Observations of Binary Stars with the Differential Speckle Survey Instrument. V. Toward an Empirical Metal-Poor Mass-Luminosity Relation

TL;DR

This study uses speckle imaging to observe binary stars, deriving orbital parameters and mass estimates, revealing that metal-poor stars are less massive at a given color than metal-rich stars, supporting theoretical predictions.

Contribution

First empirical determination of the mass-luminosity relation for metal-poor stars using speckle imaging and orbit analysis.

Findings

Metal-poor stars are less massive at a given color than solar-metallicity stars.

Orbit determinations for five systems and refinements for four.

Results support theoretical models of stellar structure and evolution.

Abstract

In an effort to better understand the details of the stellar structure and evolution of metal poor stars, the Gemini North telescope was used on two occasions to take speckle imaging data of a sample of known spectroscopic binary stars and other nearby stars in order to search for and resolve close companions. The observations were obtained using the Differential Speckle Survey Instrument, which takes data in two filters simultaneously. The results presented here are of 90 observations of 23 systems in which one or more companions was detected, and 6 stars where no companion was detected to the limit of the camera capabilities at Gemini. In the case of the binary and multiple stars, these results are then further analyzed to make first orbit determinations in five cases, and orbit refinements in four other cases. Mass information is derived, and since the systems span a range in metallicity, a study is presented that compares our results with the expected trend in total mass as derived from the most recent Yale isochrones as a function of metal abundance. These data suggest that metal-poor main-sequence stars are less massive at a given color than their solar-metallicity analogues in a manner consistent with that predicted from the theory.