Full bibliography
MOST sub-arcsecond companions of Kepler exoplanet candidate host stars are gravitationally bound
Resource type
Authors/contributors
- Horch, E.P. (Author)
- Howell, S.B. (Author)
- Everett, M.E. (Author)
- Ciardi, D.R. (Author)
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. © 2014. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved..
Publication
Astrophysical Journal
Publisher
Institute of Physics Publishing
Date
2014
Volume
795
Issue
1
Journal Abbr
Astrophys. J.
Citation Key
horchMOSTSubarcsecondCompanions2014
ISSN
0004637X (ISSN)
Archive
Scopus
Language
English
Extra
97 citations (Crossref) [2023-10-31]
Citation
Horch, E. P., Howell, S. B., Everett, M. E., & Ciardi, D. R. (2014). MOST sub-arcsecond companions of Kepler exoplanet candidate host stars are gravitationally bound. Astrophysical Journal, 795(1). Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/795/1/60
Link to this record