a comparison between the flare stars of this region and the ϱ Oph region.     

Flare stars: Postflare behaviour of emission lines

The problem of the postflare behaviour of chromospheric emission lines in UV Cet-type flare stars is considered. It is shown that the postflare behaviours of different emission lines differ essentially from one another. In particular, the intensity of hydrogen and helium lines must be greatest at flare peak in continuum, while the intensities of 2800 Mg_II and H and K Ca_II lines reach their maximum magnitudes in the intermediate period between two flares. Theoretical postflare light curves are derived for the most important chromospheric lines: helium, hydrogen ionized magnesium and calcium (Figures 8, 9, 11, and 16). The definite regularities in sequence of these light curves are established (Figure 17). Methods of obtaining the mass concentration,n _*, in the chromospheres of flare stars based on the analysis of hydrogen and calcium light curves are elaborated. Values ofn _* obtained for a group of UV Cet-type flare stars are listed in Table VII. The conditions of the intensification of emission lines during the flare are examined, as is the possibility of the existence of an empirical relationship between chromospheric concentration,n _* and flare frequency,f _U .     

Bose statistics and the stars

A brief account is given of the early development of a new sources. Following the chance discovery that it was unaffected by scintillation it was proposed to apply the same principle to measuring visible stars. This proposal met with vigorous opposition from physicists when it was realised that it implied that the time of arrival of photons in two mutually coherent beams of light must be correlated. Two laboratory experiments were done to demonstrate that this correlation does in fact take place. Then, after a pilot model had measured the angular size of Sirius, a full scale stellar intensity interferometer was built and installed at Narrabri in Australia. In a programme lasting 12 years it measured the angular diameters of 32 single stars in the spectral range O to F and established the first wholly empirical temperature scale for stars in that range. For the last 10 years the work has been continued by the construction of the larger and more sensitive Sydney University Stellar Interferometer called SUSI.     

Massive stars in the UV

We emphasize in this paper the importance of the UV range for our knowledge of massive stars and the fundamental role played by past and present space-based UV capabilities (IUE, HST, FUSE and others). Based on a review of the work developed in the last years and the state of the art situation for quantitative spectroscopy of massive stars, we present crucial advances which could be addressed by hypothetical future space-based UV missions. Advantages and unique data that these missions could provide are explained in the context of our present knowledge and theories on massive stars in the Milky Way and nearby galaxies. It is argued that these studies are our key to a correct interpretation of observations of more distant objects.     

Statistical investigation of flare stars. III. Flare stars in the general galactic star field

Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory. Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 29, No. 3, pp. 531–540, November–December, 1988.     

UV habitable zones around M stars

During the last decade there was a change in paradigm, which led to consider that terrestrial-type planets within liquid-water habitable zones (LW-HZ) around M stars can also be suitable places for the emergence and evolution of life. Since many dMe stars emit large amount of UV radiation during flares, in this work we analyze the UV constrains for living systems on Earth-like planets around dM stars. We apply our model of UV habitable zone (UV-HZ; Buccino, A.P., Lemarchand, G.A., Mauas, P.J.D., 2006. Icarus 183, 491–503) to the three planetary systems around dM stars (HIP 74995, HIP 109388 and HIP 113020) observed by IUE and to two M-flare stars (AD Leo and EV Lac). In particular, HIP 74995 hosts a terrestrial planet in the LW-HZ, which is the exoplanet that most resembles our own Earth. We show, in general, that during the quiescent state there would not be enough UV radiation within the LW-HZ to trigger the biogenic processes and that this energy could be provided by flares of moderate intensity, while strong flares do not necessarily rule-out the possibility of life-bearing planets.     

Time distribution of flare events on UV Cet stars

A statistical analysis of the flare data on three UV Cet stars obtained at Catania Observatory in the indicated periods-UV Cet (1968–1976), EQ Peg (1969–1975) and YZ CMi (1968–1976)-is presented. The distributions of the four variables (i) , the time elapsed from the start of a continuous observation interval to the occurrence of the first flare; (ii) , the time interval between consecutive flares; (iii)k, the number of flares occurring in time intervals of given duration; (iv) , the ratio between the number of flares observed in each continuous observing interval to that expected for a Poisson process, indicate that the flares of the three stars considered are not randomly distributed in time.