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Tycho-Gaia Astrometric Solution (TGAS) parallax data are used to determine absolute magnitudes $M_V$ for 318 W~UMa-type (EW) contact binary stars. A very steep (slope $simeq -9$), single-parameter ($log{P}$), linear calibration can be used to predict $M_V$ to about 0.1 -- 0.3 mag over the whole range of accessible orbital period, $0.22!<!P!<!0.88$ days. A similar calibration for the most common systems with $0.275!<!P!<!0.575$ days predicts $M_V$ values to about 0.06 -- 0.16 mag. For orbital period values both shorter and longer than the central range, the period dependence is respectively steeper and shallower, i.e. the binaries are fainter in $M_V$ than predicted by the whole-range, linear law. The steepness of the relation for short-period systems implies important consequences for the detectability of the faintest binaries defining the short-period cut-off of the period distribution. Although the scatter around the linear $log{P}$-fit is fairly large (0.2 -- 0.4 mag), the current data do not support the inclusion of a $B!-!V$ color term in the calibration.
The ESA Gaia mission provides a unique time-domain survey for more than 1.6 billion sources with G ~ 21 mag. We showcase stellar variability across the Galactic colour-absolute magnitude diagram (CaMD), focusing on pulsating, eruptive, and cataclysmic variables, as well as on stars exhibiting variability due to rotation and eclipses. We illustrate the locations of variable star classes, variable object fractions, and typical variability amplitudes throughout the CaMD and illustrate how variability-related changes in colour and brightness induce `motions using 22 months worth of calibrated photometric, spectro-photometric, and astrometric Gaia data of stars with significant parallax. To ensure a large variety of variable star classes to populate the CaMD, we crossmatch Gaia sources with known variable stars. We also used the statistics and variability detection modules of the Gaia variability pipeline. Corrections for interstellar extinction are not implemented in this article. Gaia enables the first investigation of Galactic variable star populations across the CaMD on a similar, if not larger, scale than previously done in the Magellanic Clouds. Despite observed colours not being reddening corrected, we clearly see distinct regions where variable stars occur and determine variable star fractions to within Gaias current detection thresholds. Finally, we show the most complete description of variability-induced motion within the CaMD to date. Gaia enables novel insights into variability phenomena for an unprecedented number of stars, which will benefit the understanding of stellar astrophysics. The CaMD of Galactic variable stars provides crucial information on physical origins of variability in a way previously accessible only for Galactic star clusters or external galaxies.
Parallaxes of W UMa stars in the Hipparcos catalogue have been analyzed. 31 W UMa stars, which have the most accurate parallaxes ($sigma_{pi}/pi<0.15$) which are neither associated with a photometric tertiary nor with evidence of a visual companion, were selected for re-calibrating the Period--Luminosity--Color (PLC) relation of W UMa stars. Using the Lutz--Kelker (LK) bias corrected (most probable) parallaxes, periods ($0.26< P(day)< 0.87$), and colors (0.04<$(B-V)_{0}$<1.28) of the 31 selected W UMa, the PLC relation have been revised and re-calibrated. The difference between the old (revised but not bias corrected) and the new (LK bias corrected) relations are almost negligible in predicting the distances of W UMa stars up to about 100 parsecs. But, it increases and may become intolerable as distances of stars increase. Additionally, using $(J-H)_{0}$ and $(H-K_{s})_{0}$ colors from 2MASS (Two Micron All Sky Survey) data, a PLC relation working with infrared data was derived. It can be used with infrared colors in the range $-0.01<(J-H)_{0}<0.58$, and $-0.10<(H-K_{s})_{0}<0.18$. Despite {em 2MASS} data are single epoch observations, which are not guaranteed at maximum brightness of the W UMa stars, the established relation has been found surprisingly consistent and reliable in predicting LK corrected distances of W UMa stars.
This study is an attempt to determine the metallicities of WUMa-type binary stars using spectroscopy. ~4,500 spectra collected at the David Dunlap Observatory were subject to the same Broadening Function processing to determine the combined line strength in the spectral window centered on the MgI triplet (5080-5285A). Individual integrated BFs were phase averaged to derive a single line-strength indicator. The sample was limited to 90 EW binaries with the strict phase-constancy of colors and without spectral contamination by companions. The best defined results were obtained for a F-type sub-sample (0.32<(B-V)0<0.62) of 52 stars for which the BF strengths could be interpolated in the model predictions. The metallicities, [M/H], for the F-type sub-sample indicate abundances roughly similar to the solar [M/H], but with a large scatter which is partly due to combined random and systematic errors. Because of a color trend resulting from limitations in our approach, we set the scale of metallicities to correspond to that derived from the m_1 index of the Stromgren photometry for F-type binaries. The trend-adjusted [M/H]1 are distributed within -0.65<[M/H]1<+0.50, with the spread reflecting genuine metallicity differences between stars. One half of the F-sub-sample binaries have [M/H]1 within -0.37<[M/H]1 +0.10, a median of -0.04 and a mean of -0.10, with a tail towards low metallicities, and a possible bias against very high metallicities. A parallel study of kinematic data, utilizing the most reliable and recently obtained proper motion and radial velocity data for 78 stars of the full sample, shows that the F-type sub-sample binaries have similar kinematic properties to solar neighborhood, thin-disk dwarfs with ages about 3 - 5.5 Gyr. The F-type binaries which appear to be older than the rest tend to have systematically smaller mass-ratios than most of the EW binaries of the same period.
We independently determine the zero-point offset of the Gaia early Data Release-3 (EDR3) parallaxes based on $sim 110,000$ W Ursae Majoris (EW)-type eclipsing binary systems. EWs cover almost the entire sky and are characterized by a relatively complete coverage in magnitude and color. They are an excellent proxy for Galactic main-sequence stars. We derive a $W1$-band Period-Luminosity relation with a distance accuracy of $7.4%$, which we use to anchor the Gaia parallax zero-point. The final, global parallax offsets are $-28.6pm0.6$ $mu$as and $-25.4pm4.0$ $mu$as (before correction) and $4.2pm0.5$ $mu$as and $4.6pm3.7$ $mu$as (after correction) for the five- and six-parameter solutions, respectively. The total systematic uncertainty is $1.8$ $mu$as. The spatial distribution of the parallax offsets shows that the bias in the corrected Gaia EDR3 parallaxes is less than 10 $mu$as across $40%$ of the sky. Only $15%$ of the sky is characterized by a parallax offset greater than 30 $mu$as. Thus, we have provided independent evidence that the parallax zero-point correction provided by the Gaia team significantly reduces the prevailing bias. Combined with literature data, we find that the overall Gaia EDR3 parallax offsets for Galactic stars are $[-20, -30]$ $mu$as and 4-10 $mu$as, respectively, before and after correction. For specific regions, an additional deviation of about 10 $mu$as is found.
ROTSE1 J164341.65+251748.1 was photometrically observed in the V band during three epochs with the 0.84-m telescope of the San Pedro Martir Observatory in Mexico. Based on additional BVR photometry, we find that the primary star has a spectral type around G0V. The light curve of the system is typical of a W~UMa type binary stars and has an orbital period of $sim$ 0.323 days. In an effort to gain a better understanding of the binary system and determine its physical properties, we analyzed the light curve with the Wilson and Devinney method. We found that ROTSE1 J164341.65+251748.1 has a mass ratio of $sim$ 0.34 and that the less massive component is over 230 K hotter than the primary star. The inclination of the system is $sim$ 84.6 degrees, and the {bf degree} of over-contact is 11%. The analysis shows the presence of variable bright spots on the primary star.