A window into δ Sct stellar interiors: Understanding the eclipsing binary system TT Hor

Abstract

The semi-detached eclipsing binary system TTHor has a δ Sct primary component (accretor) accreting mass from the secondary star (donor). We fit an eclipsing binary model from V, B, and I photometry combined with spectroscopy using PHOEBE. Radial velocity variations of the centre of mass of TT Hor AB over two years suggest the presence of a wide companion, consistent with a Kozai-Lidov resonance formation process for TT Hor AB. Evolutionary models computed with MESA give the initial mass of the donor as ≈1.6 M⊙ and that of the accretor as ≈1.3M⊙. The initial binary orbit has a similar initial separation to the currently observed separation of 11.4 R⊙.Mass transfer commences at an age of 2.5Gyr when the donor is a subgiant. We model the accretor as a tidally locked 2.2 ± 0.2 M⊙ δ Sct pulsator which has accreted ≈0.9M⊙ of slightly He-enriched material (mean Δ Y < 0.01) from the donor over the last 90 Myr. The best fit from all measured parameters and evolutionary states is for a system metallicity of [M/H] = 0.15. A pulsation model of the primary gives a self-consistent set of modes. Our observed oscillation frequencies match to within 0.3 per cent and the system parameters within uncertainties. However, we cannot claim that our identified modes are definitive, and suggest follow-up time-series spectroscopy at high resolution in order to verify our identified modes. With the higher signal-to-noise ratio and continuous observations with TESS, more reliable mode identification due to frequency and amplitude changes during the eclipse is likely.