The VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey XXII. Multiplicity properties of the B-type stars

TL;DR

This study analyzes the multiplicity of 408 B-type stars in 30 Doradus, revealing an intrinsic binary fraction of about 58% with a flat period distribution, consistent with O star properties.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed measurement of the intrinsic multiplicity properties of B-type stars in 30 Doradus, using multi-epoch spectroscopy and synthetic population modeling.

Findings

Observed binary fraction is 25% for periods <10^3.5 days.

Intrinsic binary fraction is estimated at 58%.

Multiplicity properties are similar to those of O stars in the same region.

Abstract

We investigate the multiplicity properties of 408 B-type stars observed in the 30 Doradus region of the Large Magellanic Cloud with multi-epoch spectroscopy from the VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey (VFTS). We use a cross-correlation method to estimate relative radial velocities from the helium and metal absorption lines for each of our targets. Objects with significant radial-velocity variations (and with an amplitude larger than 16 km/s) are classified as spectroscopic binaries. We find an observed spectroscopic binary fraction (defined by periods of <10^3.5 d and mass ratios >0.1) for the B-type stars, f_B(obs) = 0.25 +/- 0.02, which appears constant across the field of view, except for the two older clusters (Hodge 301 and SL 639). These two clusters have significantly lower fractions of 0.08 +/- 0.08 and 0.10 +/- 0.09, respectively. Using synthetic populations and a model of our observed epochs and their potential biases, we constrain the intrinsic multiplicity properties of the dwarf and giant (i.e. relatively unevolved) B-type stars in 30 Dor. We obtain a present-day binary fraction f_B(true) = 0.58 +/- 0.11, with a flat period distribution. Within the uncertainties, the multiplicity properties of the B-type stars agree with those for the O stars in 30 Dor from the VFTS.