Structure of gas flows in Z And in quiescence and during outbursts

A new mechanism is proposed to account for transitions between the quiescent and active states of symbiotic stars. A numerical study of the gas dynamics of the flows in the symbiotic star Z And shows that even small variations in the velocity of the wind from the cool giant can abruptly change the flow structure near the hot component. Such changes alter the accretion regime as the wind velocity increases: disk accretion makes a transition to accretion from the flow. Our calculations indicate that the accretion rate increases by a factor of several tens over a short time interval (～0.1 of the orbital period) during the rearrangement of the flow, when the accretion disk is destroyed.     

A model for superoutbursts in SU UMa-type binaries

We suggest a new mechanism for the superoutbursts in SU UMa binaries, in which the increase in the accretion rate resulting in a superoutburst is associated with the formation of a spiral “precessional” wave in the inner parts of the disk, where gas-dynamical perturbations are negligible. The existence of such waves was suggested by us previously. The results of three-dimensional gas-dynamical simulations have shown that a considerable increase in the accretion rate (by up to an order of magnitude) is associated with the formation of the precessional wave. The features of the precessional spiral wave can explain both the energy release in the superoutburst and all its observational manifestations. One distinguishing feature of superoutbursts in SU UMa-type stars is the formation of a “superhump” in the light curve. Our model reproduces well both the formation of a superhump and its observational features, including its period, which is up to 3–7% longer than the orbital period, and the detectability of the superhump independent of the orbital inclination of the binary.     

Scientific problems addressed by the Spektr-UV space project (world space Observatory—Ultraviolet)

The article presents a review of scientific problems and methods of ultraviolet astronomy, focusing on perspective scientific problems (directions) whose solution requires UV space observatories. These include reionization and the history of star formation in the Universe, searches for dark baryonic matter, physical and chemical processes in the interstellar medium and protoplanetary disks, the physics of accretion and outflows in astrophysical objects, from Active Galactic Nuclei to close binary stars, stellar activity (for both low-mass and high-mass stars), and processes occurring in the atmospheres of both planets in the solar system and exoplanets. Technological progress in UV astronomy achieved in recent years is also considered. The well advanced, international, Russian-led Spektr-UV (World Space Observatory—Ultraviolet) project is described in more detail. This project is directed at creating a major space observatory operational in the ultraviolet (115–310 nm). This observatory will provide an effective, and possibly the only, powerful means of observing in this spectral range over the next ten years, and will be an powerful tool for resolving many topical scientific problems.     

The chemical composition of the red giant η Ser

The paper presents the results of an analysis of elemental abundances in the atmosphere of η Ser—a red giant of spectral type K2IIIabCN1, according to Hoffleit and Jaschek [4]. The resulting atmospheric parameters correspond to a K0 giant, and the peculiarities of the star’s chemical composition provide evidence that the assignment of η Ser to the class of CN stars was erroneous.     

A possible manifestation of spiral shock waves in the accretion disks of cataclysmic variables

We present the results of three-dimensional numerical simulations of flow structures in binary systems with spiral shock waves. Variations of the mass-transfer rate perturb the equilibrium state of the accretion disk; consequently, a condensation (blob) behind the shock breaks away from the shock front and moves through the disk with variable speed. Our computations indicate that the blob is a long-lived formation, whose mean parameters do not vary substantially on timescales of several tens of orbital periods of the system. The presence of the spiral shocks maintains the compact blob in the disk: it prevents the blob from spreading due to the differential motion of matter in the disk, and dissipative spreading on this timescale is negligible. A number of cataclysmic variables display periodic or quasi-periodic photometric variations in their light curves with characteristic periods ～0.1–0.2P _orb, where P _orb is the orbital period. The blobs formed in systems with spiral shock waves are examined as a possible origin for these variations. The qualitative (and, in part, quantitative) agreement between our computations and observations of IP Peg and EX Dra provides evidence for the efficacy of the proposed model.     

Interpretation of the light curves of “quiescent” X-ray novae in a model with a noncollisional interaction between the flow and disk. The XTE J1118+480 system

We have analyzed the orbital light curve of the X-ray nova XTE J1118+480 in a “disk + hot line” model based on three-dimensional gas-dynamical computations of gas flows in interacting binary systems. As a result, we have been able to derive reliable parameters for the system: i = 80 _?4 ⁺⁴ degrees, _MBH = 7.1 _?0.1 ^+0.5 M_⊙, M _opt = 0.39 _?0.07 ^+0.15 M_⊙.