70 research outputs found
The Anticorrelated Nature of the Primary and Secondary Eclipse Timing Variations for the Kepler Contact Binaries
We report on a study of eclipse timing variations in contact binary systems,
using long-cadence lightcurves in the Kepler archive. As a first step,
'observed minus calculated' (O-C) curves were produced for both the primary and
secondary eclipses of some 2000 Kepler binaries. We find ~390 short-period
binaries with O-C curves that exhibit (i) random-walk like variations or
quasi-periodicities, with typical amplitudes of +/- 200-300 seconds, and (ii)
anticorrelations between the primary and secondary eclipse timing variations.
We present a detailed analysis and results for 32 of these binaries with
orbital periods in the range of 0.35 +/- 0.05 days. The anticorrelations
observed in their O-C curves cannot be explained by a model involving mass
transfer, which among other things requires implausibly high rates of ~0.01
M_sun per year. We show that the anticorrelated behavior, the amplitude of the
O-C delays, and the overall random-walk like behavior can be explained by the
presence of a starspot that is continuously visible around the orbit and slowly
changes its longitude on timescales of weeks to months. The quasi-periods of
~50-200 days observed in the O-C curves suggest values for k, the coefficient
of the latitude dependence of the stellar differential rotation, of
~0.003-0.013.Comment: Published in The Astrophysical Journal, 2013, Vol. 774, p.81; 14
pages, 12 figures, and 2 table
Marginally low mass ratio close binary system V1191 Cyg
In this study, we present photometric and spectroscopic variations of the
extremely small mass ratio () late-type contact binary system
\astrobj{V1191 Cyg}. The parameters for the hot and cooler companions have been
determined as = 0.13 (1) , = 1.29 (8)
, = 0.52 (15) , = 1.31 (18)
, = 0.46 (25) , = 2.71 (80)
, the separation of the components is = 2.20(8) and
the distance of the system is estimated as 278(31) pc. Analyses of the times of
minima indicates a period increase of
days/yr that reveals a very high mass transfer rate of
/yr from the less massive
component to the more massive one. New observations show that the depths of the
minima of the light curve have been interchanged.Comment: Accepted for publication in New Astronomy, 16 pages, 2 figures, 4
table
Angular Momentum Loss by Magnetic Braking and Gravitational Radiation in Relativistic Binary Stars
Angular momentum loss (AML) mechanisms and dynamical evolution owing to
magnetic braking and gravitational radiation in relativistic binary stars (RBS)
are studied with use of physical parameters collected from the literature. We
have calculated and compared AML time scales for the RBS with non-degenerate
components and double degenerate (DD) systems.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure
Triple-Star Candidates Among the Kepler Binaries
We present the results of a search through the photometric database of
eclipsing Kepler binaries (Prsa et al. 2011; Slawson et al. 2011) looking for
evidence of hierarchical triple star systems. The presence of a third star
orbiting the binary can be inferred from eclipse timing variations. We apply a
simple algorithm in an automated determination of the eclipse times for all
2157 binaries. The "calculated" eclipse times, based on a constant period
model, are subtracted from those observed. The resulting O-C (observed minus
calculated times) curves are then visually inspected for periodicities in order
to find triple-star candidates. After eliminating false positives due to the
beat frequency between the ~1/2-hour Kepler cadence and the binary period, 39
candidate triple systems were identified. The periodic O-C curves for these
candidates were then fit for contributions from both the classical Roemer delay
and so-called "physical" delay, in an attempt to extract a number of the system
parameters of the triple. We discuss the limitations of the information that
can be inferred from these O-C curves without further supplemental input, e.g.,
ground-based spectroscopy. Based on the limited range of orbital periods for
the triple star systems to which this search is sensitive, we can extrapolate
to estimate that at least 20% of all close binaries have tertiary companions.Comment: 19 pages, 13 figures, 3 tables; ApJ, 2013, 768, 33; corrected Fig. 7,
updated references, minor fixes to tex
Absolute properties of the binary system BB pegasi
We present ground-based photometry of the low-temperature contact binary BB Peg. We collected all the times of mid-eclipse available in the literature and combined them with those obtained in this study. Analyses of the data indicate a period increase of (3.0 ± 0.1) × 10-8 days yr -1. This period increase of BB Peg can be interpreted in terms of the mass transfer 2.4 × 10-8 M⊙ yr-1 from the less massive to the more massive component. The physical parameters have been determined as Mc = 1.42M⊙, Mh = 0.53 M⊙, Rc = 1.29 R⊙, Rh, = 0.83 R⊙, Lc = 1.86 L⊙, and L h = 0.94 L⊙ through simultaneous solutions of light and of the radial velocity curves. The orbital parameters of the third body, which orbits the contact system in an eccentric orbit, were obtained from the period variation analysis. The system is compared to the similar binaries in the Hertzsprung-Russell and mass-radius diagrams.Ege University Research Fund and TÜBİTAK National Observator
Close Binary System GO Cyg
In this study, we present long term photometric variations of the close
binary system \astrobj{GO Cyg}. Modelling of the system shows that the primary
is filling Roche lobe and the secondary of the system is almost filling its
Roche lobe. The physical parameters of the system are , , , , , , and . Our results show that \astrobj{GO
Cyg} is the most massive system near contact binary (NCB). Analysis of times of
the minima shows a sinusoidal variation with a period of years due
to a third body whose mass is less than 2.3. Finally a period
variation rate of d/yr has been determined using all
available light curves.Comment: Accepted for publication in New Astronomy, 18 pages, 4 figures, 7
table
EPIC 220204960: A Quadruple Star System Containing Two Strongly Interacting Eclipsing Binaries
We present a strongly interacting quadruple system associated with the K2
target EPIC 220204960. The K2 target itself is a Kp = 12.7 magnitude star at
Teff ~ 6100 K which we designate as "B-N" (blue northerly image). The host of
the quadruple system, however, is a Kp = 17 magnitude star with a composite
M-star spectrum, which we designate as "R-S" (red southerly image). With a 3.2"
separation and similar radial velocities and photometric distances, 'B-N' is
likely physically associated with 'R-S', making this a quintuple system, but
that is incidental to our main claim of a strongly interacting quadruple system
in 'R-S'. The two binaries in 'R-S' have orbital periods of 13.27 d and 14.41
d, respectively, and each has an inclination angle of >89 degrees. From our
analysis of radial velocity measurements, and of the photometric lightcurve, we
conclude that all four stars are very similar with masses close to 0.4 Msun.
Both of the binaries exhibit significant ETVs where those of the primary and
secondary eclipses 'diverge' by 0.05 days over the course of the 80-day
observations. Via a systematic set of numerical simulations of quadruple
systems consisting of two interacting binaries, we conclude that the outer
orbital period is very likely to be between 300 and 500 days. If sufficient
time is devoted to RV studies of this faint target, the outer orbit should be
measurable within a year.Comment: 20 pages, 18 figures, 7 tables; accepted for publication in MNRA
Three ways to solve the orbit of KIC11558725: a 10 day beaming sdB+WD binary with a pulsating subdwarf
The recently discovered subdwarf B (sdB) pulsator KIC11558725 features a rich
g-mode frequency spectrum, with a few low-amplitude p-modes at short periods,
and is a promising target for a seismic study aiming to constrain the internal
structure of this star, and of sdB stars in general.
We have obtained ground-based spectroscopic Balmer-line radial-velocity
measurements of KIC11558725, spanning the 2010 and 2011 observing seasons. From
these data we have discovered that KIC11558725 is a binary with period P=10.05
d, and that the radial-velocity amplitude of the sdB star is 58 km/s.
Consequently the companion of the sdB star has a minimum mass of 0.63 M\odot,
and is therefore most likely an unseen white dwarf.
We analyse the near-continuous 2010-2011 Kepler light curve to reveal orbital
Doppler-beaming light variations at the 238 ppm level, which is consistent with
the observed spectroscopic orbital radial-velocity amplitude of the subdwarf.
We use the strongest 70 pulsation frequencies in the Kepler light curve of the
subdwarf as clocks to derive a third consistent measurement of the orbital
radial-velocity amplitude, from the orbital light-travel delay.
We use our high signal-to-noise average spectra to study the atmospheric
parameters of the sdB star, deriving Teff = 27 910K and log g = 5.41 dex, and
find that carbon, nitrogen and oxygen are underabundant relative to the solar
mixture.
Furthermore, we extract more than 160 significant frequencies from the Kepler
light curve. We investigate the pulsation frequencies for expected period
spacings and rotational splittings. We find period-spacing sequences of
spherical-harmonic degrees \ell=1 and \ell=2, and we associate a large fraction
of the g-modes in KIC11558725 with these sequences. From frequency splittings
we conclude that the subdwarf is rotating subsynchronously with respect to the
orbit
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