Given that a majority of stars form in multiple systems , in order to fully understand the star- and planet-formation processes we must seek to understand them in multiple stellar systems .
With this in mind , we present an analysis of the enigmatic binary T-Tauri system VV Corona Australis , in which both components host discs , but only one is visible at optical wavelengths .
We seek to understand the peculiarities of this system by searching for a model for the binary which explains all the available continuum observations of the system .
We present new mid-infrared interferometry and near-infrared spectroscopy along with archival millimetre-wave observations , which resolve the binary at 1.3 mm for the first time .
We compute a grid of pre-main-sequence radiative transfer models and calculate their posterior probabilities given the observed spectral energy distributions and mid-infrared interferometric visibilities of the binary components , beginning with the assumption that the only differences between the two components are their inclination and position angles .
Our best-fitting solution corresponds to a relatively low luminosity T-tauri binary , with each component ’ s disc having a large scale height and viewed at moderate inclination ( \sim 50 ^ { \circ } ) , with the infrared companion inclined by \sim 5 ^ { \circ } degrees more than the primary .
Comparing the results of our model to evolutionary models suggests stellar masses \sim 1.7 M _ { \odot } and an age for the system of 3.5 Myr , towards the upper end of previous estimates .
Combining these results with accretion indicators from near-IR spectroscopy , we determine an accretion rate of 4.0 \times 10 ^ { -8 } M _ { \odot } yr ^ { -1 } for the primary .
We suggest that future observations of VV CrA and similar systems should prioritise high angular resolution sub-mm and near-IR imaging of the discs and high resolution optical/NIR spectroscopy of the central stars .