Orbital Period Systems Research Articles

The Peculiar Bursting Nature of CP Pup

Abstract The classical nova CP Puppis has been observed to have particularly puzzling and peculiar properties. In particular, this classical nova displays occasional bursts in its long-term ASAS-SN light curve. Here we report on 5 sectors of TESS data displaying 2 of these rapid bursts, lasting ∼ 1 day. Based on the estimated lower energy limits of the bursts we discuss whether the bursts may be examples of micronovae resulting from localised thermonuclear explosion. Furthermore, its orbital period remains uncertain, with several inconsistent periodic signals appearing in spectroscopic and photometric observations at various wavelengths. Although we cannot unambiguously unravel the physical origin of the signals, the previously suggested nature of CP Puppis as a long orbital period system may be a viable explanation. The recurrence time of the bursts in CP Puppis, together with the unexplained variable modulations make it a prime candidate for intense monitoring.

The Orbital and Physical Properties of Five Southern Be+sdO Binary Systems

Close binary interactions may play a critical role in the formation of the rapidly rotating Be stars. Mass transfer can result in a mass gainer star spun up by the accretion of mass and angular momentum, while the mass donor is stripped of its envelope to form a hot and faint helium star. Far-UV spectroscopy has led to the detection of about 20 such binary Be+sdO systems. Here we report on a 3 yr program of high-quality spectroscopy designed to determine the orbital periods and physical properties of five Be binary systems. These binaries are long orbital period systems with P = 95–237 days and small semiamplitude K 1 < 11 km s−1. We combined the Be star velocities with prior sdO measurements to obtain mass ratios. A Doppler tomography algorithm shows the presence of the He ii λ4686 line in the faint spectrum of the hot companion in four of the targets. We discuss the observed line variability and show evidence of phase-locked variations in the emission profiles of HD 157832, suggesting a possible disk spiral density wave due to the presence of the companion star. The stripped companions in HD 113120 and HD 137387 may have a mass larger than 1.4 M ⊙, indicating that they could be progenitors of Type Ib and Ic supernovae.

CoBiToM Project – II. Evolution of contact binary systems close to the orbital period cut-off

ABSTRACT Ultra-short orbital period contact binaries (Porb &amp;lt; 0.26 d) host some of the smallest and least massive stars. These systems are faint and rare, and it is believed that they have reached a contact configuration after several Gyrs of evolution via angular momentum loss, mass transfer, and mass loss through stellar wind processes. This study is conducted in the frame of the Contact Binaries Towards Merging (CoBiToM) Project and presents the results from light curve and orbital analysis of 30 ultra-short orbital period contact binaries, with the aim to investigate the possibility of them being red nova progenitors, eventually producing merger events. Approximately half of the systems exhibit orbital period modulations, as a result of mass transfer or mass loss processes. Although they are in contact, their fill-out factor is low (less than 30 per cent), while their mass ratio is larger than the one in longer period contact binaries. This study investigates the orbital stability of these systems and examines their physical and orbital parameters in comparison to those of the entire sample of known and well-studied contact binaries, based on combined spectroscopic and photometric analysis. It is found that ultra-short orbital period contact binaries have very stable orbits, while very often additional components are gravitationally bound in wide orbits around the central binary system. We confirmed that the evolution of such systems is very slow, which explains why the components of ultra-short orbital period systems are still Main Sequence stars after several Gyrs of evolution.

Bright Mini-outburst Ends the 12 yr Long Activity of the Black Hole Candidate Swift J1753.5–0127

Abstract We present optical, UV, and X-ray monitoring of the short orbital period black hole X-ray binary candidate Swift J1753.5–0127, focusing on the final stages of its 12 yr long outburst that started in 2005. From 2016 September onward, the source started to fade, and within 3 months, the optical flux almost reached the quiescent level. Soon after that, using a new proposed rebrightening classification method, we recorded a mini-outburst and a reflare in the optical light curves, peaking in 2017 February (V ∼ 17.0) and May (V ∼ 17.9), respectively. Remarkably, the mini-outburst has a peak flux consistent with the extrapolation of the slow decay before the fading phase preceding it. The following reflare was fainter and shorter. We found from optical colors that the temperature of the outer disk was ∼11,000 K when the source started to fade rapidly. According to the disk instability model, this is close to the critical temperature when a cooling wave is expected to form in the disk, shutting down the outburst. The optical color could be a useful tool to predict decay rates in some X-ray transients. We notice that all X-ray binaries that show mini-outbursts following a main outburst are short orbital period systems (&lt;7 hr). In analogy with another class of short-period binaries showing similar mini-outbursts, the cataclysmic variables of the RZ LMi type, we suggest that mini-outbursts could occur if there is a hot inner disk at the end of the outburst decay.

Multiplicity of Galactic Cepheids and RR Lyrae stars from Gaia DR2

Context. The multiplicity of classical Cepheids (CCs) and RR Lyrae stars (RRLs) is still imperfectly known, particularly for RRLs. Aims. In order to complement the close-in short orbital period systems presented in Paper I, our aim is to detect the wide, spatially resolved companions of the targets of our reference samples of Galactic CCs and RRLs. Methods. Angularly resolved common proper motion pairs were detected using a simple progressive selection algorithm to separate the most probable candidate companions from the unrelated field stars. Results. We found 27 resolved, high probability gravitationally bound systems with CCs out of 456 examined stars, and one unbound star embedded in the circumstellar dusty nebula of the long-period Cepheid RS Pup. We found seven spatially resolved, probably bound systems with RRL primaries out of 789 investigated stars, and 22 additional candidate pairs. We report in particular new companions of three bright RRLs: OV And (companion of F4V spectral type), RR Leo (M0V), and SS Oct (K2V). In addition, we discovered resolved companions of 14 stars that were likely misclassified as RRLs. Conclusions. The detection of resolved non-variable companions around CCs and RRLs facilitates the validation of their Gaia DR2 parallaxes. The possibility to conduct a detailed analysis of the resolved coeval companions of CCs and old population RRLs will also be valuable to progress on our understanding of their evolutionary path.

The complex evolution of the X-ray binary transient MAXI J1807+132 along the decay of its discovery outburst

MAXI J1807+132 is an X-ray transient discovered during the decay of an outburst in 2017. We present optical and X-ray monitoring of the source over more than 125 days, from outburst to quiescence. The outburst decay is characterized by the presence of several re-flares with a quasi-periodic recurrence time of $\sim 6.5$ days. We detect broad H and He emission lines during outburst, characteristic of transient low mass X-ray binaries. These emission lines show strong variability from epoch to epoch and, in particular, during the early stages are found embedded into deep and very broad absorption features. The quiescent spectrum shows H$\alpha$ in emission and no obvious signatures of the donor star. XMM-Newton and Swift spectra can be fitted with standard X-ray models for accreting black-holes and neutron stars, although the obtained spectral parameters favour the latter scenario. Conversely, other observables such as the optical/X-ray flux ratio, the likely systemic velocity ($\gamma \sim -150$ km s$^{-1}$) and the re-flares recurrence time suggest a black hole nature. We discuss all the above possibilities with emphasis on the strong similarities of MAXI J1807+132 with short orbital period systems.

Sizing up the population of gamma-ray binaries

Context.Gamma-ray binaries are thought to be composed of a young pulsar in orbit around a massive O or Be star with their gamma-ray emission powered by pulsar spin-down. The number of such systems in our Galaxy is not known.Aims.We aim to estimate the total number of gamma-ray binaries in our Galaxy and to evaluate the prospects for new detections in the GeV and TeV energy range, taking into account that their gamma-ray emission is modulated on the orbital period.Methods.We modelled the population of gamma-ray binaries and evaluated the fraction of detected systems in surveys with theFermi-LAT (GeV), H.E.S.S., HAWC and CTA (TeV) using observation-based and synthetic template light curves.Results.The detected fraction depends more on the orbit-average flux than on the light-curve shape. Our best estimate for the number of gamma-ray binaries is 101\hbox{$_{-52}^{+89}$} systems. A handful of discoveries are expected by pursuing theFermi-LAT survey. Discoveries in TeV surveys are less likely. However, this depends on the relative amounts of power emitted in GeV and TeV domains. There could be as many as ≈ 200 HESS J0632+057-like systems with a high ratio of TeV to GeV emission compared to other gamma-ray binaries. Statistics allow for as many as three discoveries in five years of HAWC observations and five discoveries in the first two years of the CTA Galactic Plane survey.Conclusions.We favour continuedFermi-LAT observations over ground-based TeV surveys to find new gamma-ray binaries. Gamma-ray observations are most sensitive to short orbital period systems with a high spin-down pulsar power. Radio pulsar surveys (SKA) are likely to be more efficient in detecting long orbital period systems, providing a complementary probe into the gamma-ray binary population.

CONSTRAINING THE PHYSICS OF AM CANUM VENATICORUM SYSTEMS WITH THE ACCRETION DISK INSTABILITY MODEL

Recent work by Levitan et al has expanded the long-term photometric database for AM CVn stars. In particular, their outburst properties are well-correlated with orbital period, and allow constraints to be placed on the secular mass transfer rate between secondary and primary if one adopts the disk instability model for the outbursts. We use the observed range of outbursting behavior for AM CVn systems as a function of orbital period to place a constraint on mass transfer rate versus orbital period P. We infer a rate ~5 x 10^{-9} Msun/yr (P/1000 s)^{-5.2}. We show the functional form so obtained is consistent with the recurrence time-orbital period relation found by Levitan et al using a simple theory for the recurrence time. Also, we predict their steep dependence of outburst duration on orbital period will flatten considerably once the longer orbital period systems have more complete observations.

Monte Carlo simulations of post-common-envelope white dwarf + main sequence binaries: The effects of including recombination energy

Detached WD+MS PCEBs are perhaps the most suitable objects for testing predictions of close-compact binary-star evolution theories, in particular, CE evolution. The population of WD+MS PCEBs has been simulated by several authors in the past and compared with observations. However, most of those predictions did not take the possible contributions to the envelope ejection from additional sources of energy (mostly recombination energy) into account. Here we update existing binary population models of WD+MS PCEBs by assuming that a fraction of the recombination energy available within the envelope contributes to ejecting the envelope. We performed Monte Carlo simulations of 10^7 MS+MS binaries for 9 different models using standard assumptions for the initial primary mass function, binary separations, and initial-mass-ratio distribution and evolved these systems using the publicly available BSE code. Including a fraction of recombination energy leads to a clear prediction of a large number of long orbital period (>~10 days) systems mostly containing high-mass WDs. The fraction of systems with He-core WD primaries increases with the CE efficiency and the existence of very low-mass He WDs is only predicted for high values of the CE efficiency (>~0.5). All models predict on average longer orbital periods for PCEBs containing C/O-core WDs than for PCEBs containing He WDs. This effect increases with increasing values of both efficiencies. Longer periods after the CE phase are also predicted for systems containing more massive secondary stars. The initial-mass-ratio distribution affects the distribution of orbital periods, especially the distribution of secondary star masses. Our simulations, in combination with a large and homogeneous observational sample, can provide constraints on the values of the CE efficiencies, as well as on the initial-mass-ratio distribution for MS+MS binary stars.

UNDERSTANDING THE EVOLUTION OF CLOSE BINARY SYSTEMS WITH RADIO PULSARS

We calculate the evolution of close binary systems (CBSs) formed by a neutron star (behaving as a radio pulsar) and a normal donor star, evolving either to helium white dwarf (HeWD) or ultra short orbital period systems. We consider X-ray irradiation feedback and evaporation due to radio pulsar irradiation. We show that irradiation feedback leads to cyclic mass transfer episodes, allowing CBSs to be observed in-between as binary radio pulsars under conditions in which standard, non-irradiated models predict the occurrence of a low mass X-ray binary. This behavior accounts for the existence of a family of eclipsing binary systems known as redbacks. We predict that redback companions should almost fill their Roche lobe, as observed in PSR J1723-2837. This state is also possible for systems evolving with larger orbital periods. Therefore, binary radio pulsars with companion star masses usually interpreted as larger than expected to produce HeWDs may also result in such {\it quasi - Roche Lobe Overflow} states, rather than hosting a carbon-oxygen WD. We found that CBSs with initial orbital periods $\mathrm{P_{i}<1}$ day evolve into redbacks. Some of them produce low mass HeWDs, and a subgroup with shorter $\mathrm{P_{i}}$ become black widows (BWs). Thus, BWs descent from redbacks, although not all redbacks evolve into BWs. There is mounting observational evidence favoring that BW pulsars are very massive ($\mathrm{\gtrsim 2\; M_{\odot}}$). As they should be redback descendants, redback pulsars should also be very massive, since most of the mass is transferred before this stage.

Long‐term X‐ray timing of the double pulsar PSR J0737–3039

AbstractThe relativistic double neutron star binary PSR J0737–3039 is a truly unique system offering the diagnostics of two interacting radio pulsars in a short orbital period system. Clear evidences of orbital phase‐dependent interactions between the two neutron stars are seen both in radio and X‐rays observations. We present the timing analysis results of the PSRJ0737– 3039 observations performed in the context of the 2006 and 2011 XMM‐Newton Large programs providing ∼ 20000 X‐ray counts overall from the system. Despite only marginal orbital flux variability is detected, both pulsars of the system are clearly seen in X‐ray providing physical insights on the physics of the mutual interactions in their close environment. In particular, we discuss possible processes behind the peculiar X‐ray brightening of the “lazy pulsar” PSR B via energy transfer from the “power plant” PSR A. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &amp; Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

THE RADIUS DISCREPANCY IN LOW-MASS STARS: SINGLE VERSUS BINARIES

A long-standing issue in the theory of low mass stars is the discrepancy between predicted and observed radii and effective temperatures. In spite of the increasing availability of very precise radius determinations from eclipsing binaries and interferometric measurements of radii of single stars, there is no unanimous consensus on the extent (or even the existence) of the discrepancy and on its connection with other stellar properties (e.g. metallicity, magnetic activity). We investigate the radius discrepancy phenomenon using the best data currently available (accuracy about 5%). We have constructed a grid of stellar models covering the entire range of low mass stars (0.1-1.25 M_sun) and various choices of the metallicity and of the mixing length parameter \alpha. We used an improved version of the Yale Rotational stellar Evolution Code (YREC), implementing surface boundary conditions based on the most up-to-date PHOENIX atmosphere models. Our models are in good agreement with others in the literature and improve and extend the low mass end of the Yale-Yonsei isochrones. Our calculations include rotation-related quantities, such as moments of inertia and convective turnover time scales, useful in studies of magnetic activity and rotational evolution of solar-like stars. Consistently with previous works, we find that both binaries and single stars have radii inflated by about 3% with respect to the theoretical models; among binaries, the components of short orbital period systems are found to be the most deviant. We conclude that both binaries and single stars are comparably affected by the radius discrepancy phenomenon.

THE SHAPE OF LONG OUTBURSTS IN U GEM TYPE DWARF NOVAE FROM AAVSO DATA

We search the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) archives of the two best studied dwarf novae in an attempt to find light curves for long outbursts that are extremely well-characterized. The systems are U Gem and SS Cyg. Our goal is to search for embedded precursors such as those that have been found recently in the high fidelity Kepler data for superoutbursts of some members of the SU UMa subclass of dwarf novae. For the vast majority of AAVSO data, the combination of low data cadence and large errors associated with individual measurements precludes one from making any strong statement about the shape of the long outbursts. However, for a small number of outbursts, extensive long term monitoring with digital photometry yields high fidelity light curves. We report the discovery of embedded precursors in two of three candidate long outbursts. This is the first time that such embedded precursors have been found in dwarf novae above the period gap, and reinforces van Paradijs' finding that long outbursts in dwarf novae above the period gap and superoutbursts in systems below the period gap constitute a unified class. The thermal-tidal instability to account for superoutbursts in the SU UMa stars predicts embedded precursors only for short orbital period dwarf novae, therefore the presence of embedded precursors in long orbital period systems - U Gem and SS Cyg - argues for a more general mechanism to explain long outbursts.

The black hole candidate XTE J1752−223 towards and in quiescence: optical and simultaneous X-ray-radio observations

We present optical, X-ray and radio observations of the black hole transient (BHT) XTE J1752-223 towards and in quiescence. Optical photometry shows that the quiescent magnitude of XTE J1752-223 is fainter than 24.4 magnitudes in the i'-band. A comparison with measurements of the source during its 2009-2010 outburst shows that the outburst amplitude is more than 8 magnitudes in the i'-band. Known X-ray properties of the source combined with the faintness of the quiescence optical counterpart and the large outburst optical amplitude point towards a short orbital period system (Porb<~6.8 h) with an M type (or later) mass donor, at a distance of 3.5<~d<~8 kpc. Simultaneous X-ray and radio data were collected with Chandra and the EVLA, allowing constraints to be placed on the quiescent X-ray and radio flux of XTE J1752-223. Furthermore, using data covering the final stage of the outburst decay, we investigated the low luminosity end of the X-ray - radio correlation for this source and compared it with other BHTs. We found that XTE J1752-223 adds to the number of outliers with respect to the `standard' X-ray - radio luminosity relation. Furthermore, XTE J1752-223 is the second source, after the BHT H1743-322, that shows a transition from the region of the outliers towards the `standard' correlation at low luminosity. Finally, we report on a faint, variable X-ray source we discovered with Chandra at an angular distance of ~2.9" to XTE J1752-223 and at a position angle consistent with that of the radio jets previously observed from the BHT. We discuss the possibility that we detected X-ray emission associated with a jet from XTE J1752-223.

Post-common envelope binaries from SDSS - XVI. Long orbital period systems and the energy budget of common envelope evolution

Virtually all close compact binary stars are formed through common-envelope (CE) evolution. It is generally accepted that during this crucial evolutionary phase a fraction of the orbital energy is used to expel the envelope. However, it is unclear whether additional sources of energy, such as the recombination energy of the envelope, play an important role. Here we report the discovery of the second and third longest orbital period post-common envelope binaries (PCEBs) containing white dwarf (WD) primaries, i.e. SDSSJ121130.94-024954.4 (Porb = 7.818 +- 0.002 days) and SDSSJ222108.45+002927.7 (Porb = 9.588 +- 0.002 days), reconstruct their evolutionary history, and discuss the implications for the energy budget of CE evolution. We find that, despite their long orbital periods, the evolution of both systems can still be understood without incorporating recombination energy, although at least small contributions of this additional energy seem to be likely. If recombination energy significantly contributes to the ejection of the envelope, more PCEBs with relatively long orbital periods (Porb >~ 1-3 day) harboring massive WDs (Mwd >~ 0.8 Msun) should exist.

A 1.4 GHz Arecibo Survey for Pulsars in Globular Clusters

We have surveyed all 22 known Galactic globular clusters observable with the Arecibo radio telescope and within 70 kpc of the Sun for radio pulsations at ~1.4 GHz. Data were taken with the Wideband Arecibo Pulsar Processor, which provided the large bandwidth and high time and frequency resolution needed to detect fast-spinning, faint pulsars. We have also employed advanced search techniques to maintain sensitivity to short orbital period binaries. These searches have discovered 11 new millisecond pulsars and two promising candidates in five clusters, almost doubling the population of pulsars in the Arecibo-visible globular clusters. Ten of these new pulsars are in binary systems, and three are eclipsing. This survey has discovered significantly more very fast spinning pulsars (Pspin 4 ms) and short orbital period systems (Porb 6 hr) than previous surveys of the same clusters. We discuss some properties of these systems, as well as some characteristics of the globular cluster pulsar population in general, particularly its luminosity distribution.

Detection of Highly Ionized Metal Absorption Lines in the Ultracompact X‐Ray Dipper 4U 1916−05

We present the high-resolution Chandra X-Ray Observatory persistent (nondip) spectrum of 4U 1916-05, which revealed narrow absorption lines from hydrogenic neon, magnesium, silicon, and sulfur, in addition to the previous identified hydrogenic and helium-like iron absorption lines. This makes 4U 1916-05 only the second of the classical X-ray dipper systems to show narrow absorption lines from elements other than iron. We propose two possible explanations for the small measured line widths (500-2000 km s-1), compared to the expected Keplerian velocities (>1000 km s-1) of the accretion disk in this 50 minute orbital period system, and lack of wavelength shifts (250 km s-1). First, the ionized absorber may be stationary. Alternatively, the line properties may measure the relative size of the emission region. From this hypothesis, we find that the emission region is constrained to be 0.25 times the radial extent of the absorber. Our results also imply that the ionized absorber spans a range of ionization parameters.

On the new short orbital period cataclysmic variable Hα0242-2802

We present results from our phase-resolved spectroscopy of the newly identified cataclysmic variable Ha0242-2802. Hα0242-2802 was identified from a deep UK Schmidt Ha-R band survey as a candidate cataclysmic variable. Although initial spectroscopy revealed an optical spectrum very similar to that of the famous short orbital period system WZ Sge, the analysis of our data shows that this is not the case. Hα0242-28 differs from WZ Sge in both the accretion disk structure and the orbital period. In particular, Hα0242-28 appears to be a system which has not reached the orbital period minimum, yet.

Why soft X-ray transients can remain in the low/hard state during outburst

In the canonical understanding of transient X-ray sources the accretion during quiescence occurs via a geometrically thin disk in the outer part and via an advection-dominated hot coronal flow/ADAF in the inner part. The inner part important for the radiation yields a hard spectrum. In most sources the luminosity increase during outburst causes a change over to a soft spectrum which can be understood as that of a multi-color black body disk reaching inward to the marginally stable orbit. A few transient sources do not display this transition to the soft state. We show that this can be understood as due to relatively low peak luminosities in outburst in systems with short orbital periods and therefore less mass accumulated in the then smaller accretion disk. This is in agreement with the observations which show that most likely short orbital period systems remain in the hard spectral state.

The orbital period distribution of subdwarf-B binaries

We present the results of a 3.5 year long campaign to measure orbital periods of subdwarf-B (sdB) star binaries. We directly compare our observed orbital period distribution with that predicted by using binary population synthesis. Up to now, most of our systems seem to have been formed through two of the formation channels discussed by Han et al. (2003, MNRAS 341, p. 669), i.e. the first and the second common envelope ejection (CE) channels. At this point, thanks to the long baseline of our observations, we are starting to detect also very long orbital period systems. These have probably come from a complete different formation path, the first stable Roche Lobe overflow (RLOF) channel in which the first mass transfer phase is stable. This channel is expected to lead to the formation of very wide binaries with typical orbital periods ranging from 1 month to 1 year.