scholarly journals Polarimetry of Close Binary Systems; Observations and Interpretations

1980 ◽  
Vol 88 ◽  
pp. 65-70
Author(s):  
Ian S. McLean
Keyword(s):  
Binary Systems ◽  
Stokes Parameters ◽  
Close Binary ◽  
Stellar Winds ◽  
Line Profiles ◽  
Orbital Inclination ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Close Binary Systems ◽  
A New Technique ◽  
X Ray Binaries

Polarization caused by scattering of starlight on gaseous extrastellar material in close binary systems is reviewed. A simple physical derivation is given to illustrate how in principle, variations synchronous with the orbital period of the Stokes parameters of the linear polarization can yield the orbital inclination and other parameters. High resolution multichannel spectropolarimetry across the emission line profiles of binaries is discussed as a new technique in studying the physics and kinematics of gaseous streams and stellar winds. The methods have application to a range of binary objects including systems like Algol and Beta Lyrae, X-ray binaries, Of and Wolf-Rayet binaries, VV Cephei stars and symbiotic stars. Some new observational results are presented.

scholarly journals X-Ray Sources in Close Binary Systems

1974 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 89-107
Author(s):  
M. J. Rees
Keyword(s):  
Binary Systems ◽  
Close Binary ◽  
Rapid Variability ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Close Binary Systems ◽  
General Order ◽  
Typical Distances ◽  
Astronomical Research ◽  
Orbital Periods ◽  
Galactic Sources

The discovery by Giacconi and his colleagues of variable X-ray sources in close binary systems certainly ranks as one of the highlights of astronomical research during the last 3 years. These remarkable objects have already been extensively studied, by optical and radio observations as well as in the X-ray band; and they seem likely to prove as significant and far-reaching in their implications as pulsars.The ‘Third Uhuru Catalogue’ (Giacconi et al., 1973a) contains about 160 sources, of which about 100 lie in our Galaxy. Their distribution over the sky (together with other arguments) suggests that these sources have luminosities of the general order 1036–1038 erg s−1, and that their typical distances are ˜ 10kpc. These galactic sources generally display rapid variability. Little else is known about most of them, but they are probably of the same general class as systems such as Her X1, Cen X3, Cyg X1 and Cyg X3. These sources have been investigated in detail, and in all cases one infers a system where the X-ray source is orbiting around a relatively ordinary star. Six sources have been optically identified, and there are some others whose binary nature is established by the occurrence of an X-ray eclipse. Orbital periods range from 4.8 h (Cyg X3) up to ˜ 10 days.

scholarly journals Colliding Stellar Winds in O-type Close Binary Systems

1992 ◽  
Vol 135 ◽  
pp. 146-148
Author(s):  
D.R. Gies ◽  
M.S. Wiggs
Keyword(s):  
Binary Systems ◽  
Optical Emission ◽  
Emission Lines ◽  
Optical Observations ◽  
Close Binary ◽  
High Dispersion ◽  
Stellar Winds ◽  
Close Binary Systems ◽  
Circumstellar Gas ◽  
The Individual

In close binary systems of O-type stars, the individual stellar winds will collide between the stars to form shock fronts (Stevens et al. 1992). Binaries with equally luminous stars will have winds of comparable strength, and the shock will occur near the mid-plane between the stars, but in binaries of unequal luminosity, the interaction will occur along a bow shock wrapped around the star with the weaker wind. The presence of the shock region can be detected through excess X-ray emission (Chlebowski & Garmany 1990), and orbital phase-related variations in the UV P Cygni lines (Shore & Brown 1988) and optical emission lines (formed in high density regions of circumstellar gas).We have begun a search for colliding winds through a study of the optical emission lines and UV P Cygni lines in four massive binaries, AO Cas (Gies & Wiggs 1991), Plaskett’s star = HD 47129 (Wiggs & Gies 1992), 29 UW CMa and ι Ori. The optical observations consist of high S/N spectra of the Hα and He I λ6678 region obtained with the University of Texas McDonald Observatory 2.1-m telescope and coudé Reticon system. The UV observations were culled from archival IUE high dispersion spectra of several P Cygni features (N V λ1240, Si IV λ1400, C IV λ1550).

scholarly journals Glimpses of Be Binary Evolution

2000 ◽  
Vol 175 ◽  
pp. 668-680 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas R. Gies
Keyword(s):  
Neutron Stars ◽  
Binary Systems ◽  
Rotational Velocity ◽  
Close Binary ◽  
Be Stars ◽  
Star System ◽  
Single Star ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Binary Evolution ◽  
X Ray Binaries

AbstractModels of close binary evolution predict that mass gainers will be spun up to speeds close to the critical rotational velocity while the mass donors will appear as stripped down He stars, white dwarfs, or neutron stars. I argue here that the mass gainers are closely related to the Be stars. I present a list of the known Be binary systems which consists of those with bright, Roche-filling companions and those with faint or undetected companions. Notably absent are Be + B systems which are expected if the Be phase is a stage in the life of a single star. We now have the first example of a Be + He star system in the binary, ϕ Per, and taken together with the well known Be X-ray binaries, there is clear evidence that some fraction of Be stars are created in binaries; whether all such rapid rotators are so formed remains unknown.

scholarly journals Radio Aspects of Stellar Activity in Close Binaries

1980 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 857-857 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. M. Hjellming
Keyword(s):  
Circular Polarization ◽  
Binary Systems ◽  
Close Binary ◽  
Close Binaries ◽  
Radiation Mechanisms ◽  
Dynamo Action ◽  
Stellar Activity ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Close Binary Systems ◽  
Decay Times

Excluding single stars, star systems with very strong X-ray sources, thermally radiating winds and circumstellar envelopes, marginal detections, and binary systems that are far from “normal”, there are about 21 close binary systems that show clear signs of stellar activity in the form of variable radio emission. Sixteen of these are RS CVn binaries. Typical events are smoothly varying with time scales of from a few hours to a few days. In the RS CVn binaries UX Ari and V711 Tau variable circular polarization is sometimes observed, with occasional appearence of components with only one frequency and one circular polarization, part of which shows “oscillations” with “periods” of about 4 minutes. Different stars and different events typically have inferred electron energies of about 5 MeV and inferred magnetic fields of 1 - 30 Gauss. The radiation mechanisms are usually assumed to be synchrotron or gyro-synchrotron; however, radiation from plasma processes cannot be ruled out in some cases, and it will be very important to establish or rule out this possibility. Most radio binary events show clear signs of self-absorption, so the variations appear most strongly at the higher frequencies. Typical rise times of events are about 30% of decay times. Maximum radio luminosities range from 1013 to a few times 1017 ergs s-1 Hz-1. Most radio flares are mainly at cm-wavelenghts and have observable and inferred energies 104 - 106 times those for the largest solar events, a scaling which is similar to that for X-ray emission measures of these stars when compared to solar coronal loop emission measures. Most importantly, VLBI measurements of Algol indicate that the sizes of the radio emitting regions for very strong events are of the order of 2 - 3 stellar radii. Single stars appear to be active at radio wavelengths much less commonly than close binary systems. In many cases this may be due to the way dynamo action and convection near the surface are affected by increased rotation forced by the synchronization induced by the binary system.

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