Protoplanetary Disk Evolution: Singles vs. Binaries

TL;DR

This study investigates how protoplanetary disk evolution differs between single and binary stars, revealing that close binaries have significantly shorter disk lifetimes, challenging existing models of disk decay.

Contribution

It provides high-resolution observational data showing that close binary stars have faster disk dissipation than wider binaries or single stars, refining our understanding of disk evolution.

Findings

Close binaries (<100 AU) have significantly reduced disk lifetimes.

Disk frequencies among single stars and wide binaries are similar.

Observed disk decay deviates from simple exponential models.

Abstract

Based on a large number of observations carried out in the last decade it appears that the fraction of stars with protoplanetary disks declines steadily between ~1 Myr and ~10 Myr. We do, however, know that the multiplicity fraction of star-forming regions can be as high as >50% and that multiples have reduced disk lifetimes on average. As a consequence, the observed roughly exponential disk decay can be fully attributed neither to single nor binary stars and its functional form may need revision. Observational evidence for a non-exponential decay has been provided by Kraus et al. (2012), who statistically correct previous disk frequency measurements for the presence of binaries and find agreement with models that feature a constantly high disk fraction up to ~3 Myr, followed by a rapid ($\lesssim$2 Myr) decline. We present results from our high angular resolution observational program to study the fraction of protoplanetary disks of single and binary stars separately. We find that disk evolution timescales of stars bound in close binaries (<100 AU) are significantly reduced compared to wider binaries. The frequencies of accretors among single stars and wide binaries appear indistinguishable, and are found to be lower than predicted from planet forming disk models governed by viscous evolution and photoevaporation.