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# HD 125248 (CS Virginis)

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 Infrared 3-4 μm Spectroscopic Investigations of a Large Sample of Nearby Ultraluminous Infrared GalaxiesWe present infrared L-band (3-4 μm) nuclear spectra of a large sampleof nearby ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs). ULIRGs classifiedoptically as non-Seyfert galaxies (LINERs, H II regions, andunclassified) are our main targets. Using the 3.3 μm polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission and absorption features at 3.1 μmdue to ice-covered dust and at 3.4 μm produced by bare carbonaceousdust, we search for signatures of powerful AGNs deeply buried alongvirtually all lines of sight. The 3.3 μm PAH emission, the signaturesof starbursts, is detected in all but two non-Seyfert ULIRGs, but theestimated starburst magnitudes can account for only a small fraction ofthe infrared luminosities. Three LINER ULIRGs show spectra typical ofalmost pure buried AGNs, namely, strong absorption features with verysmall equivalent width PAH emission. Besides these three sources, 14LINER and three H II ULIRGs' nuclei show strong absorption featureswhose absolute optical depths suggest an energy source more centrallyconcentrated than the surrounding dust, such as a buried AGN. In total,17 out of 27 (63%) LINER and 3 out of 13 (23%) H II ULIRGs' nuclei showsome degree of evidence for powerful buried AGNs, suggesting thatpowerful buried AGNs may be more common in LINER ULIRGs than in H IIULIRGs. The evidence of AGNs is found in non-Seyfert ULIRGs with bothwarm and cool far-infrared colors. These spectra are compared with thoseof 15 ULIRGs' nuclei with optical Seyfert signatures taken forcomparison. The overall spectral properties suggest that the totalamount of dust around buried AGNs in non-Seyfert ULIRGs issystematically larger than that around AGNs in Seyfert 2 ULIRGs. Weargue that the optical (non)detectability of Seyfert signatures inULIRGs is highly dependent on how deeply buried the AGNs are, and thatit is essential to properly evaluate the energetic importance of buriedAGNs in non-Seyfert ULIRGs. Observed Orbital EccentricitiesFor 391 spectroscopic and visual binaries with known orbital elementsand having B0-F0 IV or V primaries, we collected the derivedeccentricities. As has been found by others, those binaries with periodsof a few days have been circularized. However, those with periods up toabout 1000 or more days show reduced eccentricities that asymptoticallyapproach a mean value of 0.5 for the longest periods. For those binarieswith periods greater than 1000 days their distribution of eccentricitiesis flat from 0 to nearly 1, indicating that in the formation of binariesthere is no preferential eccentricity. The binaries with intermediateperiods (10-100 days) lack highly eccentric orbits. Statistical Constraints for Astrometric Binaries with Nonlinear MotionUseful constraints on the orbits and mass ratios of astrometric binariesin the Hipparcos catalog are derived from the measured proper motiondifferences of Hipparcos and Tycho-2 (Δμ), accelerations ofproper motions (μ˙), and second derivatives of proper motions(μ̈). It is shown how, in some cases, statistical bounds can beestimated for the masses of the secondary components. Two catalogs ofastrometric binaries are generated, one of binaries with significantproper motion differences and the other of binaries with significantaccelerations of their proper motions. Mathematical relations betweenthe astrometric observables Δμ, μ˙, and μ̈ andthe orbital elements are derived in the appendices. We find a remarkabledifference between the distribution of spectral types of stars withlarge accelerations but small proper motion differences and that ofstars with large proper motion differences but insignificantaccelerations. The spectral type distribution for the former sample ofbinaries is the same as the general distribution of all stars in theHipparcos catalog, whereas the latter sample is clearly dominated bysolar-type stars, with an obvious dearth of blue stars. We point outthat the latter set includes mostly binaries with long periods (longerthan about 6 yr). Astrometric orbits of SB^9 starsHipparcos Intermediate Astrometric Data (IAD) have been used to deriveastrometric orbital elements for spectroscopic binaries from the newlyreleased Ninth Catalogue of Spectroscopic Binary Orbits(SB^9). This endeavour is justified by the fact that (i) theastrometric orbital motion is often difficult to detect without theprior knowledge of the spectroscopic orbital elements, and (ii) suchknowledge was not available at the time of the construction of theHipparcos Catalogue for the spectroscopic binaries which were recentlyadded to the SB^9 catalogue. Among the 1374 binaries fromSB^9 which have an HIP entry (excluding binaries with visualcompanions, or DMSA/C in the Double and Multiple Stars Annex), 282 havedetectable orbital astrometric motion (at the 5% significance level).Among those, only 70 have astrometric orbital elements that are reliablydetermined (according to specific statistical tests), and for the firsttime for 20 systems. This represents a 8.5% increase of the number ofastrometric systems with known orbital elements (The Double and MultipleSystems Annex contains 235 of those DMSA/O systems). The detection ofthe astrometric orbital motion when the Hipparcos IAD are supplementedby the spectroscopic orbital elements is close to 100% for binaries withonly one visible component, provided that the period is in the 50-1000 drange and the parallax is >5 mas. This result is an interestingtestbed to guide the choice of algorithms and statistical tests to beused in the search for astrometric binaries during the forthcoming ESAGaia mission. Finally, orbital inclinations provided by the presentanalysis have been used to derive several astrophysical quantities. Forinstance, 29 among the 70 systems with reliable astrometric orbitalelements involve main sequence stars for which the companion mass couldbe derived. Some interesting conclusions may be drawn from this new setof stellar masses, like the enigmatic nature of the companion to theHyades F dwarf HIP 20935. This system has a mass ratio of 0.98 but thecompanion remains elusive. CHARM2: An updated Catalog of High Angular Resolution MeasurementsWe present an update of the Catalog of High Angular ResolutionMeasurements (CHARM, Richichi & Percheron \cite{CHARM}, A&A,386, 492), which includes results available until July 2004. CHARM2 is acompilation of direct measurements by high angular resolution methods,as well as indirect estimates of stellar diameters. Its main goal is toprovide a reference list of sources which can be used for calibrationand verification observations with long-baseline optical and near-IRinterferometers. Single and binary stars are included, as are complexobjects from circumstellar shells to extragalactic sources. The presentupdate provides an increase of almost a factor of two over the previousedition. Additionally, it includes several corrections and improvements,as well as a cross-check with the valuable public release observationsof the ESO Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI). A total of 8231entries for 3238 unique sources are now present in CHARM2. Thisrepresents an increase of a factor of 3.4 and 2.0, respectively, overthe contents of the previous version of CHARM.The catalog is only available in electronic form at the CDS viaanonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/431/773 A catalog of stellar magnetic rotational phase curvesMagnetized stars usually exhibit periodic variations of the effective(longitudinal) magnetic field Be caused by their rotation. Wepresent a catalog of magnetic rotational phase curves, Be vs.the rotational phase φ, and tables of their parameters for 136stars on the main sequence and above it. Phase curves were obtained bythe least squares fitting of sine wave or double wave functions to theavailable Be measurements, which were compiled from theexisting literature. Most of the catalogued objects are chemicallypeculiar A and B type stars (127 stars). For some stars we also improvedor determined periods of their rotation. We discuss the distribution ofparameters describing magnetic rotational phase curves in our sample.All tables and Appendix A are only available in electronic form athttp://www.edpsciences.org Horace Welcome Babcock (1912-2003)Over a span of 40 years, Horace Babcock invented numerous astronomicalinstruments and procedures, the most important of which continue to beused after his death. Along the way he created a branch of astrophysicsand founded one of the world's premier astronomical observatories. Tidal Effects in Binaries of Various PeriodsWe found in the published literature the rotational velocities for 162B0-B9.5, 152 A0-A5, and 86 A6-F0 stars, all of luminosity classes V orIV, that are in spectroscopic or visual binaries with known orbitalelements. The data show that stars in binaries with periods of less thanabout 4 days have synchronized rotational and orbital motions. Stars inbinaries with periods of more than about 500 days have the samerotational velocities as single stars. However, the primaries inbinaries with periods of between 4 and 500 days have substantiallysmaller rotational velocities than single stars, implying that they havelost one-third to two-thirds of their angular momentum, presumablybecause of tidal interactions. The angular momentum losses increase withdecreasing binary separations or periods and increase with increasingage or decreasing mass. J - K DENIS photometry of a VLTI-selected sample of bright southern starsWe present a photometric survey of bright southern stars carried outusing the DENIS instrument equipped with attenuating filters. Theobservations were carried out not using the survey mode of DENIS, butwith individual target pointings. This project was stimulated by theneed to obtain near-infrared photometry of stars to be used in earlycommissioning observations of the ESO Very Large TelescopeInterferometer, and in particular to establish a network of brightcalibrator sources.We stress that near-infrared photometry is peculiarly lacking for manybright stars. These stars are saturated in 2MASS as well as in regularDENIS observations. The only other observations available for brightinfrared stars are those of the Two Micron Sky Survey dating from overthirty years ago. These were restricted to declinations above≈-30°, and thus cover only about half of the sky accessible fromthe VLTI site.We note that the final 2MASS data release includes photometry of brightstars, obtained by means of point-spread function fitting. However, thismethod only achieves about 30% accuracy, which is not sufficient formost applications.In this work, we present photometry for over 600 stars, each with atleast one and up to eight measurements, in the J and K filters. Typicalaccuracy is at the level of 0\fm05 and 0\fm04 in the J and K_s bands,respectively.Based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory, LaSilla.Tables 1 and 2 are only available in electronic form at the CDS viaanonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/413/1037 Catalogue of averaged stellar effective magnetic fields. I. Chemically peculiar A and B type starsThis paper presents the catalogue and the method of determination ofaveraged quadratic effective magnetic fields < B_e > for 596 mainsequence and giant stars. The catalogue is based on measurements of thestellar effective (or mean longitudinal) magnetic field strengths B_e,which were compiled from the existing literature.We analysed the properties of 352 chemically peculiar A and B stars inthe catalogue, including Am, ApSi, He-weak, He-rich, HgMn, ApSrCrEu, andall ApSr type stars. We have found that the number distribution of allchemically peculiar (CP) stars vs. averaged magnetic field strength isdescribed by a decreasing exponential function. Relations of this typehold also for stars of all the analysed subclasses of chemicalpeculiarity. The exponential form of the above distribution function canbreak down below about 100 G, the latter value representingapproximately the resolution of our analysis for A type stars.Table A.1 and its references are only available in electronic form atthe CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/407/631 and Tables 3 to 9are only available in electronic form at http://www.edpsciences.org Investigation of Weakly Magnetic CP Stars. IThe magnetic fields of a sample of chemically peculiar stars, in whichthey had not been detected earlier, are reinvestigated on the basis ofour own measurements and literature data. Despite the considerablyhigher measurement accuracy, again no magnetic fields were detected inany of them. An upper limit on the field of HD 10221 of 40 G wasobtained. Despite the weakness of the fields, the parameterscharacterizing an anomaly in chemical composition correspond to thosefor strong fields. The same parameters in stars with strong fieldsgenerally correspond in value, although they are lower than expected inthe case of HD 47152. A statistical analysis of the magnetic structure of CP starsWe present the results of a statistical study of the magnetic structureof upper main sequence chemically peculiar stars. We have modelled asample of 34 stars, assuming that the magnetic morphology is describedby the superposition of a dipole and a quadrupole field, arbitrarilyoriented. In order to interpret the modelling results, we haveintroduced a novel set of angles that provides one with a convenient wayto represent the mutual orientation of the quadrupolar component, thedipolar component, and the rotation axis. Some of our results aresimilar to what has already been found in previous studies, e.g., thatthe inclination of the dipole axis to the rotation axis is usually largefor short-period stars and small for long-period ones - see Landstreet& Mathys (\cite{Landstreet2000}). We also found that forshort-period stars (approximately P<10 days) the plane containing thetwo unit vectors that characterise the quadrupole is almost coincidentwith the plane containing the stellar rotation axis and the dipole axis.Long-period stars seem to be preferentially characterised by aquadrupole orientation such that the planes just mentioned areperpendicular. There is also some loose indication of a continuoustransition between the two classes of stars with increasing rotationalperiod. Multiplicity among chemically peculiar stars. II. Cool magnetic Ap starsWe present new orbits for sixteen Ap spectroscopic binaries, four ofwhich might in fact be Am stars, and give their orbital elements. Fourof them are SB2 systems: HD 5550, HD 22128, HD 56495 and HD 98088. Thetwelve other stars are: HD 9996, HD 12288, HD 40711, HD 54908, HD 65339,HD 73709, HD 105680, HD 138426, HD 184471, HD 188854, HD 200405 and HD216533. Rough estimates of the individual masses of the components of HD65339 (53 Cam) are given, combining our radial velocities with theresults of speckle interferometry and with Hipparcos parallaxes.Considering the mass functions of 74 spectroscopic binaries from thiswork and from the literature, we conclude that the distribution of themass ratio is the same for cool Ap stars and for normal G dwarfs.Therefore, the only differences between binaries with normal stars andthose hosting an Ap star lie in the period distribution: except for thecase of HD 200405, all orbital periods are longer than (or equal to) 3days. A consequence of this peculiar distribution is a deficit of nulleccentricities. There is no indication that the secondary has a specialnature, like e.g. a white dwarf. Based on observations collected at theObservatoire de Haute-Provence (CNRS), France.Tables 1 to 3 are only available in electronic form at the CDS viaanonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/394/151Appendix B is only available in electronic form athttp://www.edpsciences.org Rotational velocities of A-type stars in the northern hemisphere. II. Measurement of v sin iThis 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 A highly sensitive search for magnetic fields in B, A and F starsCircular spectropolarimetric observations of 74 stars were obtained inan attempt to detect magnetic fields via the longitudinal Zeeman effectin their spectral lines. The sample observed includes 22 normal B, A andF stars, four emission-line B and A stars, 25 Am stars, 10 HgMn stars,two lambda Boo stars and 11 magnetic Ap stars. Using the Least-SquaresDeconvolution multi-line analysis approach (Donati et al.\cite{donati97etal}), high precision Stokes I and V mean signatures wereextracted from each spectrum. We find absolutely no evidence formagnetic fields in the normal, Am and HgMn stars, with upper limits onlongitudinal field measurements usually considerably smaller than anypreviously obtained for these objects. We conclude that if any magneticfields exist in the photospheres of these stars, these fields are notordered as in the magnetic Ap stars, nor do they resemble the fields ofactive late-type stars. We also detect for the first time a field in theA2pSr star HD 108945 and make new precise measurements of longitudinalfields in five previously known magnetic Ap stars, but do not detectfields in five other stars classified as Ap SrCrEu. We also report newresults for several binary systems, including a new vsin i for therapidly rotating secondary of the Am-delta Del SB2 HD 110951. Based onobservations obtained using the MuSiCoS spectropolarimeter on theBernard Lyot telescope, l'Observatoire du Pic du Midi, France. CHARM: A Catalog of High Angular Resolution MeasurementsThe Catalog of High Angular Resolution Measurements (CHARM) includesmost of the measurements obtained by the techniques of lunaroccultations and long-baseline interferometry at visual and infraredwavelengths, which have appeared in the literature or have otherwisebeen made public until mid-2001. A total of 2432 measurements of 1625sources are included, along with extensive auxiliary information. Inparticular, visual and infrared photometry is included for almost allthe sources. This has been partly extracted from currently availablecatalogs, and partly obtained specifically for CHARM. The main aim is toprovide a compilation of sources which could be used as calibrators orfor science verification purposes by the new generation of largeground-based facilities such as the ESO Very Large Interferometer andthe Keck Interferometer. The Catalog is available in electronic form atthe CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/386/492, and from theauthors on CD-Rom. Modeling the crossover variability in a differentially rotating starReconstruction of phase-dependent crossover effect variations isperformed for a differentially rotating star assuming that point-likemagnetic charges are distrubuted under the stellar surface. Modelsadopting the solar differential rotation law and an exponential rotationlaw are considered and compared to the case of a rigidly rotating star.It is shown that neglect of differential stellar rotation leads tounderestimation of the equatorial rotational velocity by ~ 2-5%. Crossover variations in the magnetic CP starsThe dependence of crossover in magnetic CP stars on the phase of star'srigid rotation is found for the case of central symmetric magneticdipole within the framework of the point field sources model of pointfield sources with "virtual" magnetic charges located in the stellarbody. This dependence is in accord with the results of previous studies. Are Stellar Rotational Axes Distributed Randomly?Stellar line widths yield values of Vsini, but the equatorial rotationalvelocities, V, cannot be determined for individual stars withoutknowledge of their inclinations, i, relative to the lines of sight. Forlarge numbers of stars we usually assume random orientations ofrotational axes to derive mean values of V, but we wonder whether thatassumption is valid. Individual inclinations can be derived only inspecial cases, such as for eclipsing binaries where they are close to90° or for chromospherically active late-type dwarfs or spotted(e.g., Ap) stars where we have independent information about therotational periods. We consider recent data on 102 Ap stars for whichCatalano & Renson compiled rotational periods from the literatureand Abt & Morrell (primarily) obtained measures of Vsini. We findthat the rotational axes are oriented randomly within the measuringerrors. We searched for possible dependence of the inclinations onGalactic latitude or longitude, and found no dependence. Catalogue of Apparent Diameters and Absolute Radii of Stars (CADARS) - Third edition - Comments and statisticsThe Catalogue, available at the Centre de Données Stellaires deStrasbourg, consists of 13 573 records concerning the results obtainedfrom different methods for 7778 stars, reported in the literature. Thefollowing data are listed for each star: identifications, apparentmagnitude, spectral type, apparent diameter in arcsec, absolute radiusin solar units, method of determination, reference, remarks. Commentsand statistics obtained from CADARS are given. The Catalogue isavailable in electronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp tocdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcar?J/A+A/367/521 The proper motions of fundamental stars. I. 1535 stars from the Basic FK5A direct combination of the positions given in the HIPPARCOS cataloguewith astrometric ground-based catalogues having epochs later than 1939allows us to obtain new proper motions for the 1535 stars of the BasicFK5. The results are presented as the catalogue Proper Motions ofFundamental Stars (PMFS), Part I. The median precision of the propermotions is 0.5 mas/year for mu alpha cos delta and 0.7mas/year for mu delta . The non-linear motions of thephotocentres of a few hundred astrometric binaries are separated intotheir linear and elliptic motions. Since the PMFS proper motions do notinclude the information given by the proper motions from othercatalogues (HIPPARCOS, FK5, FK6, etc.) this catalogue can be used as anindependent source of the proper motions of the fundamental stars.Catalogue (Table 3) is only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp tocdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strastg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/365/222 Spectropolarimetric measurements of the mean longitudinal magnetic field of chemically peculiar stars. II. Phase relating the magnetic and luminosity variabilitiesFor a sample of chemically peculiar stars, we report time-resolvedmeasurements of the effective magnetic field which were obtained withthe spectropolarimetry operating at the Catania AstrophysicalObservatory. These observations are combined with data from theliterature for better pointing out that periodic magnetic variabilitywhich characterises this class of stars. Periods given in the literaturehave been checked and, if possible, re-determined, not only by means ofthe magnetic measurements but referring also to the Hipparcosphotometry. The variability of the effective magnetic field of thealready known magnetic star 25 Sex is pointed out for the first time. Asto the suspected magnetic chemically peculiar star EP UMa, ourmeasurements confirm that this is really a magnetic star and we indicatea possible variability period. The accuracy of the variability periodfor CS Vir and FF Vir is improved. The suggestion that light variabilityis due to the re-distribution of ultraviolet flux towards the visiblewavelengths in metal rich regions, which are not homogeneouslydistributed on the stellar surface, appears not always and straightlyvalid. Local line-blocking is certainly important in the case of CS Virand a direct influence of the magnetic field on the infrared photometricvariability cannot be ruled out for 25 Sex. Based on observationscollected at the Catania Astrophysical Observatory, Italy. Magnetism in Isolated and Binary White DwarfsSince the discovery of the first isolated magnetic white dwarf (MWD) Grw+70°8047 nearly 60 years ago, the number of stars belonging to thisclass has grown steadily. There are now some 65 isolated white dwarfsclassified as magnetic, and a roughly equal number of MWDs are found inthe close interacting binaries known as the magnetic cataclysmicvariables (MCVs). The isolated MWDs comprise ~5% of all WDs, while theMCVs comprise ~25% of all CVs. The magnetic fields range from~3×104-109 G in the former group with adistribution peaking at 1.6×107 G, and~107-3×108 G in the latter group. The spacedensity of isolated magnetic white dwarfs with fields in the range~3×104-109 G is estimated to be~1.5×10-4 pc-3. The MCVs have a spacedensity that is about a hundred times smaller. About 80% of the isolatedMWDs have almost pure H atmospheres and show only hydrogen lines intheir spectra (the magnetic DAs), while the remainder show He I lines(the magnetic DBs) or molecular bands of C2 and CH (magneticDQs) and have helium as the dominant atmospheric constituent, mirroringthe situation in the nonmagnetic white dwarfs. The incidence of stars ofmixed composition (H and He) appears to be higher among the MWDs. Thereis growing evidence based on trigonometric parallaxes, space motions,and spectroscopic analyses that the isolated MWDs tend as a class tohave a higher mass than the nonmagnetic white dwarfs. The mean mass for16 MWDs with well-constrained masses is >~0.95 Msolar.Magnetic fields may therefore play a significant role in angularmomentum and mass loss in the post-main-sequence phases of single starevolution affecting the initial-final mass relationship, a viewsupported by recent work on cluster MWDs. The progenitors of the vastmajority of the isolated MWDs are likely to be the magnetic Ap and Bpstars. However, the discovery of two MWDs with masses within a fewpercent of the Chandrasekhar limit, one of which is also rapidlyrotating (Pspin=12 minutes), has led to the proposal thatthese may be the result of double-degenerate (DD) mergers. An intriguingpossibility is that magnetism, through its effect on the initial-finalmass relationship, may also favor the formation of more massive doubledegenerates in close binary evolution. The magnetic DDs may therefore bemore likely progenitors of Type Ia supernovae. A subclass of theisolated MWDs appear to rotate slowly with no evidence of spectral orpolarimetric variability over periods of tens of years, while othersexhibit rapid rotation with coherent periods in the range of tens ofminutes to hours or days. There is a strong suggestion of a bimodalperiod distribution. The rapidly'' rotating isolated MWDs may includeas a subclass stars which have been spun up during a DD merger or aprevious phase of mass transfer from a companion star. Zeemanspectroscopy and polarimetry, and cyclotron spectroscopy, have variouslybeen used to estimate magnetic fields of the isolated MWDs and the MWDsin MCVs and to place strong constraints on the field structure. Thesurface field distributions tend in general to be strongly nondipolarand to a first approximation can be modeled by dipoles that are offsetfrom the center by ~10%-30% of the stellar radius along the dipole axis.Other stars show extreme spectral variations with rotational phase whichcannot be modeled by off-centered dipoles. More exotic field structureswith spot-type field enhancements appear to be necessary. These fieldstructures are even more intriguing and suggest that some of the basicassumptions inherent in most calculations of field evolution, such asforce-free fields and free ohmic decay, may be oversimplistic. Magnetic AP Stars in the Hertzsprung-Russell DiagramThe evolutionary state of magnetic Ap stars is rediscussed using therecently released Hipparcos data. The distribution of the magnetic Apstars of mass below 3 Msolar in the H-R diagram differs fromthat of the normal stars in the same temperature range at a high levelof significance. Magnetic stars are concentrated toward the center ofthe main-sequence band. This is shown in two forms of the H-R diagram:one where logL is plotted against logTeff and a version moredirectly tied to the observed quantities, showing the astrometry-basedluminosity (Arenou & Luri) against the (B2-G)0 index ofGeneva photometry. In particular, it is found that magnetic fieldsappear only in stars that have already completed at least approximately30% of their main-sequence lifetime. No clear picture emerges as to thepossible evolution of the magnetic field across the main sequence. Hintsof some (loose) relations between magnetic field strength and otherstellar parameters are found: stars with shorter periods tend to havestronger fields, as do higher temperature and higher mass stars. Amarginal trend of the magnetic flux to be lower in more slowly rotatingstars may possibly be seen as suggesting a dynamo origin for the field.No correlation between the rotation period and the fraction of themain-sequence lifetime completed is observed, indicating that the slowrotation in these stars must already have been achieved before theybecame observably magnetic. Based on data from the ESA Hipparcossatellite and on observations collected at the European SouthernObservatory (La Silla, Chile; ESO programs Nos. 43.7-004, 44.7-012,49.7-030, 50.7-067, 51.7-041, 52.7-063, 53.7-028, 54.E-0416, and55.E-0751), at the Observatoire de Haute-Provence (Saint-Michell'Observatoire, France), at Kitt Peak National Observatory, and at theCanada-France-Hawaii Telescope. Do the physical properties of Ap binaries depend on their orbital elements?We reveal sufficient evidence that the physical characteristics of Apstars are related to binarity. The Ap star peculiarity [represented bythe Δ(V1-G) value and magnetic field strength] diminishes witheccentricity, and it may also increase with orbital period(Porb). This pattern, however, does not hold for largeorbital periods. A striking gap that occurs in the orbital perioddistribution of Ap binaries at 160-600d might well mark a discontinuityin the above-mentioned behaviour. There is also an interestingindication that the Ap star eccentricities are relatively lower thanthose of corresponding B9-A2 normal binaries for Porb>10d.All this gives serious support to the pioneering idea of Abt &Snowden concerning a possible interplay between the magnetism of Apstars and their binarity. Nevertheless, we argue instead in favour ofanother mechanism, namely that it is binarity that affects magnetism andnot the opposite, and suggest the presence of a newmagnetohydrodynamical mechanism induced by the stellar companion andstretching to surprisingly large Porb. Speckle Interferometry of New and Problem HIPPARCOS BinariesThe ESA Hipparcos satellite made measurements of over 12,000 doublestars and discovered 3406 new systems. In addition to these, 4706entries in the Hipparcos Catalogue correspond to double star solutionsthat did not provide the classical parameters of separation and positionangle (rho,theta) but were the so-called problem stars, flagged G,''O,'' V,'' or X'' (field H59 of the main catalog). An additionalsubset of 6981 entries were treated as single objects but classified byHipparcos as suspected nonsingle'' (flag S'' in field H61), thusyielding a total of 11,687 problem stars.'' Of the many ground-basedtechniques for the study of double stars, probably the one with thegreatest potential for exploration of these new and problem Hipparcosbinaries is speckle interferometry. Results are presented from aninspection of 848 new and problem Hipparcos binaries, using botharchival and new speckle observations obtained with the USNO and CHARAspeckle cameras. Modelling of magnetic fields of CP stars. II. Analysis of longitudinal field, crossover, and quadratic field observationsIn recent years, the introduction and systematic application of newdiagnostic techniques has enormously increased the opportunities toinvestigate magnetic fields of chemically peculiar (CP) stars. Toapproach the problem of modelling these fields, in previous papers weset up a theory aimed at describing the magnetic configuration due tothe superposition of a dipole with an arbitrary quadrupole. The presentwork is a first application of this theory to spectro-polarimetricobservations of Stokes I and V. We have attempted to model nine magneticCP stars by analysing their curves of longitudinal field, crossover andquadratic field. We found that the classical dipolar model is adequatein only one case, while in six cases it should definitely be ruled out.For two stars a specific dipole plus quadrupole model has beenrecovered. On the near infrared variability of chemically peculiar starsSome CP stars have recently been discovered by Catalano et al. to bevariable also in the near infrared, although with smaller amplitudesthan in the visible. Hence an observational campaign was started inwhich the infrared light variability of a number of CP2 and CP4 starshas been investigated at the ESO-La Silla Observatory in the bands J, H,and K. As a general result, infrared variations show the same behaviorin all three filters but amplitudes are smaller than in the visible. On the HIPPARCOS photometry of chemically peculiar B, A, and F starsThe Hipparcos photometry of the Chemically Peculiar main sequence B, A,and F stars is examined for variability. Some non-magnetic CP stars,Mercury-Manganese and metallic-line stars, which according to canonicalwisdom should not be variable, may be variable and are identified forfurther study. Some potentially important magnetic CP stars are noted.Tables 1, 2, and 3 are available only in electronic form at the CDS viaanonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/Abstract.html
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