are presented. We confirm the cyclical character of the photometric variability of HD 52721 discovered previously by others. The variability shows up as minima in the light curve of this star which repeat with a period P=0 d .805 and are typical of eclipsing binary systems. ASAS data covering an observation period from September 2003 through December 2009 show that two neighboring photometric minima differ from one another, and the actual orbital period of the system must be twice as high (P = 1 d .610). This is confirmed by the spectroscopic data. These show that the center of gravity of the emission Hα line and the profile of the HeI 6678 line with a distinct, bright circumstellar component have a clear correlation with a period of 1 d .610. To all appearances, HD 52721 is a close binary system consisting of two class B2 stars with quite similar parameters. We propose that the observed cyclical variations in the circumstellar parameters may be related to the existence of a global azimuthal inhomogeneity within the shell which rotates synchronously with the orbital motion of the system components.

We describe four different approaches for the detection of magnetospheric accretion among Herbig Ae/Be stars with accretion disks. Studies of several unique objects have been carried out. One of the objects is the Herbig Ae star HD 101412 with a comparatively strong magnetic field. The second is the early-type Herbig B6e star HD 259431. The existence of a magnetosphere in these objects was not recognized earlier. In both cases, a periodicity in the variation of some line parameters, originating near the region of the disk/star interaction, has been found. The third object is the young binary system HD 104237, hosting a Herbig Ae star and a T Tauri star. Based on the discovery of periodic variations of equivalent widths of atmospheric lines in the spectrum of the primary, we have concluded that the surface of the star is spotted. Comparing our result with an earlier one, we argue that these spots can be connected with the infall of material from the disk onto the stellar surface through a magnetosphere. The fourth example is the Herbig Ae/Be star HD 37806. Signatures of magnetospheric accretion in this object have been identified using a different method. They were inferred from the short-term variability of the He i λ5876 line profile forming in the region of the disk/star interaction.

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Photometric and high-resolution spectral data on the Be Herbig star HD 52721 from our earlier article [1] are supplemented by new data obtained with an echelle spectrograph mounted on the 2.1-m telescope at the San Pedro Martir Observatory (Ensenada, Mexico). BVR photometry data obtained during 1987-1998 at the Maidanak Observatory (Uzbekistan) are also examined in more detail. This confirms that the phase light curve for an orbital period P=1 d .610 has two minima with different depths separated in phase by 0.5, and reveals a reddening of the object at the phases of the minima. The profiles of atmospheric He I lines in the 4000-4500 Å range are found to be broader, shallower, and more asymmetric at the brightness maximum than at the minimum, as expected in close binary systems. Various factors which may influence the formation of the observed atmospheric line profiles are discussed. The observations confirm the hypothesis of a dense disk shaped gas envelope surrounding the system that makes a significant contribution to its overall brightness and contains a global azimuthal inhomogeneity rotating in synchrony with the orbital motion of the system components. We emphasize the need for new photometric observations of HD 52721 in the region of the atmospheric lines, as well as a continuation of the photometric program, in order to confirm the existence of and to analyze the stable, small variations in the light curve of this object.

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