A study of the chromospherically active binaries UX Fornacis and AG Doradus

This paper presents a time-series spectrum analysis of the two chromospherically active binary stars;, UX Fornacis and AG Doradus. To investigate the rotational behaviour, in combination with activity in the H alpha line, we obtained almost 40 high-resolution, high-SIN spectra for each system. Both binaries, UX For and AG Dor, show H alpha Of the primary star in absorption but filled in by chromospheric emission while the H alpha line of the secondaries appear in pure emission. Line variations are seen and are approximately 5-sigma detections but are not linked to the orbital nor the rotational periods and seem to be erratic. We obtained new orbital elements for both systems and used them in combination with Hipparcos parallaxes and our H alpha -spectrum synthesis to determine absolute parameters. We present the first Doppler image of the AG Dor primary using line-profile variations of the FeI lambda 6546 line. The image reveals a cool polar feature and three equatorial spots with an average surface temperature difference, photosphere minus spots, of up to 1500 K for the polar spot and approximate to 800 K for the equatorial spots. Since AG Dor is one of the slowest rotators (v sin i = 18 kms(-1)) that has ever been Doppler imaged, we present several tests to demonstrate the external consistency of our map.