Jang-Ho Park

The sdB+M Eclipsing System HW Virginis and its Circumbinary Planets

For the very short period subdwarf B eclipsing binary HW Vir, we present new CCD photometry made from 2000 through 2008. In order to obtain consistency of the binary parameters, our new light curves, showing sharp eclipses and a striking reflection effect, were analyzed simultaneously with previously published radial velocity data. The secondary star parameters of M 2 = 0.14 M ?, R 2 = 0.18 R ?, and T 2 = 3084 K are consistent with those of an M6-7 main-sequence star. A credibility issue regarding bolometric corrections is emphasized. More than 250 times of minimum light, including our 41 timings and spanning more than 24 yr, were used for a period study. From a detailed analysis of the O ? C diagram, it emerged that the orbital period of HW Vir has varied as a combination of a downward-opening parabola and two sinusoidal variations, with cycle lengths of P 3 = 15.8 yr and P 4 = 9.1 yr and semiamplitudes of K 3 = 77 s and K 4 = 23 s, respectively. The continuous period decrease with a rate of ?8.28 ? 10?9 days yr?1 may be produced by angular momentum loss due to magnetic stellar wind braking but not by gravitational radiation. Of the possible causes of the cyclical components of the period change, apsidal motion and magnetic period modulation can be ruled out. The most reasonable explanation of both cyclical variations is a pair of light-travel-time effects driven by the presence of two substellar companions with projected masses of M 3sin i 3 = 19.2 M Jup and M 4sin i 4 = 8.5 M Jup. The two objects are the first circumbinary planets known to have been formed in a protoplanetary disk as well the first ones discovered by using the eclipse-timing method. The detection implies that planets could be common around binary stars just as are planets around single stars and demonstrates that planetary systems formed in a circumbinary disk can survive over long timescales. Depending on the thermal inertia of their massive atmospheres, the hemispheres of the planets turned toward the stars can experience substantial reciprocating temperature changes during the minutes-long primary eclipse intervals.

THE ECLIPSING SYSTEM EP ANDROMEDAE AND ITS CIRCUMBINARY COMPANIONS

We present new long-term CCD photometry for EP And acquired during the period 2007-2012. The light curves display total eclipses at primary minima and season-to-season light variability. Our synthesis for all available light curves indicates that the eclipsing pair is a W-type overcontact binary with parameters of q = 2.578, i = 833, ΔT = 27 K, f = 28%, and l 3 = 2%-3%. The asymmetric light curves in 2007 were satisfactorily modeled by a cool spot on either of the eclipsing components from a magnetic dynamo. Including our 95 timing measurements, a total of 414 times of minimum light spanning about 82 yr was used for a period study. A detailed analysis of the eclipse timing diagram revealed that the orbital period of EP And has varied as a combination of an upward-opening parabola and two periodic variations, with cycle lengths of P 3 = 44.6 yr and P 4 = 1.834 yr and semi-amplitudes of K 3 = 0.0100 days and K 4 = 0.0039 days, respectively. The observed period increase at a fractional rate of +1.39 × 10–10 is in excellent agreement with that calculated from the W-D code and can be plausibly explained by some combination of mass transfer from the primary to the secondary star and angular momentum loss due to magnetic braking. The most reasonable explanation for both cycles is a pair of light-travel-time effects driven by the possible existence of a third and fourth component with projected masses of M 3 = 0.25 M ☉ and M 4 = 0.90 M ☉. The more massive companion could be revealed using high-resolution spectroscopic data extending over the course of a few years and could also be a binary itself. It is possible that the circumbinary objects may have played an important role in the formation and evolution of the eclipsing pair, which would cause it to have a short initial orbital period and thus evolve into an overcontact configuration by angular momentum loss.

LONG-TERM PHOTOMETRIC BEHAVIOR OF THE ECLIPSING BINARY GW CEPHEI

New CCD photometry over four successive years from 2005 is presented for the eclipsing binary GW Cep, together with reasonable explanations for the light and period variations. All historical light curves, obtained over a 30 yr interval, display striking light changes, and are best modeled by the simultaneous existence of a cool spot and a hot spot on the more massive cool component star. The facts that the system is magnetically active and that the hot spot has consistently existed on the inner hemisphere of the star indicate that the two spots are formed by (1) magnetic dynamo-related activity on the cool star and (2) mass transfer from the primary to the secondary component. Based on 38 light-curve timings from the Wilson-Devinney code and all other minimum epochs, a period study of GW Cep reveals that the orbital period has experienced a sinusoidal variation with a period and semi-amplitude of 32.6 yr and 0.009 days, respectively. In principle, these may be produced either by a light-travel-time effect due to a third body or by an active magnetic cycle of at least one component star. Because we failed to find any connection between luminosity variability and the period change, that change most likely arises from the existence of an unseen third companion star with a minimum mass of 0.22 M ☉ gravitationally bound to the eclipsing pair.

The Light and Period Variations of the Eclipsing Binary BX Draconis

New CCD photometric observations of BX Dra were carried out on 26 nights during the period from 2009 April to 2010 June. The long-term photometric behaviors of the system are obtained from detailed studies of the period and light variations, based on historical data and our new observations. All available light curves display total eclipses at secondary minima and inverse O’Connell effects with Max I fainter than Max II, which were satisfactorily modeled by adding a slightly time-varying hot spot on the primary star. A total of 87 times of minimum lights spanning over � 74 yr, including our 22 timing measurements, were used for ephemeris computations. A detailed analysis of

The Physical Nature and Orbital Behavior of the Eclipsing System DK Cygni

New CCD photometry is presented for the hot overcontact binary DK Cyg, together with reasonable explanations for the light and period variations. Historical light and velocity curves from 1962 to 2012 were simultaneously analyzed with the Wilson-Devinney (W-D) synthesis code. The brightness disturbances were satisfactorily modeled by applying a magnetic cool spot on the primary star. Based on 261 times of minimum light including 116 new timings and spanning more than 87 yrs, a period study reveals that the orbital period has varied due to a periodic oscillation superposed on an upward parabola. The period and semi-amplitude of the modulation are about 78.1 yrs and 0.0037 d, respectively. This detail is interpreted as a light-travel-time effect due to a circumbinary companion with a minimum mass of

Photometric Properties of the HW Vir-type Binary OGLE-GD-ECL-11388

M_3

On the RZ Draconis substellar circumbinary companions - Stability study of the proposed substellar circumbinary system

=0.065

Absolute Properties of the Pulsating Post-mass Transfer Eclipsing Binary OO Draconis

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Absolute Dimensions and Evolutionary Status of the Semi-detached Algol W Ursae Minoris

, within the theoretical limit of

Physical Nature and Orbital Behavior of the Eclipsing System UZ Leonis

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