HD 9770, a southern active-chromosphere system

The visual triple system HD 9770 (BB Scl) has been the subject of a four-year programme of UVB ( RI )_C photometry and H α échelle spectroscopy. Analysis of the data obtained over that period shows that star B, and probably also star A, of HD 9770 is a binary. The A system comprises a K1V star, which may be in a binary system with another K dwarf. The B system is an eclipsing binary of the BY Dra type in which both stars are chromospherically active. An orbital period of 0.476 525±0.000 013 d has been derived from the light curve in V . Physical parameters derived from analysis of the light curves in UBV ( RI )_C are presented.     

MAGNETISM OF METEORITES: A REVIEW OF RUSSIAN STUDIES

We present here a summary review of the work of Russian scientists, primarily Gus'kova and Pochtarev, on the magnetism of meteorites. They have measured the initial natural remanent magnetization and the magnetic susceptibility in more than 900 meteorite samples from collections throughout the Soviet Union. More sophisticated studies, involving both thermal and alternating field demagnetization experiments, were also conducted on a few samples. Meteorites almost invariably retain evidence of ancient magnetic fields in their pre-terrestrial history     

Stellar Tomography

I review recent progress in the field of stellar surface imaging, with particular reference to advanced methods for mapping surface-brightness inhomogeneities and the surface vector magnetic field on magnetically active late-type stars. New signal enhancement techniques, utilising profile information from hundreds or thousands of photospheric lines simultaneously, allow images to be derived for stars several magnitudes fainter than was previously possible. For brighter stars, the same techniques make it possible to map features as small as two or three degrees in extent on the stellar surface. This opens up whole new areas of research, such as the ability to use starspot tracking to study surface differential rotation patterns on single and binary stars, and to follow the secular evolution of the magnetic field itself. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A SuperWASP search for additional transiting planets in 24 known systems

We present results from a search for additional transiting planets in 24 systems already known to contain a transiting planet. We model the transits due to the known planet in each system and subtract these models from light curves obtained with the SuperWASP (Wide Angle Search for Planets) survey instruments. These residual light curves are then searched for evidence of additional periodic transit events. Although we do not find any evidence for additional planets in any of the planetary systems studied, we are able to characterize our ability to find such planets by means of Monte Carlo simulations. Artificially generated transit signals corresponding to planets with a range of sizes and orbital periods were injected into the SuperWASP photometry and the resulting light curves searched for planets. As a result, the detection efficiency as a function of both the radius and orbital period of any second planet is calculated. We determine that there is a good (>50 per cent) chance of detecting additional, Saturn-sized planets in   P ∼  10 d orbits around planet-hosting stars that have several seasons of SuperWASP photometry. Additionally, we confirm previous evidence of the rotational stellar variability of WASP-10, and refine the period of rotation. We find that the period of the rotation is  11.91 ± 0.05  d, and the false alarm probability for this period is extremely low  (∼10⁻¹³)  .     

On the ultracompact nature of 4U 1822−000

We report the discovery of a periodic modulation in the optical lightcurve of the candidate ultracompact X-ray binary 4U 1822−000. Using time-resolved optical photometry taken with the William Herschel Telescope we find evidence for a sinusoidal modulation with a semi-amplitude of 8 per cent and a period of 191 min, which is most likely close to the true orbital period of the binary. Using the van Paradijs & McClintock relation for the absolute magnitude and the distance modulus allowing for interstellar reddening, we estimate the distance to 4U 1822−000 to be 6.3 kpc. The long orbital period casts severe doubts on the ultracompact nature of 4U 1822−000.     

Evidence for temporal variations of coronal emission line intensity and profile

The time sequence of line profiles of Fe xiv emission obtained at the 1965 solar eclipse is examined for temporal variations of intensity and profile. Although no variations are found in some regions examined, two regions with intensity and profile line width variations are found. A simple temperature wave is consistent with observations.Work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration.Work accomplished at the Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming.