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Title: Most sub-arcsecond companions of Kepler exoplanet candidate host stars are gravitationally bound

Abstract

Using the known detection limits for high-resolution imaging observations and the statistical properties of true binary and line-of-sight companions, we estimate the binary fraction of Kepler exoplanet host stars. Our speckle imaging programs at the WIYN 3.5 m and Gemini North 8.1 m telescopes have observed over 600 Kepler objects of interest and detected 49 stellar companions within ∼1 arcsec. Assuming binary stars follow a log-normal period distribution for an effective temperature range of 3000-10,000 K, then the model predicts that the vast majority of detected sub-arcsecond companions are long period (P > 50 yr), gravitationally bound companions. In comparing the model predictions to the number of real detections in both observational programs, we conclude that the overall binary fraction of host stars is similar to the 40%-50% rate observed for field stars.

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. Department of Physics, Southern Connecticut State University, 501 Crescent Street, New Haven, CT 06515 (United States)
  2. NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (United States)
  3. National Optical Astronomy Observatory, 950 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22370288
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Astrophysical Journal
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 795; Journal Issue: 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0004-637X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; BINARY STARS; COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS; COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION; DETECTION; DISTRIBUTION; FORECASTING; GRAVITATION; RESOLUTION; SENSITIVITY; TELESCOPES

Citation Formats

Horch, Elliott P., Howell, Steve B., Everett, Mark E., and Ciardi, David R., E-mail: horche2@southernct.edu, E-mail: steve.b.howell@nasa.gov, E-mail: everett@noao.edu, E-mail: ciardi@ipac.caltech.edu. Most sub-arcsecond companions of Kepler exoplanet candidate host stars are gravitationally bound. United States: N. p., 2014. Web. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/795/1/60.
Horch, Elliott P., Howell, Steve B., Everett, Mark E., & Ciardi, David R., E-mail: horche2@southernct.edu, E-mail: steve.b.howell@nasa.gov, E-mail: everett@noao.edu, E-mail: ciardi@ipac.caltech.edu. Most sub-arcsecond companions of Kepler exoplanet candidate host stars are gravitationally bound. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/795/1/60
Horch, Elliott P., Howell, Steve B., Everett, Mark E., and Ciardi, David R., E-mail: horche2@southernct.edu, E-mail: steve.b.howell@nasa.gov, E-mail: everett@noao.edu, E-mail: ciardi@ipac.caltech.edu. 2014. "Most sub-arcsecond companions of Kepler exoplanet candidate host stars are gravitationally bound". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/795/1/60.
@article{osti_22370288,
title = {Most sub-arcsecond companions of Kepler exoplanet candidate host stars are gravitationally bound},
author = {Horch, Elliott P. and Howell, Steve B. and Everett, Mark E. and Ciardi, David R., E-mail: horche2@southernct.edu, E-mail: steve.b.howell@nasa.gov, E-mail: everett@noao.edu, E-mail: ciardi@ipac.caltech.edu},
abstractNote = {Using the known detection limits for high-resolution imaging observations and the statistical properties of true binary and line-of-sight companions, we estimate the binary fraction of Kepler exoplanet host stars. Our speckle imaging programs at the WIYN 3.5 m and Gemini North 8.1 m telescopes have observed over 600 Kepler objects of interest and detected 49 stellar companions within ∼1 arcsec. Assuming binary stars follow a log-normal period distribution for an effective temperature range of 3000-10,000 K, then the model predicts that the vast majority of detected sub-arcsecond companions are long period (P > 50 yr), gravitationally bound companions. In comparing the model predictions to the number of real detections in both observational programs, we conclude that the overall binary fraction of host stars is similar to the 40%-50% rate observed for field stars.},
doi = {10.1088/0004-637X/795/1/60},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22370288}, journal = {Astrophysical Journal},
issn = {0004-637X},
number = 1,
volume = 795,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Nov 01 00:00:00 EDT 2014},
month = {Sat Nov 01 00:00:00 EDT 2014}
}