Fundamental Parameters of Kepler Eclipsing Binaries. I. KIC 5738698

TL;DR

This study derives precise fundamental parameters of the Kepler eclipsing binary KIC 5738698 using light curves and spectra, providing insights into stellar properties, evolution, and system characteristics.

Contribution

It combines space-based photometry with ground-based spectroscopy to accurately determine stellar parameters and orbital characteristics of an eclipsing binary, including eccentricity and age.

Findings

Component masses: 1.39 and 1.34 solar masses.

Component radii: 1.84 and 1.72 solar radii.

System age approximately 2.3 billion years.

Abstract

Eclipsing binaries serve as a valuable source of stellar masses and radii that inform stellar evolutionary models and provide insight into additional astrophysical processes. The exquisite light curves generated by space-based missions such as Kepler offer the most stringent tests to date. We use the Kepler light curve of the 4.8-day eclipsing binary KIC 5739896 with ground based optical spectra to derive fundamental parameters for the system. We reconstruct the component spectra to determine the individual atmospheric parameters, and model the Kepler photometry with the binary synthesis code ELC to obtain accurate masses and radii. The two components of KIC 5738698 are F-type stars with M1 = 1.39+/-0.04M, M2 = 1.34+/-0.06M, and R1 = 1.84+/-0.03R, R2 = 1.72+/-0.03R. We also report a small eccentricity (e < 0.0017) and unusual albedo values that are required to match the detailed shape of the Kepler light curve. Comparisons with evolutionary models indicate an approximate age of 2.3 Gyr for the system.