The 2RE J0241-525: A Nearby Post T-Tauri Visual Binary System

We present high spatial resolution X-ray observations, photometry and spectroscopy of the two low mass, active stars proposed as optical counterparts to the extreme ultraviolet source 2RE J0241-525 (equal to EUVE J0241-530). It is confirmed that both stars, which are of types dK7e and dM3e and separated by 22 arcsecs, are sources of soft X-ray emission and exhibit substantial chromospheric activity. Radial velocity measurements indicate that the two components are physically associated and most probably single. The projected equatorial velocities are measured as (75 +/- 3) km/s and (11.7 +/- 0.7) km/s for the hotter and cooler components, respectively, and whilst the hotter component has a relatively high photospheric lithium abundance, log N(Li) equal to 1.5 +/- 0.2, we are unable to detect any lithium in the cooler star. Isochrone fitting to this 'mini-cluster' yields an age of (3-70) Myr and a distance of (19-60) pc. An empirical comparison of the lithium abundances with those for similar stars in young clusters and associations narrows this age range to (5-30) Myr and a corresponding distance of (26-50) pc. We conclude that this object is a nearby post T-Tauri system, but we cannot locate any possible birth site. It appears unlikely that the system can have been ejected from a nearby open cluster in a two or three body encounter.