A Stellar Constraint on Eddington-inspired Born–Infeld Gravity from Cataclysmic Variable Binaries

Eddington-inspired Born–Infeld gravity is an important modification of Einstein’s general relativity, which can give rise to nonsingular cosmologies at the classical level, and avoid the end-stage singularity in a gravitational collapse process. In the Newtonian limit, this theory gives rise to a modified Poisson’s equation, as a consequence of which stellar observables acquire model dependent corrections, compared to the ones computed in the low energy limit of general relativity. This can in turn be used to establish astrophysical constraints on the theory. Here, we obtain such a constraint using observational data from cataclysmic variable binaries. In particular, we consider the tidal disruption limit of the secondary star by a white dwarf primary. The Roche lobe filling condition of this secondary star is used to compute stellar observables in the modified gravity theory in a numerical scheme. These are then contrasted with the values obtained by using available data on these objects, via a Monte Carlo error progression method. This way, we are able to constrain the theory within the 5σ confidence level.

Light curve analysis of the eclipsing binary system V781 Tau

V781 Tau is one of W UMa eclipsing binary systems whose orbital period is 0.34 days. The 0.7-meter telescope with CCD photometric system in B and V filters was conducted at the Regional Observatory for the Public, Chachoengsao, Thailand during December 2018, UT. The Wilson-Devinney Technique was used for calculating the physical properties of V781 Tau. The results showed the inclination of their orbital is 66.140°±0.14. The effective temperature of the primary and secondary star is 6,060 and 5,881 K, respectively and the degree of contact is 4.38 %

Eta Carinae: A Tale of Two Periastron Passages

Since 2002, the far-ultraviolet (FUV) flux (1150–1680 Å) of Eta Carinae, monitored by the Hubble Space Telescope/Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph, has increased by an order of magnitude. This increase is attributed to partial dissipation of a line-of-sight (LOS) occulter that blocks the central core of the system. Across the 2020 February periastron passage, changes in the FUV emission show a stronger wavelength dependence than occurred across the 2003 July periastron passage. Across both periastron passages, most of the FUV spectrum dropped in flux then recovered a few months later. The 2020 periastron passage included enhancements of FUV flux in narrow spectral intervals near periastron followed by a transient absorption and recovery to pre-periastron flux levels. The drop in flux is due to increased absorption by singly ionized species as the secondary star plunges deep into the wind of the primary star, which blocks the companion’s ionizing radiation. The enhanced FUV emission is caused by the companion’s wind-blown cavity briefly opening a window to deeper layers of the primary star. This is the first time transient brightening has been seen in the FUV comparable to transients previously seen at longer wavelengths. Changes in resonance line-velocity profiles hint that the dissipating occulter is associated with material in LOS moving at −100 to −300 km s−1, similar in velocity of structures previously associated with the 1890s lesser eruption.

Follow-up Photometry in Another Band Helps to Reduce Kepler’s False-positive Rates

The Kepler mission’s single-band photometry suffers from astrophysical false positives, most commonly of background eclipsing binaries (BEBs) and companion transiting planets (CTPs). Multicolor photometry can reveal the color-dependent depth feature of false positives and thus exclude them. In this work, we aim to estimate the fraction of false positives that cannot be classified by Kepler alone but can be identified from their color-dependent depth feature if a reference band (z, K s , and Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS)) is adopted in follow-up observation. We construct physics-based blend models to simulate multiband signals of false positives. Nearly 65%–95% of the BEBs and more than 80% of the CTPs that host a Jupiter-sized planet will show detectable depth variations if the reference band can achieve a Kepler-like precision. The K s band is most effective in eliminating BEBs exhibiting features of any depth, while the z and TESS bands are better for identifying giant candidates, and their identification rates are more sensitive to photometric precision. Given the radius distribution of planets transiting the secondary star in binary systems, we derive a formalism to calculate the overall identification rate for CTPs. By comparing the likelihood distribution of the double-band depth ratio for BEB and planet models, we calculate the false-positive probability (FPP) for typical Kepler candidates. Additionally, we show that the FPP calculation helps distinguish the planet candidate’s host star in an unresolved binary system. The framework of the analysis in this paper can be easily adapted to predict the multicolor photometric yield for other transit surveys, especially TESS.

Detection of an energetic flare from the M5V secondary star in the Polar MQ Dra

MQ Dra is a strongly magnetic Cataclysmic Variable whose white dwarf accretes material from its secondary star through a stellar wind at a low rate. TESS observations were made of MQ Dra in four sectors in Cycle 2 and show a short duration, high energy flare (∼1035 erg) which has a profile characteristic of a flare from the M5V secondary star. This is one of the few occasions where an energetic flare has been seen from a Polar. We find no evidence that the flare caused a change in the light curve following the event and consider whether a coronal mass ejection was associated with the flare. We compare the frequency of energetic flares from the secondary star in MQ Dra with M dwarf stars and discuss the overall flare rate of stars with rotation periods shorter than 0.2 d and how such fast rotators can generate magnetic fields with low differential rotation rates.

ASASSN-18aan: An eclipsing SU UMa-type cataclysmic variable with a 3.6-hr orbital period and a late G-type secondary star

We report photometric and spectroscopic observations of the eclipsing SU UMa-type dwarf nova ASASSN-18aan. We observed the 2018 superoutburst with 2.3 mag brightening and found the orbital period (Porb) to be 0.149454(3) d, or 3.59 hr. This is longward of the period gap, establishing ASASSN-18aan as one of a small number of long-Porb SU UMa-type dwarf novae. The estimated mass ratio, [q = M2/M1 = 0.278(1)], is almost identical to the upper limit of tidal instability by the 3 : 1 resonance. From eclipses, we found that the accretion disk at the onset of the superoutburst may reach the 3 : 1 resonance radius, suggesting that the superoutburst of ASASSN-18aan results from the tidal instability. Considering the case of long-Porb WZ Sge-type dwarf novae, we suggest that the tidal dissipation at the tidal truncation radius is enough to induce SU UMa-like behavior in relatively high-q systems such as SU UMa-type dwarf novae, but that this is no longer effective in low-q systems such as WZ Sge-type dwarf novae. The unusual nature of the system extends to the secondary star, for which we find a spectral type of G9, much earlier than typical for the orbital period, and a secondary mass M2 of around 0.18 M⊙, smaller than expected for the orbital period and the secondary’s spectral type. We also see indications of enhanced sodium abundance in the secondary’s spectrum. Anomalously hot secondaries are seen in a modest number of other CVs and related objects. These systems evidently underwent significant nuclear evolution before the onset of mass transfer. In the case of ASASSN-18aan, this apparently resulted in a mass ratio lower than typically found at the system’s Porb, which may account for the occurrence of a superoutburst at this relatively long period.

Synthetic Light-Curve Analysis of a Short Period Binary System YY Eri

YY Eri, the short-period binary system, is a W UMa type of the eclipsing binary system. This study using a 0.7-meter telescope with CCD photometric system in B V and R filters. It was observed at the Regional Observatory for the Public, Chachoengsao, Thailand on December 5, 2018, UT. The MaxIm DL software was used to analyzed the images photometry to produce the light curve. The Wilson-Devinney technique was computed the synthetic light curve that prefer to the physical properties of the YY Eri. The results show that the effective temperature of the primary and secondary star was 5533 and 5598 K, respectively. The inclination is 81.450 and the mass ratio is 0.55. The degree of contact was calculated as 16.64%

New radial velocity observations of AH Her: evidence for material outside the tidal radius

ABSTRACT Spectroscopic observations of AH Herculis during a deep quiescent state are put forward. We found the object in a rare long minima, allowing us to derive accurately the semi-amplitudes: $K_1 =121 \pm \, 4$ km s−1 and K2 = 152 ± 2 km s−1 and its mass functions MWsin 3i = 0.30 ± 0.01 M⊙ and MRsin 3i = 0.24 ± 0.02 M⊙, while its binary separation is given by asin i = 1.39 ± 0.02 R⊙. The orbital period Porb = 0.25812 ± 0.00032 d was found from a power spectrum analysis of the radial velocities of the secondary star. These values are consistent with those determined by Horne, Wade & Szkody. Our observations indicate that K5 is the most likely spectral type of the secondary. We discuss why we favour the assumption that the donor in AH Her is a slightly evolved star, in which case we find that the best solution for the inclination yields i = 48° ± 2°. None the less, should the donor be a ZAMS star, we obtain that the inclination is between i = 43° and i = 44°. We also present Doppler tomography of H α and H β, and found that the emission in both lines is concentrated in a large asymmetric region at low velocities, but at an opposite position to the secondary star, outside the tidal radius and therefore at an unstable position. We also analyse the H α and H β line profiles, which show a single broad peak and compare it with the previous quiescent state study that shows a double-peaked profile, providing evidence for its transient nature.

Multiband light-curve analysis of the 40.5-min period eclipsing double-degenerate binary SDSS J082239.54+304857.19

ABSTRACT We present the Apache Point Observatory BG40 broad-band and simultaneous Gemini r-band and i-band high-speed follow-up photometry observations and analysis of the 40.5-min period eclipsing detached double-degenerate binary SDSS J082239.54+304857.19. Our APO data spans over 318 d and includes 13 primary eclipses, from which we precisely measure the system’s orbital period and improve the time of mid-eclipse measurement. We fit the light curves for each filter individually and show that this system contains a low-mass DA white dwarf with radius RA = 0.031 ± 0.006 R⊙ and a RB = 0.013 ± 0.005 R⊙ companion at an inclination of i = 87.7 ± 0.2○. We use the best-fitting eclipsing light curve model to estimate the temperature of the secondary star as Teff = 5200 ± 100 K. Finally, while we do not record significant offsets to the expected time of mid-eclipse caused by the emission of gravitational waves with our 1-yr baseline, we show that a 3σ significant measurement of the orbital decay due to gravitational waves will be possible in 2023, at which point the eclipse will occur about 8 s earlier than expected.

On rare core collapse supernovae inside planetary nebulae

ABSTRACT We conduct simulations using mesa of the reverse formation of a white dwarf (WD)–neutron star (NS) binary system in which the WD forms before the NS. We conclude that a core collapse supernova (CCSN) explosion might occur inside a planetary nebula (PN) only if a third star forms the PN. In this WD–NS reverse binary evolution, the primary star evolves and transfers mass to the secondary star, forms a PN, and leaves a WD remnant. If the mass-transfer brings the secondary star to have a mass of $\gtrsim 8\, \mathrm{ M}_\odot$ before it develops a helium core, and if the secondary does not suffer an enhanced mass-loss before it develops a massive helium core, e.g. by mass-transfer, it explodes as a CCSN and leaves an NS remnant. The time period from the formation of the PN by the primary to the explosion of the secondary is $\gtrsim 10^6 {~\rm yr}$. By that time, the PN has long dispersed into the interstellar medium. In a binary system with nearly equal-mass components, the first mass-transfer episode takes place after the secondary star has developed a helium core and it ends its life forming a PN and a WD. The formation of a CCSN inside a PN (CCSNIP) requires the presence of a third star. The third star should be less massive than the secondary star but by no more than few ×0.01 M⊙. We estimate that the rate of CCSNIP is ≈10−4 times the rate of all CCSNe.