Simultaneous five color (UBVRI) polarimetry of VV Puppis

Observations of linear and circular polarization in five colour bands during a highly active state of VV Puppis in January-86 are reported. A strong linear polarization pulse with the maximum in the blue, P_B22 %, is observed at the end of the bright phase when the active pole is at the limb and a weaker secondary pulse, P_B7 %, is seen in the beginning of the bright phase, when the active pole reappears. Strong positive circular polarization is also observed in the blue and the ultraviolet, P_UP_B18 %, P_V10 % during the bright phase. The circular polarization reverses the sign in the B and V bands during the faint phase and a negative polarization hump is seen when the active pole crosses the limb. The circular polarization in the V band reaches the value P_V–10% at the hump, after which it remains near P_V–5% during the faint phase. This is probably due to radiation coming from the second, less active pole and accretion thus takes place onto both poles. The wavelength dependences of the positive and negative parts of the circular polarization curve are different and no polarization reversal is seen in the U band. The position angle of the linear polarization is well determined during a large portion of the cycle, especially in the V band, thanks to the activity from both poles. A best fit to the position angle curve, taking into account also the duration of the positive circular polarization phase interval =0.40 (in the V band), yields the values of orbital inclination i=78°±2° and the colatitude of the active magnetic pole =146°±2°. The relatively good fit to the position angle data indicates that the simple dipole model is nearly correct in the case of VV Puppis. Some wavelength dependence is, however, seen in the position angle curves, especially in the I band where the slope / at the main pulse is considerably smaller than in the other bands. The shape of the position angle curves changes also in the blue and the ultraviolet around the middle of the bright phase. This is probably due to optical thickness effects as the side of the accretion column which is toward the observer changes near this phase.Based on observations made at the European Southern Observatory, La Silla, Chile.Paper presented at the IAU Colloquium No. 93 on Cataclysmic Variables. Recent Multi-Frequency Observations and Theoretical Developments, held at Dr. Remeis-Sternwarte Bamberg, F.R.G., 16–19 June, 1986.On leave from University of Helsinki Observatory     

Computer simulation of the particle acceleration in pulsar magnetospheres

In the spherically-symmetric case, a computer simulation of the electron acceleration inside the outflow channel of the pulsar magnetosphere is produced. The stationary motion of electrons is shown to be unstable in the case of > _c, where is a parameter describing inhomogeneity of the background charge, and _c is its critical value. The arising non-stationary motion of electrons leads to a formation of electron bunches, which move chaotically. The mean electron energy appears to be much greater at the non-stationary motion, than at the stationary one. The time-averaged parameters of the non-stationary electron flow and their dependence upon have been investigated. Distributions of the mean values of parameters (charge density, electron velocity, electric field energy density, pressure, and internal energy of the gas composed of the electron bunches) over the magnetosphere altitude have been investigated. The mean spectra of the charge density have been obtained. The results of numerical investigation of the spherically-symmetric model are used for estimation of the electron energy and of the electron flux in the case of the more realistic model. The radioemission loss is estimated, and is shown to be large enough for explaining the radiopulsar phenomenon as a thermal radioemission of the pulsar magnetosphere. In particular, such common properties of the pulsar radioemission as the high bright temperature, the sharp radioemission directivity, and the characteristic turn-over of the radioemission spectrum at the frequency of the order 10⁸ Hz are found a natural explanation in frames of this model.     

The energy distributions of magnetic variables: The effects of inhomogeneous accretion columns

Previous shock models for the AM Herculis-type magnetic variables have assumed homogeneous accretion columns, with constant infall densities out to a characteristic column radius. The resulting energy distributions are strongly peaked in the visible to ultraviolet and are in disagreement with observations. We report the preliminary results of calculations with more general radial functions of the infall density. Exponential and gaussian profiles yield continua profiles produce continua which are flatter and in better agreement with observations. Comparisons are made to data for AM Her and E2003+225.Paper presented at the IAU Colloquium No. 93 on Cataclysmic Variables. Recent Multi-Frequency Observations and Theoretical Developments, held at Dr. Remeis-Sternwarte Bamberg, F.R.G., 16–19 June, 1986.     

The ultrashort period dwarf nova SW ursae majoris

SW UMa is an unusual dwarf nova in several respects. Recent observations by Robinsonet al. (1986) have established that SW UMa is an SU UMa system, while Shafter, Szkody, and Thorstensen (1986) have presented evidence suggesting that SW UMa may be a DQ Her system as well. If the DQ Her classification is confirmed then SW UMa will be the only system to have this dual classification. Finally, time resolved spectroscopy of SW UMa has revealed the presence of an S-wave component in the H emission which has an unexpected phasing relative to the line wings.Paper presented at the IAU Colloquium No. 93 on Cataclysmic Variables. Recent Multi-Frequency Observations and Theoretical Developments, held at Dr. Remeis-Sternwarte Bamberg, F.R.G., 16–19 June, 1986.     

Age distribution of open clusters as a function of their linear diameter and age-dependence of cluster masses

From the well-observed data of star clusters, the age distribution of galactic clusters is obtianed as a function of their linear diameter and it is concluded that the observed age distribution of clusters for different linear diameter intervals within 1500 pc, is not seriously affected by the selection effects. If we assume that the rate of formation of clusters is constant, the lifetimes _1/2 of the clusters for different linear diameter intervals have been obtained and it is found that the clusters with a linear diameter in the range 0–1.9 pc have longer lifetimes than the clusters having linear diameters larger than 2.0 pc.Total masses of 57 clusters have been obtained using the catalogues of Piskunov (1983) and Myakutinet al. (1984). A study of age-dependence of cluster masses, based on the total masses of the clusters obtained in the present study and the cluster masses given by Bruch and Sanders (1983) and Lynga (1983b), shows that there is a decreasing trend in the total mass with the age, however, there is an increasing trend after the age of about 10⁸ yr. It is also concluded that the initial rate of formation of rich clusters was relatively higher than the present rate of formation.     

Multi-frequency observations of the 1985 outburst of RS ophiuchi

The 1985 outburst of the bright, recurrent nova RS Oph was almost simultaneously observed at X-ray, UV, optical, IR and radio frequencies at many epochs. The abundances in the ejected shell and the development of the bolometric luminosity as a function of time suggest that the cause of the outburst is a nuclear runaway on a massive white dwarf.Paper presented at the IAU Colloquium No. 93 on Cataclysmic Variables. Recent Multi-Frequency Observations and Theoretical Development, held at Dr. Remeis-Sternwarte Bamberg, F.R.G., 16–19 June, 1986.     

Electron impact polarization of resonance lines from Lithium-like ions

The Oppenheimer-Penney theory, as developed by Percival and Seaton (1958), is applied to calculate the polarization of resonance lines from Li-like ions. Two laws for the pitch-angle distribution of electrons around the magnetic field are accounted. The degrees of polarization are averaged over the energy of non-thermal electrons generated during the initial phase of solar flares. It is found that for the full space pitch-angle distribution, as adopted by Chandra and Joshi (1984), the degrees of polarization are nearly independent of the atomic number of ion. Whereas for the forward-come distribution used by Haug (1981), they depend on the choice of the free parameterE ₀. The polarization of the resonance lines from Li-like ions is two times larger than that of the L radiations from H-like ions. Hence, under favourable conditions, it may be detected during solar flares.     

X-ray and ultraviolet observations of AG Draconis during quiescence and outburst

We describe the first X-ray monitoring of a symbiotic star during phases of enhanced activity. AG Dra is a Pop II object with a composite spectrum, characterized by a cool K-type component, prominent high ionization emission lines and a strong UV continuum which is attributed to a hot dwarf companion. Periodic variability of the UV radiation during minimum could be attributed to the orbital motion of the system. In April 1980 HEAO-2 detected an intense, soft X-ray flux from AG Dra, stronger than in other symbiotic stars. After one major outburst of November 1980, which continued until 1983, two more outbursts occurred in February 1985 and January 1986, and coordinated X-ray (EXOSAT) and ultraviolet (IUE) observations were organized to study the behaviour of AG Dra during different activity phases. EXOSAT observations made during decline after the 1985 outburst, revealed a weak X-ray flux in the Thin Lexan filter of the Low Energy dedtector. Observations made during minimum, in June and November 1985, at phases 0.22 and 0.50 of the UV light curve, disclosed the presence of an intense X-ray flux, which was not occulted in November. AG Dra was again observed with EXOSAT in February 1986 when the stellar luminosity was still at maximum. No X-ray flux was detected, in spite of the prominent, high ionization UV spectrum observed with IUE.A detailed discussion of the X-ray and ultraviolet results on AG Dra in the light of possible models is in progress.Paper presented at the IAU Colloquium No. 93 on Cataclysmic Variables. Recent Multi-Frequency Observations and Theoretical Developments, held at Dr. Remeis-Sternwarte Bamberg, F.R.G., 16–19 June, 1986.     

Evidence for a small,high-Z,iron-like solar core

Radial and nonradial oscillation equations without and with the gravitation perturbation (with and without the Cowling approximation, CA) are solved numerically using the profile from a more accurate high-Z core (HZC) solar model. This more accurate HZC model was generated with the CRAY X-MP/48 supercomputer at the San Diego Supercomputer Center. Frequencies of oscillation in the five-min band (5MB) and frequencies with period near 160 min are presented in tables and plotted in echelle diagrams. The model was generated by integrating the stellar structure equations from the center to he surface, as done in Rouse (1964), using a maximum space step, ;x _m = 5 × 10^–4, decreasing to 10^–6 in the hydrogenionization zone just below the photosphere. Two subsets of space mesh points are used to calculate the oscillation frequencies, viz., one with a maximum space step of 5 × 10^–3, decreasing to 10^–6 with a total of 621 points (mesh 5I) and the other with a maximum space step of 2 × 10^–3, with a total of 867 points (mesh 5J).With the surface boundary condition applied at x = 1.0, the l – 1 degree nonradial frequencies with CA and the l-degree frequencies without CA are in very good agreement with the frequency spacings for observed frequencies of oscillation labeled l = 1 to 5, but with the l – 1 frequencies with CA about 10 Hz or so less than the observations and the l frequencies without CA about 10 Hz or so greater than the observations. And for the Duvall and Harvey (1983) observations labeled l = 10 and l = 20, the l = 9 and l = 19 nonradial solutions with CA agree to about 5 Hz or less with the observations. Considering from the two preceeding papers in this series that increasing the density in the outer envelope and photosphere will increase the 5MB frequencies and applying the outer boundary condition at x > 1.0 will decrease the 5MB frequencies, the net affects of such changes could move one or the other set of frequencies closer to the observations — or require a slightly different model structure to obtain accurate agreements with the values of the observed frequencies throughout the 5MB.In either case, it is concluded that the first-order, radially-symmetric structure of the model outside the HZC is close to the structure of the real Sun. This is of fundamental importance because a real gas adiabatic temperature gradient (Rouse, 1964, 1971) is used in the outer convective region without free parameters.Other aspects of agreements and differences between radial and nonradial solutions, with CA and without CA are discussed. In particular, the l = 4, 6, 8, and 9 g-mode solutions with CA indicate that the observed 160.01 min period may be a common l-mode period of oscillation. More research is proposed.     

On a sequence of remarkable fine structures in the type IV burst of 24 April, 1985

During the type IV burst on 24 April, 1985 we observed at 234 MHz an untypical, strong, nearly six hours lasting continuum emission incorporating several groups of broadband pulsations, zebra patterns, fiber bursts, and a new fine structure phenomenon. The power spectra of the groups of broadband pulsations reveal no simple structure. There is only one common periodic component between 0.3 s and 0.4 s. Slowly drifting chains of narrowband fiber bursts are described as a new fine structure by spectrograms and simultaneously recorded single frequency intensity profiles. A qualitative model of this new fine structure is suggested.