D. Denisenko

Survey of period variations of superhumps in SU UMa-type dwarf novae. VII. The seventh year (2014–2015)

Continuing the project described by Kato et al. (2009, PASJ, 61, S395), we collected times of superhump maxima for 102 SU UMa-type dwarf novae, observed mainly during the 2014-2015 season, and characterized these objects. Our project has greatly improved the statistics of the distribution of orbital periods, which is a good approximation of the distribution of cataclysmic variables at the terminal evolutionary stage, and has confirmed the presence of a periodminimum at a period of 0.053 d and a period spike just above this period. The number density monotonically decreased toward the longer period and there was no strong indication of a period gap. We detected possible negative superhumps in Z Cha. It is possible that normal outbursts are also suppressed by the presence of a disk tilt in this system. There was no indication of enhanced orbital humps just preceding the superoutburst, and this result favors the thermal-tidal disk instability as the origin of superoutbursts. We detected superhumps in three AM CVn-type dwarf novae. Our observations and recent other detections suggest that 8% of objects showing dwarf nova-type outbursts are AM CVn-type objects. AM CVn-type objects and EI Psc-type objects may be more abundant than previously recognized. OT J213806, a WZ Sge-type object, exhibited remarkably different features between the 2010 and 2014 superoutbursts. Although the 2014 superoutburst was much fainter, the plateau phase was shorter than the 2010 one, and the course of the rebrightening phase was similar. This object indicates that the O-C diagrams of superhumps can indeed be variable, at least in WZ Sge-type objects. Four deeply eclipsing SU UMa-type dwarf novae (ASASSN-13cx, ASASSN-14ag, ASASSN-15bu, and NSV 4618) were identified. We studied long-term trends in supercycles in MM Hya and CY UMa and found systematic variations of supercycles of similar to 20%.

Optical polarization observations with the MASTER robotic net

Abstract We present results of optical polarization observations performed with the MASTER robotic net (Lipunov et al., 2004, 2010; Kornilov et al., 2012) for three types of objects: gamma-ray bursts, supernovae, and blazars. For the gamma-ray bursts GRB100906A, GRB110422A, GRB121011A, polarization observations were obtained Shift during very early stages of optical emission. For GRB100906A it was the first prompt optical polarization observation in the world. Photometry in polarizers is presented for Type Ia Supernova 2012bh during 20xa0days, starting on March 27, 2012. We find that the linear polarization of SN 2012bh at the early stage of the envelope expansion was less than 3%. Polarization measurements for the blazars OC 457, 3C 454.3, QSO B1215+303, 87GB 165943.2+395846 at single nights are presented. We infer the degree of the linear polarization and polarization angle. The blazars OC 457 and 3C 454.3 were observed during their periods of activity. The results show that MASTER is able to measure substantially polarized light; at the same time it is not suitable for determining weak polarization (less than 5%) of dim objects (fainter than 16 m ). Polarimetric observations of the optical emission from gamma-ray bursts and supernovae are necessary to investigate the nature of these transient objects.

Discovery of an unusual bright eclipsing binary with the longest known period: TYC 2505-672-1/MASTER OT J095310.04+335352.8

We report on the MASTER Global Robotic Net discovery of an eclipsing binary, MASTER OT J095310.04+335352.8, previously known as unremarkable star TYC 2505-672-1, which displays extreme orbital parameters. The orbital period P=69.1 yr is more than 2.5 times longer than that of epsilon-Aurigae, which is the previous record holder. The light curve is characterized by an extremely deep total eclipse with a depth of more than 4.5 mag, which is symmetrically shaped and has a total duration of 3.5 yrs. The eclipse is essentially gray. The spectra acquired with the Russian 6 m BTA telescope both at minimum and maximum light mainly correspond to an M0-1III--type red giant, but the spectra taken at the bottom of eclipse show small traces of a sufficiently hot source. The observed properties of this system can be better explained as the red giant eclipsed by a large cloud (the disk) of small particles surrounding the invisible secondary companion.

Survey of period variations of superhumps in SU UMa-type dwarf novae. IX. The ninth year (2016–2017)

Continuing the project described by Kato et al. (2009, arXiv:0905.1757), we collected times of superhump maxima for 127 SU UMa-type dwarf novae observed mainly during the 2016--2017 season and characterized these objects. We provide updated statistics of relation between the orbital period and the variation of superhumps, the relation between period variations and the rebrightening type in WZ Sge-type objects. We obtained the period minimum of 0.05290(2)d and confirmed the presence of the period gap above the orbital period ~0.09d. We note that four objects (NY Her, 1RXS J161659.5+620014, CRTS J033349.8-282244 and SDSS J153015.04+094946.3) have supercycles shorter than 100d but show infrequent normal outbursts. We consider that these objects are similar to V503 Cyg, whose normal outbursts are likely suppressed by a disk tilt. These four objects are excellent candidates to search for negative superhumps. DDE 48 appears to be a member of ER UMa-type dwarf novae. We identified a new eclipsing SU UMa-type object MASTER OT J220559.40-341434.9. We observed 21 WZ Sge-type dwarf novae during this interval and reported 18 out of them in this paper. Among them, ASASSN-16js is a good candidate for a period bouncer. ASASSN-16ia showed a precursor outburst for the first time in a WZ Sge-type superoutburst. ASASSN-16kg, CRTS J000130.5+050624 and SDSS J113551.09+532246.2 are located in the period gap. We have newly obtained 15 orbital periods, including periods from early superhumps.

THE RESULTS OF PHOTOMETRIC RECORDING OF THE OCCULTATION OF THE STAR HIP 97157 BY ASTEROID (41) DAPHNE WITH THE TELESCOPE OF THE GLOBAL MASTER ROBOTIC NET

We have carried out photometric observations of the occultation of the star HIP 97157 by asteroid (41) Daphne on 2013 October 25 with the 40 cm telescope of the Global MASTER Robotic Net, located in the Tunka Valley near Irkutsk. We have obtained the photometric drift-scan of the occultation in broadband visible light. The photometric curve of the occultation of the star by asteroid Daphne was obtained. From analysis of this curve we have determined the length of the chord of the asteroid in the direction of its motion corresponding to the time interval during which the asteroid completely screened the stars light: a 146.86 ± 0.24 km. Also, assuming that the angular diameter of the star is equal to d 0002, we have determined the angles between the velocity vector of the asteroid and its two opposite edges (considered as straight lines) where the disappearance of the star and its reappearance occurred: for the front edge of the asteroid and for its opposite edge. So these edges of the asteroid are inclined toward each other at an angle of about 8°.