Eclipsing Binaries Found by the EREBOS Project: Gaia DR2 6097540197980557440—a Deeply Eclipsing sdB+dM System

Abstract

Abstract We present time-series spectroscopy and photometry of Gaia DR2 6097540197980557440, a new deeply eclipsing hot subdwarf B (sdB) + M dwarf (dM) binary. We discovered this object during the course of the Eclipsing Reflection Effect Binaries from Optical Surveys (EREBOS) project, which aims to find new eclipsing sdB+dM binaries (HW Vir systems) and increase the small sample of studied systems. In addition to the primary eclipse, which is in excess of ∼5 mag in the optical, the light curve also shows features typical for other HW Vir binaries such as a secondary eclipse and strong reflection effect from the irradiated, cool companion. The orbital period is 0.127037 days (∼3 hr), falling right at the peak of the orbital period distribution of known HW Vir systems. Analysis of our time-series spectroscopy yields a radial velocity semiamplitude of K sdB = 100.0 ± 2.0 km s−1, which is among the fastest line-of-sight velocities found to date for an HW Vir binary. State-of-the-art atmospheric models that account for deviations from local thermodynamic equilibrium are used to determine the atmospheric parameters of the sdB. Although we cannot claim a unique light-curve modeling solution, the best-fitting model has an sdB mass of M sdB = 0.47 ± 0.03 M ⊙ and a companion mass of M dM = 0.18 ± 0.01 M ⊙. The radius of the companion appears to be inflated relative to theoretical mass–radius relationships, consistent with other known HW Vir binaries. Additionally, the M dwarf is one of the most massive found to date among this type of binary.