A period study of AW UMa.
Abstract
The period variation of a highly evolved A-type contact binary AW UMa is studied. It is shown that the primary minima always occur slightly earlier than expected (about 36 s). This is too large to be interpreted as the light time effect due to orbital motion of the component stars. Such a shift could be explained in terms of a large persistent dark region on the leading hemisphere (or a bright region on the following hemisphere) close to the neck region of the primary component. The period and light curve variations are discussed within the context of angular momentum evolution of the system.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- September 1992
- Bibcode:
- 1992A&A...263..165D
- Keywords:
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- Eclipsing Binary Stars;
- Stellar Evolution;
- Angular Momentum;
- Light Curve;
- Stellar Mass;
- Stellar Mass Accretion;
- Stellar Orbits;
- Astrophysics