S.-B. Qian

Detection of a planetary system orbiting the eclipsing polar HU Aqr

Using the precise times of mid-egress of the eclipsing polar HU Aqr, we discovered that this polar is orbited by two or more giant planets. The two planets detected so far have masses of at least 5.9 and 4.5M(Jup). Their respective distances from the polar are 3.6 and 5.4 au with periods of 6.54 and 11.96 yr, respectively. The observed rate of decrease of period derived from the downward parabolic change in the observed - calculated (O - C) curve is a factor of 15 larger than the value expected for gravitational radiation. This indicates that it may be only a part of a long-period cyclic variation, revealing the presence of one more planet. It is interesting to note that the two detected circumbinary planets follow the Titus-Bode law of solar planets with n = 5 and 6. We estimate that another 10 yr of observations will reveal the presence of the predicted third planet.

The most plausible explanation of the cyclic period changes in close binaries: the case of the RS CVn-type binary WW Dra

Cyclic period changes are a fairly common phenomenon in close binary systems and are usually explained as being caused either by the magnetic activity of one or both components or by the light travel time effect (LTTE) of a third body. We searched the orbital period changes in 182 EA-type (including the 101 Algol systems used by Hall), 43 EB-type and 53 EW-type binaries with known mass ratio and spectral type of the secondary component. We reproduced and improved the diagram in Hall according to the new collected data. Our plots do not support the conclusion derived by Hall that cyclic period changes are restricted to binaries having a secondary component with spectral type later than F5. The presence of period changes among systems with a secondary component of early type indicates that magnetic activity is one, but not the only, cause of the period variation. It is discovered that cyclic period changes, probably resulting from the presence of a third body, are more frequent in EW-type binaries among close systems. Therefore, the most plausible explanation of the cyclic period changes is the LTTE through the presence of a third body. Using the century-long historical record of the times of light minimum, we analysed the cyclic period change in the Algol binary WW Dra. It is found that the orbital period of the binary shows a similar to 112.2-yr cyclic variation with an amplitude of similar to 0.1977 d. The cyclic oscillation can be attributed to the LTTE by means of a third body with a mass no less than 6.43M(circle dot). However, no spectral lines of the third body were discovered, indicating that it may be a candidate black hole. The third body is orbiting the binary at a distance closer than 14.4 au and may play an important role in the evolution of this system.

Deep, Low Mass Ratio Overcontact Binary Systems. VI. AH Cancri in the Old Open Cluster M67

CCD photometric light curves in the B and V bands obtained in 2001 and in the V band obtained in 2002 of AH Cnc in the old open cluster M67 are presented. It is shown that AH Cnc is a total-eclipsing binary and its light curves correspond to a typical A type according to Binnendijks classification. The variations of the light curve around the primary minimum and second maximum were found. Our nine epochs of light minimum monitored from 2001 to 2005, including others collected from the literature, were used to create the first study of the period changes of the binary system. A cyclic oscillation with a period of 36.5 yr and an amplitude of 0.0237 days was discovered to be superposed on a continuous period increase (dP/dt = 3: 99; 10(-7) days yr(-1)). Weak evidence indicates that there exists another small-amplitude period oscillation (A(4) = 0: 0035 days, P-4 = 7.75 yr). The symmetric light curves in the B and V bands obtained in 2001 were analyzed with the 2003 version of the Wilson-Devinney code. It is confirmed that AH Cnc is a deep overcontact binary system with a high degree of overcontact f = 58.5%+/- 4.5% and a low mass ratio of q = 0.1682 +/- 0.0012. The existence of the third light and the cyclic period oscillation both may suggest that AH Cnc is a triple system containing an unseen third body. The tertiary component may have played an important role in the origin of the overcontact binary star by removing angular momentum from the central system, which would cause it to have a short initial orbital period and thus evolve into an overcontact configuration by angular momentum loss. The long-term period increase can be interpreted as a mass transfer from the less massive component to the more massive one. As the orbital period increases, the decrease of the mass ratio will cause it finally to evolve into a single rapid-rotating star when the system meets the more familiar criterion that the orbital angular momentum be less than 3 times the total spin angular momentum. Therefore, AH Cnc may be a progenitor of the blue straggler stars in M67.

GR VIRGINIS: A DEEP OVERCONTACT BINARY

Orbital period variations of the low-mass ratio (q = 0.122) overcontact binary system, GR Vir, were investigated by using two new CCD times of minimum light and other photoelectric data compiled from literatures. It is found that the O-C residuals of GR Vir show a cyclic variation with a period of 19.3 yr and an amplitude of 0.0140 days while they are undergoing a long-term decrease (dP/dt = 4.32 x 10(-7) days yr(-1)). Meanwhile, the 1988 photoelectric observations from Cereda et al. were analyzed using the Wilson-Devinney method. Like some low-mass ratio overcontact binary stars (e.g., AW UMa), GR Vir is an A-type overcontact binary with a high degree of overcontact (f = 78.6%). By combining the spectroscopic solutions with the photometric elements, the absolute parameters of the system are determined as follows: M-1 = 1.36 M-circle dot, M-2 = 0.17 M-circle dot, a = 2.40 R-circle dot, R-1 = 1.42 R-circle dot, R-2 = 0.61 R-circle dot, L-1 = 2.87 L-circle dot, and L-2 = 0.48 L-circle dot. The long-term period decrease is interpreted as the result of mass transfer from the more massive component to the less massive one in combination with the angular momentum loss due to mass outflow from the L-2 point. The conditions in GR Vir resemble those in AW UMa. Both systems show a high degree of overcontact, low mass ratios, and secular shrinking of their orbits. As their orbital periods decrease, the shrinking of the inner and outer critical Roche lobes will cause the common convective envelope to become deeper, until finally the formation of single, rapid-rotation stars is inevitable. The period oscillation may by caused either by the presence of an unseen tertiary component (e.g., a white dwarf) or by magnetic activity on the part of the primary component.

AD Cancri: A shallow contact solar-type eclipsing binary and evidence for a dwarf third component and a 16 year magnetic cycle

CCD photometric observations of AD Cancri obtained from 2000 March 7 to 2004 December 20 are presented. Variations of the light levels at the primary minimum and both maxima are found. Uniform solutions of four sets of photometric data were derived by using the Wilson-Devinney method. The solutions suggest that AD Cancri is a shallow W-type contact binary (f 8.3% +/- 1.3%) with a highmass ratio of 1/q = 0.770 +/- 0.002. The long-term variation of the light curve is explained by variable dark-spot models of the more massive component star with a possible 17 yr cycle. Our 13 times of light minimum over 5 years, including others collected from the literature, have been used for the period study. The complex period changes can be sorted into a long-term period increase at rate of dP/dt +(4.94 +/- 0.16) x 10(-7) days yr(-1), a 16.2 yr periodic component (A(3) = 0.0155 days), and a very small amplitude period oscillation (A(4) = 0.0051 days, P-4 = 6.6 yr). The existence of third light may indicate that there is a tertiary component in the binary system. Solving the four-band light curves of Samec & Bookmyer, it is found that the contribution of the tertiary component to the total light of the triple system increases with wavelength, which suggests that it is very cool and may be a very red main-sequence star. The small-amplitude period oscillation may be caused by the light-time effect of the cool tertiary component (M-3 similar to 0.41 M-circle dot). The 16.2 yr periodic component in the orbital period and the 17 yr cyclic activity of the dark spot on the more massive component both may reveal that the more massive component displays solar-type magnetic activity with a cycle length of about 16 yr.

A period investigation of the overcontact binary system V417 Aquilae

A detailed orbital period investigation of the short-period (P = 0.(d)37) W UMa type star, V417 Aq1, is presented based on the analysis of its O-C data. It is shown that the period change of the binary system is continuous. A periodic variation, with a period of 42.4 years and an amplitude of 0.(d)0130, is found superimposed on a long-term period decrease (dP/dt = 5.50 x 10(-8) days/year). The period oscillation can be explained either by the light-time effect via the presence of an unseen third body or by magnetic activity cycles of the components. V417 Aq1 is a W-type overcontact binary system with a low mass ratio of q = 0.36. The long-term period variation is in agreement with the conclusion of Qian (2001b) that a low-mass ratio W-type system usually shows a secular period decrease. This suggests that V417 Aq1 is on the AML-controlled stage of the evolutionary scheme proposed by Qian (2001b). Meanwhile, the light-curve paradox encountered by TRO theory is discussed.

BI VULPECULAE: A SIAMESE TWIN WITH TWO VERY SIMILAR COOL STARS IN SHALLOW CONTACT

BI Vul is a cool eclipsing binary star (Sp. = K3 V) with a short period of 0.2518 days. The first charge-coupled device (CCD) light curves of the binary in the BVRI obtained on 2012 August 21 are presented and are analyzed using the Wilson-Devinney code. It is discovered that BI Vul is a marginal contact binary system (f = 8.7%) that contains two very similar cool components (q = 1.037). Both the marginal contact configuration and the extremely high mass ratio suggest that it is presently evolving into contact with little mass transfer between the components and it is at the beginning stage of contact evolution. By using all available times of minimum light, the variations in the orbital period are investigated for the first time. We find that the observed - calculated (O - C) curve of BI Vul shows a cyclic change with a period of 10.8 yr and an amplitude of 0.0057 days, while it undergoes a downward parabolic variation. The cyclic oscillation is analyzed for the light-travel time effect that arises from the gravitational influence of a possible third stellar object. The mass and orbital separation of the third body are estimated asM(3) similar to 0.30 M-circle dot and similar to 4.9 AU, respectively. The downward parabolic change reveals a long-term period decrease at a rate of (P) over dot = -9.5 x 10(-8) days yr(-1). The period decrease may be caused by angular momentum loss via magnetic stellar wind and/or it is only a part of a long-period (longer than 32 yr) cyclic variation, which may reveal the presence of another stellar companion in a wider orbit. These observational properties indicate that the formation of the Siamese twin is driven by magnetic braking and the third stellar companion should play an important role by removing angular momentum from the central binary.

A New CCD Photometric Investigation of the Short-Period Close Binary AP Leonis

New CCD photometric light curves in the B, V, and R bands of the short-period close binary AP Leonis are presented. A photometric analysis with our symmetric light curves suggests that AP Leo is an overcontact binary with a degree of overcontact of 24.9%. Since the O - C values of photographic and visual times of light minimum showed a large scatter (up to 0.06 days), all of the period changes proposed for the eclipsing binary by previous investigators are not reliable. In this paper the orbital period changes of AP Leo are analyzed based on all published CCD and photoelectric eclipse times. A small-amplitude cyclic oscillation, with a period of 22.4 yr and an amplitude of 0.0049 days, is discovered to be superposed on a secular period decrease at a rate of dP/dt = - 1:08; 10(-7) days yr(-1). The continuous period decrease may be caused by angular momentum loss or a combination of the mass transfer from the primary to the secondary and angular momentum loss. The cyclic period change may indicate that AP Leo is a triple system containing a cool dwarf third component. If this is true, it is possible that this third component plays an important role in the origin and evolution of the overcontact system by removing angular momentum from the central system, and that it makes the eclipsing pair have a low angular momentum and a short initial orbital period ( e. g., P < 5 days). In that case, the initially detached system evolves into an overcontact configuration via magnetic torques from stellar winds. On the other hand, the rapid rotation of the solar-type components (spectral type G0) and the variations of the light curve indicate a high degree of magnetic activity from the spin-up of the components. Both the long-term period decrease and the oscillation can plausibly be interpreted by magnetic activity (i.e., enhanced magnetic stellar wind and activity cycles).

Possible Mass and Angular Momentum Loss in Algol-Type Binaries. III. TU Cancri, FZ Delphini, AY Geminorum, VZ Leonis, FH Orionis, IU Persei, XZ Persei, and BE Vulpeculae

Orbital period variations of eight Algol-type binaries, TU Cnc, FZ Del, AY Gem, VZ Leo, FH Ori, IU Per, XZ Per, and BE Vul, are studied based on the analysis of the O-C observations. It is discovered that the periods of three systems, TU Cnc, FH Ori, and IU Per, show secular decrease. For AY Gem and XZ Per, the orbital periods can be described by a sudden decrease or by two sudden changes superposed on a secular decrease. Weak evidence also shows that the orbital periods of the other three systems, FZ Del, VZ Leo, and BE Vul, are decreasing. As in other systems proposed by Qian, the decrease in the orbital periods of these systems, combined with their semidetached configurations, suggests that they may be undergoing secular mass and angular momentum loss due to magnetic braking. The irregular period jumps superposed on the secular decrease (e.g., in AY Gem, FH Ori, XZ Per, and BE Vul) can be explained by variable magnetic coupling and gravity coupling between the two components. However, the present secular period decrease of these systems may be part of a long-period periodic change (as in TT Del), which needs further investigation.

Orbital evolution of algol binaries with a circumbinary disk

It is generally thought that conservative mass transfer in Algol binaries causes their orbits to be wider, so that the less massive star overflows its Roche lobe. The observed decrease in the orbital periods of some Algol binaries suggests orbital angular momentum loss during the binary evolution, and the magnetic braking mechanism is often invoked to explain the observed orbital shrinkage. Here we suggest an alternative explanation, in which a small fraction of the transferred mass forms a circumbinary disk, which extracts orbital angular momentum from the binary through tidal torques. We also perform numerical calculations of the evolution of Algol binaries with typical initial masses and orbital periods. The results indicate that, for reasonable input parameters, the circumbinary disk can significantly influence the orbital evolution, and cause the orbit to shrink on a sufficiently long timescale. Rapid mass transfer in Algol binaries with low mass ratios can also be accounted for in this scenario.