Flares on AM Canum Venaticorum

AM CVn, an interacting binary system consisting of two helium white dwarfs, has been classified as a nova-like object. Normally it exhibits only small amplitude modulations of 0.05 mag with a 1051 s periodicity. The authors report what is believed to be for the first time, two unusually intense optical flares in AM CVn during 1985-87. The characteristics of the two flares in white light observed on 1985 February 24 and 1986 February 7 with Δm=0.34 and Δm=1.07 respectively are described. The authors estimate the maximum amount of energy released from these flares as 2.7×1036 erg and suggest in the light of current models possible sites of origin of the flaring activity