English

Precision Masses of the low-mass binary system GJ 623

Astrophysics 2011-02-11 v2

Abstract

We have used Aperture Masking Interferometry and Adaptive Optics (AO) at the Palomar 200'' to obtain precise mass measurements of the binary M dwarf GJ 623. AO observations spread over 3 years combined with a decade of radial velocity measurements constrain all orbital parameters of the GJ 623 binary system accurately enough to critically challenge the models. The dynamical masses measured are m1=0.371±0.015M\sunm_{1}=0.371\pm0.015 M_{\sun} (4%) and m2=0.115±0.0023M\sunm_{2}=0.115\pm0.0023 M_{\sun} (2%) for the primary and the secondary respectively. Models are not consistent with color and mass, requiring very low metallicities.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.astro-ph/0612138,
  title  = {Precision Masses of the low-mass binary system GJ 623},
  author = {Frantz Martinache and James P. Lloyd and Michael J. Ireland and Ryan S. Yamada and Peter G. Tuthill},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:astro-ph/0612138},
  year   = {2011}
}

Comments

7 pages, 5 figures. Accepted for ApJ