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New absolute magnitude calibrations for W Ursa Majoris type binaries
Parallaxes of W UMa stars in the Hipparcos catalogue have been analyzed.31 W UMa stars, which have the most accurate parallaxes(σπ/π<0.15) which are neither associated with aphotometric tertiary nor with evidence of a visual companion, wereselected for re-calibrating the Period-Luminosity-Color (PLC) relationof W UMa stars. Using the Lutz-Kelker (LK) bias corrected (mostprobable) parallaxes, periods ({0.26< P< 0.87}, P in days), andcolors ({0.04<(B-V)0<1.28}) of the 31 selected W UMa,the PLC relation have been revised and re-calibrated. The differencebetween the old (revised but not bias corrected) and the new (LK biascorrected) relations are almost negligible in predicting the distancesof W UMa stars up to about 100 pc. But, it increases and may becomeintolerable as distances of stars increase. Additionally, using(J-H)0 and (H-K_s)0 colors from 2MASS (Two MicronAll Sky Survey) data, a PLC relation working with infrared data wasderived. It can be used with infrared colors in the range-0.01<(J-H)0<0.58, and{-0.10<(H-K_s)0<0.18}. Despite of the fact that the2MASS data refer to single epoch observations which are not guaranteedto be taken at maximum brightness of the W UMa stars, the establishedrelation has been found surprisingly consistent and reliable inpredicting LK corrected distances of W UMa stars.
| Angular momentum and mass evolution of contact binaries
Various scenarios of contact binary evolution have been proposed in thepast, giving hints of (sometimes contradictory) evolutionary sequencesconnecting A- and W-type systems. As the components of close detachedbinaries approach each other and contact binaries are formed, followingevolutionary paths transforms them into systems of two categories:A-type and W-type. The systems evolve in a similar way but underslightly different circumstances. The mass/energy transfer rate isdifferent, leading to quite different evolutionary results. Analternative scenario of evolution in contact is presented and discussed,based on the observational data of over one hundred low-temperaturecontact binaries. It results from the observed correlations amongcontact binary physical and orbital parameters. Theoretical tracks arecomputed assuming angular momentum loss from a system via stellar wind,accompanied by mass transfer from an advanced evolutionary secondary tothe main-sequence primary. A good agreement is seen between the tracksand the observed graphs. Independently of details of the evolution incontact and a relation between A- and W-type systems, the ultimate fateof contact binaries involves the coalescence of both components into asingle fast rotating star.
| Dynamical evolution of active detached binaries on the logJo-logM diagram and contact binary formation
Orbital angular momentum (OAM, Jo), systemic mass (M) andorbital period (P) distributions of chromospherically active binaries(CAB) and W Ursae Majoris (W UMa) systems were investigated. Thediagrams of and logJo-logM were formed from 119 CAB and 102 WUMa stars. The logJo-logM diagram is found to be mostmeaningful in demonstrating dynamical evolution of binary star orbits. Aslightly curved borderline (contact border) separating the detached andthe contact systems was discovered on the logJo-logM diagram.Since the orbital size (a) and period (P) of binaries are determined bytheir current Jo, M and mass ratio, q, the rates of OAM loss(dlogJo/dt) and mass loss (dlogM/dt) are primary parametersto determine the direction and the speed of the dynamical evolution. Adetached system becomes a contact system if its own dynamical evolutionenables it to pass the contact border on the logJo-logMdiagram. The evolution of q for a mass-losing detached system is unknownunless the mass-loss rate for each component is known. Assuming q isconstant in the first approximation and using the mean decreasing ratesof Jo and M from the kinematical ages of CAB stars, it hasbeen predicted that 11, 23 and 39 per cent of current CAB stars wouldtransform to W UMa systems if their nuclear evolution permits them tolive 2, 4 and 6 Gyr, respectively.
| Contact Binaries with Additional Components. I. The Extant Data
We have attempted to establish observational evidence for the presenceof distant companions that may have acquired and/or absorbed angularmomentum during the evolution of multiple systems, thus facilitating orenabling the formation of contact binaries. In this preliminaryinvestigation we use several techniques (some of themdistance-independent) and mostly disregard the detection biases ofindividual techniques in an attempt to establish a lower limit to thefrequency of triple systems. While the whole sample of 151 contactbinary stars brighter than Vmax=10 mag gives a firm lowerlimit of 42%+/-5%, the corresponding number for the much better observednorthern-sky subsample is 59%+/-8%. These estimates indicate that mostcontact binary stars exist in multiple systems.
| 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.
| Automatic classification of eclipsing binaries light curves using neural networks
In this work we present a system for the automatic classification of thelight curves of eclipsing binaries. This system is based on aclassification scheme that aims to separate eclipsing binary systemsaccording to their geometrical configuration in a modified version ofthe traditional classification scheme. The classification is performedby a Bayesian ensemble of neural networks trained with Hipparcos data ofseven different categories including eccentric binary systems and twotypes of pulsating light curve morphologies.
| Kinematics of W Ursae Majoris type binaries and evidence of the two types of formation
We study the kinematics of 129 W UMa binaries and we discuss itsimplications on the contact binary evolution. The sample is found to beheterogeneous in the velocity space. That is, kinematically younger andolder contact binaries exist in the sample. A kinematically young (0.5Gyr) subsample (moving group) is formed by selecting the systems thatsatisfy the kinematical criteria of moving groups. After removing thepossible moving group members and the systems that are known to bemembers of open clusters, the rest of the sample is called the fieldcontact binary (FCB) group. The FCB group is further divided into fourgroups according to the orbital period ranges. Then, a correlation isfound in the sense that shorter-period less-massive systems have largervelocity dispersions than the longer-period more-massive systems.Dispersions in the velocity space indicate a 5.47-Gyr kinematical agefor the FCB group. Compared with the field chromospherically activebinaries (CABs), presumably detached binary progenitors of the contactsystems, the FCB group appears to be 1.61 Gyr older. Assuming anequilibrium in the formation and destruction of CAB and W UMa systems inthe Galaxy, this age difference is treated as an empirically deducedlifetime of the contact stage. Because the kinematical ages (3.21, 3.51,7.14 and 8.89 Gyr) of the four subgroups of the FCB group are muchlonger than the 1.61-Gyr lifetime of the contact stage, the pre-contactstages of the FCB group must dominantly be producing the largedispersions. The kinematically young (0.5 Gyr) moving group covers thesame total mass, period and spectral ranges as the FCB group. However,the very young age of this group does not leave enough room forpre-contact stages, and thus it is most likely that these systems wereformed in the beginning of the main sequence or during thepre-main-sequence contraction phase, either by a fission process or mostprobably by fast spiralling in of two components in a common envelope.
| 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
| SB9: The ninth catalogue of spectroscopic binary orbits
The Ninth Catalogue of Spectroscopic Binary Orbits(http://sb9.astro.ulb.ac.be) continues the series of compilations ofspectroscopic orbits carried out over the past 35 years by Batten andcollaborators. As of 2004 May 1st, the new Catalogue holds orbits for2386 systems. Some essential differences between this catalogue and itspredecessors are outlined and three straightforward applications arepresented: (1) completeness assessment: period distribution of SB1s andSB2s; (2) shortest periods across the H-R diagram; (3)period-eccentricity relation.
| 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/.
| 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.
| Additional TWA members?. Spectroscopic verification of kinematically selected TWA candidates
We present spectroscopic measurements of the 23 new candidate members ofthe TW Hydrae Association from \citet{MF}. Based on Hα and Li 6708Å strengths together with location on a color-magnitude diagramfor Hipparcos TWA candidates, we found only three possible new members(TYC 7760-0835-1, TYC 8238-1462-1, and TYC 8234-2856-1) in addition tothe already known member, TWA 19. This eliminated most of the candidatesmore distant than 100 pc. Three Tycho stars, almost certainly members ofthe Lower Centaurus Crux association, are the most distant members ofthe TWA. A claim of isotropic expansion of TWA has to be re-evaluatedbased on our new results. Generally, one cannot identify new members ofa diffuse nearby stellar group based solely on kinematic data. Toeliminate interlopers with similar kinematics, spectroscopicverification is essential.
| 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.
| Internal kinematics of the TW Hya association of young stars
Thirty one probable kinematic members of the nearby TW Hya associationof young stars are selected from the RASSBSC/Tycho-2 sample of starsluminous in X-rays, detected by ROSAT. Eight of them have been listedalready as members of the association, and 23 are new candidates. Theassociation occupies a volume of some 106 pc3, thenearest member being at a distance of only 17.5 pc from the Sun. Thelower bound internal velocity dispersion is estimated at 0.8 kms-1, which is considerably larger than is expected in agravitationally bound open cluster. The total mass of the group isestimated at 31 solar masses. The centre of mass lies at 73 pc from usin the direction close to the position of the prototype star TW Hya. Arealistic kinematical model fitting both the observed trigonometricparallaxes and radial velocities involves a linear expansion of thegroup with the rate 0.12 km s-1 pc-1, whichdefines a dynamical age of 8.3 Myr, in good agreement with previous ageestimations for T Tauri members. Likewise the nearby Carina-Vela movinggroup of X-ray stars, the TW Hya association appears to be an outpost ofthe Gould Belt structure rather than an isolated open cluster.
| Stars with the Largest Hipparcos Photometric Amplitudes
A list of the 2027 stars that have the largest photometric amplitudes inHipparcos Photometry shows that most variable stars are all Miras. Thepercentage of variable types change as a function of amplitude. Thiscompilation should also be of value to photometrists looking forrelatively unstudied, but large amplitude stars.
| A New Association of Post-T Tauri Stars near the Sun
Observing ROSAT sources in an area 20°×25° centered at thehigh-latitude (b=-59°) active star ER Eri, we found evidences for anearby association, that we call the Horologium association (HorA),formed by at least 10 very young stars, some of them being bona fidepost-T Tauri stars. We suggest other six stars as possible members ofthis proposed association. We examine several requirements thatcharacterize a young stellar association. Although no one of them,isolated, gives an undisputed prove of the existence of the HorA, alltogether practically create a strong evidence for it. In fact, the Liline intensities are between those of the older classical T Tauri starsand the ones of the Local Association stars. The space velocitycomponents of the HorA relative to the Sun (U=-9.5+/-1.0, V=-20.9+/-1.1,W=-2.1+/-1.9) are not far from those of the Local Association, so thatit could be one of its last episodes of star formation. In this regionof the sky there are some hotter and non-X-ray active stars, withsimilar space velocities, that could be the massive members of the HorA,among them, the nearby Be star Achernar. The maximum of the massdistribution function of its probable members is around 0.7-0.9Msolar. We estimate its distance as ~60 pc and its size as~50 pc. If spherical, this size would be larger than the surveyed area,and many other members could have been missed. ER Eri itself was foundto be not a member, but a background RS CVn-like system. We alsoobserved three control regions, two at northern and southern Galacticlatitudes and a third one in the known TW Hya association (TWA), and theproperties and distribution of their young stars strengthen the realityof the HorA. Contrary to the TWA, the only known binaries in the HorAare two very wide systems. The HorA is much more isolated from cloudsand older (~30 Myr) than the TWA and could give some clues about thelifetime of the disks around T Tauri stars. Actually, none of theproposed members is an IRAS source indicating an advanced stage of theevolution of their primitive accreting disks. Based on observations madeunder the Observatório Nacional-ESO agreement for the jointoperation of the 1.52 m ESO telescope and at the Observatório doPico dos Dias, operated by MCT/Laboratório Nacional deAstrofísica, Brazil
| 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.
| Vitesses radiales. Catalogue WEB: Wilson Evans Batten. Subtittle: Radial velocities: The Wilson-Evans-Batten catalogue.
We give a common version of the two catalogues of Mean Radial Velocitiesby Wilson (1963) and Evans (1978) to which we have added the catalogueof spectroscopic binary systems (Batten et al. 1989). For each star,when possible, we give: 1) an acronym to enter SIMBAD (Set ofIdentifications Measurements and Bibliography for Astronomical Data) ofthe CDS (Centre de Donnees Astronomiques de Strasbourg). 2) the numberHIC of the HIPPARCOS catalogue (Turon 1992). 3) the CCDM number(Catalogue des Composantes des etoiles Doubles et Multiples) byDommanget & Nys (1994). For the cluster stars, a precise study hasbeen done, on the identificator numbers. Numerous remarks point out theproblems we have had to deal with.
| Are Contact Binaries Undergoing Thermal Relaxation Oscillations with Contact Discontinuity?
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1995AJ....110..782W&db_key=AST
| The thermal relaxation oscillation states of contact binaries
A contact system almost certainly cannot exist in a state of staticequilibrium undergoing periodic thermal relaxation oscillation (TRO). Inthis paper the TRO evidence is found by the calculation of 22 contactsystems: A-sub and W-sub types are in expanding and contracting TROstates at the velocities of 25.04 and 3.10 m/yr, respectively. It ispointed out that the W-phenomenon is phase-dependent and correspondingto the contracting TRO phase. The corrected period-color diagram impliesthat the two kind systems have the same physical structure.
| Binary star radial velocities weighted by line strength
Not Available
| The interaction between the secondary and the common convective envelope in a contact binary
It has been suggested that a contact system almost certainly cannotexist in static equilibrium undergoing periodic thermal relaxationoscillation. The energy transfer in a common convective envelope (CCE)makes the secondary have a complex structure, so the interaction betweenthe secondary and CCE may play an important role in the structure andevolution of the contact system. The present paper tests the ThermalRelaxation Oscillation (TRO) theory and investigates this interactionwith polytropic stellar model from the observational datum of 22 contactsystems directly. It shows that the A-type systems are expanding with avelocity of 25.04 m/yr, and the W-type systems are contracting atvelocity of 3.10 m/yr by the calculations about these contact systems.Also, we calculate the ratio of energy transfer and the interactioncoefficient for them. The HS (hot secondary) model is supported by ourcalculations. These results may help to understand the TRO theory andthe W-phenomenon.
| Analysis of contact binary systems - AA Ursae Majoris, V752 Centauri, AO Camelopardalis, and V 677 Centauri
In this paper we present a methodology for the solution of binarysystems that allows the simultaneous use of all the availableinformation. We give a statistical criterion to judge about the qualityof the results. This methodology, based mainly on the Wilson-Princeprocedure devised by our group for the solution of binary systems, hashere been applied to the analysis of four W UMa binaries for whichexisting solutions were, for different reasons, unsatisfactory. We showthe cases for which more observational data are necessary or those forwhich a better analysis would be sufficient to give final answers. Thenew solutions found for the four systems fit well with the data,overcome the discrepancies among results and observations found byprevious investigators, and confirm that these systems belong to theW-type category. Finally, a working hypothesis on a possible newcorrelation that might link Delta T, q, and the filling factor F of WUMa systems is shown, extending that suggested by Sarna and Fedorova in1988.
| Investigation of statistical data for close binary stars.
Not Available
| Evolutionary status of W Ursae Majoris-type binaries - Evolution into contact
The effects of mass accretion onto the secondary components in closebinary systems exchanging mass in the Case A have been investigated. Itis demonstrated that it is possible to obtain contact binaries fromsemidetached systems before an inversion of the mass ratio takes place.We found that these systems reach contact after 1000-3,000,000 years andafter transferring (0.002-0.23) solar mass. The temperature inversionlayer which is located practically at a fixed position in mass exists inall contact binaries in which the secondary has a mass of not greaterthan 0.5 solar mass. The inversion is located well below the inner Rochelobe, which disagrees, at least initially, with the assumption that theentropy discontinuity is fixed at the Roche lobe of the secondary. Thepresent computations are in a good agreement with the observational datafor the W UMa-type systems.
| The evolutionary state of contact and near-contact binary stars
A compilation is presented of the masses, radii, and luminosities of thecomponents of 31 F-K type binary systems which have been found to be incontact or near-contact states. Comparisons of these data with thoseexpected for single stars demonstrates that: (1) the primary componentsof the shallow-contact W-type WUMa systems are unevolved main-sequencestars, while those of the deeper-contact A-type systems are near to theterminal-age main sequence; (2) the secondary components of the W-typesystems have radii of the order of 1.5 times larger than expected fortheir ZAMS masses, while those of the A-type systems have radii of theorder of three times larger; (3) the nine systems in the sample which donot display EW-type light curves can be divided into three marginalcontact systems, five semidetached systems, and one detached system. Theimplications of these findings for the types of evolution into contactare addressed.
| The List of the Nearest and Bright Eclipsing Binaries from the HIPPARCOS Program
Not Available
| Evolutionary State of Contact Binaries
A new method for estimating the evolutionary state of contact binarysystems from observations is described. Investigations of 38 systemsshow that all the A subtype systems and some of the W subtype systemsare evolved. Some of these systems are not in contact at zero-age.
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Observation and Astrometry data
| Constellation: | Centaurus |
| Right ascension: | 11h42m48.08s |
| Declination: | -35°48'57.5" |
| Apparent magnitude: | 9.307 |
| Proper motion RA: | -52.3 |
| Proper motion Dec: | -22.6 |
| B-T magnitude: | 10.002 |
| V-T magnitude: | 9.365 |
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