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DSRI has initiated a development program of CZT X-ray and gamma raydetectors employing strip readout techniques. A dramatic improvement ofthe energy response was found operating the detectors as so-called driftdetectors. For the electronic readout, modern ASIC chips wereinvestigated. Modular design and the low power electronics will make largearea detectors using the drift strip method feasible. The performance of aprototype CZT system will be presented and discussed. One such detector system has been proposed for future space missions: TheX-Ray Imager (XRI) on the Atmospheric X-ray Observatory (AXO), whichis a mission proposed to the Danish Small Satellite Program and is dedicatedto observations of X-ray generating processes in the Earth's atmosphere. Ofspecial interest will be simultaneous optical and X-ray observations of spritesthat are flashes appearing directly above an active thunderstorm system.Additional objective is a detailed mapping of the auroral X-ray and opticalemission. XRI comprises a coded mask and a 20 cm × 40 cm CZTdetector array covering an energy range from 5 to 200 keV.

Two years after launch (04.21.97), LEGRI is operating on Minisat-01 in a LEO orbit. The LEGRI detector plane is formed by two type of gamma-ray solid state detectors: HgI2and CdZnTe. Detectors are embedded in a box containing the FEE and DFE electronics. This box provides an effective detector passive shielding. Detector plane is multiplexed by a Coded Aperture System located at 54 cm and a Ta Collimator with a FCFOV of 22° and 2° angular resolution. The aim of this paper is to summarize the detector behaviour in three different time scales: before launch, during the in-orbit check-out period (IOC), and after two years of routine operation in space. Main results can be summarized as follows: A large fraction of the HgI2detectors presented during LEGRI IOC very high count ratios from their first switch-on (May 1997). Therefore, they induced saturation in the on-board mass memory. After some unsuccessful attempts to reduce the count ratios by setting up different thresholds during LEGRI IOC, all of them were switched off except nine detectors in column 4, with a higher degree of stability. Oppositely, the 17 CdZnTe detectors present a remarkable stability in both their count-ratios and spectral shapes. Details about CdZnTe ground energy calibration, in-flight calibration (using the Crab) and detector stability are discussed hereafter. Detector efficiency function has been computed with the fixed flight threshold used within the calibrated energy range (20-80 KeV). It presents a maximum at 60 KeV, and decreasing efficiencies in the lower and upper energy range ends. Both, non-linear threshold cutting and the drop in the detector efficiency explain the CdZnTe computed operational efficiency response.

We have performed high resolution spectroscopic observations of five active binary systems in the Caii H and K lines at La Palma Observatory. We present the absolute fluxes calculated at the surface of the stars and we discuss the spectral characteristics observed, presence of double emissions and phase variations.

If we follow recent work and in order to extend theuvby photometric calibrations to spectral types later than G0, we present an attempt to use the combineduvby andß systems for stars in the range G5-K7 and luminosity classes V to III.

uvbyß photometry has been done for early-type stars in the surroundings of the shell star a Ori. The reddening maps show the presence of irregularly distributed absorbing material.

We present multifrequency observations of the active binary RS CVn. Ultraviolet observations were obtained from the IUE data bank. Optical observations were made at the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos (La Palma), while the infrared observations were obtained at the Observatorio del Teide (Tenerife).

During the last two years auvbyß photometric survey of 85 Ca II emission stars from the Mount Wilson program on stellar activity has been carried out at the Calar Alto Observatory (Almeria, Spain). We present preliminary results for theuvby and ß calibrations. Some stars displaying anomalousc1 andm1 indices, with photometric or spectroscopic data from previous studies, are reported. A reddening study for the complete sample is given.

A summary of data collected during a sixty night international campaign devoted to cataclysmic variables is presented.