The first low-mass eclipsing binary within the fully convective zone from TMTS

Abstract

We present a comprehensive photometric and spectroscopic analysis of the short-period (∼5.32 hours) and low-mass eclipsing binary TMTSJ0803 discovered by Tsinghua-Ma Huateng Telescope for Survey (TMTS). By fitting the light curves and radial velocity data with the Wilson–Devinney code, we find that the binary is composed of two late spotted active M dwarfs below the fully convective boundary. This is supported by the discovery of a significant Balmer emission lines in the LAMOST spectrum and prominent coronal X-ray emission. In comparison with the typical luminosity of rapidly rotating fully convective stars, the much brighter X-ray luminosity (LX/Lbol = 0.0159 ± 0.0059) suggests the stellar magnetic activity of fully convective stars could be enhanced in such a close binary system. Given the metallicity of [M/H] = − 0.35 dex as inferred from the LAMOST spectrum, we measure the masses and radii of both stars to be M1 = 0.169 ± 0.010 M⊙, M2 = 0.162 ± 0.016 M⊙, R1 = 0.170 ± 0.006 R⊙, and R2 = 0.156 ± 0.006 R⊙, respectively. Based on the luminosity ratio from the light curve modeling, the effective temperatures of two components are also estimated. In comparison with the stellar evolution models, the radii and effective temperatures of two components are all below the isochrones. The radius deflation might be mainly biased by a small radial velocity (RV) data or (and) a simple correction on RVs, while the discrepancy in effective temperature might be due to the enhanced magnetic activity in this binary.