RS Sagittarii: Revealing the component spectra and the mass transfer

TL;DR

This study provides the first detailed spectroscopic and photometric analysis of RS Sgr, revealing the component types, mass transfer dynamics, and system parameters, including the presence of circumprimary disk and gas stream.

Contribution

It offers the first precise spectroscopic and absolute parameters of RS Sgr, including component classifications and mass transfer features, using high-resolution data.

Findings

Primary is a B3 main-sequence star at 19000K

Secondary is an A0 star at 9700K, filling its Roche lobe

Detection of circumprimary disk and gas stream features

Abstract

We present an analysis of high-resolution (R ~ 48000) spectroscopic and photometric data of RS Sgr, a short-period Algol-type binary system. For the first time, precise spectroscopic and absolute parameters of the system have been determined. The primary component is identified as a B3 main-sequence star with an effective temperature of 19000K, while the secondary is classified as an A0-type star with a temperature of 9700 K. The secondary appears to have recently evolved off the main sequence and currently fills its Roche lobe, transferring material through the inner Lagrangian point (L1) to the hotter primary component. The H{\alpha} emission and absorption features observed in the spectra are attributed to a combination of a low-density circumprimary disk, a gas stream originating from the secondary, and a hot spot formed at the impact site on the primary. The combined analysis of spectroscopic and photometric data yields a system distance of approximately 418 pc, which is consistent with the value derived from GAIA DR3 within the uncertainty limits.