Measurements of Binary Stars with the Starfire Optical Range Adaptive Optics Systems

Abstract

To investigate the relative photometry produced by adaptive optics within the isoplanatic patch, we observed four binaries, 10 UMa, UMa, 81 Cnc, and κ UMa, with adaptive optics using natural guide stars on the 3.5 m telescope, as well as one binary, β Del, with adaptive optics using a laser guide star on the 1.5 m telescope at the Starfire Optical Range. Iterative blind deconvolution (IBD) and parametric blind deconvolution (PBD) techniques were used to postprocess the data, which produced consistent results for position angles, separations, and magnitude differences. We also conducted simulations that verify the agreement between IBD and PBD and compared their measurements to truth data. From the results of both observations and simulations, we conclude that adaptive optics is well suited for providing not only position angles and separations for close binaries, but also good relative magnitudes without quadrant ambiguity. From the observations, we find that the secondary of 81 Cnc (separation = 012) appears to be 0.12 mag brighter than the primary at 0.85 μm and is, therefore, cooler. We also derive a new orbit for κ UMa (separation = 0067). Our results for β Del (ADS 14073) have significantly improved precision compared with the 1998 analyses of the same data by ten Brummelaar and colleagues and by Roberts, ten Brummelaar, and Mason.