


Vol 49, No 9 (2023)
Articles
Estimation of the Galactocentric Distance of the Sun from Cepheids Close to the Solar Circle
Abstract
Based on Cepheids located near the solar circle, we have determined the Galactocentric distance of the Sun R0 and the Galactic rotation velocity at the solar distance V0. For our analysis we used a sample of -200 classical Cepheids from the catalogue by Skowron et al. (2019), where the distances to them were determined from the period–luminosity relation. For these stars the proper motions and line-of-sight velocities were taken from the Gaia DR3 catalogue. The values of R0 found lie within the range 7.8–8.3 kpc, depending on the heliocentric distance of the sample stars, on the adopted solar velocity relative to the local standard of rest, and on whether or not the perturbations caused by the Galactic spiral density wave are taken into account. The dispersion of the R0 estimates is -2 kpc. Similarly, the values of V0 lie within the range 240–270 km s-1 with a dispersion of the estimates of 70–90 km s-1. We consider the following estimates to be the final ones: R0=8,24+0,20 kpc and V0=268+8 km s-1 found by taking into account the perturbations from the Galactic spiral density wave.



Recurrent Symbiotic Nova T Coronae Borealis before Outburst
Abstract
The results of photometric and spectral observations of T CrB obtained in a wide range of wavelengths in 2011–2023 are presented. We use the near-IR light curves to determine a new ephemeris JDmin=2455828,9+227,55E for the times of light minima when the red giant is located between the observer and the hot component. The flux ratio Ha/Hb varied from -3 to -8 in 2020–2023, which may be due to a change in the flux ratio between the X-ray and optical ranges. It is shown that the value of Ha//Hb anticorrelates with the rate of accretion onto the hot component of the system. Based on high-speed follow-up observations obtained on June 8, 2023, we detected a variability of the He II 4686 line with a characteristic time-scale of -25 min, the amplitude of variability in the B-band was -0.m0,7
. Simulations of the near-IR light curves accounting for the ellipsoidal effect allowed us to obtain the parameters of the binary system: the Roche lobe filling factor of the cool component m= 1,0, the mass ratio q=Mcool/Mhot@[0.5,0.77], the orbital inclination i@[55,63]. A comparison of the light curve obtained in 2005–2023 with the 1946 outburst template made it possible to predict the date of the upcoming outburst—January 2024.



Activity of the Young Solar Analog HD 109833 and Estimates of the Mass Loss Rate from the Atmospheres of Its Two Planets
Abstract
We present the results of our analysis of the manifestations of activity in the young solar analog HD 109833 and estimate the mass loss rate from the atmospheres of its two planets. HD 109833 probably belongs to the Lower Centaurus Crux (LCC) association with an age of 27 ± 3 Myr, but it is not inconceivable that the star is only spatially associated with the association and may be older, although in any case its age does not exceed 100–200 Myr. Based on data from the TESS archive for HD 109833, we have determined the stellar rotation period P = 5.08 ± 0.30 days and the photometric variability amplitude (about 0.6% of the mean stellar brightness) and estimated the spot areas on its surface, which exceed the maximum sunspot area and are 15 200–17 700 m.s.h. Based on data from the All-Sky Automated Survey archive, we have revealed a stellar activity cycle with a duration 1950 days (5.3 years). Both planets in the HD 109833 system are characterized as sub-Neptunes with radii of 2.9 and 2.6 R⊕ and periods of 9.2 and 13.9 days. The mass loss rates by the planetary atmospheres have been found using an approximate formula corresponding to the energy-limited atmospheric escape model. To estimate the XUV flux, we have applied analytical dependences relating the flux and the parameter logR'HK and information about the distribution of these quantities for G-type stars, suggesting that there are two pronounced peaks with maxima for values -0,5 and -4,5 dex in low-activity and active stars, respectively. In addition, we have used the relation between the X-ray flux from the star and logFXUV . The value found is comparable to the estimate obtained by applying the parameter logR'HK for active stars and exceeds it by a factor of 4. Both exoplanets HD 109833 b and c being considered by us fall into the region on the (M-R) diagram in which the populations of rocky and volatile-rich exoplanets overlap and do not allow their masses to be estimated unambiguously. Our calculations were performed for two cases—rocky exoplanets and volatile-rich exoplanets. The masses of the exoplanets HD 109833 b and c are, respectively, 34.9 and 24 M⊕ for rocky exoplanets and 9.3 and 7.8 M⊕ for volatile-rich exoplanets. We present the results of our calculations of the atmospheric mass loss rates by the planets HD 109833 b and c while varying the parameters related to the estimates of the planetary masses and the UV flux incident on the planets. The parameter M for HD 109833 b and c varies in the ranges from 9.60 ×107 to 1.38 ×1010 g s-1 and from 4.56 ×107 to 5.28 ×109 g s-1, respectively. The high mass loss rates found can be a consequence of a fairly high XUV flux from the solar-type star (an analog of the young active Sun) and a fairly close location of the planets from the host star.



A Maneuver of Escape from the Vicinity of a Collinear Libration Point Using Light Pressure Forces
Abstract
The orbital motion of a spacecraft with a solar sail in the vicinity of the Sun–Earth collinear libration point is studied. The study is carried out within the Hill approximation of the circular restricted three-body problem. The collinear libration point is unstable, but instability can be a positive factor in the tasks of maneuvering in interplanetary space. This is because a small change in velocity near an unstable libration point can lead to a significant change in orbital motion. This property can be used in the development of projects to counteract the comet–asteroid hazard. A scheme for constructing the trajectories of interception of a spacecraft with a potentially hazardous object is proposed. One of the stages of this scheme, an optimal escape from the vicinity of the libration point using light pressure forces, is considered. The results of numerical simulations are presented.


