Pulsating blue metal-poor stars

The blue metal-poor (BMP) star CS 22966-043 is an SX Phoenicis star and the primary of a spectroscopic binary with a provisional orbital period of similar to 430 days. Radial velocity and UBV photometric observations of this star made in 1998 require downward revision of the orbital period to 319 days. The BMP star CS 29499-057 also appears to be an SX Phoenicis star with small amplitude (Delta V similar to 0.04 mag) and short period (P = 0.0417 days), on the basis of photometric and radial velocity observations obtained in 1998. There is some indication that it too may be the primary of a spectroscopic binary. Three other BMP stars have radial velocity standard deviations greater than those of 17 BMP radial velocity standards. We suggest that they may be small-amplitude SX Phoenicis stars. Finally, the BMP star CS 29497-017 is shown to be a short-period velocity variable (P = 0.302 days) on the basis of observations accumulated over an interval of 2200 days, but we were unable to detect a light variation in 1998 July. Therefore, the nature of the velocity variation of this object remains uncertain.