Polarimetric and photometric observations of long-period variables

Observations of 35 long-period variables have been done mainly at the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory during the last years. A polarimetric monitoring of 34 stars has been carried out with simultaneous photometric measurements for some of them. Photometric data in the UBVR bands have been obtained for the star Y Ori, which is the faintest one. The results show that the degree of light polarization is correlated with the period and brightness of these stars. This indicates that the degree of light polarization is connected with the mass loss as well. Finally the photoelectric observations of the stars Y Ori, T Cep, R Gem, and R Boo show a short-term increase of their brightness in the decreasing branch of their light curves. The measured (U-B) or (B-V) colors of detected rapid variations are bluer than the colors of the star measured before these events. It is supposed that the change of polarization with time, the relatively blue colors of miras near their minimum brightness, and the colors of detected rapid variations may be explained by the influence of a invisible blue companion, as in the case of the star R Aqr. Published in Astrofizika, Vol. 42, No. 3, pp. 341–350, July–September, 1999.     

UBVRI photometry and polarimetry of the young eclipsing binary EK Cep

Multicolor photometric and polarimetric observations of the eclipsing binary EK Cep at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory in 1995 and 2006–2007 are reported. Polarimetric observations were made of stars in the neighborhood of EK Cep. It is shown that the observed linear polarization of EK Cep is determined by a variable circumstellar constituent, as well as by the interstellar component. Various possible mechanisms for formation of the intrinsic polarization of binary stars are discussed. Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 52, No. 1, pp. 117–126 (February 2009).     

Spectrum of V350 Cep: 1978–1994 observations

The results of spectroscopic observations on the 6-m telescope in 1978–1994 are given for V350 Cep, a T Tauri star with an unusual light curve, located in the star-forming region NGC 7129. A general characterization of the spectrum is given, with the relative intensities and radial velocities of the main lines, and manifestations of spectral variability are described. Strong fluorescence in Fe I lines is observed. A pronounced strengthening and shift of H and Ca II emission in 1982 indicate the ejection of an additional shell. At the same time, no evolutionary changes typical offuors are found in the spectrum of V350 Cep. The star may be an EX Lupi object (an exor). Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 42, No. 2, pp. 165–178, April–June, 1999     

Optical photometry of GM Cep: evidence for UXor type of variability

Results from optical photometric observations of the pre-main sequence star GM Cep are reported in the paper. The star is located in the field of the young open cluster Trumpler 37—a region of active star formation. GM Cep shows a large amplitude rapid variability interpreted as a possible outburst from EXor type in previous studies. Our data from BVRI CCD photometric observations of the star are collected from June 2008 to February 2011 in Rozhen observatory (Bulgaria) and Skinakas observatory (Crete, Greece). A sequence of sixteen comparison stars in the field of GM Cep was calibrated in the BVRI bands. Our photometric data for a 2.5 years period show a high amplitude variations ($\Delta V \sim2\mbox{$\Delta V \sim2\mbox{) and two deep minimums in brightness are observed. The analysis of collected multicolor photometric data shows the typical of UX Ori variables a color reversal during the minimums in brightness. On the other hand, high amplitude rapid variations in brightness typical for the Classical T Tauri stars also present on the light curve of GM Cep. Comparing our results with results published in the literature, we conclude that changes in brightness are caused by superposition of both: (1) magnetically channeled accretion from the circumstellar disk, and (2) occultation from circumstellar clouds of dust or from features of a circumstellar disk.     

UBV photoelectric observations of the eclipsing binary system XZ Cep

Three color photoelectric observations of the close binary system XZ Cep at the Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory are reported. These data cover the entire light curve and represent, up to now, the best and most extensive observations of this star. The positions of the components of XZ Cep on a mass-log g diagram show that it is in a phase following a rapid transfer of mass. The theoretical light curves are not fully consistent with the observed curves at phases of 0.35-0.40 and 0.6-0.9. This is evidently because of the influence of gaseous flows in the system. The existence of circumstellar matter and gas flows at phases of 0.7-0.9 are also confirmed by spectral data and by changes in the intrinsic polarization of XZ Cep. In addition, a polarimetric study of the star indicates that two or more interstellar clouds with different properties lie between XZ Cep and us. A detailed study of the photoelectric data presented here is also extremely interesting for the confirmation of the latter idea.     

High resolution spectroscopy of the semi-regular variable LR Sco

A detailed spectroscopic investigation of LR Sco which was earlier misclassified as R CrB star is made. Atmospheric parameters and elemental abundances are determined using detailed depth-dependent model atmospheres and line synthesis technique. Most of the elements show near solar abundances. The strength of circumstellar components seen in Na D lines are used to derive the mass loss rate. Another independent estimate of mass loss rate is made using the observed infrared flux from 1–100Μm. These two approaches lead to nearly the same value of mass loss rate whenM _vis assumed to be – 4.5 for this star.     

Integral spectroscopy of the nebula GM 1-29 and the star PV Cep

Integral spectroscopy data for the nebula GM 1-29 and the source star PV Cep obtained on the 2.6-m telescope at the Byurakan Observatory are presented. The structure and kinematics of a collimated emission outflow directed along the axis of the nebula are studied. Changes in the radial velocity and intensity of the absorption component of the nebular Hα line are observed and studied; these are interpreted as a result of an anisotropy in the stellar wind at distances on the order of several stellar radii, where this absorption is formed. __________ Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 51, No. 3, pp. 461–468 (August 2008).     

A long-term UBVRI photometric study of the pre-main sequence star V350 Cep

Results from UBVRI optical photometric observations of the pre-main sequence star V350 Cep during the period 2004-2014 are presented.The star was discovered in 1977 due to its remarkable increase in brightness by more than 5 mag(R).In previous studies,V350 Cep was considered to be a potential FUor or EXor eruptive variable.Our data suggest that during the period of observations the star maintains its maximum brightness with low amplitude photometric variations.Our conclusion is that V350 Cep was probably an intermediate object between FUors and EXors,similar to V1647 0ri.     

Variations in brightness and polarization of UX Draconis

Photoelectric observations of the brightness and polarization of the carbon star UX Dra in 1989–1993 are presented and discussed. The strong variations in this star’s period and the impossibility of determining it from our observations forced us to use an extrapolation of Vetešnik’s periodvariation curve. As in Vetesnik’s observations, our determinations of UX Dra’s brightness are satisfied far better by a period twice as long. The variations in UX Dra’s brightness and polarization parameters resemble most closely those of an RV Tau star, in our opinion. Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 41. No. 4, pp. 561–568, October–December, 1998.     

A long-term photometric study of the pre-main-sequence star V 350 Cep

Results from photographic and CCD photometric observations of the pre-main sequence star V 350 Cep are presented. A continued gradual rise of brightness resembling the light curves of the FUOR type stars is observed. A search in the WFPDB was made to find old photographic observations of V 350 Cep.     

Limiting polarization effect—a key link in investigating the mean profiles of radio pulsars

Using a well-known method for calculating the propagation of waves in an inhomogeneous medium, we have managed to reduce the problem of wave propagation in pulsar magnetospheres to a system of two ordinary differential equations that allow the polarization characteristics of the radio emission to be quantitatively described for any magnetic field structure and an arbitrary density profile of the outflowing plasma. We confirm that for ordinary pulsars (period P ∼ 1 s, magnetic field B ₀ ∼ 10¹² G, particle production multiplicity parameter λ ∼ 10⁴), the polarization is formed inside the light cylinder at a distance of the order of a thousand neutron star radii. For reasonable magnetic field strengths and plasma densities on the emission propagation path, the degree of circular polarization is found to be ∼5–20%, in good agreement with observations.     

BVRI photometry and light curve analysis of VW CEP

Synthetic light curve solutions for the W UMa-system VW Cep have been determined by applying the most new version of Wilson (1998)approach to B-observations of 1996 and VRI-observations of 1999. From a consideration of the possible evolution of this system, it is found that the system is a partial eclipsing contact one, and its primary to be a nearly Main-Sequence F5 star of mass 0.85 M _⊙ and the secondary to be a dwarf of spectral type G0 of mass 0.34 M _⊙. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Variations of Polarization in the Emission of ℴ Andromedae and LZ Cephei

The results of observations of polarization for the Be star And that are given are in fully satisfactory agreement with the results obtained by Arsenijevic, Vince, and Kubicela in 1974-1977. All these observations together support Harmanec's hypothesis that strengthening of the circumstellar envelope of And occurs during periastron passage of its companion, moving in an elongated orbit with a period of 8.5 years. The results of polarimetric observations of LZ Cep indicate that its slight, variable intrinsic polarization may originate, as in most semidetached systems, in the scattering of radiation of these stars from particles of matter escaping from the component that is filling its Roche lobe.     

Results of Photometric and Spectroscopic Observations of the Young Variable Star V730 Cep

We present the results of our photometric (V RI) and spectroscopic observations of the young variable star V730 Cep (MisV1147) classified by Uemura et al. (2004) as a Herbig Be star. Our photometry confirms the conclusion of the above authors that this star has a complex pattern of variability including periodic or quasi-periodic brightness variations with a period of about 14 days and deep Algol-like minima typical for UX Ori stars. Our spectroscopy shows that the classification of V730 Cep as a Herbig Be star is wrong. Actually, this star has a much lower temperature and belongs to the family of T Tauri stars. This allows us to explain the nature of the unusual photometric activity of V730 Cep based on a combination of two well-known models of variable circumstellar extinction applied to young stars: AA Tau- and UX Oritype variability. It follows from our observations that the color tracks on the V ?(V ?I) color–magnitude diagram for these models slightly differ: the AA Tau-type variability of circumstellar extinction is caused by larger grains than the UX Ori-type variability. Such a difference can be due to an increase in the characteristic sizes of circumstellar dust as the star is approached and has a simple explanation: small dust grains evaporate faster than large ones.     

Variations in the brightness and polarization of W Cep

The hypothesis that W Cep has an eclipsing variability is discussed on the basis of our photometric and polarimetric observations of it from 1983–2003. Here we attempt to use our observations of W Cep to construct an average light curve, after separating out the slow variation, with the elements JD_min=2448105^d+2090^d. A strong variability is found from period to period at phases of 0.1–0.3 that may be caused by a variable flow of matter between the components. __________ Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 49, No. 2, pp. 187–196 (May 2006).     

Polarization Observation Experiments for Radio Flares of Stars at the 6 cm Band

We have performed radio polarization observation experiments of the stars V772 Her and β Per with the Urumqi 25 m radio telescope at the 6 cm waveband, and obtained light curves of the stars after data processing and calibration. A radio ?are from the star V772 Her was detected on 2011 April 13. The degree of linear polarization of this ?are is about 30%, and the polarization angle is about 4°. We have detected also the slowly-varying component of the radio radiation from β Per, as well as a short ?are superposed on it, which has a very weak linear polarization.     

UBVR photometry of gas-darkened variable systems. EM Cep

Photoelectric UBVR light curves of the gas-darkened variable EM Cep are given. A flare was detected on November 15–16, 1991: while a brightness increase was observed in the R band, a decrease in the star’s U luminosity was observed. Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 42, No. 4, pp. 531–535, October–December, 1999.     

Tomography of stellar non‐radial pulsations

The stellar surface imaging technique is used for studying stellar non‐radial pulsations on the basis of inversions of time series of variable line profiles without making assumptions on the specific shape of the pulsations. The inversion results in an image of the stellar surface in which sectoral and tesseral modes can be distinguished in many cases and the pulsational degree and the azimuthal order can be determined. The capability of the technique is studied with simulated data. Then, the surface imaging technique is applied to high‐resolution spectra of the rapidly rotating Beta Cep‐type star ω¹ Sco, which shows strong line‐profile variations. Stellar surface imaging is concluded to be a useful technique for pulsation‐mode identification. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Magnetic field of the star θ<Superscript>1</Superscript> Ori C

A longitudinal magnetic field is measured for the star è¹ Ori C at eight points in its period using the C IV 5801 and 5812 Å absorption lines. The maximum value was +231±47 G. The measurements were made with the Main Stellar Spectrograph on the BTA telescope using a circular polarization analyzer with an image slicer and in the back-and-forth mode. __________ Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 50, No. 1, pp. 107–111 (February 2007).     

Spectra of PV Cep and GM1-29 (RNO 125) in 1976-1997

The main spectral characteristics of PV Cep, a T Tau star, and of the variable nebula GM1-29 associated with it are considered. Their variations during 1976-1997, based on observations on the 6-m telescope and literature data, are described. In the period of maximum brightness (1977-1979), the star had a well-developed emission spectrum, typical of classical T Tau stars, with clearly defined P Cyg components in the H and H lines, strong Na D absorption features shifted in the blue direction, and well-defined fluorescence in Fe I emission features. After the end of the latter eruption, the star's spectrum has remained more or less in a stable state; emission lines are considerably weaker. The ejected matter continues to be observed in the form of shifted components in emission lines. There are also indications of the possible existence of a collimated jet 1.5-2 long in the star's immediate vicinity. Also clearly seen is HH215 P1 — the first HH knot in the giant jet emerging from PV Cep. At the epoch of the object's maximum brightness, there were clear signs of spectral asymmetry of the stellar envelope in the nebula's spectrum, due to the directional outflow, manifested in variation of the profiles and intensities of Balmer lines. PV Cep and GM1-29 thereby prove to be another object in which the phenomenon first noted in R Mon and NGC 2261 is observed.