Period and amplitude variations in post-common-envelope eclipsing binaries observed with SuperWASP

TL;DR

This study analyzes multi-year SuperWASP data for twelve post-common-envelope eclipsing binaries, revealing period variations in some systems that suggest additional bodies, and confirms constant periods in others, demonstrating the survey's utility.

Contribution

It provides new eclipse timings and evidence of period variations in multiple systems, supporting models with additional bodies and validating previous findings.

Findings

HW Vir shows strong period changes consistent with two-planet models

Plausible period increase observed in ASAS J102322-3737.0

Constant periods confirmed in AA Dor and NSVS 07826147

Abstract

Period or amplitude variations in eclipsing binaries may reveal the presence of additional massive bodies in the system, such as circumbinary planets. Here, we have studied twelve previously-known eclipsing post-common-envelope binaries for evidence of such light curve variations, on the basis of multi-year observations in the SuperWASP archive. The results for HW Vir provided strong evidence for period changes consistent with those measured by previous studies, and help support a two-planet model for the system. ASAS J102322-3737.0 exhibited plausible evidence for a period increase not previously suggested; while NY Vir, QS Vir and NSVS 14256825 afforded less significant support for period change, providing some confirmation to earlier claims. In other cases, period change was not convincingly observed; for AA Dor and NSVS 07826147, previous findings of constant period were confirmed. This study allows us to present hundreds of new primary eclipse timings for these systems, and further demonstrates the value of wide-field high-cadence surveys like SuperWASP for the investigation of variable stars.