A 421-d activity cycle in the BeX recurrent transient A0538-66 from MACHO monitoring

Authors
Alcock, C Allsman, RA Alves, DR Axelrod, TS Becker, AC Bennett, DP Charles, PA Cook, KH Drake, AJ Freeman, KC Geha, M Griest, K Lehner, MJ Marshall, SL McGowan, KE Minniti, D Nelson, CA Peterson, BA Popowski, P Pratt, MR Quinn, PJ Stubbs, CW Sutherland, W Tomaney, AB Vandehei, T Welch, DL
Citation
C. Alcock et al., A 421-d activity cycle in the BeX recurrent transient A0538-66 from MACHO monitoring, M NOT R AST, 321(4), 2001, pp. 678-684
Citations number
32
Categorie Soggetti
Space Sciences
Journal title
MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
ISSN journal
00358711 → ACNP
Volume
321
Issue
4
Year of publication
2001
Pages
678 - 684
Database
ISI
SICI code
0035-8711(200103)321:4<678:A4ACIT>2.0.ZU;2-A
Abstract
We present a similar to5-yr optical light curve of the recurrent Be/X-ray t ransient A0538-66 obtained as a by-product of the MACHO Project. These data reveal both a long-term modulation at P=420.8 +/-0.8 d and a short-term mo dulation at 16.6510 +/-0.0022 d which, within errors, confirms the previous ly found orbital period. Furthermore, the orbital activity is only seen at certain phases of the 421-d cycle, suggesting that the long-term modulation is related to variations in the Be star envelope.