Hα and Hβ Measures as Related to be Star Rotation

Abstract

Photometric data for the hydrogen lines in 80 southern and 55 northern Be stars give evidence of a constant ratio for the emission in α and β in stars of similar spectral type. In an (α, β) diagram the intersection of this emission-line ratio with the standard relation for non-emission stars gives lower values than those corresponding to standard stars of the same spectral type. This may be due to rotational effects. A correlation of the variation in the β index with the V magnitude is also given.