Magnetic Activity in Algol Binaries
Abstract
Over the past four years, the AFOSR Research Training grant has supported four graduate students and six undergraduate students. All of these students, especially the undergraduates, have benefited from their research training. They studied the links between the Sun and the cool stars in Algol-type binaries. These cool G - K solar-type secondary stars in short-period Algol-type binaries are expected to be magnetically-active because of their rapid rotation and outer convective layers. They display chromospheric and coronal activity more powerful than that of the Sun because their rotational periods have been increased by tidal interactions between the stars in a close binary. The P.I. and her students used several approaches to study magnetic activity in the Algol-type binaries. Their research included studies of the chromospheric contributions of the H alpha line and other magnetically sensitive lines (e.g., Mg II); use of the image reconstruction technique called Doppler tomography; a long-term radio flare survey; a comparison of the characteristics of magnetic activity on the Sun and those observed from magnetically active binaries; and hydrodynamic simulations of gas flows in magnetically active binaries. The grant has produced 17 publications, including 7 refereed articles.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 23, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA356456
Entities
People
- Mercedes T. Richards
Organizations
- University of Virginia