No Arabic abstract
We present the 13-year light curve of HW Boo between 2001 May and 2014 May. We identified 12 outbursts, which typically lasted 2 to 5 days, with an amplitude of 2.7 to 3.6 magnitudes. Time resolved photometry during two outbursts revealed small hump-like structures which increased in size as the outburst progressed, reaching a peak-to-peak amplitude of ~0.8 mag. They occurred on timescales of 15 min to an hour, but did not exhibit a stable period. Similar irregular hump-like variations of 0.1 to 0.8 magnitudes, at intervals of 7 to 30 minutes, were also detected during quiescence. We discuss whether HW Boo might be a dwarf nova of the SU UMa family or an Intermediate Polar, but require further observations to support classification.
We report the occurrence of a deep low state in the eclipsing short-period cataclysmic variable IR Com, lasting more than two years. Spectroscopy obtained in this state shows the system as a detached white dwarf plus low-mass companion, indicating that accretion has practically ceased. The spectral type of the companion derived from the SDSS spectrum is M6-7, somewhat later than expected for the orbital period of IR Com. Its radial velocity amplitude, K_2=419.6+-3.4 km/s, together with the inclination of 75-90deg implies 0.8Msun<Mwd<1.0Msun. We estimate the white dwarf temperature to be ~15000K, and the absence of Zeeman splitting in the Balmer lines rules out magnetic fields in excess of ~5 MG. IR Com still defies an unambiguous classification, in particular the occurrence of a deep, long low state is so far unique among short-period CVs that are not strongly magnetic.
The magnetic chemically peculiar (Ap/CP2) star 21 Com has been extensively studied in the past, albeit with widely differing and sometimes contradictory results, in particular concerning the occurrence of short term variability between about 5 to 90 minutes. We have performed a new investigation of 21 Com using MOST satellite and high-cadence ground-based photometry, time series spectroscopy, and evolutionary and pulsational modeling. Our analysis confirms that 21 Com is a classical CP2 star showing increased abundances of, in particular, Cr and Sr. From spectroscopic analysis, we have derived Teff = 8900(200) K, log g = 3.9(2), and vsini = 63(2) km/s. Our modeling efforts suggest that 21 Com is a main sequence (MS) star seen equator-on with a mass of 2.29(10) M(Sun) and a radius of R = 2.6(2) R(Sun). Our extensive photometric data confirm the existence of rotational light variability with a period of 2.05219(2) d. However, no significant frequencies with a semi-amplitude exceeding 0.2 mmag were found in the frequency range from 5 to 399 c/d. Our RV data also do not indicate short-term variability. We calculated pulsational models assuming different metallicities and ages, which do not predict the occurrence of unstable modes. The star 18 Com, often employed as comparison star for 21 Com in the past, has been identified as a periodic variable (P = 1.41645 d). While it is impossible to assess whether 21 Com has exhibited short-term variability in the past, the new observational data and several issues/inconsistencies identified in previous studies strongly suggest that 21 Com is neither a delta Scuti nor a roAp pulsator but a well-behaved CP2 star exhibiting its trademark rotational variability.
Context. We present time-resolved spectroscopy and photometry of HS 0218+3229, a new long-period cataclysmic variable discovered within the Hamburg Quasar Survey. It is one of the few systems that allow a dynamical measurement of the masses of the stellar components. Aims. We combine the analysis of time-resolved optical spectroscopy and R-band photometry with the aim of measuring the mass of the white dwarf and the donor star and the orbital inclination. Methods. Cross-correlation of the spectra with K-type dwarf templates is used to derive the radial velocity curve of the donor star. An optimal subtraction of the broadened templates is performed to measure the rotational broadening and constrain the spectral type of the donor. Finally, an ellipsoidal model is fitted to the R-band light curve to obtain constraints upon the orbital inclination of the binary system. Results. The orbital period of HS 0218+3229 is found to be 0.297229661 +- 0.000000001 d (7.13351186 +- 0.00000002 h), and the amplitude of the donors radial velocity curve is K2 = 162.4 +- 1.4 km/s. Modelling the ellipsoidal light curves gives an orbital inclination in the range i = 59 +- 3 deg. A rotational broadening between 82.4 +- 1.2 km/s and 89.4 +- 1.3 km/s is found when assuming zero and continuum limb darkening, respectively. The secondary star has most likely a spectral type K5 and contributes ~ 80-85% to the R-band light. Our analysis yields a mass ratio of 0.52 < q < 0.65, a white dwarf mass of 0.44 < M1(Msol) < 0.65, and a donor star mass of 0.23 < M2(Msol) < 0.44. Conclusions. We find that the donor star in HS 0218+3229 is significantly undermassive for its spectral type. It is therefore very likely that it has undergone nuclear evolution prior to the onset of mass transfer.
We have performed a new search for DPVs of short period in the ASAS catalog (Pojmanski, G., 1997), focusing on those stars with orbital periods between 2 to 3 days which also show variations in their brightness. From a total of 244 objects, we have found another candidate to DPV, one whose mean brightness is gradually decreasing. By fitting a 3rd order polynomial to the mean magnitude and then moving it to zero for a second analysis, a gradual decrease over 2500 days was revealed. During the last 1000 days of this decrease, a 42% increase in the variation between the minimum and maximum values of the magnitude was observed. We determined the orbital period by using the PDM IRAF software (Stellingwerf 1978) and estimated the errors for the orbital period and long cycle by visual inspection of the light curves phased with trial periods near the minimum of the periodogram given by PDM.
We study the newly discovered variable star GSC 4560--02157. CCD photometry was performed in 2013--2014, and a spectrum was obtained with the 6-m telescope in June, 2014. GSC 4560--02157 is demonstrated to be a short-period (P=0.265359d) eclipsing variable star. All its flat-bottom primary minima are approximately at the same brightness level, while the stars out-of-eclipse brightness and brightness at secondary minimum varies considerably (by up to 0.6m) from cycle to cycle. Besides, there are short-term (time scale of 0.03-0.04 days) small-amplitude brightness variations out of eclipse. This behavior suggests cataclysmic nature of the star, confirmed with a spectrum taken on June 5, 2014. The spectrum shows numerous emissions of the hydrogen Balmer series, HeI, HeII.