Two new hot subdwarf binaries in the GALEX survey

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery and characterization of two new hot subdwarf binary systems from the GALEX survey, including their orbital periods, variability, and companion star properties.

Contribution

The study presents the identification of two new hot subdwarf binaries with detailed orbital and atmospheric parameters, expanding knowledge of such systems from GALEX data.

Findings

GALEX J0321+4727 is a variable star with reflection effect.

GALEX J2349+3844 shows no significant photometric variability.

Orbital periods are approximately 0.266 and 0.462 days.

Abstract

We report the discovery of two new hot, hydrogen-rich subdwarfs (sdB) in close binary systems. The hot subdwarfs, GALEX J0321+4727 and GALEX J2349+3844, were selected from a joint optical-ultraviolet catalogue of hot sub-luminous stars based on GSC2.3.2 and the Galaxy Evolution Explorer all-sky survey. Using high-dispersion spectra of the Halpha core obtained using the 2m telescope at Ondrejov Observatory we measured the radial velocities of the sdB primaries and determined orbital periods of 0.26584+/-0.00004 days and 0.46249+/-0.00007 days for GALEX J0321+4727 and GALEX J2349+3844, respectively. The time series obtained from the Northern Sky Variability Survey with an effective wavelength near the R band show that GALEX J0321+4727 is a variable star (Delta m=0.12 mag) while no significant variations are observed in GALEX J2349+3844. The period of variations in GALEX J0321+4727 coincides with the orbital period and the variability is probably caused by a reflection effect on a late-type secondary star. Lack of photometric variations in GALEX J2349+3844 probably indicates that the companion is a white dwarf star. Using all available photometry and spectroscopy, we measured the atmospheric properties of the two sdB stars and placed limits on the mass and luminosity of the companion stars.