Photometric investigation of the evolved contact binary system DN Aur

We present here the photometric light curve analyses of the eclipsing binary star DN Aur. The CCD photometry, performed at the Behlen observatory using the 0.76 m automated telescope gave 646 individual data points inV andR bandpass filters. From this data we have determined a new epoch and an orbital period of 0.6168891 days. The published spectral classification is F3.The Wilson-Devinney model was used to derive the photometric solutions. DN Aur is a W UMa type contact binary system. The mass ratio, (q=m ₂/m ₁0.210, where star 2 is eclipsed at the primary minimum) suggests that the system has A-type configuration. The computed light curve has a third light of about 22 percent and a total eclipse in the secondary minimum. A solution with a cool spot on the secondary component is also found. We recommend spectroscopic study of DN Aur even though the light curve analysis show it to be a single line spectroscopic system. Generally contact systems of spectral type F3 have periods ranging from 0.25 to 0.5 days. The longer period of DN Aur suggests that it is an evolved contact system with case A mass transfer.     

Coronal magnetic fields from microwave polarization observations

The solar active region (AR) 7530 was observed at 6 cm on July 3 and 4, 1993 with the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope, using a multi-channel receiver with very narrow bandwidth. We compare the radio data with Yohkoh SXT observations and with the magnetic field extrapolated from the Marshall vector magnetograms in the force-free and current-free approximations. The comparison with soft X-rays shows that, although a general agreement exists between the shape of the radio intensity map and the X-ray loops, the brightness temperature, T _b, obtained using the parameters derived from the SXT is much lower than that observed. The comparison with the extrapolated photospheric fields shows instead that they account very well for the observed T _b above the main sunspots, if gyroresonance emission is assumed. In the observation of July 4 an inversion and strong suppression of the circular polarization was clearly present above different portions of the AR, which indicates that particular relationships exist between the electron density and the magnetic field in the region where the corresponding lines of sight cross the field quasi-perpendicularly. The extrapolated magnetic field at a much higher level ( 10¹⁰ cm), satisfies the constraints required by the wave propagation theory all over the AR. However, a rather low electron density is derived.     

A filament eruption and accompanying coronal field changes on November 5, 1992

An H filament eruption on November 5, 1992 was fully observed in H with the Hida Flare Monitoring Telescope, while Yohkoh's Soft X-ray Telescope observed the pre- and post-eruption evolution of the coronal magnetic fields. From the H data, including the red and blue wings, we have reconstructed the rise of the filament, including trajectory, velocity, and acceleration. In combination with the Yohkoh data this reconstruction suggests that the filament had several interactions with other coronal magnetic fields during the eruption. The Yohkoh data also shows pre-eruption changes in the coronal fields and several post-eruption bright coronal structures. The pre-eruption changes are interpreted as a partial opening of the corona, indicating that it is not necessary to have a complete opening of the corona in order for a filament to erupt and we discuss the several possible contributions from emerging flux. The post-event bright coronal structures are compared with theory and with a cleaner filament eruption event on July 31, 1992. These comparisons suggest that, although there are many similarities, it is hard to completely reconcile the observations with the existing theory.     

The effects of solar and ionospheric parameters on seasonal variation of 6300 Å line emission at Calcutta

The purpose of this paper is to find correlation between OI 6300 Å line intensity with solar and ionospheric parameters. A critical study have been made and the following important results are obtained:

Stellar irradiance variations due to surface temperature inhomogeneities

Observations of rotational modulation of continuum brightness and photospheric and chromospheric spectral-line profiles of late-type stars indicate the presence of very inhomogeneous surface temperature distributions. We present three stellar examples (VY Ari, HR 7275, HU Vir) where time-series photometry is used to trace the evolution of spotted regions. Simultaneous spectroscopy and Doppler imaging for one of the three stars (HU Virgo, Fig. 1) makes it possible to compute the temperature distribution of the photosphere and the relative intensity distribution of parts of the chromosphere (from CaII K and H line profiles). The combination of time-series spot modeling and Doppler imaging enabled us to determine thesign and amount of differential surface rotation on HU Vir. We found a big, cool polar spot (see figure below) and a differential (surface) rotation law where higher-latitude regions rotate faster than lower-latitude regions (opposite to what we see on the Sun). Currently, this ensemble of techniques - time-series photometry and photospheric and chromospheric Doppler imaging - is only applicable to stars overactive by approximately a factor of 100 as compared to the active Sun, e.g. the evolved components in RS CVn-type binaries and some rapidly-rotating, single, pre-main sequence stars or giant stars. Stellar rotation is a fundamental parameter for (magnetic) activity. Starspots, or any other surface inhomogeneities, allow one to derive very precise stellar rotation rates and, if coupled with seismological observations of solar-type stars, could provide information on the internal angular momentum distribution in overactive late-type stars.To be published in Astronomy & Astrophysics.     

Effect of perturbed potentials on the non-linear stability of libration pointL 4 in the restricted problem

The non-linear stability of the libration pointL ₄ in the restricted problem has been studied when there are perturbations in the potentials between the bodies. It is seen that the pointL ₄ is stable for all mass ratios in the range of linear stability except for three mass ratios depending upon the perturbing functions. The theory is applied to the following four cases:

The effect of Antarctic O3 decline on night airglow intensity of Na5893Å, O5577Å, OH emissions and its correlation with total solar flare numbers

The paper presents the effect of O₃ depletion on different night airglow emission lines. Calculations based on chemical kinetics show that the airglow intensity of Na5893Å, O5577Å and OH band emissions will also be affected due to the depletion of O₃ concentration. Intensity of Na5893Å is calculated theoretically for Halley Bay (76° S,27° W), British Antarctic Survey Station, during the period 1973 to 1984. It is concluded from the covariation of different emission lines that O5577Å and OH emissions also follow the same trend of variation. A study has been made to find the correlation between the depletion of O₃ concentration and total solar flare numbers. Important results are as follows:

Powder- and single crystal Mössbauer spectroscopy on synthetic fayalite

Mössbauer measurements on synthetic iron orthosilicate Fe₂SiO₄ (fayalite) were carried out in the antiferromagnetic spin state below T _N 65 K. The Mössbauer parameters isomer shift , inner magnetic field H(0), angle between H(0) and the z-component of the electric field gradient (efg), quadrupole splitting QS and asymmetry parameter were determined as a function of temperature. These parameters could be attributed to the two crystallographic sites M1 and M2.The smaller isomer shift on M1 with respect to M2 displays the more covalent character of the Fe-O bond on M1, which is supported by previous neutron diffraction experiments. H(0) shows a Brillouin-type behaviour with different fields on the two crystallographic sites (stronger on M1) and a small discontinuity at T = 23 K which corresponds with previous magnetic measurements. The quadrupole splitting is equal on both sites within error bars, in agreement with previous theoretical results and in contradiction to previous Mössbauer refinements published elsewhere.