Constraining RRc candidates using SDSS colours

TL;DR

This paper proposes a method to improve classification of RRc stars and binaries by using SDSS colour data to estimate physical parameters, addressing misclassifications in existing catalogs.

Contribution

It introduces a new approach to classify variable stars using SDSS colours, supplementing spectroscopic data and reducing misclassification.

Findings

SDSS colours can effectively estimate physical parameters of variable stars.

The method reduces misclassification of RRc stars and binaries.

Enhanced classification accuracy in variable star catalogs.

Abstract

The light variations of first-overtone RR Lyrae stars and contact eclipsing binaries can be difficult to distinguish. The Catalina Periodic Variable Star catalog contains several misclassified objects, despite the classification efforts by Drake et al. (2014). They used metallicity and surface gravity derived from spectroscopic data (from the SDSS database) to rule out binaries. Our aim is to further constrain the catalog using SDSS colours to estimate physical parameters for stars that did not have spectroscopic data.