Multiplicity among solar-type stars IV. The CORAVEL radial velocities and the spectroscopic orbits of nearby K dwarfs

TL;DR

This paper extends a radial velocity survey to nearby K-type stars, presenting measurements and orbital elements for 34 spectroscopic binaries, enhancing understanding of binary star properties and formation.

Contribution

It provides new radial velocity data and orbital solutions for K-type stars, including revisions for previously studied G-type binaries, expanding the binary star catalog.

Findings

Catalog of radial velocities for 261 K stars.

Orbital elements for 34 spectroscopic binaries.

Revised or new orbital solutions for 8 G-type binaries.

Abstract

Context. The statistical properties of binary stars are clues for understanding their formation process. A radial velocity survey was carried on amongst nearby G-type stars and the results were published in 1991. Aims. The survey of radial velocity measurements was extended towards K-type stars. Methods. A sample of 261 K-type stars was observed with the spectrovelocimeter CORAVEL (COrrelation RAdial VELocities). Those stars with a variable radial velocity were detected on the basis of the P(chi^2) test. The orbital elements of the spectroscopic binaries were then derived. Results. The statistical properties of binary stars were derived from these observations and published in 2003. We present the catalogue of the radial velocity measurements obtained with CORAVEL for all the K stars of the survey and the orbital elements derived for 34 spectroscopic systems. In addition, the catalogue contains eight G-type spectroscopic binaries that have received additional measurements since 1991 and for which the orbital elements are revised or derived for the first time.