Phd. SHI Xiangdong, Prof. QIAN Shengbang et al., from Yunnan Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, reported the study on pulsating Algol type (EA) eclipsing binaries recently. A total of 57 new pulsating stars were detected from 1626 EA-type eclipsing binary systems based on TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) data, and a further analysis has been done. This result was published in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series recently.

Eclipsing binary systems are the most reliable object to obtain absolute stellar parameters from photometric and spectroscopic data. And pulsating stars are very important objects for internal structure detection and distance measurement. Therefore, the research on pulsating star in binary system is extremely useful to understand the stellar structure and evolution. Since the 1970s, pulsating star in eclipsing binary systems has been noted, but only more than 200 such objects have been detected until now.

In April 2018, TESS was launched by NASA as an exoplanet survey mission. The primary TESS mission is to search for planets transiting bright and nearby stars in all-sky. Meanwhile, its high-precision photometric data also provides unprecedented opportunities for the study of binaries and variable stars.

By using the data of 1626 EA-type eclipsing binary systems observed by TESS, researchers found 57 new pulsating stars in eclipsing binary systems, and confirmed their parameters such as pulsation period and amplitude. The preliminary results show that 43 targets are δ Sct components in the classical semi-detached EA-type eclipsing binaries and the other 14 targets are other types of variable stars in eclipsing binaries.

The discovery of these new targets increases the total number of pulsating stars in eclipsing binaries by 20-25%. These important objects are good for further investigations of mass transfer and tidal forces and component pulsation in binaries.

Contact:

SHI Xiangdong, sxd@ynao.ac.cn

Yunnan Observatories, CAS