Distances to Four Solar Neighborhood Eclipsing Binaries from Absolute Fluxes

• Published in: The Astrophysical journal 2009-07, Vol.699 (1), p.118-132
• Main Authors: Wilson, R. E, Van Hamme, W
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Astronomy; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology
• ISSN: 0004-637X; 1538-4357
• DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/699/1/118

Eclipsing binary (EB)-based distances are estimated for four solar neighborhood EBs by means of the Direct Distance Estimation (DDE) algorithm. Results are part of a project to map the solar neighborhood EBs in three dimensions, independently of parallaxes, and provide statistical comparisons between EB and parallax distances. Apart from judgments on adopted temperature and interstellar extinction, DDE's simultaneous light-velocity solutions are essentially objective and work as well for semidetached (SD) and overcontact binaries as for detached systems. Here, we analyze two detached and two SD binaries, all double lined. RS Chamaeleontis is a pre-main-sequence (MS), detached EB with weak delta Scuti variations. WW Aurigae is detached and uncomplicated, except for having high metallicity. RZ Cassiopeiae is SD and has very clear delta Scuti variations and several peculiarities. R Canis Majoris (R CMa) is an apparently simple but historically problematic SD system, also with weak delta Scuti variations. Discussions include solution rules and strategies, weighting, convergence, and third light problems. So far there is no indication of systematic band dependence among the derived distances, so the adopted band-calibration ratios seem consistent. Agreement of EB-based and parallax distances is typically within the overlapped uncertainties, with minor exceptions. We also suggest an explanation for the long-standing undermassiveness problem of R CMa's hotter component, in terms of a fortuitous combination of low metallicity and evolution slightly beyond the MS.