Doppler imaging of BD+22°4409 (LO Peg) using least-squares deconvolution

We present maximum-entropy reconstructions of the rapidly rotating dwarf single star BD+22°4409 (LO Peg) from observations at the William Herschel Telescope in 1993 August. Since this star is too faint to use the conventional single- or three-line Doppler imaging methods, we make use of the novel method of least-squares deconvolution, which utilizes the large number of photospheric lines in an echelle spectrum to produce a single high signal-to-noise ratio profile.
The star-spot distributions from the image reconstructions show cool features at both high and low latitudes, in contradiction to recent theoretical predictions of the dynamo behaviour in rapidly rotating stars. Cross-correlation of the images from consecutive nights shows a good correlation from the small-scale structures, but no evidence of surface differential rotation. From the cross-correlation of the high-latitude spot we are able to reject the period of 9.22 h of Jeffries et al. in favour of their preferred period of 10.17 h, confirming the result of Robb & Cardinal.     

Differential rotation of cool active stars: the case of intermediate rotators

In this paper, we present a new method for measuring the surface differential rotation of cool stars with rotation periods of a few days, for which the sparse phase coverage achievable from single-site observations generally prevents the use of more conventional techniques. The basic idea underlying this new analysis is to obtain the surface differential rotation pattern that minimizes the information content of the reconstructed Doppler image through a simultaneous fit of all available data.
Simulations demonstrate that the performance of this new method in the case of cool stars is satisfactory for a variety of observing strategies. Differential rotation parameters can be recovered reliably as long as the total data set spans at least 4 per cent of the time for the equator to lap the pole by approximately one complete cycle. We find in particular that these results hold for potentially complex spot distributions (as long as they include a mixture of low- and high-latitude features), and for various stellar inclination angles and rotation velocities. Such measurements can be obtained from either unpolarized or polarized data sets, provided their signal-to-noise ratio is larger than approximately 500 and 5000 per 2 km s⁻¹ spectral bin, respectively.
This method should therefore be very useful for investigating differential rotation in a much larger sample of objects than what has been possible up to now, and should hence give us the opportunity of studying how differential rotation reacts to various phenomena operating in stellar convective zones, such as tidal effects or dynamo magnetic field generation.     

Doppler images and chromospheric variability of TWA 17

We present Doppler imaging and a Balmer line analysis of the weak-line T Tauri star TWA 17. Spectra were taken in 2006 with the University College London Echelle Spectrograph on the Anglo-Australian Telescope. Using least-squares deconvolution to improve the effective signal-to-noise ratio, we produced a Doppler map of the surface spot distribution. This shows similar features to maps of other rapidly rotating T Tauri stars, i.e. a polar spot with more spots extending out of it down to the equator.
In addition to the photospheric variability, the chromospheric variability was studied using the Balmer emission. The mean Hα profile has a narrow component consistent with rotational broadening and a broad component extending out to 220 km s⁻¹. The variability in Hα suggests that the chromosphere has at least one slingshot prominence  3 R _*  above the surface.     

A ROSAT observation of the eclipsing binary system XY UMa

The short-period, eclipsing, magnetically active binary system XY UMa has been observed over several orbital cycles at X-ray wavelengths. The X-ray light curves vary owing to obvious flares and other lower level activity on time-scales of days. These data caution against deducing coronal structure on the basis of a single orbit of X-ray data. In contrast to similar binary systems, XY UMa shows no significant X-ray eclipses. This is interpreted as evidence for either extended (> 1  R _⊙) coronae or a compact corona at high, uneclipsed latitudes on the primary star. The extended coronal scenario is favoured by some observational features of other systems such as extended radio coronae, long-duration X-ray flares and cool prominences, but unfavoured by others such as high coronal densities from EUV spectroscopy. A high-latitude compact corona might be associated with the high-latitude starspots seen in many active stars. Nearly simultaneous optical light curves suggest that some equatorial spots were present at the time of the X-ray observations, but fewer than in previous or subsequent years and that high-latitude spots must also be present. It is speculated that the lack of X-ray eclipses and dearth of equatorial, compact coronal regions are associated with a minimum in XY UMa's magnetic activity cycle.     

Equivalent Widths of 15 Extrasolar-Planet Host Stars

We present the equivalent widths of 15 extrasolar-planet host stars. These data were based on the high-resolution, high signal-to-noise ratio spectra obtained with the 2.16m telescope at Xinglong station. The error in the Xinglong equivalent width is estimated by a comparison of these data with those given in previous studies of common stars.     

Further images of α Persei G dwarfs

We present two images of intermediate and low axial inclination G dwarfs (AP 149 and AP 193) in the young open cluster α Persei, and compare these with previous images of intermediate and high axial inclination objects in this cluster. All stars show starspots at high latitudes, with one star exhibiting a strong polar spot. Although low-latitude features are found on all stars to some degree, the detection of spots on AP 193 is marginal. The apparent difference in starspot morphology from one object to the next is probably the result of a stellar magnetic cycle, although the exact effect on the starspot distribution throughout a cycle is unknown.
Polar spots are found in many Doppler images of rapidly rotating cool stars. In the past, their existence has been called into question, and it has been suggested that they could be the manifestations of NLTE (e.g. chromospheric filling in of line profiles) effects rather than real photospheric features. We assume the polar spots to be real photospheric features, and conclude that the flat-bottomed nature of the profile shape can be attributed to photospheric polar spots. The degree of truncation of the profile depends not only on spot size and strength, but also on the effective foreshortening of the polar region, a function of axial inclination.
H α is in emission on AP 149 which shows a double peak at most phases. The time-series of the profile shows an s-wave pattern as the position of these peaks changes throughout the rotation cycle. We attribute this to coronal clouds located above the stellar surface in synchronous orbit. A maximum-entropy tomogram is derived revealing four distinct emission regions located near and above the corotation radius.     

FAUST observations of ultraviolet sources in the direction of Coma

We analyse an ultraviolet observation toward the Coma cluster by means of the FAUST shuttle-borne telescope. We detect 56 candidate sources to a signal-to-noise ratio of 6.5. Most sources have optical counterparts in existing catalogues and are stars. 10 sources with no listed counterparts were observed at the Wise Observatory. We present identifications based on low-resolution spectrophotometry, and discuss the foreground stars and the galaxies, all in the foreground of the Coma cluster. The FAUST image yields a higher fraction of hot evolved stars than either of the North Galactic Pole or the Virgo regions, analysed previously. We identify these tentatively as cooling white dwarfs in the Coma Berenices (Mel 111) open cluster.     

Roche tomography of cataclysmic variables – I. Artefacts and techniques

Roche tomography is a technique used for imaging the Roche-lobe-filling secondary stars in cataclysmic variables (CVs). In order to interpret Roche tomograms correctly, one must determine whether features in the reconstruction are real, or the result of statistical or systematic errors. We explore the effects of systematic errors using reconstructions of simulated data sets, and show that systematic errors result in characteristic distortions of the final reconstructions that can be identified and corrected. In addition, we present a new method of estimating statistical errors on tomographic reconstructions using a Monte Carlo bootstrapping algorithm, and show this method to be much more reliable than Monte Carlo methods which 'jiggle' the data points in accordance with the size of their error bars.     

Time-series spectroscopy of the rapidly oscillating Ap star HR 3831

We present time-series spectroscopy of the rapidly oscillating Ap (roAp) star HR 3831. This star has a dominant pulsation period of 11.7 min and a rotation period of 2.85 d. We have analysed 1400 intermediate-resolution spectra of the wavelength region 6100–7100 Å obtained over one week, using techniques similar to those we applied to another roAp star, α  Cir.
We confirm that the H α velocity amplitude of HR 3831 is modulated with rotation phase. Such a modulation was predicted by the oblique pulsator model, and rules out the spotted pulsator model. However, further analysis of H α and other lines reveals rotational modulations that cannot easily be explained using the oblique pulsator model. In particular, the phase of the pulsation as measured by the width of the H α line varies with height in the line.
The variation of the H α bisector shows a very similar pattern to that observed in α Cir, which we have previously attributed to a radial node in the stellar atmosphere. However, the striking similarities between the two stars, despite the much shorter period of α Cir (6.8 min), argues against this interpretation unless the structure of the atmosphere is somewhat different between the two stars. Alternatively, the bisector variation is a signature of the degree ℓ of the mode and not the overtone value n .
High-resolution studies of the metal lines in roAp stars are needed to understand fully the form of the pulsation in the atmosphere.     

Surface images of the short period contact binary AE Phe

We present high resolution Doppler images of the short period (P = 0.362 d) contact binary AE Phe. Using least squares deconvolution, we make use of the information content of the several thousand lines in each échelle spectrum to obtain the necessary S/N and time resolution required to resolve individual starspot features. A single pair of rotationally broadened profiles (free of sidelobes due to blending) with a typical S/N of 3000 ‐ 4000 per spectrum is thus obtained. With 300 sec exposures we achieve a cadence of 350 sec which is equivalent to sampling the rotation phase every 4°. We derive images for four nights of data which reveal starspots at most latitudes on both components of the common envelope system. Individual starspots evolve significantly on very short timescales, of order one day; significantly faster than the week timescales found on active single stars and the Sun. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The stellar composition of the star formation region CMa R1 – II. Spectroscopic and photometric observations of nine young stars

We present new high- and low-resolution spectroscopic and photometric data of nine members of the young association CMa R1. All the stars have circumstellar dust at some distance, as could be expected from their association with reflection nebulosity. Four stars (HD 52721, HD 53367, LkH α  220 and LkH α  218) show H α emission and we argue that they are Herbig Be stars with discs. Our photometric and spectroscopic observations of these stars reveal new characteristics of their variability. We present first interpretations of the variability of HD 52721, HD 53367 and the two LkH α stars in terms of a partially eclipsing binary, a magnetic activity cycle and circumstellar dust variations, respectively. The remaining five stars show no clear indications of H α emission in their spectra, although their spectral types and ages are comparable with those of HD 52721 and HD 53367. This indicates that the presence of a disc around a star in CMa R1 may depend on the environment of the star. In particular we find that all H α emission stars are located at or outside the arc-shaped border of the H  ii region, which suggests that the stars inside the arc have lost their discs through evaporation by UV photons from nearby O stars, or from the nearby (<25 pc) supernova, about 1 Myr ago.     

Spectroscopic survey of field Type II Cepheids

A sample of relatively bright, short- and intermediate-period ( P =1–10 d) Type II Cepheids in the Galactic field have been observed spectroscopically with an intermediate-resolution (λ/Δλ=11000) spectrograph. The wavelength region was 6500–6700 Å, including the Hα line and some photospheric iron lines. The signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) was usually between 50 and 100, depending on weather conditions and the brightness of target stars. Radial velocities were determined by cross-correlating the Cepheid spectra with those of selected IAU velocity standard stars having F–G spectral types. The internal error of the velocity determination process was calculated to be about 1 km s⁻¹. Hα emission and strong line splitting were observed in BL Her during the expansion phase, but no similar phenomenon was detected in any other stars in this programme, except for AU Peg which has an unusual Hα line showing a P Cygni-like profile. The velocity curve agrees well with recent CORAVEL measurements. The velocity gradients in Cepheid atmospheres are studied using the Hα minus metallic velocities. Similar data are collected from the literature. It seems that having large velocity differences ( v _Hα− v _metal>40 km s⁻¹) is a characteristic feature of the very short-period ( P <1.5 d) and longer period ( P >10 d) Cepheids. Between these period regions the Cepheid atmospheres exhibit smaller velocity differences. Most of the Type II Cepheids observed in the present study fall into this latter category. There might be a tendency for classical Cepheids of intermediate period to have larger maximum velocity differences.     

High-resolution spectra of very low-mass stars

We present the results of high-resolution (1–0.4 Å) optical spectroscopy of a sample of very low-mass stars. These data are used to examine the kinematics of the stars at the bottom of the hydrogen-burning main sequence. No evidence is found for a significant difference between the kinematics of the stars in our sample with I  −  K  > 3.5 ( M _bol ≳ 12.8) and those of more massive M dwarfs ( M _bol ≈ 7–10). A spectral atlas at high (0.4-Å) resolution for M8–M9+ stars is provided, and the equivalent widths of Cs  I , Rb  I and Hα lines present in our spectra are examined. We analyse our data to search for the presence of rapid rotation, and find that the brown dwarf LP 944-20 is a member of the class of 'inactive, rapid rotators'. Such objects seem to be common at and below the hydrogen-burning main sequence. It seems that in low-mass/low-temperature dwarf objects either the mechanism that heats the chromosphere, or the mechanism that generates magnetic fields, is greatly suppressed.     

Short-period line profile and light variations in the Be star λ Eridani

We present three seasons of photometric observations and one season of intensive high-dispersion spectroscopic observations of the Be star λ Eridani. We show that only one period,   P =0.70173 d  , is present in the photometry, although there are large light amplitude variations from season to season. We confirm a suspicion that light outbursts repeat at intervals of about 475 d. A total of 348 echelle spectra of the star were obtained over a 2-week observing run. We show that the periodic variations are present in the emission wings of the helium lines, in the emission wings of the H α line and in the absorption cores of H β and H γ . Together with the fact that the periodic variations appear outside the projected rotational velocity limit, this indicates that they are associated with circumstellar material immediately above the photosphere and supports the idea of corotating gas clouds. We present evidence in support of a true rotational period of  2 P =1.40346 d  and suggest that the mass loss in Be stars is caused by centrifugal magnetic acceleration.     

Rotation and lithium in the late-type stars of NGC 2516

We present CCD photometry and high-resolution spectroscopy of low-mass stars in the open cluster NGC 2516, which has an age of about 150 Myr and may have a much lower metallicity than the Pleiades. 24 probable F to early K type, single cluster members have been identified from their photometry and radial velocities, along with three possible spectroscopic binaries. The projected equatorial velocities are measured and compared with younger and older clusters. Several fast rotating late G /early K stars are seen, but all hotter stars have v _e sin  i  < 20 km s⁻¹. The data are consistent with angular momentum loss models with spin-down time-scales that increase from tens of Myr for G stars to hundreds of Myr for K stars. The observed X-ray activity is consistent with the currently accepted rotation–activity paradigm. Lithium abundances are derived from the Li  i 6708-Å line. The pattern of Li depletion is indistinguishable from that in the Pleiades, including a spread in the K0 stars, where the most rapid rotators suffer the least Li depletion. The observations argue in favour of either a metallicity in the range −0.1 < [Fe/H]< 0.0 for NGC 2516, or a lower metallicity and extra Li depletion through non-standard mixing modes which occurs on time-scales of only ∼ 50 Myr. Neither our low signal-to-noise ratio spectroscopy nor our photometry can constrain [Fe/H] sufficiently to decide between these possibilities. A detailed spectroscopic chemical abundance analysis is urgently required.     

Probing the circumstellar structure of Herbig Ae/Be stars

We present Hα spectropolarimetry observations of a sample of 23 Herbig Ae/Be stars. A change in the linear polarization across Hα is detected in a large fraction of the objects, which indicates that the regions around Herbig stars are flattened (disc-like) on small scales. A second outcome of our study is that the spectropolarimetric signatures for the Ae stars differ from those of the Herbig Be stars, with characteristics changing from depolarization across Hα in the Herbig Be stars, to line polarizations in the Ae group. The frequency of depolarizations detected in the Herbig Be stars (seven out of 12) is particularly interesting as, by analogy with classical Be stars, it may be the best evidence to date that the higher-mass Herbig stars are surrounded by flattened structures. For the Herbig Ae stars, nine out of 11 show a line polarization effect that can be understood in terms of a compact Hα emission that is itself polarized by a rotating disc-like circumstellar medium. The spectropolarimetric difference between the Herbig Be and Ae stars may be the first indication that there is a transition in the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram from magnetic accretion at spectral type A to disc accretion at spectral type B. Alternatively, the interior polarized line emission apparent in the Ae stars may be masked in the Herbig Be stars owing to their higher levels of Hα emission.     

Short‐period line profile variations in the Be star μ Centauri

We present new intensive photometric observations of the Be star μ Cen for several seasons which support a period close to 1 d. We also present high‐resolution spectroscopic data consisting of 302 spectra in 1999 and 864 spectra in 2000, all obtained within a two‐week observing run in each season. We use stacked grey-scale plots of spectra, from which the mean line profile has been removed, to examine the profile variations. We find that most nights show one residual absorption feature, moving from blue to red, visible in all helium and metal lines and also clearly visible in H α and other lines formed in the circumstellar environment. We therefore conclude that this feature is of circumstellar origin. In addition, a residual absorption feature moving from red to blue is sometimes seen at irregular intervals. We find that the residual absorption feature frequently strays outside the projected rotational velocity limit and that on occasions it remains well within this limit. The radial velocity data reproduce only two of the six frequencies previously found in the star. We point out that this by no means implies that the star is a multiperiodic, non-radial pulsator. Photometric data obtained over several seasons indicate a period very close to 1 d and not the 0.5-d period found from the radial velocities. We describe an outburst which occurred during the run and which resulted in increased H α emission two nights later. It is clear that outbursts in Be stars are localized events and that the gas released by outbursts is probably responsible for localized increased absorption, resulting in periodic light and line profile variations.     

On the Carbon—Star Status of Five Stars in a New Carbon Star Catalog

We find that five sources listed in the new carbon star catalog are not really carbon-rich objects but oxygen-rich stars, because they all have the prominent 10μm silicate features in absorption and the 1612MHz OH maser emission or/and the SiO molecular features. These objects were considered as carbon stars in the catalog based only on their locations in the infrared two-color diagram. Therefore to use the infrared two-color diagram to distinguish carbon-rich stars from oxygenrich stars must be done with caution, because, in general, it has only a statistical meaning.     

Hidden subluminous stars among the FAUST UV sources towards Ophiuchus

We present results of an analysis of a UV image in the direction of Ophiuchus, obtained with the FAUST instrument. The image contains 228 UV sources. Most of these are identified as normal early-type stars through correlations with catalogued objects. For the first time in this project we identify UV sources as such stars by selecting suitable candidates in crowded fields as the bluest objects in colour–colour diagrams using observations from the Wise Observatory. These candidates are then studied using low-resolution spectroscopy, which allows the determination of spectral types to an accuracy of about one-half class, for 60 stars.
Synthetic photometry of spectral data is performed in order to predict the expected UV emission, on the basis of the photometric information. These results are used along with the Hipparcos /Tycho information, to search for subluminous stars. The comparison of the predicted emission with the FAUST measured magnitudes allows us to select 12 stars as highly probable evolved hot stars. High signal-to-noise spectra are obtained for nine of these stars, and Balmer line profiles are compared with the prediction of atmosphere models and with the spectrum of real stellar atmospheres. Among the nine candidates, six are classified as previously unrecognized sdB stars, and two as white dwarfs. Our result indicates that indeed more bright subluminous stars are still unrecognized in the existing samples.