Light equation in eclipsing binary CV Boo: third body candidate in elliptical orbit

TL;DR

This study investigates the eclipsing binary CV Boo for additional bodies using light equation analysis, revealing a potential third star in a highly eccentric orbit influencing the system's orbital period.

Contribution

First detection of a third body candidate in CV Boo using light equation method with new observational data and analysis of orbital period variations.

Findings

Orbital period variation with a ~75-day cycle

Possible third star with ~0.4 solar masses in eccentric orbit

CV Boo's tertiary companion near the chaotic zone

Abstract

A short period eclipsing binary star CV Boo is tested for the possible existence of additional bodies in the system with a help of the light equation method. We use data on the moments of minima from the literature as well as from our observations during 2014 May--July. A variation of the CV Boo's orbital period is found with a period of $\approx 75$ d. This variation can be explained by the influence of a third star with a mass of $\approx 0.4M_{\odot}$ in an eccentric orbit with $e\approx 0.9$. A possibility that the orbital period changes on long time scales is discussed. The suggested tertiary companion is near the chaotic zone around the central binary, so CV Boo represents an interesting example to test its dynamical evolution. A list of 14 minima moments of the binary obtained from our observations is presented.