{
  "abstract": "One of the possible scenarios usually considered to explain the existence of low-mass red giants with anomalously high lithium (Li) abundances requires the interaction with a close binary companion. If dominant, this enrichment channel predicts a significantly enhanced binary fraction among Li-rich giants relative to Li-normal ones. We aim to constrain the binary interaction hypothesis by using multi-epoch radial velocities (RVs) to measure the close binary fraction of a statistically robust sample of Li-rich giants. We are surveying both red clump (RC) and first ascent red giant (RGB) targets, which allows us to examine potential differences in the binary fraction as a function of evolutionary stage. We are monitoring 70 targets (40 RC and 30 RGB, all Li-rich) using ESPRESSO at the VLT, 57 of which (32 RC + 25 RGB) already have 4 or more visits over a $\\sim$7 month baseline; the analysis in this paper is based on the latter. For the targets with RV variation larger than that expected for intrinsic jitter, we use a Monte Carlo analysis to estimate the probability that the observed RV variation is due to a stellar ($P_{SB}$) or sub-stellar ($P_{SS}$) companion. Discounting the 38 targets consistent with stellar jitter, we are left with 11 RC and 8 RGB stars (34% and 32% of the respective sub-samples) with RV variability consistent with the presence of a close companion with an orbital period shorter than 3000 days. Of these 19, 3 can be confirmed as stellar-mass companions. The distributions of $P_{SB}$ and $P_{SS}$ are statistically indistinguishable between the RC and RGB samples. We thus find no evidence so far in our current data for a binary fraction for Li-rich giants (in either evolutionary stage) larger than that expected for a Li-normal population. Extending the RV baseline to probe longer orbital periods will be important to keep exploring the plausibility of this scenario.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": "2609.38320",
  "author_total": 4,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Jesús Torres"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sebastián Vilaza-Dallago"
    },
    {
      "name": "Julio Chanamé"
    },
    {
      "name": "Rafael Brahm"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/291g45w7s4n9e.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2609.38320",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "291g45w7s4n9e",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.38320",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "LicenseRef-arXiv-nonexclusive-1.0",
  "licence_label": "arXiv licence",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "astro-ph.SR"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "3103|Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7215037292",
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2609.38320",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-29",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/291g45w7s4n9e.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:25:48Z",
      "native_id": "2609.38320",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.38320"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "astronomy",
      "origin": "arxiv:astro-ph.SR",
      "subfield": "stellar"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Surveying for Close Binaries among Lithium-rich Giants",
  "title_text": "Surveying for Close Binaries among Lithium-rich Giants",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:25:48Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/291g45w7s4n9e",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": []
}