* Astronomy

Title: Detection of the Ultraviolet Spectrum of the Hot Subdwarf Companion of 60 Cygni (B1 Ve) from a Survey of IUE Spectra of Be Stars
Author: Luqian Wang, Douglas R. Gies, Geraldine J. Peters

We used archival International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) high-dispersion, short wavelength spectra data to search for evidence of the spectra of hot subdwarf companions of six rapidly rotating Be stars in binary systems. We searched for the signature of a hot companion through an analysis of the cross-correlation functions of observed and model spectra that were separated into primary and secondary components using a Doppler tomography algorithm and adopted spectroscopic orbital solutions. A positive detection of the flux from a hot companion was made for the reconstructed secondary cross-correlation function of just one target, 60 Cygni (B1 Ve). We estimate that the companion of the Be star in 60 Cygni has T_eff=42±4 kK, mass ratio M_2/M_1=0.15±0.02, and monochromatic flux ratio f_2/f_1=0.034±0.002 in the spectral region near 1525 \AA. If the companions of the other target Be stars are also hot, then they must be faint and contribute less than \approx 1% of the UV flux (<0.6% in the case of gamma Cas). We also discuss in an appendix a shell episode of Pleione (28 Tau) recorded in the IUE spectra.

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