Multiplicity properties of massive stars across different ages and stellar environments through high-angular resolution observations

With at least 8 times the mass of the Sun, massive stars are some of the most intriguing objects in the universe. They are the stellar equivalent of a giant 'factory', producing the elements that make up our planet today. Through strong stellar winds, they lose a significant amount of their mass before ending their life in a spectacular explosion: a supernova. At the end of their life, massive stars disperse the elements that they created into their surroundings, leaving building blocks for new generations of stars and planets. Understanding the birth, evolution and death of massive stars are some of the fundamental questions astronomers would like to answer.

Unlike for low mass stars, the formation mechanism of massive stars is still poorly constrained. One of the most striking properties of massive stars is that they are almost always found in binaries and multiple systems. A detailed study of their multiplicity properties is therefore of crucial importance to constrain massive star formation theories.

In this project, we will analyse high-contrast imaging and sparse aperture masking observations of O- and early B-type stars to achieve a complete and unbiased view of how multiplicity properties vary across different ages and stellar environments. With these observation techniques, angular separations relevant to test massive star formation theories are explored. More specifically, companions formed through disk fragmentation are expected to be found at these separations.