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V781 Tauri: a W Ursae Majoris binary with decreasing period
We analyze light curves of the W UMa type eclipsing binary V781 Taurifrom three epochs and radial velocity curves from two epochssimultaneously, including previously unpublished B and V data. Theoverall time span is from 1983 to 2000 and the solution is donecoherently in time (not phase) with five light curves and two sets ofprimary and secondary velocity curves. Minor systematic differencesamong the individual light curves are not large enough to undermine thevalue of a coherent solution that represents 18 years of observations.Times of minima confirm a period of 0.34491d and the general solutionfinds a small period change, dP/P, of(5.08±{04})×10-11 that represents recentbehavior. The eclipse timings cover the last half-century and find dP/Pabout four times smaller, corresponding to a period change time scale,P/(dP/dt) of about 6 million years. The system is over-contact with afilling factor of 0.205. The solution produces a temperature differenceof about 260 K between the components, an inclination of 65.9dg, and amass ratio M_2/M_1=2.47. Separate solutions of the several light curvesthat incorporate dark spots find parameters that differ little fromcurve to curve. Absolute masses, luminosities, radii and the distanceare derived, with luminosities and distance based on star 1 being oftype G0V. The orbital angular momentum is compared with those of other WUMa type binaries and is normal. The star to star mass flow that one caninfer from dP/dt is opposite to that expected from TRO (ThermalRelaxation Oscillator) theory, but pertains to a time span that is veryshort compared to the time scale of TRO oscillations.
| A catalogue of eclipsing variables
A new catalogue of 6330 eclipsing variable stars is presented. Thecatalogue was developed from the General Catalogue of Variable Stars(GCVS) and its textual remarks by including recently publishedinformation about classification of 843 systems and making correspondingcorrections of GCVS data. The catalogue1 represents thelargest list of eclipsing binaries classified from observations.
| On the properties of contact binary stars
We have compiled a catalogue of light curve solutions of contact binarystars. It contains the results of 159 light curve solutions. Theproperties of contact binary stars were studied using the cataloguedata. As is well known since Lucy's (\cite{Lucy68a},b) and Mochnacki's(\cite{Mochnacki81}) studies, primary components transfer their ownenergy to the secondary star via the common envelope around the twostars. This transfer was parameterized by a transfer parameter (ratio ofthe observed and intrinsic luminosities of the primary star). We provethat this transfer parameter is a simple function of the mass andluminosity ratios. We introduced a new type of contact binary stars: Hsubtype systems which have a large mass ratio (q>0.72). These systemsshow behaviour in the luminosity ratio- transfer parameter diagram thatis very different from that of other systems and according to ourresults the energy transfer rate is less efficient in them than in othertypes of contact binary stars. We also show that different types ofcontact binaries have well defined locations on the mass ratio -luminosity ratio diagram. Several contact binary systems do not followLucy's relation (L2/L1 =(M2/M1)0.92). No strict mass ratio -luminosity ratio relation of contact binary stars exists.Tables 2 and 3 are available in electronic form athttp://www.edpsciences.org
| Up-to-Date Linear Elements of Eclipsing Binaries
About 1800 O-C diagrams of eclipsing binaries were analyzed and up-todate linear elements were computed. The regularly updated ephemerides(as a continuation of SAC) are available only in electronic form at theInternet address: http://www.as.ap.krakow.pl/ephem/.
| Are overcontact binaries undergoing thermal relaxation oscillation with variable angular momentum loss?
Orbital period variations of five W-type overcontact binaries, GW Cep,VY Cet, V700 Cyg, EM Lac and AW Vir, are presented based on the analysisof all available times of light minimum. It is discovered that theperiod of GW Cep is decreasing at a rate of dP/dt=-6.62×10-8 d yr-1. For VY Cet and V700 Cyg, acyclic oscillation is found superimposed on a secular period increase,which can be explained either by the light-time effect of an assumedthird body or by magnetic activity cycles. For the other two, EM Lac andAW Vir, the periods show a secular increase. GW Cep is a low mass ratiosystem with q= 0.37, while the others are high mass ratio systems (q=0.67, 0.65, 0.63 and 0.76, respectively). The period changes of the fivesample stars are in good agreement with Qian's conclusion that low massratio overcontact binaries usually show a decreasing period, while theperiods of high mass ratio systems are increasing.Based on the period variations of 59 overcontact binaries, a statisticalinvestigation of period change is given. It is confirmed that the periodchange of a W UMa-type binary star is correlated with the mass ratio (q)and with the mass of the primary component (M1). Meanwhile,some statistical relations (M1-P,Js-M1, Js-M2 andJs-P) for overcontact binaries are presented using theabsolute parameters of 78 systems. From these relations, the followingresults may be drawn: (i) free mass transfer in both directions existsbetween the components, which is assumed by thermal relaxationoscillation (TRO) theory; (ii) angular momentum loss (AML) can make a WUMa-type star maintain shallow overcontact and not evolve fromovercontact to semidetached configurations as proposed by Rahunen; (iii)the evolution of the W UMa-type systems may be oscillation around acritical mass ratio, while the critical mass ratio varies with the massof the primary component. These results can be plausibly explained bythe combination of the TRO and the variable AML via a change of depth ofthe overcontact, which is consistent with the X-ray and IUEobservations.
| Catalogue of the field contact binary stars
A catalogue of 361 galactic contact binaries is presented. Listedcontact binaries are divided into five groups according to the type andquality of the available observations and parameters. For all systemsthe ephemeris for the primary minimum, minimum and maximum visualbrightness and equatorial coordinates are given. If available,photometric elements, (m1+m2)sin3i,spectral type, parallax and magnitude of the O'Connell effect are alsogiven. Photometric data for several systems are augmented by newobservations. The quality of the available data is assessed and systemsrequiring modern light-curve solutions are selected. Selectedstatistical properties of the collected data are discussed.
| Orbital period changes of contact binary systems: direct evidence for thermal relaxation oscillation theory
Orbital period changes of ten contact binary systems (S Ant, ɛCrA, EF Dra, UZ Leo, XZ Leo, TY Men, V566 Oph, TY Pup, RZ Tau and AGVir) are studied based on the analysis of their O-C curves. It isdiscovered that the periods of the six systems, S Ant, ɛ CrA, EFDra, XZ Leo, TY Men and TY Pup, show secular increases. For UZ Leo, itssecular period increase rate is revised. For the three systems, V566Oph, RZ Tau and AG Vir, weak evidence is presented that a periodicoscillation (with periods of 20.4, 28.5 and 40.9yr respectively) issuperimposed on a secular period increase. The cyclic period changes canbe explained by the presence of an unseen third body in the threesystems. All the sample stars studied are contact binaries withM1>=1.35Msolar. Furthermore, orbital periodchanges of 27 hot contact binaries have been checked. It is found that,apart from AW UMa with the lowest mass ratio (q=0.072), none shows anorbital period decrease. The relatively weak magnetic activity in thehotter contact binaries means little angular momentum loss (AML) fromthe systems via magnetic stellar winds. The period increases of these WUMa binaries can be explained by mass transfer from the secondary to theprimary components, which is in agreement with the prediction of thethermal relaxation oscillation (TRO) models. This suggests that theevolution of a hotter W UMa star is mainly controlled by TRO. On theother hand, for a cooler W UMa star(M1<=1.35Msolar), its evolution may be TRO plusAML, which coincides with the recent results of Qian.
| A CCD Photometric Study of the Contact Binary V396 Monocerotis
Complete BV light curves of the W Ursae Majoris binary V396 Mon arepresented. The present CCD photometric observations reveal that thelight curves of the system are obviously asymmetric, with the primarymaximum brighter than the secondary maximum (the ``O'Connell effect'').The light curves are analyzed by means of the latest version of theWilson-Devinney code. The results show that V396 Mon is a W-subtype WUMa contact binary with a mass ratio of 0.402. The asymmetry of thelight curves is explained by a cool spot on the secondary component. Thenature of the overluminosity of the secondary of a W UMa-type system isanalyzed. It is shown that the overluminosity of the secondary isclearly related to the mass of the primary and that, for a W UMa system,the higher the mass of the primary, the greater the overluminosity ofthe secondary. In addition, the overluminosity of the secondary is alsorelated to its own density: the lower the density of the secondary, thegreater its overluminosity.
| ROSAT all-sky survey of W Ursae Majoris stars and the problem of supersaturation
From ROSAT all-sky survey (RASS) data we obtained X-ray fluxes for 57 WUMa type contact systems. In our sample we detected three stars whichare the shortest period main sequence binaries ever found as X-raysources. For stars with (B-V)_0 < 0.6 the normalized X-ray fluxdecreases with a decreasing color index but for (B-V)_0 > 0.6 aplateau is reached, similar to the saturation level observed for single,rapidly rotating stars. The X-ray flux of W UMa stars is about 4-5 timesweaker than that of the fastest rotating single stars. Because earlytype, low activity variables have longer periods, an apparentperiod-activity relation is seen among our stars, while cool stars with(B-V)_0 > 0.6 and rotation periods between 0.23 and 0.45 days do notshow any such relation. The lower X-ray emission of the single, ultrafast rotators (UFRs) and W UMa stars is interpreted as the result of adecreased coronal filling factor. The physical mechanisms responsiblefor the decreased surface coverage differs for UFRs and W UMa systems.For UFRs we propose strong polar updrafts within a convection zone,driven by nonuniform heating from below. The updrafts should beaccompanied by large scale poleward flows near the bottom of theconvective layer and equatorward flows in the surface layers. The flowsdrag dynamo generated fields toward the poles and create a field-freeequatorial region with a width depending on the stellar rotation rate.For W UMa stars we propose that a large scale horizontal flow embracingboth stars will prevent the magnetic field from producing long-livedstructures filled with hot X-ray emitting plasma. The decreased activityof the fastest rotating UFRs increases the angular momentum loss timescale of stars in a supersaturated state. Thus the existence of a periodcutoff and a limiting mass of W UMa stars can be naturally explained.
| Absolute Magnitude Calibration for the W UMa-Type Systems Based on HIPPARCOS Data
Hipparcos parallax data for 40 contact binary stars of the W UMa-type(with epsilon M_V < 0.5) are used to derive a new, (B-V)-basedabsolute-magnitude calibration of the form M_V = M_V(log P,B-V). Thecalibration covers the ranges 0.26 < (B-V)_0 < 1.14, 0.24 < P< 1.15 day, and 1.4 < M_V < 6.1; it is based on a solutionweighted by relative errors in the parallaxes (2.7% to 24%). Previouscalibrations have not been based on such a wide period and color space,and while they have been able to predict M_V with sufficient accuracyfor systems closely following the well-known period-color relation, thenew calibration should be able to give also good predictions for moreexotic ``outlying'' contact binary systems. The main limitations of thiscalibration are the inadequate quality of the ground-based photometricdata, and the restriction to the (B-V) index, which is more sensitive tometallicity effects than the (V-I) index; metallicities are, however,basically unknown for the local W UMa-type systems. (SECTION: Stars)
| The properties of W Ursae Majoris contact binaries: new results and old problems.
The physical properties of W UMa binary systems are revisited on thebasis of the observational data published in the last decade and of therecent theoretical studies on angular-momentum-loss-driven secularevolution. The absolute elements (masses, radii, luminosities) arederived by an inference method and a calibration based on the availablehigh quality spectroscopic orbits. The derived age (8Gy) agrees with theestimate of Guinan and Bradstreet from space motions. The analysis ofthe resulting physical parameters shows little correlation between thestandard classification in A and W subtype (first proposed by Binnendijk(1970) and only related to the light curve morphology) and theevolutionary status and origin of the systems. Most A-subtype systemsseem to have no evolutionary link with W-subtype ones. The relationbetween total mass and mass ratio for the "bona fide" sample alsosuggests that mass loss from the system may play an important role.
| General properties of W Ursae Majoris systems
The light curves of a sample of 42 W Ursae Majoris binary systems (21W-type, 21 A-type) have been synthesized using the computer code ofWilson and Devinney (1971). The masses, radii and luminosities of thestars have been derived assuming the global properties of a contactbinary system are the same as those of an analogous detached system. Atable listing the main photometric data is given. Substantial continuitywas observed in the physical properties of the A-type and the W-typesystems, suggesting a scenario in which almost all of the A-type systemsare the evolved counterparts of the W-types. The existence of aninhomogeneous group, probably evolved into contact from a detachedconfiguration, is confirmed. An upper limit for the primary mass of theunevolved objects is derived.
| Differential corrections analysis of the UBV photometry of UZ Octantis
The UBV observations of UZ Oct are analyzed by means of the Wilson andDevinney's computational method. First, improved ephemeris arecalculated and used to improve the determination of the phases. Then itis shown that neither 'detached' nor 'semi-detached' configurations canfit the observed light curves. The uniqueness of the solution is studiedby starting several sets of differential correction iterations withdifferent values of the main adjustable parameters. The short durationof the total eclipse at secondary minima makes the observations easilyfit synthetic light curves with partial eclipses. In this way, threedifferent solutions are found. When the configurations are forced torepresent total occultations a single solution is obtained. The resultsare given in the form of two independent and convergent solutions. Allthe adjustable parameters including the mass-ratio and the secondaryparameters seem to be very well defined. Finally, the evolutionary stateof UZ Oct is deduced to be very close to the terminal age main sequencepoint. Probably it is one of the most evolved stars among the known WUMa contact binaries.
| Statistics of categorized eclipsing binary systems Lightcurve shapes, periods, and spectral types
The statistics of the light curve morphologies, eclipse depths, orbitalperiods, and spectral types of about 1000 eclipsing binary systems areexamined, after attempting to subdivide these binaries into variousbasic evolutionary categories. The applicability of statisticalcriteria, based on light curve morphologies and eclipse depths, for thecategorization of eclipsing binaries has been found more limited thanpreviously believed. In particular, EW-type light curves turn out to begood indicators of contact systems (though not conversely), while EA-and EB-type light curves have little physical significance. Moreover,the study reveals a strong deficit of short-period noncontact systems inthe whole spectral range, together with an underabundance of early-typecontact binaries (compared with the number of late-type contact pairs).Interestingly, the distribution of evolved Algol-type systems isshifted, on average, to periods longer than those of unevolved detachedsystems in the OB and early A spectral range (and to shorter periods inthe F spectral range).
| Violet and ultraviolet continua of W UMa systems on the basis of UVBY photometry observations
New observations of 17 southern WUMa systems are discussed together withprevious uvby data for 44 systems to determine properties of violet andultraviolet spectral distributions and to relate them to theperiod-color relation. The interstellar-reddening-corrected delta(m1)values extend from -0.02 to +0.10, which could be interpreted by aplausible range of metallicities; the most positive values of delta(m1)and largest ultraviolet excesses are observed for systems having theshortest periods at a given spectral type. The reddening-correcteddelta(c1) values are close to zero and are only slightly positive forearlier spectral types - mean delta (cl) = +0.04 for (b-y)O less than0.31 - indicating only very slight evolutionary advancement. Traces of adelta(cl) = -delta(ml) correlation for least evolved systems - smallestdelta(cl) - leave the possibility of intrinsic excesses still open.
| Photometric and Spectroscopic Mass Ratios of W-Ursae Stars
W UMa binary stars represent a typieal case of astronomieal objects forwhich theory and teehniques of data reduetion are much more developedand up to date than observations. While the analysis of photometrieobservations by means of synthetic light curve methods (Wilson andOevinney, 1971 Astrophysical JOurnal, 166, 605) yields good photometrieelements, the absence of reliable spectroscopie data makes thedetermination 0f the absolute elements 0f these systems and thereforeof their evolutionary status problematic.
| A uvby, beta photometric survey of southern hemisphere
A uvby, beta photometric study of southern hemisphere eclipsing binarystars has been undertaken at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory.The standardized colors and V magnitudes for 288 binaries at quadratureand/or at minimum are presented, along with an indication of theaccuracy of the standardization and photometry. Discussions of theresolving time of the pulse-counting photometers and of the atmosphericextinction at CTIO are included.
| UZ Octantis - UBV light curves
A photometric UBV study of the W UMa system UZ Octantis is presented.Light and color curves were constructed from 1095 individualobservations on each passband made with the 1.54 m reflecting telescopeat the Bosque Alegre Station of Cordoba Observatory. A first classicalapproach to the orbital elements is given. The system is an A-type W UMastar, probably in a contact configuration.
| UZ Octantis
Not Available
| Results of the Bamberg Southern Hemisphere Sky Patrol [erratum: 1969MNSSA..28...79S]
Not Available
| Photometric Light-Curves of Southern BV-Stars
Not Available
| Elements of Southern BV-Stars
Not Available
| New Bright Variables
Not Available
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Observation and Astrometry data
| Constellation: | Octant |
| Right ascension: | 04h43m35.99s |
| Declination: | -84°48'40.0" |
| Apparent magnitude: | 9.169 |
| Proper motion RA: | -2 |
| Proper motion Dec: | -3.2 |
| B-T magnitude: | 9.847 |
| V-T magnitude: | 9.225 |
Catalogs and designations:
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