SIMBAD references

Double-lined eclipsing binaries allow accurate and direct determination of fundamental parameters such as mass and radius for each component, and they provide important constraints on the stellar structure and evolution models. In this study, we aim to determine a unique set of binary parameters for the Algol system W UMi and to examine its evolutionary status. New high-resolution time-series spectroscopic observations were carried out during 14 nights from 2008 April to 2011 March, and a total of 37 spectra were obtained using the Bohyunsan Optical Echelle Spectrograph. We measured the radial velocities (RVs) for both components, and the effective temperature of the primary star was found to be T_eff,1 = 9310 ± 90 K by a comparison of the observed spectra and the Kurucz models. The physical parameters of W UMi were derived by an analysis of our RV data together with the multi-band light curves of Devinney et al. The individual masses, radii, and luminosities of both components are M₁ = 3.68 ± 0.10 M_☉ and M₂ = 1.47 ± 0.04 M_☉, R₁ = 3.88 ± 0.03 R_☉ and R₂ = 3.13 ± 0.03 R_☉, and L₁ = 102 ± 1 L_☉ and L₂ = 7.3 ± 0.1 L_☉, respectively. A comparison of these parameters with theoretical stellar models showed that the primary component lies in the main-sequence band, while the less massive secondary is noticeably evolved. The results indicate that the initially more massive star became the present secondary by losing most of its own mass via mass transfer to the companion (present primary).