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Abstract We present a study of the double-lined spectroscopic binary HD 21278 that contains one of the brightest main-sequence stars in the youngαPersei open cluster. We analyzed new spectra and reanalyzed archived spectra to measure precise new radial velocity curves for the binary. We also obtained interferometric data using the CHARA Array at Mount Wilson to measure the sky positions of the two stars and the inclination of the ∼2 mas orbit. We determine that the two stars have masses of 5.381 ± 0.084M⊙and 3.353 ± 0.064M⊙. From isochrone fits, we find the cluster’s age to be 49 ± 7 Myr (using PARSEC models) or 49.5 ± 6 Myr (MIST models). Finally, we revisit the massive white dwarfs that are candidate escapees from theαPersei cluster to try to better characterize the massive end of the white dwarf initial–final mass relation. The implied progenitor masses challenge the idea that Chandrasekhar-mass white dwarfs are made by single stars with masses near 8M⊙.
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The Interferometric Binary ϵ Cnc in Praesepe: Precise Masses and Age
Abstract We observe the brightest member of the Praesepe cluster, ϵ Cnc, to precisely measure the characteristics of the stars in this binary system, en route to a new measurement of the cluster’s age. We present spectroscopic radial velocity measurements and interferometric observations of the sky-projected orbit to derive the masses, which we find to be M 1 / M ⊙ = 2.420 ± 0.008 and M 2 / M ⊙ = 2.226 ± 0.004. We place limits on the color–magnitude positions of the stars by using spectroscopic and interferometric luminosity ratios while trying to reproduce the spectral energy distribution of ϵ Cnc. We reexamine the cluster membership of stars at the bright end of the color–magnitude diagram using Gaia data and literature radial velocity information. The binary star data are consistent with an age of 637 ± 19 Myr, as determined from MIST model isochrones. The masses and luminosities of the stars appear to select models with the most commonly used amount of convective core overshooting.
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- PAR ID:
- 10338311
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- The Astronomical Journal
- Volume:
- 164
- Issue:
- 2
- ISSN:
- 0004-6256
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 34
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/ac7329
