18 Aug 2009 | G. Torres · J. Andersen · A. Giménez
This paper presents a critical compilation of accurate determinations of stellar masses and radii, identifying 95 detached binary systems containing 190 stars that meet the criterion of having both stars' masses and radii known to within ±3%. These systems are non-interacting, allowing for the stars to be treated as if they were single. The sample more than doubles the size of the earlier review by Andersen (1991) and includes an extragalactic binary. The authors have recomputed the stellar parameters using consistent assumptions and physical constants, adding interstellar reddening, effective temperature, metal abundance, rotational velocity, and apsidal motion when available. The accurate physical parameters reveal the effects of stellar evolution clearly, and the data are used to test stellar evolution models. The study confirms significant structural differences between moderately fast-rotating, mildly active stars and single stars, attributed to strong magnetic and spot activity. The data also allow for the analysis of tidal evolution, testing prescriptions for rotational synchronization and orbital circularization. The superior data set demonstrates that apsidal motion rates predicted from General Relativity plus tidal theory agree well with observational data. The paper also derives empirical calibrations for single (post-)main-sequence stars above 0.6 $M_{\odot}$, with errors of 6% and 3% for mass and radius, respectively. Finally, the authors list 23 interferometric binaries with masses known to better than 3%, but without fundamental radius determinations, and discuss future prospects for improving these parameters.This paper presents a critical compilation of accurate determinations of stellar masses and radii, identifying 95 detached binary systems containing 190 stars that meet the criterion of having both stars' masses and radii known to within ±3%. These systems are non-interacting, allowing for the stars to be treated as if they were single. The sample more than doubles the size of the earlier review by Andersen (1991) and includes an extragalactic binary. The authors have recomputed the stellar parameters using consistent assumptions and physical constants, adding interstellar reddening, effective temperature, metal abundance, rotational velocity, and apsidal motion when available. The accurate physical parameters reveal the effects of stellar evolution clearly, and the data are used to test stellar evolution models. The study confirms significant structural differences between moderately fast-rotating, mildly active stars and single stars, attributed to strong magnetic and spot activity. The data also allow for the analysis of tidal evolution, testing prescriptions for rotational synchronization and orbital circularization. The superior data set demonstrates that apsidal motion rates predicted from General Relativity plus tidal theory agree well with observational data. The paper also derives empirical calibrations for single (post-)main-sequence stars above 0.6 $M_{\odot}$, with errors of 6% and 3% for mass and radius, respectively. Finally, the authors list 23 interferometric binaries with masses known to better than 3%, but without fundamental radius determinations, and discuss future prospects for improving these parameters.