Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 April 2016
The special problems presented to the computer of orbits by radial-velocity observations of visual binaries are discussed under three heads: (i) problems caused by the small range of velocity variation, (ii) problems caused by the long periods, (iii) inconsistency between visual and spectroscopic observations. It is pointed out that radial-velocity observations, even when they are insufficient for independent determinations of orbital elements, impose constraints on possible values of those elements which may in fact be helpful to the computer of visual orbits. In particular, as is illustrated by reference to ADS 8189, even a few observations of the radial-velocity are sufficient to destroy the mutual independence of the elements e, and ω.