Probing small scale structure in the atmosphere of V471 Tauri

Abstract

The white dwarf in the eclipsing binary system V471 Tau is viewed through the atmosphere of the active K star prior to ingress and after egress. In the far UV the surface brightness of the hot white dwarf far outshines the K star emission. We can use this to probe the structure of the extended K star atmosphere along one line of sight, in absorption, on spatial scales of the radius of the white dwarf (10,000 km). The time series of HST/STIS spectra which show a hot (>250,000K) extended (> 1 K star radius) atmosphere around the K star. We see discrete structures in the velocity-resolved spectra, on spatial scales of less than 100,000 km. The mean velocity is that expected of gas in co-rotation with the K star, but the discrete velocity structures have excursions of up to 70 km/s from the mean. The mean temperature seems to increase with height above the K star photosphere.