Enhanced Activity in Close T Tauri Binaries

The number of confirmed and suspected close T Tauri binaries (period days) is increasing. We discuss some systems with enhanced emission line activity and periodic line profile changes. Non-axisymmetric flows of plasma in the region between the circumbinary disk and the stars can be generated through the influence of the secondary component. Such enhanced activity is found around binaries with eccentric as well as circular orbits. We discuss our observations of the T Tauri stars RW Aurigae A and RU Lupi, which may host very close brown dwarf companions. Model simulations indicate that non-axisymmetric flows are generated around close binaries with circumbinary disks, also in systems with circular orbits.     

Magnetic braking of Ap/Bp stars: application to compact black-hole X-ray binaries

We examine the proposal that the subset of neutron-star and black-hole X-ray binaries that form with Ap or Bp star companions will experience systemic angular-momentum losses due to magnetic braking, not otherwise operative with intermediate-mass companion stars. We suggest that for donor stars possessing the anomalously high magnetic fields associated with Ap and Bp stars, a magnetically coupled, irradiation-driven stellar wind can lead to substantial systemic loss of angular momentum. Hence, these systems, which would otherwise not be expected to experience 'magnetic braking', evolve to shorter orbital periods during mass transfer. In this paper, we detail how such a magnetic braking scenario operates. We apply it to a specific astrophysics problem involving the formation of compact black-hole binaries with low-mass donor stars. At present, it is not understood how these systems form, given that low-mass companion stars are not likely to provide sufficient gravitational potential to unbind the envelope of the massive progenitor of the black hole during a prior 'common-envelope' phase. On the other hand, intermediate-mass companions, such as Ap and Bp stars, could more readily eject the common envelope. However, in the absence of magnetic braking, such systems tend to evolve to long orbital periods. We show that, with the proposed magnetic braking properties afforded by Ap and Bp companions, such a scenario can lead to the formation of compact black-hole binaries with orbital periods, donor masses, lifetimes and production rates that are in accord with the observations. In spite of these successes, our models reveal a significant discrepancy between the calculated effective temperatures and the observed spectral types of the donor stars. Finally, we show that this temperature discrepancy would still exist for other scenarios invoking initially intermediate-mass donor stars, and this presents a substantial unresolved mystery.     

BL Andromedae and GW Tauri: close binary stars in a key evolutionary stage

A photoelectric light curve of BL And is presented along with the first CCD light curve of GW Tau. Both objects are short-period eclipsing binaries and were observed in 2003 or 2004. Photometric elements were computed using the latest version of the Wilson–Van Hamme code. The results reveal that BL And is a semidetached system with the primary component filling its Roche lobe and the secondary one almost filling but still detached, while GW Tau is a marginal-contact binary system with a small degree of contact ( f = 10.9 per cent) and a large temperature difference of about 3100 K. All available eclipse times, including new ones, were analysed for each system. It was found that the orbital period of BL And is decreasing at the rate of  d P /d t =−2.36 × 10⁻⁸ (±0.09) d yr⁻¹  while that of GW Tau may be decreasing or oscillating. We think period decrease is more probable. The derived configuration and secular period decrease for BL And combined with the asymmetry of the light curve indicate that this system may evolve from the present semidetached phase into a contact stage, with mass transfer from the primary component to the secondary one through the L ₁ point, or that it might just undergo the broken stage predicted by the theory of thermal relaxation oscillations. In contrast, GW Tau is a marginal-contact binary in poor thermal contact and may be at the beginning of the contact phase.     

A warped m= 2 water maser disc in V778 Cyg?

The silicate carbon star V778 Cyg is a source of 22-GHz water maser emission which was recently resolved by MERLIN. Observations revealed an elongated     -like structure along which the velocities of the maser features show a linear dependence on the impact parameter. This is consistent with a doubly warped   m = 2  disc observed edge-on. Water masers and silicate dust emission (detected by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite and Infrared Space Observatory ) have a common origin in O-rich material and are likely to be co-located in the disc. We propose a detailed self-consistent model of a masing gas–dust disc around a companion to the carbon star in a binary system, which allows us to estimate the companion mass of  1.7 ± 0.1 M_⊙  , the disc radius of  40 ± 3  au and the distance between companions of ∼80 au. Using a dust–gas coupling model for water masing, we calculate the maser power self-consistently, accounting for both the gas and the dust energy balances. Comparing the simulation results with the observational data, we deduce the main physical parameters of the masing disc, such as the gas and dust temperatures and their densities. We also present an analysis of the stability of the disc.     

Conservative two-body problem with variable masses

We consider the conservative two-body problem with a constant total mass, but with variable individual masses. The problem is shown to be completely integrable for any mass variation law. The Keplerian motion known for the classical two-body problem with constant masses remains valid for the relative motion of the bodies. The absolute motions of the bodies depend on the center-of-mass motion. Hitherto unknown quadratures that depend on the mass variation law were derived for the integrals of motion of the center of mass. We consider some of the laws that are of interest in studying the motion of close binary stars with mass transfer.     

New photometric investigation of the low-mass-ratio contact binary star V1853 Orionis

Four-color charge-coupled device(CCD) light curves in the B, V, Rc and I c bands of the totaleclipsing binary system V1853 Orionis(V1853 Ori) are presented. By comparing our light curves with those published by previous investigators, it is determined that the O'Connell effect on the light curves has disappeared. By analyzing those multi-color light curves with the Wilson-Devinney code(W-D code),it is discovered that V1853 Ori is an A-type intermediate-contact binary with a degree of contact factor of f = 33.3%(3.7%) and a mass ratio of q = 0.1896(0.0013). Combining our 10 newly determined times of light minima together with others published in the literature, the period changes of the system are investigated. We found that the general trend of the observed minus calculated(O-C) curve shows a downward parabolic variation that corresponds to a long-term decrease in the orbital period with a rate of d P/dt =-1.96(0.46)×10^-7 d yr^-1. The long-term period decrease could be explained by mass transfer from the more-massive component to the less-massive one. By combining our photometric solutions with data from Gaia DR_2, absolute parameters were derived as M_1 = 1.20 M⊙, M_2 = 0.23 M⊙, R_1 = 1.36 R⊙and R_2 = 0.66 R⊙. The long-term period decrease and intermediate-contact configuration suggest that V1853 Ori will evolve into a high fill-out overcontact binary.     

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.