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The possible existence of stable orbits is investigated in binary systems using Hill's method. Analytical stability conditions are established for satellites, for inner planets and for outer planets, allowing arbitrary values for the mass-ratio of the binary.
A binary star model is used to account for the 16.59-d flaring behavior of the X-ray emission from Circinus X-1. The orbital eccentricity of 0.8 + or - 0.1 is derived from the X-ray light curve by assuming that the sharp X-ray cut-off every 16.59-d is a result of bound-free absorption in the primary star's stellar wind. The shape of the light curve has changed over the last eight years, and this is interpreted as due to orbital precession of the binary system. Simultaneous radio and X-ray observations of the flare from Circinus X-1 on February 1-5, 1978 are reported. These are accounted for within the framework of the model. The radio observations at 5 GHz are used independently to derive a high value of the orbital eccentricity (e = 0.7).
Two new soft X-ray sources H0118 + 067 and H0630 + 82 have been detected with a low energy detector of the HEAO A-2 experiment. Short-period RS CVn-like binaries UVPsc and SV Cam lie within the error boxes of these sources and are proposed as the optical identifications for the two X-ray sources. The light curve of H0118 + 067, identified with UV Psc, indicates an X-ray flare event which commenced on 1978 January 11.6 and persisted until at least January 12.7. It is suggested that H0118 + 067 and the flaring X-ray source H0123 + 075, detected by the medium and high energy detectors of the HEAO A-2 experiment, may be the same object. The observed X-ray luminosity of the sources are in the same range as observed for other RS CVn binaries. The X-ray emission is probably of coronal origin.
Four typical binary systems that illustrate some of the major problems in the study of binary stars are discussed. Consideration is given to (1) high-luminosity X-ray sources typified by Cyg X-1 (HDE 226868) and Vela XR-1 (HD 77581), (2) low-luminosity X-ray sources (HZ Her), (3) late-type systems of W UMa and RS CVn type, and (4) cool supergiants with a hot companion (VV Cephei).
The transfer of mass from one component of a binary system to another by mass ejection is analyzed through a stellar wind mechanism, using a model which integrates the equations of motion, including the energy equation, with an initial static atmosphere and various temperature fluctuations imposed at the base of the star's corona. The model is applied to several situations and the energy flow is calculated along the line of centers between the two binary components, in the rotating frame of the system, thereby incorporating the centrifugal force. It is shown that relatively small disturbances in the lower chromosphere or photosphere can produce mass loss through a stellar wind mechanism, due to the amplification of the disturbance propagating into the thinner atmosphere. Since there are many possible sources of the disturbance, the model can be used to explain many mass ejection phenomena.
IUE observations made in 1978-1979 recorded a whole class of interacting long-period binaries similar to beta Lyrae, which includes RX Cas, SX Cas, V 367 Cyg, W Cru, beta Lyr, and W Ser, called the W Serpentis stars. These mass-transferring binaries with relatively high mass transfer rate show two prominent features in the far ultraviolet: a continuum with a color temperature higher than the one observed in the optical region (about 12,000 K), and a strong emission line spectrum with the N V doublet at 1240 A, C IV doublet at 1550 A and lines of Si II, Si III, Si IV, C II, Fe III, AI III, etc. These phenomena are discussed on the assumption that they are due to accretion onto non-degenerate stars.
The structure of a coherent binary optical MAP receiver was derived and the effects of background radiation and phase estimation errors on receiver performance were evaluated. It was found that random phase errors do not affect the performance of the coherent receiver significantly, as long as the standard deviation of the phase error remains less than roughly 0.14 radians (or 8 degrees). It was also shown that background radiation is effectively suppressed by the optical homodyne receiver: Significant deterioration in receiver performance is observed only in the presence of extremely intense background fields. The most notable characteristic of the binary optical homodyne receiver therefore appears to be its ability to achieve quantum limited performance in high background environments, provided that sufficiently accurate estimates of the received phase can be obtained.
The use of IUE observations in the investigation of binary stars is discussed. The results of data analysis of several classes of binary systems are briefly reviewed including zeta Aurigae and VV Cephei stars, mu Sagittarii, epsilon Aurigae, beta Lyrae and the W Serpentis stars, symbiotic stars, and the Algols.
The emission of iron K photons by the continuum X-ray source and the neutron star surface is considered. It is shown that the continuum sources of X-ray binaries produce negligible amounts of iron K photons because nearly all iron atoms in the continuum source are fully stripped due to the intense X-ray fluxes. In contrast, the atmosphere of the neutron star in an X-ray binary might be an important source of iron K photons (photon energy about 6.5 keV) because it is bombarded by a large number of hard X-rays capable of photo-ejecting K-shell electrons from iron atoms. Information is discussed concerning the magnetic field strength, the gravitational potential at the neutron star surface, and the direction of the magnetic dipole axis which are obtainable from the observations of K photons of the neutron star atmosphere.
Fourteen early-type stars representative of systems which may be harboring a neutron star companion and are thus potential progenitors of massive X-ray binaries have been examined for X-ray emission with the HEAO A-1 experiment. Limits on the 0.5-20 keV luminosity for these objects lie in the range 10 to the 31-33 erg/sec. In several cases, the hypothesis of a collapsed companion, in combination with the X-ray limit, places a serious constraint on the mass-loss rate of the primary star. In one instance, an X-ray source was discovered coincident with a candidate star, although the luminosity of 5 x 10 to the 31 is consistent with that expected from a single star of the same spectral type. The prospects for directly observing the quiescent phase of a binary X-ray source with the Einstein Observatory are discussed in the context of these results.
A degree of contact index (I sub c) is defined, and its frequency diagram is given for 16 early-type close binaries. The objective is to determine whether the numbers of such systems are continuous or discontinuous across marginal contact. Data for four of the systems (TU Mus, V499 Sco, Delta Pic, and SZ Cam) derive from new photometric analyses, the results of which are also given. Present results indicate that there is continuity in frequency across marginal contact, although it would be desirable to include more binaries as further observations become available. It is noted that the only two systems in the bin of largest I sub c are known to be in the rapid phase of mass transfer.
The binary period of 4U 1626-67 was found from an analysis of its optical pulsations. A single lower frequency sideband of the 2.4% amplitude 7.68-s optical pulsations from this X-ray pulsar was detected on at least three different nights in Fourier transforms of high-speed photometry obtained with the CTIO 4 m telescope. The 0.42% sidelobe pulsations have a frequency which is 0.4011(2) mHz lower than the frequency of the direct pulsations near 130.26 mHz. The weaker sidelobe pulsations are interpreted as arising from X-ray to optical reprocessing on the companion star and are shifted to the lower frequency by the rotation frequency of the binary orbit because the X-ray pulsar spins in the same sense as the orbital motion (direct or prograde).
Densities, corrected primary colors, minimum periods, inferred masses, luminosities, and specific angular momenta are computed from data on 37 W Ursae Majoris systems. A-type systems, having lower densities and angular momenta than the W-type systems, are shown to be evolved, and a new class of contact binary is identified, the OO Aquilae systems, whose members have evolved into contact. Evolutionary grids based on the contact condition agree with observation, except in that the evolved A-type systems have lost more angular momentum than predicted by gravitational radiation alone. This is accounted for by stellar wind magnetic braking, which is shown to be effective on a shorter time scale and to be important in other kinds of binaries containing a cool, tidally coupled component.
It is argued that the elongated single body model (Dunlap and Gehrels, 1969) which reproduces the rotational light curve of 624 Hektor is unstable with respect to binary fission. It is shown that a contact binary model with ellipsoidal components of equilibrium shape matches the observed amplitude. Hektor's bulk density is inferred to be about 2.5 g/cu cm.
The interaction of a continuous gravitational wave with a Newtonian binary system is discussed, and the possibility of using the orbital perturbations to detect cosmological gravitational waves is investigated. The response of the binary system is dominated at late times by secular terms that appear in the orbital perturbations. The dominant secular terms are calculated, and it is shown that they can be used to put interesting upper limits on the energy density of cosmological gravitational waves. In particular, the recent studies of the Earth-Moon and Earth-Mars distances tentatively limit the energy density of the waves, in units of the closure density, to be less than 10 and 0.05 for incoherent waves with periods of 1 month and 1 year, respectively. The possibility of existence of cosmological waves with these periods is discussed.
Detached close binary systems define the main sequence band satisfactorily, but very little is known about the masses of giants and supergiants. High dispersion international ultraviolet explorer satellite observations promise an improvement, since blue companions are now frequently found to late type supergiants. Mu Sagittaril and in particular Xi Aurigae are discussed in more detail. The barium star abundance anomaly appears to be due to mass transfer in interacting systems. The symbiotic stars are another type of binary systems containing late type giants; several possible models for the hotter star and for the type of interaction are discussed. The W Serpentis stars appear to be Algols in the rapid phase of mass transfer, but a possible link relating them to the symbiotics is also indicated. Evidence of hot circumstellar plasmas has now been found in several ordinary Algols; there may exist a smooth transition between very quiescent Algols and the W Serpentis stars. Beta Lyrae is discussed in the light of new spectrophotometric results.
The IUE observations of binaries consisting of at least one early type star, to the Algol systems, and to W Serpentis systems are discussed. The OB close binaries almost invaribly show a stellar wind. The difference between an unevolved early type system and a slightly evolved system is difficult to discern observationally and probably not meaningful in terms of Roche lobes. the zeta Aur stars show complex gas motions and shocks. Many of the Algol systems show peculiarities in their ultraviolet continua and the resonance lines, particularly Si IV, are of abnormal and variable strength. Emission lines were detected in several systems during the total eclipse. The W Ser stars are characterized by numerous strong emission lines in their ultraviolet spectra. It appears that these systems may be related to beta Lyrae as they seem to be in a phase of rapid mass transfer and their spectra show similarities to that of beta Lyrae.
High dispersion long wave redundant (LWR) spectra are analyzed for the differential velocity between hot and cool components of heretofore single lined spectroscopic binaries with late type giant or supergiant primaries. Cross correlation of a composite spectrum against early and late type standard stars yields relative velocities with an accuracy of 0.2 to 0.3 kms. When the orbit of the primay is known, the differential measurement from IUE gives the mass ratio of the system. Low dispersion short wave prime (SWP) and LWR flux spectra are used together with ground-based photometry to disentangle the composite energy distributions of the binaries. Temperatures of both components, their relative luminosities, and the reddening of the system are obtained. Assuming the hot secondaries to be main sequence stars, their probable luminosities and masses may be obtained from their temperatures. Then absolute magnitudes and masses may be obtained for the evolved primaries with more confidence than with existing techniques.