J/A+A/707/A298 Gaia DR3 solution of 14 binary systems (Beck, 2026)
Tales of stellar and binary coevolution, told by stellar oscillations.
Binary demographics and their impact on stellar mass, orbits, and age estimates
in main-sequence and red-giant stars.
Beck P.G.
<Astron. Astrophys. 707, A298 (2026)>
=2026A&A...707A.298B 2026A&A...707A.298B (SIMBAD/NED BibCode)
ADC_Keywords: Binaries, spectroscopic ; Optical ; Stars, masses
Keywords: asteroseismology - binaries: close - binaries: spectroscopic -
stars: late-type - stars: oscillations
Abstract:
Red giants are increasingly used as stellar population tracers due to
their well-understood evolution and the availability of asteroseismic
observables. However, stellar binarity can alter observable properties
and introduce strong biases.
We aim to assess a holistic picture of the binary population and
evolution in the red-giant phase by characterizing the sample of
binaries hosting oscillating red giants from a combination of large
asteroseismic, spectroscopic, and astrometric surveys.
We investigated the binary properties of evolved stars in the APOKASC
3 and APO-K2 catalogs, leveraging asteroseismic constraints and Gaia
DR3 non-single-star solutions. We explored the mass distribution of
red-giant binary systems, analyzed the evolution of their binary
fraction. We investigated the impact of stellar evolution on the
orbital periods (Porb), eccentricities, radial velocity (RV)
amplitudes, and the fractional radius and identified candidate systems
that may have undergone significant interactions.
For stars with M≤1.8M☉, we find binary fractions ∼31% and
∼41% for oscillating and non-oscillating solar-like stars on the
main sequence (MS). By using the peak frequency of the oscillation
power excess (numax) as luminosity proxy and evolutionary states, we
detect a binary attrition of ∼69% and ∼81% on the low- and
high-luminosity red-giant branch (RGB) and an additional ∼38% to the
red clump (RC), with respect to the MS. Binaries hosting RC and
secondary-clump stars (2RC) are largely depleted at Porb≲500 and
≲200 days, respectively. We identify a population of rapidly rotating
RC stars in short-period orbits as potential post-common-envelope
merger products. Mass-dependent differences in binary fractions and
orbital properties point to stronger binary attrition for stars with
M≤1.8M☉.
Binarity is not the primary cause of reduced oscillation amplitudes in
MS solar-like stars. The distinct mass distributions and depletion of
short-period binaries in the red-giant phase underscore the impact of
stellar expansion and binary interaction on stellar evolution.
Helium-core burning RC systems with Porb≲800-1000 days are likely
shaped by past interactions, such as mass transfer or loss, which can
lead to significantly biased age estimates if not accounted for. This
demonstrates the importance of identifying stellar binarity when using
red giants as population tracers.
Description:
Gaia DR3 solution of binary systems with the primary's projected
surface rotation above 5km/s.
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* *
* Sorry, but the author never supplied the table A2 *
* as announced in the paper *
* *
* Author: Paul Beck, paul.beck(at)iac.es *
* *
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File Summary:
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FileName Lrecl Records Explanations
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ReadMe 80 . This file
tablea1.dat 63 14 Gaia DR3 solution of binary systems with the
primary's projected surface rotation above 5km/s
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See also:
I/355 : Gaia DR3 Part 1. Main source (Gaia Collaboration, 2022)
I/357 : Gaia DR3 Part 3. Non-single stars (Gaia Collaboration, 2022)
Byte-by-byte Description of file: tablea1.dat
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Bytes Format Units Label Explanations
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1- 8 I8 --- KIC KIC name
10- 13 F4.2 Msun Mass Stellar mass inferred from asteroseismic
scaling relations
15- 18 F4.2 Msun e_Mass Stellar mass error
20- 22 A3 --- State Asteroseismic evolutionary state of the primary
24- 30 F7.2 d Porb Orbital period of the Gaia DR3 two-body orbit
(TBO) solution
32- 37 F6.2 d e_Porb Orbital period error
39- 42 F4.2 --- e Orbital eccentricity of the Gaia TBO solution
44- 47 F4.2 --- e_e Ellipticity error
49- 53 F5.1 --- Signi Significance parameter of the Gaia TBO solution
(Gaia DR3 NSS definition)
55- 58 F4.1 km/s vsini Projected surface rotational velocity
(from APOGEE DR17)
60- 63 F4.1 mag Gmag Gaia broad-band G magnitude
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History:
From electronic version of the journal
License: CC-BY-4.0 [see https://spdx.org/licenses/]
(End) Patricia Vannier [CDS] 13-Mar-2026