Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Measurements of Cool Stars

Abstract

A vast increase in the amount of information on cool stars has occurred during the past 3 years starting with the spectroscopy of the brightest objects from the Princeton experiment on Copernicus, the near ultraviolet balloon measurements from BUSS, low dispersion observations in the far ultraviolet from rocket instruments, and most recently, spectra from the International Ultraviolet Explorer satellite (IUE). IUE now gives access to a wide variety of cool stars and stellar systems enabling systematic studies to be made.Drawing on the most recent material from IUE, we discuss the presence and structure of chromospheres and coronae in single stars of varying gravities, surface temperatures, and activity. Evidence of mass loss and the concurrent presence of a corona are also noted. Binary systems of late-type stars (the RS CVn and W UMa type) are briefly discussed since they display extremes of surface activity. A binary system such as VV Cep containing a late-type star and an early-type companion provides a unique probe of cool extended stellar atmospheres.