Optical Monitoring of Symbiotic Stars and Triggering Multiwavelength Follow-up

Details Optical Monitoring of Symbiotic Stars and Triggering Multiwavelength Follow-up Optical Monitoring of Symbiotic Stars and Triggering Multiwavelength Follow-up

Jan 2010

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010aas...21560617z&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #215, #606.17; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 36, p.1132

Physics

Scientific paper

Symbiotic stars are binaries composed of a white dwarf and a red giant star in which mass is accreted onto the white dwarf from the red giant via stellar wind capture. Occasionally, these systems enter a period of outburst, during which the optical luminosity can increase dramatically. Several types of outbursts are observed, varying in timescale and amplitude. The physical mechanism behind each type of outburst is not well understood. By monitoring these systems with small, dedicated, ground based telescopes, we are able to watch the early development and track the progress of these outbursts. Using data from the Goddard Robotic Telescope (GRT) located in Greenbelt, Maryland and the Rapid Response Robotic Telescope (RRRT) on Fan Mountain in Virginia, we generate light curves for all symbiotic stars visible from the northern hemisphere on a nightly basis (weather permitting). An alert algorithm monitors the progress of the light curves and we trigger a multi-wavelength Target of Opportunity (ToO) follow-up observing campaign, using the Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Observatory, in the event of an outburst. These data help us to study any possible periodic and quasi-periodic behavior associated with the outburst states of these objects and to better understand the physics behind the outbursts. Recently, one of our monitored stars, Z-Andromeda, entered outburst; our preliminary data are presented here.

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