High-resolution spectroscopy of detached eclipsing binaries during total eclipses

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that high-resolution spectroscopy during total eclipses of detached eclipsing binaries enables precise determination of stellar ages, physical parameters, and distances, improving understanding of stellar evolution.

Contribution

The paper introduces a method using total eclipse spectra combined with photometry and Gaia data to accurately estimate ages and parameters of DEBs, addressing degeneracies and inconsistencies in previous approaches.

Findings

Total eclipse spectra help break age-metallicity degeneracy.

Spectroscopic analysis constrains properties of both stars in single-lined systems.

Some distances derived from isochrones and Gaia show discrepancies.

Abstract

We present results of high-resolution spectroscopic observations of detached eclipsing binaries (DEBs) with total eclipses, for which UVES spectra were obtained during the phase of totality. With the additional, independent information on effective temperature and metallicity of one of the components, we aimed at estimating the precise ages of the studied binaries, and show the usefulness of totality spectra. We also provide precise orbital and physical stellar parameters of the components of systems in question. Using the VLT/UVES we obtained high-resolution spectra of 11 DEBs during their total eclipse phase. Atmospheric parameters of then-visible (larger) components were obtained with iSpec. With additional spectroscopy from the CR\'EME project, public archives, and literature, we obtained radial velocity (RV) measurements, from which orbital parameters were calculated. Photometric time-series observations from TESS and ASAS were modelled with the JKTEBOP code, and, combined with RV-based results, allowed us to obtain physical parameters for nine double-lined systems from our sample. All the available data were used to constrain the ages with our own approach, utilising MESA isochrones. Reddening-free, isochrone-based distances were also estimated, and confronted with Gaia DR3. We show that single spectroscopic observations taken during a total eclipse can break the age-metallicity degeneracy, and allow for precise determination of the age of a DEB, down to 5-10% level of uncertainty. Even for single-lined DEBs, where absolute masses are not possible to obtain, the spectroscopic analysis of one of the components allows one to put strong constraints on the properties of both stars. For some cases we noted inconsistencies between isochrone-based and GDR3 distances. For one binary, which could not be fitted with a single isochrone (RZ Eri) we suggest a new explanation.