Spectroscopic triples and a chance alignment. A solution for a problem of suspicious mass ratios for SB2s from Wilson method

TL;DR

This paper reveals that some spectroscopic binary systems with extreme mass ratios are actually triple systems or chance alignments, correcting previous misconceptions caused by the Wilson method.

Contribution

It demonstrates that systems previously identified as SB2 with extreme mass ratios are often misclassified, being triple systems or chance alignments, thus refining binary star analysis methods.

Findings

All three studied systems are triple systems or chance alignments.

Wilson method can misclassify complex systems as SB2s with extreme mass ratios.

Revised understanding of the nature of certain spectroscopic binaries.

Abstract

We selected three double-lined spectroscopic binary systems which have extreme mass ratios, if measured using the Wilson method. We analysed medium resolution spectroscopic observations and space-based photometry and find that all these systems are not SB2, but rather triple systems and a chance alignment of another star with SB1 that have an unseen component. Therefore suspicious mass ratios determined by the Wilson method for some double-lined spectroscopic binary systems aren't correct as these systems are more complex.