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Triple trouble for XZ Tau : deep imaging with the Jansky Very Large Array
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dc.contributor.author | Forgan, D. | |
dc.contributor.author | Ivison, R. J. | |
dc.contributor.author | Sibthorpe, B. | |
dc.contributor.author | Greaves, J. S. | |
dc.contributor.author | Ibar, E. | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2014-09-09T09:31:05Z | |
dc.date.available | 2014-09-09T09:31:05Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2014-04-21 | |
dc.identifier | 135034403 | |
dc.identifier | f780fa1a-d501-4c11-bb45-aeef9a502df4 | |
dc.identifier | 000334115400065 | |
dc.identifier | 84897051010 | |
dc.identifier | 000334115400065 | |
dc.identifier.citation | Forgan , D , Ivison , R J , Sibthorpe , B , Greaves , J S & Ibar , E 2014 , ' Triple trouble for XZ Tau : deep imaging with the Jansky Very Large Array ' , Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society , vol. 439 , no. 4 , pp. 4057-4060 . https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stu271 | en |
dc.identifier.issn | 0035-8711 | |
dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10023/5385 | |
dc.description | DF gratefully acknowledges support from STFC grant ST/J001422/1. RJI acknowledges support in the form of ERC Advanced Investigator programme, cosmicism. EI acknowledges funding from CONICYT/FONDECYT postdoctoral project no.: 3130504. | en |
dc.description.abstract | We present new observations of the XZ Tau system made at high angular resolution (55 mas) with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) at a wavelength of 7 mm. Observations of XZ Tau made with the VLA in 2004 appeared to show a triple-star system, with XZ Tau A resolved into two sources, XZ Tau A and XZ Tau C. The angular separation of XZ Tau A and C (0.09 arcsec) suggested a projected orbital separation of around 13 au with a possible orbital period of around 40 yr. Our follow-up observations were obtained approximately 8 yr later, a fifth of this putative orbital period, and should therefore allow us to constrain the orbital parameters of XZ Tau C, and evaluate the possibility that a recent periastron passage of C coincided with the launch of extended optical outflows from XZ Tau A. Despite improved sensitivity and resolution, as compared with the 2004 observations, we find no evidence of XZ Tau C in our data. Components A and B are detected with a signal-to-noise ratio greater than 10; their orbital motions are consistent with previous studies of the system, although the emission from XZ Tau A appears to be weaker. Three possible interpretations are offered: either XZ Tau C is transiting XZ Tau A, which is broadly consistent with the periastron passage hypothesis, or the emission seen in 2004 was that of a transient, or XZ Tau C does not exist. A fourth interpretation, that XZ Tau C was ejected from the system, is dismissed due to the lack of angular momentum redistribution in the orbits of XZ Tau A and XZ Tau B that would result from such an event. Transients are rare but cannot be ruled out in a T Tauri system known to exhibit variable behaviour. Our observations are insufficient to distinguish between the remaining possibilities, at least not until we obtain further VLA observations at a sufficiently later time. A further non-detection would allow us to reject the transit hypothesis, and the periastron passage of XZ Tau C as agent of XZ Tau A's outflows. | |
dc.format.extent | 4 | |
dc.format.extent | 318665 | |
dc.language.iso | eng | |
dc.relation.ispartof | Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society | en |
dc.subject | Methods: observational | en |
dc.subject | Techniques: interferometric | en |
dc.subject | Binaries: close | en |
dc.subject | Radio continuum: stars | en |
dc.subject | 3-body systems | en |
dc.subject | Radio | en |
dc.subject | Evolution | en |
dc.subject | Binary | en |
dc.subject | Perturbations | en |
dc.subject | Distance | en |
dc.subject | Region | en |
dc.subject | QB Astronomy | en |
dc.subject | QC Physics | en |
dc.subject.lcc | QB | en |
dc.subject.lcc | QC | en |
dc.title | Triple trouble for XZ Tau : deep imaging with the Jansky Very Large Array | en |
dc.type | Journal article | en |
dc.contributor.sponsor | Science & Technology Facilities Council | en |
dc.contributor.institution | University of St Andrews. School of Physics and Astronomy | en |
dc.identifier.doi | 10.1093/mnras/stu271 | |
dc.description.status | Peer reviewed | en |
dc.identifier.grantnumber | ST/J001651/1 | en |
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