The 1979-1980 eclipse of ZET Aur. II. The emission spectrum.

Abstract

UV observations using the IUE are employed to discuss the strength and changes of Zeta Aur between a second contact and mid-eclipse in 1979, the relative visibility of the supergiant's chromosphere as compared with the circumstellar (CS) nebular scattering of the B star photons, and the origin of the high speed CS components observed at all orbital phases. Agreement has been found for a spectoscopic radius of 200 solar radii and a 400 pc distance, and eclipse emission lines were recorded from 1238.9-2802.7 microns. An asymmetry in the Fe III lines at 46 plus or minus 15 km/sec was seen during eclipse and is taken to indicate downflowing material. The high speed wind flowing from the K supergiant is thought to expand homogeneously until encountering the B type main sequence star, where an accretion bow shock forms, and the smaller star's passage near the K star at periastron may cause local surface heating and subsequent high speed flows.