On the mass-luminosity relation.

Abstract

The results of a least-squares study of the mass-luminosity relation for eclipsing and visual binary stars consisting of main sequence components are presented. Two methods are discussed. First, the values of the coefficients A and B in the relation log M = A + BM sub BOL are determined. Then a technique which permits the determination of alpha and beta in the relation M = alpha L beta, when only the sum of the masses, and not the individual masses of each component, is known. The results and a comparison of the two methods are discussed. It is found that the following mass-luminosity relation represents the observational data satisfactorily: log M = 0.504 - 0.103 M sub BOL, -8 less than or equal to M sub BOL less than or equal to +10.5. A discussion of the data and of the possibility that separate mass-luminosity relations may exist for visual and eclipsing binaries is given. The possibility that more than one mass-luminosity relation is required in the range -8 less than or equal to M sub BOL less than or equal to +13 is also discussed.