Absolute Dimensions And Period Changes Of The Semi-Detached Algol Type Binary XZ Canis Minoris

The first high-resolution spectroscopic and new multiband photometric observations of the semi-detached Algol type binary XZ CMi were performed at the Bohyunsan Optical Astronomy Observatory (BOAO) and the Sobaeksan Optical Astronomy Observatory (SOAO), respectively. A total of 34 spectra were obtained using the 1.8 m reflector of the BOAO equipped with the Bohyunsan Optical Echelle Spectrograph to construct the radial velocity (RV) curves of the eclipsing pair. New BVRI photometric light curves were also covered by using the SOAO 61cm reflector and a CCD camera. A detailed analysis of all eclipse timings shows that the orbital period of XZ CMi has varied in an upward parabolic variation superposed on a sinusoidal oscillation with a period of 38.0 yr and a semi-amplitude of 0.0071 days. From the spectral analysis, the effective temperature and the projected rotational velocity of the primary component were determined to be T_eff,1 = 7387±161 K and v₁sini = 122±6 km s^-1, respectively. Our simultaneous synthesis of the double-lined RV and BVRI light curves gives the reliable system parameters of XZ CMi with a mass ratio (q) of 0.314, an orbital inclination (i) of 81.9 deg and a large temperature difference (∆T) of 2481 K. The individual masses and radii of both components are M₁ = 1.91±0.08M_⊙, M₂ = 0.60±0.02M_⊙, R₁ = 1.60±0.02R_⊙, R₂ = 1.13±0.02R_⊙, respectively. Although the primary component is located inside the δ Sct and γ Dor instability strips, no evidence of pulsation in the system was detected. The possible evolutionary status of XZ CMi is discussed.