Period Analysis of Eclipsing Cataclysmic Variable Stars

TL;DR

This study analyzes the orbital periods of seven eclipsing cataclysmic variable stars using TESS data, constraining period changes and developing analysis techniques for understanding their orbital evolution.

Contribution

It introduces a method for analyzing eclipse timings in CVs using TESS data, covering various subclasses and aiding future studies of their orbital dynamics.

Findings

Constrained orbital period changes in seven CV systems.

Developed Python-based analysis techniques for eclipse timing.

Included diverse CV subclasses in the analysis.

Abstract

We have performed a study of the orbital properties of seven eclipsing cataclysmic variable (CV) binary systems by analyzing photometric time series from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). We employed Python code to determine the eclipse epochs and orbital periods for each system, and constructed O-C diagrams from observed and predicted eclipse epochs. By analyzing the O-C diagrams of our target CVs, we have constrained values for changes in orbital period with time. Our targets include a sample of sources from each class of non-magnetic, eclipsing CVs: dwarf novae variables, Z Cam type, and U Gem subclasses. We include in our study classical novae variables, nova-like variables (including the VY Scl and UX UMa subclasses), and recurrent novae variable stars. We approached this project with goals of developing time series analysis techniques for future undergraduate-level studies of eclipsing CVs, and how they may contribute to the understanding of their orbital evolution.