Long-term optical and radio variability of BL Lacertae

Well-sampled optical and radio light curves of BL Lacertae in $B\text{,}V\text{,}R\text{,}I$ bands and 4.8, 8.0, 14.5 GHz from 1968 to 2014 were presented in this paper. A possible $1.26\pm 0.05$ yr period in optical bands and a $7.50\pm 0.15$ yr period in radio bands were detected based on discrete correlation function, structure function as well as Jurkevich method. Correlations among different bands were also analyzed and no reliable time delay was found between optical bands. Very weak correlations were detected between V band and radio bands. However, in radio bands the variation at low frequency lagged that at high frequency obviously. The spectrum of BL Lacertae turned mildly bluer when the object turned brighter, and stronger bluer-when-brighter trends were found for short flares. A scenario including a precessing helical jet and periodic shocks was put forward to interpret the variation characteristics of BL Lacertae.     

Young eccentric binary KL CMa revisited in the light of spectroscopy

The absolute dimensions of the components of the eccentric eclipsing binary KL CMa have been determined. The solution of light and radial velocity curves of high ($\mathrm{\Delta }\lambda =0.14$ Å) and intermediate ($\mathrm{\Delta }\lambda =1.1$ Å) resolution spectra yielded masses M₁ = 3.55 ± 0.27 M_⊙, M₂ = 2.95 ± 0.24 M_⊙ and radii R₁ = 2.37 ± 0.09 R_⊙, R₂ = 1.70 ± 0.1 R_⊙ for primary and secondary components, respectively. The system consists of two late B-type components at a distance of 220 ± 20 pc for an estimated reddening of $E(B-V)=0.127$.The present study provides an illustration of spectroscopy’s crucial role in the analysis of binary systems in eccentric orbits. The eccentricity of the orbit ($e=0.20$) of KL CMa is found to be bigger than the value given in the literature ($e=0.14$). The apsidal motion rate of the system has been updated to a new value of $\dot{w}=0°.0199\pm 0.0002{\text{cycle}}^{-1}$, which indicates an apsidal motion period of $U=87\pm 1$ yrs, two times slower than given in the literature. Using the absolute dimensions of the components yielded a relatively weak relativistic contribution of ${\dot{w}}_{\mathit{rel}}=0°.0013{\text{cycle}}^{-1}$. The observed internal-structure component ($\log k_{2\text{,}\mathit{obs}}=-2.22\pm 0.01$) is found to be in agreement with its theoretical value ($\log k_{2\text{,}\mathit{theo}}=-2.23$).Both components of the system are found very close to the zero-age main-sequence and theoretical isochrones indicate a young age ($\tau =50$ Myr) for the system. Analysis of the spectral lines yields a faster rotation ($V_{\mathit{rot}1\text{,}2}=100$ km s⁻¹) for the components than their synchronization velocities ($V_{\mathit{rot}\text{,}\mathit{syn}1}=68$ km s⁻¹, $V_{\mathit{rot}\text{,}\mathit{syn}1}=49$ km s⁻¹).