A variable star is a star whose brightness as seen from Earth (its apparent magnitude) changes with time. This variation may be caused by a change in emitted light or by something partly blocking the light, so variable stars are classified as either: Intrinsic variables, whose luminosity actually changes; for example, because the star periodically swells and shrinks. Extrinsic variables, whose apparent changes in brightness are due to changes in the amount of their light that can reach Earth; for example, because the star has an orbiting companion that sometimes eclipses it.Many, possibly most, stars have at least some variation in luminosity: the energy output of the Sun, for example, varies by about 0.1% over an 11-year solar cycle. Discovery An ancient Egyptian calendar of lucky and unlucky days composed some 3,200 years ago may be the oldest preserved historical document of the discovery of a variable star, the eclipsing binary Algol.Of the modern astronomers, the first variable star was identified in 1638 when Johannes Holwarda noticed that Omicron Ceti (later named Mira) pulsated in...

Work aimed at compiling detailed catalogs of variable stars in the Galaxy, which has been carried out continuously by Moscow variable-star researchers since 1946 on behalf of the International Astronomical Union, has entered the stage of the publication of the 5th, completely electronic edition of the General Catalogue of Variable Stars (GCVS). This paper describes the requirements for the contents of the 5th edition and the current state of the catalog in its new version, GCVS 5.1. The complete revision of information for variable stars in the constellation Carina and the compilation of the 81st Name-list of Variable Stars are considered as examples of work on the 5th edition. The GCVS 5.1 is freely accessible on the Internet. We recommend the present paper as a unified reference to the 5th edition of the GCVS.

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Concurrence introduced by Hill and Wootters [Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 5022 (1997)], provides an important measure of entanglement for a general pair of qubits that is strictly positive entangled states and vanishes for all separable states. We present an extension of entanglement measure to general continuous variable states of multiple degrees of freedom by generalizing the Lagrange's identity and wedge product framework proposed by Bhaskara et al. [Quantum Inf. Process. 16, 118 (2017)] for pure discrete variable systems in arbitrary dimensions. A family of faithful entanglement measures is constructed that admit necessary and sufficient conditions for separability across arbitrary bipartitions presented by Vedral et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 16 2275 (1997)]. The computed entanglement measure in the present approach for general Gaussian states, pair coherent states and non Gaussian continuous variable Bell states, matches with known results. We also quantify entanglement of phase randomized squeezed states and superposition of squeezed states. Our results also simplify several results in quantum entanglement theory.

The effect of fluid density variations on mixed convective (advective and density-driven) transport in fractured rock is examined. Assuming a representative natural hydraulic gradient in a vertical fracture, breakthrough curves for variable-density systems are shown to be significantly different from those with constant-density conditions for even very small solute source concentrations (as low as approximately 2.3 g L-1 total dissolved solids, corresponding to 6.4% of seawater salinity). We compare analytical solutions with results of fully coupled numerical simulations of variable-density groundwater flow and solute transport in fractured rock. Current analytical solutions for solute transport in fractured rock do not account for fluid density variations and therefore fail to predict variable-density transport. Using a mixed convection ratio analysis, we determine the hydrogeologic conditions where variable-density transport is important and hence when analytical solutions fail to predict variable-density transport in fractured rock. We present a modified velocity term that includes a density-driven flow component in a vertical fracture to account for fluid density variations. The modified velocity term is incorporated into the standard Tang et al. (1981) analytical solution. The original density-invariant analytical solution is shown to be applicable near a solute source and at early time, while the velocity-modified density-variant solution gives very good results for long-term and far-field behavior. These results suggest that analytical solutions may still be useful for analyzing variable-density transport in fractured rock. This study has implications for the analysis of dense plume transport in fractured rock where reliable long-term predictions are important.

The Peres-Horodecki criterion of positivity under partial transpose is studied in the context of separability of bipartite continuous variable states. The partial transpose operation admits, in the continuous case, a geometric interpretation as mirror reflection in phase space. This recognition leads to uncertainty principles, stronger than the traditional ones, to be obeyed by all separable states. For all bipartite Gaussian states, the Peres-Horodecki criterion turns out to be necessary and sufficient condition for separability.

An inseparability criterion based on the total variance of a pair of Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen type operators is proposed for continuous variable systems. The criterion provides a sufficient condition for entanglement of any two-party continuous variable states. Furthermore, for all the Gaussian states, this criterion turns out to be a necessary and sufficient condition for inseparability.

We have developed a numerical MHD model of the propeller candidate star AE Aqr using axisymmetric magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) simulations. We suggest that AE Aqr is an intermediate polar-type star, where the magnetic field is relatively weak and an accretion disc may form around the white dwarf. The star is in the propeller regime, and many of its observational properties are determined by the disc-magnetosphere interaction. Comparisons of the characteristics of the observed versus modelled AE Aqr star show that the model can explain many observational properties of AE Aqr. In a representative model, the magnetic field of the star is Bapprox 3.3x10^5 G and the time averaged accretion rate in the disc is 5.5times 10^{16} g/s. Most of this matter is ejected into conically-shaped winds. The numerical model explains the rapid spin-down of AE Aqr through the outflow of angular momentum from the surface of the star to the wind, corona and disc. The energy budget in the outflows, 9x10^{33} erg/s, is sufficient for explaining the observed flaring radiation in different wavebands. The time scale of ejections into the wind matches the short time scale variability in the light curves of AE Aqr.

Recent supernova and transient surveys have revealed an increasing number of non-terminal stellar eruptions. Though the progenitor class of these eruptions includes the most luminous stars, little is known of the pre-supernova mechanics of massive stars in their most evolved state, thus motivating a census of possible progenitors. From surveys of evolved and unstable luminous star populations in nearby galaxies, we select a sample of yellow and red supergiant candidates in M31 and M33 for review of their spectral characteristics and spectral energy distributions. Since the position of intermediate and late-type supergiants on the color-magnitude diagram can be heavily contaminated by foreground dwarfs, we employ spectral classification and multi-band photometry from optical and near-infrared surveys to confirm membership. Based on spectroscopic evidence for mass loss and the presence of circumstellar dust in their SEDs, we find that $30-40%$ of the yellow supergiants are likely in a post-red supergiant state. Comparison with evolutionary tracks shows that these mass-losing, post-RSGs have initial masses between $20-40,M_{odot}$. More than half of the observed red supergiants in M31 and M33 are producing dusty circumstellar ejecta. We also identify two new warm hypergiants in M31, J004621.05+421308.06 and J004051.59+403303.00, both of which are likely in a post-RSG state.

The variable star AR Sco was recently discovered to pulse in brightness every 1.97 min from ultraviolet wavelengths into the radio regime. The system is composed of a cool, low-mass star in a tight, 3.55 hr orbit with a more massive white dwarf. Here we report new optical observations of AR Sco that show strong linear polarization (up to 40%) which varies strongly and periodically on both the spin period of the white dwarf and the beat period between the spin and orbital period, as well as low level (< a few %) circular polarization. These observations support the notion that, similar to neutron star pulsars, the pulsed luminosity of AR Sco is powered by the spin-down of the rapidly-rotating white dwarf which is highly magnetised (up to 500 MG). The morphology of the modulated linear polarization is similar to that seen in the Crab pulsar, albeit with a more complex waveform owing to the presence of two periodic signals of similar frequency. Magnetic interactions between the two component stars, coupled with synchrotron radiation from the white dwarf, power the observed polarized and non-polarized emission. AR Scorpii is therefore the first example of a white dwarf pulsar.