The new RS CVn binary V1034 Her revisited and the orbital period — activity relation of short-period RS CVn binaries using photometric distortion amplitude

Abstract

This paper presents new CCD BV RI light curves of the newly discovered RS CVn eclipsing binary V1034 Her in 2009 and 2010, the shapes of which are different from previously published results. They show an asymmetric outside eclipse, and we try to use a spot model to explain the phenomenon. Using the Wilson-Devinney program with a one-spot or two-spot model, photometric solutions of the system and starspot parameters were derived. Comparing the two results shows that the case of two spots is more successful in reproducing light-curve distortions. Looking at all the spot longitudes, the trend is towards active longitude belts and each active longitude belt may switch. Comparing the light curves from 2009 and 2010, we can see that the light curve changes over the long time scale of a year, especially in phase 0.25. In addition, we also collected the values of the maximum amplitudes of photometric distortion of the short-period RS CVn binary. We found for the first time that there is a trend of increasing activity with decreasing orbital period. Finally, fitting all available light minimum times including our newly obtained ones with a polynomial function confirmed that the orbital period of V1034 Her increased.