The study of spectroscopic binaries is by no means a new area of study. The Doppler shifting of spectral lines as the stars orbit around each other is now able to be measured very precisely. Binary stars give a reliable means of determining stellar parameters such as the mass. A star's mass is one of the most dominant factors in determining its evolution. Stars for study in this thesis were selected from SB9 (the ninth catalogue of spectroscopic binaries). They were chosen on criteria such as apparent visual magnitude, orbital period, orbital solution grade, equatorial velocity and position. Only stars with poor to average orbital solutions were chosen as it is these orbits which need the most work done. In total 6 spectroscopic binary systems were chosen for study in this thesis. Four single lined spectroscopic binaries (HD 70958, HD 110318, HD 122223 and HD 141544) and two double line spectroscopic binaries (HD 110317 and HD 148704). Unfortunate observing conditions meant that adequate phase coverage of HD 110317 and HD 110318 was not achieved. Adequate phase coverage of the star HD 122223 was also not achieved but this is likely a result of the period being about three years and not about 207 days as quoted in the catalogue. Observations were carried out with the HERCULES spectrograph and the 1-metre McLellan telescope at the Mt John University Observatory from December 2007 until September 2008. Radial velocities were than measured from these spectra with HRSP3 and then orbital solutions were derived. Orbital solutions have been derived for the single-lined systems HD 141544 and HD 70958. The precision of HD 141544 was much better than HD 70598. This is because HD 70958 is complicated by differential rotation and possible chromospheric activity. The orbital solution of the double lined system HD 148704 was obtained by using CARTopt and not TODCOR as is common, with good results. HD 122223 is included even though only six spectra were obtained as it will be evident that the current orbital solution should be rejected in favour of the previous solution obtained in 1936 by Christie. Although the amount of data was not as large as was hoped, significant improvements of the orbital solutions were obtained. The secondary component of HD 148704 had only previously being detected in a very few spectra but now has a good orbital solution. Errors on all parameters have been decreased and tighter limits have been placed on the secondary components of the single lined systems. The mass ratio of the components of HD 148704 was also determined very accurately and calculation of the inclination from photometry may allow accurate masses to be determined.

The study of spectroscopic binaries is by no means a new area of study. The Doppler shifting of spectral lines as the stars orbit around each other is now able to be measured very precisely. Binary stars give a reliable means of determining stellar parameters such as the mass. A star's mass is one of the most dominant factors in determining its evolution. Stars for study in this thesis were selected from SB9 (the ninth catalogue of spectroscopic binaries). They were chosen on criteria such as apparent visual magnitude, orbital period, orbital solution grade, equatorial velocity and position. Only stars with poor to average orbital solutions were chosen as it is these orbits which need the most work done. In total 6 spectroscopic binary systems were chosen for study in this thesis. Four single lined spectroscopic binaries (HD 70958, HD 110318, HD 122223 and HD 141544) and two double line spectroscopic binaries (HD 110317 and HD 148704). Unfortunate observing conditions meant that adequate phase coverage of HD 110317 and HD 110318 was not achieved. Adequate phase coverage of the star HD 122223 was also not achieved but this is likely a result of the period being about three years and not about 207 days as quoted in the catalogue. Observations were carried out with the HERCULES spectrograph and the 1-metre McLellan telescope at the Mt John University Observatory from December 2007 until September 2008. Radial velocities were than measured from these spectra with HRSP3 and then orbital solutions were derived. Orbital solutions have been derived for the single-lined systems HD 141544 and HD 70958. The precision of HD 141544 was much better than HD 70598. This is because HD 70958 is complicated by differential rotation and possible chromospheric activity. The orbital solution of the double lined system HD 148704 was obtained by using CARTopt and not TODCOR as is common, with good results. HD 122223 is included even though only six spectra were obtained as it will be evident that the current orbital solution should be rejected in favour of the previous solution obtained in 1936 by Christie. Although the amount of data was not as large as was hoped, significant improvements of the orbital solutions were obtained. The secondary component of HD 148704 had only previously being detected in a very few spectra but now has a good orbital solution. Errors on all parameters have been decreased and tighter limits have been placed on the secondary components of the single lined systems. The mass ratio of the components of HD 148704 was also determined very accurately and calculation of the inclination from photometry may allow accurate masses to be determined.

Extensive photometric and spectroscopic observations have been obtained for the binary HS1136+6646, a newly formed post-common envelope binary system containing a hot ~DAO.5 primary and a highly irradiated secondary. H1136+6646 is the most extreme example yet of a class of short period systems containing a hot H-rich white dwarf with a K-M companion. An orbital period of 0.83607(3) days has been determined through the phasing of radial velocities, emission line equivalent widths, and photometric measurements spanning a range of 24 months. Radial velocity measurements yield an amplitude of K_WD = 69(2) km s^-1 for the white dwarf and K_K7V = 115 +/- 1 km s^-1 for the secondary star. Photometric measurements revealed a low amplitude modulation with a period of 234 minutes, associated with the rotation of the white dwarf. The white dwarf is estimated to have an effective temperature and gravity of ~100,000 K and log g~8.29 respectively, indicating the binary system is the second earliest post-CE objects known, having an age around 6.4x10^5 years. Indications are that the secondary star is overly luminous for its mass.I also present FUSE observations of the magnetic cataclysmic variable V405 Aurigae. Together with four other DQ Her type binaries, V405 Aur forms a small subclass of intermediate polars which are likely to evolve into low magnetic field strength polars. The FUSE spectrum exhibits broad O VI and C III emission-lines as well as a narrow O VI emission-line component which likely forms near the white dwarf surface in an optically thin gas. Radial velocity measurements restrict any orbital modulation to a very low amplitude (K_WD = 2.5(0.5) km s^-1) indicating that the binary system is at low inclination.Recent photometric and spectroscopic observations have revealed J0644+3344 to be a bright, deeply eclipsing cataclysmic variable binary with a 6.46488(24) hour period. Although the nature of the hot component is not presently clear, J0644+3344 is one of the brightest eclipsing nova-like cataclysmic variable system yet. As such, the possibility exists for an unambiguous determination of the masses and temperatures of both components in future studies.

The well-known spectroscopic binary ϕ Per is a peculiar compact system, composed of a Be star with an O-type subdwarf companion. A set of nearly 400 spectra in the red and blue regions from Ondřejov and Potsdam Observatories as well as spectra published in the BeSS database were examined. From the radial velocities of Hα, Hβ, and Hγ emission lines and FUV observations from the IUE and HST, a new precise ephemeris was determined. The revised values of M sin3 (i) are 11.84 and 1.48 M (with uncertainties of 0.64 and 0.09 M ), re- spectively, for the primary and secondary. In addition, the system shows cyclic variations (with a time scale of about 5 years) in the profiles of Balmer lines, manifested in their radial velocities, central intensities and V/R ratios. Understanding complex stellar systems requires combining multiple types of ob- servations and creating models of sufficient complexity. In our case, a combination of interferometric visibilities from the CHARA/VEGA array, spectral energy dis- tribution as well as individual spectral lines were used. Radiative-transfer compu- tations were performed with the program PYSHELLSPEC, and physical parameters of the ϕ Per primary and the surrounding disc were derived. They correspond to an evolved system, in which most of mass was transferred from the secondary to...