H. Sana, S. E. de Mink, A. de Koter, N. Langer, C. J. Evans, M. Gieles, E. Gosset, R. G. Izzard, J. -B. Le Bouquin, F. R. N. Schneider
Nearby companions alter the evolution of massive stars in binary systems. Using a sample of Galactic massive stars in nearby young clusters, we simultaneously measure all intrinsic binary characteristics relevant to quantify the frequency and nature of binary interactions. We find a large intrinsic binary fraction, a strong preference for short orbital periods and a flat distribution for the mass-ratios. Our results do not support the presence of a significant peak of equal-mass `twin' binaries. As a result of the measured distributions, we find that over seventy per cent of all massive stars exchange mass with a companion. Such a rate greatly exceeds previous estimates and implies that the majority of massive stars have their evolution strongly affected by interaction with a nearby companion.
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http://arxiv.org/abs/1211.4740
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