LOW-MASS ECLIPSING BINARIES IN THE INITIAL<i>KEPLER</i>DATA RELEASE

Jeffrey L. Coughlin, M. López-Morales, T. E. Harrison, N. Ule, D. I. Hoffman

The Astronomical Journal · 2011 · 105 citations · 44 references

DOIFull text

Open access

Concepts

Abstract

We identify 231 objects in the newly released Cycle 0 data set from the Kepler Mission as double-eclipse, detached&#13;\neclipsing binary systems with T_(eff) &lt; 5500 K and orbital periods shorter than ~32 days. We model each light curve&#13;\nusing the JKTEBOP code with a genetic algorithm to obtain precise values for each system. We identify 95 new&#13;\nsystems with both components below 1.0 M_⊙ and eclipses of at least 0.1 mag, suitable for ground-based follow-up.&#13;\nOf these, 14 have periods less than 1.0 day, 52 have periods between 1.0 and 10.0 days, and 29 have periods&#13;\ngreater than 10.0 days. This new sample of main-sequence, low-mass, double-eclipse, detached eclipsing binary&#13;\ncandidates more than doubles the number of previously known systems and extends the sample into the completely&#13;\nheretofore unexplored P &gt; 10.0 day period regime. We find preliminary evidence from these systems that the radii&#13;\nof low-mass stars in binary systems decrease with period. This supports the theory that binary spin-up is the primary&#13;\ncause of inflated radii in low-mass binary systems, although a full analysis of each system with radial-velocity and multi-color light curves is needed to fully explore this hypothesis. Also, we present seven new transiting planet candidates that do not appear among the list of 706 candidates recently released by the Kepler team, or in the Kepler False Positive Catalog, along with several other new and interesting systems. We also present novel techniques for the identification, period analysis, and modeling of eclipsing binaries.

References

44