Chandra Resolves the T Tauri Binary System RW Aur
- Author(s)
- Stephen Lee Skinner, Manuel Güdel
- Abstract
RW Aur is a multiple T Tauri system consisting of an early-K type primary (A) and a K5 companion (B) at a separation of 1.″4. RW Aur A drives a bipolar optical jet that is well characterized optically. We present results of a sensitive Chandra observation whose primary objective was to search for evidence of soft extended X-ray emission along the jet, as has been seen for a few other nearby T Tauri stars. The binary is clearly resolved by Chandra and both stars are detected as X-ray sources. The X-ray spectra of both stars reveal evidence for cool and hot plasma. Surprisingly, the X-ray luminosity of the less-massive secondary is at least twice that of the primary and is variable. The disparity is attributed to the primary whose X-ray luminosity is at the low end of the range for classical T Tauri stars of similar mass based on established correlations. Deconvolved soft-band images show evidence for slight outward elongation of the source structure of RW Aur A along the blueshifted jet axis inside the central arcsecond. In addition, a faint X-ray emission peak is present on the redshifted axis at an offset of 1.″2 ± 0.″2 from the star. Deprojected jet speeds determined from previous optical studies are too low to explain this faint emission peak as shock-heated jet plasma. Thus, unless flow speeds in the redshifted jet have been underestimated, other mechanisms such as magnetic jet heating may be involved.
- Organisation(s)
- Department of Astrophysics
- External organisation(s)
- University of Colorado, Boulder
- Journal
- The Astrophysical Journal
- Volume
- 788
- No. of pages
- 9
- ISSN
- 0004-637X
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/788/2/101
- Publication date
- 06-2014
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 103003 Astronomy, 103004 Astrophysics
- Keywords
- ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Astronomy and Astrophysics, Space and Planetary Science
- Portal url
- https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/8a47c6ae-948f-41f5-8f32-9d020c3bc7d2