We image 104 newly identified low-mass (mostly M-dwarf) pre-main sequence
members of nearby young moving groups with Magellan Adaptive Optics (MagAO) and
identify 27 binaries with instantaneous projected separation as small as 40
mas. 15 were previously unknown. The total number of multiple systems in this
sample including spectroscopic and visual binaries from the literature is 36,
giving a raw multiplicity rate of at least 35−4+5% for this
population. In the separation range of roughly 1 - 300 AU in which infrared AO
imaging is most sensitive, the raw multiplicity rate is at least
24−4+5% for binaries resolved by the MagAO infrared camera (Clio). The
M-star sub-sample of 87 stars yields a raw multiplicity of at least
30−4+5% over all separations, 21−4+5% for secondary
companions resolved by Clio from 1 to 300 AU (23−4+5% for all known
binaries in this separation range). A combined analysis with binaries
discovered by the Search for Associations Containing Young stars shows that
multiplicity fraction as a function of mass and age over the range of 0.2 to
1.2 M⊙ and 10 - 200 Myr appears to be linearly flat in both parameters
and across YMGs. This suggests that multiplicity rates are largely set by 100
Myr without appreciable evolution thereafter. After bias corrections are
applied, the multiplicity fraction of low-mass YMG members (<0.6M⊙) is
in excess of the field.Comment: 25 page