Variable, optically thick, hot plasma observed in interacting binaries
Kondo, Y.; McCluskey, G. E.; Parsons, S. B.
United States
Abstract
We report recent International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) observations of two interacting binaries, R Arae and HD 207739. The ultraviolet spectra indicate the presence of optically-thick, variable hot plasma in those binary systems. These two binaries may belong to a class of binaries that are currently undergoing a rarely observed and probably short-lived phase in their evolution. Their properties are compared with those of two other interacting binaries, U Cephei and β Lyrae.