Note on the Relation Between the Visual and Photographic Light Curves of Variable Stars of Short Period

1899 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 261 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. I. Bailey
Keyword(s):  
Variable Stars ◽  
Light Curves ◽  
Short Period

scholarly journals SuperWASP variable stars: classifying light curves using citizen science

2021 ◽  
Vol 502 (1) ◽  
pp. 1299-1311
Author(s):  
Heidi B Thiemann ◽  
Andrew J Norton ◽  
Hugh J Dickinson ◽  
Adam McMaster ◽  
Ulrich C Kolb
Keyword(s):  
Variable Stars ◽  
Eclipsing Binaries ◽  
Light Curves ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Resultant Data ◽  
Sky Survey ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Contact Binaries ◽  
Analysis Of Results

ABSTRACT We present the first analysis of results from the SuperWASP variable stars Zooniverse project, which is aiming to classify 1.6 million phase-folded light curves of candidate stellar variables observed by the SuperWASP all sky survey with periods detected in the SuperWASP periodicity catalogue. The resultant data set currently contains >1 million classifications corresponding to >500 000 object–period combinations, provided by citizen–scientist volunteers. Volunteer-classified light curves have ∼89 per cent accuracy for detached and semidetached eclipsing binaries, but only ∼9 per cent accuracy for rotationally modulated variables, based on known objects. We demonstrate that this Zooniverse project will be valuable for both population studies of individual variable types and the identification of stellar variables for follow-up. We present preliminary findings on various unique and extreme variables in this analysis, including long-period contact binaries and binaries near the short-period cut-off, and we identify 301 previously unknown binaries and pulsators. We are now in the process of developing a web portal to enable other researchers to access the outputs of the SuperWASP variable stars project.

scholarly journals Adaptive elliptical aperture photometry: A software package for high-cadence ground-based photometry

2019 ◽  
Vol 629 ◽  
pp. A21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominic M. Bowman ◽  
Daniel L. Holdsworth
Keyword(s):  
High Frequency ◽  
Software Package ◽  
Variable Stars ◽  
Light Curves ◽  
Series Data ◽  
Rapid Variability ◽  
Period Variability ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Ap Stars ◽  
High Cadence

Context. Modern space telescopes are currently providing high-precision light curves for a large fraction of the sky, such that many new variable stars are being discovered. However, some stars have periodic variability with periods on the order of minutes and require high-cadence photometry to probe the physical mechanisms responsible. A cadence of less than a minute is often required to remove Nyquist ambiguities and confirm rapid variability, which forces observers to obtain high-cadence ground-based photometry. Aims. We aim to provide a modern software package to reduce ground-based photometric time series data and deliver optimised (differential) light curves. To produce high-quality light curves, which maximise the amplitude signal-to-noise ratio of short-period variability in a Fourier spectrum, we require adaptive elliptical aperture photometry as this represents a significant advantage compared to aperture photometry using circular apertures of fixed radii. Methods. The methodology of our code and its advantages are demonstrated using high-cadence ground-based photometry from the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) of a confirmed rapidly oscillating Ap (roAp) star. Furthermore, we employed our software package to search for rapid oscillations in three candidate roAp stars. Results. We demonstrate that our pipeline represents a significant improvement in the quality of light curves, and we make it available to the community for use with different instruments and observatories. We search for and demonstrate the lack of high-frequency roAp pulsations to a limit of ∼1 mmag using B data in the three Ap stars HD 158596, HD 166542, and HD 181810. Conclusions. We demonstrate the significant improvement in the extraction of short-period variability caused by high-frequency pulsation modes, and discuss the implication of null detections in three Ap stars.

scholarly journals Confirmation of monoperiodicity above 20 s for two blue large-amplitude pulsators

2020 ◽  
Vol 496 (2) ◽  
pp. 1105-1114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Ross McWhirter ◽  
Marco C Lam ◽  
Iain A Steele
Keyword(s):  
Gravitational Lensing ◽  
Large Amplitude ◽  
Variable Stars ◽  
Light Curves ◽  
Driving Mechanism ◽  
New Class ◽  
Pulsating Variable Stars ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Filter Frequency ◽  
High Cadence

ABSTRACT Blue large-amplitude pulsators (BLAPs) are a new class of pulsating variable stars. They are located close to the hot subdwarf branch in the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram and have spectral classes of late O or early B. Stellar evolution models indicate that these stars are likely radially pulsating, driven by iron group opacity in their interiors. A number of variable stars with a similar driving mechanism exist near the hot subdwarf branch with multiperiodic oscillations caused by either pressure (p) or gravity (g) modes. No multiperiodic signals were detected in the OGLE (Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment) discovery light curves since it would be difficult to detect short-period signals associated with higher order p modes with the OGLE cadence. Using the RISE instrument on the Liverpool Telescope, we produced high-cadence light curves of two BLAPs, OGLE-BLAP-009 (mv = 15.65 mag) and OGLE-BLAP-014 (mv = 16.79 mag), using a 720 nm longpass filter. Frequency analysis of these light curves identifies a primary oscillation with a period of 31.935 ± 0.0098 min and an amplitude from a Fourier series fit of 0.236 mag for BLAP-009. The analysis of BLAP-014 identifies a period of 33.625 ± 0.0214 min and an amplitude of 0.225 mag. Analysis of the residual light curves reveals no additional short-period variability down to an amplitude of 15.20 ± 0.26 mmag for BLAP-009 and 58.60 ± 3.44 mmag for BLAP-014 for minimum periods of 20 and 60 s, respectively. These results further confirm that the BLAPs are monoperiodic.

scholarly journals Photometry and Multipolar Magnetic Field Modeling of Polars: BY Camelopardalis and FL Ceti

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. A. Mason ◽  
A. G. Zhilkin ◽  
D. V. Bisikalo ◽  
S. Gomez ◽  
J. Morales ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Broad Band ◽  
Cataclysmic Variables ◽  
Variable Stars ◽  
Field Structure ◽  
Light Curves ◽  
Optical Photometry ◽  
Quadrupole Field ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Mhd Modeling

We present new broad band optical photometry of two magnetic cataclysmic variable stars, the asynchronous polar BY Camelopardalis and the short period polar FL Ceti. Observations were obtained at the 2.1-m Otto Struve Telescope of McDonald Observatory with 3s and 1s integration times respectively. In an attempt to understand the observed complex changes in accretion flow geometry observed in BY Cam, we performed full 3D MHD simulations assuming a variety of white dwarf magnetic field structures. We investigate fields with increasing complexity including both aligned and non-aligned dipole plus quadrupole field components. We compare model predictions with photometry at various phases of the beat cycle and find that synthetic light curves derived from a multipolar field structure are broadly consistent with optical photometry. FL Ceti is observed to have two very small accretion regions at the foot-points of the white dwarf’s magnetic field. Both accretion regions are visible at the same time in the high state and are about 100 degrees apart. MHD modeling using a dipole plus quadrupole field structure yields quite similar accretion regions as those observed in FL Ceti. We conclude that accretion flows calculated from MHD modeling of multi-polar magnetic fields produce synthetic light curves consistent with photometry of these magnetic cataclysmic variables.

Quasi-Periodic Oscillations in Dwarf Novae

1979 ◽  
Vol 46 ◽  
pp. 77-88
Author(s):  
Edward L. Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Binary Systems ◽  
Outer Edge ◽  
Light Curves ◽  
Close Binary ◽  
Bright Spot ◽  
Dwarf Novae ◽  
Periodic Oscillations ◽  
High Frequencies ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Typical Time

Three distinct kinds of rapid variations have been detected in the light curves of dwarf novae: rapid flickering, short period coherent oscillations, and quasi-periodic oscillations. The rapid flickering is seen in the light curves of most, if not all, dwarf novae, and is especially apparent during minimum light between eruptions. The flickering has a typical time scale of a few minutes or less and a typical amplitude of about .1 mag. The flickering is completely random and unpredictable; the power spectrum of flickering shows only a slow decrease from low to high frequencies. The observations of U Gem by Warner and Nather (1971) showed conclusively that most of the flickering is produced by variations in the luminosity of the bright spot near the outer edge of the accretion disk around the white dwarf in these close binary systems.

scholarly journals An autoregressive model for irregular time series of variable stars

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (S325) ◽  
pp. 259-262
Author(s):  
Susana Eyheramendy ◽  
Felipe Elorrieta ◽  
Wilfredo Palma
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Gravitational Lensing ◽  
Autoregressive Model ◽  
Likelihood Estimation ◽  
Estimation Procedure ◽  
Variable Stars ◽  
Light Curves ◽  
Finite Sample ◽  
Harmonic Model ◽  
Dependency Structure

AbstractThis paper discusses an autoregressive model for the analysis of irregularly observed time series. The properties of this model are studied and a maximum likelihood estimation procedure is proposed. The finite sample performance of this estimator is assessed by Monte Carlo simulations, showing accurate estimators. We implement this model to the residuals after fitting an harmonic model to light-curves from periodic variable stars from the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) and Hipparcos surveys, showing that the model can identify time dependency structure that remains in the residuals when, for example, the period of the light-curves was not properly estimated.

scholarly journals Studying bright variable stars with the Multi-site All-Sky CAmeRA (MASCARA)

2018 ◽  
Vol 617 ◽  
pp. A32 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Burggraaff ◽  
G. J. J. Talens ◽  
J. Spronck ◽  
A.-L. Lesage ◽  
R. Stuik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Variable Stars ◽  
Eclipsing Binaries ◽  
Light Curves ◽  
Previous Record ◽  
La Palma ◽  
Powerful Means ◽  
New Variables ◽  
Candidate Variable ◽  
Order Variability

Context. The Multi-site All-Sky CAmeRA (MASCARA) aims to find the brightest transiting planet systems by monitoring the full sky at magnitudes 4 < V < 8.4, taking data every 6.4 s. The northern station has been operational on La Palma since February 2015. These data can also be used for other scientific purposes, such as the study of variable stars. Aims. In this paper we aim to assess the value of MASCARA data for studying variable stars by determining to what extent known variable stars can be recovered and characterised, and how well new, unknown variables can be discovered. Methods. We used the first 14 months of MASCARA data, consisting of the light curves of 53 401 stars with up to one million flux points per object. All stars were cross-matched with the VSX catalogue to identify known variables. The MASCARA light curves were searched for periodic flux variability using generalised Lomb–Scargle periodograms. If significant variability of a known variable was detected, the found period and amplitude were compared with those listed in the VSX database. If no previous record of variability was found, the data were phase folded to attempt a classification. Results. Of the 1919 known variable stars in the MASCARA sample with periods 0.1 < P < 10 days, amplitudes >2%, and that have more than 80 h of data, 93.5% are recovered. In addition, the periods of 210 stars without a previous VSX record were determined, and 282 candidate variable stars were newly identified. We also investigated whether second order variability effects could be identified. The O’Connell effect is seen in seven eclipsing binaries, of which two have no previous record of this effect. Conclusions. MASCARA data are very well suited to study known variable stars. They also serve as a powerful means to find new variables among the brightest stars in the sky. Follow-up is required to ensure that the observed variability does not originate from faint background objects.

scholarly journals Photometric, kinematic, and variability study in the young open cluster NGC 1960

2020 ◽  
Vol 492 (3) ◽  
pp. 3602-3621 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y C Joshi ◽  
J Maurya ◽  
A A John ◽  
A Panchal ◽  
S Joshi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Open Cluster ◽  
Mass Range ◽  
Mass Function ◽  
Variable Stars ◽  
B Stars ◽  
V Band ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Young Open Cluster ◽  
Mass Segregation ◽  
Variability Study

ABSTRACT We present a comprehensive photometric analysis of a young open cluster NGC 1960 (= M36) along with the long-term variability study of this cluster. Based on the kinematic data of Gaia DR2, the membership probabilities of 3871 stars are ascertained in the cluster field among which 262 stars are found to be cluster members. Considering the kinematic and trigonometric measurements of the cluster members, we estimate a mean cluster parallax of 0.86 ± 0.05 mas and mean proper motions of μRA = −0.143 ± 0.008 mas yr−1 and μDec. = −3.395 ± 0.008 mas yr−1. We obtain basic parameters of the cluster such as E(B − V) = 0.24 ± 0.02 mag, log(Age/yr) = 7.44 ± 0.02, and d = 1.17 ± 0.06 kpc. The mass function slope in the cluster for the stars in the mass range of 0.72–7.32 M⊙ is found to be γ = −1.26 ± 0.19. We find that mass segregation is still taking place in the cluster which is yet to be dynamically relaxed. This work also presents first high-precision variability survey in the central 13 arcmin × 13 arcmin region of the cluster. The V-band photometric data accumulated on 43 nights over a period of more than 3 yr reveals 76 variable stars among which 72 are periodic variables. Among them, 59 are short period (P &lt; 1 d) and 13 are long period (P &gt; 1 d). The variable stars have V magnitudes ranging between 9.1 to 19.4 mag and periods between 41 min and 10.74 d. On the basis of their locations in the H–R diagram, periods, and characteristic light curves, 20 periodic variables belong to the cluster are classified as 2 δ-Scuti, 3 γ-Dor, 2 slowly pulsating B stars, 5 rotational variables, 2 non-pulsating B stars, and 6 as miscellaneous variables.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document