Photometric study of the possible cool quadruple system PY virginis

摘要

Complete CCD photometric light curves in BV(RI)_c bands obtained in 2012 for the short-period close binary system PY Virginis are presented. A new photometric analysis with the Wilson - Van Hamme code shows that PY Vir is an A-type marginal contact binary system. The absolute parameters of PY Vir are derived using spectroscopic and photometric solutions. Combining new determined times of minimum light with others published in the literature, the O-C diagram of the binary star is investigated. A periodic variation, with a period of 5.22(±0.05) years and an amplitude of 0.0075(±0.0004) days, was discovered. Since the spectrum of a third component has been detected by Rucinski et al., we consider this cyclic period oscillation to be the result of the light-time effect due to the presence of a third body. This third component may also be a binary itself. Therefore, PY Vir should be a quadruple system composed of two cool-type binary systems. This system is a good astrophysical laboratory to study the formation and evolution of close binaries and multiple systems.