Edge-on disk around the T Tauri star [MR81] Hα 17 NE in Corona Australis

Author(s)
R. Neuhäuser, S. Krämer, M. Mugrauer, R. Köhler, T. O. B. Schmidt, M. Ammler-von Eiff, J. Alves, S. Fiedler, N. Vogt
Abstract

Aims: Using the speckle camera SHARP at the 3.5 m ESO NTT, Köhlerand collaborators found an object ˜ 3.5 mag fainter in K only1.3'' north-east of the T Tauri star [MR81] Hα 17 in the Corona Australis (CrA) star-forming region, which could be either a brown dwarf or a T Tauri star with an edge-on disk. We attempt to study this faint object in detail. Methods: We acquired deep VLT NACO near-infrared images at three epochs to determine, whether [MR81]Hα 17 and the nearby faint object are comoving and to measure the infrared colors of both objects. We obtained optical and infrared spectra of both objects with the VLT using FORS and ISAAC, respectively,to determine spectral types and temperatures as well as ages and masses.Results: The T Tauri star [MR81] Hα 17 and the faint nearby object have a projected separation of 1369.58 mas, i.e. 178 AU at 130pc. They share the same proper motion (~ 5 σ), so that they most certainly form a bound binary pair. The apparently fainter component[MR81] Hα 17 NE has a spectral type of M2e, while the apparently brighter component [MR81] Hα 17 SW, the previously known T Tauri star, has a spectral type of M4-5e. We can identify a nearly edge-on disk around [MR81] Hα 17 NE by visual inspection, which has a diameter of at least 30 to 50 AU. We are able to detect strong emission lines in [MR81] Hα 17 NE, which are almost certainly due to ongoing accretion. The NE object is detectable only by means of its scattered light. Conclusions: If both objects are co-eval (2-3Myr) and located at the same distance (˜ 130 pc as CrA), then the apparently fainter [MR81] Hα 17 NE is more massive (primary)component with a nearly edge-on disk and the apparently brigther component [MR81] Hα 17 SW is less massive (companion). Both are low-mass T Tauri stars with masses of ˜ 0.5 and 0.23 ± 0.05M⊙, respectively.Based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory,Chile in runs 67.C-0213, 71.C-0206(D), 71.C-0522(B), 073.C-0164(A),073.C-0167(B) and 081.C-0393(A).

Organisation(s)
Department of Astrophysics
External organisation(s)
Landessternwarte Königstuhl (LSW), Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Universidad de Valparaíso, Universidad Católica del Norte
Journal
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Volume
496
Pages
777-786
ISSN
0004-6361
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:200810730
Publication date
03-2009
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
103004 Astrophysics
Keywords
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/3bd2a7aa-2c14-460a-8593-bc856de196f3