COMMISSION 27 OF THE I. A. U.
         INFORMATION BULLETIN ON VARIABLE STARS
                     Number 1671

                                     Konkoly Observatory
                                     Budapest
                                     1979 September 12



      COMMISSION No. 27 - WORKING GROUP ON FLARE STARS



    A successful meeting of the Working Group was held during
the IAU General Assembly in Montreal. Dr. C. Jordan delivered
an informal presentation on interpretation of UV spectra and
Dr. B. Bopp gave some opinions on possible future directions
for optical observation. Lively discussions took place and
it came to light that a number of groups (at Armagh, Catania
and Sacramento Peak) are independently involved in UV spectroscopy
of flare stars in their "quiescent" states. Indeed subsequent
discussions with the Boulder group (J. Linsky et al.) showed
that they and the Armagh group have contiguous programmes
between September 6th and 11th. People interested in
cooperative ground-based observations are invited to contact
P. B. Byrne (Armagh Observatory) or J. Linsky (J.I.L.A., Colorado)
    A broader definition of the working group's activities is
necessary, these being no longer confined to the study of flaring.
Rather there is now interest in applying all available diagnostic
tools to the study of chromospheric activity in the latest type
dwarfs. With this in mind it was decided to discontinue the
international co-operative programme of optical monitoring of
a selected group of flare stars on a regular year-to-year basis.
In its place we would urge observers to search for activity in
stars not hitherto shown to be active, to expand our knowledge
of its occurrence in as wide a range of spectral types as
possible. The importance of standardizing observations to
the UBV or other commonly used photometric system was stressed,
as was the need for two-channel data where possible. The latter
type of observation is of particular importance in searching for
out-of-flare "flickering" and intermediate timescale variations.
   With the resignation of the previous chairman,
Professor Mavridis it was decided to form an organizing            
committee for the future. For details of the composition
of this committee members are referred to coming issues of
I.B.V.S. Future plans include a possible workshop meeting
on flare stars to be held during September 1980. Those
interested in joining the group should contact Dr. B.W. Bopp
(Univ. of Toledo), Dr. P.B. Byrne (Armagh Observatory),
Dr. M. Rodono (Catania Observatory) or Dr. S. P. Worden
(Sacramento Peak Obs.)





                 P.B. BYRNE and A.D. ANDREWS
                 Armagh Observatory            
                 Armagh BT61 9DG
                 N. Ireland