Researchers find more than 50 new pulsating stars in eclipsing binaries

Researchers from Yunnan Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences reported their new findings on the study of pulsating Algol type (EA) eclipsing binaries. A total of 57 new pulsating stars were detected from 1,626 EA-type eclipsing binary systems based on TESS Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) data.

The study was published in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series on March 28.

Eclipsing binary systems are the most reliable objects for obtaining absolute stellar parameters from photometric and spectroscopic data. And pulsating stars are important for internal structure detection and distance measurement. Therefore, the research on pulsating star in binary system can help to understand the stellar structure and evolution.

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 1,626 EA-type eclipsing binary systems observed by TESS, the researchers found 57 new pulsating stars in eclipsing binary systems, and confirmed their parameters such as pulsation period and amplitude.

The preliminary results showed that 43 targets were δ Sct components in the classical semi-detached EA-type eclipsing binaries and the other 14 targets were 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 pulsating stars can help to further investigate mass transfer and tidal forces and component pulsation in binaries.

More information:
Xiang-dong Shi et al, New Pulsating Stars Detected in EA-type Eclipsing-binary Systems Based on TESS Data, The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series (2022). DOI: 10.3847/1538-4365/ac59b9