New binaries in the epsilon Cha association

Abstract

We present Adaptive Optics-aided speckle observations of 47 young stars in the $\epsilon$ Cha association, made at the 4-m Southern Astrophysical Research Telescope in the $I$-band. We resolved 10 new binary pairs, 5 previously known binaries and two triple systems, also previously known. In the separation range between 4 and 300 AU, the 30 association members of spectral types G0 and later host 6 binary companions, leading to the raw companion frequency of $0.010\pm0.04$ per decade of separation, comparable to the main sequence dwarfs in the field. On the other hand, all 5 massive association members of spectral types A and B have companions in this range. We discuss the newly resolved and known binaries in our sample. Observed motions in the triple system $\epsilon$ Cha, composed of three similar B9V stars, can be described by tentative orbits with periods 13 and $\sim 900$ years, and a large mutual inclination.