* Astronomy

Title: Photometric Study of Neglected Eclipsing Binary GSC 3576-0170
Authors: Zhang Liyun, Jing Jianghong, Tang Yanke, Zhang Xiliang

The new multi-colour BVRI photometric light curves of the short-period eclipsing binary GSC 3576-0170 were obtained on two consecutive nights (October 5 and 6, 2009). With the 2003 version of Wilson-Devinney program, the precise photometric solutions are derived for the first time. The result shows that GSC 3576-0170 is a semi-detached binary system with a large temperature difference of approximately 1490 K. The light-curve distortions are further explained by a hot spot on the secondary component through mass transfer via a stream hitting the facing surface of the secondary component. By analysing all available light minimum times, we also derived an update ephemeris and found for the first time a possible periodic oscillation with an amplitude of 0.0038 days and a period of 4.3 years. The periodic oscillation could be explained either by the light-time effect due to a presumed third component or by magnetic activity cycle of the system.

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