Towards spectroscopic detection of low mass ratio stellar binary systems

• Main Author: Gullikson, Kevin Carl
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: Binary star; High mass star formation; Planet characterization
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2152/ETD-UT-2012-08-6275

Detection of the emission from the secondary component in a binary system can be extremely challenging, but equally rewarding. In the case of intermediate to high-mass binaries, detection of close companions can inform formation theories. In the extreme low mass-ratio case, where the secondary component is in fact a planet, detection of the emission in high resolution spectroscopy can be used to determine the true planet mass. In this thesis, we describe a technique to detect the thermal emission from the secondary component of a low mass-ratio binary system. We apply this technique to archived observations of early B-type stars using VLT/CRIRES, and simulate future observations of planetary systems with IGRINS, a near-infrared spectrograph being built now. === text