vol 13, No.1 (2026)
Photometric Light Curve Analysis and Period Variation Study of the Eclipsing Binary System AO Serpentis (http://doi.org/10.65613/688546)
2026
Abstract
AO Serpentis, an eclipsing binary system, was studied using new multiband B, V, R light curve solutions and period variation analysis. Binary Maker 3 and Wilson–Devinney modeled light shapes. A semi-detached binary had a mass ratio q=0.22, inclination i=87.6°, and component effective temperatures T1=9480 K and T2=4786 With primary and secondary masses M1=1.56 M☉ and M2=0.62 M☉, and radii R1=1.67±0.02 R☉ and R2=1.47±0.03 RM3≈0.30 M likely caused long-term decline (dP/dt= -5.39(±0.03)×10−7 days yr−1) and cyclic oscillation (P3=17.3 year) across 80 minimum light periods. BVR light curves reveal a slight O'Connell effect, but the second maximum is ~0.03 mag fainter, indicating a secondary cold spot. Optical magnitudes (MV1≈+2.3 and MV2≈+5.1), bolometric corrections (BC1=−0.14, BC2=−0.46), and logarithmic ages (log τ ≈ 9.1) support late main-sequence.
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References
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2. Southworth, J., The solar-type eclipsing binary system LL Aquarii. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 2013. 557: p. A119.
3. Eggleton, P., Evolutionary processes in binary and multiple stars. Vol. 40. 2006: Cambridge University Press.
4. Paczynski, B., Evolutionary processes in close binary systems. Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics, vol. 9, p. 183, 1971. 9: p. 183.
5. Smith, B.J., C. Struck, and M.A. Nowak, Chandra X-Ray Imaging of the Interacting Starburst Galaxy System NGC 7714/5: Tidal ULXs, Emergent Wind, and Resolved HII Regions. arXiv preprint astro-ph/0412039, 2004.
6. Qian, S.-B., et al., AL cassiopeiae: an F-type contact binary system with a cool stellar companion. The Astronomical Journal, 2014. 148(5): p. 79.
7. Li, K., et al., Extremely low mass ratio contact binaries. I. The first photometric and spectroscopic investigations of ten systems. The Astronomical Journal, 2022. 164(5): p. 202.
8. Zhang, B., et al., The Spectroscopic Binaries from the LAMOST Medium-resolution Survey. I. Searching for Double-lined Spectroscopic Binaries with a Convolutional Neural Network. The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, 2022. 258(2): p. 26.
9. Samus’, N., et al., General catalogue of variable stars: Version GCVS 5.1. Astronomy Reports, 2017. 61(1): p. 80-88.
10. Hoffmeister, C., 162 neue Veräderliche. Astronomische Nachrichten, volume 255, p. 401, 1935. 255: p. 401.
11. Kreiner, J.M., Up-to-date linear elements of eclipsing binaries. Acta Astronomica, v. 54, pp. 207-210,(2004). 2004. 54: p. 207-210.
12. Malkov, O.Y., Mass–luminosity relation of intermediate-mass stars. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2007. 382(3): p. 1073-1086.
13. Tokovinin, A., Comparative statistics and origin of triple and quadruple stars. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2008. 389(2): p. 925-938.
14. Rappaport, S., et al., Triple-star candidates among the Kepler binaries. The Astrophysical Journal, 2013. 768(1): p. 33.
15. Zasche, P., et al., A catalog of visual double and multiple stars with eclipsing components. The Astronomical Journal, 2009. 138(2): p. 664.
16. Applegate, J.H., A mechanism for orbital period modulation in close binaries. Astrophysical Journal, Part 1 (ISSN 0004-637X), vol. 385, Feb. 1, 1992, p. 621-629., 1992. 385: p. 621-629.
17. Lanza, A., M. Rodono, and R. Rosner, Orbital period modulation and magnetic cycles in close binaries. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 1998. 296(4): p. 893-902.
18. O'Connell, D., The so-called periastron effect in eclipsing binaries. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 1951. 111(6): p. 642-642.
19. Davidge, T. and E. Milone, A study of the O'Connell effect in the light curves of eclipsing binaries. Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series (ISSN 0067-0049), vol. 55, Aug. 1984, p. 571-584. Research supported by the University Grants Committee, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and University of Calgary., 1984. 55: p. 571-584.
20. Bradstreet, D.H. and D. Steelman, Binary Maker 3. Light Curve Synthesis Program User Manual, Contact Software, 1993. 725: p. 19401-5505.
21. Wilson, R.E. and E.J. Devinney, Realization of accurate close-binary light curves: application to MR Cygni. Astrophysical Journal, vol. 166, p. 605, 1971. 166: p. 605.
22. Kallrath, J., Fifty Years of Eclipsing Binary Analysis with the Wilson–Devinney Model. Galaxies, 2022. 10(1): p. 17.
23. (1)24. Van Hamme, W., New limb-darkening coefficients for modeling binary star light curves. Astronomical Journal (ISSN 0004-6256), vol. 106, no. 5, p. 2096-2117, 1993. 106: p. 2096-2117.
25. Yang, Y.-G., et al., Photometric Properties for Selected Algol-type Binaries. II. AO Serpentis and V338 Herculis. The Astronomical Journal, 2010. 139(4): p. 1360.
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