Question

An analysis of the spectrum of an eclipsing, double-line, spectroscopic binary system consisting of star A and star B shows radial velocities vA = 7.2 km/s and vA = 28.8 km/s. From the sinusoidal shapes of the velocity curves, it is also apparent that the orbits are nearly circular with a period of 9.94 years.

A) Calculate the maximum Doppler shift of the hydrogen Balmer H-alpha (656.281 nm) line ∆?A =..? nm for the star A.

B) Determine the orbital radius of the smaller rA =? In AU and rB =? In AU. C) Determine for the masses of each star mA =? And mB =?.

Answer 1