Absolute Parameters of Young Stars: NO Puppis

TL;DR

This study precisely determines the fundamental parameters of the young eclipsing binary NO Puppis and its companions, combining multiple observational techniques to enhance accuracy and explore its complex stellar system.

Contribution

It provides a revised set of absolute stellar parameters for NO Puppis using diverse data sources and advanced modeling, addressing the system's complexity and eccentricity.

Findings

Masses of primary and secondary stars are 3.58 and 1.68 solar masses.

The binary's age is approximately 20 million years.

The system's distance is about 172 parsecs.

Abstract

The southern early-type, young, eccentric-orbit eclipsing binary NO Puppis forms the A component of the multiple star Gaia DR3 552\-8147999779517568. The B component is an astrometric binary now at a separation of about 8.1 arcsec. There may be other fainter stars in this interesting but complex stellar system. We have combined several lines of evidence, including TESS data from 4 sectors, new ground-based BVR photometry, HARPS (ESO) and HERCULES (UCMJO) high-resolution spectra and astrometry of NO Pup. We derive a revised set of absolute parameters with increased precision. Alternative optimal curve-fitting programs were used in the analysis, allowing a wider view of modelling and parameter uncertainties. The main parameters are as follows: $M_{Aa} = 3.58 \pm 0.11$, $M_{Ab} = 1.68 \pm 0.09$ (M$_\odot$); $R_{Aa} = 2.17 \pm 0.03$, $R_{Ab} = 1.51 \pm 0.06$ (R$_\odot$), and $T_{\rm e Aa} = 13300 \pm 500$, $T_{\rm e Ab} = 7400 \pm 500$ (K). We estimate approximate masses of the wide companions, Ba and Bb, as $M_{Ba} = 2.0$ and $M_{Bb} = 1.8$ (M$_\odot$). The close binary's orbital separation is $a= 8.51 \pm 0.05$ (R$_\odot$); its age is approximately $20$ Myr and distance $172 \pm 1$ pc. The close binary's secondary (Ab) appears to be the source of low amplitude $ {\delta}$ Scuti-type oscillations, although the form of these oscillations is irregular and unrepetitive. Analysis of the $ \lambda$ 6678 He I profile of the primary show synchronism of the mean bodily and orbital rotations. The retention of significant orbital eccentricity, in view of the closeness of the A-system components, is unexpected and poses challenges for the explanation that we discuss.