Chemical Tracers of an Eccentric Binary Orbit

Watch an astronomy lecture exploring how chemical and dynamical analysis of molecular emissions reveals orbital characteristics in binary star systems. Delve into groundbreaking research on Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars, focusing on W Aquilae's binary system discovered through ALMA observations. Learn about the detection of unique molecular emissions including SiN, NS, and SiC in S-type stars, and understand how these chemical tracers combined with CO molecule observations help determine orbital parameters. Explore how this innovative analytical approach establishes new methods for studying long-period binary systems containing AGB stars, particularly those with highly eccentric orbits spanning thousands of years. Gain insights into how companion stars influence the shaping of circumstellar envelopes, resulting in various structures like spirals, discs, and bipolar outflows.