Binary Stars Laboratory

Head of Laboratory: Dr. E.P. Pavlenko

Staff: A.E. Tarasov, T.N. Tarasova, O.I. Antoniuk, N.V. Pit, Yu.V. Babina, A.A. Sosnovsky

We investigate binary stars – massive systems, where at least one of the components went off from Main sequence, as well as cataclysmic variable stars and related systems: classical novae, novae-like stars, dwarf novae and symbiotic stars. We also investigate also evolution of massive binary stars and initiation of Be phenomena by analysis of B and Be stars in young open clusters of different age by spectral and photometry methods. Another research area is long-term spectrophotometric monitoring of active symbiotic stars in the framework of international program with Astronomical Institute of Slovakian Academy of Science (ńńűëęŕ) and in close cooperation with SAI MSU (ńńűëęŕ). Based on such observation we able to determine physical characteristics for separated components of the system in active and quiet state, to investigate the causes of activity in such stars. This investigation gives a possibility to advance in understanding of activity processes in symbiotic stars, as no one recent theoretic model can’t fully describe evolution and spectral characteristics of the system in active stage.

In the laboratory we also investigate nova stars by spectrophotometric observations. With such observations we can determine physical characteristics like luminosity, chemical composition and envelope mass of envelopes in novae stars. The main goal of this observations is model improvement of nova flares.

We operatively observe by photometry newly flared SU Uma type dwarf novae in the framework of international multilatitude campaigns VSNET with aim to collect and investigate observational occurrences in evolution of accretion disk precession. With photometric method we study chosen close binary stars with aim to classify them in details. We investigate long-term evolution of pulsations in accreting white dwarf from list of selected dwarf novae. We also carry out long-term photometric observation of selected magnetic and nonmagnetic cataclysmic variables on different stages of late evolution to determine changes of some physical parameters of the system.