Multiplicity of the Galactic Senior Citizens: A high-resolution search for cool subdwarf companions

TL;DR

This study presents the largest high-resolution survey of cool subdwarfs, revealing their binary and triple star fractions and highlighting differences in companion star properties compared to solar metallicity stars.

Contribution

It provides the first large, sensitive high-resolution survey of cool subdwarfs, significantly expanding sample size and detection capabilities.

Findings

Binary fraction of 11.6% among cool subdwarfs

Discovered 16 new multiple systems

Subdwarfs show a shortage of low contrast companions

Abstract

Cool subdwarfs are the oldest members of the low mass stellar population. Mostly present in the galactic halo, subdwarfs are characterized by their low metallicity. Measuring their binary fraction and comparing it to solar metallicity stars could give key insights into the star formation process early in the history of the Milky Way. However, because of their low luminosity and relative rarity in the solar neighborhood, binarity surveys of cool subdwarfs have suffered from small sample sizes and incompleteness. Previous surveys have suggested that the binary fraction of red subdwarfs is much lower than for their main sequence cousins. Using the highly efficient RoboAO system, we present the largest yet high-resolution survey of subdwarfs, sensitive to angular separations, down to 0.15 arcsec, and contrast ratios, up to 6 magnitude difference, invisible in past surveys. Of 344 target cool subdwarfs, 40 are in multiple systems, 16 newly discovered, for a binary fraction of 11.6 percent and 1.8 percent error. We also discovered 6 triple star systems for a triplet fraction of 1.7 percent and 0.7 percent error. Comparisons to similar surveys of solar metallicity dwarf stars gives a 3 sigma disparity in luminosity between companion stars, with subdwarfs displaying a shortage of low contrast companions.