Related papers: A precision study of two eclipsing white dwarf plu…
We present an analysis of the binary and physical parameters of a unique pulsating white dwarf with a main-sequence companion, SDSS J1136+0409, observed for more than 77 d during the first pointing of the extended Kepler mission: K2…
M dwarfs are prime targets in the hunt for habitable worlds around other stars. This is due to their abundance as well as their small radii and low masses and temperatures, which facilitate the detection of temperate, rocky planets in orbit…
We report the first results of our programme to obtain multi-epoch radial velocity measurements of stars with a strong far-UV excess to identify post common-envelope binaries (PCEBs). The targets have been identified using optical…
We present spectroscopic and photometric observations of the optical counterpart to PSR J1911-5958A, a millisecond pulsar located towards the globular cluster NGC 6752. We measure radial velocities from the spectra and determine the…
EPIC 216747137 is a new HW~Virginis system discovered by the Kepler spacecraft during its K2 "second life". Like the other HW Vir systems, EPIC 216747137 is a post-common-envelope eclipsing binary consisting of a hot subluminous star and a…
We present the first results from SWARMS (Sloan White dwArf Radial velocity data Mining Survey), an ongoing project to identify compact white dwarf (WD) binaries in the spectroscopic catalog of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The first object…
We report the discovery of a new detached eclipsing binary known as NSVS01031772 with component masses M_1= 0.5428 +/- 0.0027Msun, M_2= 0.4982 +/- 0.0025Msun, and radii R_1= 0.5260 +/- 0.0028Rsun, R_2= 0.5088 +/- 0.0030Rsun. The system has…
The nature of the excess near-infrared emission associated with the magnetic white dwarf commonly known as SDSS 1212 is investigated primarily through spectroscopy, and also via photometry. The inferred low mass secondary in this system has…
The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has produced a large number of single transit event candidates which are being monitored by the Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS). We observed a second epoch for the TIC-231005575 system…
I describe the selection and initial characterisation of 20 eclipsing binary stars that are suitable for calibration and testing of stellar models and data analysis algorithms used by the PLATO mission and spectroscopic surveys. The binary…
High-dispersion spectroscopy of EY Cyg obtained from data spanning twelve years show, for the first time, the radial velocity curves from both emission and absorption line systems, yielding semi-amplitudes K_{em}=24+/- 4 km s^-1 and…
We present a catalog of 857 white dwarf (WD)-M binaries from the sixth data release (DR6) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), most of which were previously identified. For 636 of them, we complete a spectral analysis and derive the…
Eclipsing Binaries (EBs) with one of the companions as very low mass stars (VLMS or M dwarfs) are testbeds to substantiate stellar models and evolutionary theories. Here, we present four EB candidates with F type primaries, namely, SAO…
Constraints from surveys of post common envelope binaries (PCEBs) consisting of a white dwarf plus an M-dwarf companion have led to significant progress in our understanding of the formation of close white dwarf binary stars with low-mass…
HW Vir systems are rare evolved eclipsing binaries composed by a hot compact star and a low-mass main-sequence star in a close orbit. These systems provide a direct way to measure the fundamental properties, e.g. masses and radii, of their…
We present the discovery of 17 double white dwarf (WD) binaries from our on-going search for extremely low mass (ELM) <0.3 Msun WDs, objects that form from binary evolution. Gaia parallax provides a new means of target selection that we use…
The fundamental properties of low-mass stars are not as well understood as those of their more massive counterparts. The best method for constraining these properties, especially masses and radii, is to study eclipsing binary systems, but…
Some M-dwarfs around F-/G-type stars have been measured to be hotter and larger than predicted by stellar evolution models. Inconsistencies between observations and models need addressing with more mass, radius and luminosity measurements…
We identify SDSS J130033.48+590407.0 as a common proper motion companion to the well-studied DA white dwarf PG 1258+593 (GD322). The system lies at a distance of 68 +/- 3 pc, where the angular separation of 16.1 +/- 0.1 arcsec corresponds…
Seven ultra low-mass and small-radius white dwarfs (LSPM J0815+1633, LP 240-30, BD+20 5125B, LP 462-12, WD J1257+5428, 2MASS J13453297+4200437, and SDSS J085557.46+053524.5) have been recently identified with masses ranging from $\sim$0.02…