Orbital elements and evolutionary nature of the long period RS CVn type eclipsing binary RZ eridani

Light curves of the long period RS CVn type eclipsing binary RZ Eri, obtained during the period 1976–1979 with the 1.2 m telescope of the Japal-Rangapur Observatory are analysed, using Wilson-Devinney method, by fixing the two parametersT h (7400°K) andq(0.963), resulting in the following absolute elements:A = 72.5 ± 1.4R ⊙,R h = 2.84 ± 0.12R ⊙,R c = 6.94 ± 0.20R ⊙,M bol,h = 1.35 ± 0.28,M bol ,c= 1.41 ± 0.28,m h = 1.69 ± 0.6m ⊙ andmc= 1.63 ± 0.13m ⊙. The presence of humps and dips of varying amplitudes at a few phases in the normal UBV light curves is explained as due to residual distortion wave. The derived (B-V) and (U-B) colours of both the components appear to have been reddened to an extent of 0 m .20 in (B-V) and 0 m .16 in (U-B) colours. This reddening is attributed to the presence of an envelope around the system, the material of which might have come from the loss of mass experienced by the evolving cooler component. Taking into consideration the dereddened colours and temperatures of the components, spectral types ofF0 IV for the primary and G 5–8 III–IV for the secondary component were derived. The fractional radii of 0.039 and 0.096 of the two components, when compared with the radii of their critical Roche lobes of 0.378 and 0.372 suggest that these components are well within their critical sizes. From the position of the components on the. isochrones and the evolutionary tracks of stars of Pop I composition computed by Maeder & Meynet, it is concluded that the evolution of the components of RZ Eri is abnormal. This system is found to be situated at a distance of 185 pc, with an age of about 2.5 × 109 yrs.