AMBER/VLTI observations of the B[e] star MWC 300

TL;DR

This study uses VLTI/AMBER observations to reveal that the B[e] star MWC 300 is a binary system with a resolved disk, providing detailed constraints on its binary separation, flux ratio, and disk temperature profile.

Contribution

First high-angular-resolution interferometric study of MWC 300 revealing its binary nature and detailed disk parameters.

Findings

MWC 300 is a binary with ~4.4 mas separation (~7.9 AU)

The system has a flux ratio of about 2.2 between components

The disk follows a temperature-gradient model fitting the observations

Abstract

Aims. We study the enigmatic B[e] star MWC 300 to investigate its disk and binary with milli-arcsecond-scale angular resolution. Methods. We observed MWC 300 with the VLTI/AMBER instrument in the H and K bands and compared these observations with temperature-gradient models to derive model parameters. Results. The measured low visibility values, wavelength dependence of the visibilities, and wavelength dependence of the closure phase directly suggest that MWC 300 consists of a resolved disk and a close binary. We present a model consisting of a binary and a temperature-gradient disk that is able to reproduce the visibilities, closure phases, and spectral energy distribution. This model allows us to constrain the projected binary separation (~4.4 mas or ~7.9 AU), the flux ratio of the binary components (~2.2), the disk temperature power-law index, and other parameters.