2012AJ....144..178L

We present the first two sets of complete light curves in the R and I bands observed in 2011 and 2012 photometrically for the contact binary GSC 03526-01995. The asymmetric light curves are analyzed with spot models using the Wilson-Devinney code. It is discovered that GSC 03526-01995 is a spotted marginal W-type W UMa contact binary system with a mass ratio of q = 2.845(± 0.006) and a degree of contact factor f = 18.2%(± 1.5%). Combining new determined times of light minimum together with the others published in the literature, the period change of the system is investigated. A cyclic variation, with a period of 7.39 yr and a semiamplitude of 0.00896 days, is discovered. It is plausibly caused by the light-time effect via a third body. The photometric analysis indicates that the suspected third companion might itself be a binary consisting of two stars of 0.285 solar masses, suggesting that GSC 03526-01995 is a quadruple system containing four late-type stars.