1. Detection of the lowest mass ratio contact binary in the universe: TYC 3801-1529-1
- Author
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Li, Kai, Gao, Xiang, Guo, Di-Fu, Gao, Dong-Yang, Chen, Xu, Wang, Li-Heng, Xin, Yu-Xin, Han, Yu-Xin, Kim, Chun-Hwey, and Jeong, Min-Ji
- Subjects
Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics ,Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies - Abstract
This paper presents the first analysis of the contact binary TYC 3801-1529-1. We observed four sets of multiple bands complete light curves and one set of radial velocity curve of the primary component. Based on a simultaneous investigation of our observed and TESS light curves and the radial velocity curve, we found that TYC 3801-1529-1 is an extremely low-mass-ratio, medium contact binary with $q=0.0356$, with the contribution of the third light at a level of about 10\%. Its mass ratio is lower than V1187 Her, making TYC 3801-1529-1 the lowest mass-ratio contact binary ever found in the universe. The light curves observed in 2022 are asymmetric, which is aptly explained by a hot spot on the primary component. A 16-year eclipse timings analysis indicates a secular increase orbital period with a rate of dp/dt$=7.96(\pm0.35)\times10^{-7}$ d yr$^{-1}$. We studied the stability of this target and identified that not only the value of $J_{spin}/J_{orb}$, but also the mass ratio surpass the unstable boundary. Hence, TYC 3801-1529-1 presents a challenge to theoretical research and ought to be considered a progenitor of a contact binary merger., Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, and 1 table, accepted by A&A Letters, Data available via China-VO PaperData repository
- Published
- 2024