Polarimetric variations of binary stars. V. Pre-main-sequence spectroscopic binaries located in Ophiuchus and Scorpius

Abstract

We present polarimetric observations of 7 pre-main-sequence (PMS) spectroscopic binaries located in the rho Oph and Upper Sco star forming regions (SFRs). The average observed polarizations at 7660A are between 0.5% and 3.5%. After estimates of the interstellar polarization are removed, all binaries have an intrinsic polarization above 0.4%. Two binaries, NTTS162814-2427 and NTTS162819-2423S, present high levels of intrinsic polarization between 1.5% and 2.1%. All 7 PMS binaries have a statistically variable or possibly variable polarization. Combining these results with our previous sample of binaries located in the Tau, Aur and Ori SFRs, 68% of the binaries have an intrinsic polarization above 0.5%, and 90% of the binaries are polarimetrically variable or possibly variable. NTTS160814-1857, NTTS162814-2427, and NTTS162819-2423S are clearly polarimetrically variable. The first two also exhibit phase-locked variations over ~10 and ~40 orbits respectively. NTTS160905-1859 shows periodic variations that are not phased-locked and only present for short intervals of time. The amplitudes of the variations reach a few tenths of a percent. The high-eccentricity system NTTS162814-2427 shows single-periodic variations, in agreement with our previous numerical simulations. Non-periodic events introduce stochastic noise that partially masks the periodic variations and prevents the Brown, McLean, & Emslie (1978) formalism from finding a reasonable estimate of the inclination.