Photometric Study of Neglected Eclipsing Binary GSC 3576-0170

TL;DR

This study presents the first detailed photometric analysis of the eclipsing binary GSC 3576-0170, revealing its semi-detached nature, a hot spot caused by mass transfer, and a potential third body or magnetic cycle causing periodic light variations.

Contribution

First photometric solutions for GSC 3576-0170 using Wilson-Devinney code, identifying a hot spot and possible third component or magnetic activity cycle.

Findings

GSC 3576-0170 is a semi-detached binary with a large temperature difference.

Detected a hot spot on the secondary component due to mass transfer.

Identified a possible 4.3-year periodic oscillation in light minima.

Abstract

The new multi-color $BVRI$ photometric light curves of the short-period eclipsing binary GSC 3576-0170 were obtained on two consecutive nights (October 5 and 6, 2009). With the 2003 version of Wilson-Devinney program, the precise photometric solutions are derived for the first time. The result shows that GSC 3576-0170 is a semi-detached binary system with a large temperature difference of approximately 1490 K. The light-curve distortions are further explained by a hot spot on the secondary component through mass transfer via a stream hitting the facing surface of the secondary component. By analyzing all available light minimum times, we also derived an update ephemeris and found for the first time a possible periodic oscillation with an amplitude of 0.0038 days and a period of 4.3 years. The periodic oscillation could be explained either by the light-time effect due to a presumed third component or by magnetic activity cycle of the system.