Speckle interferometric binary system HD375; Is it a sub-giant binary?

Atmospheric modeling is used to build synthetic spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for the individual components of the speckle interferometric binary system HD375. These synthetic SEDs are combined together for the entire system and compared with its observed SED in an iterative procedure to achieve the best fit. Kurucz blanketed models and the measurements of magnitude differences were used to build these SEDs. The input physical parameters for building these best fitted synthetic SEDs represent adequately enough properties of the system. These parameters are: T _eff ^a = 6100 ± 50 K, T _eff ^b = 5940 ± 50 K, log g _a = 4.01 ± 0.10, log g _b = 3.98 ± 0.10, R _a = 1.93 ± 0.20R _⊙, R _b = 1.83 ± 0.20R _⊙, M _v ^a = 3 _· ^m 26 ± 0.40, M _v ^b = 3 _· ^m 51 ± 0.50, L _a = 4.63 ± 0.80 L _⊙, and L _b = 3.74 ± 0.70 L _⊙, in accordance with the new estimated parallax π = 12.02 ± 0.60 mas. A modified orbit of the system is built and compared with earlier orbits, and the masses of the two components are calculated as M _a = 1.35M _⊙ and M _b = 1.25M _⊙. Based on the estimated physical and geometrical parameters of the system, which are confirmed by synthetic photometry, we suggest that the two components are evolved subgiant (F8.5 IV and G0 IV) stars with the age of 3.5 Gyr, formed by fragmentation.     

A photometric study of a new short period eclipsing sdB binary NSVS 07826147

NSVS?07826147 and NSVS?04818255 were suspected as possible eclipsing sdB binary systems by Kelley and Shaw. In order to investigate the short period eclipsing sdB binaries, we have listed them as our observing targets and began to monitor it from March 2009. Till now, we have obtained four complete CCD light curves and 16 high precise times of light minimum of NSVS?07826147. All light curves show strong reflection and a very narrow eclipse, which implies that NSVS?07826147 should be a new short period eclipsing sdB binary. For the system NSVS?04818255, no eclipse character was found in the light curves according to our observations. However, we found that a star near NSVS?04818255 is a close binary system with a period of about 0.32498 days. Up to now, only seven short period eclipsing sdB binary systems have been found, including NSVS?07826147. With the new precise epochs obtained by us, the new period of this system is derived as 0.16177046(5) days, which can be used to predict the epochs of light minimum. Furthermore, the light curves of NSVS?07826147 are analyzed using the Wilson–Van Hamme code and the testing photometric solutions are presented and discussed.     

Is the β Pictoris member GJ 3039AB a physical binary? What the rotation periods tell us?

We have carried out a multi-band photometric monitoring of the close visual binary GJ 3039, consisting of a M4 primary and a fainter secondary component, and likely member of the young stellar association β Pictoris (24-Myr old). From our analysis we found that both components are photometric variables and, for the first time, we detected two micro-flare events. We measured from periodogram analysis of the photometric time series two rotation periods P = 3.355 d and P = 0.925 d, that we could attribute to the brighter GJ 3039A and the fainter GJ 3039B components, respectively. A comparison of these rotation periods with the period distribution of other β Pictoris members further supports that GJ 3039A is a member of this association. We find that also GJ 3039B could be a member, but the infrared magnitude differences between the two components taken from the literature and the photometric variability, which is found to be comparable in both stars, suggest that GJ 3039B could be a foreground star physically unbound to the primary A component.     

Is the Sun a Magnet?

It has been argued (Gough and McIntyre in Nature 394, 755, 1998) that the only way for the radiative interior of the Sun to be rotating uniformly in the face of the differentially rotating convection zone is for it to be pervaded by a large-scale magnetic field, a field which is responsible also for the thinness of the tachocline. It is most likely that this field is the predominantly dipolar residual component of a tangled primordial field that was present in the interstellar medium from which the Sun condensed (Braithwaite and Spruit in Nature 431, 819, 2004), and that advection by the meridional flow in the tachocline has caused the dipole axis to be inclined from the axis of rotation by about \(60^{\circ}\) (Gough in Geophys. Astrophys. Fluid Dyn., 106, 429, 2012). It is suggested here that, notwithstanding its turbulent passage through the convection zone, a vestige of that field is transmitted by the solar wind to Earth, where it modulates the geomagnetic field in a periodic way. The field variation reflects the inner rotation of the Sun, and, unlike turbulent-dynamo-generated fields, must maintain phase. I report here a new look at an earlier analysis of the geomagnetic field by Svalgaard and Wilcox (Solar Phys. 41, 461, 1975), which reveals evidence for appropriate phase coherence, thereby adding support to the tachocline theory.     

Is the central binary system of the planetary nebula Henize 2–428 a type Ia supernova progenitor?

We critically discuss the recent observations of the binary system at the center of the bipolar planetary nebula Henize 2–428. We find that the proposed explanation of two equal-mass degenerate objects with a total mass larger than the Chandrasekhar limiting mass that supposedly will merge in less than a Hubble time, possibly leading to a SN Ia, is controversial. This hypothesis relies on the assumption that the variability of the He II 5412 Å  spectral line is due to two absorption components. Instead, we propose that it can be accounted for by a broad absorption line from the central system on top of which there is a narrow emission line from the nebula. This prompted us to study if the binary system can be made of a degenerate star and a low-mass main sequence companion, or of two degenerate objects of smaller mass. We find that although both scenarios can account for the existence of two symmetric broad minima in the light curve, the second one agrees better with observations. We thus argue that the claim that Henize 2–428 provides observational evidence supporting the double-degenerate scenario for SN Ia is premature.     

Towards a new maximum of OJ 287?

The results of a photometric campaign in theB, V, R andI bands of the BL Lac object OJ 287 are presented. The source is found at the same level and spectral slope as in 1991, without any sign forecasting the predicted maximum in August 1994.     

The high-amplitude δ Scuti variable CY Aqr is probably a triple system

Data representing 864 times of light maxima of the high-amplitude δ Scuti star CY Aqr were collected from the literature,based on which,long-term period changes of the variable star were investigated.A revised period and new ephemerides were given for the pulsating star.Remarkable cyclic variations were found in the O-C residuals which can be attributed to the light-time effects due to probable unseen components of the object.By using Kopal's method,the orbital parameters of the supposed component stars were derived.The solution suggests that CY Aqr is very probably in a triple system orbited eccentrically by two low-mass companions with periods of 54.2 and 47.3 yr.The lower limits on masses were estimated as0.04 M_⊙and 0.02 M_⊙,respectively,for the two hidden companions.     

Is KR Cygni a triple star system?

New multi-colour UBVR light curves of the eclipsing binary KR Cyg were obtained in 2005. Photometric solutions were derived using the Wilson-Devinney method. The result shows that KR Cyg is a near-contact binary system with a large effective temperature difference between the components, approximately 5230 K. All the times of minimum light were collected and combined with our observations obtained in 2010 and 2011. Analysing all the times of mid-eclipse, we found for the first time a possible periodic oscillation with an amplitude of 0.001 days and a period of ∼76 years. The periodic oscillation could be explained by the light-time effect due to a presumed third component.     

The stellar system HIP 101227: is it a binary,a triple or a quadruple system?

In this paper, we present the analysis of the stellar system HIP 101227 to determine the actual number of components in the system, and their properties. We use dynamical modeling and complex spectrophotometric(involving atmospheric modeling) techniques with recent data, to determine the physical properties and orbital solution for the system, respectively, with better accuracy than past studies. Based on our analysis, we found that the system is more consistent with being a quadruple rather than a binary or a triple system as suggested by previous studies. The total mass of the system determined from our SED analysis is 3.42 ± 0.20 M, which is distributed almost equally between the four stars. The stars are found to be zero-age main sequence stars; i.e., at the last stage of pre-main sequence, with age less than 200 Myr and spectral types K0. All four stars have very similar physical characteristics, suggesting that the fragmentation process is the most likely theory for the formation and evolution of the system.     

Is WD 1437-008 a cataclysmic variable?

Comprehensive observations of a close binary candidate WD 1437-008 are performed. The shape and amplitude of the observed brightness variations are shown to be inconsistent with the hypothesis of reflection effects, and the photometric period of the system, P _phot = 0. ^d 2775, is found to differ from the period of spectral variations, P _sp = 0. ^d 272060. As a result, WD 1437-008 has been preliminarily classified as a low-inclination cataclysmic variable.     

Is the solar cycle timed by a clock?

Dicke (1978) has argued that the phase of the solar cycle appears to be coupled to an internal clock: shorter cycles are usually followed by longer ones, as if the Sun remembers the correct phase. The data set is really too short to demonstrate the presence of a phase memory, but phase and amplitude of the cycle are strongly correlated for 300 yr or more. It is shown that this memory effect can be explained by mean field theory in terms of fluctuations in , which induce coherent changes in the frequency and amplitude of a dynamo wave. It is concluded that there is neither a strong observational indication nor a theoretical need for an extra timing device, in addition to the one provided by dynamo wave physics.Dedicated to Cornelis de Jager     

Single Be stars as binary ejecta?

Among the mechanisms suggested for the creation of discs around Be stars is interaction with binary companions. This idea has largely been dismissed, because the majority of Be stars have no observed companion. This difficulty can be circumvented if single Be stars are actually ejected from binary systems (owing, for instance, to the supernova of the companion). Using Hipparcos data, we show that this explanation is not likely, by comparing the velocity distributions of Be stars with those of normal B stars. We find that the distributions are consistent to within 1 σ uncertainties, and thus do not support the formation of single Be stars through binary breakup.     

Is Cycle 24 the Beginning of a Dalton-Like Minimum?

The unexpected development of cycle 24 emphasizes the need for a better way to model future solar activity. In this article, we analyze the accumulation of spotless days during individual cycles from 1798 – 2010. The analysis shows that spotless days do not disappear abruptly in the transition toward an active Sun. A comparison with past cycles indicates that the ongoing accumulation of spotless days is comparable to that of cycle 5 near the Dalton minimum and to that of cycles 12, 14, and 15. It also suggests that the ongoing cycle has as much as 20±8 spotless days left, from July 2010, before it reaches the next solar maximum. The last spotless day is predicted to be in December 2012, with an uncertainty of 11 months. This trend may serve as input to the solar dynamo theories.     

EPIC 202843107:a close eclipsing binary containing a δ Scuti variable

This paper reports on the discovery that an eclipsing binary system, EPIC 202843107, has aδ Scuti variable component. The phased light curve from the Kepler space telescope presents a detached configuration. The binary modeling indicates that the two component stars have almost the same radius and may have experienced orbital circularization. Frequency analyses are performed for the residual light curve after subtracting the binary variations. The frequency spectrum reveals that one component star is a δ Scuti variable. A large frequency separation is cross-identified with the corresponding histogram, the Fourier transform and the echelle diagram method. The mean density of the δ Scuti component is estimated to be 0.09 g cm~(-3) based on the large separation and density relation. Systems like EPIC 202843107 are helpful to study the stellar evolution and physical state of binary stars.     

An EC 14026 pulsator in a reflection binary

During our campaign of acquiring follow-up photometric data to resolve short period pulsating sdB (EC14026 or V361 Hya) stars, we obtained data on the known pulsator KUV 04421+1416 and discovered that it is also in a reflection-effect binary. Here we present preliminary results of the pulsation analysis and provide some constraints on the companion, which is most likely an MV star. This makes KUV 04421+1416 only the second known system with an EC14026-type pulsator in a reflection-effect binary.     

Dynamics of a triaxial gyrostat at a Lagrangian equilibrium of a binary asteroid

The non-canonical Hamiltonian dynamics of a triaxial gyrostat in Newtonian interaction with two punctual masses is considered. This serves as a model for the study of the attitude dynamics of a spacecraft located at a Lagrangian equilibrium point of the system formed by a binary asteroid and a spacecraft. Using geometric-mechanics methods, the approximated dynamics that arises when developing the potential in series of Legendre functions and truncating the series to the second harmonics is studied. Working in the reduced problem, the existence of equilibria in Lagrangian form are studied, in analogy with classic results on the topic. In this way, the classical results on equilibria of the three-body problem, as well as other results by different authors that use more conventional techniques for the case of rigid bodies, are generalized. The rotational Poisson dynamics of a spacecraft located at a Lagrangian equilibrium and the study of the nonlinear stability of some important equilibria are considered. The analysis is done in vectorial form avoiding the use of canonical variables and the tedious expressions associated with them.     

Is the International Atomic Time TAI a coordinate time or a proper time?

The International Atomic Time TAI is a physically realized time scale which is ultimately used for comparisons between observations and dynamical theories. Its definition should tell unambiguously what an ideal TAI should be. For terrestrial applications, TAI has been defined as a geocentric coordinate time. In Solar System Dynamics, a barycentric coordinate time is needed. In general, it is not possible to convert a coordinate time into another coordinate time. But a specific clock synchronized on TAI in the terrestrial system can be considered as reading a modified, proper time [TAI]_i, which can be converted into a barycentric coordinate time. In this conversion appears a small location dependent term. By this process all the clocks of the TAI system give an unique barycentric time with the same metrological properties as TAI.

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Résumé Le Temps Atomique International TAI est une échelle de temps physiquement réalisée qui est utilisée pour la comparaison entre les observations et les théories dynamiques. Sa définition doit exprimer sans ambiguïté ce que devrait être un TAI idéal. Pour les applications terrestres, TAI a été défini comme un temps-coordonnée géocentrique. Pour la dynamique du système solaire, on a besoin d'un tempscoordonnée barycentrique. En général, il n'est pas possible de convertir un temps-coordonnée en un autre temps-coordonnée. Mais une horloge particulière synchronisée sur le TAI dans le système terrestre peut être considérée comme marquant un temps-propre modifié [TAI]_i: on peut alors convertir ce temps propre en un temps-coordonnée barycentrique. Dans cette conversion apparaît un terme petit dépendant de l'emplacement de l'horloge sur la Terre. Par ce procédé, toutes les horloges du système du TAI conduisent à un temps-coordonnée barycentrique unique qui bénéficie des mêmes propriété métrologiques que le TAI.