The Closest Of The Close: Observational And Modeling Progress

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Two of today's most critical and unresolved problems in binary star research are the formation and structure of overcontact (OC) binaries. Demands imposed by Roche geometry and by observational evidence indicating nearly equal effective temperatures for the two stars lead to a grossly different mass-luminosity relation from that of single main sequence stars. As a result, it is widely recognized that only non-equilibrium models are able to account for many OC properties. One such model is the thermal relaxation oscillator model, in which systems oscillate between states of good thermal contact and broken contact. Notwithstanding decades of OC theoretical research, successful fitting of OC and broken-contact binaries into a comprehensive structural theory has not been accomplished. The formation mechanism for OC binaries is another matter that needs to be resolved. The recent idea that all OC's are part of triple (or multiple) systems and formed through dynamical interactions with third bodies may well be a promising step in the direction of answering that question.On the observational front, we have seen in the past decade a vast increase in the number of double-lined systems with complete radial velocity curves. This advance not only removes the obstacle of having to rely on mass ratios determined from light curves only, but allows determination of more reliable parameters, including absolute dimensions. Here, after a brief review of some past and present observational efforts, we look at recent progress on the modeling side of OC research. We describe a project aimed at determiningbroken-contact binary parameters and comment on specific challenges. We then discuss limitations of finding third light from simultaneous light and velocity solutions for OC's suspected of having tertiary components. Showing specific examples, we explore the prospects of this method as an avenue for finding OC companions.

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