Unbiased Distribution of Binary Parameters from LAMOST and Kepler Observations

Abstract The parameter distribution of binaries is a fundamental knowledge of the stellar systems. A statistical study on the binary stars is carried out based on the LAMOST spectral and Kepler photometric database. We presented a catalog of 1320 binary stars with plentiful parameters, including period, binary subtype, atmosphere parameters ( T eff , Fe/H, and ), and the physical properties, such as mass, radius, and age, for the primary component stars. Based on this catalog, the unbiased distribution, rather than the observed distribution, was obtained after the correction of selection biases by the Monte Carlo method considering comprehensive affecting factors. For the first time, the orbital eccentricity distribution of the detached binaries is presented. The distribution differences between the three subtypes of binaries (detached, semidetached, and contact) are demonstrated, which can be explained by the generally accepted evolutional scenarios. Many characteristics of the binary stars, such as huge mass transfer on semidetached binaries, period cutoff on contact binaries, period–temperature relationship of contact binaries, and the evolved binaries, are reviewed by the new database. This work supports a common evolutionary scenario for all subtypes of binary stars.