54 Cam: A new variable star

Differential photometry of the RS CVn-type binary 54 Cam in 1978, 1979, and 1980 shows its light to be variable with a period of 10 _. ^d 163±0 _. ^d 009 and an amplitude inV (max. to min.) which increased from 0 _. ^m 03 to 0 _. ^m 06 between 1979.19 and 1980.82. An epoch of light minimum was JD 2444529.7. The 9% difference betweenP(phtm.)=10 _. ^d 163 andP(orb.)=11 _. ^d 0764,a much larger difference than is characteristic of other RS CVn binaries, is suggested as an explanation for the radio emission.Guest Investigator, Kitt Peak National Observatory,which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, under contract with the National Science Foundation.Of the AAVSO.     

Orbital elements of the RS CVn eclipsing binary,SV Camelopardalis

The extensiveUBV observations of SV Camelopardalis by Patkos (1982) have been analysed to derive the orbital elements of the system. The data were corrected for the effect of third body (Sarma, Sarma & Abhyankar 1985) and for the ‘RS CVn’ distortion wave (Sarma, Vivekanandarao & Sarma 1988). The cleaned data were used to obtain a preliminary solution by a modified version of Wellmann method (Sarma & Abhyankar 1979) from which we concluded that the primary eclipse is a transit. The final orbital elements of SV Cam were obtained by the modified version (Sarma 1988; Sarmaet al. 1987) of WINK program by Wood (1972). The colour and median brightness variation are discussed. From the spectroscopic mass functionf(m) = 0.118 M_⊙ (Hiltner 1953), the absolute dimensions of the components are found to be 0.826 M_bd & 0.592 M_⊙ and 1.236 R_⊙ & 0.778 R_⊙ for the primary and secondary components, respectively. The age of the binary system is estimated to be 6.0 ± 1.0 × 10⁸ years     

Parameters of the apparent relative orbit of the third body in the SZ Cam system

A complete set of parameters of the apparent relative orbit of the third body in the SZ Cam system is determined for the first time based on new speckle-interferometric and photometric observations of the eclipsing binary SZ Cam made with the 6-m telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences and 0.5-m telescope of the Astronomical Observatory of Ural State University and published data. The mass of the third body and the distance to SZ Cam are estimated at M ₃ = 23.4M _⊙ and d = 1125 kpc, respectively. The binary nature of the third body is confirmed. It is suggested that SZ Cam is possibly not a member of the open star cluster NGC 1502 onto whose center it projects. A total of 16 new times of minima of SZ Cam are reported.     

Results of a long-term monitoring of the multiple system SZ Cam

We present the results of the reduction of our photometric and spectroscopic observations for the eclipsing binary SZ Cam performed with the telescopes at the Astronomical Observatory of the Ural Federal University and the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences in 1996–2014. Based on an 11-year-long photometric monitoring of SZ Cam, we have obtained new elements of its photometric orbit and parameters of its components. We have detected low-amplitude periodic light variations in SZ Cam that are possibly related to the ellipsoidal shape of the components of the spectroscopic binary third body. Based on published data and our new spectroscopy, we have found new values for the mass ratio, q = 0.72 ± 0.01, and parameters of the radial velocity curves of the components, V ₀ = ?3.6 ± 1.7 km s^?1, K ₁ = 190.2 ± 1.9 km s^?1, and K ₂ = 263.0 ± 2.4 km s^?1. The component masses have been estimated to be M ₁ = 16.1 M _⊙ and M ₂ = 11.6 M _⊙. We have obtained new light elements and parameters of the radial velocity curves for the third body, V ₀ ^3b = 4.2 ± 0.6 km s^?1 and K ₁ ^3b = 26.6 ± 0.8 km s^?1. We have improved the period of the relative orbit of SZ Cam and the third body, P _orb = 55.6 ± 1.5 yr.     

Bi-periodic variation in the BL Lac AO 0235+164

High resolution VLBI hybrid map of the BL Lacertae object AO 0235+164 has been produced at a wavelength of 6 cm. The map shows that the object's radio structure is dominated by a strong, nearly unresolved core with a weak and clear component in northeast direction and a faint one in southwest direction. The positional angle of its jet component are equal to66.4^°, which is the biggest one in comparison with previous results. Based on the variation of its flux density with time at three different frequencies, we find that the flux density of AO 0235+164 shows bi-periodic variation, i.e., the shorter periodic variation of ∼ 1.81 years and a longer periodic variation of ∼ 3.63 years. The later is essentially in agreement with our earlier predicted results that the existence of the periodic variation of ∼ 3.63 years may be caused by the precession of its `central engine'. This bi-periodic variation is probably the results of the joint action of jet outbursts and jet rotation. With the binary black hole models of Kaastra and Roos, we get the minimum total mass of the binary system of 1.46 × 10⁸ M _⊙. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Determination of the elements of eclipsing variables,RW Gem and AY Cam,by Fourier analysis of their light changes

The aim of the present paper has been to present an analysis of the light curve of two eclipsing systems RW Gem and AY Cam by Fourier analysis of the light changes in the frequency domain which was developed by Kopal (1975a, b, c, d, e; 1976).In Section 1, the subject is introduced in a general way, with the intention of laying the foundation of the light curve analysis. Section 2 contains the evaluation of the empirical values of the theoretical momentA _2m is demonstrated, with the equation of the condition given. Then the equations forA _2m in terms of the elements of the total and the annular eclipses, including partial and annular phase of transit eclipse, follow.The analysis of the light curves of the two eclipsing binaries (RW Gem and AY Cam), the results and the discussion of our solution, are outlined in Section 3.     

The round chroms of contact binaries

It is shown that the formation of a roundchrom, i.e. a common chromosphere,in W UMa type contact binaries is inevitable. The geometrical forms of roundchroms for ten contact binaries are obtained. For contact binaries the round-chroms of open type are predicted along with a possibility of outflow of round-chrom's gaseous matter from the outer Lagrangian point L₂. The main parameters of roundchroms, the electron concentration n _e, efficient emission volume V, power of emission in magnesium doublet 2800 MgII etc. are obtained for the ten contact binaries. The decrease of the mean electron concentration in roundchrom n _e with the increase of the intercomponent distance a is discovered: n _e ∼ a ^-1. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Cyclic variations of the period and luminosity of SV Camelopardalis

New standardized V ‐band light curves (LCs) for the eclipsing binary SV Cam have been modeled using the PHOEBE program (v. 0.31a). Absolute parameters of the stellar components were then determined, enabling them to be positioned on the mass‐radius diagram. Analysis of eclipse minima timing data (O – C diagrams) indicated two cyclic periods of 48.0 and 23.3 yr. These cyclic variations of the orbital period are interpreted in terms of motion of a third body around the system and magnetic activity cycle modulating the orbital period of SV Cam via the Applegate (1992) mechanism. The use of the Applegate model for SV Cam has been checked by examining the long term brightness variation and calculating some important parameters of this system. The results of these calculations favor the modulation of the orbital period by the Applegate mechanism. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

New CCD photometry for the extreme lower mass-ratio binary AW Ursae Majoris

This paper presents charge-couple device (CCD) photometric observations for the eclipsing binary AW UMa. The V-band light curve in 2007 was analyzed using the 2003 version of the Wilson–Devinney code. It is confirmed that AW UMa is a total eclipsing binary with a higher degree of contact f=80.2% and a lower mass ratio of q=0.076. From the (O−C) curve, the orbital period shows a continuous period decrease at a rate of dP/dt=−2.05×10⁻⁷ d yr⁻¹. The long-term period decrease suggested that AW UMa is undergoing the mass transfer from the primary component to the secondary one, accompanied by angular momentum loss due to mass outflow L ₂. Weak evidence indicates that there exists a cyclic variation with a period of 17.6 yr and a small amplitude of A=0. ^d 0019, which may be attributed to the light-time effect via the third body. If the existence of an additional body is true, it may remove a great amount of angular momentum from the central system. For this kind of contact binary, as the orbital period decreases, the shrinking of the inner and outer critical Roche lobes will cause the contact degree f to increase. Finally, this kind of binary will merge into a single rapid-rotation star.     

Photometric investigation of the short period eclipsing binary star V719 Her

The Behlen observatory 0.76 m telescope CCD photometer is used to obtain 347 observations of the short period (P0^d.4) eclipsing binary star V719 Her. The observations done withV andR bandpass filters were made on 6 nights in 1993. Previously published light elements and the present five timings of minimum provide a new epoch and a more accurate orbital period of 0.4009828 days. Our analyses show that the period of the system appears to decrease. We recommend future monitoring of the eclipse minima for this system. No published spectral classification for V719 Her exists. From the color,V-R=0.391, we estimate it to be about F5.The 1993 version of the Wilson Devinney model gave the photometric solutions. The adopted solution indicates that V719 Her is a W UMa type contact binary. The mass ratio,q=(m ₂/m ₁, where star 1 eclipse at the primary minimum)=0.296 suggests that V719 Her is a WUMa system with type-A (transit during primary eclipse) configuration. The secondary minimum shows a total eclipse. V719 Her with period less than 0.5 and spectral class F5, is probably a zero-age contact system. Since our photometric solution shows that the luminosity difference between the components is very large, we suspect that V719 Her is most likely a single line spectroscopic binary. We recommend spectroscopic study of this system.     

New spectrophotometry for SZ cam (the problem of a third component)

We present the results of our spectroscopic observations of the eclipsing binary SZ Cam performed with the 1-m (Zeiss-1000) and 6-m (BTA) telescopes at the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences in 2000 and 2003. Based on our results and published data, we have calculated new values for the component mass ratio, q = 0.72 ± 0.02, the radial velocity of SZ Cam relative to the Solar system barycenter, V ₀ =?10.6 ± 2.0 km s^?1, and the semi-amplitudes of the radial velocity curves for both components, K ₁ = 192.0 ± 2.6 and K ₂ = 266.4 ± 2.5 km s^?1. The orbital semimajor axes and masses of the components have been determined: α₁ = 10.4R _⊙, α₂ = 14.5R _⊙, M ₁ = 16.7M _⊙, M ₂ = 12.0M _⊙. New light elements and parameters of the radial velocity curve for the third body have been obtained. The mass of the secondary component of the third body M ₂ ^3b is discussed. Its lower limit is estimated to be M ₂ ^3b = 1.4M _⊙.     

Imaging magnetographs for high‐resolution solar observations in the visible and near‐infrared wavelength region

The Coudé feed of the vacuum telescope (aperture D = 65 cm) at the Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO) is currently completely remodelled to accommodate a correlation tracker and a high‐order Adaptive Optics (AO) system. The AO system serves two imaging magnetograph systems located at a new optical laboratory on the observatory's 2^nd floor. The InfraRed Imaging Magnetograph (IRIM) is an innovative magnetograph system for near‐infrared (NIR) observations in the wavelength region from 1.0 μm to 1.6 μm. The Visible‐light Imaging Magnetograph (VIM) is basically a twin of IRIM for observations in the wavelength range from 550 nm to 700 nm. Both instruments were designed for high spatial and high temporal observations of the solar photosphere and chromosphere. Real‐time data processing is an integral part of the instruments and will enhance BBSO's capabilities in monitoring solar activity and predicting and forecasting space weather.     

A photometric study of BO Canum Venaticorum

Photometric BV light curves of BO CVn obtained in 1992 and new times of minima are presented. The primary minimum shows a transit, whereas the secondary minimum, shows an occultation. The system may be classified as an A‐type W UMa system. A complete study of minima allows one to detect a possibly increasing period by about 0.037 s/yr. This indicates that the conservative mass transfer rate from the less massive component to the more massive one is 1.57 10^—10M_⊙ /yr. Because of the variable period, the new ephemeris is determined for future observations. Using the Wilson‐Devinney code a simultaneous solution of the B and V light curves is also performed. The analysis shows that the system is in a contact configuration with q = 0.205 ± 0.001 and fillout factor (f) = 0.18, T₁ = 7240 K (fixed), T₂ = 7150± 10 K. The high orbital inclination i = 87°.54 ± 0.26 was con firmed by photometric observations of the secondary minimum.     

Photometry of the contact binary system V471 Cas

UBV photoelectric observations of the W UMa-type binary V471 Cas were made from September to November 1984. Its colour indices were found to be(B-V)=0 _. ^m 771±0 _. ^m 02 and(U-B)=0 _. ^m 196±0 _. ^m 02. TheU, B, andV light curves of V471 Cas show some photometric fluctuations. We found that its orbital period is not 0.335998 days which was given by GCVS (1986), but 0.405356 days.Photometric orbital elements of V471 Cas were found using the Wilson-Devinney method. V471 Cas is a contact system, in which the overcontact factor is 0.19, its mass ratio of two components is 0.5947, and orbital minclination is in 83.29 degrees.     

Photometric study of three contact binary systems

The first complete light curves of two eclipsing binaries in Camelopardalis, NX Cam and V584 Cam, are here presented together with the new observations of the system NSVS 2643686 obtained in 2014. The light curves were modelled using the latest version of the Wilson-Devinney code. Our results show that all the three systems have an extreme mass ratio q < 0.2, two of them, NX Cam and NSVS 2643686, having the fill-out f > 50%, belong to the class of the so called Deep Low Mass Ratio systems (DLMR) but show different physical characteristics. The two above systems are totally eclipsed binaries with the duration of the secondary eclipse of 87 min for NX Cam and 51 min for NSVS 2643686. The other system, V584 Cam, shows a middle fill-out value of f = 33% and low inclination. Using our Times of Minima (ToM) derived from the observations as well as those found in the literature, the ephemerides of the three systems are here revised. The absolute dimensions are estimated and, from statistical diagram, it is found that all the components of the systems follow the general pattern of the well known W UMa contact binaries.     

An observational study of the high-amplitude δ Scuti star V367 Cam

CCD observations of V367 Cam, a high-amplitude δ Scuti star, were carried out in both V and R band on October 22 and 23 and November 4, 2016. By using the new observed maximum times and the previously reported epochs, a new ephemeris is obtained. Fourier analysis of the light curves yields the main frequency f1 = 8.2242 d ⁻¹ and its second harmonic as 2f1 = 16.4062 d ⁻¹. The pulsation constant specifying the oscillation characteristics of pulsating stars is calculated from physical parameters of V367 Cam. We obtained Q = 0.03814 ± 0.00409, which demonstrates this star pulsates in single radial fundamental mode. With the derived physical parameters, the evolution status of V367 Cam is determined and also it is shown on H-R diagram against other δ Scuti stars. Furthermore, we made a count of mono-periodic HADS, which are expected to be decreasing in number and turned to be multiperiodic in the advent of high precision photometry and extended data.     

Spectrographic study of the eclipsing binary system SZ Camelopardalis

Thirteen high-dispersion spectrographs of the eclipsing binary star SZ Cam have been studied with a view of determining more accurate information on: (i) the spectral type and luminosity classifications, (ii) absolute parameters for the component stars, (iii) the stellar environment of SZ Cam. The main results in these categories are as follows: (i) O9.5 Vnk, (ii)m _g=19±2M _⊙,m _s=6.5±1M _⊙;r _g=9.7±3.6R _⊙,r _s=4.8±1.7R _⊙;T _e～30000 K,T _e～23000 K; (iii) there is a local concentration of absorbing material which may reach a density of 2M _⊙ pc^?3, and the distance of the star is found to be 600±150 pc. The determined overluminosity of the secondary star and the local concentration of absorbing material are two topics which provide the basis for a discussion section.     

Ccd Photometry of Neglected Eclipsing Binaries – Kz Dra, Lr Cam and Im Vul

We present ephemerides and solutions of one Algol-type (KZ Dra) and two overcontact systems (LR Cam and IM Vul) based on V(RI)_C CCD observations obtained in the project Prosper (network of amateur observers).     

Pulsations in the eclipsing variable system AS Camelopardalis

We performed photoelectric observations of AS Cam in 2002–2004. Five new times of minima were obtained. Their positions are consistent with the previously found light equation for the system and with the hypothesis that the difference between the observed (15°/100 yr) and theoretical (44°/100 yr) rates of apsidal motion results from the presence of a third body in the system. A Fourier analysis of two observational data sets, 1968–1970 and 2002–2004, reveals, with a high significance, periodic light variations with a frequency of ω ₀ = 1.0950 ± 0.0001d^?1 and an amplitude of ～0 _. ^m 020, which are probably caused by the radial pulsations of one of the components. We found a seasonal phase shift of these oscillations that may be produced by other periodic processes in the system. We show that the fairly large scatter of observed times of minima about the theoretical curve of the light equation can be explained by the presence of pulsations. Using the 2002 and 2004 observations as an example, we show that including the pulsations reduces this scatter.     

Unified model for the radio and X-ray emissions from nova CI Cam 1998

We investigate the possibility of constructing a unified model for the radio and X-ray outbursts of nova CI Cam 1998 in terms of the shock interaction of the nova envelope with circumstellar gas. In a spherical model, we manage to describe the kinematics and evolution of the radio source flux and very roughly the evolution of the X-ray flux. The X-ray spectrum in this model is appreciably harder. Better agreement with observations in all respects is shown by the model for the interaction of a spherical nova envelope with a nonspherical circumstellar medium. The latter is simulated in our model by a combination of rarefied bipolar conical outflows of stationary wind with an opening angle of 120° and a dense equatorial disk. In the optimal model, the initial kinetic energy of the nova envelope is ∼5 × 10⁴³ erg and its mass lies within the range (1–5) × 10⁻⁷ M _⊙. The energy and mass of the nova envelope as well as the mass loss rate in the nonspherical model are close to those obtained in the spherical model by Filippova et al. (2008).