Coordinated XTE/EUVE Observations of Algol

We performed a coordinated RXTE observation of the prototypical eclipsing binary Algol in conjunction with EUVE and ASCA observations. Observing the x-ray spectrum of Algol with ASCA, EUVE, and RXTE provides critical, near-simultaneous constraints on the distribution of the hottest temperature plasma in the Agol system: this is required to unambiguously determine the coronal Fe abundance. After some initial shuffling of observatory schedules with the help of mission planners, the coordinated multiwavelength observation was successfully performed in February, 1996. Analysis of the data, including development of new, IDL-based global model fitting routines, was accomplished from mid-1996 to mid-1997. The results indicate that the initial estimates of [Fe/H] approximately 0.3 dex (Stern et al.) are confirmed, and the Algol high temperature plasma thus has an Fe deficiency relative to the (Anders and Grevesse) solar abundance.