Astron. Astrophys. 331, 1059-1065 (1998)

On the polarization of Persei

D. Clarke ¹ and K.S. Bjorkman <sup>2

1</sup> University Observatory, Acre Road, Glasgow G20 0TL, Scotland, UK
² Ritter Observatory, Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43606 USA

Received 25 July 1997 / Accepted 24 December 1997

Abstract

Polarimetric data of Per from recent observations with the HPOL spectropolarimeter and from an earlier study in the literature have been compared. It is shown that for measurements with accuracies , temporal changes are readily detected, these seemingly being unrelated to periodic changes in scattering geometry associated with the binary nature of the star. From studies of the measurements, the global intrinsic polarization has been separated from the superimposed interstellar component. The wavelength dependence of the sporadic polarization changes suggests that the disks surrounding the component stars may be inclined to the orbital plane of the binary system.

Key words: polarization binaries: spectroscopic stars: individual: OE Per

Send offprint requests to: D. Clarke

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Contents

• 1. Introduction
• 2. The data
• 3. Analysis of PBO data
  • 3.1. The basic geometry
  • 3.2. The time dependent variations
• 4. Conclusion
• Acknowledgements
• References

© European Southern Observatory (ESO) 1998

Online publication: March 3, 1998
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