Stellar multiplicity is common amongst all stars, but becomes dominant especially for high masses.

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Hence, massive stars tend to interact, exchange mass, exert tidal forces on each other and merge.

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What are initial binary fractions?

What are their mass-ratio and period distributions? 

How do stars interact?

What happens when they merge?

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To study this, I combine multi-epoch spectroscopy and interferometry with techniques such as spectral disentangling and qunatitative spectroscopy.

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I am leading an ESO Large Programme dedicated to study these questions in the Small Magellanic Cloud: Check out the BLOeM page.

Notable relevant publications:​​

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• Shenar et al. 2022, A&A, 665, 148: "Characterization of hidden companions in 51 single-lined spectroscopic binaries"

• Shenar et al. 2020, A&A, 63: "The hidden companion in LB-1 unveiled by spectral disentangling"

• Bodensteiner, Shenar et al. 2020, A&A, 641, 43: "Does HR 6819 contain a black hole? An alternative explanation"

• Bodensteiner, Shenar & Sana 2020, A&A, 641, 42: "Investigating the lack of main sequence companions to Be stars"