Related papers: The Critical Mass Ratio for W UMa-type Contact Bin…
Theoretical study indicates that a contact binary system would merge into a rapidly rotating single star due to tidal instability when the spin angular momentum of the system is more than a third of its orbital angular momentum. Assuming…
W UMa type binaries have two defining characteristics. These are (i) the effective temperatures of both components are very similar, and (ii) the secondary (currently less massive) component is overluminous for its current mass. We consider…
Despite being the most abundant (by space density) of interacting binary stars, W Ursae Majoris (W UMa) stars are not understood structurally. Their stellar components are in physical contact, and share a common convective envelope.…
A new scenario for evolution of contact binaries is presented and discussed. Arguments are given that W UMa-type systems are formed from detached binaries which lose angular momentum via magnetized wind. This takes typically several Gyr.…
The contact binary AW UMa has an extreme mass ratio, with the more massive component (the current primary) close to the main sequence, while the low mass star at q ~ 0.1 (the current secondary) has a much larger radius than a main sequence…
The minimum mass ratio for tidal stability of a contact binary containing two unevolved main-sequence stars is calculated to be $\qmin\simeq0.09$ in the case of a mostly radiative primary, and is higher if an appreciable fraction of the…
Results are presented on component masses and system angular momenta for over a hundred low-temperature contact binaries. It is found that the secondary components in close binary systems are very similar in mass. Our observational evidence…
Contact binary systems (also known as W UMa systems) consist of a pair of hydrogen-burning dwarf stars orbiting each other so closely that they share a common envelope. Although they are relatively common, there is as yet no established…
The lower limit of the mass ratio in contact binaries remains uncertain, with observations suggesting systems exist below theoretical predictions. The stability of such very low mass ratio systems is still debated. Based on our review of…
II UMa is a late F-type (F5) contact binary with a close-in tertiary and a distant visual companion. According to the four-color ($B$ $V$ $R_c$ $I_c$) light curves' solutions of II UMa, it is a high fill-out (f=$86.6\,\%$) and low mass…
We present a model for the formation of high-mass close binary systems in the context of forming massive stars through gas accretion in the centres of stellar clusters. A low-mass wide binary evolves under mass accretion towards a high-mass…
This paper presents the results of a combined spectroscopic and photometric study of 20 contact binary systems: HV Aqr, OO Aql, FI Boo, TX Cnc, OT Cnc, EE Cet, RWCom, KR Com, V401 Cyg, V345 Gem, AK Her, V502 Oph, V566 Oph, V2612 Oph, V1363…
In this study, we determined the physical parameters of W UMa type contact binaries and its stability of mass transfer with different stellar mass ranges over a broad space by applying the basic dynamical evolution equations of the W UMa…
The observations of W UMa type stars show a well-defined short-period limit of 0.22 d, which is equivalent to a lower mass limit of approximately 1 solar mass for the total binary mass. It is currently believed that cool contact binaries…
Photometric observations and analysis of twelve previously poorly studied contact binary systems is presented. All show total eclipses and have extremely low mass ratios ranging from 0.072 to 0.15. Also, all show characteristics of orbital…
A sample of bright contact binary stars (W UMa-type or EW, and related: with beta Lyr light curves, EB, and ellipsoidal, ELL - in effect, all but the detached, EA), to the limit of Vmax = 7.5 magnitude is deemed to include all discoverable…
Multi-band photometric observations of eleven totally eclipsing contact binaries were carried out. Applying the Wilson-Devinney program, photometric solutions were obtained. There are two W-subtype systems, which are CRTS J133031.1+161202…
Contact binary star systems represent the long-lived penultimate phase of binary evolution. Population statistics of their physical parameters inform understanding of binary evolutionary pathways and end products. We use light curves and…
Using Eggleton's stellar evolution code, we study the minimum mass ratio ($q_{\rm min}$) of W Ursae Majoris (W UMa) binaries that have different primary masses. It is found that the minimum mass ratio of W UMa binaries decreases with…
Contact binaries can be used for distance determinations of stellar systems. They are easy to discover and identify and are very abundant among solar-type stars, particularly for M_V > +3. The period - luminosity - colour (PLC) relations…