Stellar Systems Group

Olofsson, G.; Nilsson, R.; Florén, H.-G.; Djupvik, A.; Aberasturi, M.
Astronomy & Astrophysics, Volume 544, id.A43, 9 pp. (2012).
08/2012

ABSTRACT

Context. The binary B5 V star BD + 31°643 exhibits a disk-like structure detected at optical wavelengths. Even though the feature is well centered on the star, it has been argued, based on Spitzer observations, that the feature is a filament not directly associated to the binary star.
Aims: The purpose of the present paper is to investigate whether polarization imaging may provide evidence either for or against the disk hypothesis. In addition, we aim at clarifying whether there might be any additional close companion to the binary star.
Methods: We used the coronagraph PolCor in its polarization mode in combination with an EMCCD camera allowing short unit exposure times. As a result of shift-and-add and frame selection, the spatial resolution is improved compared to traditional CCD imaging. In order to possibly reveal an additional stellar companion, we used high resolution spectroscopy in the optical and high spatial resolution imaging in the near-IR.
Results: The disk/filament is much better seen in polarization; it is narrow and a line drawn along the ridge passes within a second of arc from the star. The degree of polarization is high (≈50% after correction for the extended component of the reflection nebula) which means that the disk/filament must be approximately at the same distance as the star. Although we confirm that the feature is much brighter south-east than north-west of the star, the evidence that the feature is physically connected to the star is strengthened and suggests that we are witnessing the destruction process of an accretion disk. Our spectroscopy shows that at least one of the stars is a spectroscopic binary. We were, however, not able to spatially resolve any stellar component in addition to the two well separated stars.

Based on observations made with the Nordic Optical Telescope, operated on the island of La Palma jointly by Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, in the Spanish Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos of the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias.