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Article
Orbital Characteristics of the Subdwarf-B and F V Star Binary EC 20117-4014 (=V4640 Sgr)
The Astrophysical Journal
  • T. Otani, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
  • T. D. Oswalt, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
  • A. E. Lynas-Gray, University of Oxford
  • D. Kilkenny, University of the Western Cape
  • C. Koen, University of the Western Cape
  • M. Amaral, Cape Cod Community College
  • R. Jordan, Whitman College
Submitting Campus
Daytona Beach
Department
Physical Sciences
Document Type
Article
Publication/Presentation Date
6-1-2018
Abstract/Description

Among the competing evolution theories for subdwarf-B (sdB) stars is the binary evolution scenario. EC 20117-4014 (=V4640 Sgr) is a spectroscopic binary system consisting of a pulsating sdB star and a late F main-sequence companion; however, the period and the orbit semimajor axes have not been precisely determined. This paper presents orbital characteristics of the EC 20117-4014 binary system using 20 years of photometric data. Periodic observed minus calculated (OC) variations were detected in the two highest-amplitude pulsations identified in the EC 20117-4014 power spectrum, indicating the binary system's precise orbital period (P = 792.3 days) and the light-travel-time amplitude (A = 468.9 s). This binary shows no significant orbital eccentricity, and the upper limit of the eccentricity is 0.025 (using 3σ as an upper limit). This upper limit of the eccentricity is the lowest among all wide sdB binaries with known orbital parameters. This analysis indicated that the sdB is likely to have lost its hydrogen envelope through stable Roche lobe overflow, thus supporting hypotheses for the origin of sdB stars. In addition to those results, the underlying pulsation period change obtained from the photometric data was = 5.4 (±0.7) × 10−14 d d−1, which shows that the sdB is just before the end of the core helium-burning phase.

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aab9bf
Publisher
IOP Publishing
Grant or Award Name
National Science Foundation grants AST-108845, AST-1358787, and PHY-1358879
Citation Information
T. Otani, T. D. Oswalt, A. E. Lynas-Gray, D. Kilkenny, et al.. "Orbital Characteristics of the Subdwarf-B and F V Star Binary EC 20117-4014 (=V4640 Sgr)" The Astrophysical Journal Vol. 859 Iss. 2 (2018)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/terry_d_oswalt/78/