Variability index

[Doug Welch <welch@physics.mcmaster.ca>]

Folks,

This is my first post to the TASS list, so I figured I would
introduce myself and mention a paper on robust detection of 
variable stars which I co-authored.

First, a little about me: I have been an AAVSO member since the
early 70's and have served on the Council of the AAVSO in recent 
years. Also, I have been a member of the Science Team of the MACHO 
Project since 1995 and have been the primary contact (and extractor!)
of most of the variable star work which has made it to publication.
Recently, we have identified three eclipsing binary systems in the
LMC which contain intermediate-mass or low-mass Cepheids from
MACHO data. Since these systems are only in eclipse about 2% of the
time, dense lightcurve coverage is the only way to find them.

The paper to which I draw your attention is from AJ, 105, 1813 (1993).
If you can print PostScript, you can download it from:

http://physun.physics.mcmaster.ca/Fac_Welch/varind.ps

The primary strength of this technique over others is that "photometric
blunders" make it *less* likely that an object will be selected as 
variable - not more likely!

Best regards,
Doug

==============================================================
 Douglas L Welch     | Office/voicemail (905) 525-9140 x23186  
 Physics & Astronomy | FAX              (905) 546-1252 
 McMaster University | 
 Hamilton, Ontario   | 
 Canada L8S 4M1      | E-mail       welch@physics.mcmaster.ca

    On research leave at LLNL (Oct 1, 2000 - Apr 30, 2001)
     Continue to use welch@physics.mcmaster.ca for e-mail
==============================================================