No Arabic abstract
We present optical lightcurves of 428 periodic variable stars coincident with ROSAT X-ray sources, detected using the first run of the SuperWASP photometric survey. Only 68 of these were previously recognised as periodic variables. A further 30 of these objects are previously known pre-main sequence stars, for which we detect a modulation period for the first time. Amongst the newly identified periodic variables, many appear to be close eclipsing binaries, their X-ray emission is presumably the result of RS CVn type behaviour. Others are probably BY Dra stars, pre-main sequence stars and other rapid rotators displaying enhanced coronal activity. A number of previously catalogued pulsating variables (RR Lyr stars and Cepheids) coincident with X-ray sources are also seen, but we show that these are likely to be misclassifications. We identify four objects which are probable low mass eclipsing binary stars, based on their very red colour and light curve morphology.
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 $sim$89 per cent accuracy for detached and semi-detached eclipsing binaries, but only $sim$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 cutoff, 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.
This project is a massive near-infrared (NIR) search for variable stars in highly reddened and obscured open cluster (OC) fields projected on regions of the Galactic bulge and disk. The search is performed using photometric NIR data in the $J$-, $H$- and $K_s$- bands obtained from the Vista Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) Survey. We performed in each cluster field a variability search using Stetsons variability statistics to select the variable candidates. Later, those candidates were subjected to a frequency analysis using the Generalized Lomb-Scargle and the Phase Dispersion Minimization algorithms. The number of independent observations range between 63 and 73. The newly discovered variables in this study, 157 in total in three different known OCs, are classified based on their light curve shapes, periods, amplitudes and their location in the corresponding color-magnitude $(J-K_s,K_s)$ and color-color $(H-K_s,J-H)$ diagrams. We found 5 possible Cepheid stars which, based on the period-luminosity relation, are very likely type II Cepheids located behind the bulge. Among the newly discovered variables, there are eclipsing binaries, $delta$ Scuti, as well as background RR Lyrae stars. Using the new version of the Wilson & Devinney code as well as the Physics Of Eclipsing Binaries (PHOEBE) code, we analyzed some of the best eclipsing binaries we discovered. Our results show that these studied systems turn out to be ranging from detached to double-contact binaries, with low eccentricities and high inclinations of approximately $80^{circ}$. Their surface temperatures range between $3500$K and $8000$K.
We report the discovery of 3 new Double Periodic Variables based on the analysis of ASAS-SN light curves: GSD J11630570-510306, V593 Sco and TYC 6939-678-1. These systems have orbital periods between 10 and 20 days and long cycles between 300 and 600 days.
We have started a high resolution optical observation program dedicated to the study of chromospheric activity in weak-lined T Tauri stars (WTTS) recently discovered by the ROSAT All-Sky Survey (RASS). It is our purpose to quantify the phenomenology of the chromospheric activity of each star determining stellar surface fluxes in the more important chromospheric activity indicators (Ca II H & K, H_beta, H_alpha, Ca II IRT) as well as obtain the Li I abundance, a better determination of the stellar parameters, spectral type, and possible binarity. A large number of WTTS have been discovered by the RASS in and around differen star formation clouds.Whether these stars are really WTTS, or post-TTS, or even young main sequence stars is a matter of ongoing debate. However, we have centered our study only on objects for which very recent studies, of Li I abundance (greater than Pleiads of the same spectral type) or radio properties, clearly confirmed their pre-main sequence (PMS) nature. In this contribution we present preliminary results of our January 1998 high resolution echelle spectroscopic observations at the 2.1m telescope of the McDonald Observatory. We have analysed, using the spectral subtraction technique, the H_alpha and Ca II IRT lines of six WTTS (RXJ0312.8-0414NW, SE; RXJ0333.1+1036; RXJ0348.5+0832; RXJ0512.0+1020; RXJ0444.9+2717) located in and around the Taurus-Auriga molecular clouds. A broad and variable double-picked H_alpha emission is observed in RXJ0444.9+2717. Emission above the continuum in H_alpha and Ca II IRT lines is detected in RXJ0333.1+1036 and a filling-in of these lines is present in the rest of the stars. Our spectral type and Li I EW deterninations confirm the PMS nature of these objects.
We summarize the properties of the new periodic, small amplitude, variable stars recently discovered in the open cluster NGC 3766. They are located in the region of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram between delta Sct and slowly pulsating B stars, a region where no sustained pulsation is predicted by standard models. The origin of their periodic variability is currently unknown. We also discuss how the Gaia mission, to be launched at the end of 2013, can contribute to our knowledge of those stars.