Search for Exo-Planets around short period binary systems ~ Xinyu Mai (University of Kansas)

Close binary systems are typically those with semi-major axis of the orbit of comparable size to the radii of the stars themselves. An intriguing subset of those binaries are short-period Post common-envelope binaries (PCEBs) as they have been observed to exhibit large, occasionally erratic changes in their orbital period. A detailed modeling of its eclipse timing variations (ETVs) has resulted in providing a sensitive probe of potential substellar companions. Though this procedure could be considered fraught as more and more previously proposed planetary models have failed to stand the test of time, while the other alternative hypothesis in explaining (ETVs) lacks of compelling physical arguments. In this talk, I will present my research at the University of Iowa with Dr. Robert L. Mutel on the eclipse timing modeling of three PCEB systems of our choice. With our new observed primary eclipse timing observations, we will dive into each binary and investigate if there exists possible substellar companions that could account for their observed timing variations, and most importantly, assume the most plausible solution that could both in agreement with the current observations and provide predictions that future observations can test.