Discussion

\label{discuss}

To investigate how the red giants in each binary have been tidally affected by their companion over the course of stellar evolution, we analyze the MESA models described above. In Figure \ref{fig:eccevol}, we use results from MESA to follow the approach of \citet{ver95} and present each system’s observed eccentricity versus the expected expected lifetime change in eccentricity. Binaries with \(\log[-(\Delta\ln e)]>0\), to the left of the dotted line, are predicted to have circular orbits. Those with \(\log[-(\Delta\ln e)]<0\), on the other hand, to the right of the dotted line, have not had sufficient time to theoretically circularize their orbits.