THE LEECH EXOPLANET IMAGING SURVEY: ORBIT AND COMPONENT MASSES OF THE INTERMEDIATE-AGE, LATE-TYPE BINARY NO UMa

Joshua E. Schlieder, Andrew J. Skemer, Anne Lise Maire, Silvano Desidera, Philip Hinz, Michael F. Skrutskie, Jarron Leisenring, Vanessa Bailey, Denis Defrère, Simone Esposito, Klaus G. Strassmeier, Michael Weber, Beth A. Biller, Mickaël Bonnefoy, Esther Buenzli, Laird M. Close, Justin R. Crepp, Josh A. Eisner, Karl Heinz Hofmann, Thomas HenningKatie M. Morzinski, Dieter Schertl, Gerd Weigelt, Charles E. Woodward

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present high-resolution Large Binocular Telescope LBTI/LMIRcam images of the spectroscopic and astrometric binary NO UMa obtained as part of the LBT Interferometer Exozodi Exoplanet Common Hunt exoplanet imaging survey. Our H-, Ks-, and L′-band observations resolve the system at angular separations <0.″09. The components exhibit significant orbital motion over a span of ∼7 months. We combine our imaging data with archival images, published speckle interferometry measurements, and existing spectroscopic velocity data to solve the full orbital solution and estimate component masses. The masses of the K2.0 ± 0.5 primary and K6.5 ± 0.5 secondary are 0.83 ± 0.02 M and 0.64 ± 0.02 M, respectively. We also derive a system distance of d = 25.87 ± 0.02 pc and revise the Galactic kinematics of NO UMa. Our revised Galactic kinematics confirm NO UMa as a nuclear member of the ∼500 Myr old Ursa Major moving group, and it is thus a mass and age benchmark. We compare the masses of the NO UMa binary components to those predicted by five sets of stellar evolution models at the age of the Ursa Major group. We find excellent agreement between our measured masses and model predictions with little systematic scatter between the models. NO UMa joins the short list of nearby, bright, late-type binaries having known ages and fully characterized orbits.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number1
JournalAstrophysical Journal
Volume818
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 10 2016

Keywords

  • binaries: general
  • instrumentation: adaptive optics
  • stars: fundamental parameters
  • stars: individual (NO UMa)
  • stars: late-type
  • techniques: high angular resolution

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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