A Quadruple Excess in Wide Binary Systems: Evidence for Correlated Binary Formation
Dolev Bashi, Cathie J. Clarke, Vasily Belokurov
arXiv:2604.06317v1 Announce Type: new
Abstract: Understanding the multiplicity of stellar systems and the correlations between their hierarchical components provides crucial insights into star formation processes. If binary companions form independently in each component of a wide binary (WB), the fraction of quadruple systems, i.e., 2+2 configurations where both components are themselves close binaries (CBs), should equal the product of individual CB fractions. Using textit{Gaia} DR3 radial velocity spectroscopy (RVS) data for WB systems, we measure the CB fraction $p$ and quadruple fraction $P_{2+2}$, suggesting an enhancement factor $kappa = P_{2+2}/p^2 = 2.34_{-0.11}^{+0.12}$, significantly exceeding unity expected under a statistical model of independence. We confirm the significance of this excess by performing two sets of tests: (1) shuffling WB pairings while preserving the overall $Delta G$ distribution shows no significant enhancement, ruling out selection effects; (2) simulations preserving the spectral type (temperature-dependent) CB fraction also yield the same null excess. When examined as a function of WB separation, the enhancement remains strong at separations $leq 5,000$ AU, but shows a decline towards unity at the widest separations ($geq 10,000$ AU). An independent proper motion anomaly (PMa) consistency check confirms the enhancement, suggesting a similar value. We further find that the enhancement declines with increasing peculiar velocity, suggesting that dynamical processing in older or dynamically hotter populations may transform 2+2 quadruples into triples over time. Our results provide strong evidence for correlated binary formation processes operating in WB systems.arXiv:2604.06317v1 Announce Type: new
Abstract: Understanding the multiplicity of stellar systems and the correlations between their hierarchical components provides crucial insights into star formation processes. If binary companions form independently in each component of a wide binary (WB), the fraction of quadruple systems, i.e., 2+2 configurations where both components are themselves close binaries (CBs), should equal the product of individual CB fractions. Using textit{Gaia} DR3 radial velocity spectroscopy (RVS) data for WB systems, we measure the CB fraction $p$ and quadruple fraction $P_{2+2}$, suggesting an enhancement factor $kappa = P_{2+2}/p^2 = 2.34_{-0.11}^{+0.12}$, significantly exceeding unity expected under a statistical model of independence. We confirm the significance of this excess by performing two sets of tests: (1) shuffling WB pairings while preserving the overall $Delta G$ distribution shows no significant enhancement, ruling out selection effects; (2) simulations preserving the spectral type (temperature-dependent) CB fraction also yield the same null excess. When examined as a function of WB separation, the enhancement remains strong at separations $leq 5,000$ AU, but shows a decline towards unity at the widest separations ($geq 10,000$ AU). An independent proper motion anomaly (PMa) consistency check confirms the enhancement, suggesting a similar value. We further find that the enhancement declines with increasing peculiar velocity, suggesting that dynamical processing in older or dynamically hotter populations may transform 2+2 quadruples into triples over time. Our results provide strong evidence for correlated binary formation processes operating in WB systems.