Orbital period changes and the higher-order multiplicity fraction amongst SuperWASP eclipsing binaries
arXiv:1505.00941 · doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201525747
Abstract
Orbital period changes of binary stars may be caused by the presence of a third massive body in the system. Here we have searched the archive of the Wide Angle Search for Planets (SuperWASP) project for evidence of period variations in 13927 eclipsing binary candidates. Sinusoidal period changes, strongly suggestive of third bodies, were detected in 2% of cases; however, linear period changes were observed in a further 22% of systems. We argue on distributional grounds that the majority of these apparently linear changes are likely to reflect longer-term sinusoidal period variations caused by third bodies, and thus estimate a higher-order multiplicity fraction of 24% for SuperWASP binaries, in good agreement with other recent figures for the fraction of triple systems amongst binary stars in general.
7 pages, 10 figures (24 pages including appendices to be published at the CDS), accepted for publication by Astronomy & Astrophysics
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- A catalog of nearby accelerating star candidates in Gaia DR3
- The orbital ephemeris of the classical nova RR Pictoris: presence of a third body?
- Period-Luminosity-Metallicity-Color Relations of Late-type Contact Binaries in the Big Data Era