Radio detection of the young binary HD 160934

¹ Departamento de Astronomía y Astrofísica, Universidad de Valencia, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
e-mail: rebecca.azulay@uv.es
² Observatorio Astronómico, Universidad de Valencia, 46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain
³ Onsala Space Observatory, Chalmers University of Technology, Onsala, Sweden

Received: 23 September 2013
Accepted: 12 November 2013

Abstract

Context. Precise determination of dynamical masses of pre-main-sequence (PMS) stars is essential to calibrate stellar evolution models that are widely used to derive theoretical masses of young low-mass objects. Binary stars in young, nearby loose associations are particularly good candidates for this calibration since all members share a common age. Interestingly, some of these young binaries present a persistent and compact radio emission, which makes them excellent targets for astrometric VLBI studies.

Aims. We aim to monitor the orbital motion of the binary system HD 160934, a member of the AB Doradus moving group.

Methods. We observed HD 160934 with the Very Large Array and the European VLBI Network at 8.4 and 5 GHz, respectively. The orbital information derived from these observations was analyzed along with previously reported orbital measurements.

Results. We show that the two components of the binary, HD 160934 A and HD 160934 c, display compact radio emission at VLBI scales, providing precise information on the relative orbit. Revised orbital elements were estimated.

Conclusions. Future VLBI monitoring of this pair should determine precise model-independent mass estimates for the A and c components, which will serve as calibration tests for PMS evolutionary models.