An Updated Catalog of 4680 Northern Eclipsing Binaries with Algol-Type light curve morphology in the Catalina Sky Surveys

TL;DR

This paper provides an updated catalog of 4680 northern Algol-type eclipsing binaries from the Catalina Sky Surveys, including revised periods, classifications, and identification of long-term variability, enhancing the understanding of these systems.

Contribution

The study offers a revised, machine learning-based classification and period determination for a large sample of eclipsing binaries, including new insights into long-term variability.

Findings

Most periods agree with original catalogs, with ~10% improved.

3456 systems classified as detached, 449 as semi-detached.

Identified 119 systems with long-term quadrature light variations.

Abstract

We present an updated catalog of 4680 northern eclipsing binaries (EBs) with Algol-type light curve morphology (i.e., with well-defined beginning and end of primary and secondary eclipses), using data from the Catalina Sky Surveys. Our work includes revised period determinations, phenomenological parameters of the light curves, and system morphology classification based on machine learning techniques. While most of the new periods are in excellent agreement with those provided in the original Catalina catalogs, improved values are now available for ~10% of the stars. A total of 3456 EBs were classified as detached and 449 as semi-detached, while 145 cannot be classified unambiguously into either subtype. The majority of the SD systems seems to be comprised of short-period Algols. By applying color criteria, we searched for K- and M-type dwarfs in these data, and present a subsample of 609 EB candidates for further investigation. We report 119 EBs (2.5% of the total sample) that show maximum quadrature light variations over long timescales, with periods bracketing the range 4.5-18 yrs and fractional luminosity variance of 0.04-0.13. We discuss possible causes for this, making use of models of variable starspot activity in our interpretation of the results.