Spectroscopic and photometric observations of transient accretion disks in U Cephei

Combined spectroscopic and photometric observations of the Algol-type system U Cep performed during six eclipses in a three month interval are presented. Crawford's (1981) findings that the gas in the emission-line region does not rotate in a circular Keplerian fashion and that the emission lines are much broader than that expected from a solely rotationally broadened line are confirmed. It was found that, during one eclipse, a third emission line was visible through most of totality which may indicate mass loss from the system.