An optical and X-ray study of the contact binary, BH Cassiopeiae

Abstract

We present the revised and high quality CCD time series observations in 2017 and 2018 of the W UMa-type contact binary BH~Cas. The combination of our new determinations of minimum times and those collected from the literatures reveal a long-term period increase with a rate of $\text{dP/dt}=+3.27\times 10^{-7}\text{d}{\text{yr}}^{-1}$, which can be accounted for by angular momentum transfer as the less-massive component loses its mass to the more massive one. One cyclical oscillation ($A^{\prime }=0.00300$~days and $P^{\prime }=20.09$~yrs) superimposed on the long-term period increase tendency is attributed to one additional object that orbits BH Cas. The low-resolution spectra of this source are observed at phase $\sim$0.0 and $\sim$0.5 in 2018 and 2019, and the spectral types are identified as K3V$\pm$1 and G8V$\pm$2. According to the luminosity contributions and spectra at these phases, the spectral type of the primary star is close to K3V$\pm$1. We infer a cool spot on the hotter and less-massive component to fit the asymmetry of light curves. In addition, changes in the location, temperature, and area of spots on the secondary star in different observations may indicate that the magnetic field activity of the secondary is more active than that of the primary. Such strong spot activities and optical flare are both detected at the same time from a W UMa-type star for the first time. With the \emph{XMM-Newton} observations taken in 2003 and 2012, the X-ray light curve is obtained and the X-ray spectra can be well described with a black-body or a bremsstrahlung model. The soft X-ray luminosity of BH Cas is estimated as 8.8\,--\,9.7$\times 10^{30}$\,erg\,s${}^{-1}$.

arXiv comment22 pages, 9 figures, Accepted for publication in the PASP

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• Comparative study of TESS photometry and radial velocities on six early K-type contact binaries with similar periods around 0.268 days
• X-ray emission of contact binary variables within 1 kpc