Binaries

This is the page for the high-resolution stellar case that keeps ZShooter from collapsing into a transient-only instrument. Long-period Gaia binaries, compact-object companions, and ultra-compact systems all pull on the design in useful ways.

Suggested seed figure: one Gaia dark-companion orbit / RV illustration and one ultracompact-binary timing figure.

Why ZShooter

• RVs and abundance work want real resolution (R~20k) and stable (~200 m/s) wavelength calibration.

• Blue coverage matters for the abundance side of the problem, not just the transients.

• Fast cadence and low overheads matter for the ultra-compact end of the sample.

Current design pressure

This case keeps pressure on nominal resolution, calibration stability, blue throughput, and fast-imaging with ZImager.

Build-out TODO

• Split into long-period and ultra-compact subsections as science team adds real programs.

• Add one table for required RV precision and cadence by sub-case.

• Link the fast-imaging requirements back to the ZImager page when that page grows teeth.