General Search for Stars with Rapid Optical Variations: Test Fields

We present a search for stars exhibiting short time-scale optical light variations. Our search employs archival data taken by the ROTSE1 telephoto array in two eight degree fields-of-view. This is a test study considering two fields which overlaps fields previously mined for variables, but with different data and search techniques. Each field was observed for approximately six continuous hours. We employ a general search strategy based on statistical properties of the observed lightcurves for each object. The analysis is sensitive to sources with variations < 0.25 day and > 0.1 mag and with mean magnitudes between 9.5 mag to 14 mag. We selected 42 variable star candidates, of which 17 are new detections. Attempts at classification yield four new W UMa systems and two new δ Scu stars. The remaining eleven transient detections exhibit incomplete lightcurves and require further study for classification.