A photometric study of an EW-type binary system: GV Leo

Abstract

A photometric study of a contact binary system, GV Leo is presented. New observations were done using the BVR filter bands. We find that a revised orbital period is 0.26673171 d and the orbital period of this system is decreasing at a rate of dP/dt = −4.95 × 10−7 d yr−1. The photometric solutions are fairly well fitted at a mass ratio of q = 0.1879, with a fillout factor of f = 17.74%. The results indicate that there exists mass transfer from the more massive component to the less massive one at a rate of relative mass exchange, ṁ1/m = −1.09 × 10−7 yr−1. It is possible that this weak-contact system, that shows a decreasing orbital period, may undergo contraction of the inner and outer critical Roche lobes and evolve into a deep-contact binary.