2003A&A...399..279F

We present the results of BeppoSAX observations of the RS CVn binary systems CF Tuc and TY Pyx. A long-duration flare was detected on CF Tuc just at the beginning of the observation; a second smaller flare occurred about half a period later. The light curve of TY Pyx shows a significant orbital modulation of the quiescent emission with possible evidence for eclipses, and strong flares. We find that the coronae of the two stars are very similar: both systems have quiescent temperatures of ∼10 and 20-25MK, with only a factor of two difference in the emission measures. During the flares, temperatures of ∼30-40MK are reached; these temperatures are not high enough to give detectable hard X-ray emission in the PDS. Both stars have subsolar coronal metallicities: we confirm the very low coronal abundance of CF Tuc (Z∼0.1-0.2Z_☉), while for TY Pyx we find Z∼0.5-0.6Z_☉. For both stars the coronal metallicities are in good agreement with their measured photospheric abundances.