Evolution of low mass contact binaries close to the orbital period cut-off

Abstract

The evolution of eclipsing binaries leads towards angular momentum and mass loss from the systems, due to stellar wind and magnetic braking. Observational investigations of low-temperature and low-mass contact binaries (or LMCBs) in the solar neighborhood provide the means for studying a large sample of such systems. The observed orbital period cut-off limit of 0.22 days is believed to be a result of evolutionary mechanisms, and such systems act as probes in investigating the very evolved stages of systems before their final coalescence. The main goal of this study is the determination of the stellar evolution tracks of these type of LMCBs, which might be correlated to the formation of blue stragglers and rapidly rotating stars.