Infrared photometry of AGB stars

The goal of this article is to show that, if one avoids star forming regions, mass-losing AGB stars can generally be selected from the data that will be provided by the near-infrared surveys which are presently considered. Also, if IRAS data are available, the separation between carbon-rich and oxygen-rich stars can be operated by their positions in infrared colour diagrams. In extragalactic systems, red supergiants can be discriminated from AGB stars by their luminosities.based on observations obtained with the ESO 1-m telescope     

A normal and superoutburst study of the eclipsing SU UMa star: DV Ursae Majoris

We report on time-resolved photometry carried out during the 1995 short outburst and the 1997 long outburst in the eclipsing dwarf nova DV UMa. The revised orbital period is 0.0858526172 (67) d. We detected gigantic superhumps with an amplitude of ∼0.6 mag in the mid-phase of the 1997 outburst, revealing the SU UMa nature of DV UMa. The superhump period is 0.0887 (4) d. The superhumps became less clear during the late phase of the superoutburst, and we found two possible periods of 0.0885 (15) and 0.0764 (15). During both outbursts, the eclipse was wide and shallow near the maximum, and then became narrower and deeper, which is qualitatively well explained by the current disc instability theory.     

Spectroscopy and orbit determination of the chromospherically active double-lined binary system HD 163621 = V835 Herculis

HD 163621 is a double-lined spectroscopic binary in a circular orbit whose period is 3.3 days. Spectral classification of the components has proved difficult, but current results of K0 V and late K V are reasonably consistent with our best model of the system, which has spectral types of G8V and K7V. The object shows photometric variability and chromospheric activity and is therefore a member of the BY Draconis class of variables. The minimum masses are quite small, 0.10 and 0.07 M⊙ for the primary and secondary, respectively, suggesting an orbital inclination of about 30°. The system is synchronously rotating. Its distance is estimated to be 31 pc, which makes it an excellent candidate for a trigonometric parallax determination. Kitt Peak National Observatory, [U.S.] National Optical Astronomy Observatories, operated by AURA Inc. under contract with the [U.S.] National Science Foundation.     

The short-period supersoft source in M31

We show that the recently discovered short period supersoft source in M31 is probably a progenitor of a magnetic cataclysmic variable (CV). The white dwarf spins asynchronously because of the current high accretion rate. However its fieldstrength is typical of an AM Herculis system, which is what it will ultimately become. We discuss the relevance of this system to CV evolution, and its relation to some particular CVs with special characteristics.     

Tidally distorted accretion discs in binary stars

The non-axisymmetric features observed in the discs of dwarf novae in outburst are usually considered to be spiral shocks, which are the non-linear relatives of tidally excited waves. This interpretation suffers from a number of problems. For example, the natural site of wave excitation lies outside the Roche lobe, the disc must be especially hot, and most treatments of wave propagation do not take into account the vertical structure of the disc.
In this paper I construct a detailed semi-analytical model of the non-linear tidal distortion of a thin, three-dimensional accretion disc by a binary companion on a circular orbit. The analysis presented here allows for vertical motion and radiative energy transport, and introduces a simple model for the turbulent magnetic stress. The   m =2  inner vertical resonance has an important influence on the amplitude and phase of the tidal distortion. I show that the observed patterns find a natural explanation if the emission is associated with the tidally thickened sectors of the outer disc, which may be irradiated from the centre. According to this hypothesis, it may be possible to constrain the physical parameters of the disc through future observations.