Focussing on the formulation of mathematical models for the light curves of eclipsing binary stars, and on the algorithms for generating such models, this book provides astronomers, both amateur and professional, with a guide for - specifying an astrophysical model for a set of observations - selecting an algorithm to determine the parameters of the model - estimating the errors of the parameters. It is written for readers with knowledge of basic calculus and linear algebra; appendices cover mathematical details on such matters as optimisation, co-ordinate systems, and specific models. While emphasising the physical and mathematical framework, the discussion remains close to the problems of actual implementation. The book concludes with chapters on specific models and approaches and the authors'views on the structure of future light-curve programs.

In the two decades since the development of the first eclipsing-binary modeling code, new analytic techniques and the availability of powerful, sometimes dedicated computing facilities have made possible vastly improved determinations of fundamental and even transient stellar parameters. The scale of these developments, of course, raises questions about modeling tools, techniques, and philosophies, such as: Who will maintain and upgrade the codes? Will the codes be open to improvement by outsiders, and if so, how? And, indeed, what should be the goals of a modeling program? Such questions had not been aired for a long time and, for this reason alone, deserved to be discussed in as general a forum as the community provides. This volume contains material presented by Commission 42 (Close Binary Stars) during the International Astronomical Union's XXI General Assembly in Argentina, July 1991, and during IAU Colloquium 151, Cordoba, Argentina, August 1991. The techniques discussed include simulations of stellar bright and dark spots, streams, partial and complete stellar disks, prominences, and other features characterizing active stars; modeling of polarization parameters; models that use radial velocities as well as line profile simulations to model velocity field variation across stellar disks; the weighted effects of brightness asymmetries; and models for translucent eclipsing agents such as stellar winds.

IAU S240 focuses on recent advances across the broad field of binary star research.

This book contains the proceedings of IAU Symposium No. 151 `Evolutionary Processes in Interacting Binary Stars,' which was held from 5 to 9 August 1991 in Cordóba, Argentina. The primary aim of this conference was to review and evaluate our current understanding of the evolutionary processes in wide variety of interacting binary stars from their births to their deaths. Subjects included the formation of binaries, mass flow and transfer, accretion processes, and binaries with collapsed components, such as novae, X-ray binaries and binary pulsars. As the field covered is both broad and diverse, there were in all thirty-seven invited talks; sixty-two contributed papers were also presented. In addition, these proceedings contain comments from a panel discussion of the major unsolved problems of interacting binary stars.

An advanced review of how binary stars affect stellar evolution, presenting results from state-of-the art models and recent observations.

Binary systems of stars are as common as single stars. They are of fundamental importance because they allow stellar masses, radii and luminosities to be measured directly, and explain a host of diverse and energetic phenomena including X-ray binaries, cataclysmic variables, novae, symbiotic stars, and some types of supernovae. This 2001 book was the first to provide a pedagogical and comprehensive introduction to binary stars. It combines theory and observations at all wavelengths to develop a unified understanding of binaries of all categories. It comprehensively reviews methods for calculating orbits, the Roche model, ideas about mass exchange and loss, methods for analysing light curves, the masses and dimensions of different binary systems, and imaging the surfaces of stars and accretion structures. This book provides a thorough introduction to the subject for advanced undergraduate and graduate students. Researchers will also find this to be an authoritative reference.

This book is the proceedings of an international conference entitled "Close Binaries in the 21st Century: New Opportunities and Challenges", held in Syros island, Greece, June 27-30, 2005. The papers collected in this volume detail the latest achievements in the field and reflect the state of the art of the dynamically evolving area of binary star research.

"Astronomy and Astrophysics Abstracts" appearing twice a year has become oneof the fundamental publications in the fields of astronomy, astrophysics andneighbouring sciences. It is the most important English-language abstracting journal in the mentioned branches. The abstracts are classified under more than a hundred subject categories, thus permitting a quick survey of the whole extended material. The AAA is a valuable and important publication for all students and scientists working in the fields of astronomy and related sciences. As such it represents a necessary ingredient of any astronomical library all over the world.