MORBBINCAT - Dynamical Masses of Selected Orbital Binary Systems

Overview

Orbital binary stars are essential objects for determining dynamical and physical properties of stars through a combined analysis of photometric and astrometric data. The authors have compiled a set of orbital binaries with known trigonometric parallaxes and orbits of high quality, using data from current versions of the Observatorio Astronomico Ramon Maria Aller Catalog (OARMAC) of Orbits and Ephemerides of Visual Double Stars (Docobo et al. 2001, AcA, 51, 353) and the Sixth Catalog of Orbits of Visual Binary Stars (ORB6: Mason and Hartkopf 2007, IAUS 240, 575; Hartkopf et al. 2001, AJ, 122, 3472), as well as including updated information from the Washington Double Star (WDS) Catalog and SIMBAD. They constructed distributions of orbital binaries of the dynamical mass, period, semi-major axis, and eccentricity of systems, which characterize the set. Some problems related to the parametrization of orbital binaries are also discussed in the paper.

To compile the orbit list, the authors combined data from both OARMAC and ORB6. At this stage, they maintained systems without parallaxes, but removed systems without a period or semi-major axis. The resulting list contained 3139 orbits for 2278 pairs: 1588 pairs have a single orbit, 548 pairs have two orbits, 120 pairs have three orbits, 19 pairs have four orbits, one pair has five orbits, and two pairs have seven orbits.

Table 1 in the reference paper (not part of this HEASARC table) contains a compiled set of 3139 orbit solutions for visual binary stars. Separate entries are provided for different pairs in multiple systems. Several solutions per pair are possible. Each entry includes main orbital elements (Semi-major axis, period, eccentricity with corresponding uncertainties), indication of multiplicity and number of solutions, as well as visual magnitudes, spectral classes of the components, parallax and interstellar extinction estimate.

Table 2 in the reference paper (on which this HEASARC table is based) contains a refined set of 652 solely binary systems with reliable orbits and determined parallaxes. One entry in this table corresponds to one system. Three mass estimates are provided: (1) The dynamical mass with its uncertainty derived from Kepler's third law and its trigonometric parallax, (2) a photometric mass estimated from the visual magnitudes, parallax and mass-luminosity relation, and (3) a spectroscopic mass based on the mass-spectrum relation introduced by Straizys and Kuriliene (1981, Ap&SS, 80, 353). Also provided for each system are the main orbital elements, the parallax, and the component magnitudes and spectral types.

Catalog Bibcode

2012A&A...546A..69M

References

Dynamical masses of a selected sample of orbital binaries.
    Malkov O.Yu., Tamazian V.S., Docobo J.A., Chulkov D.A.
   <Astron. Astrophys. 546, A69 (2012)>
   =2012A&A...546A..69M

Provenance

This table was created by the HEASARC in October 2014 based on the list of orbital binaries given in CDS Catalog J/A+A/546/A69 file table2.dat. Note that this table does not include the information on individual orbits which given listed in file table1.dat of this CDS catalog.

HEASARC Implementation

While incorporating this table into its collection, the HEASARC noticed that 3 entries (WDS J01028+3148, WDS J16286+4153 and WDS J19217-1557) were not present in the latest version of the WDS (also available as a HEASARC table). In one case (WDS J16286+4153), the name in the input table appears to be incorrect: it likely should be WDS J16302+2129. In the other 2 cases, the HEASARC has no suggestion as to why they are not in the current WDS version. The HEASARC has retained these entries in their original form without attempting to correct them: thus, the entry for WDS J16286+415 is still present and its position in this table is based on this (likely incorrect) name.

Parameters

Name
The WDS binary system designation using the format recommended by the Dictionary of Nomenclature of Celestial Objects, except that the final suffixes identifying the specific components which are generally used to identify binary systems in the WDS are not included herein. Thus the names are of the form 'WDS JHHMMm+DDSS'.

RA
The approximate Right Ascension of the binary system in the selected equinox. This was constructed by the HEASARC based on the J2000.0 position string in the name of the system. Since the latter is given to only the nearest 0.1 minutes of time in RA and 1 arcminute in Dec, these positions are only illustrative and are NOT of astrometric quality.

Dec
The approximate Declination of the binary system in the selected equinox. This was constructed by the HEASARC based on the J2000.0 position string in the name of the system. Since the latter is given to only the nearest 0.1 minutes of time in RA and 1 arcminute in Dec, these positions are only illustrative and are NOT of astrometric quality.

LII
The approximate Galactic Longitude of the binary system.

BII
The approximate Galactic Latitude of the binary system.

Comp1_Mag
The visual magnitude of the primary component of the binary system, taken from the WDS, or if absent from WDS, from Simbad.

Comp2_Mag
The visual magnitude of the secondary component of the binary system, taken from the WDS, or if absent from WDS, from Simbad.

Comp1_Spect_Type
The spectral type of the primary component, taken from the WDS, or if absent from WDS, from Simbad.

Comp2_Spect_Type
The spectral type of the secondary component, taken from the WDS, or if absent from WDS, from Simbad.

Parallax
The trigonometric parallax (pi) of the binary system, in milliarcseconds (mas), taken for van Leeuwen (2007, A&A, 474, 653).

Parallax_Error
The uncertainty in the trigonometric parallax of the binary system, in milliarcseconds (mas), taken for van Leeuwen (2007, A&A, 474, 653).

Vmag_Extinction
The interstellar extinction towards the binary system in the V band, A_V, in magnitudes. This was estimated using the well-known Parenago (1940, AZh, 17, 3) formula, based on the distance (r) and galactic latitude (b) of the system: A_V = [(a₀ * beta) * (1 - e^-C)] / |sin b|, where C = r * |sin b| / beta, beta is the scale height and a₀ is the extinction to an object located in the galactic plane behind the absorbing layer. The values of 1.6 mag/kpc and 114 pc were accepted for a₀ and beta, respectively.

Orbital_Period
The orbital period (P) of the binary system, in years.

Orbital_Period_Error
The uncertainty in the orbital period of the binary system, in years.

Semi_Major_Axis
The semi-major axis (a") of the orbit of the binary system, in arcseconds.

Semi_Major_Axis_Error
The uncertainty in the semi-major axis of the orbit of the binary system, in arcseconds.

Eccentricity
The eccentricity (e) of the orbit of the binary system.

Eccentricity_Error
The uncertainty in the eccentricity of the orbit of the binary system.

Dynamical_Mass
The dynamical total mass (M_d) of the binary system, in solar masses, obtained using Kepler's Law, M_d = M₁ + M₂ = (a")³ / [pi³ * P²], where P is the orbital period (in years), M_1,2 are the masses (in solar mass), a" and pi are the semi-major axis and the parallax (both in arcseconds), respectively.

Dynamical_Mass_Error
The uncertainty in the dynamical total mass of the binary system, in solar masses. See Section 3 of the reference paper for more details on how this was estimated.

Photometric_Mass
The photometric mass of the binary system, in solar masses. The photometric masses of the components for each system were estimated from the observed photometry, the trigonometric parallax, and a mass-luminosity relation. See Section 3 of the reference paper for more details on how this was estimated.

Spectroscopic_Mass
The spectroscopic mass of the binary system, in solar masses. The spectroscopic masses of the components for each system were estimated from their spectral types using Table VI of Straizys and Kuriliene (1981, ApSS, 80, 363). See Section 3 of the reference paper for more details on how this was estimated.

Class
The HEASARC Browse object classification, based on the spectral type of the primary component (comp1_spect_type).

Contact Person

Questions regarding the MORBBINCAT database table can be addressed to the HEASARC Help Desk.

Page Author: Browse Software Development Team
Last Modified: Monday, 16-Sep-2024 17:31:10 EDT