Photometry of an active Algol-type binary HP Aur

The short period Algol-type binary HP Aur has been studied on the basis ofUBV photometric observations. Its colour indexes were found to be (U-B)=0.14, (B-V)=0.70, and light curves show non-symmetrical and obvious photometric disturbances. Autoregressive spectral analysis and harmonic analysis for its light variations were made. The results indicate its brightness variations have the multiplet quasi-periods and low amplitudes. Its photometric solutions have been obtained using the Wilson-Devinney method. Its mass ratio is 0.5631, orbital inclination is 85.0 and it is a detached system. Its basic model has been discussed briefly.     

VV Orionis: A well-behaved early-type eclipsing binary system

VV Orionis is a detached eclipsing binary system consisting of stars of spectral types B1 V and B4 V with a period of 1.^d4854. There is also a third component whose orbital period about the eclipsing pair is about 120 days. In recent years there have been several new photoelectric and spectroscopic investigations of this system, and the results of these are compared. Both the geometric and photometric orbital elements appear to be well determined. VV Ori A appears to be of normal size and mass for its spectral class, but VV Ori B seems to be somewhat smaller than would be expected for a normal B4 V star. Linear limb-darkening coefficients are derived for VV Ori A, and these are in good agreement with theory. This system is of particular importance, because it is only one of very few earlytype systems for which reliable limb-darkening coefficients can be expected to be obtained. The contribution of the light of the third component to the system has also been determined, and it appears most likely that VV Ori C is a star of spectral type A3 V.Paper presented at the Lembang-Bamberg IAU Colloquium No. 80 on Double Stars: Physical Properties and Generic Relations, held at Bandung, Indonesia, 3–7 June, 1983.     

A re-analysis of the eclipsing binary system VV Orionis

The observations of VV Ori inUBV and inuvby obtained by Chambliss in 1975–79 have been re-analyzed with the use of an updated version of the WINK program of Wood. Several solutions were obtained using the normal points (ca. 80 per light curve). These establish fairly reliable values for the linear limb-darkening coefficient of VV Ori A and approximate values for the luminosity of the third component of this system. Attempts to determine non-linear coefficients of limb darkening for the primary component, however, proved to be unsuccessful. Solutions were also obtained using all observations (ca. 620 per light curve). Very close agreement was found between the values of the geometric elements determined from these solutions and those determined by use of the normal points only. The solutions based on all observations produced reliable values foru ₁, the limb darkening coefficient of VV Ori A, (typically, 0.30±-0.04). These results are in good agreement with theoretical limb darkening coefficients derived from model atmospheres calculations. The contribution of VV Ori C to the light of the system was also ascertained, and it was found that this could be best interpreted, if this component has a spectral type of A3V. The other orbital elements of VV Ori were also discussed, and the differences between the various solutions were noted. Since VV Ori A is one of the very few early-type stars for which reliable limb-darkening coefficients can be empirically determined, this system is viewed as being of considerable importance.     

A comprehensive photometric study of the Algol-type eclipsing binary: BG Pegasi

This study presents new photometric observations of classical Algol type binary BG Peg with a δ Scuti component. The light curve modeling was provided with the physical parameters of the component stars in the BG Peg system for the first time. After modeling light curves in B and V filters, the eclipse and proximity effects were removed from the light curve to analyze intrinsic variations caused by the hotter component of the system. Frequency analysis of the residuals light represents the multi-mode pulsation of the more massive component of the BG Peg system at periods of 0.039 and 0.047 days. Two frequencies could be associated with non-radial (l = 2) modes. The total amplitude of the pulsational variability in the V light curve was found to be about 0.045 mag. The long-term orbital period variation of the system was also investigated for the first time. The O–C analysis indicates periodic variation superimposed on a downward parabola. The secular period variation means that the orbital period of the system is decreasing at a rate of ?5.5 seconds per century, probably due to the magnetic activity of the cooler component. The tilted sinusoidal O–C variation may be caused by the gravitational effect of an unseen component around the system.     

IU Cancri:a solar-type contact binary with mass transfer

We present new CCD photometry of the solar-type contact binary IU Cnc, which was observed from November 2017 to March 2018 with three small telescopes in China. BV light curves imply that IU Cnc is a W-type contact binary with total eclipses. The photometric solution indicates that the mass ratio and fill-out factor are q = 4.104 ± 0.004 and f = 30.2%± 0.3%, respectively. From all available light minimum times, the orbital period may increase at a rate of dP/dt =+6.93(4)× 10^-7 d yr^-1, which may result from mass transfer from the secondary component to the primary one. With mass transferring,IU Cnc may evolve from a contact configuration into a semi-detached configuration.     

On the orbital eccentricity on an eclipsing binary system

A new method is presented to precisely deduce the orbital eccentricity of an eclipsing binary from observed epochs of its light minima. Application to the system V526 Sagittarii givese=0.2220±0.0016.     

The system VV Ori and the consistency of photometric analysis of eclipsing binary light curves

The extensive, homogeneous and automatically obtained OAO-2UV data on VV Ori at six different wavelengths, as presented by Eaton (1975), are subjected to detailed numerical analysis, and the extent of derivable information on this star from such photometry is critically assessed.An economic (analytical integration) fitting function which can depend on up to 16 independently specifiable parameters is introduced. The use of frequency domain techniques along previously described lines is also discussed.The determination of sought parameter values is examined in some generality, and it is shown that a simultaneous unique optimal specification of more than six or seven such parameters is highly unlikely. An eight-parameter simultaneous specification for the quantities considered by Eaton would not be unique, rendering the conclusions of that author on relatively indeterminate parameters to be considered sceptically. By adopting means from all the solution sets of a five-element specification for basic parameters and carrying out statistical tests for self consistency it is possible to then investigate gravity darkening and reflection coefficients. We find that there is no great departure in the corresponding values from simple standard theory.     

Further confirmations of mass transfer in Algol type binary U Sagittae

This paper describes how a new photometric V light curve solution of Algol type binary U Sge was obtained using Wilson–Devinney code. I also discuss how the physical and orbital parameters, along with absolute dimensions of the system, were determined. The Roche lobe configurations of the system indicate that the secondary component has filled its Roche lobe and therefore is losing mass at the rate of 6.15×10⁻⁷ M _sun yr⁻¹. The conservative mass flow is the most likely process in this system.     

Hill stability of a triple system with an inner binary of large mass ratio

We determine the maximum dimensionless pericentre distance a third body can have to the barycentre of an extreme mass ratio binary, beyond which no exchange or ejection of any of the binary components can occur. We calculate this maximum distance, q '/ a , where q ' is the pericentre of the third mass to the binary barycentre and a is the semimajor axis of the binary, as a function of the critical value of   L ²  E   of the system, where L is the magnitude of the angular momentum vector and E is the total energy of the system. The critical value is obtained by calculating   L ²  E   for the central configuration of the system at the collinear Lagrangian points. In our case we can make approximations for the system when one of the masses is small. We compare the calculated values of the pericentre distance with numerical scattering experiments as a function of the eccentricity of the inner orbit, e , the mutual inclination i and the eccentricity of the outer orbit, e '. These show that the maximum observed value of   q '/ a   is indeed the critical q '/ a , as expected. However, when   e '→1  , the maximum observed value of q '/ a is equal to the critical value calculated when   e '=0  , which is contrary to the theory, which predicts exchange distances several orders of magnitude larger for nearly parabolic orbits. This does not occur because changes in the binding energy of the binary are exponentially small for distant, nearly parabolic encounters.     

Close binary systems before and after mass transfer: A comparison of observations and theory

From a search through the literature 174 close binaries with known absolute dimensions have been sampled. Distinction is made between systems before and after mass exchange. Mass, period and mass ratio distributions and relations of the group of unevolved binaries (i.e., prior to mass exchange) are transformed into corresponding distributions and relations of evolved binaries. The transformations are based upon theM _1f=g(M _1f) relation derived from an extended set of published theoretical computations of the evolution of close binaries. From this relation the following characteristics of the system after mass exchange are computed:M _1f,M _2f (andq _f),P _f. Five different modes of mass transfer were applied for the computation of the values ofP _f andM _2f. The variation of the period was calculated using the formalism given by Vanbeverenet al. (1979). The results are compared to the observations of binary systems after mass exchange, and are discussed together with an analysis of the effect of several selection effects present in the distributions. The main conclusion is that, during mass exchange in close binaries, more than 50% of the mass is lost to the system in the process of transfer, removing a large amount of angular momentum.This research is supported by the National Foundation of Collective Fundamental Research of Belgium (F.K.F.O.) under No. 2.9009.79.     

DX Cygni: A triple system with mass transfer

A dozen of new precise times of eclipses were measured for the eclipsing binary DX Cygni as a part of our long-term observational project for studying neglected eclipsing binaries with a short orbital period. Based on a current $O-C$ diagram, we found for the first time that its period is increasing ($dP/P=1.68\times {10}^{-7}$ day/years) and that times of minima show also significant cyclical changes with a period of about 16 years, caused very probably by a third body orbiting the eclipsing pair. The minimal mass of this companion is 0.49 M_⊙. The light curve solution in Phoebe results to the typical Algol-type semidetached configuration where the secondary fills its Roche lobe. The temperature of primary component was fixed to $T_1=5300$ K according to its spectral type, which gives us $T_2=3330\pm 20$ K for the secondary. The photometric mass ratio was estimated $q=0.504\pm 0.012$. We also compare orbital parameters of selected known Algol-type eclipsing binaries with proven mass transfer and a third body.     

On the angular momentum transfer on to compact stars in binary systems

Results of three-dimensional numerical simulations of the gas transfer in close binary systems show that, in addition to the formation of a tidally induced spiral shock wave, it is also possible for accretion streams to be produced, having low specific angular momentum in a region close to the accreting star. These streams are mainly placed above the orbital disc but are also unevenly present in the equatorial plane. The relevance of such flows is related to formation of hot coronae or bulges in regions very close to the accretor centre. The eventual formation of such bulges and shock-heated flows is interesting in the context of advection-dominated solutions and for the explanation of spectral properties of the black hole candidates in binary systems.     

Radiative transfer in atmospheres of Algol-type binaries. Departures from the state of LTE in late-type components

Departures from the state of LTE in the atmospheres of the secondary components of Algol-type binaries due to anisotropy of irradiation are investigated. Temperature inversion and the abnormal law of limb darkening are the most serious consequences of anisotropy of irradiation if the ratio of the effective temperatures of the components exceeds 2–2.5, providing that collisions can be neglected.Originally presented at the IAU Colloquium No. 16, held at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.A., September 8–11, 1971.     

On properties of radio-rich coronal mass ejections

We have studied properties of the radio-rich coronal mass ejections (CMEs) (observed during 1997–2006) which produce type II (1–14 MHz) i.e. decametric–hectometric or DH radio burst. These DH CMEs are relatively faster and wider than the normal CMEs. The average speed and apparent width of these CMEs is 1048 km/s and 98°, respectively. Majority (about 54%) of DH CMEs decelerate, but about 21% show positive acceleration. The remaining 25% move with little acceleration. These special characteristics of radio-rich CMEs could be used to identify the population of geoeffective CMEs, which are quite relevant to space weather.     

Analytical solution for the evolution of a binary with stable mass transfer from a giant

We derive a simple analytical solution for the evolution of a close binary with nuclear time-scale driven mass transfer from a giant. This solution is based on the well-known fact that the luminosity and the radius of a giant scale to a good approximation as simple power laws of the mass M _c of the degenerate helium core. Comparison with results of numerical calculations by Webbink, Rappaport & Savonije show the analytical solution and the power-law approximation to be quite accurate. The analytical solution presented does also allow (in parametrized form) for non-conservative mass transfer. Furthermore, it is shown that the near constancy of the mass-transfer rate over most of the mass-transfer phase seen in the results by Webbink, Rappaport & Savonije is not a generic feature of this type of evolution but rather a consequence of a particular choice of parameters. The analytical solution also demonstrates that the level of mass transfer is largely set by the core mass of the giant at the onset of mass transfer. Finally, we show that the model is self-consistent and discuss its applicability to low-mass X-ray binaries.