CHARACTERIZATION of the COMPANION μ HER

Authors
Roberts, LC 
Mason, BD 
Aguilar, J 
Carson, J 

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Article
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Abstract

© 2016. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. μ Her is a nearby quadruple system with a G-subgiant primary and several low-mass companions arranged in a 2+2 architecture. While the BC components have been well characterized, the Ab component has been detected astrometrically and with direct imaging but there has been some confusion over its nature, in particular, whether the companion is stellar or substellar. Using near-infrared spectroscopy, we are able to estimate the spectral type of the companion as an M41V star. In addition, we have measured the astrometry of the system for over a decade. We combined the astrometry with archival radial velocity measurements to compute an orbit of the system. From the combined orbit, we are able to compute the mass sum of the system. Using the estimated mass of the primary, we estimate the mass of the secondary as 0.32, which agrees with the estimated spectral type. Our computed orbit is preliminary due to the incomplete orbital phase coverage, but it should be sufficient to predict ephemerides over the next decade.

Publication Date
2016
Online Publication Date
2016-06-01
Acceptance Date
2016-04-20
Keywords
binaries: visual, instrumentation: adaptive optics, stars: individual (HD 161797), stars: solar-type
Journal Title
Astronomical Journal
Journal ISSN
0004-6256
1538-3881
Volume Title
151
Publisher
American Astronomical Society
Sponsorship
Science and Technology Facilities Council (ST/N000927/1)