The anomalous ultraviolet light curves and IUE spectra of β Lyrae revisited

Abstract

Recent studies of β Lyrae have proposed several possible models to explain the anomalous ultraviolet light curves of that mass-transfer binary system. This paper subjects four proposed models to tests involving a comparison of system synthetic spectra with the observed spectra and a comparison of synthetic light curves, based on synthetic photometry, with OAO2 light curves. The observed spectra include combined IUE and charge-coupled device (CCD) spectra. The tests show that three of the proposed models, separately or in combination, potentially may explain the observed spectroscopic anomaly that, in the wavelength range shortward of 1700 Å, the system continuum flux in primary eclipse, when only a small fraction of the mass loser is visible, is as great as the system continuum flux in secondary eclipse when the entire opposed face of the mass loser is visible.