2018AJ....155..172S -
Astron. J., 155, 172-172 (2018/April-0)
Possible presence of a third body in the Kepler K2 variable EPIC 202073314.
SRIRAM K., MALU S., CHOI C.S. and VIVEKANANDA RAO P.
Abstract (from CDS):
We report the presence of an unseen third-body companion in a low-mass-ratio deep contact binary system Kepler K2 EPIC 202073314 as seen by the presence of the light time effect (LITE) on the O-C diagram. The system is found to be exhibiting an increasing period trend along with a sinusoidal behavior of the O-C residuals owing to the LITE variations. The residuals are modeled initially assuming a circular orbit to obtain a third-body orbital period of ∼9.75 years. We further performed a rigorous analysis by allowing the eccentricity to vary, which led to a third-body orbital period of ∼8.66 years with e3 = 0.51. We also report the photometric study of this variable. The system is found to have a mass ratio of ∼0.15 with an inclination of ∼77°. Monte-Carlo simulations were performed to verify the consistency of the obtained photometric solution. The system is considered to be in significant geometrical contact as seen by the high fill-out factor of ∼57%. Magnetic inactivity of the system is understood in terms of the absence of O' Connell effect and lack of fill-in effect in the Hα spectral line. The dynamical state of the system is discussed in terms of the Hut's stability criteria (Jspin/Jorb=1/3) as the low-mass and high fill-out factor configuration of the system makes it a promising candidate in the context of stellar mergers. Assuming conservative mass transfer, the system is expected to meet the critical mass ratio of ∼0.07-0.09 in ∼106 years.
Abstract Copyright:
© 2018. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.
Journal keyword(s):
binaries: close - binaries: eclipsing - binaries: general - stars: activity - stars: individual: EPIC 202073314
Simbad objects:
3
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