Stability of planetary, single M dwarf, and binary star companions to Kepler detached eclipsing binaries and a possible five body system

TL;DR

This paper investigates the stability and configuration of multiple star systems with Kepler eclipsing binaries, identifying 11 systems with flip-flop eclipse timing variations and proposing a possible five-body system involving KIC 5255552.

Contribution

It reports the discovery of 11 systems with flip-flop effects in eclipse timing variations and analyzes their dynamical stability, including a detailed case of a potential five-body system.

Findings

All identified systems are dynamically stable under previous configurations.

KIC 5255552 is likely a quadruple system with a possible fifth body.

The study supports the existence of complex multi-star systems with stable configurations.

Abstract

In this study we identify 11 Kepler systems (KIC 5255552, 5653126, 5731312, 7670617, 7821010, 8023317, 10268809, 10296163, 11519226, 11558882 and 12356914) with a "flip-flop" effect in the eclipse timing variations O-C diagrams of the systems, report on what these systems have in common and whether these systems are dynamically stable. These systems have previously reported high eccentric binary stars with highly eccentric third bodies/outer companions. We find that all of the additional bodies in the system are dynamically stable for the configurations previously reported and are therefore likely to exist as described. We also provide additional evidence of KIC5255552 being a quadruple star system comprised of an eclipsing binary pair and non-eclipsing binary pair with the possibility of a fifth body in the system. With the advent of the NASA TESS exoplanet survey, its precision photometric monitoring offers an opportunity to help confirm more local eclipsing binary star companions, including planets.