We have conducted a deep (15 r 23), 20 night survey for transiting planets in the intermediate-age (~550 Myr) open cluster M37 (NGC 2099) using the Megacam wide-field mosaic CCD camera on the 6.5 m MMT. In this paper we present a catalog and light curves for 1445 variable stars; 1430 (99%) of these are new discoveries. We have discovered 20 new eclipsing binaries and 31 new short-period (P < 1 day ) pulsating stars. The bulk of the variables are most likely rapidly rotating young low-mass stars, including a substantial number (500) that are members of the cluster. We identify and analyze five particularly interesting individual variables, including a previously identified variable that we suggest is probably a hybrid γ Doradus/δ Scuti pulsator, two possible quiescent cataclysmic variables, a detached eclipsing binary (DEB) with at least one γ Doradus pulsating component (only the second such variable found in an eclipsing binary), and a low-mass (MP ~ MS ~ 0.6 M☉) DEB that is a possible cluster member. A preliminary determination of the physical parameters for the DEB+γ Doradus system yields MP = 1.58 ± 0.04 M☉, MS = 1.58 ± 0.04 M☉, RP = 1.39 ± 0.07 R☉, and RS = 1.38 ± 0.07 R☉.

Deep MMT* Transit Survey of the Open Cluster M37. II. Variable Stars

Context. The complexity of the common-envelope phase and of magnetic stellar wind braking currently limits our understanding of close binary evolution. Because of their intrinsically simple structure, observational population studies of white dwarf plus main sequence (WDMS) binaries can potentially test theoretical models and constrain their parameters. Aims. The Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) has provided a large and homogeneously selected sample of WDMS binaries, which we characterise in terms of orbital and stellar parameters. Methods. We have obtained radial velocity information for 385 WDMS binaries from follow-up spectroscopy and for an additional 861 systems from the SDSS subspectra. Radial velocity variations identify 191 of these WDMS binaries as post common-envelope binaries (PCEBs). Orbital periods of 58 PCEBs were subsequently measured, predominantly from time-resolved spectroscopy, bringing the total number of SDSS PCEBs with orbital parameters to 79. Observational biases inherent to this PCEB sample were evaluated through extensive Monte Carlo simulations. Results. We find that 21-24% of all SDSS WDMS binaries have undergone common-envelope evolution, which is in good agreement with published binary population models and high-resolution HST imaging of WDMS binaries unresolved from the ground. The bias-corrected orbital period distribution of PCEBs ranges from 1.9 h to 4.3 d and approximately follows a normal distribution in log (Porb), peaking at ∼10.3 h. There is no observational evidence for a significant population of PCEBs with periods in the range of days to weeks. Conclusions. The large and homogeneous sample of SDSS WDMS binaries provides the means to test fundamental predictions of binary population models, hence to observationally constrain the evolution of all close compact binaries. © 2011 ESO.

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Post common envelope binaries from SDSS. XII : the orbital period distribution

In recent years, we have witnessed an explosion of photometric time-series data, collected for the purpose of finding a small number of rare sources, such as transiting extrasolar planets and gravitational microlenses. Once combed, these data are often set aside, and are not further searched for the many other variable sources that they undoubtedly contain. To this end, we describe a pipeline that is designed to systematically analyze such data, while requiring minimal user interaction. We ran our pipeline on a subset of the Trans-Atlantic Exoplanet Survey dataset, and used it to identify and model 773 eclipsing binary systems. For each system we conducted a joint analysis of its light curve, colors, and theoretical isochrones. This analysis provided us with estimates of the binary's absolute physical properties, including the masses and ages of their stellar components, as well as their physical separations and distances. We identified three types of eclipsing binaries that are of particular interest and merit further observations. The first category includes 11 low-mass candidates, which may assist current efforts to explain the discrepancies between the observation and the models of stars at the bottom of the main sequence. The other two categories include 34 binaries with eccentric orbits, and 20 binaries with abnormal light curves. Finally, this uniform catalog enabled us to identify a number of relations that provide further constraints on binary population models and tidal circularization theory.

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Identification, classifications, and absolute properties of 773 eclipsing binaries found in the trans-atlantic exoplanet survey

We present the orbital solutions for four OB spectroscopic binaries, MT145, GSC 03161 - 00815, 2MASS J20294666+4105083, and Schulte 73, and the partial orbital solution to the B spectroscopic binary, MT372, as part of an ongoing study to determine the distribution of orbital parameters for massive binaries in the Cygnus OB2 Association. MT145 is a new, single-lined, moderately eccentric (e = 0.291 {+-} 0.009) spectroscopic binary with period of 25.140 {+-} 0.008 days. GSC 03161 - 00815 is a slightly eccentric (e = 0.10 {+-} 0.01), eclipsing, interacting and double-lined spectroscopic binary with a period of 4.674 {+-} 0.004 days. 2MASS J20294666+4105083 is a moderately eccentric (e = 0.273 {+-} 0.002) double-lined spectroscopic binary with a period of 2.884 {+-} 0.001 days. Schulte 73 is a slightly eccentric (e = 0.169 {+-} 0.009), double-lined spectroscopic binary with a period of 17.28 {+-} 0.03 days and the first 'twin' in our survey with a mass ratio of q = 0.99 {+-} 0.02. MT372 is a single-lined, eclipsing system with a period of 2.228 days and low eccentricity (e {approx} 0). Of the now 18 known OB binaries in Cyg OB2, 14 have periods and mass ratios. Emerging evidence also shows thatmore » the distribution of log(P) is flat and consistent with 'Oepik's Law'.« less

Five more massive binaries in the cygnus ob2 association

High precision CCD observations of six totally eclipsing contact binaries were presented and analyzed. It is found that only one target is an A-type contact binary (V429 Cam), while the others are W-type contact ones. By analyzing the times of light minima, we discovered that two of them exhibit secular period increase while three manifest long-term period decrease. For V1033 Her, a cyclic variation superimposed on the long-term increase was discovered. By comparing the Gaia distances with those calculated by the absolute parameters of 173 contact binaries, we found that Gaia distance can be applied to estimate absolute parameters for most contact binaries. The absolute parameters of our six targets were estimated by using their Gaia distances. The evolutionary status of contact binaries was studied, we found that the A- and W- subtype contact binaries may have different formation channels. The relationship between the spectroscopic and photometric mass ratios for 101 contact binaries was presented. It is discovered that the photometric mass ratios are in good agreement with the spectroscopic ones for almost all the totally eclipsing systems, which is corresponding to the results derived by Pribulla et al. and Terrell & Wilson.

Photometric study and absolute parameters estimation of six totally eclipsing contact binaries

A theoretical model for explaining the O'Connell effect of close binary stars is given based on the hypothesis that the circumstellar material of a binary system is captured by its components. The results inferred from the model suggest that late-type and/or short-period binaries can easily produce obvious O'Connell effect and that the occurrence of O'Connell effect has no relation with the type of binaries. These conclusions are in agreement with the observed results. The observed O'Connell effects of six binary systems are examined by the model. For three W-subtype W UMa binaries (YY Eri, BX Per and SW Lac), the densities of the materials captured by the two components are assumed to be equal, and the calculated O'Connell effect is found to be almost equal to the observed effect. For three A-subtype W UMa systems (CN And, FG Hya and AU Ser), the two densities are assumed to be different, and are calculated separately. The calculated O'Connell effect turns out to agree better with the observed effect than that was formerly obtained.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1009-9271/3/2/142/pdf

A Possible Explanation of the O'Connell Effect in Close Binary Stars

The variation in the orbital period of the W UMa type contact binary V502 Oph is analyzed. The orbital period exhibits a wavelike variation with a periodicity of 23.0 years and an amplitude of Delta P = 1.24 x 10(-6) days superimposed on secular decrease of dP/dt = 1.68 x 10(-7) day per year. The long-term decrease may be accompanied by the contraction of the secondary at a rate of 83 m per year and a mass transfer rate from the primary to the secondary of 4.28 x 10(-8) M-. per year. The short-term oscillation may be explained by the presence of a third component. Orbital elements of the third body and its possible mass are presented.

Yu-Lan Yang

Papers

A Possible Explanation of the O'Connell Effect in Close Binary Stars

On the Period Variation of the W UMa-type Contact Binary V502 Ophiuchi