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0201 Astronomical and Space Sciences

Abstract:

Reinvestigations of the short-period oEA star RZ Cas by using the “SHELLSPEC” code confirm most of the system parameters obtained by Lehmann & Mkrtichian (2008). Results from spectra obtained in 2001 point to a transient phase of rapid mass transfer and to the existence of dense circumprimary matter of disk-like structure, while results from spectra obtained in 2006 show that the system was in a quiet state during this period and can be modelled very well by two stars of which the secondary component fills its Roche lobe. The brightness distribution over the surface of the secondary can be described by a gravity darkening law that assumes two different exponents for hemispheres of different stars.