Jiří Liška

Surprising variations in the rotation of the chemically peculiar stars CU Virginis and V901 Orionis

We aim to study the stability of the periods in CU Vir and V901 Ori using all accessible observational data containing phase information. We found that the shapes of their phase curves were constant, while the periods were changing. Both stars exhibit alternating intervals of rotational braking and acceleration. The rotation period of CU Vir was gradually shortening until the year 1968, when it reached its local minimum of 0.52067198 d. The period then started increasing, reaching its local maximum of 0.5207163 d in the year 2005. Since that time the rotation has begun to accelerate again. We also found much smaller period changes in CU Vir on a timescale of several years. The rotation period of V901 Ori was increasing for the past quarter-century, reaching a maximum of 1.538771 d in the year 2003, when the rotation period began to decrease. A theoretically unexpected alternating variability of rotation periods in these stars would remove the spin-down time paradox and brings a new insight into structure and evolution of magnetic upper-main-sequence stars.

THE PHOTOMETRIC STUDY OF A NEGLECTED NEAR CONTACT BINARY: BS VULPECULAE

We present a detailed study of the close eclipsing binary BS Vulpeculae. Although it is relatively bright (V: 10.9-11.6 mag) and belongs to short-periodic variable stars (P = 0.48 days), it is rather neglected. To perform a thorough period analysis, we collected all available photometric observations that span the time interval of 1898-2010. Observations include archive photographic plate measurements and visually determined eclipse minima timings done in 1979-2003, which were later shown to be biased to accommodate the existing linear ephemeris. Applying our own direct period analysis we found a well-defined shortening of the orbital period of dP/dt = -6.70(17) x 10(-11) = -2.11(6) ms yr(-1), which implies a continual mass flow from the primary to the secondary component. Using the 2003 version of the Wilson-Van Hamme code, our new complete BV(IR)(C) light curves were analyzed and the physical parameters of the system were derived. We found that BS Vul is a near contact binary system with the primary component filling its critical Roche lobe. The luminosity enhancement on the left shoulder of the secondary minimum shown in the light curves can be explained as a result of a persistent hot spot on the secondary due to the mass transfer from the primary component to the secondary one and heating the facing hemisphere of the secondary component, which is consistent with our result of period analysis. With the period decrease, BS Vul will evolve toward the contact phase. It is another good observational example as predicted by the theory of thermal relaxation oscillations.

Apsidal motion and a light curve solution for eighteen SMC eccentric eclipsing binaries

Aims. The Danish 1.54-meter telescope at the La Silla observatory was used for photometric monitoring of selected eccentric eclipsing binaries located in the Small Magellanic Cloud. The new times of minima were derived for these systems, which are needed for accurate determination of the apsidal motion. Moreover, many new times of minima were derived from the photometric databases OGLE and MACHO. Eighteen early-type eccentric-orbit eclipsing binaries were studied. Methods. Their O–C diagrams of minima timings were analysed and the parameters of the apsidal motion were obtained. The light curves of these eighteen binaries were analysed using the program PHOEBE, giving the light curve parameters. For several systems, the additional third light also was detected. Results. We derived for the first time and significantly improved the relatively short periods of apsidal motion from 19 to 142 years for these systems. The relativistic effects are weak, up to 10% of the total apsidal motion rate. For one system (OGLE-SMC-ECL-0888), the third-body hypothesis was also presented, which agrees with high value of the third light for this system detected during the light curve solution.

Cyclic variations in O−C diagrams of field RR Lyrae stars as a result of LiTE

This paper presents an extensive overview of known and proposed RR Lyrae stars in binaries. The aim is to revise and extend the list with new Galactic field systems. We utilized maxima timings for 11 RRab type stars with suspicious behaviour from the GEOS data base, and determined maxima timings from data of sky surveys and our own observations. This significantly extended the number of suitable maxima timings. We modelled the proposed Light Time Effect (LiTE) in O-C diagrams to determine orbital parameters for these systems. In contrast to recent studies, our analysis focused on decades-long periods instead of periods in the order of years. Secondary components were found to be predominantly low-mass objects. However, for RZ Cet and AT Ser the mass of the suspected companion of more than one solar mass suggests that it is a massive white dwarf, a neutron star or even a black hole. We found that the semimajor axes of the proposed orbits are between 1 and 20 au. Because the studied stars belong to the closest RR Lyraes, maximal angular distances between components during orbit should at least be between 1 and 13 mas and this improves the chance to detect both stars using current telescopes. However, our interpretation of the O-C diagrams as a consequence of the LiTE should be considered as preliminary without reliable spectroscopic measurements. On the other hand, our models give a prediction of the period and radial velocity evolution which should be sufficient for plausible proof of binarity.

Modelling of variability of the chemically peculiar star ϕ Draconis

Context. The presence of heavier chemical elements in stellar atmospheres influences the spectral energy distribution of stars. An uneven surface distribution of these elements, together with flux redistribution and stellar rotation, are commonly believed to be the primary causes of the variability of chemically peculiar (CP) stars. Aims. We aim to model the photometric variability of the CP star ϕ Dra based on the assumption of inhomogeneous surface distribution of heavier elements and compare it to the observed variability of the star. We also intend to identify the processes that contribute most significantly to its photometric variability. Methods. We use a grid of TLUSTY model atmospheres and the SYNSPEC code to model the radiative flux emerging from the individual surface elements of ϕ Dra with different chemical compositions. We integrate the emerging flux over the visible surface of the star at different phases throughout the entire rotational period to synthesise theoretical light curves of the star in several spectral bands. Results. The synthetic light curves in the visible and in the near-UV regions are in very good agreement with the observed variability of the star. The lack of usable far-UV measurements of the star precludes making any conclusions about the correctness of our model in this spectral region. We also obtained 194 new BVRI observations of ϕ Dra and improved its rotational period to P = 1. d 716500(2). Conclusions. We show that the inhomogeneous distribution of elements, flux redistribution, and rotation of the star are fully capable of explaining the stellar variability in the visible and the near-UV regions. The flux redistribution is mainly caused by bound-free transitions of silicon and bound-bound transitions of iron.

A cautionary tale of interpreting O−C diagrams: period instability in a classical RR Lyr Star Z CVn mimicking as a distant companion

We present a comprehensive study of Z CVn, an RR Lyrae star that shows long-term cyclic variations of its pulsation period. A possible explanation suggested from the shape of the O-C diagram is the light travel-time effect, which we thoroughly examine. We used original photometric and spectroscopic measurements and investigated the period evolution using available maximum times spanning more than one century. If the binary hypothesis is valid, Z CVn orbits around a black hole with minimal mass of

Reports on New Discoveries

56.5

New inclination changing eclipsing binaries in the Magellanic Clouds

\mathfrak{M}_{\odot}

V346 Centauri: Early-type eclipsing binary with apsidal motion and abrupt change of orbital period

on a very wide (