Short-period intensity fluctuations of integral sunlight

An attempt has been made to detect short-period solar luminosity fluctuations in the vicinity of 5 min, analogous to the observed velocity oscillation. Using silicon photodiodes to monitor integral sunlight, an upper limit for the amplitude of the intensity fluctuations of 3 x 10^-5 rms was found.Proceedings of the 14th ESLAB Symposium on Physics of Solar Variations, 16–19 September 1980, Scheveningen, The Netherlands.     

Short-period Jupiter family comets after Stardust

The NASA Stardust mission has provided for laboratory study an extensive data set of cometary dust of known provenance (from comet 81P/Wild 2) yielding detailed insights into the composition of the comet. Combined with the results of data from other missions to short-period Jupiter family comets (JFC), this has greatly deepened the understanding of such objects. If depressions on the surface of comet 81P/Wild 2 are all taken as evidence of impact cratering, their number suggests a long occupancy in the outer region of the Solar System. The dust from comet 81P/Wild 2 has been shown to be heavily deficient in pre-Solar grains and rich in materials formed at high temperatures in the inner Solar System. Although it is too early to know if this is typical of JFC, it does argue for rapid and thorough mixing of materials in the disk on timescales related to comet formation, and may also suggest outward migration of small icy bodies after their formation. Thus, instead of providing mainly new knowledge of the pre-Solar materials expected to be rich in comets, Stardust and comet 81P/Wild 2 have instead focussed attention on large-scale transport processes during the critical period when cometary parent bodies were forming in the early Solar System.     

Gamma-ray binaries

Recent observations have shown that some compact stellar binaries radiate the highest energy light in the universe. The challenge has been to determine the nature of the compact object and whether the very high energy gamma-rays are ultimately powered by pulsar winds or relativistic jets. Multiwavelength observations have shown that one of the three gamma-ray binaries known so far, PSR B1259−63, is a neutron star binary and that the very energetic gamma-rays from this source and from another gamma-ray binary, LS I +61 303, may be produced by the interaction of pulsar winds with the wind from the companion star. At this time it is an open question whether the third gamma-ray binary, LS 5039, is also powered by a pulsar wind or a microquasar jet, where relativistic particles in collimated jets would boost the energy of the wind from the stellar companion to TeV energies. I.F. Mirabel is on leave from CEA, France.     

X-ray binaries

Summary The various types and classes of X-ray binary are reviewed high-lighting recent results. The high mass X-ray binaries (HMXRBs) can be used to probe the nature of the mass loss from the OB star in these systems. Absorption measurements through one orbital cycle of the supergiant system X1700-37 are well modelled by a radiation driven wind and also require a gas stream trailing behind the X-ray source. In Cen X-3 the gas stream is accreted by the X-ray source via an accretion disk. Changes in the gas stream can cause the disk to thicken and the disk to obscure the X-ray source. How close the supergiant is to corotation seems to be as much a critical factor in these systems as how close it is to filling its Roche lobe. In the Be star X-ray binaries a strong correlation between the neutron stars rotation period and its orbital period has been explained as due to the neutron star being immersed in a dense, slow moving equatorial wind from the Be star. For the X-ray pulsars in the transient Be X-ray binaries a centrifugal barrier to accretion is important in determining the X-ray lightcurve and the spin evolution. The X-ray orbital modulations from the low mass X-ray binaries, LMXRBs, include eclipses by the companion and/or periodic dipping behaviour from structure at the edge of the disk. The corresponding optical modulations show a smooth sinusoidal like component and in some cases a sharp eclipse by the companion. The orbital period of the LMXRB XB1916-05 is 1% longer in the optical compared to that given by the X-ray dip period. The optical period has been interpreted as the orbital period, but this seems inconsistent with the well established view of the origin of the X-ray modulations in LMXRB. A new model is presented that assumes the X-ray dip period is the true orbital period. The 5.2 h eclipsing LMXRB XB2129+47 recently entered a low state and optical observations unexpectedly reveal an F star which is too big to fit into the binary. This is probably the first direct evidence that an X-ray binary is part of a hierarchical triple. Finally the class of X-ray binaries containing black hole candidates is reviewed focusing on the value of using X-ray signatures to identify new candidates.     

Short-period interplanetary and polar magnetic field variations

It is shown that the dependence of the variations of vertical component of the polar cap magnetic field on the sector structure (actually, the azimuthal or Y component) of the interplanetary magnetic field as first discovered by Svalgaard (1968) and Mansurov (1969) extends to variations as brief as 1 hr or even less. The relation between sector structure dependent variations and substorm fields as indicated by the southward-directed component of the interplanetary magnetic field is investigated by comparing brief variations over selected intervals of time. The independence of the variations of the polar cap vertical and horizontal components suggests that there are at least two different current systems which produce brief variations in the polar cap. One of the current systems is related to the substonn field; the other is strongly seasonally dependent and is confined to the dayside sector of the Earth.     

Hipparcos astrometric binaries

The Input Catalogue of some 100000 stars that is presently prepared for observation by the astrometric satellite HIPPARCOS, will contain many double and multiple systems. Because of the Hipparcos observation technique, these systems have to be divided in a few particular categories that are described and discussed. Each of them leads to specific considerations concerning the contribution of the Hipparcos observations. The category of very close pairs to which Hipparcos will certainly add many systems newly discovered during the mission, is compared to that of the few astrometric pairs that have been discovered by groundbased techniques.Hipparcos appears finally as a very important tool in double star astronomy research and especially in the field of very close systems.Communication presented at the International Conference on Astrometric Binaries, held on 13–15 June, 1984, at the Remeis-Sternwarte Bamberg, Germany, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel (1784–1846).     

Ultracool dwarf binaries

We review here the multiplicity properties of ultracool dwarfs (spectral type later than M6) observed in three different environments and at three different ages: in the field, where the objects are relatively old (1–5 Gyrs) and isolated, in the Pleiades young (∼120 Myr) open cluster, and in the young (∼5 Myr) Upper Scorpius OB association (USco). While the field and Pleiades populations seem to have very similar properties, the preliminary results obtained in USco might show significant differences. If confirmed, it would mean that the phenomena responsible for the “final” properties of ultracool dwarfs multiplicity are still at work at the age of USco, but are already over at the age of the Pleiades. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Variable binaries and variables in binaries in the Binary star DataBase

The Binary star DataBase(BDB, http://bdb.inasan.ru) combines data from catalogs of binary and multiple stars of all observational types. There is a number of ways for variable stars to form or to be a part of binary or multiple systems. We describe how such stars are represented in the database.     

Gravity-darkening in eclipsing binaries

A quantitative analysis of the ellipticity effect in close binary systems of the W Ursae Maioris type with spectroscopically known mass-ratios discloses that the photometric ellipticities of these variables are, in general, more than twice as large as the dynamical ellipticities (due to the geometrical distortion alone) computed for contact models of centrally condensed stars. If, moreover, this excess of the photometric over dynamical ellipticity is attributed to the phenomenon of gravity-darkening over distorted surfaces of the constituent components, this darkening must be present to a considerablylarger degree than that predicted by the theory of radiative transfer — a result difficult to reconcile with the existence of extensive sub-surface convection zones in late-type Main-Sequence stars. If, on the other hand, gravity-darkening is present in W UMa-type systems in the amount predicted by the theory (let alone in the presence of sub-surface convection), the only effective way of reconciling the theory with the observations would be to assume that the mean fractional radii of their constituent components are appreciablylarger than those appropriate for contact models in which the two components just fill the largestclosed Roche equipotentials capable of containing their mass. In other words, it would appear that the W UMa-type stars considered in this paper may constitute a single dumb-bell figure rather than two distinct components; and that the observed variations of light, colour or radial velocity are invoked by the axial rotation (and consequent variable cross-section) or this dumb-bell figure rather than to the contribution of individual stars.     

Supernovae in close binaries

The impact of a supernova shell onto 2.82M _⊙ and 20.0M _⊙ main-sequence stars is investigated for various initial orbital separations, and various supernova shell masses and velocities. The inelastic collision between the star and the supernova shell, the shock propagation into the companion star, and other forms of momentum transfer such as the rocket effect are considered. The total momentum transfer due to the supernova is insufficient to eject the companion from the binary as long as the companion retains most of its mass, regardless of the initial orbital separation. Ejection of the companion may occur if the companion is nearly destroyed. Even in contact binaries destruction does not necessarily occur, and if the orbital separation exceeds 10¹² cm, destruction of the companion becomes quite unlikely.     

The youngest X-ray binaries

Several X-ray binaries(XRBs) have been identified to be associated with supernova remnants(SNRs). Because of the short lifetimes of SNRs, this leaves them to be the youngest known XRBs.This small group of binaries provides valuable information on the formation of compact stars under the framework of massive binary evolution. In this paper we review the observational characteristics of these youngest XRBs and discuss their possible implications on the initial conditions of compact stars and their interaction with the companion stars.     

Structure of close binaries

Internal models have been obtained for uniformly rotating synchronous close binary systems using a modified double approximation scheme. We have considered primaries of 10M , 5M , and 2M with mass ratios of 0.0 to 1.0 in steps of 0.1, and some results are given for a 1M primary with a mass ratio of 1.0. A maximum luminosity reduction of 2.3% was found for a 10M primary with a mass ratio of 1.0 and 7.7% for a mass ratio of 0.0. The corresponding values for 5M are 2.0% and 7.0%, and for 2M they are 1.6% and 5.3%, respectively. These values were not found to be sensitive to small changes in composition. The maximum equatorial velocity varies from 399 km s^–1 for 2M to 567 km s^–1 for 10M when the mass ratio is zero, but these velocities decrease by 200–300 km s^–1 if the mass ratio is unity. The effect of gravity darkening on the apparent position of the primary in the theoretical H-R diagram was investigated. It was determined that an unresolved close binary of unit mass ratio can lie up to 0.9 magnitudes (depending on inclination) above the main sequence, whereas if the effects of distortion are ignored this number is at most 0.75 magnitudes. There seems to be some observational support for the larger value. Two models of the secondaries are given and their dimensions are compared with their critical Roche lobes.     

Gravity-darkening in eclipsing binaries

An analysis of the photometric ellipticity effect in close binary systems consisting of early-type Main Sequence stars discloses that its excess over dynamical ellipticity is, on the whole, within limits explainable by linear laws of limb-and gravity-darkening over distorted stellar surfaces, with coefficients consistent with theoretical expectations based on the absence of convection in sub-surface layers. This contrasts with the situation encountered in our earlier investigation of W U Ma-type systems, and reveals that whereas the photometric properties of early-type Main Sequence systems appear to be normal in the light of the existing theories of their light changes, it is the W U Ma-type systems which confront us with unexplained phenomena in the form of anomalously large ellipticities; but their solution is as yet nowhere near in sight.     

Be/X-ray binaries

The interest in X/γ-ray Astronomy has grown enormously in the last decades thanks to the ability to send X-ray space missions above the Earth’s atmosphere. There are more than half a million X-ray sources detected and over a hundred missions (past and currently operational) devoted to the study of cosmic X/γ rays. With the improved sensibilities of the currently active missions new detections occur almost on a daily basis. Among these, neutron-star X-ray binaries form an important group because they are among the brightest extra-solar objects in the sky and are characterized by dramatic variability in brightness on timescales ranging from milliseconds to months and years. Their main source of power is the gravitational energy released by matter accreted from a companion star and falling onto the neutron star in a relatively close binary system.     

Short-period fluctuation analysis of the new BIH LOD series

In this paper, we analyse the short-period tidal fluctuations in the new LOD series of ERP (1962.0 – 1982.0) reduced by Li Zhengxin, using the Marple algorithm. The Marple spectral analysis reveals sharp peaks at 13.652, 27.586 and 31.746 days. They are consistent with the tidal terms M_f, M_m and MS_m. Their amplitudes are estimated.

The elastic deformation parameter K/C is calculated at the fortnightly and monthly frequencies. A least squares solution gives 0.56 ± 0.21 and 0.89 ± 0.21 at these two frequencies. The difference between these two values is not significant.     

Statistical study of visual binaries

In this paper, some statistical distributions of wide pairs included in the Washington Double Star Catalog are investigated. Frequency distributions and testing hypothesis are derived for some basic parameters of visual binaries. It was found that the magnitude difference is distributed exponentially, which means that the majority of the components of the selected systems are of the same spectral type. The distribution of mass ratios is concentrated at about 0.7 which agrees with Salpeter mass function. The distribution of the linear separation appears to be exponential which contradicts previous studies for close binaries.     

The structure of close binaries

A method for calculating the structure of a close binary component is presented. It is seen that the effect of binary distortion is to shift the zero age main sequence to the right. Attempts to construct contact systems with these models confirm the results of earlier workers that this is not possible.     

Short-period pulsations observed simultaneously by X-ray and radio waves

From simultaneous high-time-resolution observations of solar X-rays from Hinotori and the millimeter waves at Itapetinga Radio Observatory in Brazil during a solar flare on November 4, 1981 at 1827 UT, short period ( 300 ms) pulsations have been detected in five time intervals of 2 s each. Both a cross-correlation analysis between X-rays and microwaves and a Fourier analysis were made to verify the significance of the quasi-periodic pulsations. The cross-correlation is significant but the pulsations could not be periodic oscillation.on leave of absence from Physical Res. Lab., Ahmedabad, India