| Abstract: | The connection between orbital period modulation and magnetic activity in close binaries is reviewed with an emphasis on the comparison between observational data for RS CVn systems and recently proposed theoretical models. The orbital period changes occurring on timescales of the order of a few decades can be accounted for by means of a standing torsional Alfven wave in the convection zone of the magnetically active components of such systems. Two resonant excitation mechanisms based on the coupling between the wave and an αΩ dynamo are discussed from a qualitative point of view. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) |
