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RApid Temporal Survey - RATS I: Overview and first results

Gavin Ramsay·Pasi Hakala
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Abstract

We present the aim and first results of the RApid Temporal Survey (RATS) made using the Wide Field Camera on the Isaac Newton Telescope. Our initial survey covers 3 square degrees, reaches a depth of V~22.5 and is sensitive to variations on timescales as short as 2 minutes: this is a new parameter space. Each field was observed for over 2 hours in white light, with 12 fields being observed in total. Our initial analysis finds 46 targets which show significant variations. Around half of these systems show quasi-sinusoidal variations: we believe they are contact or short period binaries. We find 4 systems which show variations on a timescale less than 1 hour. The shortest period system has a period of 374 sec. We find two systems which show a total eclipse. Further photometric and spectroscopic observations are required to fully identify the nature of these systems. We outline our future plans and objectives.

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Gavin Ramsay, Pasi Hakala. 2005-03-07. RApid Temporal Survey - RATS I: Overview and first results. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2005.09035.x

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