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Stellar Radial Velocities in the Old Open Cluster M67 (NGC 2682). II. The Spectroscopic Binary Population

Journal Article · · The Astronomical Journal (Online)
;  [1]; ;  [2]; ;  [3]
  1. Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University, 1800 Sherman Avenue, Evanston, IL 60201 (United States)
  2. Department of Astronomy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 475 North Charter Street, Madison, WI 53706 (United States)
  3. Center for Astrophysics - Harvard & Smithsonian, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)

We present and analyze 120 spectroscopic binary and triple cluster members of the old (4 Gyr) open cluster M67 (NGC 2682). As a cornerstone of stellar astrophysics, M67 is a key cluster in the WIYN Open Cluster Study (WOCS); radial-velocity (RV) observations of M67 are ongoing and extend back over 45 yr, incorporating data from seven different telescopes, and allowing us to detect binaries with orbital periods ≲10{sup 4} days. Our sample contains 1296 stars (604 cluster members) with magnitudes of 10 ≤ V ≤ 16.5 (about 1.3–0.7 M {sub ⊙}), from the giants down to ∼4 mag below the main-sequence turnoff, and extends in radius to 30′ (7.4 pc at a distance of 850 pc, or ∼7 core radii). This paper focuses primarily on the main-sequence binaries, but orbital solutions are also presented for red giants, yellow giants, and sub-subgiants. Out to our period detection limit and within our magnitude and spatial domain, we find a global main-sequence incompleteness-corrected binary fraction of 34% ± 3%, which rises to 70% ± 17% in the cluster center. We derive a tidal circularization period of P{sub circ}=11.0{sub −1.0}{sup +1.1} days. We also analyze the incompleteness-corrected distributions of binary orbital elements and masses. The period distribution rises toward longer periods. The eccentricity distribution, beyond P {sub circ}, is consistent with a uniform distribution. The mass-ratio distribution is also consistent with a uniform distribution. Overall, these M67 binaries are closely consistent with similar binaries in the galactic field, as well as with the old (7 Gyr) open cluster NGC 188. WOCS. 83.

OSTI ID:
23159195
Journal Information:
The Astronomical Journal (Online), Journal Name: The Astronomical Journal (Online) Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 161; ISSN 1538-3881
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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