High-mass binary stars

Detailed studies of high-mass binaries in the MWG, LMC and SMC, in which spectral disentangling and cross-correlation methods have been employed, demonstrate good agreement for detached binaries with the new stellar evolution models for single stars with stellar-wind mass loss and stellar rotation, whilst the semi-detached systems are consistent with recent binary-star evolution codes for case A mass exchange.The subject area would benefit from a systematic use of spectral disentangling coupled with more precise determinations of stellar temperatures via model atmosphere fitting to the separated spectra in order to provide more rigorous empirical constraints on the evolution models.