One is the loneliest number: multiplicity in cool dwarfs

Abstract

Stars in multiple systems offer a unique opportunity to learn about stellar formation and evolution. As they settle down into stable configurations, multiple systems occur in a variety of hierarchies and a wide range of separations between the components. We examine 11 known and 11 newly discovered multiple systems including at least one M dwarf with the latest astrometric data from Gaia Early Data Release 3 (EDR3). We find that the individual components of systems at very wide separations are often multiple systems themselves.