2020ApJ...890...86S

We model the circumstellar disk of δ Sco using the three-dimensional Monte Carlo radiative transfer code HDUST in order to quantify the large-scale changes in the disk through the years 2000-2018, and to see if these changes can be attributed to the secondary star affecting the disk throughout its orbit. We determine our best-fitting models through matching simulated observations to actual Hα spectroscopy and V-band photometric observations. Our modeling results confirm previous findings that the disk of δ Sco was forming early in the century. We also find a period of disk dissipation when the companion is at apastron, as well as a significant growth of the disk between 2009 and 2011, prior to the periastron of 2011. Due to the steady-state nature of the disk after 2011, it is difficult to say whether the variations seen are due to the effect of the close passage of the binary companion.