A photometric and spectroscopic study of WW And - an Algol-type, long period binary system with an accretion disc

We have analyzed the available spectra of WW And and for the first time obtained a reasonably well defined radial velocity curve of the primary star. Combined with the available radial velocity curve of the secondary component, these data led to the first determination of the spectroscopic mass ratio of the system at q-spec = 0.16 +/- 0.03. We also determined the radius of the accretion disc from analysis of the double-peaked H-alpha emission lines. Our new, high-precision, Johnson VRI and the previously available Stromgren vby light curves were modelled with stellar and accretion disc models. A consistent model for WW And - a semidetached system harbouring an accretion disc which is optically thick in its inner region, but optically thin in the outer parts - agrees well with both spectroscopic and photometric data.Comment: Accepted by New Astronom

Contribution to the search for binaries among Am stars. VI. Orbital elements of ten new spectroscopic binaries, implications on tidal effects

International audienceWe present the results of a radial-velocity study of ten Am stars (HD 19342, 19910, 36360, 102925, 126031, 127263, 138406, 155714, 195692 and 199360) observed at Observatoire de Haute-Provence with the CORAVEL instrument. We find that these systems are spectroscopic binaries whose orbital elements are determined for the first time. Both omponents were measured for HD 126031, an eclipsing binary, whereas the other systems were detected as single-line binaries only. Physical parameters were inferred from this study for the primaries of all systems, and for the secondary of HD 126031. We observed a higher rate of synchronized/ circularized systems than expected from the theoretical models of radiative dissipation of dynamical tides