CCD photometry of W UMa-type contact binaries in the old open cluster Berkeley 39

We present the combined BVI multicolor photometric solutions of seven EW variables in the old open cluster Berkeley 39. The observations were carried out in the B and V passbands from the 2 m telescope at the IUCAA-Girawali Observatory in India. The analysis is done using the 2003 version of the Wilson-Devinney code and the fitted light curves are presented. The light curves appear to be symmetric in all the passbands. The photometric solutions suggest that the variables are W-type systems. The new ephemeris indicates that the orbital periods of the studied variables have not changed during the timespan of observations. Revised orbital period, absolute mass, radius and luminosity of the respective variables are presented. The absolute physical parameters of the variables follow the trend of field EW stars. Comparing the results obtained with the other theoretical works, we suggest that there is an excess loss of mass and angular momentum in these systems which may be due to their short period and relatively young age, possibly due to the presence of a third component or the initial detached period being less than 2 d.

Changes of the Period and the Light Curves of the Contact Binary V1073 Cygni

Observational evidence of unstable behavior for the W UMa type binary system V1073 Cygni is presented in this paper. Around 1939 the period of the binary suddenly decreased by 0 580 seconds and again suddenly decreased by 0 746 seconds around 1981.Obvious variable O’ Connell effect of the light curves in V can be seen. The relation between the changes in the orbital period and variation in the O’ Connell effect and possible reasons for the unstable behavior of V1073 Cyg were discussed.

On the Period Variation of the W UMa-type Contact Binary V502 Ophiuchi

The variation in the orbital period of the W UMa type contact binary V502 Oph is analyzed. The orbital period exhibits a wavelike variation with a periodicity of 23.0 years and an amplitude of AP = 1.24 ×10^-5 days superimposed on secular decrease of dP/dt = 1.68× 10^-7 day per year. The long-term decrease may be accompanied by the contraction of the secondary at a rate of 83 m per year and a mass transfer rate from the primary to the secondary of 4.28×10^-8M· per year. The short-term oscillation may be explained by the presence of a third component. Orbital elements of the third body and its possible mass are presented.

RT Leonis Minoris:an Unstable W Ursae Majoris System with a Spotted Component

Complete BV light curves of the W UMa type binary RT LMi are presented. From the observations, four times of minimum light were determined. Based on the new times of minimum light and those collected from the literature, changes in the orbital period of the system were found and analyzed with Kalimeris et al.'s method. The result shows that the orbital period possibly oscillates with a cycle of about 64 years and an amplitude of 1.2 × 10-6 days. The present CCD photometric observations reveal that the light curves are obviously asymmetrical, and show a positive O'Connell effect, while the light curves obtained in 1982 exhibit a negative O'Connell effect. The present light curves were analyzed by means of the latest version of the Wilson-Devinney code, which was also used to correct the photometric effects, including the distortion on the radial-velocity curves obtained by Rucinski et al. The following absolute dimensions have been derived: MI -1.28 ±0.08 M⊙, M2 = 0.48 ±0.06 M⊙, R1 = 1.28 ±0.06 R⊙, R2 = 0.83 ±0.05 R⊙, L1 = 1.88±0.12 L⊙, L2 = 0.77±0.08 L⊙, and A = 2.64±0.02 R⊙. The asymmetry of the light curves can be explained by a model with a cool spot on the secondary component. The orbital period modulation can be reproduced by a magnetic activity cycle model of the secondary component with ΔJ = 5.6 × 1046 g cm2 s-1, ΔΩ/Ω = 8.8 × 10-4, and B = 5.1 × 103 G.