Litcius/Paper detail

Spectroscopic Orbits of 11 Nearby, Mid-to-late M-dwarf Binaries

Jennifer G. Winters, Jonathan M. Irwin, David Charbonneau, David W. Latham, Amber M. Medina, Jessica Mink, Gilbert A. Esquerdo, Perry Berlind, Michael L. Calkins, Zachory K. Berta-Thompson

2020The Astronomical Journal22 citationsDOIOpen Access PDF

Abstract

Abstract We present the spectroscopic orbits of 11 nearby, mid-to-late M dwarf binary systems in a variety of configurations: 2 single-lined binaries (SB1s), 7 double-lined binaries (SB2s), 1 double-lined triple (ST2), and 1 triple-lined triple (ST3). Eight of these orbits are the first published for these systems, while five are newly identified multiples. We obtained multi-epoch, high-resolution spectra with the TRES instrument on the 1.5 m Tillinghast Reflector at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory located on Mt. Hopkins in AZ. Using the TiO molecular bands at 7065−7165 Å, we calculated radial velocities for these systems, from which we derived their orbits. We find LHS 1817 to have in a 7 hr period a companion that is likely a white dwarf, due to the ellipsoidal modulation we see in our MEarth-North light-curve data. We find G 123-45 and LTT 11586 to host companions with minimum masses of 41 M Jup and 44 M Jup with orbital periods of 35 and 15 days, respectively. We find 2MA 0930+0227 to have a rapidly rotating stellar companion in a 917 day orbital period. GJ 268, GJ 1029, LP 734-34, GJ 1182, G 258-17, and LTT 7077are SB2s with stellar companions with orbital periods of 10, 96, 34, 154, 5, and 84 days; LP 655-43 is an ST3 with one companion in an 18 day orbital period and an outer component in a longer undetermined period. In addition, we present radial velocities for both components of L 870-44AB and for the outer components of LTT 11586 and LP 655-43.

Topics & Concepts

PhysicsAstrophysicsWhite dwarfOrbital periodOrbital elementsRadial velocityOrbit (dynamics)AstronomyObservatoryBinary starSpectral lineBinary numberBrown dwarfOrbital inclinationAstronomical spectroscopyBinary systemRotation periodOrbital mechanicsStellar rotationElliptic orbitCircular orbitOrbital eccentricityOrbital motionOrbital planeStellar, planetary, and galactic studiesAstrophysics and Star Formation StudiesAstronomy and Astrophysical Research