Millimeter emission from Taurus binary systems

Combined with previous measurements in the literature, these new data permit a comprehensive look at how the millimeter luminosity (a rough tracer of disk mass) relates to the separation and mass of a stellar companion.

Approximately one-third (28%-37%) of the individual stars in multiple systems have detectable millimeter emission, an incidence rate half that for single stars (~62%) which does not depend on the number of companions. There is a strong, positive correlation between the luminosity and projected separation (a_p_) of a stellar pair. Wide pairs (a_p_>300AU) have a similar luminosity distribution as single stars, medium pairs (a_p_{approx}30-300AU) are a factor of five fainter, and close pairs (a_p_<30AU) are ~5x fainter yet (aside from a small, but notable population of bright circumbinary disks).