2M17091769+3127589: a mass-transfer binary with an extreme mass ratio

Abstract

We present the orbital solution of a peculiar double-lined spectroscopic and eclipsing binary system, 2M17091769+3127589. This solution was obtained by a simultaneous fit of both APOGEE radial velocities and TESS and ASAS-SN light curves to determine masses and radii. This system consists of an $M=0.256_{-0.006}^{+0.010}$ $M_{\odot }$, $R=3.961_{-0.032}^{+0.049}$ $R_{\odot }$ red giant and a hotter $M=1.518_{-0.031}^{+0.057}$ $M_{\odot }$, $R=2.608_{-0.321}^{+0.034}$ $R_{\odot }$ subgiant. Modelling with the MESA evolutionary codes indicates that the system likely formed 5.26 Gyrs ago, with a $M=1.2$ $M_{\odot }$ primary that is now the system's red giant and a $M=1.11$ $M_{\odot }$ secondary that is now a more massive subgiant. Due to Roche-lobe overflow as the primary ascends the red giant branch, the more evolved "primary" (i.e., originally the more massive star of the pair) is now only one-sixth as massive as the "secondary". Such a difference between the initial and the current mass ratio is one of the most extreme detected so far. Evolutionary modelling suggests the system is still engaged in mass transfer, at a rate of $\dot{M}\sim 10^{-9}$ $M_{\odot }$ yr${}^{-1}$, and it provides an example of a less evolved precursor to some of the systems that consist of white dwarfs and blue stragglers.

Accepted to AJ; 12 pages, 8 figures