KH 15D: Gradual Occultation of a Pre-Main-Sequence Binary

Abstract

We propose that the extraordinary ``winking star'' KH 15D is an eccentric pre-main-sequence binary that is gradually being occulted by an opaque screen. This model accounts for the periodicity, depth, duration, and rate of growth of the modern eclipses; the historical light curve from photographic plates; and the existing radial velocity measurements. It also explains the re-brightening events that were previously observed during eclipses, and the subsequent disappearance of these events. We predict the future evolution of the system and its full radial velocity curve. Given the small velocity of the occulting screen relative to the center of mass of the binary, the screen is probably associated with the binary, and may be the edge of a precessing circumbinary disk.

ApJ Letters, in press [11 pp., 5 figs]. Revision is shorter and incorporates suggestions from the referee and other colleagues

References in corpus (8)

• Long-Term Stability of Planets in Binary Systems
• Eclipses by a Circumstellar Dust Feature in the Pre-Main Sequence Star KH15D
• Fine Structure in the Circumstellar Environment of a Young, Solar-like Star: the Unique Eclipses of KH 15D
• Natural Coronagraphic Observations of the Eclipsing T Tauri System KH 15D: Evidence for Accretion and Bipolar Outflow in a WTTS
• Spectropolarimetry and Modeling of the Eclipsing T Tauri Star KH 15D
• Limits on eclipses of the pre-main-sequence star KH 15D in the first half of the 20th century
• KH15D: a star eclipsed by a large scale dusty vortex?
• Spectroscopy of Molecular Hydrogen Emission from KH 15D

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• Optical and Radio Observations of the T Tauri Binary KH 15D (V582 Mon): Stellar Properties, Disk Mass Limit and Discovery of a CO Outflow
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• Multi-Wavelength Photometry of the T Tauri Binary V582 Mon (KH 15D): A New Epoch of Occultations
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• Extending the Model of KH 15D: Estimating the Effects of Forward Scattering and Curvature of the Occulting Ring Edge
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• SPH simulations of structures in protoplanetary disks
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