Evidence for a high-temperature accretion region in Algol-type binary systems

Abstract

Evidence is presented that a high-temperature (100,000 K) accretion region (HTAR) with extreme carbon depletion exists about Algol primaries whose photospheres experience an impact from the gas stream. The radial velocity behavior of the lines from highly ionized species unequivocally associates this region with the primary star and restricts its thickness to a few stellar radii. The data show that the HTAR, when present, must encompass at least one hemisphere of the star. It is significant that the HTAR has not yet been observed between phases 0.1 and 0.4, on the hemisphere opposite the location of the impacting gas stream. A generalized model for the HTAR is proposed and a scenario for its development is suggested.