Reaching the boundary between stellar kinematic groups and very wide binaries. The Washington double stars with the widest angular separations

Aims: I look for and characterise very wide binaries and multiple systems with projected physical separations larger than s = 0.1 pc, which is generally believed to be a sharp upper limit to the distribution of wide binary semimajor axes.
Methods: I investigated in detail 30 Washington double stars with angular separations of ρ > 1000 arcsec. I discarded 23 of them as probably unbound systems based on discordant astrometry, photometry, spectral types, and radial velocities. The remaining seven systems were subject to a comprehensive data compilation and derivation (multi-wavelength photometry, heliocentric distance, multiplicity, age, mass, metallicity, membership in a young kinematic group).
Results: Of the seven very wide systems, six have projected physical separations greater than the hypothetical cutoff at s = 0.1 pc and four have separations s > 0.2 pc. Although there are two systems in young kinematic groups (namely HD 136654 and BD+32 2572 in the Hyades Supercluster, and AU Mic and AT Mic AB in the β Pictoris moving group), there is no clear prevalence of young systems (τ < 1 Ga) among these very wide binaries. Finally, I compare the binding energies of the seven systems with those of other weakly bound systems in the field.

Appendix A is only available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org