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D.C. Black (LPI), I. Han (KoreaAO,BOAO), G. Gatewood (UPitt,AO)
As a first step in the implementation of an astrometric survey of spectroscopic binaries (SB) proposed to have extrasolar planetary companions, we have reduced the Hipparcos Intermediate Astrometric Data (IAD) for all of the stars currently thought to have periods longer than 10 days. While these results are to be used as guidance in the selection of targets for confirmation with the Multichannel Astrometric Photometer (MAP) (Gatewood 1987), the immediate results have interesting implications and add to our knowledge of this set of objects. These initial findings range from likely stellar companions to the establishment of mass-caps that indicate substellar mass, one quite small.
Although these results should be considered preliminary, they are suggestive of rather strong trends in the observational selection criteria of the spectroscopic programs. These criteria appear to provide a bias toward small values of sin i, leading in turn to masses that are much in excess of the oft-quoted "minimum masses. Indeed, a number of the proposed ``planetary" companions appear to be stellar and brown dwarf companions. Tabular results are given for all 32 stars.
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