Polarimetric Study of the Massive Interacting Binary W Serpentis: Discovery of High-Latitude Scattering Spot/Jet
We present multicolor (UBVRI) polarimetry and additional B-band CCDpolarimetry of the peculiar, strongly interacting binary W Ser, withgood coverage over the 14.16 day orbital period in the three observingseasons 2001-2003. An interesting finding is that the first harmonicdominates in polarization variations over the binary cycle in eachseason, indicating that the main contribution to the polarized flux iscoming from a localized region away from the orbital plane. We apply ournew model codes for electron scattering in circumstellar matter tointerpret the data and find that a ``spot or jet'' like region atlatitude φ~65deg has clearly the best signal-to-noiseratio (>30) among the detected scattering components. Significantshell and stream components are also found, but no disk is seen in thepolarized light. The upper limits for the total number of free electronsin an optically thin scattering disk are an order of magnitude lowerthan in the spherical shell around the primary star. A possible reasonis that the accretion disk is optically thick and has a clearly definedand visible pseudophotosphere. Multiple scattering and absorptioneffects in an optically thick regime reduce the polarization of theobserved light to small levels. Scattering from optically thin parts ofthe circumstellar matter, the shell, the stream, and the high-latitudespot/jet, possibly associated with optically thin polar regions of theaccretion disk, dominates in the observed polarization of W Ser.
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Stars with ISM Polarization Observed with HPOL. II
Polarization data are given for stars whose polarizations are mostlyinterstellar which were observed with the University of Wisconsinspectropolarimeter (HPOL) during 1995-2003. Several cases are found forwhich K in the Serkowski Law for ISM polarization is higher than allowedby published formulas.
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Rotational Velocities of B Stars
We measured the projected rotational velocities of 1092 northern B starslisted in the Bright Star Catalogue (BSC) and calibrated them againstthe 1975 Slettebak et al. system. We found that the published values ofB dwarfs in the BSC average 27% higher than those standards. Only 0.3%of the stars have rotational velocities in excess of two-thirds of thebreakup velocities, and the mean velocity is only 25% of breakup,implying that impending breakup is not a significant factor in reducingrotational velocities. For the B8-B9.5 III-V stars the bimodaldistribution in V can be explained by a set of slowly rotating Ap starsand a set of rapidly rotating normal stars. For the B0-B5 III-V starsthat include very few peculiar stars, the distributions in V are notbimodal. Are the low rotational velocities of B stars due to theoccurrence of frequent low-mass companions, planets, or disks? Therotational velocities of giants originating from late B dwarfs areconsistent with their conservation of angular momentum in shells.However, we are puzzled by why the giants that originate from the earlyB dwarfs, despite having 3 times greater radii, have nearly the samerotational velocities. We find that all B-type primaries in binarieswith periods less than 2.4 days have synchronized rotational and orbitalmotions; those with periods between 2.4 and 5.0 days are rotating withina factor 2 of synchronization or are ``nearly synchronized.'' Thecorresponding period ranges for A-type stars are 4.9 and 10.5 days, ortwice as large. We found that the rotational velocities of the primariesare synchronized earlier than their orbits are circularized. The maximumorbital period for circularized B binaries is 1.5 days and for Abinaries is 2.5 days. For stars of various ages from 107.5 to1010.2 yr the maximum circularized periods are a smoothexponential function of age.
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Rotational velocities of A-type stars in the northern hemisphere. II. Measurement of v sin i
This work is the second part of the set of measurements of v sin i forA-type stars, begun by Royer et al. (\cite{Ror_02a}). Spectra of 249 B8to F2-type stars brighter than V=7 have been collected at Observatoirede Haute-Provence (OHP). Fourier transforms of several line profiles inthe range 4200-4600 Å are used to derive v sin i from thefrequency of the first zero. Statistical analysis of the sampleindicates that measurement error mainly depends on v sin i and thisrelative error of the rotational velocity is found to be about 5% onaverage. The systematic shift with respect to standard values fromSlettebak et al. (\cite{Slk_75}), previously found in the first paper,is here confirmed. Comparisons with data from the literature agree withour findings: v sin i values from Slettebak et al. are underestimatedand the relation between both scales follows a linear law ensuremath vsin inew = 1.03 v sin iold+7.7. Finally, thesedata are combined with those from the previous paper (Royer et al.\cite{Ror_02a}), together with the catalogue of Abt & Morrell(\cite{AbtMol95}). The resulting sample includes some 2150 stars withhomogenized rotational velocities. Based on observations made atObservatoire de Haute Provence (CNRS), France. Tables \ref{results} and\ref{merging} are only available in electronic form at the CDS viaanonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.125.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/393/897
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Rotational Velocity Determinations for 164 Be and B Stars
Rotational velocities, v sin i, have been obtained for 96 Be and 68normal B stars by measurements of the FWHM of the He I lambda-4471 line(for spectral types B0-B4.5) and Mg II lambda-4481 (for types B5-B9.5).The consistency of various published sources is examined. (SECTION:Stars)
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The ROSAT all-sky survey catalogue of optically bright OB-type stars.
For the detailed statistical analysis of the X-ray emission of hot starswe selected all stars of spectral type O and B listed in the Yale BrightStar Catalogue and searched for them in the ROSAT All-Sky Survey. Inthis paper we describe the selection and preparation of the data andpresent a compilation of the derived X-ray data for a complete sample ofbright OB stars.
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The Relation between Rotational Velocities and Spectral Peculiarities among A-Type Stars
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1995ApJS...99..135A&db_key=AST
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Intensive photometry of southern Be variables. I - Winter objects
Results are presented from an intensive photometric campaign on somebright southern Be stars to search for periodic light variations. Inorder to obtain good phase coverage, observations were conducted fromtwo sites with different longitude: ESO and SAAO. Most of the starsobserved are indeed variable with periods close to one day. Results forwinter objects are given.
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Empirical temperature calibrations for early-type stars
Three temperature calibrations of suitable photometric quantities havebeen derived for O and B stars. A sample of 120 stars with reliableT(eff.) determinations has been used for establishing each calibration.The different calibrations have been critically discussed and compared.Temperature determinations for 1009 program stars have been obtainedwith an accuracy of the order of 10 percent.
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ICCD speckle observations of binary stars. I - A survey for duplicity among the bright stars
A survey of a sample of 672 stars from the Yale Bright Star Catalog(Hoffleit, 1982) has been carried out using speckle interferometry onthe 3.6-cm Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope in order to establish thebinary star frequency within the sample. This effort was motivated bythe need for a more observationally determined basis for predicting thefrequency of failure of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) fine-guidancesensors to achieve guide-star lock due to duplicity. This survey of 426dwarfs and 246 evolved stars yielded measurements of 52 newly discoveredbinaries and 60 previously known binary systems. It is shown that thefrequency of close visual binaries in the separation range 0.04-0.25arcsec is 11 percent, or nearly 3.5 times that previously known.
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The local system of early type stars - Spatial extent and kinematics
Published uvby and H-beta photometric data and proper motions arecompiled and analyzed to characterize the structure and kinematics ofthe bright early-type O-A0 stars in the solar vicinity, with a focus onthe Gould belt. The selection and calibration techniques are explained,and the data are presented in extensive tables and graphs and discussedin detail. The Gould belt stars of age less than 20 Myr are shown togive belt inclination 19 deg to the Galactic plane and node-lineorientation in the direction of Galactic rotation, while the symmetricaldistribution about the Galactic plane and kinematic properties (purecircular differential rotation) of the belt stars over 60 Myr oldresemble those of fainter nonbelt stars of all ages. The unresolveddiscrepancy between the expansion observed in the youngest nearby starsand the predictions of simple models of expansion from a point isattributed to the inhomogeneous distribution of interstellar matter.
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Photoelectric H-beta photometry for A and F stars brighter than V = 14 M in four areas in directions towards the South Galactic Pole
Data from photoelectric H-beta observations of 145 mainly A and F starswith V = 14 mag or brighter in four regions totalling 60 sq deg andlocated near galactic latitude b(II) = -60 deg, obtained using atwo-channel H-beta photometer on the 1.5-m Danish reflecting telescopeat ESO on two nights in 1981 and four nights in 1982, are presented intables along with the Stromgren b magnitudes calculated from thewide-channel H-beta counts. These observations are undertaken in theframework of a uvby photometric search for A-F stars of Population IIbrighter than V = 15.5 mag. The mean error per observation is given as +or - 0.020 mag in b and + or - 0.009 mag in H-beta.
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Radial velocities of bright southern stars. I - 139 B-type HR and FK stars
Radial velocity determinations for 139 southern B stars in the BrightStar, FK4, and FK4 Supplement catalogues and for 53 bright southernlate-type stars are presented, based on coudespectrograms taken with theESO 1.5 m telescope at La Silla. The programs, observations,measurements, and reductions are described. Among the data presented arethe visual magnitude, spectral class, mean error, E/T variabilityparameter, velocity of interstellar lines, and rotation class.
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Is star formation bimodal ? II. The nearest early-type stars.
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1977PASP...89..187E&db_key=AST
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Detection of errors in spectral classification by cluster analysis
Cluster analysis methods are applied to the photometric catalogue ofuvby-beta measurements by Hauck and Lindemann (1973) and point out 249stars the spectral type of which should be reconsidered or thephotometric indices of which should be redetermined.
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UVBY beta photometry and MK spectral classification.
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1976A&AS...24...69O&db_key=AST
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Four-color and Hβ photometry for the brighter AO type stars
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1972A&AS....5..109C&db_key=AST
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INHABITED SKY
