A binary system in the S cluster close to the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A*

{getToc} $title={Table of Contents}

Summary

A binary system, D9, has been discovered in the S cluster near the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A*. The system consists of a primary star with a mass of 2.8±0.5M and a secondary star with a mass of 0.73±0.14M. The binary system is stable against disruption by the black hole due to its semi-major axis of 1.59±0.01 AU.

Highlights

• A binary system, D9, has been discovered in the S cluster near Sagittarius A*.
• The system consists of a primary star with a mass of 2.8±0.5M and a secondary star with a mass of 0.73±0.14M.
• The binary system is stable against disruption by the black hole.
• The system's semi-major axis is 1.59±0.01 AU.
• The orbital period of the secondary star is 372.30±3.65 days.
• The system is estimated to be 2.7±1.9 million years old.
• The binary system is expected to merge in the near future due to the von Zeipel-Lidov-Kozai cycle.

Key Insights

• The discovery of the D9 binary system provides insight into the formation and evolution of stars in the vicinity of a supermassive black hole.
• The stability of the binary system against disruption by the black hole is due to its semi-major axis being below the tidal disruption radius.
• The estimated age of the system suggests that it may have formed during a recent star-formation episode in the Galactic center.
• The von Zeipel-Lidov-Kozai cycle is expected to cause the system to merge in the near future, providing a potential explanation for the observed decrease in binary fraction in the Galactic center.
• The detection of the D9 binary system implies that binary systems in the S cluster can reside in the vicinity of the supermassive black hole for approximately 10^6 years.
• The system's orbital parameters suggest that it may be a hard binary, which is expected to be stable against disruption by the black hole.
• The discovery of the D9 binary system provides a unique opportunity to study the effects of the supermassive black hole on the formation and evolution of stars in the Galactic center.

Mindmap

Citation

Peißker, F., Zajaček, M., Labadie, L., Bordier, E., Eckart, A., Melamed, M., & Karas, V. (2024). A binary system in the S cluster close to the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A*. In Nature Communications (Vol. 15, Issue 1). Springer Science and Business Media LLC. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-54748-3