Modelling of eclipsing binary systems with pulsating components and tertiary companions: BF Vel and RR Lep

This research paper presents a comprehensive analysis of RR Lep and BF Vel, two southern short-period, semi-detached, oscillating Algols (oEA stars) that have been shown to be triple systems. We determined the spectral types of the primary components and calculated the radial velocities from spectra observed with the Australian National University’s 2.3 m telescope and Wide Field Spectrograph. The spectra of the Na I D doublet confirmed the presence of tertiary components that were apparent in the broadening function analyses. During primary eclipses chromospherical activity in their secondary components was apparent in their H α spectra; it was also apparent in the Na I D spectra of BF Vel with its almost complete annular eclipse. Ground-based telescopes were used for observations in several pass bands for photometric analyses. These observations were complemented by data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission, allowing us to model the light curves, followed by a detailed analysis of pulsations. Eclipse-timing variation (ETV) analyses of both systems were used to determine the most likely mechanisms modulating the orbital period. We found mass values of M 1 = 2.9 M ⊙ and M 2 = 0.75 M ⊙ for the components of RR Lep, along with M 1 = 1.93 M ⊙ and M 2 = 0.97 M ⊙ for those of BF Vel. By integrating information from photometry, spectroscopy, and ETV analysis, we found that tertiary components revolve around both systems. The primary star of RR Lep pulsates in 36 frequencies; of these, five were identified as independent modes, with the dominant one being 32.28 d −1 . The pulsating component of BF Vel oscillates in 37 frequencies, with the frequency 46.73 d −1 revealed as the only independent mode. For both systems, a number of frequencies were found to be related to the orbital frequency. Their physical properties were compared with other oEA stars in mass-radius and Hertzsprung-Russell diagrams, while the pulsational properties of their δ Sct components were compared with currently known systems of this type within the orbital-pulsation period and log g -pulsation period diagrams.