Journal of Undergraduate Research

Contributor(s)

Robert Kehoe (Faculty Advisor)

Publication Date

2009

Abstract

We present a search for stars exhibiting short time-scale optical lightvariations. Our search employs archival data taken by the ROTSE1 telephotoarray in two eight degree fields of view. This is a test study considering two fields which overlap fields previously mined for variables, but with different dataand search techniques. Each field was observed for approximately six continuous hours. We employ a general search strategy based on statistical properties of theobserved light curves for each object. The analysis is sensitive to sources with variations < 0.25 day and > 0.1 mag and with mean magnitudes between 9.5 magand 14 mag. We identify 42 variable stars with our search strategy. Of these, 17 were not found by comparison with catalogs of previously acknowledged variables. Within this sample, attempts at classification yield four W UMa systems and two δ Scu stars. The remaining eleven transient detections exhibit incomplete light curves and require further study for classification.

Document Type

Article

Keywords

undergraduate research, astronomy, charged coupled devices (CCDs), eclipsing binary stars, light curves, magnitudes, pulsating stars, ROTSE telescopes, SIMBAD astronomical database, variable stars

School or Division

Dedman College of Humanities & Sciences, Physics Department

Disciplines

Stars, Interstellar Medium and the Galaxy

Extent

15 pages

Format

.pdf

Source

Fagg, Elizabeth; Park, Jieun; Pearson, Kelly; and Kehoe, Robert, "General Search for Stars with Rapid Optical Variations: Test Fields" (2009). Journal of Undergraduate Research in Physics, vol. 22.

Language

English

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