Multiwavelength optical observations of the chromospherically active binary system MS Ser

Abstract

We present here a continuation of our ongoing project of multiwavelength optical observations aimed at studying the chromosphere of active binary systems using the information provided for several optical spectroscopic features that are formed at different heights in the chromosphere. In this contribution we focus our study on the preliminary analysis of the active binary system MS Ser. We have taken Hα and Hβ spectra in 1995 and high resolution echelle spectra (covering Hα, Hβ, Na I D_1, D_2, He I D_3, Ca II H & K, and Ca II λ8662 lines) in 1998. Strong emission in the Ca II H & K and Ca III RT lines, coming from the primary component (recently classified as K2IV) is observed, and the secondary (G8V) also exhibits a small amount of emission. A near complete and variable filling-in of the Hα and Hβ is obtained after the application of the spectral subtraction technique. We detect also some seasonal variations between these two observing runs in comparison with our previous Ca II H & K observations taken in 1993.