Fourier analysis of the light curves of eclipsing variables,V

The methods of analysis of the light changes of eclipsing variables in the frequency-domain, developed in our previous papers (Kopal 1975a, b, c, d) for an interpretation of mutual eclipses in systems consisting of spherical stars, have now been extended to analyse the light variations — between minima as well as within eclipses — ofclose binaries whose components are distorted by axial rotation and mutual tidal action. Following a brief introduction (Section 1) in which the need of this new approach will be expounded, in Sections 2 and 3 we shall deduce the theoretical changes of close eclipsing systems between minima (Section 2) as well as within eclipses (Section 3), which in Sections 4 and 5 will be analysed in the frequency-domain; and explicit formulae obtained which should enable us to separate the photometric proximity and eclipse effects directly from the observed data as they stand-without the need of any preliminary ‘rectification’. Section 6 will contain the explicit forms of the expressions for photometric perturbations in the frequency-domain, due to rotational and tidal distortion of both stars; and the concluding Section 7 will then be concerned with practical aspects of the application of these new methods to an analysis of the observed light changes of close eclipsing systems — in which the proximity and eclipse effects cannot be distinguished from each other by mere inspection.     

Vibrational stability of the components of close binary systems

The aim of the present paper will be to extend our previous investigation of the vibrational stability of rotating configurations (Kopal, 1981) to a similar investigation of the stability of the components of close binary systems which not only rotate, but also distort each other by tidal action. To this end, differential equations which govern first-order oscillations of arbitrary spherical-harmonic symmetry will be set up in Clairaut coordinates in which the radial coordinate is replaced by the potential which remains constant over level surfaces of equilibrium configurations; introduced by us in an earlier paper (Kopal, 1980), and their form detailed for surface distorted by second-, third-, and fourth-harmonic tides raised by the external mass; and their boundary conditions established. A solution of such differential boundary-value problems arising in connection with the stars of arbitrary structure remains, of course, a task for automatic computers. It may only be added that the tide-generating potential Ψ _T established in this paper should enable us to study, by the same method, not only free, but also forced oscillations of the components of close binary systems, arising from orbital eccentricity of the respective couples, dynamical tides, or other causes likely to be operative in such systems.     

Theory of the light curves of eclipsing systems with oscillating components,II

In continuation of our preceding investigation (Kopal, 1982c) of photometric consequences of free oscillations — radial or nonradial — of the eclipsing component on the light changes of close binary systems, the aim of the present paper will be to extend the scope of our inquiry to include the effects of similar oscillations of the component which undergoes eclipse, with arbitrary period and phase.In Sections 2 and 3 which follow a brief introduction to the particular aspect of the problem treated in this paper, a theory will be given of photometric effects caused by arbitrary harmonic oscillations of the components of eclipsing binary systems distorted by equilibrium tides, or by axial rotation with constant angular velocity. A translation of these effects into the frequency domain constitutes a problem which is solvable in a closed form only if the eclipse in question ends in totality. In any other case, the desired effects can be mathematically described only in terms of infinite series (of satisfactory asymptotic properties); and a construction of their explicit forms will be given in the Appendix.     

Determination of the elements of eclipsing variables RW tauri and U sagittae by an analysis of the light changes in the frequency domain

The aim of the present paper has been to present an analysis of the light changes of two eclipsing systems RW Tau and U Sge in the frequency domain, which was developed by Kopal (1975a, b, c, d, e, 1976).Following a brief introduction, Section 2 contains the evaluation of the theoretical momentsA _2m. The determination of the preliminary elements and their improvement, taking into account the photometric perturbations, are given in Sections 3 and 4. A general discussion devoted to the whole analysis of the system is presented in Section 5.     

Fourier analysis of the light curves of eclipsing variables,XVIII

The aim of the present paper has been to establish explicit expressions for the photometric perturbations in the light changes of close eclipsing systems, arising from the mutual distortion of the components, for any type of eclipses — be these occultations or transits; partial, total, or annular — and exhibiting arbitrary distribution of brightness (limb- or gravity-darkening) over the apparent disc of the eclipsed star.These perturbations have been expressed in terms of certain general types of series that can be easily programmed for automatic computation. They represent a generalization of results previously obtained by Kopal (1975) or Livaniou (1977, 1978) in so far as the expansions derived in this paper hold good for any real (not necessarily integral) value ofm>0. As such, they can be used to free from the photometric proximity effects within eclipses the empirical momentsA _2m of the light curves of non-integral orders, and the task performed within seconds of real time on high-speed automatic computers now available. Closed-form expressions for such perturbations, obtaining in the case of total eclipses, are given correctly to terms of first order in quantities which represent the distortion of each component.     

Grativy-darkening in the Algol system

Infrared observations of the secondary minimum of the eclipsing system of Algol, secured recently by Nadeauet al. (1978) with the 200 in and 60 in reflectors of Mount Wilson and Palomar Observatories at the effective wavelength of 10 m, show its light curve to be distinctlydish-shaped-i.e., the light diminishes relatively fast in the early stages of the eclipse, and its rate of decline slows down in advanced partial phases. This fact indicates convincingly that the light distribution over the apparent disc of Algol's late-type (contact) component is akin to that produced by the phenomenon of gravity-darkening to a very pronounced degree.Past observational evidence on close binary systems has indicated that gravity-darkening consistent with the equilibrium structure of the stars was adequate to account for the light variations of such systems exhibited between minima, as long as their components remain on (or do not depart much from) the Main Sequence (Kopal, 1968b). However, for components close to (or at) their Roche limits, the photometric effects of gravity-darkening appear to be greatly exaggerated (Kopal, 1968a)—a result confirmed by subsequent investigators (cf. Parthasarathy, 1972; or Niarchos, 1978).An analysis of Algol's infrared light curve during the secondary minimum (when its contact component undergoes eclipse by its nearly spherical mate) observed at an effective wavelength of 10 m, discloses now that the (monochromatic) coefficient of the linear law of gravity-darkening, characterizing the distribution of brightness over the apparent disc of the contact star comes out again at least twice as large as one which would correspond to a purely radiative energy transfer of total light in the far interior of this star. No physical theory can be advanced to explain this fact—except, possibly, a hypothesis that the observed enhancement of the monochromatic coefficient of gravity-darkening over that appropriate for total radiation may be caused by a very wide departure of the outer layers of the respective stars from thermodynamic equilibrium.     

Fourier analysis of the light curves of eclipsing variables,XXIII

The method of evaluating the photometric perturbationsB _2m of eclipsing variables in the frequency domain, developed by Kopal (1959, 1975e, 1978) for an interpretation of mutual eclipses in systems whose components are distorted by axial rotation and mutual tidal action. The aim of the present paper has been to establish explicit expressions for the photometric perturbationB _2m in such systems, regardless of the kind of eclipses and non-integral values ofm. Recently, Kopal (1978) introduced two different kinds of integrals with respect to associated α-functions andI-integrals which have been expressed in terms of certain general types of series that can be easily programmed for automatic computation within seconds of real time on highspeed computers. Following a brief introduction (Section 1) in which the need of this new approach will be expounded, in Section 3 we shall deduce the integral $$\int_0^{\theta \prime } {\tfrac{{\alpha _n^\prime }}{\delta }} d(sin^{2m} \theta )$$ in terms of a certain general type of series and also β-function, which should enable us to evaluate explicit expressions forf _* ^(h) ,f ₁ ^(h) ,f ₂ ^(h) as well asB _2m .     

On the evaluation of the photometric proximity effects of close eclipsing systems

The aim of the present paper has been to generalize the method, developed by Kopal (1976), for the evaluation of the photometric proximity effects (between minima as well as within eclipses) of distorted eclipsing systems. The method is extended to quantities of second order (n-7) is surficial distortion. Analytical expressions of the polynomials to be used for modulation of the light curve are also given.     

Roche limit for homogeneous incompressible masses

The aim of the present investigation has been to establish the minimum distance (commonly referred to as the ‘Roche limit’), to which a small satellite can approach its central star without the loss of its stability. In order to do so, we shall depart from hydrodynamical equations governing small oscillations of stellar structures, and set out to establish the limit at which their distorted form of equilibrium can no longer vibrate periodically in response to arbitrary perturbations. To this end, such equations will be rewritten in terms of curvilinear Clairaut coordinates (Kopal, 1980) in which the gravitational potential defining equilibrium surfaces plays the role of the radial coordinate; and their solution constructed for the classical Roche problem in which the oscillating satellite of infinitesimal mass consists of material which is homogeneous and incompressible, while its primary component acts gravitationally as a mass-point. The outcome of such a solution agrees satisfactorily with that previously established by Chandrasekhar (1963) on the basis of the virial theorem; but the method employed by us lends itself more readily to a generalization of the Roche limit to systems of finite mass ratios and consisting of the components of finite size.     

Theory of the light curves of eclipsing systems with oscillating components: I

The aim of the present investigation will be to develop a theory of the light changes of the eclipsing systems in which one (or both) components oscillate(s) freely-radially or non-radially-in period(s) which may (though need not) be synchronized with that of their orbit. The light curves exhibited by systems with oscillating components will, in general, beasymmetric; and these oscillations may, in fact, be the cause of asymmetries observed in many eclipsing systems with evolved components (for which such oscillations-far from being anomalous-should be the rule rather than exception). The present paper will be concerned with an investigation of photometric phenomena arising from oscillations of theeclipsing components of close binary systems-cutting off (partly or wholly) the star (spherical or distorted) which undergoes eclipse.In Section 2, which follows a brief introductory survey aiming to place the entire subject in its historical perspective, a theory will be given of the light curves of close binary systems, in the frequency-domain, which are affected byradial oscillations of the eclipsed or eclipsing star; while Sections 3 and 4 will be devoted to a similar treatment ofnon-radial oscillation of the secondary (eclipsing) component distorted by equilibrium tides, or axial rotation with constant angular velocity. As will be shown, a frequency-domain approach will enable us to describe all these phenomena in algebraic terms; with auxiliary results required to this end relegated to three Appendices to the main text (in order not to render the latter too discursive and impede the main line of the argument).A similar treatment of photometric phenomena which may arise in such systems from oscillations of their components which undergo eclipse is being postponed for a subsequent communication.     

Computation of the elements of close eclipsing systems in the frequency-domain

The aim of the present paper will be to generalize the methods for computation of the elements of eclipsing binary systems in the frequency-domain, summarized in our recent Paper I (Kopal, 1981), to the case ofclose systems, in which photometric proximity effects become conspicuous and must be taken into account before the methods previously outlined in Paper I become directly applicable.Following a brief introduction to the subject given in Section 1, Section 2 summarizes (and comments upon) the difficulties previously encountered in separation of the photometric proximity and eclipse effects. In Section 3 we develop an alternative new approach to the problem by modulation of the light curves throughout the entire orbital cycle, intended to filter out proximity effects from the observed light changes and isolate those due to eclipses; while in Section 4 we shall present a numerical application of the new method to an analysis of the observed light changes of the eclipsing system W Ursae Maioris.In Section 5 we shall present a quantitative investigation of the photometric effects of distortion on the light changes of close eclipsing systems within eclipses-the most complicated part of the whole problem-with numerical application to the system of U Sagittae carried out in the concluding Section 6.Appendices 1–3 contain numerical data which should facilitate application of the methods developed and illustrated in Sections 3–4; while Appendix 4 will be reserved for a mathematical proof of certain expansions used in Section 5, which would have been too discursive for the main text.     

VRI photometry of late dwarf common proper motion stars

Summary From the photometric observations of a sample of late dwarf common proper motion pairs it may be inferred that about 30%–50% of such systems contain one or more additional stellar components. A small fraction of such systems have separations in excess of 5000 A.U.     

Tidal evolution in close binary systems,III

In this paper we shall investigate the energy of close binary systems of constant momentum takng into consideration the first-order effects of rotation and tidal attraction of the components of finite size. The equations for the momentum and the energy of the system will be set up in Section 2, making use of terms including the effects of finite size of the components of finite degree of central condensation. In Section 3 perturbation theory is applied to these equations using the results of Kopal (1972b) as our initial values. In Section 4 we shall compare our results with the initial values and then discuss variations in our constants and the application to various real systems.     

Fourier analysis of the light curves of eclipsing variables,IV

The methods of analysis of the light changes of eclipsing variables in the frequency domain, developed in our previous papers (Kopal, 1975b, c) for total or annular eclipses of arbitrarily limbdarkened stars, have now been extended to the case of partial eclipses of occultation as well as transit type. In Section 2 which follows brief introductory remarks the even Fourier sine coefficients are formulated — in the guise of the momentsA _2m of the light curve — in terms of the elements of the eclipse; and their use for a solution for the elements is detailed in Section 3. A brief appendix containing certain auxiliary tables to facilitate this task concludes the paper. An extension of the same method to an analysis of the light changes exhibited by close eclipsing systems — in which the photometric proximity effects arising from mutual distortion can no longer be ignored — will be given in the subsequent paper of this series.     

Ground-based detection of terrestrial extrasolar planets by photometry: the case for CM Draconis

The detection of extrasolar planets by measuring a photometric drop in the stellar brightness due to a planetary transit can be statistically improved by observing eclipsing binary systems and photometrically improved by observing small component systems. In particular the system CM Draconis, with two dM4 components, would allow the detection of extrasolar planets in the size range of Earth-to-Neptune requiring a ground-based photometric precision of about 0.08% to 1.1% (photometric precision of about 0.3% is routinely achievable with 1-meter class telescopes at the magnitude of CM Draconis, 11.07 inR-filter). In addition, the transit of extrasolar planets in a binary star system provides a unique, quasi-periodic signal that can be cross-correlated with the observational data to detect sub-noise signals. We examine the importance of making such observations to an understanding of the formation and evolution of terrestrial-type planets in main-sequence star systems. Terrestrial planets could have formed with substancially shorter periods in this lower luminosity system, for example, and might be expected to have accreted essentially in the binary orbital plane (however, non-coplanar planets may also eventually be detectable due to precession). We also report on a network of medium-sized telescopes at varying longitudes that have been organized to provide such constraints on terrestrial-planet formation processes and discuss the extention of near-term observations to other possible binary systems, as well. Finally, we discuss a more speculative, future observation that could be performed on the CM Draconis system that would be of exobiological as well as astrophysical interest.     

One Fellow’s View of the “Royal Road”

The paper attempts to discern the place and direction of the “Royal Road” of astronomical usage, with the particular perspective that the late Prof. Zdeněk Kopal may have had of it. In seeking further insights into the Kopalian royal road map, we take note of his own “guide stars.” Referring then more closely to the royal road of eclipses, the information content of photometric light curves is discussed, noting in particular, their Fourier representation and the relationship of that to generally believed causes of the light variation.     

Analysis of the light curves of SX Aurigae,by automated fourier techniques

The aim of the present paper has beento analyse the light changes of the close eclipsing system SX Aurigae in the frequency-domain. This analysis is based on Kopal's new theory recently developed for the study of light variations, between minima as well as within eclipses, of close eclipsing binaries whose components are distorted by axial rotation and mutual tidal action.A method for the separation of the photometric proximityand eclipse effects directly from the observed data is also presented. In this method no rectification is needed. The automated method has been tested on the light curves of SX Aurigae. Finally, a comparative discussion is given of Kopal and Kitamura methods of thelight curves analysis.     

Equilibrium structures of rotationally and tidally distorted stellar models

In this paper we present a method for computint the equilibrium structures of rotationally distorted stars as well as rotationally and tidally distorted primary components of the stars in binary systems. The method is based on the averaging technique of Kippenhahn and Thomas (1970) and utilizes the concepts of Roche equipotentials (Kopal, 1972). The method takes into account terms up to second-order of smallness in the rotational and tidal distortion parameters. The use of the method in obtaining the equilibrium structures of certain rotationally and (or) tidally distorted models of Main-Sequence stars is also illustrated.     

Effect of Coriolis force on the equilibrium structures of rotating stars and stars in binary systems

Kopal (Adv. Astron. Astrophys. 9:1–65, 1972) introduced the concept of Roche equipotentials to incorporate the effects of rotation and tidal distortions on the equilibrium structure and periods of small oscillations of rotating stars and stars in binary systems. However his expression for the Roche equipotential accounts for only the effects of centrifugal and gravitational forces and does not take into account the effect of Coriolis force. In this paper we have suitably modified Kopal’s expression for Roche equipotentials to incorporate into it the effect of Coriolis force as well. The modified expression for the Roche equipotential has then been used to compute the equilibrium structures and shapes of polytropic models of rotating stars and stars in binary systems.     

A photometric catalogue of visual and multiple stellar systems

Summary The catalogue gives the parameters of theUBV, uvby, and Geneva photometries for more than 200 stars. It gives also the first statistics with respect to the different caracteristics of visual systems: separation, difference of the magnitude of components,... etc. For 11713 components of stellar systems the catalogue, in its actual form, gives the parameters of theUBV, uvbyβ and Geneva photometric systems. A concise statistics presents the distribution of the stars in the different photometric systems and the relations between the difference in the magnitudes and separation of the components. CNRS UA 040389.