Five New Low-Mass Eclipsing Binary Systems
Abstract
We present the discovery of five new low-mass eclipsing binaries with masses between 0.54 and 0.95 M⊙, their photometric light curves, and preliminary models. This is part of a continuing campaign to increase the available data on these interesting systems. Once radial-velocity curves are completed, physical parameters will be determined with an error of less than 2-3%, thus allowing for a rigorous examination of stellar models in the lower-main sequence. Our initial analysis seems to support the current findings that low-mass stars have greater radii than models predict, most likely due to the presence of strong magnetic fields. This work is funded by a partnership between the National Science Foundation (NSF AST-0552798) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) and the Department of Defense (DoD) ASSURE (Awards to Stimulate and Support Undergraduate Research Experiences) programs.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2006
- Bibcode:
- 2006AAS...20915113C