• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.109.1-109.1
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• 2012

In the past few years, two-planet circumbinary systems (e.g., HW Vir, NN Ser, DP Leo and HU Aqr) have been detected around short-period eclipsing binaries using ground-based telescopes. The existence of these planets has been inferred by interpreting the O-C variations of the mid-eclipse times. We have tested the orbital stability of these systems and propose to use Light Travel Time Effect (LITE) to detect such circumbinary planets from the ground. We generated synthetically the LITE signal of a two-planet circumbinary system with the aim to apply an analytic LITE model to recover the underlying synthetic system. To mimic a degree of realism inherent to ground-based observations, we added to the synthetic LITE data white noise with a Gaussian distribution and sampled the synthetic LITE signal randomly. We successfully recovered the original system demonstrating that two-planet circumbinary systems can be detected using ground-based telescopes, provided the timing measurements of the mid-eclipses are sufficiently accurate and the observing baseline is long enough to ensure a sufficient coverage of all involved periods. We used HU Aqr as a test system and applied our model to its proposed planetary bodies considering near-circular orbits. We present the results of our calculations and discuss the LITE-detectability of a HU Aqr-like system.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.179-195
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• 1995

RT Per has been known as a close binary of which the orbital period has unpredictably varied so far. Although there are no agreements with the working mechanism for the changes of the period, two interpretations have been suggested and waiting for to be tested: 1) light-time effects due to the unseen 3rd and 4rd bodies (Panchatsaram 1981), 2) Abrupt period-changes, due to internal variations of the system (e.g. mass transfer or mass loss) superimposing to the light-time effect by a 3rd body (Frieboes-Conde & Herczeg 1973). In the point of view that the former interprepation models could predict the behavior of the changes of the orbital period theoretically, we checked whether the recent observed times of minimum lights follow the perdictions by the first model or not. We confirmed that the observed times of minimum lights have followed the variations calculated by the light-times effects due to the 3rd and 4rd bodies suggested by Panchatsatam. In this paper a total of 626 times of minimum lights were reanalyzed in terms of the light-time effects by the 3rd and 4rd bodies. We concluded that the eclipsing pair in SVCam system moves in an elliptic orbit about center of mass of the triple system with a period of about $42.^y2$, while the mass center of the triplet is in light-time orbit about the center of mass of the quadruple system with a period of $120^y$. The mean masses deduced for the 3rd and 4rd bodies were $0.89m_\odot$ and $0.82m_\odot$, respectively.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.75-86
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• 2019

UV Psc is a typical RS CVn type system undergoing dynamic chromosphere activity. We performed photometric observations of the system in 2015 and secured new BVR light curves showing well-defined photometric waves. In this paper, we analyzed the light curves using Wilson-Devinney binary code and investigated the orbital period of the system. The combination of our light curve synthesis with the spectroscopic solution developed by previous investigators yielded the absolute parameters as: $M_1=1.104{\pm}0.042M_{\odot}$, $R_1=1.165{\pm}0.025R_{\odot}$, and $L_1=1.361{\pm} 0.041L_{\odot}$ for the primary star, and $M_2=0.809{\pm}0.082M_{\odot}$, $R_2=0.858{\pm}0.018R_{\odot}$, and $L_2=0.339 {\pm}0.010L_{\odot}$ for the secondary star. The eclipse timing diagram for accurate CCD and photoelectric timings showed that the orbital period may vary either in a downward parabolic manner or a quasi-sinusoidal pattern. If the latter is adopted as a probable pattern for the period change, a more plausible account for the cyclic variation may be the light time effect caused by a circumbinary object rather than an Applegate-mechanism occurring via variable surface magnetic field strengths.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.41.2-41.2
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• 2016

The follow-up BVRI photometric observations of NSVS 1461538, which was discovered as an $Algol/{\beta}$ Lyr eclipsing variable by Hoffman, Harrison & McNamara (2009), were performed for three years from 2011 to 2013 by using the 61-cm telescope and CCD cameras of Sobaeksan Optical Astronomy Observatory (SOAO). New light curves have deep depths both of the primary and secondary eclipses, rounded shapes outside eclipses and a strong O'Connell effect, indicating that NSVS 1461538 is a typical W UMa close binary system rather than an $Algol/{\beta}$ Lyr type binary star. A period study with all the timings shows that the orbital period may vary in a sinusoidal way with a period of about 5.6 yr and a small semi-amplitude of about 0.008 d. The cyclical period variation was interpreted as a light-time effect due to a tertiary body with a minimum mass of $0.66M{\odot}$. The first photometric solution with the Wilson-Devinney binary model shows that the system is a W-subtype contact binary with the mass ratio ($q=m_c/m_h$) of 3.46, orbit inclination of 85.6 deg and fill-out factor of 30%. From the existing empirical relationship between parameters, the absolute dimension was estimated. The masses and radii of the component stars are $0.28M{\odot}$ and $0.71R{\odot}$ for the less massive but hotter primary star, respectively, and $0.96M{\odot}$ and $1.21R{\odot}$ for the more massive secondary, respectively. Possible evolution of the system is discussed in the mass-radius and the mass-luminosity planes.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.41.3-42
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• 2016

New CCD photometric observations of GX Aur have been made between 2004 and 2015. Our light curves are the first ever compiled and display the variable O'Connell effect. The light variations are satisfactorily modeled by including time-varying cool-spots on the component stars. Our light curve synthesis indicates that the eclipsing pair is an A-type contact binary with parameters of i = 81.1 deg, ${\Delta}T=36K$, q = 0.950 and f = 46%. Including our 25 timing measurements, a total of 83 times of minimum light spanning about 66 yr were used for a period study. It was found that the orbital period of GX Aur has varied due to two periodic oscillations superposed on an upward-opening parabolic variation. The long-term period increase rate is deduced as $+9.636{\times}10^{-10}d\;yr^{-1}$, which can be produced as a mass transfer from the secondary star to the primary at a rate of $3.136{\times}10^{-6}M_{\odot}\;yr^{-1}$, among the largest rates for contact systems. The periods and semi-amplitudes of the two periodic variations are about $P_3=8.7yr$ and $P_4=21.2yr$, and $K_3=0.011d$ and $K_4=0.017d$, respectively. The most reasonable explanation for both cycles is a pair of light-travel-time effects driven by the possible existence of an unseen third and fourth components with projected masses of $M_3=0.91M_{\odot}$ and $M_4=1.09M_{\odot}$ in eccentric orbits of $e_3=0.13$ and $e_4=0.73$. Because no third light was detected in the light curve synthesis, each circumbinary object could be a compact star or a binary itself.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.89-96
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• 2010

BVR CCD observations of GW Cep were made on 15 nights in November through December 2008 with a 1-m reflector at the Jincheon station of the Chungbuk National University Observatory. Nineteen new times of minimum lights for GW Cep were determined and added to a collection of all other times of minima available to us. These data were then intensively analyzed, by reference to an O-C diagram, to deduce the general form of period variation for GW Cep. It was found that the O-C diagram could be interpreted as presenting two different forms of period change: an exclusively quasi-sinusoidal change with a period of 32.6 years and an eccentricity of 0.10; and a quasi-sinusoidal change with a period of 46.2 years and an eccentricity of 0.36 superposed on an upward parabola. Although a final conclusion is somewhat premature at present, the latter seems more plausible because late-type contact binaries allow an inter-exchange of both energy and mass between the component stars. The quasi-sinusoidal characteristics were interpreted in terms of a light-time effect due to an unseen tertiary component. The minimum masses of the tertiary component for both cases were calculated to be nearly the same as the $0.23-0.26M\;{\odot}$-ranges which is hardly detectable in a light curve synthesis. The upward parabolic O-C diagram corresponding to a secular period increase of about $4.12{\times}10^{-8}\;d/yr$ was interpreted as mass being transferred from the lesser to more massive component. The transfer rate for a conservative case was calculated to be about $2.66\;{\times}\;10^{-8}\;M_{\odot}/yr$ which is compatible with other W UMa-type contact binaries.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.105-116
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• 2006

New eight times of minimum light of the near-contact binary EG Cep were presented. All times of minimum light for EG Cep, including ours, were collected and analyzed to study it's orbital period variation. It was found that the orbital period have varied in a cyclical way superposed on an upward parabola. A secular period increase of $3.22{\times}10^{-8}d/y$ was calculated. Under the assumption of a conservative mass transfer, it implied that the stellar gaseous material of about $3.18{\times}10^{-8}M_{\odot}$ /year is transferring from the less massive secondary component to the primary. The cyclical period variation was interpreted as light-time effect due to an unseen third body in the system. The resultant period, semi-amplitude and eccentricity of the light time orbit were calculated to be $38.^y4,\;0.^d0034$ and 0.29, respectively. The mass range of the tertiary proposed in the system is deduced to be quite small as $0.10M_{\odot}{\leq}M_3{\leq}0.21M_{\odot}$ for $i_3{\geq}30^{\circ}$.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.353-362
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• 2005

We performed a new high-resolution spectroscopy of AG Vir for 4 nights from 25 March 2004 using the BOES (Bohyunsan Optical Echelle Spectrograph) attached to the 1.8-m reflector at Bohyunsan Optical Astronomy Observatory, and obtained a total of 59 spectra where all orbital phases are covered. To get the radial velocities of the binary system, both method of the CCF (Cross-Co..elation Function)and the BF (Broadening Function) were applied to the analysis of all the observed spectra. From these, the CCF could calculate the radial velocities of the primary star alone, while the BF could determine those of the primary and the secondary components. New absolute dimensions were deduced with the combination of our spectroscopic orbital elements ($K_1=90.5km/s$와 $K_2=258.8$) and the photometric solutions of Bell, Rainger, & Hilditch (1990): $A_1,=1.99M_\bigodot,\;M_2=0.62M_\bigodot,\;R_1=2.21R_\bigodot,\;R_2=1.36R_\bigodot,\;L_1=13.17L_\bigodot,\;and\;L_2=3.47L_\bigodot$. Our absolute parameters are larger and brighter than those derived from Bell, Rainger, & Hilditch (1990). We re-analyzed all the previous radial-velocity curves of AG Vir and, as a result, can see that its system velocity scatters largely up to ${\pm}8km/s$. However, we, at present, cannot determine this as the light-time effect due to the third body, which was suggested as a cause of the orbital period changes by Qian (2001).

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.44-58
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• 1997

The BVR CCD photometric observations of W UMa-type eclipsing binary SS Ari were made on ten nights from November 1996 to December 1996. Eight new times of minimum lights were derived. The analysis of times of minima of SS Ari confirms the suggestions of other previous investigators that the orbital period of SS Ari have been suffering from a sinusoidal varition. The amplitude and period for the cyclic period changes were calculated as about $58^{y}$ and $0.^{d}053$, respectively. The period variation has been discussed in terms of two potential mechanisms: 1) the light-time effect due to a hypothetical third body and 2) deformations in the convective envelope of a magnetically active component. In the earlier case, the third body has a mass of $1.3M_{\odot}$, if exist, in the form of a white dwarf or a binary system. It seems that the system velocities from the spectroscopic observations supports this interpretation. Meanwhile in the latter case, the primary component is mainly responsible for the magnetic activity of this system with a theoretical amplitude of $\pm0.^{m}08$. However, we cannot make a conclusion which is reasonable explanation at this point, due to lack of observational data. Moreover, the period variation of SS Ari shows duplication about $14^y$, cyclic period with an amplitude of about $0.^d001$ to the above periodic change. We also cannot make an acceptable conclusion for it at this time.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.141-156
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• 2009

Through the photometric observations of the near-contact binary, XZ CMi, new BV light curves were secured and seven times of minimum light were determined. An intensive period study with all published timings, including ours, confirms that the period of XZ CMi has varied in a cyclic period variation superposed on a secular period decrease over last 70 years. Assuming the cyclic change of period to occur by a light-time effect due to a third-body, the light-time orbit with a semi-amplitude of 0.0056d, a period of 29y and an eccentricity of 0.71 was calculated. The observed secular period decrease of $-5.26{\times}10^{-11}d/P$ was interpreted as a result of simultaneous occurrence of both a period decrease of $-8.20{\times}10^{-11}d/P$ by angular momentum loss (AML) due to a magnetic braking stellar wind and a period increase of $2.94{\times}10^{-11}d/P$ by a mass transfer from the less massive secondary to the primary components in the system. In this line the decreasing rate of period due to AML is about 3 times larger than the increasing one by a mass transfer in their absolute values. The latter implies a mass transfer of $\dot{M}_s=3.21{\times}10^{-8}M_{\odot}y^{-1}$ from the less massive secondary to the primary. The BV light curves with the latest Wilson-Devinney binary code were analyzed for two separate models of 8200K and 7000K as the photospheric temperature of the primary component. Both models confirm that XZ CMi is truly a near-contact binary with a less massive secondary completely filling Roche lobe and a primary inside the inner Roche lobe and there is a third-light corresponding to about 15-17% of the total system light. However, the third-light source can not be the same as the third-body suggested from the period study. At the present, however, we can not determine which one between two models is better fitted to the observations because of a negligible difference of $\sum(O-C)^2$ between them. The diversity of mass ratios, with which previous investigators were in disagreement, still remains to be one of unsolved problems in XZ CMi system. Spectroscopic observations for a radial velocity curve and high-resolution spectra as well as a high-precision photometry are needed to resolve some of remaining problems.