Algol, Beta Lyrae, and W Serpentis: Some new results for three well studied eclipsing binaries

The properties of the eclipsing binaries Algol, Beta Lyrae, and W Serpentis are discussed and new results are presented. The physical properties of the components of Algol are now well determined. High resolution spectroscopy of the H-alpha feature by Richards et al. and by Gillet et al. and spectroscopy of the ultraviolet resonance lines with the International Ultraviolet Explorer satellite reveal hot gas around the BBV primary. Gas flows also have been detected apparently originating from the low mass, cooler secondary component and flowing toward the hotter star through the Lagrangian L1 point. Analysis of 6 years of multi-bandpass photoelectric photometry of Beta Lyrae indicates that systematic changes in light curves occur with a characteristic period of -275 ± 25 days. These changes may arise from pulsations of the B8II star or from changes in the geometry of the disk component. Hitherto unpublished u, v, b, y, and H-alpha index light curves of W Ser are presented and discussed. W Ser is a very complex binary system that undergoes complicated, large changes in its light curves. The physical properties of W Ser are only poorly known, but it probably contains one component at its Roche surface, rapidly transfering matter to a component which is embedded in a thick, opaque disk. In several respects, W Ser resembles an upscale version of a cataclysmic variable binary system.