Search

We present results from a study of starspot areas (fS) and temperatures (TS), primarily on active, single-lined spectroscopic binaries, determined using molecular absorption bands. Expanding upon our previous studies, we have analyzed multiorder echelle spectra of eight systems to simultaneously measure several different molecular bands and chromospheric emission lines. We determined starspot parameters by fitting the molecular bands of interest, using spectra of inactive G and K stars as proxies for the nonspotted photosphere of the active stars, and using spectra of M stars as proxies for the spots. At least two bands with different Teff sensitivities are required. We found that fitting bands other than the TiO 7055 and 8860 A features does not greatly extend the temperature range or sensitivity of our technique. The 8860 A band is particularly important because of its sharply different temperature sensitivity. We did not find any substantial departures from fS or TS that we have measured previously based on single-order spectra. We refined our derived spot parameters using contemporaneous photometry where available. We found that using M giants as spot proxies for subgiant active stars often underestimates fS needed to fit the photometry; this is presumably due to the increase in strength of the TiO bands with decreasing gravity. We also investigated correlations between fS and chromospheric emission, and we developed a simple method to measure nonspot temperature (TQ) solely from our echelle spectra.

Ultraviolet observations of 2 Andromedae with the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph on board the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) clearly reveal the existence of circumstellar gas, in addition to previously known anomalous interstellar features, in the line of sight toward this nearby star. We also detect varying, redshifted Ca II absorptions, which we interpret as gaseous infalls. These variable Ca II absorption features and the presence of circumstellar absorptions from Al III λλ1854.716 and 1862.790 and from excited fine-structure levels of Fe II near 2600 A seen in 2 And are similar to those observed in spectra of β Pic.

Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph (GHRS) observations of the RS CVn-type binary V711 Tau (Kl IV+G5 IV) were obtained at several phases over two consecutive stellar orbital cycles in order to study ultraviolet emission-line profile and flux variability. Spectra cover the Mg II h and k lines, C IV doublet, and Si IV region, as well as the density-sensitive lines of C III] (1909 A) and Si III] (1892 A). IUE spectra, Extreme Ultra Violet (EUV) data, and Ultraviolet, Blue, Visual (UBV) photometry were obtained contemporaneously with the GHRS data. Variable extended wings were detected in the Mg II lines. We discuss the Mg II line profile variability using various Gaussian emission profile models. No rotational modulation of the line profiles was observed, but there were several large flares. These flares produced enhanced emission in the extended line wings, radial velocity shifts, and asymmetries in some line profiles. Nearly continuous flaring for more than 24 hr, as indicated in the IUE data, represents the most energetic and long-lived chromospheric and transition region flare ever observed with a total energy much greater than 5 x 10(exp 35) ergs. The C III] to Si III] line ratio is used to estimate the plasma density during the flares.