DISK DETECTIVE: DISCOVERY OF NEW CIRCUMSTELLAR DISK CANDIDATES THROUGH CITIZEN SCIENCE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kuchner, Marc J.; McElwain, Michael; Padgett, Deborah L. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics Laboratory, Code 667 Greenbelt, MD 21230 (United States); Silverberg, Steven M.; Wisniewski, John P. [Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy The University of Oklahoma 440 W. Brooks St. Norman, OK 73019 (United States); Bans, Alissa S. [Valparaiso University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Neils Science Center, 1610 Campus Drive East, Valparaiso, IN 46383 (United States); Bhattacharjee, Shambo [International Space University 1 Rue Jean-Dominique Cassini F-67400 Illkirch-Graffenstaden (France); Kenyon, Scott J. [Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory 60 Garden Street Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Debes, John H. [Space Telescope Science Institute 3700 San Martin Dr. Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Currie, Thayne [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan 650 N A’ohokhu Place Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); García, Luciano [Observatorio Astronómico de Córdoba Universidad Nacional de Córdoba Laprida 854, X5000BGR, Córdoba (Argentina); Jung, Dawoon [Korea Aerospace Research Institute Lunar Exploration Program Office 169-84 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34133 (Korea, Republic of); Lintott, Chris [Denys Wilkinson Building Keble Road Oxford, OX1 3RH (United Kingdom); Rebull, Luisa M. [Infrared Processing and Analaysis Center Caltech M/S 314-6 1200 E. California Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Nesvold, Erika, E-mail: Marc.Kuchner@nasa.gov, E-mail: michael.w.mcelwain@nasa.gov, E-mail: deborah.l.padgett@nasa.gov, E-mail: carol.a.grady@nasa.gov, E-mail: silverberg@ou.edu, E-mail: wisniewski@ou.edu [Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 5241 Broad Branch Road, NW, Washington, DC 20015-1305 (United States); Collaboration: Disk Detective Collaboration; and others

2016-10-20

The Disk Detective citizen science project aims to find new stars with 22 μ m excess emission from circumstellar dust using data from NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer ( WISE ) mission. Initial cuts on the AllWISE catalog provide an input catalog of 277,686 sources. Volunteers then view images of each source online in 10 different bands to identify false positives (galaxies, interstellar matter, image artifacts, etc.). Sources that survive this online vetting are followed up with spectroscopy on the FLWO Tillinghast telescope. This approach should allow us to unleash the full potential of WISE for finding new debris disks and protoplanetary disks. We announce a first list of 37 new disk candidates discovered by the project, and we describe our vetting and follow-up process. One of these systems appears to contain the first debris disk discovered around a star with a white dwarf companion: HD 74389. We also report four newly discovered classical Be stars (HD 6612, HD 7406, HD 164137, and HD 218546) and a new detection of 22 μ m excess around the previously known debris disk host star HD 22128.

DISK DETECTIVE: DISCOVERY OF NEW CIRCUMSTELLAR DISK CANDIDATES THROUGH CITIZEN SCIENCE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuchner, Marc J.; McElwain, Michael; Padgett, Deborah L.; Silverberg, Steven M.; Wisniewski, John P.; Bans, Alissa S.; Bhattacharjee, Shambo; Kenyon, Scott J.; Debes, John H.; Currie, Thayne; García, Luciano; Jung, Dawoon; Lintott, Chris; Rebull, Luisa M.; Nesvold, Erika

2016-01-01

The Disk Detective citizen science project aims to find new stars with 22 μ m excess emission from circumstellar dust using data from NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer ( WISE ) mission. Initial cuts on the AllWISE catalog provide an input catalog of 277,686 sources. Volunteers then view images of each source online in 10 different bands to identify false positives (galaxies, interstellar matter, image artifacts, etc.). Sources that survive this online vetting are followed up with spectroscopy on the FLWO Tillinghast telescope. This approach should allow us to unleash the full potential of WISE for finding new debris disks and protoplanetary disks. We announce a first list of 37 new disk candidates discovered by the project, and we describe our vetting and follow-up process. One of these systems appears to contain the first debris disk discovered around a star with a white dwarf companion: HD 74389. We also report four newly discovered classical Be stars (HD 6612, HD 7406, HD 164137, and HD 218546) and a new detection of 22 μ m excess around the previously known debris disk host star HD 22128.

Disk Detective: Discovery of New Circumstellar Disk Candidates Through Citizen Science

Science.gov (United States)

Kuchner, Marc J.; Silverberg, Steven M.; Bans, Alissa S.; Bhattacharjee, Shambo; Kenyon, Scott J.; Debes, John H.; Currie, Thayne; Garcia, Luciano; Jung, Dawoon; Lintott, Chris;

Infrared spectrophotometry and radiative transfer in optically thick circumstellar dust envelopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merrill, K.M.

1976-01-01

The Two-Micron Sky Survey of Neugebauer and Leighton and, more recently, the AFCRL Infrared Sky Survey of Walker and Price have detected numerous compact, isolated, bright infrared sources which are not identified with previously cataloged stars. Observations of many such objects suggest that extensive circumstellar dust envelopes modify the flux from a central source. The present investigations employ broad bandpass photometry at lambda lambda 1.65 μm to 12.5 μm and narrow bandpass spectrophotometry (Δ lambda/lambda approximately 0.015) at lambda lambda 2-4 μm and lambda lambda 8-13 μm to determine the properties of a large sample of such infrared sources. Infrared spectrophotometry can clearly differentiate between normal stars of spectral types M(''oxygen-rich'') and C (''carbon-rich'') on the basis of characteristic absorption bands arising in cool stellar atmospheres. Most of the 2 μ Sky Survey and many of the AFCRL Sky Survey sources appear to be stars of spectral types M and C which are differentiated from normal cool comparison stars only by the presence of extensive circumstellar dust envelopes. Due to the large optical depth of the envelopes, the flux from the star and from the dust cannot be simply separated. Hence solutions of radiative transfer through spherically symmetric envelopes of arbitrary optical depth were generated by a generalized computer code which employed opacities of real dust

Disk Detective: Discovery of New Circumstellar Disk Candidates through Citizen Science

OpenAIRE

Kuchner, Marc J.; Silverberg, Steven M.; Bans, Alissa S.; Bhattacharjee, Shambo; Kenyon, Scott J.; Debes, John H.; Currie, Thayne; Garcia, Luciano; Jung, Dawoon; Lintott, Chris; McElwain, Michael; Padgett, Deborah L.; Rebull, Luisa M.; Wisniewski, John P.; Nesvold, Erika

2016-01-01

The Disk Detective citizen science project aims to find new stars with 22 μm excess emission from circumstellar dust using data from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission. Initial cuts on the AllWISE catalog provide an input catalog of 277,686 sources. Volunteers then view images of each source online in 10 different bands to identify false positives (galaxies, interstellar matter, image artifacts, etc.). Sources that survive this online vetting are followed up with spectr...

Radiative transfer in gray circumstellar dust envelopes: VY Canis Majoris revisited

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schwartz, R.D.

1975-01-01

The circumstellar dust model for VY CMa proposed by Herbig is reinvestigated using a generalized form of Huang's theory of radiative transfer. The resultant envelope parameters and the emergent energy distribution are found to be insensitive to the choice of Eddington factor for a given envelope inner boundary temperature. Observed fluxes from 0.43 to 74 μ are incorporated into the model, and problems relating to grain emissivity for lambda>30 μ and grain survival at the indicated inner boundary temperature of 1855degreeK are discussed

Shifting of the resonance location for planets embedded in circumstellar disks

Science.gov (United States)

Marzari, F.

2018-03-01

Context. In the early evolution of a planetary system, a pair of planets may be captured in a mean motion resonance while still embedded in their nesting circumstellar disk. Aims: The goal is to estimate the direction and amount of shift in the semimajor axis of the resonance location due to the disk gravity as a function of the gas density and mass of the planets. The stability of the resonance lock when the disk dissipates is also tested. Methods: The orbital evolution of a large number of systems is numerically integrated within a three-body problem in which the disk potential is computed as a series of expansion. This is a good approximation, at least over a limited amount of time. Results: Two different resonances are studied: the 2:1 and the 3:2. In both cases the shift is inwards, even if by a different amount, when the planets are massive and carve a gap in the disk. For super-Earths, the shift is instead outwards. Different disk densities, Σ, are considered and the resonance shift depends almost linearly on Σ. The gas dissipation leads to destabilization of a significant number of resonant systems, in particular if it is fast. Conclusions: The presence of a massive circumstellar disk may significantly affect the resonant behavior of a pair of planets by shifting the resonant location and by decreasing the size of the stability region. The disk dissipation may explain some systems found close to a resonance but not locked in it.

Circumstellar Gas in Young Planetary Debris Disks

Science.gov (United States)

Roberge, A.

Circumstellar (CS) disks orbiting young stars fall into two categories: primordial disks, composed of unprocessed interstellar dust and gas, and debris disks, produced by the destruction of solid planetary bodies. In the first class, the most abundant gas is H_2; in the second, it appears that the H_2 gas has disappeared, possibly through incorporation into gas giant planets. The lifetime of H_2 gas in a CS disk is therefore of great importance, as it dictates the timescale for the formation of giant planets. FUSE observations of H_2 in CS disk systems have shown that FUV absorption spectroscopy may sensitively probe for small amounts of gas along the line of sight to the star. Most importantly, the FUSE non-detection of H_2 gas in the Beta Pictoris disk suggests that the primordial gas lifetime is less than about 12 Myr, and that gas giant planets must form very quickly. However, this suggestion is based on one system, and needs to be tested in additional systems with a range of ages, especially since there are indications that age is not the only factor in the evolution of a CS disk. We propose for FUSE observations of 3 additional debris disk systems, Fomalhaut, HD3003, and HD2884. Fomalhaut is an intermediate age debris disk, one of the Fabulous Four CS disks first discovered in 1984. The other two disks are younger, with ages similar to that of Beta Pic. All three stars are brighter in the FUV than Beta Pic, permitting us to sensitively probe for traces of H_2 gas. We will also measure the amount of secondary atomic gas produced from planetary bodies in these disks, in an effort to understand the entire evolution of CS gas in young planetary systems.

Circumstellar envelopes of Cepheids: a possible bias affecting the distance scale?

Science.gov (United States)

Kervella, Pierre; Gallenne, Alexandre; Mérand, Antoine

2013-02-01

Circumstellar envelopes (CSEs) have been detected around many Cepheids, first based on long-baseline interferometry, and now also using other observing techniques. These envelopes are particularly interesting for two reasons: their presence could impact the Cepheid distance scale, and they may be valuable tracers of stellar mass loss. Here we focus on their potential impact on the calibration of the Cepheid distance scale. We consider the photometric contribution of the envelopes in the visible, near-, and thermal-infrared domains. We conclude that the impact of CSEs on the apparent luminosities of Cepheids is negligible at visible wavelengths and generally weak (case. Overall, the contribution of CSEs to the usual period-luminosity relations (from the visible to the K band) is mostly negligible. They could affect calibrations at longer wavelengths, although the presence of envelopes may have been partially taken into account in the existing empirical calibrations.

Heating the Primordial Soup: X-raying the Circumstellar Disk of RY Lupi

Science.gov (United States)

Principe, David

2015-09-01

X-ray irradiation of circumstellar disks plays a vital role in their chemical evolution yet few high resolution X-ray observations exist characterizing both the disk-illuminating radiation field and the soft energy spectrum absorbed by the disk. We propose HETG spectroscopic observations of RY Lupi, a rare example of a nearly edge-on, actively accreting star-disk system within 150 pc. We aim to take advantage of its unique viewing geometry with the goals of (a) determining the intrinsic X-ray spectrum of the central pre-MS star so as to establish whether its X-ray emission can be attributed to accretion shocks or coronal emission, and (b) model the spectrum of X-rays absorbed by its gaseous disk. These results will serve as essential input to models of irradiated, planet-forming disks.

THE PDS 66 CIRCUMSTELLAR DISK AS SEEN IN POLARIZED LIGHT WITH THE GEMINI PLANET IMAGER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolff, Schuyler G.; Greenbaum, Alexandra Z.; Perrin, Marshall; Hines, Dean C.; Millar-Blanchaer, Maxwell A.; Nielsen, Eric L.; Wang, Jason; Dong, Ruobing; Duchêne, Gaspard; Graham, James R.; Kalas, Paul; Cardwell, Andrew; Chilcote, Jeffrey; Draper, Zachary H.; Fitzgerald, Michael P.; Hung, Li-Wei; Goodsell, Stephen J.; Grady, Carol A.; Hartung, Markus; Hibon, Pascale

2016-01-01

We present H- and K-band imaging polarimetry for the PDS 66 circumstellar disk obtained during the commissioning of the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI). Polarization images reveal a clear detection of the disk in to the 0.″12 inner working angle (IWA) in the H band, almost three times closer to the star than the previous Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations with NICMOS and STIS (0.″35 effective IWA). The centro-symmetric polarization vectors confirm that the bright inner disk detection is due to circumstellar scattered light. A more diffuse disk extends to a bright outer ring centered at 80 AU. We discuss several physical mechanisms capable of producing the observed ring + gap structure. GPI data confirm enhanced scattering on the east side of the disk that is inferred to be nearer to us. We also detect a lateral asymmetry in the south possibly due to shadowing from material within the IWA. This likely corresponds to a temporally variable azimuthal asymmetry observed in HST/STIS coronagraphic imaging

THE PDS 66 CIRCUMSTELLAR DISK AS SEEN IN POLARIZED LIGHT WITH THE GEMINI PLANET IMAGER

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wolff, Schuyler G.; Greenbaum, Alexandra Z. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Perrin, Marshall; Hines, Dean C. [Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Millar-Blanchaer, Maxwell A. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H4 (Canada); Nielsen, Eric L. [Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Wang, Jason; Dong, Ruobing; Duchêne, Gaspard; Graham, James R.; Kalas, Paul [Astronomy Department, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Cardwell, Andrew [LBT Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 N. Cherry Avenue, Room 552, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Chilcote, Jeffrey [Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H4 (Canada); Draper, Zachary H. [University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2 (Canada); Fitzgerald, Michael P.; Hung, Li-Wei [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, 430 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States); Goodsell, Stephen J. [Gemini Observatory, 670 N. A’ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); Grady, Carol A. [Eureka Scientific, 2452 Delmer, Suite 100, Oakland, CA 96002 (United States); Hartung, Markus; Hibon, Pascale, E-mail: swolff9@jh.edu [Gemini Observatory, Casilla 603, La Serena (Chile); and others

2016-02-10

We present H- and K-band imaging polarimetry for the PDS 66 circumstellar disk obtained during the commissioning of the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI). Polarization images reveal a clear detection of the disk in to the 0.″12 inner working angle (IWA) in the H band, almost three times closer to the star than the previous Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations with NICMOS and STIS (0.″35 effective IWA). The centro-symmetric polarization vectors confirm that the bright inner disk detection is due to circumstellar scattered light. A more diffuse disk extends to a bright outer ring centered at 80 AU. We discuss several physical mechanisms capable of producing the observed ring + gap structure. GPI data confirm enhanced scattering on the east side of the disk that is inferred to be nearer to us. We also detect a lateral asymmetry in the south possibly due to shadowing from material within the IWA. This likely corresponds to a temporally variable azimuthal asymmetry observed in HST/STIS coronagraphic imaging.

Circumstellar Disk Lifetimes In Numerous Galactic Young Stellar Clusters

Science.gov (United States)

Richert, A. J. W.; Getman, K. V.; Feigelson, E. D.; Kuhn, M. A.; Broos, P. S.; Povich, M. S.; Bate, M. R.; Garmire, G. P.

2018-04-01

Photometric detections of dust circumstellar disks around pre-main sequence (PMS) stars, coupled with estimates of stellar ages, provide constraints on the time available for planet formation. Most previous studies on disk longevity, starting with Haisch, Lada & Lada (2001), use star samples from PMS clusters but do not consider datasets with homogeneous photometric sensitivities and/or ages placed on a uniform timescale. Here we conduct the largest study to date of the longevity of inner dust disks using X-ray and 1-8 {μ m} infrared photometry from the MYStIX and SFiNCs projects for 69 young clusters in 32 nearby star-forming regions with ages t ≤ 5 Myr. Cluster ages are derived by combining the empirical AgeJX method with PMS evolutionary models, which treat dynamo-generated magnetic fields in different ways. Leveraging X-ray data to identify disk-free objects, we impose similar stellar mass sensitivity limits for disk-bearing and disk-free YSOs while extending the analysis to stellar masses as low as M ˜ 0.1 M⊙. We find that the disk longevity estimates are strongly affected by the choice of PMS evolutionary model. Assuming a disk fraction of 100% at zero age, the inferred disk half-life changes significantly, from t1/2 ˜ 1.3 - 2 Myr to t1/2 ˜ 3.5 Myr when switching from non-magnetic to magnetic PMS models. In addition, we find no statistically significant evidence that disk fraction varies with stellar mass within the first few Myr of life for stars with masses <2 M⊙, but our samples may not be complete for more massive stars. The effects of initial disk fraction and star-forming environment are also explored.

Exploring Disks Around Planets

Science.gov (United States)

Kohler, Susanna

2017-07-01

Giant planets are thought to form in circumstellar disks surrounding young stars, but material may also accrete into a smaller disk around the planet. Weve never detected one of these circumplanetary disks before but thanks to new simulations, we now have a better idea of what to look for.Image from previous work simulating a Jupiter-mass planet forming inside a circumstellar disk. The planet has its own circumplanetary disk of accreted material. [Frdric Masset]Elusive DisksIn the formation of giant planets, we think the final phase consists of accretion onto the planet from a disk that surrounds it. This circumplanetary disk is important to understand, since it both regulates the late gas accretion and forms the birthplace of future satellites of the planet.Weve yet to detect a circumplanetary disk thus far, because the resolution needed to spot one has been out of reach. Now, however, were entering an era where the disk and its kinematics may be observable with high-powered telescopes (like the Atacama Large Millimeter Array).To prepare for such observations, we need models that predict the basic characteristics of these disks like the mass, temperature, and kinematic properties. Now a researcher at the ETH Zrich Institute for Astronomy in Switzerland, Judit Szulgyi, has worked toward this goal.Simulating CoolingSzulgyi performs a series of 3D global radiative hydrodynamic simulations of 1, 3, 5, and 10 Jupiter-mass (MJ) giant planets and their surrounding circumplanetary disks, embedded within the larger circumstellar disk around the central star.Density (left column), temperature (center), and normalized angular momentum (right) for a 1 MJ planet over temperatures cooling from 10,000 K (top) to 1,000 K (bottom). At high temperatures, a spherical circumplanetary envelope surrounds the planet, but as the planet cools, the envelope transitions around 64,000 K to a flattened disk. [Szulgyi 2017]This work explores the effects of different planet temperatures and

3D Modeling of Accretion Disks and Circumbinary Envelopes in Close Binaries

Science.gov (United States)

Bisikalo, D.

2010-12-01

A number of observations prove the complex flow structure in close binary stars. The gas dynamic structure of the flow is governed by the stream of matter from the inner Lagrange point, the accretion disk, the circum-disk halo, and the circumbinary envelope. Observations reflect the current state of a binary system and for their interpretation one should consider the gas dynamics of flow patterns. Three-dimensional numerical gasdynamical modeling is used to study the gaseous flow structure and dynamics in close binaries. It is shown that the periodic variations of the positions of the disk and the bow shock formed when the inner parts of the circumbinary envelope flow around the disk result in variations in both the rate of angular-momentum transfer to the disk and the flow structure near the Lagrange point L3. All these factors lead to periodic ejections of matter from the accretion disk and circum-disk halo into the outer layers of the circumbinary envelope. The results of simulations are used to estimate the physical parameters of the circumbinary envelope, including 3D matter distribution in it, and the matter-flow configuration and dynamics. The envelope becomes optically thick for systems with high mass-exchange rates, M⊙=10-8 Msun/year, and has a significant influence on the binary's observed features. The uneven phase distributions of the matter and density variations due to periodic injections of matter into the envelope are important for interpretations of observations of CBSs.

The chemistry in circumstellar envelopes of evolved stars: following the origin of the elements to the origin of life.

Science.gov (United States)

Ziurys, Lucy M

2006-08-15

Mass loss from evolved stars results in the formation of unusual chemical laboratories: circumstellar envelopes. Such envelopes are found around carbon- and oxygen-rich asymptotic giant branch stars and red supergiants. As the gaseous material of the envelope flows from the star, the resulting temperature and density gradients create a complex chemical environment involving hot, thermodynamically controlled synthesis, molecule "freeze-out," shock-initiated reactions, and photochemistry governed by radical mechanisms. In the circumstellar envelope of the carbon-rich star IRC+10216, >50 different chemical compounds have been identified, including such exotic species as C(8)H, C(3)S, SiC(3), and AlNC. The chemistry here is dominated by molecules containing long carbon chains, silicon, and metals such as magnesium, sodium, and aluminum, which makes it quite distinct from that found in molecular clouds. The molecular composition of the oxygen-rich counterparts is not nearly as well explored, although recent studies of VY Canis Majoris have resulted in the identification of HCO(+), SO(2), and even NaCl in this object, suggesting chemical complexity here as well. As these envelopes evolve into planetary nebulae with a hot, exposed central star, synthesis of molecular ions becomes important, as indicated by studies of NGC 7027. Numerous species such as HCO(+), HCN, and CCH are found in old planetary nebulae such as the Helix. This "survivor" molecular material may be linked to the variety of compounds found recently in diffuse clouds. Organic molecules in dense interstellar clouds may ultimately be traced back to carbon-rich fragments originally formed in circumstellar shells.

Formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in circumstellar envelopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frenklach, M.; Feigelson, E.D.

1989-01-01

Production of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in carbon-rich circumstellar envelopes was investigated using a kinetic approach. A detailed chemical reaction mechanism of gas-phase PAH formation and growth, containing approximately 100 reactions of 40 species, was numerically solved under the physical conditions expected in cool stellar winds. The chemistry is based on studies of soot production in hydrocarbon pyrolysis and combustion. Several first-ring and second-ring cyclization processes were considered. A linear lumping algorithm was used to describe PAH growth beyond the second aromatic ring. PAH production using this mechanism was examined with respect to a grid of idealized constant velocity stellar winds as well as several published astrophysical models. The basic result is that the onset of PAH production in the interstellar envelopes is predicted to occur within the temperature interval of 1100 to 900 K. The absolute amounts of the PAHs formed, however, are very sensitive to a number of parameters, both chemical and astrophysical, whose values are not accurately known. Astrophysically meaningful quantities of PAHs require particularly dense and slow stellar winds and high initial acetylene abundance. It is suggested that most of the PAHs may be produced in a relatively small fraction of carbon-rich red giants. 87 refs

TESTING THE HYPOTHESIS THAT METHANOL MASER RINGS TRACE CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS: HIGH-RESOLUTION NEAR-INFRARED AND MID-INFRARED IMAGING

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Buizer, James M.; Bartkiewicz, Anna; Szymczak, Marian

2012-01-01

Milliarcsecond very long baseline interferometry maps of regions containing 6.7 GHz methanol maser emission have lead to the recent discovery of ring-like distributions of maser spots and the plausible hypothesis that they may be tracing circumstellar disks around forming high-mass stars. We aimed to test this hypothesis by imaging these regions in the near- and mid-infrared at high spatial resolution and compare the observed emission to the expected infrared morphologies as inferred from the geometries of the maser rings. In the near-infrared we used the Gemini North adaptive optics system of ALTAIR/NIRI, while in the mid-infrared we used the combination of the Gemini South instrument T-ReCS and super-resolution techniques. Resultant images had a resolution of ∼150 mas in both the near-infrared and mid-infrared. We discuss the expected distribution of circumstellar material around young and massive accreting (proto)stars and what infrared emission geometries would be expected for the different maser ring orientations under the assumption that the masers are coming from within circumstellar disks. Based upon the observed infrared emission geometries for the four targets in our sample and the results of spectral energy distribution modeling of the massive young stellar objects associated with the maser rings, we do not find compelling evidence in support of the hypothesis that methanol masers rings reside in circumstellar disks.

Discovery of a Circumstellar Disk in the Lagoon Nebula

Science.gov (United States)

1997-04-01

Circumstellar disks of gas and dust play a crucial role in the formation of stars and planets. Until now, high-resolution images of such disks around young stars within the Orion Nebula obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) constituted the most direct proof of their existence. Now, another circumstellar disk has been detected around a star in the Lagoon Nebula - also known as Messier 8 (M8) , a giant complex of interstellar gas and dust with many young stars in the southern constellation of Sagittarius and four times more distant than the Orion Nebula. The observations were carried out by an international team of scientists led by Bringfried Stecklum (Thüringer Landessternwarte, Tautenburg, Germany) [1] who used telescopes located at the ESO La Silla observatory and also observations from the HST archive. These new results are paving the road towards exciting research programmes on star formation which will become possible with the ESO Very Large Telescope. The harsh environment of circumstellar disks The existence of circumstellar disks has been inferred from indirect measurements of young stellar objects, such as the spectral energy distribution, the analysis of the profiles of individual spectral lines and measurements of the polarisation of the emitted light [2]. Impressive images of such disks in the Orion Nebula, known as proplyds (PROto-PLanetarY DiskS), have been obtained by the HST during the recent years. They have confirmed the interpretation of previous ground-based emission-line observations and mapping by radio telescopes. Moreover, they demonstrated that those disks which are located close to hot and massive stars are subject to heating caused by the intense radiation from these stars. Subsequently, the disks evaporate releasing neutral gas which streams off. During this process, shock fronts (regions with increased density) with tails of ionised gas result at a certain distance between the disk and the hot star. These objects appear on

Chemistry of Protostellar Envelopes and Disks

Science.gov (United States)

Flores Rivera, Lizxandra; Terebey, Susan; Willacy, Karen

2018-06-01

Molecule formation is dynamic during the protostar collapse phase, driven by changes in temperature, density, and UV radiation as gas and dust flows from the envelope onto the forming protoplanetary disk. In this work, we compare physical models based on two different collapse solutions. We modeled the chemistry (created by Karen Willacy) for C18O to see how its abundance changes over time using as primary input parameters the temperature and density profile that were produced by the dust Radiative Transfer (MCRT) model called HOCHUNK3D from Whitney (2003). Given this model, we produce synthetic line emission maps from L1527 IRS to simulate the Class 0/I protostar L1527 IRS using RADMC3D code and compare them with previous observations from ALMA. High concentrations of gas phase molecules of C18O are found within the 20 AU in areas in the envelope that are close to the surface of the disk. In the outermost part of the disk surface, the C18O freezes out beyond 400 AU, showing a much reduced abundance where the temperature profile drops down below 25 K. In cold regions, the radiation field plays an important role in the chemistry.

ALMA OBSERVATIONS OF HD 141569’s CIRCUMSTELLAR DISK

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

White, J. A.; Boley, A. C. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, 6224 Agricultural Road, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1 (Canada); Hughes, A. M.; Flaherty, K. M. [Department of Astronomy, Van Vleck Observatory, Wesleyan University, 96 Foss Hill Drive, Middletown, CT 06459 (United States); Ford, E. [Center for Exoplanets and Habitable Worlds, 525 Davey Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802-2111 (United States); Wilner, D.; Payne, M. [Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Corder, S., E-mail: jawhite@astro.ubc.ca [North American ALMA Science Center, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, 520 Edgemont Road, Charlottesville, VA, 22903 (United States)

2016-09-20

We present ALMA band 7 (345 GHz) continuum and {sup 12}CO( J = 3-2) observations of the circumstellar disk surrounding HD 141569. At an age of about 5 Myr, the disk has a complex morphology that may be best interpreted as a nascent debris system with gas. Our 870 μ m ALMA continuum observations resolve a dust disk out to approximately 56 au from the star (assuming a distance of 116 pc) with 0.″38 resolution and 0.07 mJy beam{sup −1} sensitivity. We measure a continuum flux density for this inner material of 3.8 ± 0.4 mJy (including calibration uncertainties). The {sup 12}CO(3-2) gas is resolved kinematically and spatially from about 30 to 210 au. The integrated {sup 12}CO(3-2) line flux density is 15.7 ± 1.6 Jy km s{sup −1}. We estimate the mass of the millimeter debris and {sup 12}CO(3-2) gas to be ≳0.04 M {sub ⊕} and ∼2 × 10{sup −3} M {sub ⊕}, respectively. If the millimeter grains are part of a collisional cascade, then we infer that the inner disk (<50 au) has ∼160 M {sub ⊕} contained within objects less than 50 km in radius, depending on the planetesimal size distribution and density assumptions. Markov Chain Monte Carlo modeling of the system reveals a disk morphology with an inclination of 53.°4 centered around an M = 2.39 M {sub ⊙} host star ( M sin( i ) = 1.92 M {sub ⊙}). We discuss whether the gas in HD 141569's disk may be second generation. If it is, the system can be used to study the clearing stages of planet formation.

Measurement of Circumstellar Disk Sizes in the Upper Scorpius OB Association with ALMA

Science.gov (United States)

Barenfeld, Scott A.; Carpenter, John M.; Sargent, Anneila I.; Isella, Andrea; Ricci, Luca

2017-12-01

We present detailed modeling of the spatial distributions of gas and dust in 57 circumstellar disks in the Upper Scorpius OB Association observed with ALMA at submillimeter wavelengths. We fit power-law models to the dust surface density and CO J = 3–2 surface brightness to measure the radial extent of dust and gas in these disks. We found that these disks are extremely compact: the 25 highest signal-to-noise disks have a median dust outer radius of 21 au, assuming an {R}-1 dust surface density profile. Our lack of CO detections in the majority of our sample is consistent with these small disk sizes assuming the dust and CO share the same spatial distribution. Of seven disks in our sample with well-constrained dust and CO radii, four appear to be more extended in CO, although this may simply be due to the higher optical depth of the CO. Comparison of the Upper Sco results with recent analyses of disks in Taurus, Ophiuchus, and Lupus suggests that the dust disks in Upper Sco may be approximately three times smaller in size than their younger counterparts, although we caution that a more uniform analysis of the data across all regions is needed. We discuss the implications of these results for disk evolution.

UNVEILING THE EVOLUTIONARY SEQUENCE FROM INFALLING ENVELOPES TO KEPLERIAN DISKS AROUND LOW-MASS PROTOSTARS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yen, Hsi-Wei [Institute of Astrophysics, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China); Takakuwa, Shigehisa; Ohashi, Nagayoshi; Ho, Paul T. P., E-mail: hwyen@asiaa.sinica.edu.tw [Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, P.O. Box 23-141, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China)

2013-07-20

We performed Submillimeter Array observations in the C{sup 18}O (2-1) emission line toward six Class 0 and I protostars to study rotational motions of their surrounding envelopes and circumstellar material on 100-1000 AU scales. C{sup 18}O (2-1) emission with intensity peaks located at the protostellar positions is detected toward all six sources. The rotational velocities of the protostellar envelopes as a function of radius were measured from the position-velocity diagrams perpendicular to the outflow directions passing through the protostellar positions. Two Class 0 sources, B335 and NGC 1333 IRAS 4B, show no detectable rotational motion, while L1527 IRS (Class 0/I) and L1448-mm (Class 0) exhibit rotational motions with radial profiles of V{sub rot}{proportional_to}r {sup -1.0{+-}0.2} and {proportional_to}r {sup -1.0{+-}0.1}, respectively. The other Class I sources, TMC-1A and L1489 IRS, exhibit the fastest rotational motions among the sample, and their rotational motions have flatter radial profiles of V{sub rot}{proportional_to}r {sup -0.6{+-}0.1} and {proportional_to}r {sup -0.5{+-}0.1}, respectively. The rotational motions with the radial dependence of {approx}r {sup -1} can be interpreted as rotation with a conserved angular momentum in a dynamically infalling envelope, while those with the radial dependence of {approx}r {sup -0.5} can be interpreted as Keplerian rotation. These observational results demonstrate categorization of rotational motions from infalling envelopes to Keplerian-disk formation. Models of the inside-out collapse where the angular momentum is conserved are discussed and compared with our observational results.

OGLE-LMC-ECL-11893: The discovery of a long-period eclipsing binary with a circumstellar disk

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dong, Subo [Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Peking University, Yi He Yuan Road 5, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100871 (China); Katz, Boaz [Institute for Advanced Study, 1 Einstein Drive, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); Prieto, Jose L. [Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, 4 Ivy Lane, Peyton Hall, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); Udalski, Andrzej; Kozlowski, Szymon [Warsaw University Observatory, Al. Ujazdowskie 4, 00-478 Warszawa (Poland); Street, R. A.; Tsapras, Y. [Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network, 6740 Cortona Drive, suite 102, Goleta, CA 93117 (United States); Bramich, D. M. [Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, Qatar Foundation, Tornado Tower, Floor 19, P.O. Box 5825, Doha (Qatar); Hundertmark, M.; Horne, K.; Dominik, M.; Jaimes, R. Figuera [SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews KY16 9SS (United Kingdom); Snodgrass, C. [Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, D-37077 Göttingen (Germany)

2014-06-10

We report the serendipitous discovery of a disk-eclipse system OGLE-LMC-ECL-11893. The eclipse occurs with a period of 468 days, a duration of about 15 days, and a deep (up to Δm{sub I} ≈ 1.5), peculiar, and asymmetric profile. A possible origin of such an eclipse profile involves a circumstellar disk. The presence of the disk is confirmed by the H-α line profile from the follow-up spectroscopic observations, and the star is identified as Be/Ae type. Unlike the previously known disk-eclipse candidates, the eclipses of OGLE-LMC-ECL-11893 retain the same shape throughout the span of ∼17 yr (13 orbital periods), indicating no measurable orbital precession of the disk.

Cold CO Gas in the Envelopes of FU Orionis-type Young Eruptive Stars

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kóspál, Á.; Ábrahám, P.; Moór, A. [Konkoly Observatory, Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Konkoly-Thege Miklós út 15-17, 1121 Budapest (Hungary); Csengeri, T.; Güsten, R. [Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, D-53121 Bonn (Germany); Henning, Th. [Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany)

2017-02-20

FU Orionis-type objects (FUors) are young stellar objects experiencing large optical outbursts due to highly enhanced accretion from the circumstellar disk onto the star. FUors are often surrounded by massive envelopes, which play a significant role in the outburst mechanism. Conversely, the subsequent eruptions might gradually clear up the obscuring envelope material and drive the protostar on its way to become a disk-only T Tauri star. Here we present an APEX {sup 12}CO and {sup 13}CO survey of eight southern and equatorial FUors. We measure the mass of the gaseous material surrounding our targets, locate the source of the CO emission, and derive physical parameters for the envelopes and outflows, where detected. Our results support the evolutionary scenario where FUors represent a transition phase from envelope-surrounded protostars to classical T Tauri stars.

Gas phase chemical kinetics at high temperature of carbonaceous molecules: application to circumstellar envelopes

Science.gov (United States)

Biennier, L.; Gardez, A.; Saidani, G.; Georges, R.; Rowe, B.; Reddy, K. P. J.

2011-05-01

Circumstellar shells of evolved stars are a theater of extremely rich physical and chemical processes. More than seventy molecules of varied nature have been identified in the envelopes through their spectral fingerprints in the microwave or far infrared regions. Many of them are carbon chain molecules and radicals and a significant number are unique to the circumstellar medium. However, observational data remain scarce and more than half of the detected species have been observed in only one object, the nearby carbon star IRC + 10216. Chemical kinetic models are needed to describe the formation of molecules in evolved circumstellar outflows. Upcoming terrestrial telescopes such as ALMA will increase the spatial resolution by several orders of magnitude and provide a wealth of data. The determination of relevant laboratory kinetics data is critical to keep up with the development of the observations and of the refinement of chemical models. Today, the majority of reactions studied in the laboratory are the ones involved in combustion and concerning light hydrocarbons. Our objective is to provide the scientific community with rate coefficients of reactions between abundant species in these warm environments. Cyanopolyynes from HC_2N to HC_9N have all been detected in carbon rich circumstellar envelopes in up to 10 sources for HC_3N. Neutral-neutral reactions of the CN radical with unsaturated hydrocarbons could be a dominant route in the formation of cyanopolyynes, even at low temperatures. Our approach aims to bridge the temperature gap between resistively heated flow tubes and shock tubes. The present kinetic measurements are obtained using a new reactor combining a high enthalpy source (Moudens et al. 2011) with a flow tube and a pulsed laser photolysis and laser induced fluorescence system to probe the undergoing chemical reactions. The high enthalpy flow tube has been used to measure the rate constant of the reaction of the CN radical with propane, propene

On the Origin of the Spiral Morphology in the Elias 2–27 Circumstellar Disk

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meru, Farzana; Juhász, Attila; Ilee, John D.; Clarke, Cathie J.; Rosotti, Giovanni P.; Booth, Richard A., E-mail: farzana.meru@ast.cam.ac.uk, E-mail: juhasz@ast.cam.ac.uk, E-mail: jdilee@ast.cam.ac.uk [Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA (United Kingdom)

2017-04-20

The young star Elias 2–27 has recently been observed to posses a massive circumstellar disk with two prominent large-scale spiral arms. In this Letter, we perform three-dimensional Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics simulations, radiative transfer modeling, synthetic ALMA imaging, and an unsharped masking technique to explore three possibilities for the origin of the observed structures—an undetected companion either internal or external to the spirals, and a self-gravitating disk. We find that a gravitationally unstable disk and a disk with an external companion can produce morphology that is consistent with the observations. In addition, for the latter, we find that the companion could be a relatively massive planetary-mass companion (≲10–13 M {sub Jup}) and located at large radial distances (between ≈300–700 au). We therefore suggest that Elias 2–27 may be one of the first detections of a disk undergoing gravitational instabilities, or a disk that has recently undergone fragmentation to produce a massive companion.

IDENTIFYING NEARBY, YOUNG, LATE-TYPE STARS BY MEANS OF THEIR CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, Adam; Song, Inseok; Melis, Carl; Zuckerman, B.; Bessell, Mike

2012-01-01

It has recently been shown that a significant fraction of late-type members of nearby, very young associations (age ∼<10 Myr) display excess emission at mid-IR wavelengths indicative of dusty circumstellar disks. We demonstrate that the detection of mid-IR excess emission can be utilized to identify new nearby, young, late-type stars including two definite new members ('TWA 33' and 'TWA 34') of the TW Hydrae Association (TWA). Both new TWA members display mid-IR excess emission in the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer catalog and they show proper motion and youthful spectroscopic characteristics—namely, Hα emission, strong lithium absorption, and low surface gravity features consistent with known TWA members. We also detect mid-IR excess—the first unambiguous evidence of a dusty circumstellar disk—around a previously identified UV-bright, young, accreting star (2M1337) that is a likely member of the Lower-Centaurus Crux region of the Scorpius-Centaurus Complex.

Interstellar Chemistry Special Feature: The chemistry in circumstellar envelopes of evolved stars: Following the origin of the elements to the origin of life

Science.gov (United States)

Ziurys, Lucy M.

2006-08-01

Mass loss from evolved stars results in the formation of unusual chemical laboratories: circumstellar envelopes. Such envelopes are found around carbon- and oxygen-rich asymptotic giant branch stars and red supergiants. As the gaseous material of the envelope flows from the star, the resulting temperature and density gradients create a complex chemical environment involving hot, thermodynamically controlled synthesis, molecule "freeze-out," shock-initiated reactions, and photochemistry governed by radical mechanisms. In the circumstellar envelope of the carbon-rich star IRC+10216, >50 different chemical compounds have been identified, including such exotic species as C8H, C3S, SiC3, and AlNC. The chemistry here is dominated by molecules containing long carbon chains, silicon, and metals such as magnesium, sodium, and aluminum, which makes it quite distinct from that found in molecular clouds. The molecular composition of the oxygen-rich counterparts is not nearly as well explored, although recent studies of VY Canis Majoris have resulted in the identification of HCO+, SO2, and even NaCl in this object, suggesting chemical complexity here as well. As these envelopes evolve into planetary nebulae with a hot, exposed central star, synthesis of molecular ions becomes important, as indicated by studies of NGC 7027. Numerous species such as HCO+, HCN, and CCH are found in old planetary nebulae such as the Helix. This "survivor" molecular material may be linked to the variety of compounds found recently in diffuse clouds. Organic molecules in dense interstellar clouds may ultimately be traced back to carbon-rich fragments originally formed in circumstellar shells.

A CHARA ARRAY SURVEY OF CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS AROUND NEARBY Be-TYPE STARS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Touhami, Y.; Gies, D. R.; McAlister, H. A.; Matson, R.

2013-01-01

We report on a high angular resolution survey of circumstellar disks around 24 northern sky Be stars. The K-band continuum survey was made using the CHARA Array long baseline interferometer (baselines of 30-331 m). The interferometric visibilities were corrected for the flux contribution of stellar companions in those cases where the Be star is a member of a known binary or multiple system. For those targets with good (u, v) coverage, we used a four-parameter Gaussian elliptical disk model to fit the visibilities and to determine the axial ratio, position angle, K-band photospheric flux contribution, and angular diameter of the disk's major axis. For the other targets with relatively limited (u, v) coverage, we constrained the axial ratio, inclination angle, and/or disk position angle where necessary in order to resolve the degeneracy between possible model solutions. We also made fits of the ultraviolet and infrared spectral energy distributions (SEDs) to estimate the stellar angular diameter and infrared flux excess of each target. The mean ratio of the disk diameter (measured in K-band emission) to stellar diameter (from SED modeling) is 4.4 among the 14 cases where we reliably resolved the disk emission, a value which is generally lower than the disk size ratio measured in the higher opacity Hα emission line. We estimated the equatorial rotational velocity from the projected rotational velocity and disk inclination for 12 stars, and most of these stars rotate close to or at the critical rotational velocity.

THE FIRST DETERMINATION OF THE VISCOSITY PARAMETER IN THE CIRCUMSTELLAR DISK OF A Be STAR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carciofi, Alex C.; Bjorkman, Jon E.; Haubois, Xavier [Instituto de Astronomia, Geofisica e Ciencias Atmosfericas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Rua do Matao 1226, Cidade Universitaria, 05508-900, Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Otero, Sebastian A. [American Association of Variable Star Observers, 49 Bay State Road, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Okazaki, Atsuo T. [Faculty of Engineering, Hokkai-Gakuen University, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo 062-8605 (Japan); Stefl, Stanislav; Rivinius, Thomas [European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere, Casilla 19001, Santiago 19 (Chile); Baade, Dietrich, E-mail: carciofi@usp.br, E-mail: jon@physics.utoledo.edu [European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 2, 85748 Garching bei Muenchen (Germany)

2012-01-15

Be stars possess gaseous circumstellar decretion disks, which are well described using standard {alpha}-disk theory. The Be star 28 CMa recently underwent a long outburst followed by a long period of quiescence, during which the disk dissipated. Here we present the first time-dependent models of the dissipation of a viscous decretion disk. By modeling the rate of decline of the V-band excess, we determine that the viscosity parameter {alpha} = 1.0 {+-} 0.2, corresponding to a mass injection rate M-dot =(3.5{+-}1.3) Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -8} M{sub Sun} yr{sup -1}. Such a large value of {alpha} suggests that the origin of the turbulent viscosity is an instability in the disk whose growth is limited by shock dissipation. The mass injection rate is more than an order of magnitude larger than the wind mass-loss rate inferred from UV observations, implying that the mass injection mechanism most likely is not the stellar wind, but some other mechanism.

Accretion Disk Assembly During Common Envelope Evolution: Implications for Feedback and LIGO Binary Black Hole Formation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Murguia-Berthier, Ariadna; Ramirez-Ruiz, Enrico; Antoni, Andrea; Macias, Phillip [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States); MacLeod, Morgan, E-mail: armurgui@ucsc.edu [School of Natural Sciences, Institute for Advanced Study, 1 Einstein Drive, Princeton, NJ 08540 (United States)

2017-08-20

During a common envelope (CE) episode in a binary system, the engulfed companion spirals to tighter orbital separations under the influence of drag from the surrounding envelope material. As this object sweeps through material with a steep radial gradient of density, net angular momentum is introduced into the flow, potentially leading to the formation of an accretion disk. The presence of a disk would have dramatic consequences for the outcome of the interaction because accretion might be accompanied by strong, polar outflows with enough energy to unbind the entire envelope. Without a detailed understanding of the necessary conditions for disk formation during CE, therefore, it is difficult to accurately predict the population of merging compact binaries. This paper examines the conditions for disk formation around objects embedded within CEs using the “wind tunnel” formalism developed by MacLeod et al. We find that the formation of disks is highly dependent on the compressibility of the envelope material. Disks form only in the most compressible of stellar envelope gas, found in envelopes’ outer layers in zones of partial ionization. These zones are largest in low-mass stellar envelopes, but comprise small portions of the envelope mass and radius in all cases. We conclude that disk formation and associated accretion feedback in CE is rare, and if it occurs, transitory. The implication for LIGO black hole binary assembly is that by avoiding strong accretion feedback, CE interactions should still result in the substantial orbital tightening needed to produce merging binaries.

THE REINCARNATION OF INTERSTELLAR DUST: THE IMPORTANCE OF ORGANIC REFRACTORY MATERIAL IN INFRARED SPECTRA OF COMETARY COMAE AND CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kimura, Hiroshi, E-mail: hiroshi_kimura@cps-jp.org [Graduate School of Science, Kobe University, c/o CPS (Center for Planetary Science), Chuo-ku Minatojima Minamimachi 7-1-48, Kobe 650-0047 (Japan)

2013-09-20

We consider the reincarnation of interstellar dust to be reborn in protoplanetary disks as aggregates consisting of submicron-sized grains with a crystalline or amorphous silicate core and an organic-rich carbonaceous mantle. We find that infrared spectra of reincarnated interstellar dust reproduce emission peaks at correct wavelengths where the peaks were observed in cometary comae, debris disks, and protoplanetary disks if the volume fraction of organic refractory meets the constraints on elemental abundances. We discuss what we can learn from the infrared spectra of reincarnated interstellar dust in cometary comae and circumstellar disks.

The Reincarnation of Interstellar Dust: The Importance of Organic Refractory Material in Infrared Spectra of Cometary Comae and Circumstellar Disks

Science.gov (United States)

Kimura, Hiroshi

2013-09-01

We consider the reincarnation of interstellar dust to be reborn in protoplanetary disks as aggregates consisting of submicron-sized grains with a crystalline or amorphous silicate core and an organic-rich carbonaceous mantle. We find that infrared spectra of reincarnated interstellar dust reproduce emission peaks at correct wavelengths where the peaks were observed in cometary comae, debris disks, and protoplanetary disks if the volume fraction of organic refractory meets the constraints on elemental abundances. We discuss what we can learn from the infrared spectra of reincarnated interstellar dust in cometary comae and circumstellar disks.

THE REINCARNATION OF INTERSTELLAR DUST: THE IMPORTANCE OF ORGANIC REFRACTORY MATERIAL IN INFRARED SPECTRA OF COMETARY COMAE AND CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kimura, Hiroshi

2013-01-01

We consider the reincarnation of interstellar dust to be reborn in protoplanetary disks as aggregates consisting of submicron-sized grains with a crystalline or amorphous silicate core and an organic-rich carbonaceous mantle. We find that infrared spectra of reincarnated interstellar dust reproduce emission peaks at correct wavelengths where the peaks were observed in cometary comae, debris disks, and protoplanetary disks if the volume fraction of organic refractory meets the constraints on elemental abundances. We discuss what we can learn from the infrared spectra of reincarnated interstellar dust in cometary comae and circumstellar disks

THE CIRCUMSTELLAR DISK OF THE Be STAR o AQUARII AS CONSTRAINED BY SIMULTANEOUS SPECTROSCOPY AND OPTICAL INTERFEROMETRY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sigut, T. A. A. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7 (Canada); Tycner, C.; Jansen, B. [Department of Physics, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 (United States); Zavala, R. T. [US Naval Observatory, Flagstaff Station, 10391 W. Naval Observatory Rd, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (United States)

2015-12-01

Omicron Aquarii is a late-type, Be shell star with a stable and nearly symmetric Hα emission line. We combine Hα interferometric observations obtained with the Navy Precision Optical Interferometer covering 2007 through 2014 with Hα spectroscopic observations over the same period and a 2008 observation of the system's near-infrared spectral energy distribution to constrain the properties of o Aqr's circumstellar disk. All observations are consistent with a circumstellar disk seen at an inclination of 75° ±  3° with a position angle on the sky of 110° ±  8° measured East from North. From the best-fit disk density model, we find that 90% of the Hα emission arises from within 9.5 stellar radii, and the mass associated with this Hα disk is ∼1.8 × 10{sup −10} of the stellar mass, and that the associated angular momentum, assuming Keplerian rotation for the disk, is ∼1.6 × 10{sup −8} of the total stellar angular momentum. The occurrence of a central quasi-emission feature in Mg ii λ4481 is also predicted by this best-fit disk model and the computed profile compares successfully with observations from 1999. To obtain consistency between the Hα line profile modeling and the other constraints, it was necessary in the profile fitting to weight the line core (emission peaks and central depression) more heavily than the line wings, which were not well reproduced by our models. This may reflect the limitation of assuming a single power law for the disk's variation in equatorial density. The best-fit disk density model for o Aqr predicts that Hα is near its maximum strength as a function of disk density, and hence the Hα equivalent width and line profile change only weakly in response to large (factor of ∼5) changes in the disk density. This may in part explain the remarkable observed stability of o Aqr's Hα emission line profile.

MOLECULAR LINE OBSERVATIONS OF THE CARBON-RICH CIRCUMSTELLAR ENVELOPE CIT 6 AT 7 mm WAVELENGTHS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chau, Wayne; Zhang Yong; Nakashima, Jun-ichi; Kwok, Sun [Department of Physics, University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong); Deguchi, Shuji [Nobeyama Radio Observatory, National Astronomical Observatory, Minamimaki, Minamisaku, Nagano 384-1305 (Japan)

2012-11-20

We present a {lambda}7 mm spectral line survey of the carbon-rich circumstellar envelope (CSE) CIT 6 using the 45 m telescope at the Nobeyama Radio Observatory. A total of 25 spectral features belonging to five molecular species (HC{sub 3}N, HC{sub 5}N, HC{sub 7}N, SiO, and CS) are detected, enabling us to investigate the chemistry of cyanopolyyne chains. The line strengths are compared with those of the proto-typical carbon-rich CSE IRC+10216. The results show that the cyanopolyyne molecules are enhanced in CIT 6, suggesting that it is more evolved than IRC+10216. In order to investigate the structure of CIT 6, we have constructed a three-dimensional spatiokinematic model. By comparing the observed line profiles with the models, we conclude that this envelope is asymmetric and is composed of several incomplete shells.

SiO maser emission as a density tracer of circumstellar envelopes

Science.gov (United States)

Stroh, Michael; Pihlstrom, Ylva; Sjouwerman, Lorant

2018-06-01

The circumstellar envelopes (CSEs) of evolved stars offer a method to construct a sample of point-masses along the full Galactic plane, which can be used to test models of the gravitational potential. In the CSEs of red giants, SiO maser emission is frequently observed at 43 and 86 GHz, providing line-of-sight velocities. The Bulge Asymmetries and Dynamical Evolution (BAaDE) project aims to explore the complex structure of the inner Galaxy and Galactic Bulge, by observing 43 GHz SiO at the Very Large Array and 86 GHz SiO at the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, with an expected final sample of about 20,000 line-of-sight velocities and positions. We observed the 43 GHz and 86 GHz transitions near-simultaneously in a subsample of the sources using the Australia Telescope Compact Array and found that on average the 43 GHz v=1 line is 1.3 times stronger than the 86 GHz v=1 line. The presence of a detectable 43 GHz v=3 line alters the statistics, consistent with the SiO masers displaying 43 GHz v=3 emission arising in a denser regime in the circumstellar shell compared to those without. Comparing our results with radiative models implies that the 43 GHz v=3 line is a tracer of density variations caused by stellar pulsations. We will discuss these results in the context of the BAaDE project.

Open clusters. III. Fundamental parameters of B stars in NGC 6087, NGC 6250, NGC 6383, and NGC 6530 B-type stars with circumstellar envelopes

Science.gov (United States)

Aidelman, Y.; Cidale, L. S.; Zorec, J.; Panei, J. A.

2018-02-01

Context. Stellar physical properties of star clusters are poorly known and the cluster parameters are often very uncertain. Methods: Our goals are to perform a spectrophotometric study of the B star population in open clusters to derive accurate stellar parameters, search for the presence of circumstellar envelopes, and discuss the characteristics of these stars. The BCD spectrophotometric system is a powerful method to obtain stellar fundamental parameters from direct measurements of the Balmer discontinuity. To this end, we wrote the interactive code MIDE3700. The BCD parameters can also be used to infer the main properties of open clusters: distance modulus, color excess, and age. Furthermore, we inspected the Balmer discontinuity to provide evidence for the presence of circumstellar disks and identify Be star candidates. We used an additional set of high-resolution spectra in the Hα region to confirm the Be nature of these stars. Results: We provide Teff, log g, Mv, Mbol, and spectral types for a sample of 68 stars in the field of the open clusters NGC 6087, NGC 6250, NGC 6383, and NGC 6530, as well as the cluster distances, ages, and reddening. Then, based on a sample of 230 B stars in the direction of the 11 open clusters studied along this series of three papers, we report 6 new Be stars, 4 blue straggler candidates, and 15 B-type stars (called Bdd) with a double Balmer discontinuity, which indicates the presence of circumstellar envelopes. We discuss the distribution of the fraction of B, Be, and Bdd star cluster members per spectral subtype. The majority of the Be stars are dwarfs and present a maximum at the spectral type B2-B4 in young and intermediate-age open clusters (operating under agreement of CONICET and the Universities of La Plata, Córdoba, and San Juan, Argentina.Tables 1, 2, 9-16 are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/610/A30

THE INCIDENCE OF NON-SPHERICAL CIRCUMSTELLAR ENVELOPES IN ASYMPTOTIC GIANT BRANCH STARS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Politano, Michael; Taam, Ronald E.

2011-01-01

The relative occurrence of asymmetric structures in the circumstellar envelopes (CSEs) of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars in detached binary star systems is studied based on a population synthesis method. The effects of envelope shaping by the gravitational interaction of the companion on an outflowing stellar wind are incorporated using previously derived empirical fits to numerical simulations. It is shown that significant asymmetries in the CSE, characterized by a ratio of the density in the equatorial direction relative to the polar direction, can exceed 10 for AGB stars characterized by luminosities in the range of 1000-10, 000 L sun in systems with orbital separations of 3-30 AU and mass ratios of 0.25-1. The incidence of such systems relative to a present-day field population of AGB stars (single + binary) is estimated to be 1%-6%, depending upon input parameter choices. For more modest density contrasts exceeding a factor of two, the incidence increases to 4%-15%. With the advent of future high-resolution molecular line studies of CSEs with the Atacama Large Millimeter Array, it is anticipated that the number of AGB stars exhibiting detectable asymmetries will significantly increase.

Heating the Primordial Soup: X-raying the Circumstellar Disk of T Cha

Science.gov (United States)

Principe, David; Huenemoerder, D.; Kastner, J. H.; Bessell, M. S.; Sacco, G.

2014-01-01

The classical T Tauri Star (cTTS) T Chamaeleontis (T Cha) presents a unique opportunity to probe pre-main sequence star-disk interactions and late-stage circumstellar disk evolution. T Cha is the only known example of a nearly edge-on, actively accreting star/disk system within ~110 pc, and furthermore may be orbited by a low-mass companion or massive planet that has cleared an inner hole in its disk. The star is characterized by strong variability in the optical 3 magnitudes in the V band) as well as large and variable extinction (AV in the range of 1-5). Like most cTTS, T Cha is also a luminous X-ray source. We present preliminary results of two observations (totaling 150 ks) of T Cha with Chandra’s HETGS. Our motivations are to (a) determine the intrinsic X-ray spectrum of T Cha, so as to establish whether its X-ray emission can be attributed to accretion shocks, coronal emission, or a combination; (b) investigate whether its X-ray flux exhibits modulation that may be related to the stellar rotational period 3.3 days); and (c) take advantage of the nearly-edge-on disk viewing geometry to model the spectrum of X-rays absorbed by the gaseous disk orbiting T Cha. These results will serve as much-needed input to models of magnetospheric accretion and irradiated, planet-forming disks. This research is supported via award number GO3-14022X to RIT issued by the Chandra X-ray Observatory Center, which is operated by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory for and on behalf of NASA under contract NAS803060. Additional support is provided by National Science Foundation grant AST-1108950 to RIT.

The Circumstellar Disk and Asymmetric Outflow of the EX Lup Outburst System

Science.gov (United States)

Hales, A. S.; Pérez, S.; Saito, M.; Pinte, C.; Knee, L. B. G.; de Gregorio-Monsalvo, I.; Dent, B.; López, C.; Plunkett, A.; Cortés, P.; Corder, S.; Cieza, L.

2018-06-01

We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations at 0.″3 resolution of EX Lup, the prototype of the EXor class of outbursting pre-main-sequence stars. The circumstellar disk of EX Lup is resolved for the first time in 1.3 mm continuum emission and in the J = 2–1 spectral line of three isotopologues of CO. At the spatial resolution and sensitivity achieved, the compact dust continuum disk shows no indications of clumps, fragments, or asymmetries above the 5σ level. Radiative transfer modeling constrains the characteristic radius of the dust disk to 23 au and the total dust mass to 1.0 × 10‑4 M ⊙ (33 M ⊕), similar to other EXor sources. The 13CO and C18O line emissions trace the disk rotation and are used to constrain the disk geometry, kinematics, and a total gas disk mass of 5.1 × 10‑4 M ⊙. The 12CO emission extends out to a radius of 200 au and is asymmetric, with one side deviating from Keplerian rotation. We detect blueshifted, 12CO arc-like emission located 0.″8 to the northwest and spatially disconnected from the disk emission. We interpret this extended structure as the brightened walls of a cavity excavated by an outflow, which are more commonly seen in FUor sources. Such outflows have also been seen in the borderline FU/EXor object V1647 Ori, but not toward EXor objects. Our detection provides evidence that the outflow phenomenon persists into the EXor phase, suggesting that FUor and EXor objects are a continuous population in which outflow activity declines with age, with transitional objects such as EX Lup and V1647 Ori.

Using RADMC-3D to model the radiative transfer of spectral lines in protoplanetary disks and envelopes

Science.gov (United States)

DeVries, John; Terebey, Susan

2018-06-01

Protoplanetary disks are the birthplaces of planets in our universe. Observations of these disks with radio telescopes like the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) offer great insight into the star and planet formation process. Comparing theories of formation with observations requires tracing the energy transfer via electromagnetic radiation, known as radiative transfer. To determine the temperature distribution of circumstellar material, a Monte Carlo code (Whitney et al. [1]) was used to to perform the radiative transfer through dust. The goal of this research is to utilize RADMC-3D [2] to handle the spectral line radiative transfer computations. An existing model of a rotating ring was expanded to include emission from the C18O isotopologue of carbon monoxide using data from the Leiden Atomic and Molecular Database (LAMDA). This feature of our model compliments ALMA's ability to measure C18O line emission, a proxy for disk rotation. In addition to modeling gas in the protoplanetary disk, dust also plays an important role. The generic description of absorption and scattering for dust provided by RADMC-3D was changed in favor of a more physically-realistic description with OH5 grains. This description is more appropriate in high-density regions of the envelope around a protostar. Further improvements, such as consideration for the finite resolution of observations, have been implemented. The task at present is to compare our model with observations of protoplanetary systems like L1527. Some results of these comparisons will be presented.[1] Whitney et al. 2013, ApJS, 207:30[2] RADMC-3D: http://www.ita.uni-heidelberg.de/~dullemond/software/radmc-3d/

Distribution of SO_{2} and so in the Envelope of Vy-Canis Majoris: Insight Into Circumstellar Sulfur Chemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Adande, Gilles; Ziurys, L. M.

2013-06-01

Millimeter wave observations of SO_{2} and SO in the envelope of the O-rich supergiant VY-Canis Majoris have been conducted with the Submillimeter Telescope (SMT) of the Arizona Radio Observatory, between 210 and 290 GHz. A non LTE radiative transfer code has been written to fit the line profile of 22 lines of SO_{2} and 5 transitions of SO, and model their abundance and distribution within the circumstellar envelope. The rotational levels involved span a wide energy range, from 13 cm^{-1} to 104 cm^{-1} for SO_{2}, and 17 to 40 cm^{-1} for SO. The high number of transitions fitted provides strong constraints on the excitation conditions, hydrogen density and kinetic temperatures. The results will be discussed in relation to the formation processes and chemistry of these two species in O-rich molecular envelopes.

Observational constraints for the circumstellar disk of the B[e] star CPD-52 9243

Science.gov (United States)

Cidale, L. S.; Borges Fernandes, M.; Andruchow, I.; Arias, M. L.; Kraus, M.; Chesneau, O.; Kanaan, S.; Curé, M.; de Wit, W. J.; Muratore, M. F.

2012-12-01

Context. The formation and evolution of gas and dust environments around B[e] supergiants are still open issues. Aims: We intend to study the geometry, kinematics and physical structure of the circumstellar environment (CE) of the B[e] supergiant CPD-52 9243 to provide further insights into the underlying mechanism causing the B[e] phenomenon. Methods: The influence of the different physical mechanisms acting on the CE (radiation pressure, rotation, bi-stability or tidal forces) is somehow reflected in the shape and kinematic properties of the gas and dust regions (flaring, Keplerian, accretion or outflowing disks). To investigate these processes we mainly used quasi-simultaneous observations taken with high spatial resolution optical long-baseline interferometry (VLTI/MIDI), near-IR spectroscopy of CO bandhead features (Gemini/Phoenix and VLT/CRIRES) and optical spectra (CASLEO/REOSC). Results: High angular resolution interferometric measurements obtained with VLTI/MIDI provide strong support for the presence of a dusty disk(ring)-like structure around CPD-52 9243, with an upper limit for its inner edge of ~8 mas (~27.5 AU, considering a distance of 3.44 kpc to the star). The disk has an inclination angle with respect to the line of sight of 46 ± 7°. The study of CO first overtone bandhead evidences a disk structure in Keplerian rotation. The optical spectrum indicates a rapid outflow in the polar direction. Conclusions: The IR emission (CO and warm dust) indicates Keplerian rotation in a circumstellar disk while the optical line transitions of various species are consistent with a polar wind. Both structures appear simultaneously and provide further evidence for the proposed paradigms of the mass-loss in supergiant B[e] stars. The presence of a detached cold CO ring around CPD-52 9243 could be due to a truncation of the inner disk caused by a companion, located possibly interior to the disk rim, clearing the center of the system. More spectroscopic and

Circumstellar and circumplanetary disks

Science.gov (United States)

Chiang, Eugene

2000-11-01

This thesis studies disks in three astrophysical contexts: (1)protoplanetary disks; (2)the Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt; and (3)planetary rings. We derive hydrostatic, radiative equilibrium models of passive protoplanetary disks surrounding T Tauri and Herbig Ae/Be stars. Each disk is encased by an optically thin layer of superheated dust grains. This layer is responsible for up to ~70% of the disk luminosity at wavelengths between ~5 and 60 μm. The heated disk flares and absorbs more stellar radiation at a given stellocentric distance than a flat disk would. Spectral energy distributions are computed and found to compare favorably with the observed flattish infrared excesses of several young stellar objects. Spectral features from dust grains in the superheated layer appear in emission if the disk is viewed nearly face-on. We present the results of a pencil-beam survey of the Kuiper Belt using the Keck 10-m telescope. Two new objects are discovered. Data from all surveys are pooled to construct the luminosity function from mR = 20 to 27. The cumulative number of objects per square degree, Σ(surface area but the largest bodies contain most of the mass. To order-of-magnitude, 0.2 M⊕ and 1 × 1010 comet progenitors lie between 30 and 50 AU. The classical Kuiper Belt appears truncated at a distance of 50 AU. We propose that rigid precession of narrow eccentric planetary rings surrounding Uranus and Saturn is maintained by a balance of forces due to ring self- gravity, planetary oblateness, and interparticle collisions. Collisional impulses play an especially dramatic role near ring edges. Pressure-induced accelerations are maximal near edges because there (1)velocity dispersions are enhanced by resonant satellite perturbations, and (2)the surface density declines steeply. Remarkably, collisional forces felt by material in the last ~100 m of a ~10 km wide ring can increase equilibrium masses up to a factor of ~100. New ring surface densities are derived which accord with

The circumstellar envelopes of F and G type supergiants in the large magellanic cloud

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hagen, W.; Humphreys, R.M.; Stencel, R.E.

1981-01-01

We have obtained high-dispersion echellograms at 2.5 and 5.1 A/mm of four F and G-type supergiants (Msub(V) approximately -9) in the large Magellanic Cloud for the purpose of studying their outer atmospheres as compared to their Milky Way counterparts. Line doubling at Na I D indicates extensive circumstellar envelopes and mass loss rates in excess of 10 -5 M . yr -1 with outflow velocities of 10-60 km s -1 . Deep exposures at Ca II H and K reveal new information about the chromospheres of extragalactic stars. The presence of H and K wing emission lines augments this, and also provides an independent way of estimating Msub(V). (author)

FIRST DETECTION OF NEAR-INFRARED LINE EMISSION FROM ORGANICS IN YOUNG CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mandell, Avi M.; Mumma, Michael J.; Villanueva, Geronimo [Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Bast, Jeanette; Van Dishoeck, Ewine F. [Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9513, 2300 RA Leiden (Netherlands); Blake, Geoffrey A. [California Institute of Technology, Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, MS 150-21, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Salyk, Colette, E-mail: Avi.Mandell@nasa.gov [Department of Astronomy, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712 (United States)

2012-03-10

We present an analysis of high-resolution spectroscopy of several bright T Tauri stars using the CRIRES spectrograph on the Very Large Telescope and NIRSPEC spectrograph on the Keck Telescope, revealing the first detections of emission from HCN and C{sub 2}H{sub 2} in circumstellar disks at near-infrared wavelengths. Using advanced data reduction techniques, we achieve a dynamic range with respect to the disk continuum of {approx}500 at 3 {mu}m, revealing multiple emission features of H{sub 2}O, OH, HCN, and C{sub 2}H{sub 2}. We also present stringent upper limits for two other molecules thought to be abundant in the inner disk, CH{sub 4} and NH{sub 3}. Line profiles for the different detected molecules are broad but centrally peaked in most cases, even for disks with previously determined inclinations of greater than 20 Degree-Sign , suggesting that the emission has both a Keplerian and non-Keplerian component as observed previously for CO emission. We apply two different modeling strategies to constrain the molecular abundances and temperatures: we use a simplified single-temperature local thermal equilibrium (LTE) slab model with a Gaussian line profile to make line identifications and determine a best-fit temperature and initial abundance ratios, and we compare these values with constraints derived from a detailed disk radiative transfer model assuming LTE excitation but utilizing a realistic temperature and density structure. Abundance ratios from both sets of models are consistent with each other and consistent with expected values from theoretical chemical models, and analysis of the line shapes suggests that the molecular emission originates from within a narrow region in the inner disk (R < 1 AU).

Binary energy source of the HH 250 outflow and its circumstellar environment

Science.gov (United States)

Comerón, Fernando; Reipurth, Bo; Yen, Hsi-Wei; Connelley, Michael S.

2018-04-01

Aims: Herbig-Haro flows are signposts of recent major accretion and outflow episodes. We aim to determine the nature and properties of the little-known outflow source HH 250-IRS, which is embedded in the Aquila clouds. Methods: We have obtained adaptive optics-assisted L-band images with the NACO instrument on the Very Large Telescope (VLT), together with N- and Q-band imaging with VISIR also on the VLT. Using the SINFONI instrument on the VLT we carried out H- and K-band integral field spectroscopy of HH 250-IRS, complemented with spectra obtained with the SpeX instrument at the InfraRed Telescope Facility (IRTF) in the JHKL bands. Finally, the SubMillimeter Array (SMA) interferometer was used to study the circumstellar environment of HH 250-IRS at 225 and 351 GHz with CO (2-1) and CO (3-2) maps and 0.9 mm and 1.3 mm continuum images. Results: The HH 250-IRS source is resolved into a binary with 0.''53 separation, corresponding to 120 AU at the adopted distance of 225 pc. The individual components show heavily veiled spectra with weak CO absorption indicative of late-type stars. Both are Class I sources, but their spectral energy distributions between 1.5 μm and 19 μm differ markedly and suggest the existence of a large cavity around one of the components. The millimeter interferometric observations indicate that the gas mainly traces a circumbinary envelope or disk, while the dust emission is dominated by one of the circumstellar envelopes. Conclusions: HH 250-IRS is a new addition to the handful of multiple systems where the individual stellar components, the circumstellar disks and a circumbinary disk can be studied in detail, and a rare case among those systems in which a Herbig-Haro flow is present. Based on observations obtained with the VLT (Cerro Paranal, Chile) in programs 089.C-0196(A), 095.C-0488(A), and 095.C-0488(B), as well as with IRTF (Mauna Kea, Hawaii), SMA (Mauna Kea, Hawaii), and the Nordic Optical Telescope (La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain

Heterodyne spatial interferometry of circumstellar dust shells at a wavelength of 11 microns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sutton, E.C.

1979-01-01

The spatial distribution of the 11 micron thermal emission from circumstellar dust envelopes has been studied using an infrared heterodyne interferometer. Circumstellar dust envelopes often exist around cool, late-type stars. These envelopes radiate strongly at 11 microns, particularly if they are composed of silicate grains, which have a strong emission feature near this wavelength. By measuring the spatial distribution of this dust emission it is possible to probe the temperatures and densities of the circumstellar material and thereby to gain an understanding of the structures of circumstellar envelopes. Among the sources which have been observed with this interferometer are α Orionis, o Ceti, VY Canis Majoris, and IRC + 10216. The 11 micron brightness distributions of these objects all have spatially extended dust-emission components which are resolved in these measurements. The dust envelopes of α Orionis and o Ceti are optically thin, having optical depths at 11 microns of 0.02 and 0.04, respectively. In addition, variations are seen in the 11 micron brightness distribution of o Ceti which correlate with the stellar variability. These variations primarily represent changes in the relative amount of spatially compact photospheric emission and spatially extended dust emission. The source VY Canis Majoris, on the other had, has a dust envelope which is optically thick at 11 microns. The dust envelope of IRC + 10216, although optically thick at visible wavelengths, does not seem to be optically thick at 11 microns since there is a spatially compact component of the 11 micron brightness distribution which presumably represents emission from the central star

The First 40 Million Years of Circumstellar Disk Evolution: The Signature of Terrestrial Planet Formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meng, Huan Y. A.; Rieke, George H.; Su, Kate Y. L.; Gáspár, András

2017-01-01

We characterize the first 40 Myr of evolution of circumstellar disks through a unified study of the infrared properties of members of young clusters and associations with ages from 2 Myr up to ∼40 Myr: NGC 1333, NGC 1960, NGC 2232, NGC 2244, NGC 2362, NGC 2547, IC 348, IC 2395, IC 4665, Chamaeleon I, Orion OB1a and OB1b, Taurus, the β Pictoris Moving Group, ρ Ophiuchi, and the associations of Argus, Carina, Columba, Scorpius–Centaurus, and Tucana–Horologium. Our work features: (1) a filtering technique to flag noisy backgrounds; (2) a method based on the probability distribution of deflections, P ( D ), to obtain statistically valid photometry for faint sources; and (3) use of the evolutionary trend of transitional disks to constrain the overall behavior of bright disks. We find that the fraction of disks three or more times brighter than the stellar photospheres at 24 μ m decays relatively slowly initially and then much more rapidly by ∼10 Myr. However, there is a continuing component until ∼35 Myr, probably due primarily to massive clouds of debris generated in giant impacts during the oligarchic/chaotic growth phases of terrestrial planets. If the contribution from primordial disks is excluded, the evolution of the incidence of these oligarchic/chaotic debris disks can be described empirically by a log-normal function with the peak at 12–20 Myr, including ∼13% of the original population, and with a post-peak mean duration of 10–20 Myr.

The First 40 Million Years of Circumstellar Disk Evolution: The Signature of Terrestrial Planet Formation

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Huan Y. A.; Rieke, George H.; Su, Kate Y. L.; Gáspár, András

2017-02-01

We characterize the first 40 Myr of evolution of circumstellar disks through a unified study of the infrared properties of members of young clusters and associations with ages from 2 Myr up to ˜40 Myr: NGC 1333, NGC 1960, NGC 2232, NGC 2244, NGC 2362, NGC 2547, IC 348, IC 2395, IC 4665, Chamaeleon I, Orion OB1a and OB1b, Taurus, the β Pictoris Moving Group, ρ Ophiuchi, and the associations of Argus, Carina, Columba, Scorpius-Centaurus, and Tucana-Horologium. Our work features: (1) a filtering technique to flag noisy backgrounds; (2) a method based on the probability distribution of deflections, P(D), to obtain statistically valid photometry for faint sources; and (3) use of the evolutionary trend of transitional disks to constrain the overall behavior of bright disks. We find that the fraction of disks three or more times brighter than the stellar photospheres at 24 μm decays relatively slowly initially and then much more rapidly by ˜10 Myr. However, there is a continuing component until ˜35 Myr, probably due primarily to massive clouds of debris generated in giant impacts during the oligarchic/chaotic growth phases of terrestrial planets. If the contribution from primordial disks is excluded, the evolution of the incidence of these oligarchic/chaotic debris disks can be described empirically by a log-normal function with the peak at 12-20 Myr, including ˜13% of the original population, and with a post-peak mean duration of 10-20 Myr.

The First 40 Million Years of Circumstellar Disk Evolution: The Signature of Terrestrial Planet Formation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meng, Huan Y. A.; Rieke, George H.; Su, Kate Y. L.; Gáspár, András, E-mail: hyameng@lpl.arizona.edu [Steward Observatory, Department of Astronomy, University of Arizona, 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States)

2017-02-10

We characterize the first 40 Myr of evolution of circumstellar disks through a unified study of the infrared properties of members of young clusters and associations with ages from 2 Myr up to ∼40 Myr: NGC 1333, NGC 1960, NGC 2232, NGC 2244, NGC 2362, NGC 2547, IC 348, IC 2395, IC 4665, Chamaeleon I, Orion OB1a and OB1b, Taurus, the β Pictoris Moving Group, ρ Ophiuchi, and the associations of Argus, Carina, Columba, Scorpius–Centaurus, and Tucana–Horologium. Our work features: (1) a filtering technique to flag noisy backgrounds; (2) a method based on the probability distribution of deflections, P ( D ), to obtain statistically valid photometry for faint sources; and (3) use of the evolutionary trend of transitional disks to constrain the overall behavior of bright disks. We find that the fraction of disks three or more times brighter than the stellar photospheres at 24 μ m decays relatively slowly initially and then much more rapidly by ∼10 Myr. However, there is a continuing component until ∼35 Myr, probably due primarily to massive clouds of debris generated in giant impacts during the oligarchic/chaotic growth phases of terrestrial planets. If the contribution from primordial disks is excluded, the evolution of the incidence of these oligarchic/chaotic debris disks can be described empirically by a log-normal function with the peak at 12–20 Myr, including ∼13% of the original population, and with a post-peak mean duration of 10–20 Myr.

Gravitational Instabilities in Circumstellar Disks

Science.gov (United States)

Kratter, Kaitlin; Lodato, Giuseppe

2016-09-01

Star and planet formation are the complex outcomes of gravitational collapse and angular momentum transport mediated by protostellar and protoplanetary disks. In this review, we focus on the role of gravitational instability in this process. We begin with a brief overview of the observational evidence for massive disks that might be subject to gravitational instability and then highlight the diverse ways in which the instability manifests itself in protostellar and protoplanetary disks: the generation of spiral arms, small-scale turbulence-like density fluctuations, and fragmentation of the disk itself. We present the analytic theory that describes the linear growth phase of the instability supplemented with a survey of numerical simulations that aim to capture the nonlinear evolution. We emphasize the role of thermodynamics and large-scale infall in controlling the outcome of the instability. Despite apparent controversies in the literature, we show a remarkable level of agreement between analytic predictions and numerical results. In the next part of our review, we focus on the astrophysical consequences of the instability. We show that the disks most likely to be gravitationally unstable are young and relatively massive compared with their host star, Md/M*≥0.1. They will develop quasi-stable spiral arms that process infall from the background cloud. Although instability is less likely at later times, once infall becomes less important, the manifestations of the instability are more varied. In this regime, the disk thermodynamics, often regulated by stellar irradiation, dictates the development and evolution of the instability. In some cases the instability may lead to fragmentation into bound companions. These companions are more likely to be brown dwarfs or stars than planetary mass objects. Finally, we highlight open questions related to the development of a turbulent cascade in thin disks and the role of mode-mode coupling in setting the maximum angular

A LARGE, MASSIVE, ROTATING DISK AROUND AN ISOLATED YOUNG STELLAR OBJECT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quanz, Sascha P.; Beuther, Henrik; Steinacker, Juergen; Linz, Hendrik; Krause, Oliver; Henning, Thomas; Birkmann, Stephan M.; Zhang Qizhou

2010-01-01

We present multi-wavelength observations and a radiative transfer model of a newly discovered massive circumstellar disk of gas and dust which is one of the largest disks known today. Seen almost edge-on, the disk is resolved in high-resolution near-infrared (NIR) images and appears as a dark lane of high opacity intersecting a bipolar reflection nebula. Based on molecular line observations, we estimate the distance to the object to be 3.5 kpc. This leads to a size for the dark lane of ∼10,500 AU but due to shadowing effects the true disk size could be smaller. In Spitzer/IRAC 3.6 μm images, the elongated shape of the bipolar reflection nebula is still preserved and the bulk of the flux seems to come from disk regions that can be detected due to the slight inclination of the disk. At longer IRAC wavelengths, the flux is mainly coming from the central regions penetrating directly through the dust lane. Interferometric observations of the dust continuum emission at millimeter wavelengths with the Submillimeter Array confirm this finding as the peak of the unresolved millimeter-emission coincides perfectly with the peak of the Spitzer/IRAC 5.8 μm flux and the center of the dark lane seen in the NIR images. Simultaneously acquired CO data reveal a molecular outflow along the northern part of the reflection nebula which seems to be the outflow cavity. An elongated gaseous disk component is also detected and shows signs of rotation. The emission is perpendicular to the molecular outflow and thus parallel to but even more extended than the dark lane in the NIR images. Based on the dust continuum and the CO observations, we estimate a disk mass of up to a few solar masses depending on the underlying assumptions. Whether the disk-like structure is an actual accretion disk or rather a larger-scale flattened envelope or pseudodisk is difficult to discriminate with the current data set. The existence of HCO + /H 13 CO + emission proves the presence of dense gas in the disk

HD95881 : a gas rich to gas poor transition disk?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verhoeff, A. P.; Min, M.; Acke, B.; van Boekel, R.; Pantin, E.; Waters, L. B. F. M.; Tielens, A. G. G. M.; van den Ancker, M. E.; Mulders, G. D.; de Koter, A.; Bouwman, J.

2010-01-01

Context. Based on the far infrared excess the Herbig class of stars is divided into a group with flaring circumstellar disks (group I) and a group with flat circumstellar disks (group II). Dust sedimentation is generally proposed as an evolution mechanism to transform flaring disks into flat disks.

Arcsecond Resolution Mapping of Sulfur Dioxide Emission in the Circumstellar Envelope of VY Canis Majoris

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Roger R.; Moullet, Arielle; Patel, Nimesh A.; Biersteker, John; Derose, Kimberly L.; Young, Kenneth H.

2012-02-01

We report Submillimeter Array observations of SO2 emission in the circumstellar envelope (CSE) of the red supergiant VY Canis Majoris, with an angular resolution of ≈1''. SO2 emission appears in three distinct outflow regions surrounding the central continuum peak emission that is spatially unresolved. No bipolar structure is noted in the sources. A fourth source of SO2 is identified as a spherical wind centered at the systemic velocity. We estimate the SO2 column density and rotational temperature assuming local thermal equilibrium (LTE) as well as perform non-LTE radiative transfer analysis using RADEX. Column densities of SO2 are found to be ~1016 cm-2 in the outflows and in the spherical wind. Comparison with existing maps of the two parent species OH and SO shows the SO2 distribution to be consistent with that of OH. The abundance ratio f_{SO_{2}}/f_{SO} is greater than unity for all radii larger than 3 × 1016 cm. SO2 is distributed in fragmented clumps compared to SO, PN, and SiS molecules. These observations lend support to specific models of circumstellar chemistry that predict f_{SO_{2}}/f_{SO}>1 and may suggest the role of localized effects such as shocks in the production of SO2 in the CSE.

ARCSECOND RESOLUTION MAPPING OF SULFUR DIOXIDE EMISSION IN THE CIRCUMSTELLAR ENVELOPE OF VY CANIS MAJORIS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu, Roger R.; Moullet, Arielle; Patel, Nimesh A.; Biersteker, John; Derose, Kimberly L.; Young, Kenneth H.

2012-01-01

We report Submillimeter Array observations of SO 2 emission in the circumstellar envelope (CSE) of the red supergiant VY Canis Majoris, with an angular resolution of ≈1''. SO 2 emission appears in three distinct outflow regions surrounding the central continuum peak emission that is spatially unresolved. No bipolar structure is noted in the sources. A fourth source of SO 2 is identified as a spherical wind centered at the systemic velocity. We estimate the SO 2 column density and rotational temperature assuming local thermal equilibrium (LTE) as well as perform non-LTE radiative transfer analysis using RADEX. Column densities of SO 2 are found to be ∼10 16 cm –2 in the outflows and in the spherical wind. Comparison with existing maps of the two parent species OH and SO shows the SO 2 distribution to be consistent with that of OH. The abundance ratio f SO 2 /f SO is greater than unity for all radii larger than 3 × 10 16 cm. SO 2 is distributed in fragmented clumps compared to SO, PN, and SiS molecules. These observations lend support to specific models of circumstellar chemistry that predict f SO 2 /f SO >1 and may suggest the role of localized effects such as shocks in the production of SO 2 in the CSE.

Modeling collisions in circumstellar debris disks

Science.gov (United States)

Nesvold, Erika

2015-10-01

Observations of resolved debris disks show a spectacular variety of features and asymmetries, including inner cavities and gaps, inclined secondary disks or warps, and eccentric, sharp-edged rings. Embedded exoplanets could create many of these features via gravitational perturbations, which sculpt the disk directly and by generating planetesimal collisions. In this thesis, I present the Superparticle Model/Algorithm for Collisions in Kuiper belts and debris disks (SMACK), a new method for simultaneously modeling, in 3-D, the collisional and dynamical evolution of planetesimals in a debris disk with planets. SMACK can simulate azimuthal asymmetries and how these asymmetries evolve over time. I show that SMACK is stable to numerical viscosity and numerical heating over 107 yr, and that it can reproduce analytic models of disk evolution. As an example of the algorithm's capabilities, I use SMACK to model the evolution of a debris ring containing a planet on an eccentric orbit and demonstrate that differential precession creates a spiral structure as the ring evolves, but collisions subsequently break up the spiral, leaving a narrower eccentric ring. To demonstrate SMACK's utility in studying debris disk physics, I apply SMACK to simulate a planet on a circular orbit near a ring of planetesimals that are experiencing destructive collisions. Previous simulations of a planet opening a gap in a collisionless debris disk have found that the width of the gap scales as the planet mass to the 2/7th power (alpha = 2/7). I find that gap sizes in a collisional disk still obey a power law scaling with planet mass, but that the index alpha of the power law depends on the age of the system t relative to the collisional timescale t coll of the disk by alpha = 0.32(t/ tcoll)-0.04, with inferred planet masses up to five times smaller than those predicted by the classical gap law. The increased gap sizes likely stem from the interaction between collisions and the mean motion

Mass loss of evolved massive stars: the circumstellar environment at high angular resolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Montarges, Miguel

2014-01-01

Mass loss of evolved stars is still largely mysterious, despite its importance as the main evolution engine for the chemical composition of the interstellar medium. For red supergiants (RSG), the triggering of the outflow and the mechanism of dust condensation remain unknown. Concerning red giant stars, we still do not know how their mass loss is able to form a bipolar planetary nebula. During my PhD thesis, I observed evolved stars with high angular resolution techniques. They allowed us to study the surface and the close environment of these stars, from where mass loss originates. With near-infrared interferometric observations, I characterized the water vapor and carbon monoxide envelope of the nearby RSG Betelgeuse. I also monitored a hot spot on its surface and analyzed the structure of its convection, as well as that of Antares (another very nearby supergiant) thanks to radiative hydrodynamical simulations. Diffraction-limited imaging techniques (near-infrared adaptive optics, ultraviolet space telescope) allowed me to observe the evolution of inhomogeneities in the circumstellar envelope of Betelgeuse and to discover a circumstellar disk around L2 Puppis, an asymptotic giant branch star. These multi-scale and multi-wavelength observations obtained at several epochs allowed us to monitor the evolution of the structures and to derive information on the dynamics of the stellar environment. With a wider stellar sample expected in the next few years, this observing program will allow a better understanding of the mass loss of evolved stars. (author)

RESOLVING THE CIRCUMSTELLAR DISK AROUND THE MASSIVE PROTOSTAR DRIVING THE HH 80-81 JET

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carrasco-Gonzalez, Carlos [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Radioastronomie (MPIfR), Auf dem Huegel 69, 53121 Bonn (Germany); Galvan-Madrid, Roberto [European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 2, 85748 Garching (Germany); Anglada, Guillem; Osorio, Mayra [Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia, CSIC, Camino Bajo de Huetor 50, E-18008 Granada (Spain); D' Alessio, Paola; Rodriguez, Luis F. [Centro de Radioastronomia y Astrofisica UNAM, Apartado Postal 3-72 (Xangari), 58089 Morelia, Michoacan (Mexico); Hofner, Peter [Physics Department, New Mexico Tech, 801 Leroy Pl., Socorro, NM 87801 (United States); Linz, Hendrik [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Astronomie (MPIA), Koenigstuhl 17, 69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Araya, Esteban D., E-mail: carrasco@mpifr-bonn.mpg.de [Physics Department, Western Illinois University, 1 University Circle, Macomb, IL 61455 (United States)

2012-06-20

We present new high angular resolution observations toward the driving source of the HH 80-81 jet (IRAS 18162-2048). Continuum emission was observed with the Very Large Array at 7 mm and 1.3 cm, and with the Submillimeter Array at 860 {mu}m, with angular resolutions of {approx}0.''1 and {approx}0.''8, respectively. Submillimeter observations of the sulfur oxide (SO) molecule are reported as well. At 1.3 cm the emission traces the well-known radio jet, while at 7 mm the continuum morphology is quadrupolar and seems to be produced by a combination of free-free and dust emission. An elongated structure perpendicular to the jet remains in the 7 mm image after subtraction of the free-free contribution. This structure is interpreted as a compact accretion disk of {approx}200 AU radius. Our interpretation is favored by the presence of rotation in our SO observations observed at larger scales. The observations presented here add to the small list of cases where the hundred-AU scale emission from a circumstellar disk around a massive protostar has been resolved.

Dusty disks around young stars

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verhoeff, A.

2009-01-01

Stars are formed through the collapse of giant molecular clouds. During this contraction the matter spins up and naturally forms a circumstellar disk. Once accretion comes to a halt, these disks are relatively stable. Some disks are known to last up to 10 Myrs. Most disks however, dissipate on

A deep Spitzer survey of circumstellar disks in the young double cluster, h and χ Persei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cloutier, Ryan; Currie, Thayne; Jayawardhana, Ray [University of Toronto, 50 St. George Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 2J7 (Canada); Rieke, George H. [Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721-0065 (United States); Kenyon, Scott J. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02140 (United States); Balog, Zoltan, E-mail: cloutier@cita.utoronto.ca, E-mail: currie@astro.utoronto.ca, E-mail: grieke@as.arizona.edu, E-mail: skenyon@cfa.harvard.edu [Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany)

2014-12-01

We analyze very deep Infrared Array Camera and Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer (MIPS) photometry of ∼12, 500 members of the 14 Myr old Double Cluster, h and χ Persei, building upon our earlier, shallower Spitzer Cycle 1 studies. Numerous likely members show infrared (IR) excesses at 8 μm and 24 μm, indicative of circumstellar dust. The frequency of stars with 8 μm excess is at least 2% for our entire sample, slightly lower (higher) for B/A stars (later type, lower mass stars). Optical spectroscopy also identifies gas in about 2% of systems, but with no clear trend between the presence of dust and gas. Spectral energy distribution modeling of 18 sources with detections at optical wavelengths through MIPS 24 μm reveals a diverse set of disk evolutionary states, including a high fraction of transitional disks, though similar data for all disk-bearing members would provide constraints. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we combine our results with those for other young clusters to study the global evolution of dust/gas disks. For nominal cluster ages, the e-folding times (τ{sub 0}) for the frequency of warm dust and gas are 2.75 Myr and 1.75 Myr, respectively. Assuming a revised set of ages for some clusters, these timescales increase to 5.75 and 3.75 Myr, respectively, implying a significantly longer typical protoplanetary disk lifetime than previously thought. In both cases, the transitional disk duration, averaged over multiple evolutionary pathways, is ≈1 Myr. Finally, 24 μm excess frequencies for 4-6 M {sub ☉} stars appear lower than for 1-2.5 M {sub ☉} stars in other 10-30 Myr old clusters.

A Search for Phosphine in Circumstellar Envelopes: PH3 in IRC +10216 and CRL 2688?

Science.gov (United States)

Tenenbaum, E. D.; Ziurys, L. M.

2008-06-01

We present the results of a search for the JK = 10→ 00 transition of PH3 (phosphine) at 267 GHz toward several circumstellar envelopes using the Arizona Radio Observatory 10 m Submillimeter Telescope (SMT). In the carbon-rich shells of IRC +10216 and CRL 2688, we have detected emission lines exactly at the PH3 frequency. Toward the oxygen-rich supergiant VY Canis Majoris, only an upper limit was obtained, while in the evolved carbon-rich proto-planetary nebula CRL 618, the transition is contaminated by vibrationally excited HC3N (ν7 = 4). The line shape in IRC +10216 appears to consist of two distinct components: a flat-topped profile with a width of ~28 km s-1, as is typical for this source, and a narrower feature approximately 4 km s-1 wide. The narrow component likely arises from the inner envelope (r < 8R*) where the gas has not reached the terminal expansion velocity, or it is nonthermal emission. Based on the broader component, the abundance of PH3 with respect to H2 is estimated to be 5 × 10-8 in a region with a radius of r < 150R*. If the narrower component is thermal, it implies a phosphine abundance of ~5 × 10-7 close to the stellar photosphere (r < 8R*). In CRL 2688, the PH3 abundance is less constrained, with plausible values ranging from 3 × 10-8 to 4 × 10-7, assuming a spherical distribution. Phosphine appears to be present in large concentrations in the inner envelope of C-rich AGB stars, and thus may function as a parent molecule for other phosphorus species.

A circumstellar molecular gas structure associated with the massive young star Cepheus A-HW 2

Science.gov (United States)

Torrelles, Jose M.; Rodriguez, Luis F.; Canto, Jorge; Ho, Paul T. P.

1993-01-01

We report the detection via VLA-D observations of ammonia of a circumstellar high-density molecular gas structure toward the massive young star related to the object Cepheus A-HW 2, a firm candidate for the powering source of the high-velocity molecular outflow in the region. We suggest that the circumstellar molecular gas structure could be related to the circumstellar disk previously suggested from infrared, H2O, and OH maser observations. We consider as a plausible scenario that the double radio continuum source of HW 2 could represent the ionized inner part of the circumstellar disk, in the same way as proposed to explain the double radio source in L1551. The observed motions in the circumstellar molecular gas can be produced by bound motions (e.g., infall or rotation) around a central mass of about 10-20 solar masses (B0.5 V star or earlier).

Molecular Abundances in the Circumstellar Envelope of Oxygen-Rich Supergiant VY Canis Majoris

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Jessica L.; Ziurys, Lucy

2014-06-01

A complete set of molecular abundances have been established for the Oxygen-rich circumstellar envelope (CSE) surrounding the supergiant star VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa). These data were obtained from The Arizona Radio Observatory (ARO) 1-mm spectral line survey of this object using the ARO Sub-millimeter Telescope (SMT), as well as complimentary transitions taken with the ARO 12-meter. The non-LTE radiative transfer code ESCAPADE has been used to obtain the molecular abundances and distributions in VY CMa, including modeling of the various asymmetric outflow geometries in this source. For example, SO and SO2 were determined to arise from five distinct outflows, four of which are asymmetric with respect to the central star. Abundances of these two sulfur-bearing molecules range from 3 x 10-8 - 2.5 x 10-7 for the various outflows. Similar results will be presented for molecules like CS, SiS, HCN, and SiO, as well as more exotic species like NS, PO, AlO, and AlOH. The molecular abundances between the various outflows will be compared and implications for supergiant chemistry will be discussed.

Constraining Phosphorus Chemistry in Carbon- and Oxygen-Rich Circumstellar Envelopes: Observations of PN, HCP, and CP

Science.gov (United States)

Milam, S. N.; Halfen, D. T.; Tenenbaum, E. D.; Apponi, A. J.; Woolf, N. J.; Ziurys, L. M.

2008-09-01

Millimeter-wave observations of PN, CP, and HCP have been carried out toward circumstellar envelopes of evolved stars using the Arizona Radio Observatory (ARO). HCP and PN have been identified in the carbon-rich source CRL 2688 via observations at 1 mm using the Submillimeter Telescope (SMT) and 2-3 mm with the Kitt Peak 12 m. An identical set of measurements were carried out toward IRC +10216, as well as observations of CP at 1 mm. PN was also observed toward VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa), an oxygen-rich supergiant star. The PN and HCP line profiles in CRL 2688 and IRC +10216 are roughly flat topped, indicating unresolved, optically thin emission; CP, in contrast, has a distinct "U" shape in IRC +10216. Modeling of the line profiles suggests abundances, relative to H2, of f(PN) ~ (3-5) × 10-9 and f(HCP) ~ 2 × 10-7 in CRL 2688, about an order of magnitude higher than in IRC +10216. In VY CMa, f(PN) is ~4 × 10-8. The data in CRL 2688 and IRC +10216 are consistent with LTE formation of HCP and PN in the inner envelope, as predicted by theoretical calculations, with CP a photodissociation product at larger radii. The observed abundance of PN in VY CMa is a factor of 100 higher than LTE predictions. In IRC +10216, the chemistry of HCP/CP mimics that of HCN/CN and suggests an N2 abundance of f ~ 1 × 10-7. The chemistry of phosphorus appears active in both carbon- and oxygen-rich envelopes of evolved stars.

Herschel/HIFI deepens the circumstellar NH3 enigma

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Menten, K. M.; Wyrowski, F.; Alcolea, J.; De Beck, E.; Decin, L.; Marston, A. P.; Bujarrabal, V.; Cernicharo, J.; Dominik, C.; Justtanont, K.; de Koter, A.; Melnick, G.; Neufeld, D. A.; Olofsson, H.; Planesas, P.; Schmidt, M.; Schoier, F. L.; Szczerba, R.; Teyssier, D.; Waters, L. B. F. M.; Edwards, K.; Olberg, M.; Phillips, T. G.; Morris, P.; Salez, M.; Caux, E.

2010-01-01

Context. Circumstellar envelopes (CSEs) of a variety of evolved stars have been found to contain ammonia (NH3) in amounts that exceed predictions from conventional chemical models by many orders of magnitude. Aims. The observations reported here were performed in order to better constrain the NH3

DUST DISTRIBUTION IN THE β PICTORIS CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmic, Mirza; Croll, Bryce; Artymowicz, Pawel

2009-01-01

We present three-dimensional models of dust distribution around β Pictoris that produce the best fits to the Hubble Space Telescope/Advanced Camera for Surveys' images obtained by Golimowski and coworkers. We allow for the presence of either one or two separate axisymmetric dust disks. The density models are analytical, radial two power laws joined smoothly at a crossover radius with density exponentially decreasing away from the midplane of the disks. Two-disk models match the data best, yielding a reduced χ 2 of ∼1.2. Our two-disk model reproduces many of the asymmetries reported in the literature and suggests that it is the secondary (tilted) disk which is largely responsible for them. Our model suggests that the secondary disk is not constrained to the inner regions of the system (extending out to at least 250 AU) and that it has a slightly larger total area of dust than the primary, as a result of slower falloff of density with radius and height. This surprising result raises many questions about the origin and dynamics of such a pair of disks. The disks overlap, but can coexist owing to their low optical depths and therefore long mean collision times. We find that the two disks have dust replenishment times on the order of 10 4 yr at ∼100 AU, hinting at the presence of planetesimals that are responsible for the production of second generation dust. A plausible conjecture, which needs to be confirmed by physical modeling of the collisional dynamics of bodies in the disks, is that the two observed disks are derived from underlying planetesimal disks; such disks would be anchored by the gravitational influence of planets located at less than 70 AU from β Pic that are themselves in slightly inclined orbits.

Time-Dependent Simulations of the Formation and Evolution of Disk-Accreted Atmospheres Around Terrestrial Planets

Science.gov (United States)

Stoekl, Alexander; Dorfi, Ernst

2014-05-01

In the early, embedded phase of evolution of terrestrial planets, the planetary core accumulates gas from the circumstellar disk into a planetary envelope. This atmosphere is very significant for the further thermal evolution of the planet by forming an insulation around the rocky core. The disk-captured envelope is also the staring point for the atmospheric evolution where the atmosphere is modified by outgassing from the planetary core and atmospheric mass loss once the planet is exposed to the radiation field of the host star. The final amount of persistent atmosphere around the evolved planet very much characterizes the planet and is a key criterion for habitability. The established way to study disk accumulated atmospheres are hydrostatic models, even though in many cases the assumption of stationarity is unlikely to be fulfilled. We present, for the first time, time-dependent radiation hydrodynamics simulations of the accumulation process and the interaction between the disk-nebula gas and the planetary core. The calculations were performed with the TAPIR-Code (short for The adaptive, implicit RHD-Code) in spherical symmetry solving the equations of hydrodynamics, gray radiative transport, and convective energy transport. The models range from the surface of the solid core up to the Hill radius where the planetary envelope merges into the surrounding protoplanetary disk. Our results show that the time-scale of gas capturing and atmospheric growth strongly depends on the mass of the solid core. The amount of atmosphere accumulated during the lifetime of the protoplanetary disk (typically a few Myr) varies accordingly with the mass of the planet. Thus, a core with Mars-mass will end up with about 10 bar of atmosphere while for an Earth-mass core, the surface pressure reaches several 1000 bar. Even larger planets with several Earth masses quickly capture massive envelopes which in turn become gravitationally unstable leading to runaway accretion and the eventual

Millimeter wave studies of circumstellar chemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Tenenbaum, Emily Dale

2010-06-01

Millimeter wave studies of molecules in circumstellar envelopes and a planetary nebula have been conducted. Using the Submillimeter Telescope (SMT) of the Arizona Radio Observatory (ARO) on Mt. Graham, a comparative spectral survey from 215-285 GHz was carried out of the carbon-rich asymptotic giant branch star IRC +10216 and the oxygen-rich supergiant VY Canis Majoris. A total of 858 emission lines were observed in both objects, arising from 40 different molecules. In VY Canis Majoris, AlO, AlOH, and PO were detected for the first time in interstellar space. In IRC +10216, PH3 was detected for the first time beyond the solar system, and C3O, and CH2NH were found for the first time in a circumstellar envelope. Additionally, in the evolved planetary nebula, the Helix, H2CO, C2H, and cyclic-C3H2 were observed using the SMT and the Kitt Peak 12 m telescopes. The presence of these three molecules in the Helix suggests that relatively complex chemistry occurs in planetary nebulae, despite the harsh ultraviolet field. Overall, the research on molecules in circumstellar and planetary nebulae furthers our understanding of the nature of the material that is fed back into the interstellar medium from evolved stars. Besides telescope work, laboratory research was also conducted -- the rotational spectrum of ZnCl was measured and its bond length and rotational constants were determined. Lastly, in partial fulfillment of a graduate certificate in entrepreneurial chemistry, the commercial applications of terahertz spectroscopy were explored through literature research.

Stripped-envelope supernova SN 2004dk is now interacting with hydrogen-rich circumstellar material

Science.gov (United States)

Mauerhan, Jon C.; Filippenko, Alexei V.; Zheng, WeiKang; Brink, Thomas; Graham, Melissa L.; Shivvers, Isaac; Clubb, Kelsey

2018-05-01

The dominant mechanism and time scales over which stripped-envelope supernovae (SNe) progenitor stars shed their hydrogen envelopes are uncertain. Observations of Type Ib and Ic SNe at late phases could reveal the optical signatures of interaction with distant circumstellar material (CSM) providing important clues on the origin of the necessary pre-SN mass loss. We report deep late-time optical spectroscopy of the Type Ib explosion SN 2004dk 4684 days (13 years) after discovery. We detect strong Hα emission with an intermediate line width of ˜400 km s-1 and luminosity ˜2.5 × 1039 erg s-1, signaling that the SN blast wave has caught up with the hydrogen-rich CSM lost by the progenitor system. The line luminosity is the highest ever reported for a SN at this late stage. Prominent emission features of He I, Fe, and Ca are also detected. The spectral characteristics are consistent with CSM energized by the forward shock, and resemble the late-time spectra of the persistently interacting Type IIn SNe 2005ip and 1988Z. We suggest that the onset of interaction with H-rich CSM was associated with a previously reported radio rebrightening at ˜1700 days. The data indicate that the mode of pre-SN mass loss was a relatively slow dense wind that persisted millennia before the SN, followed by a short-lived Wolf-Rayet phase that preceded core-collapse and created a cavity within an extended distribution of CSM. We also present new spectra of SNe 2014C, PTF11iqb, and 2009ip, all of which also exhibit continued interaction with extended CSM distributions.

Circumstellar Material on and off the Main Sequence

Science.gov (United States)

Steele, Amy; Debes, John H.; Deming, Drake

2017-06-01

There is evidence of circumstellar material around main sequence, giant, and white dwarf stars that originates from the small-body population of planetary systems. These bodies tell us something about the chemistry and evolution of protoplanetary disks and the planetary systems they form. What happens to this material as its host star evolves off the main sequence, and how does that inform our understanding of the typical chemistry of rocky bodies in planetary systems? In this talk, I will discuss the composition(s) of circumstellar material on and off the main sequence to begin to answer the question, “Is Earth normal?” In particular, I look at three types of debris disks to understand the typical chemistry of planetary systems—young debris disks, debris disks around giant stars, and dust around white dwarfs. I will review the current understanding on how to infer dust composition for each class of disk, and present new work on constraining dust composition from infrared excesses around main sequence and giant stars. Finally, dusty and polluted white dwarfs hold a unique key to our understanding of the composition of rocky bodies around other stars. In particular, I will discuss WD1145+017, which has a transiting, disintegrating planetesimal. I will review what we know about this system through high speed photometry and spectroscopy and present new work on understanding the complex interplay of physics that creates white dwarf pollution from the disintegration of rocky bodies.

Cold disks : Spitzer spectroscopy of disks around young stars with large gaps

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Blake, G. A.; Dullemond, C. P.; Merin, B.; Augereau, J. C.; Boogert, A. C. A.; Evans, N. J.; Geers, V. C.; Lahuis, F.; Kessler-Silacci, J. E.; Pontoppidan, K. M.; van Dishoeck, E. F.; Brown, J.M.

2007-01-01

We have identified four circumstellar disks with a deficit of dust emission from their inner 15-50 AU. All four stars have F-G spectral type and were uncovered as part of the Spitzer Space Telescope "Cores to Disks" Legacy Program Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) first-look survey of similar to 100 pre -

Debris Disks: Probing Planet Formation

OpenAIRE

Wyatt, Mark C.

2018-01-01

Debris disks are the dust disks found around ~20% of nearby main sequence stars in far-IR surveys. They can be considered as descendants of protoplanetary disks or components of planetary systems, providing valuable information on circumstellar disk evolution and the outcome of planet formation. The debris disk population can be explained by the steady collisional erosion of planetesimal belts; population models constrain where (10-100au) and in what quantity (>1Mearth) planetesimals (>10km i...

Spiral Arms, Infall, and Misalignment of the Circumbinary Disk from the Circumstellar Disks in the Protostellar Binary System L1551 NE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Takakuwa, Shigehisa [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Kagoshima University, 1-21-35 Korimoto, Kagoshima, Kagoshima 890-0065 (Japan); Saigo, Kazuya [ALMA Project Office, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Osawa 2-21-1, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan); Matsumoto, Tomoaki [Faculty of Humanity and Environment, Hosei University, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8160 (Japan); Saito, Masao [Nobeyama Radio Observatory, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Minamimaki, Minamisaku, Nagano 384-1805 (Japan); Lim, Jeremy [Department of Physics, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road (Hong Kong); Hanawa, Tomoyuki [Center for Frontier Science, Chiba University, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8522 (Japan); Yen, Hsi-Wei; Ho, Paul T. P., E-mail: takakuwa@sci.kagoshima-u.ac.jp [Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, P.O. Box 23-141, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China)

2017-03-01

We report the ALMA Cycle 2 observations of the Class I binary protostellar system L1551 NE in the 0.9 mm continuum, C{sup 18}O (3–2), {sup 13}CO (3–2), SO (7{sub 8}–6{sub 7}), and CS (7–6) emission. At 0.″18 (=25 au) resolution, ∼4 times higher than that of our Cycle 0 observations, the circumbinary disk (CBD) as seen in the 0.9 mm emission is shown to be composed of a northern and a southern spiral arm, with the southern arm connecting to the circumstellar disk (CSD) around Source B. The western parts of the spiral arms are brighter than the eastern parts, suggesting the presence of an m = 1 spiral mode. In the C{sup 18}O emission, the infall gas motions in the interarm regions and the outward gas motions in the arms are identified. These observed features are well reproduced with our numerical simulations, where gravitational torques from the binary system impart angular momenta to the spiral-arm regions and extract angular momenta from the interarm regions. Chemical differentiation of the CBD is seen in the four molecular species. Our Cycle 2 observations have also resolved the CSDs around the individual protostars, and the beam-deconvolved sizes are 0.″29 × 0.″19 (=40 × 26 au) (P.A. = 144°) and 0.″26 × 0.″20 (=36 × 27 au) (P.A. = 147°) for Sources A and B, respectively. The position and inclination angles of these CSDs are misaligned with those of the CBD. The C{sup 18}O emission traces the Keplerian rotation of the misaligned disk around Source A.

MIGRATION OF PLANETS EMBEDDED IN A CIRCUMSTELLAR DISK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bromley, Benjamin C.; Kenyon, Scott J.

2011-01-01

Planetary migration poses a serious challenge to theories of planet formation. In gaseous and planetesimal disks, migration can remove planets as quickly as they form. To explore migration in a planetesimal disk, we combine analytic and numerical approaches. After deriving general analytic migration rates for isolated planets, we use N-body simulations to confirm these results for fast and slow migration modes. Migration rates scale as m -1 (for massive planets) and (1 + (e H /3) 3 ) -1 , where m is the mass of a planet and e H is the eccentricity of the background planetesimals in Hill units. When multiple planets stir the disk, our simulations yield the new result that large-scale migration ceases. Thus, growing planets do not migrate through planetesimal disks. To extend these results to migration in gaseous disks, we compare physical interactions and rates. Although migration through a gaseous disk is an important issue for the formation of gas giants, we conclude that migration has little impact on the formation of terrestrial planets.

PHOTOCHEMISTRY IN THE INNER LAYERS OF CLUMPY CIRCUMSTELLAR ENVELOPES: FORMATION OF WATER IN C-RICH OBJECTS AND OF C-BEARING MOLECULES IN O-RICH OBJECTS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agundez, Marcelino; Cernicharo, Jose; Guelin, Michel

2010-01-01

A mechanism based on the penetration of interstellar ultraviolet photons into the inner layers of clumpy circumstellar envelopes (CSEs) around asymptotic giant branch stars is proposed to explain the non-equilibrium chemistry observed in such objects. We show through a simple modeling approach that in CSEs with a certain degree of clumpiness or with moderately low mass loss rates (a few 10 -7 M sun yr -1 ) a photochemistry can take place in the warm and dense inner layers, inducing important changes in the chemical composition. In carbon-rich objects water vapor and ammonia would be formed with abundances of 10 -8 -10 -6 relative to H 2 , while in oxygen-rich envelopes ammonia and carbon-bearing molecules such as HCN and CS would form with abundances of 10 -9 -10 -7 relative to H 2 . The proposed mechanism would explain the recent observation of warm water vapor in the carbon-rich envelope IRC+10216 with the Herschel Space Observatory and predict that H 2 O should be detectable in other carbon-rich objects.

A Pulsar and a Disk

Science.gov (United States)

Kohler, Susanna

2016-07-01

Recent, unusual X-ray observations from our galactic neighbor, the Small Magellanic Cloud, have led to an interesting model for SXP 214, a pulsar in a binary star system.Artists illustration of the magnetic field lines of a pulsar, a highly magnetized, rotating neutron star. [NASA]An Intriguing BinaryAn X-ray pulsar is a magnetized, rotating neutron star in a binary system with a stellar companion. Material is fed from the companion onto the neutron star, channeled by the objects magnetic fields onto a hotspot thats millions of degrees. This hotspot rotating past our line of sight is what produces the pulsations that we observe from X-ray pulsars.Located in the Small Magellanic Cloud, SXP 214 is a transient X-ray pulsar in a binary with a Be-type star. This star is spinning so quickly that material is thrown off of it to form a circumstellar disk.Recently, a team of authors led by JaeSub Hong (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics) have presented new Chandra X-ray observations of SXP 214, tracking it for 50 ks (~14 hours) in January 2013. These observations reveal some very unexpected behavior for this pulsar.X-ray PuzzleThe energy distribution of the X-ray emission from SXP 214 over time. Dark shades or blue colors indicate high counts, and light shades or yellow colors indicate low counts. Lower-energy X-ray emission appeared only later, after about 20 ks. [Hong et al. 2016]Three interesting pieces of information came from the Chandra observations:SXP 214s rotation period was measured to be 211.5 s an increase in the spin rate since the discovery measurement of a 214-second period. Pulsars usually spin down as they lose angular momentum over time so what caused this one to spin up?Its overall X-ray luminosity steadily increased over the 50 ks of observations.Its spectrum became gradually softer (lower energy) over time; in the first 20 ks, the spectrum only consisted of hard X-ray photons above 3 keV, but after 20 ks, softer X-ray photons below 2 ke

High-Contrast Near-Infrared Imaging Polarimetry of the Protoplanetary Disk around RY Tau

Science.gov (United States)

Takami, Michihiro; Karr, Jennifer L.; Hashimoto, Jun; Kim, Hyosun; Wisenewski, John; Henning, Thomas; Grady, Carol; Kandori, Ryo; Hodapp, Klaus W.; Kudo, Tomoyuki;

HIGH-CONTRAST NEAR-INFRARED IMAGING POLARIMETRY OF THE PROTOPLANETARY DISK AROUND RY TAU

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Takami, Michihiro; Karr, Jennifer L.; Kim, Hyosun; Chou, Mei-Yin [Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica. P.O. Box 23-141, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China); Hashimoto, Jun; Kandori, Ryo; Kusakabe, Nobuhiko; Kwon, Jungmi [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan); Wisniewski, John [H. L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Oklahoma, 440 West Brooks Street, Norman, OK 73019 (United States); Henning, Thomas; Brandner, Wolfgang [Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Koenigstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Grady, Carol A. [Eureka Scientific, 2452 Delmer, Suite 100, Oakland, CA 96002 (United States); Hodapp, Klaus W. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 640 North A' ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); Kudo, Tomoyuki [Subaru Telescope, 650 North A' ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); Itoh, Yoichi [Nishi-Harima Astronomical Observatory, Center for Astronomy, University of Hyogo, 407-2 Nishigaichi, Sayo, Hyogo 679-5313 (Japan); Momose, Munetake [College of Science, Ibaraki University, 2-1-1 Bunkyo, Mito, Ibaraki 310-8512 (Japan); Mayama, Satoshi [The Center for the Promotion of Integrated Sciences, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Shonan International Village, Hayama-cho, Miura-gun, Kanagawa 240-0193 (Japan); Currie, Thayne [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON (Canada); Follette, Katherine B. [Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson AZ 85721 (United States); Abe, Lyu, E-mail: hiro@asiaa.sinica.edu.tw [Laboratoire Lagrange (UMR 7293), Universite de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, Observatoire de la Cote d' Azur, 28 Avenue Valrose, F-06108 Nice Cedex 2 (France); and others

2013-08-01

We present near-infrared coronagraphic imaging polarimetry of RY Tau. The scattered light in the circumstellar environment was imaged at the H band at a high resolution ({approx}0.''05) for the first time, using Subaru/HiCIAO. The observed polarized intensity (PI) distribution shows a butterfly-like distribution of bright emission with an angular scale similar to the disk observed at millimeter wavelengths. This distribution is offset toward the blueshifted jet, indicating the presence of a geometrically thick disk or a remnant envelope, and therefore the earliest stage of the Class II evolutionary phase. We perform comparisons between the observed PI distribution and disk models with (1) full radiative transfer code, using the spectral energy distribution (SED) to constrain the disk parameters; and (2) monochromatic simulations of scattered light which explore a wide range of parameters space to constrain the disk and dust parameters. We show that these models cannot consistently explain the observed PI distribution, SED, and the viewing angle inferred by millimeter interferometry. We suggest that the scattered light in the near-infrared is associated with an optically thin and geometrically thick layer above the disk surface, with the surface responsible for the infrared SED. Half of the scattered light and thermal radiation in this layer illuminates the disk surface, and this process may significantly affect the thermal structure of the disk.

Near-Infrared Imaging Polarimetry of Inner Region of GG Tau A Disk

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yi; Hashimoto, Jun; Hayashi, Saeko S.; Tamura, Motohide; Mayama, Satoshi; Rafikov, Roman; Akiyama, Eiji; Carson, Joseph C.; Janson, Markus; Kwon, Jungmi;

THE EVOLUTION OF PROTOPLANETARY DISKS IN THE ARCHES CLUSTER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olczak, C.; Kaczmarek, T.; Pfalzner, S.; Harfst, S.; Portegies Zwart, S.

2012-01-01

Most stars form in a cluster environment. These stars are initially surrounded by disks from which potentially planetary systems form. Of all cluster environments, starburst clusters are probably the most hostile for planetary systems in our Galaxy. The intense stellar radiation and extreme density favor rapid destruction of circumstellar disks via photoevaporation and stellar encounters. Evolving a virialized model of the Arches cluster in the Galactic tidal field, we investigate the effect of stellar encounters on circumstellar disks in a prototypical starburst cluster. Despite its proximity to the deep gravitational potential of the Galactic center, only a moderate fraction of members escapes to form an extended pair of tidal tails. Our simulations show that encounters destroy one-third of the circumstellar disks in the cluster core within the first 2.5 Myr of evolution, preferentially affecting the least and most massive stars. A small fraction of these events causes rapid ejection and the formation of a weaker second pair of tidal tails that is overpopulated by disk-poor stars. Two predictions arise from our study. (1) If not destroyed by photoevaporation protoplanetary disks of massive late B- and early O-type stars represent the most likely hosts of planet formation in starburst clusters. (2) Multi-epoch K- and L-band photometry of the Arches cluster would provide the kinematically selected membership sample required to detect the additional pair of disk-poor tidal tails.

CO Gas Inside the Protoplanetary Disk Cavity in HD 142527: Disk Structure from ALMA

OpenAIRE

Perez, S.; Casassus, S.; Ménard, F.; Roman, P.; van der Plas, G.; Cieza, L.; Pinte, C.; Christiaens, Valentin; Hales, A. S.

2014-01-01

Inner cavities and annular gaps in circumstellar disks are possible signposts of giant planet formation. The young star HD 142527 hosts a massive protoplanetary disk with a large cavity that extends up to 140 AU from the central star, as seen in continuum images at infrared and millimeter wavelengths. Estimates of the survival of gas inside disk cavities are needed to discriminate between clearing scenarios. We present a spatially and spectrally resolved carbon monoxide isotopologue 2-1 line ...

SHADOWS CAST BY A WARP IN THE HD 142527 PROTOPLANETARY DISK

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marino, S.; Perez, S.; Casassus, S., E-mail: smarino@das.uchile.cl [Departamento de Astronomía, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 36-D Santiago (Chile)

2015-01-10

Detailed observations of gaps in protoplanetary disks have revealed structures that drive current research on circumstellar disks. One such feature is the two intensity nulls seen along the outer disk of the HD 142527 system, which are particularly well traced in polarized differential imaging. Here we propose that these are shadows cast by the inner disk. The inner and outer disk are thick, in terms of the unit-opacity surface in the H band, so that the shape and orientation of the shadows inform on the three-dimensional structure of the system. Radiative transfer predictions on a parametric disk model allow us to conclude that the relative inclination between the inner and outer disks is 70° ± 5°. This finding taps the potential of high-contrast imaging of circumstellar disks, and bears consequences on the gas dynamics of gapped disks, as well as on the physical conditions in the shadowed regions.

SED Modeling of 20 Massive Young Stellar Objects

Science.gov (United States)

Tanti, Kamal Kumar

In this paper, we present the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) modeling of twenty massive young stellar objects (MYSOs) and subsequently estimated different physical and structural/geometrical parameters for each of the twenty central YSO outflow candidates, along with their associated circumstellar disks and infalling envelopes. The SEDs for each of the MYSOs been reconstructed by using 2MASS, MSX, IRAS, IRAC & MIPS, SCUBA, WISE, SPIRE and IRAM data, with the help of a SED Fitting Tool, that uses a grid of 2D radiative transfer models. Using the detailed analysis of SEDs and subsequent estimation of physical and geometrical parameters for the central YSO sources along with its circumstellar disks and envelopes, the cumulative distribution of the stellar, disk and envelope parameters can be analyzed. This leads to a better understanding of massive star formation processes in their respective star forming regions in different molecular clouds.

THE NATURE OF TRANSITION CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS. II. SOUTHERN MOLECULAR CLOUDS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Romero, Gisela A.; Schreiber, Matthias R.; Rebassa-Mansergas, Alberto [Departamento de Fisica y Astronomia, Universidad de Valparaiso, Valparaiso (Chile); Cieza, Lucas A. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Merin, Bruno [Herschel Science Centre, ESAC (ESA), P.O. Box 78, 28691 Villanueva de la Canada, Madrid (Spain); Smith Castelli, Analia V. [Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas, Rivadavia 1917, C1033AAJ Buenos Aires (Argentina); Allen, Lori E. [Department of Astronomy, University of Arizona, 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721-0065 (United States); Morrell, Nidia [Las Campanas Observatory, Carnegie Observatories, Casilla 601, La Serena (Chile)

2012-04-10

Transition disk objects are pre-main-sequence stars with little or no near-IR excess and significant far-IR excess, implying inner opacity holes in their disks. Here we present a multifrequency study of transition disk candidates located in Lupus I, III, IV, V, VI, Corona Australis, and Scorpius. Complementing the information provided by Spitzer with adaptive optics (AO) imaging (NaCo, VLT), submillimeter photometry (APEX), and echelle spectroscopy (Magellan, Du Pont Telescopes), we estimate the multiplicity, disk mass, and accretion rate for each object in our sample in order to identify the mechanism potentially responsible for its inner hole. We find that our transition disks show a rich diversity in their spectral energy distribution morphology, have disk masses ranging from {approx}<1 to 10 M{sub JUP}, and accretion rates ranging from {approx}<10{sup -11} to 10{sup -7.7} M{sub Sun} yr{sup -1}. Of the 17 bona fide transition disks in our sample, three, nine, three, and two objects are consistent with giant planet formation, grain growth, photoevaporation, and debris disks, respectively. Two disks could be circumbinary, which offers tidal truncation as an alternative origin of the inner hole. We find the same heterogeneity of the transition disk population in Lupus III, IV, and Corona Australis as in our previous analysis of transition disks in Ophiuchus while all transition disk candidates selected in Lupus V, VI turned out to be contaminating background asymptotic giant branch stars. All transition disks classified as photoevaporating disks have small disk masses, which indicates that photoevaporation must be less efficient than predicted by most recent models. The three systems that are excellent candidates for harboring giant planets potentially represent invaluable laboratories to study planet formation with the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array.

THE NATURE OF TRANSITION CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS. II. SOUTHERN MOLECULAR CLOUDS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Romero, Gisela A.; Schreiber, Matthias R.; Rebassa-Mansergas, Alberto; Cieza, Lucas A.; Merín, Bruno; Smith Castelli, Analía V.; Allen, Lori E.; Morrell, Nidia

2012-01-01

Transition disk objects are pre-main-sequence stars with little or no near-IR excess and significant far-IR excess, implying inner opacity holes in their disks. Here we present a multifrequency study of transition disk candidates located in Lupus I, III, IV, V, VI, Corona Australis, and Scorpius. Complementing the information provided by Spitzer with adaptive optics (AO) imaging (NaCo, VLT), submillimeter photometry (APEX), and echelle spectroscopy (Magellan, Du Pont Telescopes), we estimate the multiplicity, disk mass, and accretion rate for each object in our sample in order to identify the mechanism potentially responsible for its inner hole. We find that our transition disks show a rich diversity in their spectral energy distribution morphology, have disk masses ranging from ∼ JUP , and accretion rates ranging from ∼ –11 to 10 –7.7 M ☉ yr –1 . Of the 17 bona fide transition disks in our sample, three, nine, three, and two objects are consistent with giant planet formation, grain growth, photoevaporation, and debris disks, respectively. Two disks could be circumbinary, which offers tidal truncation as an alternative origin of the inner hole. We find the same heterogeneity of the transition disk population in Lupus III, IV, and Corona Australis as in our previous analysis of transition disks in Ophiuchus while all transition disk candidates selected in Lupus V, VI turned out to be contaminating background asymptotic giant branch stars. All transition disks classified as photoevaporating disks have small disk masses, which indicates that photoevaporation must be less efficient than predicted by most recent models. The three systems that are excellent candidates for harboring giant planets potentially represent invaluable laboratories to study planet formation with the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array.

MAPPING H-BAND SCATTERED LIGHT EMISSION IN THE MYSTERIOUS SR21 TRANSITIONAL DISK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Follette, Katherine B.; Close, Laird; Tamura, Motohide; Hashimoto, Jun; Kwon, Jungmi; Kandori, Ryo; Whitney, Barbara; Grady, Carol; Andrews, Sean M.; Wisniewski, John; Brandt, Timothy D.; Dong, Ruobing; Mayama, Satoshi; Abe, Lyu; Brandner, Wolfgang; Feldt, Markus; Carson, Joseph; Currie, Thayne; Egner, Sebastian E.; Goto, Miwa

2013-01-01

We present the first near infrared (NIR) spatially resolved images of the circumstellar transitional disk around SR21. These images were obtained with the Subaru HiCIAO camera, adaptive optics, and the polarized differential imaging technique. We resolve the disk in scattered light at H-band for stellocentric 0.''1 ≤ r ≤ 0.''6 (12 ∼ –6 ) are inconsistent with our H-band images when they are assumed to carry over to small grains, suggesting that surface grains scattering in the NIR either survive or are generated by whatever mechanism is clearing the disk midplane. In fact, the radial polarized intensity profile of our H-band observations is smooth and steeply inwardly-increasing (r –3 ), with no evidence of a break at the 36 AU sub-mm cavity wall. We hypothesize that this profile is dominated by an optically thin disk envelope or atmosphere component. We also discuss the compatibility of our data with the previously postulated existence of a sub-stellar companion to SR21 at r ∼ 10-20 AU, and find that we can neither exclude nor verify this scenario. This study demonstrates the power of multiwavelength imaging of transitional disks to inform modeling efforts, including the debate over precisely what physical mechanism is responsible for clearing these disks of their large midplane grains.

The Aro 1 mm Survey of the Oxygen-Rich Envelope of Supergiant Star NML Cygnus

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Jessica L.; Ziurys, L. M.; Woolf, N. J.

2011-06-01

Although a number of molecular line surveys of carbon-rich circumstellar envelopes (CSE) have been performed, only one oxygen-rich CSE, that of VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa), has been studied in depth. The Arizona Radio Observatory (ARO) 1 mm survey of VY CMa showed a very different and interesting chemistry dominated by sulfur- and silicon-bearing compounds as well as a number of more exotic species. A similar survey of the oxygen rich star NML Cygnus (NML Cyg) from 215 to 285 GHz is currently under way using the ARO Sub-millimeter Telescope. Initial observations show that this circumstellar envelope appears to be as chemically rich as that of VY CMa. Molecules including 12CO, 13CO, 12CN, 13CN, HCN, HCO+, CS, SO{_2}, SiO and 30SiO have been observed in NML Cyg. Line profiles of this source also suggest that there may be multiple outflows and that the circumstellar envelope is not spherically symmetric. Current results will be presented.

Observations of Circumstellar Thermochemical Equilibrium: The Case of Phosphorus

Science.gov (United States)

Milam, Stefanie N.; Charnley, Steven B.

2011-01-01

We will present observations of phosphorus-bearing species in circumstellar envelopes, including carbon- and oxygen-rich shells 1. New models of thermochemical equilibrium chemistry have been developed to interpret, and constrained by these data. These calculations will also be presented and compared to the numerous P-bearing species already observed in evolved stars. Predictions for other viable species will be made for observations with Herschel and ALMA.

MOLECULAR GAS IN YOUNG DEBRIS DISKS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moor, A.; Abraham, P.; Kiss, Cs.; Juhasz, A.; Kospal, A.; Pascucci, I.; Apai, D.; Henning, Th.; Csengeri, T.; Grady, C.

2011-01-01

Gas-rich primordial disks and tenuous gas-poor debris disks are usually considered as two distinct evolutionary phases of the circumstellar matter. Interestingly, the debris disk around the young main-sequence star 49 Ceti possesses a substantial amount of molecular gas and possibly represents the missing link between the two phases. Motivated to understand the evolution of the gas component in circumstellar disks via finding more 49 Ceti-like systems, we carried out a CO J = 3-2 survey with the Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment, targeting 20 infrared-luminous debris disks. These systems fill the gap between primordial and old tenuous debris disks in terms of fractional luminosity. Here we report on the discovery of a second 49 Ceti-like disk around the 30 Myr old A3-type star HD21997, a member of the Columba Association. This system was also detected in the CO(2-1) transition, and the reliable age determination makes it an even clearer example of an old gas-bearing disk than 49 Ceti. While the fractional luminosities of HD21997 and 49 Ceti are not particularly high, these objects seem to harbor the most extended disks within our sample. The double-peaked profiles of HD21997 were reproduced by a Keplerian disk model combined with the LIME radiative transfer code. Based on their similarities, 49 Ceti and HD21997 may be the first representatives of a so far undefined new class of relatively old (∼>8 Myr), gaseous dust disks. From our results, neither primordial origin nor steady secondary production from icy planetesimals can unequivocally explain the presence of CO gas in the disk of HD21997.

Mid-IR Observations of Mira Circumstellar Environment

OpenAIRE

Marengo, Massimo; Karovska, Margarita; Fazio, Giovanni G.; Hora, Joseph L.; Hoffmann, William F.; Dayal, Aditya; Deutsch, Lynne K.

2001-01-01

This paper presents results from high-angular resolution mid-IR imaging of the Mira AB circumbinary environment using the MIRAC3 camera at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF). We resolved the dusty circumstellar envelope at 9.8, 11.7 and 18 micron around Mira A (o Ceti), and measured the size of the extended emission. Strong deviations from spherical symmetry are detected in the images of Mira AB system, including possible dust clumps in the direction of the companion (Mira B). These ...

From circumstellar disks to planetary systems: observation and modeling of protoplanetary disks

OpenAIRE

Macías Quevedo, Enrique

2016-01-01

The existence of exoplanetary systems was first predicted after the discovery of accretion disks around young stars. Nowadays, with nearly 3500 exoplanets discovered, and almost 5000 more candidates identified by the Kepler space mission, planetary systems are now known to be ubiquitous around low-mass stars. The formation of these systems takes place during the stellar formation itself, from the dust and gas orbiting around the star in the protoplanetary disks. However, the process that lead...

Misaligned disks in the binary protostar IRS 43

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brinch, Christian; Jørgensen, Jes Kristian; Hogerheijde, Michiel R.

2016-01-01

and position angle and also with respect to the binary orbital plane. Each stellar component has an associated circumstellar disk while the binary is surrounded by a circumbinary disk. Together with archival VLA measurements of the stellar positions over 25 years, and assuming a circular orbit, we use our...

THE KOZAI-LIDOV MECHANISM IN HYDRODYNAMICAL DISKS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, Rebecca G.; Nixon, Chris; Armitage, Philip J.; Lubow, Stephen H.; Price, Daniel J.; Doğan, Suzan; King, Andrew

2014-01-01

We use three-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations to show that a highly misaligned accretion disk around one component of a binary system can exhibit global Kozai-Lidov cycles, where the inclination and eccentricity of the disk are interchanged periodically. This has important implications for accreting systems on all scales, for example, the formation of planets and satellites in circumstellar and circumplanetary disks, outbursts in X-ray binary systems, and accretion onto supermassive black holes

Formation of a Keplerian disk in the infalling envelope around L1527 IRS: transformation from infalling motions to Kepler motions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ohashi, Nagayoshi [Subaru Telescope, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, 650 North A' ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); Saigo, Kazuya [Chile Observatory, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Osawa 2-21-1, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan); Aso, Yusuke; Koyamatsu, Shin [Department of Astronomy, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Aikawa, Yuri [Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Kobe University, Kobe 657-8501 (Japan); Machida, Masahiro N. [Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8581 (Japan); Saito, Masao [Joint ALMA Observatory, Ave. Alonso de Cordova 3107, Vitacura, Santiago (Chile); Takahashi, Sanemichi Z. [Department of Physics, Kyoto University, Oiwake-cho, Kitashirakawa, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan); Takakuwa, Shigehisa; Yen, Hsi-Wei [Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, PO Box 23-141, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China); Tomida, Kengo [Department of Astronomical Science, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); Tomisaka, Kohji, E-mail: nohashi@naoj.org [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Osawa 2-21-1, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan)

2014-12-01

We report Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) cycle 0 observations of the C{sup 18}O (J = 2-1), SO (J{sub N} = 6{sub 5}-5{sub 4}), and the 1.3 mm dust continuum toward L1527 IRS, a class 0 solar-type protostar surrounded by an infalling and rotating envelope. C{sup 18}O emission shows strong redshifted absorption against the bright continuum emission associated with L1527 IRS, strongly suggesting infall motions in the C{sup 18}O envelope. The C{sup 18}O envelope also rotates with a velocity mostly proportional to r {sup –1}, where r is the radius, whereas the rotation profile at the innermost radius (∼54 AU) may be shallower than r {sup –1}, suggestive of formation of a Keplerian disk around the central protostar of ∼0.3 M {sub ☉} in dynamical mass. SO emission arising from the inner part of the C{sup 18}O envelope also shows rotation in the same direction as the C{sup 18}O envelope. The rotation is, however, rigid-body-like, which is very different from the differential rotation shown by C{sup 18}O. In order to explain the line profiles and the position-velocity (PV) diagrams of C{sup 18}O and SO observed, simple models composed of an infalling envelope surrounding a Keplerian disk of 54 AU in radius orbiting a star of 0.3 M {sub ☉} are examined. It is found that in order to reproduce characteristic features of the observed line profiles and PV diagrams, the infall velocity in the model has to be smaller than the free-fall velocity yielded by a star of 0.3 M {sub ☉}. Possible reasons for the reduced infall velocities are discussed.

SDP_golofs01_3: Stellar Disk Evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Olofsson, G.

2010-03-01

n a collaboration between the HSC, P. Harvey (Mission Scientist) and the three instrument consortia we propose to apply the full power of Herschel to investigate the properties of circum-stellar disks. The versatility of Herschel allows us to address several key questions: How do the disks evolve with time? Planets clearly form out of circum-stellar disks and there is growing evidence that the time scale is short, 1 - 10 Myr, for the main accretion phase. During this time period, the stellar radiation and stellar winds clean the disks from most of their dust and gas, eventually making them transparent. However, collisions and evaporation from comet- like bodies will continue to produce dust and gas. This activity declines with time, and we will pursue this scenario by observing a sample of IR excess stars of known age, ranging from a few million years to the age of the sun. Are there analogues to our Kuiper belt around nearby stars? The Kuiper belt is a dust belt surrounding the Sun, located outside the orbit of Neptune, which has a key role in stabilizing orbits of the KE-objects and this dynamical aspect makes it particularly interesting to search for stars that may host KE-belt analogues. Herschel offers a unique sensitivity beyond 100 m and we propose an extensive survey of nearby stars seeking cold dust emission. What will a closer IR look at the "Fabulous Four" (and some other resolved disks) reveal? Several nearby MS stars with IR excesses have circumstellar dust structures that can be resolved by Herschel. Imaging these structures in the six PACS+SPIRE bands will enable us to explore the dust properties, notably the size distribution and albedo.. What is the composition of young disks? We propose a detailed spectroscopic investigation of four bright disks, including a full spectral scan with PACS, an FTS scan at full resolution and HIFI observations of selected frequencies. The aim is to constrain the properties of both the dust and gas components.

Spectroscopic Evolution of Disintegrating Planetesimals: Minute to Month Variability in the Circumstellar Gas Associated with WD 1145+017

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Redfield, Seth; Cauley, P. Wilson; Duvvuri, Girish M. [Astronomy Department and Van Vleck Observatory, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT 06459 (United States); Farihi, Jay [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, London WC1E 6BT (United Kingdom); Parsons, Steven G. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S3 7RH (United Kingdom); Gänsicke, Boris T., E-mail: sredfield@wesleyan.edu [Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL (United Kingdom)

2017-04-10

With the recent discovery of transiting planetary material around WD 1145+017, a critical target has been identified that links the evolution of planetary systems with debris disks and their accretion onto the star. We present a series of observations, five epochs over a year, taken with Keck and the VLT, which for the first time show variability of circumstellar absorption in the gas disk surrounding WD 1145+017 on timescales of minutes to months. Circumstellar absorption is measured in more than 250 lines of 14 ions among 10 different elements associated with planetary composition, e.g., O, Mg, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, and Ni. Broad circumstellar gas absorption with a velocity spread of 225 km s{sup −1} is detected, but over the course of a year blueshifted absorption disappears, while redshifted absorption systematically increases. A correlation of equivalent width and oscillator strength indicates that the gas is not highly optically thick (median τ ≈ 2). We discuss simple models of an eccentric disk coupled with magnetospheric accretion to explain the basic observed characteristics of these high-resolution and high signal-to-noise observations. Variability is detected on timescales of minutes in the two most recent observations, showing a loss of redshifted absorption for tens of minutes, coincident with major transit events and consistent with gas hidden behind opaque transiting material. This system currently presents a unique opportunity to learn how the gas causing the spectroscopic, circumstellar absorption is associated with the ongoing accretion evidenced by photospheric contamination, as well as the transiting planetary material detected in photometric observations.

The chemistry of molecular anions in circumstellar sources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Agúndez, Marcelino [LUTH, Observatoire de Paris-Meudon, 5 Place Jules Janssen, 92190 Meudon (France); Cernicharo, José [Departamento de Astrofísica, CAB, CSIC-INTA, Ctra. de Torrejón a Ajalvir km 4, 28850 Madrid (Spain); Guélin, Michel [Institut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique, 300 rue de la Piscine, 38406 Saint Martin d' Héres (France)

2015-01-22

The detection of negatively charged molecules in the interstellar and circumstellar medium in the past four years has been one of the most impacting surprises in the area of molecular astrophysics. It has motivated the interest of astronomers, physicists, and chemists on the study of the spectroscopy, chemical kinetics, and prevalence of molecular anions in the different astronomical regions. Up to six different molecular anions have been discovered in space to date, the last one being the small ion CN{sup −}, which has been observed in the envelope of the carbon star IRC +10216 and which contrary to the other larger anions is not formed by electron attachment to CN, but through reactions of large carbon anions with nitrogen atoms. Here we briefly review the current status of our knowledge of the chemistry of molecular anions in space, with particular emphasis on the circumstellar source IRC +10216, which to date is the astronomical source harboring the largest variety of anions.

Circumstellar envelopes seen in radio (OH masers) and in the infrared observations (IRAS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

David, Pedro-Correia-de-Matos

1992-01-01

Intermediate mass stars, namely from one to nine solar masses, eject mass into the surrounding interstellar medium at high rates (up to 1/10000 solar masses per year) in their late stages of evolution on the so called asymptotic giant branch (AGB). Indeed, the presence of a circumstellar envelope (CSE) composed of dust and gas is one of the principal features of the objects on the AGB. Because of the high opacity at visible wavelength of the CSE, most of these objects can only be observed at infrared and radio frequencies. This study was undertaken using infrared and radio data from a large sample of CSE sources. The infrared data was obtained from the infrared astronomical satellite (IRAS) data base. For a selection of IRAS objects, radio observations were made of the OH maser at 1612 and 1667 MHz at the Nancay radio telescope, France. This work consists in two parts, one is theoretical in nature, the other observational. The theoretical part is concerned with the modeling of IRAS low resolution spectra (LRS catalog) and IRAS photometry through the use of a radiative transfer code. Confrontation between models and data has yielded such results as a better definition of the grain optical properties and the behavior of the CSE as it evolves. A model of a shock wave (a possible lifting engine of the CSE) propagating in the atmosphere of Mira stars (AGB) is described. On the observational side, a large number of objects has been surveyed for the presence of OH masers at 1612 and 1667 MHz. A statistical analysis has established more clearly the evolutionary status of CSE and the OH maser characteristics. A compiling of detection rates for the occurrence of masers, average location of these masing CSEs in the Galaxy, and OH maser characteristics is reported for use in future work. (author) [fr

Study at radio wavelengths of circumstellar envelopes around red giants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Do Thi Hoai

2015-01-01

The thesis studies mass losing AGB stars and their circumstellar environments, with focus on the development of stellar outflows and their interaction with the surrounding medium. It uses emission from two tracers: carbon monoxide (CO), through its rotational lines in the millimeter range, probes the inner regions of the circumstellar shells out to photodissociation distances, while atomic hydrogen (HI, 21 cm) is better suited to the study of the external regions. The high spectral and spatial resolutions achieved in radio observations allow for a detailed exploration of the kinematics of the relatively slow outflows of red giants. After having introduced the subject, I discuss the case of an S-type star (RS Cnc) that has been observed in CO with the IRAM telescopes, as well as in HI with the VLA, concentrating on the modelling of the spatially resolved CO line profiles and illustrating the complementarity between HI and CO. Results of the CO modelling of other AGB stars observed at IRAM (EP Aqr, XHer and RXBoo) and of a post-AGB star observed with ALMA, the Red Rectangle, are also presented. The formation of the HI line profile in various cases of mass losing AGB stars, in particular YCVn for which a model is presented, is studied next, exploring several effects that might explain the lack of detected emission from stars with high mass loss rates. Similarities between the bipolar outflows of the AGB stars that have been studied, all having mass loss rates in the region of 10"-"7 solar masses per year and displaying nearly spherical morphologies are discussed together with the information on the gas temperature obtained from the simultaneous observation of two CO lines. (author)

Far-IR Observations of Gas and Dust in the Unusual 49 Ceti Disk

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roberge, Aki; Kamp, I.; Augereau, J.; Montesinos, B.; Meeus, G.; Olofsson, J.; Donaldson, J.; Howard, C. D.; Eiroa, C.; Dent, B.

We present Herschel Space Observatory far-IR imaging and spectroscopy of 49 Cet, an unusual circumstellar disk around a nearby young A1V star. The system is famous for showing the dust properties of a debris disk, but the gas properties of a low-mass protoplanetary disk. Photometry was obtained at

Variable extinction in HD 45677 and the evolution of dust grains in pre-main-sequence disks

Science.gov (United States)

Sitko, Michael L.; Halbedel, Elaine M.; Lawrence, Geoffrey F.; Smith, J. Allyn; Yanow, Ken

1994-01-01

Changes in the UV extinction and IR emission were sought in the Herbig Ae/Be star candidate HD 45677 (= FS CMa) by comparing UV, optical, and IR observations made approximately 10 yr apart. HD 45677 varied significantly, becoming more than 50% brighter in the UV and optical than it was a decade ago. A comparison of the observations between epochs indicates that if the variations are due to changes in dust obscuration, the dust acts as a gray absorber into the near-IR and must be depleted in grains smaller than 1 micron. This is similar to the results obtained on the circumstellar disks of stars like Vega and Beta Pic, and suggests that radiation pressure may be responsible for the small-grain depletion. In addition, the total IR flux seems to have declined, indicating a decrease in the total mass of the dust envelope that contributes to the IR emission in this part of the spectrum. Due to the anomalous nature of the extinction, the use of normal extinction curves to deredden the spectral energy distributions of stars with circumstellar dust may lead to significant errors and should be used with great caution.

Herschel Observations of Gas and Dust in the Unusual 49 Ceti Debris Disk

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roberge, A.; Kamp, I.; Montesinos, B.; Dent, W. R. F.; Meeus, G.; Donaldson, J. K.; Olofsson, J.; Moor, A.; Augereau, J. -C.; Howard, C.; Eiroa, C.; Thi, W. -F.; Ardila, D. R.; Sandell, G.; Woitke, P.

2013-01-01

We present far-IR/sub-mm imaging and spectroscopy of 49 Ceti, an unusual circumstellar disk around a nearby young A1V star. The system is famous for showing the dust properties of a debris disk, but the gas properties of a low-mass protoplanetary disk. The data were acquired with the Herschel Space

Water Depletion in the Disk Atmosphere of Herbig AeBe Stars

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fedele, D.; Pascucci, I.; Brittain, S.; Kamp, I.; Woitke, P.; Williams, J. P.; Dent, W. R. F.; Thi, W. -F.

2011-01-01

We present high-resolution (R similar to 100,000) L-band spectroscopy of 11 Herbig AeBe stars with circumstellar disks. The observations were obtained with the VLT/CRIRES to detect hot water and hydroxyl radical emission lines previously detected in disks around T Tauri stars. OH emission lines are

SUBARU IMAGING OF ASYMMETRIC FEATURES IN A TRANSITIONAL DISK IN UPPER SCORPIUS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mayama, S. [Center for the Promotion of Integrated Sciences, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Shonan International Village, Hayama-cho, Miura-gun, Kanagawa 240-0193 (Japan); Hashimoto, J.; Kusakabe, N.; Kuzuhara, M.; Takahashi, Y.; Akiyama, E. [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan); Muto, T. [Division of Liberal Arts, Kogakuin University, 1-24-2, Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 163-8677 (Japan); Tsukagoshi, T.; Momose, M. [College of Science, Ibaraki University, 2-1-1 Bunkyo, Mito, Ibaraki 310-8512 (Japan); Kudo, T.; Egner, S. [Subaru Telescope, 650 North A' ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); Dong, R.; Brandt, T. [Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, NJ 08544 (United States); Fukagawa, M. [Department of Earth and Space Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043 (Japan); Takami, M. [Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, P.O. Box 23-141, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China); Wisniewski, J. P. [H L Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Oklahoma, 440 West Brooks St. Norman, OK 73019 (United States); Follette, K. [Department of Astronomy and Steward Observatory, The University of Arizona, 933 North Cherry Avenue, Rm. N204, Tucson, AZ 85721-0065 (United States); Abe, L. [Laboratoire Hippolyte Fizeau, UMR6525, Universite de Nice Sophia-Antipolis, 28, avenue Valrose, F-06108 Nice Cedex 02 (France); Brandner, W. [Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Koenigstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Carson, J., E-mail: mayama_satoshi@soken.ac.jp [Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Charleston, 58 Coming Street, Charleston, SC 29424 (United States); and others

2012-12-01

We report high-resolution (0.07 arcsec) near-infrared polarized intensity images of the circumstellar disk around the star 2MASS J16042165-2130284 obtained with HiCIAO mounted on the Subaru 8.2 m telescope. We present our H-band data, which clearly exhibit a resolved, face-on disk with a large inner hole for the first time at infrared wavelengths. We detect the centrosymmetric polarization pattern in the circumstellar material as has been observed in other disks. Elliptical fitting gives the semimajor axis, semiminor axis, and position angle (P.A.) of the disk as 63 AU, 62 AU, and -14 Degree-Sign , respectively. The disk is asymmetric, with one dip located at P.A.s of {approx}85 Degree-Sign . Our observed disk size agrees well with a previous study of dust and CO emission at submillimeter wavelength with Submillimeter Array. Hence, the near-infrared light is interpreted as scattered light reflected from the inner edge of the disk. Our observations also detect an elongated arc (50 AU) extending over the disk inner hole. It emanates at the inner edge of the western side of the disk, extending inward first, then curving to the northeast. We discuss the possibility that the inner hole, the dip, and the arc that we have observed may be related to the existence of unseen bodies within the disk.

CIRCUMSTELLAR MAGNETITE FROM THE LAP 031117 CO3.0 CHONDRITE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zega, Thomas J. [Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, 1629 E. University Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85721-0092 (United States); Haenecour, Pierre; Floss, Christine [Laboratory for Space Sciences and Physics Department, Washington University, One Brookings Drive, Campus Box 1105, St. Louis, MO 63130 (United States); Stroud, Rhonda M., E-mail: tzega@lpl.arizona.edu [Materials Science and Technology Division, Code 6366, Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Ave, SW Washington, DC 20375 (United States)

2015-07-20

We report the first microstructural confirmation of circumstellar magnetite, identified in a petrographic thin section of the LaPaz Icefield 031117 CO3.0 chondrite. The O-isotopic composition of the grain indicates an origin in a low-mass (∼2.2 M{sub ⊙}), approximately solar metallicity red/asymptotic giant branch (RGB/AGB) star undergoing first dredge-up. The magnetite is a single crystal measuring 750 × 670 nm, is free of defects, and is stoichiometric Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}. We hypothesize that the magnetite formed via oxidation of previously condensed Fe dust within the circumstellar envelope of its progenitor star. Using an empirically derived rate constant for this reaction, we calculate that such oxidation could have occurred over timescales ranging from approximately ∼9000–500,000 years. This timescale is within the lifetime of estimates for dust condensation within RGB/AGB stars.

THE HERSCHEL DIGIT SURVEY OF WEAK-LINE T TAURI STARS: IMPLICATIONS FOR DISK EVOLUTION AND DISSIPATION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cieza, Lucas A.; Olofsson, Johan; Henning, Thomas; Harvey, Paul M.; Evans, Neal J. II; Najita, Joan; Merín, Bruno; Liebhart, Armin; Güdel, Manuel; Augereau, Jean-Charles; Pinte, Christophe

2013-01-01

As part of the 'Dust, Ice, and Gas In Time (DIGIT)' Herschel Open Time Key Program, we present Herschel photometry (at 70, 160, 250, 350, and 500 μm) of 31 weak-line T Tauri star (WTTS) candidates in order to investigate the evolutionary status of their circumstellar disks. Of the stars in our sample, 13 had circumstellar disks previously known from infrared observations at shorter wavelengths, while 18 of them had no previous evidence for a disk. We detect a total of 15 disks as all previously known disks are detected at one or more Herschel wavelengths and two additional disks are identified for the first time. The spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of our targets seem to trace the dissipation of the primordial disk and the transition to the debris disk regime. Of the 15 disks, 7 appear to be optically thick primordial disks, including 2 objects with SEDs indistinguishable from those of typical Classical T Tauri stars, 4 objects that have significant deficit of excess emission at all IR wavelengths, and 1 'pre-transitional' object with a known gap in the disk. Despite their previous WTTS classification, we find that the seven targets in our sample with optically thick disks show evidence for accretion. The remaining eight disks have weaker IR excesses similar to those of optically thin debris disks. Six of them are warm and show significant 24 μm Spitzer excesses, while the last two are newly identified cold debris-like disks with photospheric 24 μm fluxes, but significant excess emission at longer wavelengths. The Herschel photometry also places strong constraints on the non-detections, where systems with F 70 /F 70,* ∼> 5-15 and L disk /L * ∼> 10 –3 to 10 –4 can be ruled out. We present preliminary models for both the optically thick and optically thin disks and discuss our results in the context of the evolution and dissipation of circumstellar disks.

THE HERSCHEL DIGIT SURVEY OF WEAK-LINE T TAURI STARS: IMPLICATIONS FOR DISK EVOLUTION AND DISSIPATION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cieza, Lucas A. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Olofsson, Johan; Henning, Thomas [Max Planck Institute fuer Astronomie, Koenigstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Harvey, Paul M.; Evans, Neal J. II [Department of Astronomy, University of Texas at Austin, 2515 Speedway, Stop C1400, Austin, TX 78712-1205 (United States); Najita, Joan [National Optical Astronomy Observatory, 950 N. Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 86719 (United States); Merin, Bruno [Herschel Science Centre, European Space Astronomy Centre, ESA, P.O. Box 78, E-28691 Villanueva de la Canada, Madrid (Spain); Liebhart, Armin; Guedel, Manuel [Department of Astronomy, University of Vienna, Tuerkenschanzstr. 17, A-1180 Vienna (Austria); Augereau, Jean-Charles; Pinte, Christophe, E-mail: lcieza@ifa.hawaii.edu [UJF-Grenoble 1/CNRS-INSU, Institut de Planetologie et d' Astrophysique (IPAG) UMR 5274, BP 53, F-38041 Grenoble cedex 9 (France)

2013-01-10

As part of the 'Dust, Ice, and Gas In Time (DIGIT)' Herschel Open Time Key Program, we present Herschel photometry (at 70, 160, 250, 350, and 500 {mu}m) of 31 weak-line T Tauri star (WTTS) candidates in order to investigate the evolutionary status of their circumstellar disks. Of the stars in our sample, 13 had circumstellar disks previously known from infrared observations at shorter wavelengths, while 18 of them had no previous evidence for a disk. We detect a total of 15 disks as all previously known disks are detected at one or more Herschel wavelengths and two additional disks are identified for the first time. The spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of our targets seem to trace the dissipation of the primordial disk and the transition to the debris disk regime. Of the 15 disks, 7 appear to be optically thick primordial disks, including 2 objects with SEDs indistinguishable from those of typical Classical T Tauri stars, 4 objects that have significant deficit of excess emission at all IR wavelengths, and 1 'pre-transitional' object with a known gap in the disk. Despite their previous WTTS classification, we find that the seven targets in our sample with optically thick disks show evidence for accretion. The remaining eight disks have weaker IR excesses similar to those of optically thin debris disks. Six of them are warm and show significant 24 {mu}m Spitzer excesses, while the last two are newly identified cold debris-like disks with photospheric 24 {mu}m fluxes, but significant excess emission at longer wavelengths. The Herschel photometry also places strong constraints on the non-detections, where systems with F {sub 70}/F {sub 70,*} {approx}> 5-15 and L {sub disk}/L {sub *} {approx}> 10{sup -3} to 10{sup -4} can be ruled out. We present preliminary models for both the optically thick and optically thin disks and discuss our results in the context of the evolution and dissipation of circumstellar disks.

A study of the inner parts of protoplanetary disks observed by interferometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anthonioz, Fabien

2015-01-01

Observing gas and dusty disks around young stars are of utmost importance for our knowledge about planetary formation. Observations of these disks bring unprecedented details about their structure and composition, and provide stronger and stronger constrains on planetary formation models. However, the inner parts of these disk are still barely known. Indeed, a 100 m diameter telescope would be required in order to resolve these inner region, for the closest young stars; nowadays, the construction of such telescope is impossible technologically and financially. By combining the light of pairs of telescopes, the interferometry technique is able to reach the sufficient resolving power, and permits us to observe the inner parts of circumstellar disks. My thesis has been focused on the observation and study of the inner part of TTauri's circumstellar disks. I present in this manuscript a statistical study on the environment around these stars, along with its modeling by taking into account thermal emission and light scattering of the disk. Finally, I present a more complete modelling for some of these stars, done by constraining spectroscopic, interferometric and photometric datasets with a radiative transfer code. (author)

The Chemistry of Protostellar Jet-Disk Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Codella, Claudio

2017-11-01

The birth of a Sun-like star is a complex game played by several participants whose respective roles are not yet entirely clear. On the one hand, the star-to-be accretes matter from a collapsing envelope. The gravitational energy released in the process heats up the material surrounding the protostar, creating warm regions enriched by interstellar complex organic molecules (iCOMs, at least 6 atoms) called hot-corinos. On the other hand, the presence of angular momentum and magnetic fields leads to two consequences: (i) the formation of circumstellar disks; and (ii) substantial episodes of matter ejection, as e.g. collimated jets. Thanks to the combination of the high-sensitivities and high-angular resolu- tions provided by the advent of new telescopes such as ALMA and NOEMA, it is now possible to image in details the earliest stages of the Sun-like star formation, thus inspecting the inner ( effects connected with the accreting disk. In other words, it is time to study the protostellar jet-disk system as a whole. Several still unanswered questions can be addressed. What is the origin of the chemically enriched hot corinos: are they jet-driven shocked regions? What is the origin of the ejections: are they due to disk or stellar winds? Shocks are precious tool to attack these questions, given they enrich the gas phase with the species deposited onto the dust mantles and/or locked in the refractory dust cores. Basically, we have to deal with two kind of shocks: (i) high-velocity shocks produced by protostellar jets, and (ii) slow accretion shocks located close to the centrifugal barrier of the accretion disks. Both shocks are factories of iCOMs, which can be then efficiently used to follow both the kinematics and the chemistry of the inner protostellar systems. With this in mind, we will discuss recent results obtained in the framework of different observational campaigns at mm and sub-mm wavelengths.

An alternative model for the origin of gaps in circumstellar disks

OpenAIRE

Vorobyov, Eduard I.; Regaly, Zsolt; Guedel, Manuel; Lin, D. N. C.

2016-01-01

Motivated by recent observational and numerical studies suggesting that collapsing protostellar cores may be replenished from the local environment, we explore the evolution of protostellar cores submerged in the external counter-rotating environment. These models predict the formation of counter-rotating disks with a deep gap in the gas surface density separating the inner disk (corotating with the star) and the outer counter-rotating disk. The properties of these gaps are compared to those ...

INVESTIGATING THE CIRCUMSTELLAR DISK OF THE Be SHELL STAR 48 LIBRAE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silaj, J.; Jones, C. E. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7 (Canada); Carciofi, A. C.; Escolano, C.; Bednarski, D. [Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas, Universitária de São Paulo, Rua do Matão 1226, Cidade Universitária, 05508-900 São Paulo, SP Brazil (Brazil); Okazaki, A. T. [Faculty of Engineering, Hokkai-Gakuen University, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo 062-8605 (Japan); Tycner, C. [Department of Physics, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859 (United States); Rivinius, T.; Klement, R. [European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere, Casilla 19001, Santiago 19 (Chile)

2016-07-20

A global disk oscillation implemented in the viscous decretion disk (VDD) model has been used to reproduce most of the observed properties of the well known Be star ζ Tau. 48 Librae shares several similarities with ζ Tau—they are both early-type Be stars, display shell characteristics in their spectra, and exhibit cyclic V / R variations—but has some marked differences as well, such as a much denser and more extended disk, a much longer V / R cycle, and the absence of the so-called triple-peak features. We aim to reproduce the photometric, polarimetric, and spectroscopic observables of 48 Librae with a self-consistent model, and to test the global oscillation scenario for this target. Our calculations are carried out with the three-dimensional NLTE radiative transfer code HDUST. We employ a rotationally deformed, gravity-darkened central star surrounded by a disk whose unperturbed state is given by the VDD model. A two-dimensional global oscillation code is then used to calculate the disk perturbation and superimpose it on the unperturbed disk. A very good, self-consistent fit to the time-averaged properties of the disk is obtained with the VDD. The calculated perturbation has a period P = 12 years, which agrees with the observed period, and the behavior of the V / R cycle is well reproduced by the perturbed model. The perturbed model improves the fit to the photometric data and reproduces some features of the observed spectroscopic data. Some suggestions to improve the synthesized spectroscopy in a future work are given.

From Disks to Planets: The Making of Planets and Their Early Atmospheres. An Introduction

Science.gov (United States)

Lammer, Helmut; Blanc, Michel

2018-03-01

This paper is an introduction to volume 56 of the Space Science Series of ISSI, "From disks to planets—the making of planets and their proto-atmospheres", a key subject in our quest for the origins and evolutionary paths of planets, and for the causes of their diversity. Indeed, as exoplanet discoveries progressively accumulated and their characterization made spectacular progress, it became evident that the diversity of observed exoplanets can in no way be reduced to the two classes of planets that we are used to identify in the solar system, namely terrestrial planets and gas or ice giants: the exoplanet reality is just much broader. This fact is no doubt the result of the exceptional diversity of the evolutionary paths linking planetary systems as a whole as well as individual exoplanets and their proto-atmospheres to their parent circumstellar disks: this diversity and its causes are exactly what this paper explores. For each of the main phases of the formation and evolution of planetary systems and of individual planets, we summarize what we believe we understand and what are the important open questions needing further in-depth examination, and offer some suggestions on ways towards solutions. We start with the formation mechanisms of circumstellar disks, with their gas and disk components in which chemical composition plays a very important role in planet formation. We summarize how dust accretion within the disk generates planet cores, while gas accretion on these cores can lead to the diversity of their fluid envelopes. The temporal evolution of the parent disk itself, and its final dissipation, put strong constraints on how and how far planetary formation can proceed. The radiation output of the central star also plays an important role in this whole story. This early phase of planet evolution, from disk formation to dissipation, is characterized by a co-evolution of the disk and its daughter planets. During this co-evolution, planets and their

The Physics and Chemistry of Oxygen-Rich Circumstellar Envelopes as Traced by Simple Molecules

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Ka Tat

2018-04-01

The physics and chemistry of the circumstellar envelopes (CSEs) of evolved stars are not fully understood despite decades of research. This thesis addresses two issues in the study of the CSEs of oxygen-rich (O-rich) evolved stars. In the first project, the ammonia (NH3) chemistry of O-rich stars is investigated with multi-wavelength observations; in the second project, the extended atmosphere and inner wind of the archetypal asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star o Ceti (Mira) is studied with high-angular resolution observations. One of the long-standing mysteries in circumstellar chemistry is the perplexing overabundance of the NH3 molecule. NH3 in O-rich evolved stars has been found in much higher abundance, by several orders of magnitude, than that expected in equilibrium chemistry. Several mechanisms have been suggested in the literature to explain this high NH3 abundance, including shocks in the inner wind, photodissociation of nitrogen by interstellar ultraviolet radiation, and nitrogen enrichment in stellar nucleosynthesis; however, none of these suggestions can fully explain the abundances of NH3 and various other molecular species in the CSEs of O-rich stars. In order to investigate the distribution of NH3 in O-rich CSEs, observations of the spectral lines of NH3 from a diverse sample of evolved stars and in different wavelength regimes are necessary. In this thesis, the NH3 line emission and absorption from four O-rich stars are studied. These targets include the AGB star IK Tauri, the pre-planetary nebula OH 231.8+4.2, the red supergiant VY Canis Majoris, and the yellow hypergiant IRC +10420. The amount of NH3 observational data has increased drastically thanks to the recent advancement of instrumentation. Observations of NH3 rotational line emission at submillimetre/far-infrared wavelengths were possible with the Herschel Space Observatory (2009–2013). The new wideband correlator in the upgraded Karl G. Janksy Very Large Array (VLA) provided data of

Characterizing the Evolution of Circumstellar Systems with the Hubble Space Telescope and the Gemini Planet Imager

Science.gov (United States)

Wolff, Schuyler; Schuyler G. Wolff

2018-01-01

The study of circumstellar disks at a variety of evolutionary stages is essential to understand the physical processes leading to planet formation. The recent development of high contrast instruments designed to directly image the structures surrounding nearby stars, such as the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) and coronagraphic data from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) have made detailed studies of circumstellar systems possible. In my thesis work I detail the observation and characterization of three systems. GPI polarization data for the transition disk, PDS 66 shows a double ring and gap structure with a temporally variable azimuthal asymmetry. This evolved morphology could indicate shadowing from some feature in the innermost regions of the disk, a gap-clearing planet, or a localized change in the dust properties of the disk. Millimeter continuum data of the DH Tau system places limits on the dust mass that is contributing to the strong accretion signature on the wide-separation planetary mass companion, DH Tau b. The lower than expected dust mass constrains the possible formation mechanism, with core accretion followed by dynamical scattering being the most likely. Finally, I present HST scattered light observations of the flared, edge-on protoplanetary disk ESO H$\\alpha$ 569. I combine these data with a spectral energy distribution to model the key structural parameters such as the geometry (disk outer radius, vertical scale height, radial flaring profile), total mass, and dust grain properties in the disk using the radiative transfer code MCFOST. In order to conduct this work, I developed a new tool set to optimize the fitting of disk parameters using the MCMC code \\texttt{emcee} to efficiently explore the high dimensional parameter space. This approach allows us to self-consistently and simultaneously fit a wide variety of observables in order to place constraints on the physical properties of a given disk, while also rigorously assessing the uncertainties in

A CO survey in planet-forming disks: Characterizing the gas content in the epoch of planet formation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hales, A. S.; De Gregorio-Monsalvo, I.; Dent, W. F. R.; Phillips, N. [Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array, Joint ALMA Observatory, Alonso de Córdova 3107, Vitacura 763-0355 Santiago (Chile); Montesinos, B. [Department of Astrophysics, Centre for Astrobiology (CAB, CSIC-INTA), ESAC Campus, P.O. Box 78, E-28691 Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid (Spain); Casassus, S.; Garay, G.; Mardones, D.; Pérez, S. [Departamento de Astronomía, Universidad de Chile, Camino El Observatorio 1515, Las Condes, Santiago (Chile); Dougados, C.; Ménard, F. [UMI-FCA, CNRS/INSU, France (UMI 3386) (France); Eiroa, C. [Departamento de Física Teórica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, E-28049 Madrid (Spain); Hughes, A. M. [Department of Astronomy, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Palau, Aina [Institut de Ciéncies de l' Espai (CSIC-IEEC), Campus UAB-Facultat de Ciéncies, Torre C5-parell 2, E-08193 Bellaterra, Catalunya (Spain); Torrelles, J. M. [Institut de Ciències de l' Espai (CSIC-IEEC) and Institut de Ciències del Cosmos (UB-IEEC), Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain); Wilner, D., E-mail: ahales@alma.cl [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)

2014-09-01

We carried out a {sup 12}CO(3-2) survey of 52 southern stars with a wide range of IR excesses (L {sub IR}/L {sub *}) using the single-dish telescopes APEX and ASTE. The main aims were (1) to characterize the evolution of molecular gas in circumstellar disks using L {sub IR}/L {sub *} values as a proxy of disk dust evolution, and (2) to identify new gas-rich disk systems suitable for detailed study with ALMA. About 60% of the sample (31 systems) have L {sub IR}/L {sub *} > 0.01, typical of T Tauri or Herbig AeBe stars, and the rest (21 systems) have L {sub IR}/L {sub *} < 0.01, typical of debris disks. We detect CO(3-2) emission from 20 systems, and 18 (90%) of these have L {sub IR}/L {sub *} > 0.01. However, the spectra of only four of the newly detected systems appear free of contamination from background or foreground emission from molecular clouds. These include the early-type stars HD 104237 (A4/5V, 116 pc) and HD 98922 (A2 III, 507 pc, as determined in this work), where our observations reveal the presence of CO-rich circumstellar disks for the first time. Of the other detected sources, many could harbor gaseous circumstellar disks, but our data are inconclusive. For these two newly discovered gas-rich disks, we present radiative transfer models that simultaneously reproduce their spectral energy distributions and the {sup 12}CO(3-2) line profiles. For both of these systems, the data are fit well by geometrically flat disks, placing them in the small class of non-flaring disks with significant molecular gas reservoirs.

Alma Survey of Circumstellar Disks in the Young Stellar Cluster IC 348

Science.gov (United States)

Ruíz-Rodríguez, D.; Cieza, L. A.; Williams, J. P.; Andrews, S. M.; Principe, D. A.; Caceres, C.; Canovas, H.; Casassus, S.; Schreiber, M. R.; Kastner, J. H.

2018-05-01

We present a 1.3 mm continuum survey of the young (2-3 Myr) stellar cluster IC 348, which lies at a distance of 310 pc, and is dominated by low-mass stars (M⋆ ˜ 0.1-0.6 M⊙). We observed 136 Class II sources (disks that are optically thick in the infrared) at 0.8″ (200 au) resolution with a 3σ sensitivity of ˜ 0.45 mJy (Mdust ˜ 1.3 M⊕). We detect 40 of the targets and construct a mm-continuum luminosity function. We compare the disk mass distribution in IC 348 to those of younger and older regions, taking into account the dependence on stellar mass. We find a clear evolution in disk masses from 1 to 5-10 Myr. The disk masses in IC 348 are significantly lower than those in Taurus (1-3 Myr) and Lupus (1-3 Myr), similar to those of Chamaleon I, (2-3 Myr) and σ Ori (3-5 Myr) and significantly higher than in Upper Scorpius (5-10 Myr). About 20 disks in our sample (˜5% of the cluster members) have estimated masses (dust + gas) >1 MJup and hence might be the precursors of giant planets in the cluster. Some of the most massive disks include transition objects with inner opacity holes based on their infrared SEDs. From a stacking analysis of the 96 non-detections, we find that these disks have a typical dust mass of just ≲ 0.4 M⊕, even though the vast majority of their infrared SEDs remain optically thick and show little signs of evolution. Such low-mass disks may be the precursors of the small rocky planets found by Kepler around M-type stars.

CONFIRMATION OF CIRCUMSTELLAR PHOSPHINE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Agúndez, M.; Cernicharo, J. [Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, C/ Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, E-28049 Cantoblanco (Spain); Decin, L. [Sterrenkundig Instituut Anton Pannekoek, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, NL-1098 Amsterdam (Netherlands); Encrenaz, P. [LERMA, Observatoire de Paris, 61 Av. de l' Observatoire, F-75014 Paris (France); Teyssier, D. [European Space Astronomy Centre, Urb. Villafranca del Castillo, P.O. Box 50727, E-28080 Madrid (Spain)

2014-08-01

Phosphine (PH{sub 3}) was tentatively identified a few years ago in the carbon star envelopes IRC +10216 and CRL 2688 from observations of an emission line at 266.9 GHz attributable to the J = 1-0 rotational transition. We report the detection of the J = 2-1 rotational transition of PH{sub 3} in IRC +10216 using the HIFI instrument on board Herschel, which definitively confirms the identification of PH{sub 3}. Radiative transfer calculations indicate that infrared pumping in excited vibrational states plays an important role in the excitation of PH{sub 3} in the envelope of IRC +10216, and that the observed lines are consistent with phosphine being formed anywhere between the star and 100 R {sub *} from the star, with an abundance of 10{sup –8} relative to H{sub 2}. The detection of PH{sub 3} challenges chemical models, none of which offer a satisfactory formation scenario. Although PH{sub 3} holds just 2% of the total available phosphorus in IRC +10216, it is, together with HCP, one of the major gas phase carriers of phosphorus in the inner circumstellar layers, suggesting that it could also be an important phosphorus species in other astronomical environments. This is the first unambiguous detection of PH{sub 3} outside the solar system, and is a further step toward a better understanding of the chemistry of phosphorus in space.

HOPS 136: An edge-on orion protostar near the end of envelope infall

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fischer, William J.; Megeath, S. Thomas [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH (United States); Tobin, John J. [National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Charlottesville, VA (United States); Hartmann, Lee; Kounkel, Marina [Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); Stutz, Amelia M. [Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Heidelberg (Germany); Poteet, Charles A. [New York Center for Astrobiology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY (United States); Ali, Babar [NHSC/IPAC/Caltech, Pasadena, CA (United States); Osorio, Mayra [Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía, CSIC, Granada (Spain); Manoj, P. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai (India); Remming, Ian [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL (United States); Stanke, Thomas [ESO, Garching bei München (Germany); Watson, Dan M., E-mail: wjfischer@gmail.com [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY (United States)

2014-02-01

Edge-on protostars are valuable for understanding the disk and envelope properties of embedded young stellar objects, since the disk, envelope, and envelope cavities are all distinctly visible in resolved images and well constrained in modeling. Comparing Two Micron All Sky Survey, Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Spitzer, Herschel, and APEX photometry and an IRAM limit from 1.2 to 1200 μm, Spitzer spectroscopy from 5 to 40 μm, and high-resolution Hubble imaging at 1.60 and 2.05 μm to radiative transfer modeling, we determine envelope and disk properties for the Class I protostar HOPS 136, an edge-on source in Orion's Lynds 1641 region. The source has a bolometric luminosity of 0.8 L {sub ☉}, a bolometric temperature of 170 K, and a ratio of submillimeter to bolometric luminosity of 0.8%. Via modeling, we find a total luminosity of 4.7 L {sub ☉} (larger than the observed luminosity due to extinction by the disk), an envelope mass of 0.06 M {sub ☉}, and a disk radius and mass of 450 AU and 0.002 M {sub ☉}. The stellar mass is highly uncertain but is estimated to fall between 0.4 and 0.5 M {sub ☉}. To reproduce the flux and wavelength of the near-infrared scattered-light peak in the spectral energy distribution, we require 5.4 × 10{sup –5} M {sub ☉} of gas and dust in each cavity. The disk has a large radius and a mass typical of more evolved T Tauri disks in spite of the significant remaining envelope. HOPS 136 appears to be a key link between the protostellar and optically revealed stages of star formation.

Mid-infrared interferometric variability of DG Tauri: Implications for the inner-disk structure

Science.gov (United States)

Varga, J.; Gabányi, K. É.; Ábrahám, P.; Chen, L.; Kóspál, Á.; Menu, J.; Ratzka, Th.; van Boekel, R.; Dullemond, C. P.; Henning, Th.; Jaffe, W.; Juhász, A.; Moór, A.; Mosoni, L.; Sipos, N.

2017-08-01

Context. DG Tau is a low-mass pre-main sequence star, whose strongly accreting protoplanetary disk exhibits a so-far enigmatic behavior: its mid-infrared thermal emission is strongly time-variable, even turning the 10 μm silicate feature from emission to absorption temporarily. Aims: We look for the reason for the spectral variability at high spatial resolution and at multiple epochs. Methods: Infrared interferometry can spatially resolve the thermal emission of the circumstellar disk, also giving information about dust processing. We study the temporal variability of the mid-infrared interferometric signal, observed with the VLTI/MIDI instrument at six epochs between 2011 and 2014. We fit a geometric disk model to the observed interferometric signal to obtain spatial information about the disk. We also model the mid-infrared spectra by template fitting to characterize the profile and time dependence of the silicate emission. We use physically motivated radiative transfer modeling to interpret the mid-infrared interferometric spectra. Results: The inner disk (r 1-3 au) spectra show a crystalline silicate feature in emission, similar to the spectra of comet Hale-Bopp. The striking difference between the inner and outer disk spectral feature is highly unusual among T Tauri stars. The mid-infrared variability is dominated by the outer disk. The strength of the silicate feature changed by more than a factor of two. Between 2011 and 2014 the half-light radius of the mid-infrared-emitting region decreased from 1.15 to 0.7 au. Conclusions: For the origin of the absorption we discuss four possible explanations: a cold obscuring envelope, an accretion heated inner disk, a temperature inversion on the disk surface and a misaligned inner geometry. The silicate emission in the outer disk can be explained by dusty material high above the disk plane, whose mass can change with time, possibly due to turbulence in the disk. Based on observations made with the ESO Very Large

CCS Observations of the Protostellar Envelope of B335

Science.gov (United States)

Velusamy, T.; Kuiper, T. B. H.; Langer, W. D.

1995-01-01

Knowledge of the density, velocity and chemical profiles around protostars is of fundamental importance for testing dynamical models of protostar evolution and understanding the nature of the material falling onto circumstellar disks. Presented are single dish and interferometric spectral line observations of CCS towards the core of B335, a classic example of a young, low mass stellar object.

THE DISK POPULATION OF THE TAURUS STAR-FORMING REGION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luhman, K. L.; Allen, P. R.; Espaillat, C.; Hartmann, L.; Calvet, N.

2010-01-01

We have analyzed nearly all images of the Taurus star-forming region at 3.6, 4.5, 5.8, 8.0, and 24 μm that were obtained during the cryogenic mission of the Spitzer Space Telescope (46 deg 2 ) and have measured photometry for all known members of the region that are within these data, corresponding to 348 sources, or 99% of the known stellar population. By combining these measurements with previous observations with the Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph and other facilities, we have classified the members of Taurus according to whether they show evidence of circumstellar disks and envelopes (classes I, II, and III). Through these classifications, we find that the disk fraction in Taurus, N(II)/N(II+III), is ∼75% for solar-mass stars and declines to ∼45% for low-mass stars and brown dwarfs (0.01-0.3 M sun ). This dependence on stellar mass is similar to that measured for Chamaeleon I, although the disk fraction in Taurus is slightly higher overall, probably because of its younger age (1 Myr versus 2-3 Myr). In comparison, the disk fraction for solar-mass stars is much lower (∼20%) in IC 348 and σ Ori, which are denser than Taurus and Chamaeleon I and are roughly coeval with the latter. These data indicate that disk lifetimes for solar-mass stars are longer in star-forming regions that have lower stellar densities. Through an analysis of multiple epochs of Spitzer photometry that are available for ∼200 Taurus members, we find that stars with disks exhibit significantly greater mid-infrared (mid-IR) variability than diskless stars, which agrees with the results of similar variability measurements for a smaller sample of stars in Chamaeleon I. The variability fraction for stars with disks is higher in Taurus than in Chamaeleon I, indicating that the IR variability of disks decreases with age. Finally, we have used our data in Taurus to refine the observational criteria for primordial, evolved, and transitional disks. The ratio of the number of evolved and

Light-scattering models applied to circumstellar dust properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koehler, Melanie; Mann, Ingrid

2004-01-01

Radiation pressure force, Poynting-Robertson effect, and collisions are important to determine the size distribution of dust in circumstellar debris disks with the two former parameters depending on the light-scattering properties of grains. We here present Mie and discrete-dipole approximation (DDA) calculations to describe the optical properties of dust particles around β Pictoris, Vega, and Fomalhaut in order to study the influence of the radiation pressure force. We find that the differences between Mie and DDA calculations are lower than 30% for all porosities. Therefore, Mie calculations can be used to determine the cut-off limits which contribute to the size distribution for the different systems

Infrared observations of circumstellar ammonia in OH/IR supergiants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McLaren, R.A.; Betz, A.L.

1980-01-01

Ammonia has been detected in the circumstellar envelopes of VY Canis Majoris, VX Sagittarii, and IRC+10420 by means of several absorption lines in the ν 2 vibration-rotation band near 950 cm -1 . The line profiles are well resolved (0.2 km s -1 resolution) and show the gas being accelerated to terminal expansion velocities near 30 km s -1 . The observations reveal a method for determining the position of the central star on VLBI maps of OH maser emission to an accuracy of approx.0''.2. A firm lower limit of 2 x 10 15 cm -2 is obtained for the NH 3 column density in VY Canis Majoris

Radiative Transfer Modeling in Proto-planetary Disks

Science.gov (United States)

Kasper, David; Jang-Condell, Hannah; Kloster, Dylan

2016-01-01

Young Stellar Objects (YSOs) are rich astronomical research environments. Planets form in circumstellar disks of gas and dust around YSOs. With ever increasing capabilities of the observational instruments designed to look at these proto-planetary disks, most notably GPI, SPHERE, and ALMA, more accurate interfaces must be made to connect modeling of the disks with observation. PaRTY (Parallel Radiative Transfer in YSOs) is a code developed previously to model the observable density and temperature structure of such a disk by self-consistently calculating the structure of the disk based on radiative transfer physics. We present upgrades we are implementing to the PaRTY code to improve its accuracy and flexibility. These upgrades include: creating a two-sided disk model, implementing a spherical coordinate system, and implementing wavelength-dependent opacities. These upgrades will address problems in the PaRTY code of infinite optical thickness, calculation under/over-resolution, and wavelength-independent photon penetration depths, respectively. The upgraded code will be used to better model disk perturbations resulting from planet formation.

High-contrast direct imaging of exo-planets and circumstellar disks: from the self-coherent camera to NICI data analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mazoyer, Johan

2014-01-01

Out of the 1800 exo-planets detected to date, only 50 were by direct imaging. However, by allowing the observation of circumstellar disks and planets (sometimes simultaneously around the same star, as in the case of β-pictoris), this method is a fundamental tool for the understanding of planetary formation. In addition, direct access to the light of the detected objects allows spectroscopy, paving the way for the first time to the chemical and thermal analysis of their atmosphere and surface. However, direct imaging raises specific challenges: accessing objects fainter than their star (with a ration up to 10"-"8 to 10"-"1"1), and separated only by a fraction of arc-second. To obtain these values, several techniques must be implemented. A corona-graph, used in complement with a deformable mirror and active optical aberration correction methods, produces high-contrast images, which can be further processed by differential imaging techniques. My PhD thesis work took place at the intersection of these techniques. At first, I analyzed, in simulation and experimentally on the THD 'French acronym for very high contrast' bench of the Paris Observatory, the performance of the self-coherent camera, a wavefront sensing technique used to correct the optical aberrations in the focal plane. I managed to obtained high-contrast zones (called dark holes) with performance up to 3.10"-"8 between 5 and 12?/D, in monochromatic light. I also started an analysis of the performance in narrow spectral bands. In the second part of my thesis, I applied the latest differential imaging techniques to high contrast images from another corona-graphic instrument, NICI. The processing of these data revealed unprecedented views of the dust disk orbiting HD 15115. (author)

The peculiar balmer decrement of SN 2009ip: Constraints on circumstellar geometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Levesque, Emily M.; Stringfellow, Guy S.; Bally, John; Keeney, Brian A. [CASA, Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, University of Colorado 389-UCB, Boulder, CO 80309 (United States); Ginsburg, Adam G., E-mail: Emily.Levesque@colorado.edu [European Southern Observatory, ESO Headquarters, Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 2, D-95748 Garching bei München (Germany)

2014-01-01

We present optical and near-IR spectroscopic observations of the luminous blue variable SN 2009ip during its remarkable photometric evolution of 2012. The spectra sample three key points in the SN 2009ip light curve, corresponding to its initial brightening in August (2012-A) and its dramatic rebrightening in early October (2012-B). Based on line fluxes and velocities measured in our spectra, we find a surprisingly low I(Hα)/I(Hβ) ratio (∼1.3-1.4) in the 2012-B spectra. Such a ratio implies either a rare Case B recombination scenario where Hα, but not Hβ, is optically thick, or an extremely high density for the circumstellar material of n{sub e} > 10{sup 13} cm{sup –3}. The Hα line intensity yields a minimum radiating surface area of ≳20,000 AU{sup 2} in Hα at the peak of SN 2009ip's photometric evolution. Combined with the nature of this object's spectral evolution in 2012, a high circumstellar density and large radiating surface area imply the presence of a thin disk geometry around the central star (and, consequently, a possible binary companion), suggesting that the observed 2012-B rebrightening of SN 2009ip can be attributed to the illumination of the disk's inner rim by fast-moving ejecta produced by the underlying events of 2012-A.

Extremely Low Mass: The Circumstellar Envelope of a Potential Proto-Brown Dwarf

Science.gov (United States)

Wiseman, Jennifer

2011-01-01

What is the environment for planet formation around extremely low mass stars? Is the environment around brown dwarfs and extremely low mass stars conducive and sufficiently massive for planet production? The determining conditions may be set very early in the process of the host object's formation. IRAS 16253-2429, the source of the Wasp-Waist Nebula seen in Spitzer IRAC images, is an isolated, very low luminosity ("VeLLO") Class 0 protostar in the nearby rho Ophiuchi cloud. We present VLA ammonia mapping observations of the dense gas envelope feeding the central core accreting system. We find a flattened envelope perpendicular to the outflow axis, and gas cavities that appear to cradle the outflow lobes as though carved out by the flow and associated (apparently precessing) jet, indicating environmental disruption. Based on the NH3 (1,1) and (2,2) emission distribution, we derive the mass, velocity fields and temperature distribution for the envelope. We discuss the combined evidence for this source to be one of the youngest and lowest mass sources in formation yet known, and discuss the ramifications for planet formation potential in this extremely low mass system.

Infrared Spectroscopic Survey of the Quiescent Medium of Nearby Clouds. I. Ice Formation and Grain Growth in Lupus

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boogert, A.; Chiar, J.; Knez, C.; Öberg, K.; Mundy, L.; Pendleton, Y.; Tielens, A.G.G.M.; Dishoeck, van E.F.

2013-01-01

Infrared photometry and spectroscopy (1-25 {$μ$}m) of background stars reddened by the Lupus molecular cloud complex are used to determine the properties of grains and the composition of ices before they are incorporated into circumstellar envelopes and disks. H$_{2}$O ices form at extinctions of A

Spectral energy distributions of T Tauri stars - disk flaring and limits on accretion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kenyon, S.J.; Hartmann, L.

1987-01-01

The Adams et al. (1987) conclusion that much of the IR excess emission in the spectral energy distribution of T Tauri stars arises from reprocessing of stellar radiation by a dusty circumstellar disk is presently supported by analyses conducted in light of various models of these stars' spectra. A low mass reprocessing disk can, however, produce these spectra as well as a massive accretion disk. The detection of possible boundary layer radiation in the optical and near-UV regions poses the strongest limits on accretion rates. Disk accretion in the T Tauri phase does not significantly modify stellar evolution. 85 references

Infrared observations of circumstellar ammonia in OH/IR supergiants

Science.gov (United States)

Mclaren, R. A.; Betz, A. L.

1980-01-01

Ammonia has been detected in the circumstellar envelopes of VY Canis Majoris, VX Sagittarii, and IRC +10420 by means of several absorption lines in the nu-2 vibration-rotation band near 950 kaysers. The line profiles are well resolved (0.2 km/sec resolution) and show the gas being accelerated to terminal expansion velocities near 30 km/sec. The observations reveal a method for determining the position of the central star on VLBI maps of OH maser emission to an accuracy of approximately 0.2 arcsec. A firm lower limit of 2 x 10 to the 15th/sq cm is obtained for the NH3 column density in VY Canis Majoris.

Accretion Disks around Young Stars: An Observational Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Ménard, F.; Bertout, C.

Accretion disks are pivotal elements in the formation and early evolution of solar-like stars. On top of supplying the raw material, their internal conditions also regulate the formation of planets. Their study therefore holds the key to solve this long standing mystery: how did our Solar System form? This chapter focuses on observational studies of the circumstellar environment, and in particular of circumstellar disks, associated with pre-main sequence solar-like stars. The direct measurement of disk parameters poses an obvious challenge: at the distance of the typical star forming regions ( e.g. 140 pc for Taurus), a planetary system like ours (with diameter simeq50 AU out to Pluto, but excluding the Kuiper belt which could extend much farther out) subtends only 0.35''. Yet its surface brightness is low in comparison to the bright central star and high angular and high contrast imaging techniques are required if one hopes to resolve and measure these protoplanetary disks. Fortunately, capable instruments providing 0.1'' resolution or better and high contrast have been available for just about 10 years now. They are covering a large part of the electromagnetic spectrum, from the UV/Optical with HST and the near-infrared from ground-based adaptive optics systems, to the millimetric range with long-baseline radio interferometers. It is therefore not surprising that our knowledge of the structure of the disks surrounding low-mass stars has made a gigantic leap forward in the last decade. In the following pages we will attempt to describe, in a historical perpective, the road that led to the idea that most solar-like stars are surrounded by an accretion disk at one point in their early life and how, nowadays, their structural and physical parameters can be estimated from direct observations. We will follow by a short discussion of a few of the constraints available regarding the evolution and dissipation of these disks. This last topic is particularly relevant today

THE LONG-TERM EVOLUTION OF PHOTOEVAPORATING PROTOPLANETARY DISKS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bae, Jaehan; Hartmann, Lee; Zhu Zhaohuan; Gammie, Charles

2013-01-01

We perform calculations of our one-dimensional, two-zone disk model to study the long-term evolution of the circumstellar disk. In particular, we adopt published photoevaporation prescriptions and examine whether the photoevaporative loss alone, coupled with a range of initial angular momenta of the protostellar cloud, can explain the observed decline of the frequency of optically thick dusty disks with increasing age. In the parameter space we explore, disks have accreting and/or non-accreting transitional phases lasting for ∼ wall plane, which possibly explains the different observed properties between the two populations. However, we further find that scaling the photoevaporation rates downward by a factor of 10 makes it difficult to clear the disks on the observed timescales, showing that the precise value of the photoevaporative loss is crucial to setting the clearing times. While our results apply only to pure photoevaporative loss (plus disk accretion), there may be implications for models in which planets clear disks preferentially at radii of the order of 10 AU

CONSTRAINTS ON THE RADIAL VARIATION OF GRAIN GROWTH IN THE AS 209 CIRCUMSTELLAR DISK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pérez, Laura M.; Carpenter, John M.; Isella, Andrea; Ricci, Luca; Sargent, Anneila I.; Chandler, Claire J.; Andrews, Sean M.; Harris, Robert J.; Calvet, Nuria; Corder, Stuartt A.; Deller, Adam T.; Dullemond, Cornelis P.; Linz, Hendrik; Greaves, Jane S.; Henning, Thomas; Kwon, Woojin; Lazio, Joseph; Mundy, Lee G.; Storm, Shaye; Testi, Leonardo

2012-01-01

We present dust continuum observations of the protoplanetary disk surrounding the pre-main-sequence star AS 209, spanning more than an order of magnitude in wavelength from 0.88 to 9.8 mm. The disk was observed with subarcsecond angular resolution (0.''2-0.''5) to investigate radial variations in its dust properties. At longer wavelengths, the disk emission structure is notably more compact, providing model-independent evidence for changes in the grain properties across the disk. We find that physical models which reproduce the disk emission require a radial dependence of the dust opacity κ ν . Assuming that the observed wavelength-dependent structure can be attributed to radial variations in the dust opacity spectral index (β), we find that β(R) increases from β 1.5 for R ∼> 80 AU, inconsistent with a constant value of β across the disk (at the 10σ level). Furthermore, if radial variations of κ ν are caused by particle growth, we find that the maximum size of the particle-size distribution (a max ) increases from submillimeter-sized grains in the outer disk (R ∼> 70 AU) to millimeter- and centimeter-sized grains in the inner disk regions (R ∼ max (R) with predictions from physical models of dust evolution in protoplanetary disks. For the dust composition and particle-size distribution investigated here, our observational constraints on a max (R) are consistent with models where the maximum grain size is limited by radial drift.

Formation and Atmosphere of Complex Organic Molecules of the HH 212 Protostellar Disk

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Chin-Fei; Ho, Paul T. P.; Hirano, Naomi; Shang, Hsien [Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, P.O. Box 23-141, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China); Li, Zhi-Yun [Astronomy Department, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904 (United States); Zhang, Qizhou, E-mail: cflee@asiaa.sinica.edu.tw [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)

2017-07-01

HH 212 is a nearby (400 pc) Class 0 protostellar system recently found to host a “hamburger”-shaped dusty disk with a radius of ∼60 au, deeply embedded in an infalling-rotating flattened envelope. We have spatially resolved this envelope-disk system with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array at up to ∼16 au (0.″04) resolution. The envelope is detected in HCO{sup +} J = 4–3 down to the dusty disk. Complex organic molecules (COMs) and doubly deuterated formaldehyde (D{sub 2}CO) are detected above and below the dusty disk within ∼40 au of the central protostar. The COMs are methanol (CH{sub 3}OH), deuterated methanol (CH{sub 2}DOH), methyl mercaptan (CH{sub 3}SH), and formamide (NH{sub 2}CHO, a prebiotic precursor). We have modeled the gas kinematics in HCO{sup +} and COMs and found a centrifugal barrier (CB) at a radius of ∼44 au, within which a Keplerian rotating disk is formed. This indicates that HCO{sup +} traces the infalling-rotating envelope down to the CB and COMs trace the atmosphere of a Keplerian rotating disk within the CB. The COMs are spatially resolved for the first time, both radially and vertically, in the atmosphere of a disk in the earliest, Class 0 phase of star formation. Our spatially resolved observations of COMs favor their formation in the disk rather than a rapidly infalling (warm) inner envelope. The abundances and spatial distributions of the COMs provide strong constraints on models of their formation and transport in low-mass star formation.

SPECTRAL ENERGY DISTRIBUTIONS OF YOUNG STARS IN IC 348: THE ROLE OF DISKS IN ANGULAR MOMENTUM EVOLUTION OF YOUNG, LOW-MASS STARS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Blanc, Thompson S.; Stassun, Keivan G.; Covey, Kevin R.

2011-01-01

Theoretical work suggests that a young star's angular momentum content and rotation rate may be strongly influenced by magnetic interactions with its circumstellar disk. A generic prediction of these 'disk-locking' theories is that a disk-locked star will be forced to co-rotate with the Keplerian angular velocity of the inner edge of the disk; that is, the disk's inner-truncation radius should equal its co-rotation radius. These theories have also been interpreted to suggest a gross correlation between young stars' rotation periods and the structural properties of their circumstellar disks, such that slowly rotating stars possess close-in disks that enforce the star's slow rotation, whereas rapidly rotating stars possess anemic or evacuated inner disks that are unable to brake the stars and instead the stars spin up as they contract. To test these expectations, we model the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of 33 young stars in IC 348 with known rotation periods and infrared excesses indicating the presence of circumstellar disks. For each star, we match the observed SED, typically sampling 0.6-8.0 μm, to a grid of 200,000 pre-computed star+disk radiative transfer models, from which we infer the disk's inner-truncation radius. We then compare this truncation radius to the disk's co-rotation radius, calculated from the star's measured rotation period. We do not find obvious differences in the disk truncation radii of slow rotators versus rapid rotators. This holds true both at the level of whether close-in disk material is present at all, and in analyzing the precise location of the inner disk edge relative to the co-rotation radius among the subset of stars with close-in disk material. One interpretation is that disk locking is unimportant for the IC 348 stars in our sample. Alternatively, if disk locking does operate, then it must operate on both the slow and rapid rotators, potentially producing both spin-up and spin-down torques, and the transition from the

An ALMA continuum survey of circumstellar disks in the upper Scorpius OB association

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carpenter, John M.; Ricci, Luca; Isella, Andrea [Department of Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, MC 249-17, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)

2014-05-20

We present ALMA 880 μm continuum observations of 20 K- and M-type stars in the Upper Scorpius OB association (Upper Sco) that are surrounded by protoplanetary disks. These data are used to measure the dust content in disks around low-mass stars (0.1-1.6 M {sub ☉}) at a stellar age of 5-11 Myr. Thirteen sources were detected in the 880 μm dust continuum at ≥3σ with inferred dust masses between 0.3 and 52 M {sub ⊕}. The dust masses tend to be higher around the more massive stars, but the significance is marginal in that the probability of no correlation is p ≈ 0.03. The evolution in the dust content in disks was assessed by comparing the Upper Sco observations with published continuum measurements of disks around ∼1-2 Myr stars in the Class II stage in the Taurus molecular cloud. While the dust masses in the Upper Sco disks are on average lower than in Taurus, any difference in the dust mass distributions is significant at less than 3σ. For stellar masses between 0.49 M {sub ☉} and 1.6 M {sub ☉}, the mean dust mass in disks is lower in Upper Sco relative to Taurus by Δlog M {sub dust} = 0.44 ± 0.26.

MIDCOURSE SPACE EXPERIMENT VERSUS IRAS TWO-COLOR DIAGRAMS AND THE CIRCUMSTELLAR ENVELOPE-SEQUENCE OF OXYGEN-RICH LATE-TYPE STARS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sjouwerman, Lorant O.; Capen, Stephanie M.; Claussen, Mark J.

2009-01-01

We present Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) two-color diagrams that can be used to characterize circumstellar environments of sources with good quality MSX colors in terms of IRAS color regions for oxygen-rich stars. With these diagrams, we aim to provide a new tool that can be used to study circumstellar environments and to improve detection rates for targeted surveys for circumstellar maser emission similar to the IRAS two-color diagram. This new tool is especially useful for regions in the sky where IRAS was confused, in particular in the Galactic plane and bulge region. Unfortunately, using MSX colors alone does not allow one to distinguish between carbon-rich and oxygen-rich objects. An application of this tool on 86 GHz SiO masers shows that for this type of masers an instantaneous detection rate of 60% to 80% can be achieved if target sources are selected according to MSX color (region). Our investigations may have revealed an error in the MSX point source catalog version 2.3. That is, the photometry of the 21.3 μm (MSX E filter) band for most weak 8.28 μm (or MSX A filter) band sources seems off by about a factor 2 (0.5-1 mag too bright).

DETECTION OF WEAK CIRCUMSTELLAR GAS AROUND THE DAZ WHITE DWARF WD 1124-293: EVIDENCE FOR THE ACCRETION OF MULTIPLE ASTEROIDS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Debes, J. H. [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Dr., Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Kilic, M. [Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Oklahoma, 440 W. Brooks St., Norman, OK 73019 (United States); Faedi, F. [Astrophysics Research Centre, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen' s University Belfast, University Road, Belfast, BT7 1NN (United Kingdom); Shkolnik, E. L. [Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (United States); Lopez-Morales, M. [Institut de Ciencies de l' Espai (CSIC-IEEC), Campus UAB, Facultat de Ciencies, Torre C5, parell, 2a pl, E-08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain); Weinberger, A. J.; Slesnick, C. [Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 5249 Broad Branch RD, N.W., Washington, DC 20015 (United States); West, R. G. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH (United Kingdom)

2012-07-20

Single metal-polluted white dwarfs with no dusty disks are believed to be actively accreting metals from a circumstellar disk of gas caused by the destruction of asteroids perturbed by planetary systems. We report, for the first time, the detection of circumstellar Ca II gas in absorption around the DAZ WD 1124-293, which lacks an infrared excess. We constrain the gas to >7 R{sub WD} and <32000 AU, and estimate it to be at {approx}54 R{sub WD}, well within WD 1124-293's tidal disruption radius. This detection is based on several epochs of spectroscopy around the Ca II H and K lines ({lambda} = 3968 A, 3933 A) with the MIKE spectrograph on the Magellan/Clay Telescope at Las Campanas Observatory. We confirm the circumstellar nature of the gas by observing nearby sightlines and finding no evidence for gas from the local interstellar medium. Through archival data we have measured the equivalent width of the two photospheric Ca lines over a period of 11 years. We see <5%-7% epoch-to-epoch variation in equivalent widths over this time period, and no evidence for long term trends. The presence of a circumstellar gas implies a near edge-on inclination to the system, thus we place limits to short period transiting planetary companions with R > R{sub Circled-Plus} using the Wide Angle Search for Planets survey. The presence of gas in orbit around WD 1124-293 implies that most DAZs could harbor planetary systems. Since 25%-30% of white dwarfs show metal line absorption, the dynamical process for perturbing small bodies must be robust.

Exploring the circumstellar disk-like structure of the B[e] supergiant LHA 120-S 73

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Torres, A.F.; Cidale, L.S.; Kraus, Michaela; Arias, M.L.; Maravelias, Grigorios; Borges Fernandes, M.; Vallverdú, R.

2016-01-01

Roč. 58, č. 1 (2016), s. 120-122 E-ISSN 1669-9521 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) 7AMB14AR017; GA MŠk LG14013 Institutional support: RVO:67985815 Keywords : stars * early-type * circumstellar matter Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics http://www.astronomiaargentina.org.ar/b58/2016baaa...58...120T.pdf

The applicability of the viscous α-parameterization of gravitational instability in circumstellar disks

Science.gov (United States)

Vorobyov, E. I.

2010-01-01

We study numerically the applicability of the effective-viscosity approach for simulating the effect of gravitational instability (GI) in disks of young stellar objects with different disk-to-star mass ratios ξ . We adopt two α-parameterizations for the effective viscosity based on Lin and Pringle [Lin, D.N.C., Pringle, J.E., 1990. ApJ 358, 515] and Kratter et al. [Kratter, K.M., Matzner, Ch.D., Krumholz, M.R., 2008. ApJ 681, 375] and compare the resultant disk structure, disk and stellar masses, and mass accretion rates with those obtained directly from numerical simulations of self-gravitating disks around low-mass (M∗ ∼ 1.0M⊙) protostars. We find that the effective viscosity can, in principle, simulate the effect of GI in stellar systems with ξ≲ 0.2- 0.3 , thus corroborating a similar conclusion by Lodato and Rice [Lodato, G., Rice, W.K.M., 2004. MNRAS 351, 630] that was based on a different α-parameterization. In particular, the Kratter et al.'s α-parameterization has proven superior to that of Lin and Pringle's, because the success of the latter depends crucially on the proper choice of the α-parameter. However, the α-parameterization generally fails in stellar systems with ξ≳ 0.3 , particularly in the Classes 0 and I phases of stellar evolution, yielding too small stellar masses and too large disk-to-star mass ratios. In addition, the time-averaged mass accretion rates onto the star are underestimated in the early disk evolution and greatly overestimated in the late evolution. The failure of the α-parameterization in the case of large ξ is caused by a growing strength of low-order spiral modes in massive disks. Only in the late Class II phase, when the magnitude of spiral modes diminishes and the mode-to-mode interaction ensues, may the effective viscosity be used to simulate the effect of GI in stellar systems with ξ≳ 0.3 . A simple modification of the effective viscosity that takes into account disk fragmentation can somewhat improve

The WIRED Survey. IV. New Dust Disks from the McCook & Sion White Dwarf Catalog

Science.gov (United States)

Hoard, D.W.; Debes, John H.; Wachter, Stefanie; Leisawitz, David T.; Cohen, Martin

2013-01-01

We have compiled photometric data from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer All Sky Survey and other archival sources for the more than 2200 objects in the original McCook & Sion Catalog of Spectroscopically Identified White Dwarfs. We applied color-selection criteria to identify 28 targets whose infrared spectral energy distributions depart from the expectation for the white dwarf photosphere alone. Seven of these are previously known white dwarfs with circumstellar dust disks, five are known central stars of planetary nebulae, and six were excluded for being known binaries or having possible contamination of their infrared photometry. We fit white dwarf models to the spectral energy distributions of the remaining ten targets, and find seven new candidates with infrared excess suggesting the presence of a circumstellar dust disk. We compare the model dust disk properties for these new candidates with a comprehensive compilation of previously published parameters for known white dwarfs with dust disks. It is possible that the current census of white dwarfs with dust disks that produce an excess detectable at K-band and shorter wavelengths is close to complete for the entire sample of known WDs to the detection limits of existing near-IR all-sky surveys. The white dwarf dust disk candidates now being found using longer wavelength infrared data are drawn from a previously underrepresented region of parameter space, in which the dust disks are overall cooler, narrower in radial extent, and/or contain fewer emitting grains.

HERSCHEL OBSERVATIONS OF GAS AND DUST IN THE UNUSUAL 49 Ceti DEBRIS DISK

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roberge, A. [Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 667, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Kamp, I. [Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, University of Groningen, 9700 AV Groningen (Netherlands); Montesinos, B. [Departamento de Astrofisica, Centro de Astrobiologia (INTA-CSIC), ESAC Campus, PO Box 78, E-28691 Villanueva de la Canada, Madrid (Spain); Dent, W. R. F. [ALMA, Avda Apoquindo 3846, Piso 19, Edificio Alsacia, Las Condes, Santiago (Chile); Meeus, G.; Eiroa, C. [Departmento Fisica Teorica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, E-28049 Madrid (Spain); Donaldson, J. K. [Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 (United States); Olofsson, J. [Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Koenigstuhl 17, D-69117, Heidelberg (Germany); Moor, A. [Konkoly Observatory of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 67, H-1525 Budapest (Hungary); Augereau, J.-C.; Thi, W.-F. [UJF-Grenoble 1/CNRS-INSU, Institut de Planetologie et d' Astrophysique de Grenoble, UMR 5274, F-38041, Grenoble (France); Howard, C.; Sandell, G. [SOFIA-USRA, NASA Ames Research Center, Building N232, PO Box 1, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (United States); Ardila, D. R. [NASA Herschel Science Center, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Mail Stop 220-6, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Woitke, P., E-mail: Aki.Roberge@nasa.gov [University of Vienna, Department of Astronomy, Tuerkenschanzstr. 17, A-1180, Vienna (Austria)

2013-07-01

We present far-IR/sub-mm imaging and spectroscopy of 49 Ceti, an unusual circumstellar disk around a nearby young A1V star. The system is famous for showing the dust properties of a debris disk, but the gas properties of a low-mass protoplanetary disk. The data were acquired with the Herschel Space Observatory PACS and SPIRE instruments, largely as part of the ''Gas in Protoplanetary Systems'' (GASPS) Open Time Key Programme. Disk dust emission is detected in images at 70, 160, 250, 350, and 500 {mu}m; 49 Cet is significantly extended in the 70 {mu}m image, spatially resolving the outer dust disk for the first time. Spectra covering small wavelength ranges centered on eight atomic and molecular emission lines were obtained, including [O I] 63 {mu}m and [C II] 158 {mu}m. The C II line was detected at the 5{sigma} level-the first detection of atomic emission from the disk. No other emission lines were seen, despite the fact that the O I line is the brightest one observed in Herschel protoplanetary disk spectra. We present an estimate of the amount of circumstellar atomic gas implied by the C II emission. The new far-IR/sub-mm data fills in a large gap in the previous spectral energy distribution (SED) of 49 Cet. A simple model of the new SED confirms the two-component structure of the disk: warm inner dust and cold outer dust that produces most of the observed excess. Finally, we discuss preliminary thermochemical modeling of the 49 Cet gas/dust disk and our attempts to match several observational results simultaneously. Although we are not yet successful in doing so, our investigations shed light on the evolutionary status of the 49 Cet gas, which might not be primordial gas but rather secondary gas coming from comets.

H i and CO in the circumstellar environment of the S-type star RS Cancri

Science.gov (United States)

Libert, Y.; Winters, J. M.; Le Bertre, T.; Gérard, E.; Matthews, L. D.

2010-06-01

Context. The history of mass loss during the AGB phase is key to understanding the stellar evolution and the gas and dust replenishment of the interstellar medium. The mass-loss phenomenon presents fluctuations with a wide variety of timescales and spatial scales and requires combining data from multiple tracers. Aims: We study the respective contributions of the central source and of the external medium to the complex geometry of circumstellar ejecta. Methods: This paper presents Plateau de Bure Interferometer and IRAM 30-m telescope CO rotational line observations, along with H i data obtained with the Nançay Radio Telescope for the oxygen-rich semi-regular variable RS Cnc, in order to probe its circumstellar environment on different scales. Results: We detect both the CO(1-0) and the CO(2-1) rotational lines from RS Cnc. The line profiles are composite, comprising two components of half-width ~2 km s-1 and ~8 km s-1, respectively. Whereas the narrow velocity component seems to originate in an equatorial disk in the central part of the CO envelope, the broad component reveals a bipolar structure, with a north-south velocity gradient. In addition, we obtain new H i data on the source and around it in a field of almost 1 square degree. The H i line is centered on vLSR = 7 km s-1 in agreement with CO observations. A new reduction process reveals a complex extended structure in the northwest direction, of estimated size ~18', with a position angle (~310°) opposite the direction of the stellar proper motion (~140°). We derive an H i mass of ~3 × 10-2 M_⊙ for this structure. Based on a non spherical simulation, we find that this structure is consistent with arising from the interaction of the star undergoing mass loss at an average rate of ~10-7 M⊙ yr-1 over ~2-3 × 105 years with the interstellar medium. Conclusions: Using CO and H i lines, we show that the circumstellar environment around RS Cnc includes two related but well separated regions. With CO, we

EXTREMELY LARGE AND HOT MULTILAYER KEPLERIAN DISK AROUND THE O-TYPE PROTOSTAR W51N: THE PRECURSORS OF THE HCH II REGIONS?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zapata, Luis A.; Tang, Ya-Wen; Leurini, Silvia

2010-01-01

We present sensitive high angular resolution (0.''57-0.''78) SO, SO 2 , CO, C 2 H 5 OH, HC 3 N, and HCOCH 2 OH line observations at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths of the young O-type protostar W51 North made with the Submillimeter Array. We report the presence of a large (about 8000 AU) and hot molecular circumstellar disk around this object, which connects the inner dusty disk with the molecular ring or toroid reported recently and confirms the existence of a single bipolar outflow emanating from this object. The molecular emission from the large disk is observed in layers with the transitions characterized by high excitation temperatures in their lower energy states (up to 1512 K) being concentrated closer to the central massive protostar. The molecular emission from those transitions with low or moderate excitation temperatures is found in the outermost parts of the disk and exhibits an inner cavity with an angular size of around 0.''7. We modeled all lines with a local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) synthetic spectrum. A detailed study of the kinematics of the molecular gas together with an LTE model of a circumstellar disk shows that the innermost parts of the disk are also Keplerian plus a contracting velocity. The emission of the HCOCH 2 OH reveals the possible presence of a warm 'companion' located to the northeast of the disk, however its nature is unclear. The emission of the SO and SO 2 is observed in the circumstellar disk as well as in the outflow. We suggest that the massive protostar W51 North appears to be in a phase before the presence of a hypercompact or an ultracompact H II (HC/UCH II) region and propose a possible sequence on the formation of the massive stars.

MODELING CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS OF B-TYPE STARS WITH OBSERVATIONS FROM THE PALOMAR TESTBED INTERFEROMETER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grzenia, B. J.; Tycner, C.; Jones, C. E.; Sigut, T. A. A.; Rinehart, S. A.; Van Belle, G. T.

2013-01-01

Geometrical (uniform disk) and numerical models were calculated for a set of B-emission (Be) stars observed with the Palomar Testbed Interferometer (PTI). Physical extents have been estimated for the disks of a total of 15 stars via uniform disk models. Our numerical non-LTE models used parameters for the B0, B2, B5, and B8 spectral classes and following the framework laid by previous studies, we have compared them to infrared K-band interferometric observations taken at PTI. This is the first time such an extensive set of Be stars observed with long-baseline interferometry has been analyzed with self-consistent non-LTE numerical disk models.

Modeling Protoplanetary Disks to Characterize the Evolution of their Structure

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Magdelena; van der Marel, Nienke; Williams, Jonathan

2018-01-01

Stars form from gravitationally collapsing clouds of gas and dust. Most young stars retain a protoplanetary disk for a few million years. This disk’s dust reemits stellar flux in the infrared, producing a spectral energy distribution (SED) observable by Spitzer and other telescopes. To understand the inner clearing of dust cavities and evolution in the SED, we used the Chiang & Goldreich two-layer approximation. We first wrote a python script based on refinements by Dullemond that includes a hot, puffed inner rim, shadowed mid region, flaring outer disk, and a variable inner cavity. This was then coupled with a Markov Chain Monte Carlo procedure to fit the observed SEDs of disks in the star forming Lupus region. The fitting procedure recovers physical characteristics of the disk including temperature, size, mass, and surface density. We compare the characteristics of circumstellar disks without holes and more evolved transition disks with cleared inner regions.

Characterizing Dusty Debris Disks with the Gemini Planet Imager

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Christine; Arriaga, Pauline; Bruzzone, Sebastian; Choquet, Elodie; Debes, John H.; Donaldson, Jessica; Draper, Zachary; Duchene, Gaspard; Esposito, Thomas; Fitzgerald, Michael P.; Golimowski, David A.; Hines, Dean C.; Hinkley, Sasha; Hughes, A. Meredith; Kalas, Paul; Kolokolova, Ludmilla; Lawler, Samantha; Matthews, Brenda C.; Mazoyer, Johan; Metchev, Stanimir A.; Millar-Blanchaer, Max; Moro-Martin, Amaya; Nesvold, Erika; Padgett, Deborah; Patience, Jenny; Perrin, Marshall D.; Pueyo, Laurent; Rantakyro, Fredrik; Rodigas, Timothy; Schneider, Glenn; Soummer, Remi; Song, Inseok; Stark, Chris; Weinberger, Alycia J.; Wilner, David J.

2017-01-01

We have been awarded 87 hours of Gemini Observatory time to obtain multi-wavelength observations of HST resolved debris disks using the Gemini Planet Imager. We have executed ~51 hours of telescope time during the 2015B-2016B semesters observing 12 nearby, young debris disks. We have been using the GPI Spec and Pol modes to better constrain the properties of the circumstellar dust, specifically, measuring the near-infrared total intensity and polarization fraction colors, and searching for solid-state spectral features of nearby beta Pic-like disks. We expect that our observations will allow us to break the degeneracy among the particle properties such as composition, size, porosity, and shape. We present some early results from our observations.

POLARIMETRY WITH THE GEMINI PLANET IMAGER: METHODS, PERFORMANCE AT FIRST LIGHT, AND THE CIRCUMSTELLAR RING AROUND HR 4796A

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perrin, Marshall D.; Duchene, Gaspard; Graham, James R.; Kalas, Paul G.; Millar-Blanchaer, Max; Fitzgerald, Michael P.; Chilcote, Jeffrey; Wiktorowicz, Sloane J.; Dillon, Daren; Gavel, Donald; Macintosh, Bruce; Bauman, Brian; Cardwell, Andrew; Goodsell, Stephen; Hartung, Markus; Hibon, Pascale; De Rosa, Robert J.; Doyon, René; Dunn, Jennifer; Erikson, Darren

2015-01-01

We present the first results from the polarimetry mode of the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI), which uses a new integral field polarimetry architecture to provide high contrast linear polarimetry with minimal systematic biases between the orthogonal polarizations. We describe the design, data reduction methods, and performance of polarimetry with GPI. Point-spread function (PSF) subtraction via differential polarimetry suppresses unpolarized starlight by a factor of over 100, and provides sensitivity to circumstellar dust reaching the photon noise limit for these observations. In the case of the circumstellar disk around HR 4796A, GPI's advanced adaptive optics system reveals the disk clearly even prior to PSF subtraction. In polarized light, the disk is seen all the way in to its semi-minor axis for the first time. The disk exhibits surprisingly strong asymmetry in polarized intensity, with the west side ≳ 9 times brighter than the east side despite the fact that the east side is slightly brighter in total intensity. Based on a synthesis of the total and polarized intensities, we now believe that the west side is closer to us, contrary to most prior interpretations. Forward scattering by relatively large silicate dust particles leads to the strong polarized intensity on the west side, and the ring must be slightly optically thick in order to explain the lower brightness in total intensity there. These findings suggest that the ring is geometrically narrow and dynamically cold, perhaps shepherded by larger bodies in the same manner as Saturn's F ring

STELLAR MASS DEPENDENT DISK DISPERSAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kennedy, Grant M.; Kenyon, Scott J.

2009-01-01

We use published optical spectral and infrared (IR) excess data from nine young clusters and associations to study the stellar mass dependent dispersal of circumstellar disks. All clusters older than ∼3 Myr show a decrease in disk fraction with increasing stellar mass for solar to higher mass stars. This result is significant at about the 1σ level in each cluster. For the complete set of clusters we reject the null hypothesis-that solar and intermediate-mass stars lose their disks at the same rate-with 95%-99.9% confidence. To interpret this behavior, we investigate the impact of grain growth, binary companions, and photoevaporation on the evolution of disk signatures. Changes in grain growth timescales at fixed disk temperature may explain why early-type stars with IR excesses appear to evolve faster than their later-type counterparts. Little evidence that binary companions affect disk evolution suggests that photoevaporation is the more likely mechanism for disk dispersal. A simple photoevaporation model provides a good fit to the observed disk fractions for solar and intermediate-mass stars. Although the current mass-dependent disk dispersal signal is not strong, larger and more complete samples of clusters with ages of 3-5 Myr can improve the significance and provide better tests of theoretical models. In addition, the orbits of extra-solar planets can constrain models of disk dispersal and migration. We suggest that the signature of stellar mass dependent disk dispersal due to photoevaporation may be present in the orbits of observed extra-solar planets. Planets orbiting hosts more massive than ∼1.6 M sun may have larger orbits because the disks in which they formed were dispersed before they could migrate.

MASSIVE PROTOPLANETARY DISKS IN ORION BEYOND THE TRAPEZIUM CLUSTER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mann, Rita K.; Williams, Jonathan P.

2009-01-01

We present Submillimeter Array 1 The Submillimeter Array is a joint project between the Submillimeter Astrophysical Observatory and the Academica Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics and is funded by the Smithsonian Institution and the Academica Sinica. observations of the 880 μm continuum emission from three circumstellar disks around young stars in Orion that lie several arcminutes (∼> 1 pc) north of the Trapezium cluster. Two of the three disks are in the binary system 253-1536. Silhouette disks 216-0939 and 253-1536a are found to be more massive than any previously observed Orion disks, with dust masses derived from their submillimeter emission of 0.045 M sun and 0.066 M sun , respectively. The existence of these massive disks reveals that the disk mass distribution in Orion does extend to high masses, and that the truncation observed in the central Trapezium cluster is a result of photoevaporation due to the proximity of O-stars. 253-1536b has a disk mass of 0.018 M sun , making the 253-1536 system the first optical binary in which each protoplanetary disk is massive enough to potentially form solar systems.

DEEP MIPS OBSERVATIONS OF THE IC 348 NEBULA: CONSTRAINTS ON THE EVOLUTIONARY STATE OF ANEMIC CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS AND THE PRIMORDIAL-TO-DEBRIS DISK TRANSITION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Currie, Thayne; Kenyon, Scott J.

2009-01-01

We describe new, deep MIPS photometry and new high signal-to-noise optical spectroscopy of the 2.5 Myr old IC 348 Nebula. To probe the properties of the IC 348 disk population, we combine these data with previous optical/infrared photometry and spectroscopy to identify stars with gas accretion, to examine their mid-IR colors, and to model their spectral energy distributions. IC 348 contains many sources in different evolutionary states, including protostars and stars surrounded by primordial disks, two kinds of transitional disks, and debris disks. Most disks surrounding early/intermediate spectral-type stars (>1.4 M sun at 2.5 Myr) are debris disks; most disks surrounding solar and subsolar-mass stars are primordial disks. At the 1-2 σ level, more massive stars also have a smaller frequency of gas accretion and smaller mid-IR luminosities than lower-mass stars. These trends are suggestive of a stellar mass-dependent evolution of disks, where most disks around high/intermediate-mass stars shed their primordial disks on rapid, 2.5 Myr timescales. The frequency of MIPS-detected transitional disks is ∼15%-35% for stars plausibly more massive than 0.5 M sun . The relative frequency of transitional disks in IC 348 compared to that for 1 Myr old Taurus and 5 Myr old NGC 2362 is consistent with a transition timescale that is a significant fraction of the total primordial disk lifetime.

GRAIN GROWTH IN THE CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS OF THE YOUNG STARS CY Tau AND DoAr 25

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pérez, Laura M.; Chandler, Claire J. [National Radio Astronomy Observatory, P.O. Box O, Socorro, NM 87801 (United States); Isella, Andrea [Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005 (United States); Carpenter, John M.; Sargent, Anneila I. [California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Andrews, Sean M.; Ricci, Luca [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Calvet, Nuria [University of Michigan, 830 Dennison Building, 500 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Corder, Stuartt A. [Joint ALMA Observatory, Av. Alonso de Córdova 3107, Vitacura, Santiago (Chile); Deller, Adam T. [The Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON), 7990-AA Dwingeloo (Netherlands); Dullemond, Cornelis P. [Heidelberg University, Center for Astronomy, Albert Ueberle Str 2, Heidelberg (Germany); Greaves, Jane S. [University of St. Andrews, Physics and Astronomy, North Haugh, St. Andrews KY16 9SS (United Kingdom); Harris, Robert J. [University of Illinois, 1002 West Green St., Urbana, IL 61801 (United States); Henning, Thomas; Linz, Hendrik [Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Kwon, Woojin [Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, 776 Daedeok-daero, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34055 (Korea, Republic of); Lazio, Joseph [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Dr, Pasadena, CA 91106 (United States); Mundy, Lee G.; Storm, Shaye [University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 (United States); Tazzari, Marco [European Southern Observatory, Karl Schwarzschild str. 2, D-85748 Garching (Germany); and others

2015-11-01

We present new results from the Disks@EVLA program for two young stars: CY Tau and DoAr 25. We trace continuum emission arising from their circusmtellar disks from spatially resolved observations, down to tens of AU scales, at λ = 0.9, 2.8, 8.0, 9.8 mm for DoAr 25 and at λ = 1.3, 2.8, 7.1 mm for CY Tau. Additionally, we constrain the amount of emission whose origin is different from thermal dust emission from 5 cm observations. Directly from interferometric data, we find that observations at 7 mm and 1 cm trace emission from a compact disk while millimeter-wave observations trace an extended disk structure. From a physical disk model, where we characterize the disk structure of CY Tau and DoAr 25 at wavelengths shorter than 5 cm, we find that (1) dust continuum emission is optically thin at the observed wavelengths and over the spatial scales studied, (2) a constant value of the dust opacity is not warranted by our observations, and (3) a high-significance radial gradient of the dust opacity spectral index, β, is consistent with the observed dust emission in both disks, with low-β in the inner disk and high-β in the outer disk. Assuming that changes in dust properties arise solely due to changes in the maximum particle size (a{sub max}), we constrain radial variations of a{sub max} in both disks, from cm-sized particles in the inner disk (R < 40 AU) to millimeter sizes in the outer disk (R > 80 AU). These observational constraints agree with theoretical predictions of the radial-drift barrier, however, fragmentation of dust grains could explain our a{sub max}(R) constraints if these disks have lower turbulence and/or if dust can survive high-velocity collisions.

Spectral Evidence for an Inner Carbon-rich Circumstellar Belt in the Young HD 36546 A-star System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lisse, C. M. [JHU-APL, 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD 20723 (United States); Sitko, M. L. [Department of Physics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0011 and Space Science Institute, Boulder, CO 80301 (United States); Russell, R. W. [The Aerospace Corporation, Los Angeles, CA 90009 (United States); Marengo, M. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, 12 Physics Hall, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50010 (United States); Currie, T. [Subaru Telescope, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); Melis, C. [Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093-0424 (United States); Mittal, T. [Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, McCone Hall, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Song, I., E-mail: carey.lisse@jhuapl.edu, E-mail: ron.vervack@jhuapl.edu, E-mail: sitkoml@ucmail.uc.edu, E-mail: ray.russell@aero.org, E-mail: mmarengo@iastate.edu, E-mail: currie@naoj.org, E-mail: cmelis@ucsd.edu, E-mail: tmittal2@berkeley.edu, E-mail: song@physast.uga.edu [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-2451 (United States)

2017-05-10

Using the NASA/IRTF SpeX and BASS spectrometers we have obtained 0.7–13 μ m observations of the newly imaged 3–10 Myr old HD 36546 disk system. The SpeX spectrum is most consistent with the photospheric emission expected from an L {sub *} ∼ 20 L {sub ⊙}, solar abundance A1.5V star with little to no extinction, and excess emission from circumstellar dust detectable beyond 4.5 μ m. Non-detections of CO emission lines and accretion signatures point to the gas-poor circumstellar environment of a very old transition disk. Combining the SpeX + BASS spectra with archival WISE / AKARI / IRAS / Herschel photometry, we find an outer cold dust belt at ∼135 K and 20–40 au from the primary, likely coincident with the disk imaged by Subaru, and a new second inner belt with a temperature ∼570 K and an unusual, broad SED maximum in the 6–9 μ m region, tracing dust at 1.1–2.2 au. An SED maximum at 6–9 μ m has been reported in just two other A-star systems, HD 131488 and HD 121191, both of ∼10 Myr age. From Spitzer , we have also identified the ∼12 Myr old A7V HD 148657 system as having similar 5–35 μ m excess spectral features. The Spitzer data allows us to rule out water emission and rule in carbonaceous materials—organics, carbonates, SiC—as the source of the 6–9 μ m excess. Assuming a common origin for the four young A-star systems’ disks, we suggest they are experiencing an early era of carbon-rich planetesimal processing.

IONIZATION AND DUST CHARGING IN PROTOPLANETARY DISKS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ivlev, A. V.; Caselli, P. [Max-Planck-Institut für Extraterrestrische Physik, Giessenbachstr. 1, D-85748 Garching (Germany); Akimkin, V. V., E-mail: ivlev@mpe.mpg.de [Institute of Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Pyatnitskaya Street 48, 119017 Moscow (Russian Federation)

2016-12-10

Ionization–recombination balance in dense interstellar and circumstellar environments is a key factor for a variety of important physical processes, such as chemical reactions, dust charging and coagulation, coupling of the gas with magnetic field, and development of instabilities in protoplanetary disks. We determine a critical gas density above which the recombination of electrons and ions on the grain surface dominates over the gas-phase recombination. For this regime, we present a self-consistent analytical model, which allows us to calculate exactly the abundances of charged species in dusty gas, without making assumptions on the grain charge distribution. To demonstrate the importance of the proposed approach, we check whether the conventional approximation of low grain charges is valid for typical protoplanetary disks, and discuss the implications for dust coagulation and development of the “dead zone” in the disk. The presented model is applicable for arbitrary grain-size distributions and, for given dust properties and conditions of the disk, has only one free parameter—the effective mass of the ions, shown to have a small effect on the results. The model can be easily included in numerical simulations following the dust evolution in dense molecular clouds and protoplanetary disks.

Discussing the low fraction of disk-bearing T Tauri stars discovered near to the Sh2-296 nebula

Science.gov (United States)

Gregorio-Hetem, Jane

2015-08-01

A multiband study has been developed by our team in the direction of young star clusters associated to the Sh2-296 nebula aiming to unveil the star formation history of this galactic molecular cloud that shows a mixing of different age stellar groups. A sample of 58 pre-main sequence stars has been recently discovered by us in this region (Fernandes et al. 2015, MNRAS in press), based on optical spectral features. Only 41% of the sample shows evidence of IR excess revealing the presence of circumstellar disks. It is interesting to note that the targets were revealed by their strong X-ray emission, typically found in T Tauri stars (TTs) (Santos-Silva et al. 2015, in preparation) . In this case, it would be expected a larger number of disk-bearing stars and also the fraction of circumstellar emission (fc = Ldisk/Ltotal ) should be more significant in these objects. However, we verified that only 12% of the sample has fc > 30%. This low fraction is quite rare compared to most young star-forming regions, suggesting that some external factor has accelerated the disc dissipation. In the present work we explore the circumstellar structure of a subsample of 8 TTs associated to Sh2-296. The TTs were selected on the basis of their high circumstellar emission, which is estimated by SED fitting that uses near- to mid-IR data extracted from available catalogues (WISE, AKARI, MSX). The circumstellar characteristics are confronted to interstellar environment by comparing the stellar spatial distribution with 12CO maps (Nanten Survey, Fukui et al. ). Most of the TTs are projected against moderate molecular emission (33 Jy), but some of them are found in regions of lower levels of gas distribution (3.8 Jy). The similarities and differences found among the studied objects are discussed in order to better understand the formation and evolution of protostellar disks of the selected sample and their role in the star formation scenario nearby Sh2-296

Spectral energy distribution analysis of class I and class II FU Orionis stars

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gramajo, Luciana V.; Gómez, Mercedes [Observatorio Astronómico, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina, Laprida 854, 5000 Córdoba (Argentina); Rodón, Javier A., E-mail: luciana@oac.uncor.edu, E-mail: mercedes@oac.uncor.edu, E-mail: jrodon@eso.org [European Southern Observatory, Alonso de Córdova 3107, Vitacura, Casilla 19001, Santiago 19 (Chile)

2014-06-01

FU Orionis stars (FUors) are eruptive pre-main sequence objects thought to represent quasi-periodic or recurring stages of enhanced accretion during the low-mass star-forming process. We characterize the sample of known and candidate FUors in a homogeneous and consistent way, deriving stellar and circumstellar parameters for each object. We emphasize the analysis in those parameters that are supposed to vary during the FUor stage. We modeled the spectral energy distributions of 24 of the 26 currently known FUors, using the radiative transfer code of Whitney et al. We compare our models with those obtained by Robitaille et al. for Taurus class II and I sources in quiescence periods by calculating the cumulative distribution of the different parameters. FUors have more massive disks: we find that ∼80% of the disks in FUors are more massive than any Taurus class II and I sources in the sample. Median values for the disk mass accretion rates are ∼10{sup –7} M {sub ☉} yr{sup –1} versus ∼10{sup –5} M {sub ☉} yr{sup –1} for standard young stellar objects (YSOs) and FUors, respectively. While the distributions of envelope mass accretion rates for class I FUors and standard class I objects are similar, FUors, on average, have higher envelope mass accretion rates than standard class II and class I sources. Most FUors (∼70%) have envelope mass accretion rates above 10{sup –7} M {sub ☉} yr{sup –1}. In contrast, 60% of the classical YSO sample has an accretion rate below this value. Our results support the current scenario in which changes experimented by the circumstellar disk explain the observed properties of these stars. However, the increase in the disk mass accretion rate is smaller than theoretically predicted, although in good agreement with previous determinations.

A disk asymmetry in motion around the B[e] star MWC158

Science.gov (United States)

Kluska, J.; Benisty, M.; Soulez, F.; Berger, J.-P.; Le Bouquin, J.-B.; Malbet, F.; Lazareff, B.; Thiébaut, E.

2016-06-01

Context. MWC158 is a star with the B[e] phenomenon that shows strong spectrophotometric variability (in lines and in UV and visible continuum) attributed to phases of shell ejection. The evolutionary stage of this star was never clearly determined. Previous interferometric, spectropolarimetric and spectro-interferometric studies suggest a disk morphology for its environment. Aims: We investigate the origin of the variability within the inner astronomical unit of the central star using near-infrared interferometric observations with PIONIER at the VLTI over a two-year period. Methods: We performed an image reconstruction of the circumstellar environment using the SPARCO method. We discovered that the morphology of the circumstellar environment could vary on timescales of weeks or days. We carried out a parametric fit of the data with a model consisting of a star, a disk and a bright spot that represents a brighter emission in the disk. Results: We detect strong morphological changes in the first astronomical unit around the star, that happen on a timescale of few months. We cannot account for such variability well with a binary model. Our parametric model fits the data well and allows us to extract the location of the asymmetry for different epochs. Conclusions: For the first time, we detect a morphological variability in the environment of MWC158. This variability is reproduced by a model of a disk and a bright spot. The locations of the bright spot suggest that it is located in the disk, but its precise motion is not determined. The origin of the asymmetry in the disk is complex and may be related to asymmetric shell ejections. Based on observations performed with PIONIER mounted on the ESO Very Large Telescope interferometer (programmes: 089.C-0211, 190.C-0963).

A sample of potential disk hosting first ascent red giants

Science.gov (United States)

Steele, Amy; Debes, John

2018-01-01

Observations of (sub)giants with planets and disks provide the first set of proof that disks can survive the first stages of post-main-sequence evolution, even though the disks are expected to dissipate by this time. The infrared (IR) excesses present around a number of post-main-sequence (PMS) stars could be due to a traditional debris disk with planets (e.g. kappa CrB), some remnant of enhanced mass loss (e.g. the shell-like structure of R Sculptoris), and/or background contamination. We present a sample of potential disk hosting first ascent red giants. These stars all have infrared excesses at 22 microns, and possibly host circumstellar debris. We summarize the characteristics of the sample to better inform the incidence rates of thermally emitting material around giant stars. A thorough follow-up study of these candidates would serve as the first step in probing the composition of the dust in these systems that have left the main sequence, providing clues to the degree of disk processing that occurs beyond the main-sequence.

HIFISTARS Herschel/HIFI observations of VY Canis Majoris. Molecular-line inventory of the envelope around the largest known star

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Alcolea, J.; Bujarrabal, V.; Planesas, P.; Teyssier, D.; Cernicharo, J.; De Beck, E.; Decin, L.; Dominik, C.; Justtanont, K.; de Koter, A.; Marston, A.P.; Melnick, G.; Menten, K.M.; Neufeld, D.A.; Olofsson, H.; Schmidt, M.; Schöier, F.L.; Szczerba, R.; Waters, L.B.F.M.

2013-01-01

Aims. The study of the molecular gas in the circumstellar envelopes of evolved stars is normally undertaken by observing lines of CO (and other species) in the millimetre-wave domain. In general, the excitation requirements of the observed lines are low at these wavelengths, and therefore these

CORONAL MASS EJECTIONS AS A MECHANISM FOR PRODUCING IR VARIABILITY IN DEBRIS DISKS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osten, Rachel; Livio, Mario; Lubow, Steve; Pringle, J. E.; Soderblom, David; Valenti, Jeff

2013-01-01

Motivated by recent observations of short-timescale variations in the infrared emission of circumstellar disks, we propose that coronal mass ejections can remove dust grains on timescales as short as a few days. Continuous monitoring of stellar activity, coupled with infrared observations, can place meaningful constraints on the proposed mechanism.

Few Skewed Results from IOTA Interferometer YSO Disk Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Monnier, J. D.; Millan-Gabet, R.; Berger, J.-P.; Pedretti, E.; Traub, W.; Schloerb, F. P.

2005-12-01

The 3-telescope IOTA interferometer is capable of measuring closure phases for dozens of Herbig Ae/Be stars in the near-infrared. The closure phase unambiguously identifies deviations from centro-symmetry (i.e., skew) in the brightness distribution, at the scale of 4 milliarcseconds (sub-AU physical scales) for our work. Indeed, hot dust emission from the inner circumstellar accretion disk is expected to be skewed for (generic) flared disks viewed at intermediate inclination angles, as has been observed for LkHa 101. Surprisingly, we find very little evidence for skewed disk emission in our IOTA3 sample, setting strong constraints on the geometry of the inner disk. In particular, we rule out the currently-popular model of a VERTICAL hot inner wall of dust at the sublimation radius. Instead, our data is more consistent with a curved inner wall that bends away from the midplane as might be expected from the pressure-dependence of dust sublimation or limited absorption of stellar luminosity in the disk midplane by gas.

SPITZER SPECTROSCOPY OF CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS IN THE 5 Myr OLD UPPER SCORPIUS OB ASSOCIATION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dahm, S. E.; Carpenter, John M.

2009-01-01

We present mid-infrared spectra between 5.2 and 38 μm for 26 disk-bearing members of the ∼5 Myr old Upper Scorpius OB association obtained with the Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) onboard the Spitzer Space Telescope. We find clear evidence for changes in the spectral characteristics of dust emission between the early-type (B+A) and late-type (K+M) infrared excess stars. The early-type members exhibit featureless continuum excesses that become apparent redward of ∼8 μm. In contrast, 10 and 20 μm silicate features or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emission are present in all but one of the late-type excess members of Upper Scorpius. The strength of silicate emission among late-type Upper Scorpius members is spectral-type dependent, with the most prominent features being associated with K5-M2-type stars. By fitting the spectral energy distributions (SED) of a representative sample of low-mass stars with accretion disk models, we find that the SEDs are consistent with models having inner disk radii ranging from ∼0.2 to 1.2 AU. Complementary high-resolution (R ∼ 33, 000) optical (λλ4800-9200) spectra for the Upper Scorpius excess stars were examined for signatures of gaseous accretion. Of the 35 infrared excess stars identified in Upper Scorpius, only seven (all late-type) exhibit definitive signatures of accretion. Mass-accretion rates for these stars were estimated to range from 10 -11 to 10 -8.9 M sun yr -1 . Compared to Class II sources in Taurus-Auriga, the disk population in Upper Scorpius exhibits reduced levels of near- and mid-infrared excess emission and an order of magnitude lower mass-accretion rates. These results suggest that the disk structure has changed significantly over the 2-4 Myr in age separating these two stellar populations. The ubiquity of depleted inner disks in the Upper Scorpius excess sample implies that such disks are a common evolutionary pathway that persists for some time.

The ALMA-PILS survey: 3D modeling of the envelope, disks and dust filament of IRAS 16293-2422

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobsen, S. K.; Jørgensen, J. K.; van der Wiel, M. H. D.; Calcutt, H.; Bourke, T. L.; Brinch, C.; Coutens, A.; Drozdovskaya, M. N.; Kristensen, L. E.; Müller, H. S. P.; Wampfler, S. F.

2018-04-01

Context. The Class 0 protostellar binary IRAS 16293-2422 is an interesting target for (sub)millimeter observations due to, both, the rich chemistry toward the two main components of the binary and its complex morphology. Its proximity to Earth allows the study of its physical and chemical structure on solar system scales using high angular resolution observations. Such data reveal a complex morphology that cannot be accounted for in traditional, spherical 1D models of the envelope. Aims: The purpose of this paper is to study the environment of the two components of the binary through 3D radiative transfer modeling and to compare with data from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array. Such comparisons can be used to constrain the protoplanetary disk structures, the luminosities of the two components of the binary and the chemistry of simple species. Methods: We present 13CO, C17O and C18O J = 3-2 observations from the ALMA Protostellar Interferometric Line Survey (PILS), together with a qualitative study of the dust and gas density distribution of IRAS 16293-2422. A 3D dust and gas model including disks and a dust filament between the two protostars is constructed which qualitatively reproduces the dust continuum and gas line emission. Results: Radiative transfer modeling in our sampled parameter space suggests that, while the disk around source A could not be constrained, the disk around source B has to be vertically extended. This puffed-up structure can be obtained with both a protoplanetary disk model with an unexpectedly high scale-height and with the density solution from an infalling, rotating collapse. Combined constraints on our 3D model, from observed dust continuum and CO isotopologue emission between the sources, corroborate that source A should be at least six times more luminous than source B. We also demonstrate that the volume of high-temperature regions where complex organic molecules arise is sensitive to whether or not the total

Warm Debris Disks from WISE

Science.gov (United States)

Padgett, Deborah L.

2011-01-01

"The Wide Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) has just completed a sensitive all-sky survey in photometric bands at 3.4, 4.6, 12, and 22 microns. We report on a preliminary investigation of main sequence Hipparcos and Tycho catalog stars with 22 micron emission in excess of photospheric levels. This warm excess emission traces material in the circumstellar region likely to host terrestrial planets and is preferentially found in young systems with ages warm debris disk candidates are detected among FGK stars and a similar number of A stars within 120 pc. We are in the process of obtaining spectra to determine spectral types and activity level of these stars and are using HST, Herschel and Keck to characterize the dust, multiplicity, and substellar companions of these systems. In this contribution, we will discuss source selection methods and individual examples from among the WISE debris disk candidates. "

SPICES: Spectro-Polarimetric Imaging and Characterization of Exoplanetary Systems - From Planetary Disks To Nearby Super Earths

Science.gov (United States)

Boccaletti, Anthony; Schneider, Jean; Traub, Wes; Lagage, Pierre-Olivier; Stam, Daphne; Gratton, Raffaele; Trauger, John; Cahoy, Kerri; Snik, Frans; Baudoz, Pierre;

The detection and study of pre-planetary disks

Science.gov (United States)

Sargent, A. I.; Beckwith, S. V. W.

1994-01-01

A variety of evidence suggests that at least 50% of low-mass stars are surrounded by disks of the gas and dust similar to the nebula that surrounded the Sun before the formation of the planets. The properties of these disks may bear strongly on the way in which planetary systems form and evolve. As a result of major instrumental developments over the last decade, it is now possible to detect and study the circumstellar environments of the very young, solar-type stars in some detail, and to compare the results with theoretical models of the early solar system. For example, millimeter-wave aperture synthesis imaging provides a direct means of studying in detail the morphology, temperature and density distributions, velocity field and chemical constituents in the outer disks, while high resolution, near infrared spectroscopy probes the inner, warmer parts; the emergence of gaps in the disks, possibly reflecting the formation of planets, may be reflected in the variation of their dust continuum emission with wavelength. We review progress to date and discuss likely directions for future research.

Characterizing Protoplanetary Disks in a Young Binary in Orion

Science.gov (United States)

Powell, Jonas; Hughes, A. Meredith; Mann, Rita; Flaherty, Kevin; Di Francesco, James; Williams, Jonathan

2018-01-01

Planetary systems form in circumstellar disks of gas and dust surrounding young stars. One open question in the study of planet formation involves understanding how different environments affect the properties of the disks and planets they generate. Understanding the properties of disks in high-mass star forming regions (SFRs) is critical since most stars - probably including our Sun - form in those regions. By comparing the disks in high-mass SFRs to those in better-studied low-mass SFRs we can learn about the role environment plays in planet formation. Here we present 0.5" resolution observations of the young two-disk binary system V2434 Ori in the Orion Nebula from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in molecular line tracers of CO(3-2), HCN(4-3), HCO+(4-3) and CS(7-6). We model each disk’s mass, radius, temperature structure, and molecular abundances, by creating synthetic images using an LTE ray-tracing code and comparing simulated observations with the ALMA data in the visibility domain. We then compare our results to a previous study of molecular line emission from a single Orion proplyd, modeled using similar methods, and to previously characterized disks in low-mass SFRs to investigate the role of environment in disk chemistry and planetary system formation.

The Envelope Kinematics and a Possible Disk around the Class 0 Protostar within BHR7

Science.gov (United States)

Tobin, John J.; Bos, Steven P.; Dunham, Michael M.; Bourke, Tyler L.; van der Marel, Nienke

2018-04-01

We present a characterization of the protostar embedded within the BHR7 dark cloud, based on both photometric measurements from the near-infrared to millimeter and interferometric continuum and molecular line observations at millimeter wavelengths. We find that this protostar is a Class 0 system, the youngest class of protostars, measuring its bolometric temperature to be 50.5 K, with a bolometric luminosity of 9.3 L ⊙. The near-infrared and Spitzer imaging show a prominent dark lane from dust extinction separating clear bipolar outflow cavities. Observations of 13CO (J=2\\to 1), C18O (J=2\\to 1), and other molecular lines with the Submillimeter Array (SMA) exhibit a clear rotation signature on scales <1300 au. The rotation can be traced to an inner radius of ∼170 au and the rotation curve is consistent with an R ‑1 profile, implying that angular momentum is being conserved. Observations of the 1.3 mm dust continuum with the SMA reveal a resolved continuum source, extended in the direction of the dark lane, orthogonal to the outflow. The deconvolved size of the continuum indicates a radius of ∼100 au for the continuum source at the assumed distance of 400 pc. The visibility amplitude profile of the continuum emission cannot be reproduced by an envelope alone and needs a compact component. Thus, we posit that the resolved continuum source could be tracing a Keplerian disk in this very young system. If we assume that the continuum radius traces a Keplerian disk (R ∼ 120 au) the observed rotation profile is consistent with a protostar mass of 1.0 M ⊙.

Generation of a Circumstellar Gas Disk by Hot Jupiter WASP-12b

Science.gov (United States)

Debrecht, Alex; Carroll-Nellenback, Jonathan; Frank, Adam; Fossati, Luca; Blackman, Eric G.; Dobbs-Dixon, Ian

2018-05-01

Observations of transiting extra-solar planets provide rich sources of data for probing the in-system environment. In the WASP-12 system, a broad depression in the usually-bright MgII h&k lines has been observed, in addition to atmospheric escape from the extremely hot Jupiter WASP-12b. It has been hypothesized that a translucent circumstellar cloud is formed by the outflow from the planet, causing the observed signatures. We perform 3D hydrodynamic simulations of the full system environment of WASP-12, injecting a planetary wind and stellar wind from their respective surfaces. We find that a torus of density high enough to account for the lack of MgII h&k line core emission in WASP-12 can be formed in approximately 13 years. We also perform synthetic observations of the Lyman-alpha spectrum at different points in the planet's orbit, which demonstrate that significant absorption occurs at all points in the orbit, not just during transits, as suggested by the observations.

Astrophysical disks Collective and Stochastic Phenomena

CERN Document Server

Fridman, Alexei M; Kovalenko, Ilya G

2006-01-01

The book deals with collective and stochastic processes in astrophysical discs involving theory, observations, and the results of modelling. Among others, it examines the spiral-vortex structure in galactic and accretion disks , stochastic and ordered structures in the developed turbulence. It also describes sources of turbulence in the accretion disks, internal structure of disk in the vicinity of a black hole, numerical modelling of Be envelopes in binaries, gaseous disks in spiral galaxies with shock waves formation, observation of accretion disks in a binary system and mass distribution of luminous matter in disk galaxies. The editors adaptly brought together collective and stochastic phenomena in the modern field of astrophysical discs, their formation, structure, and evolution involving the methodology to deal with, the results of observation and modelling, thereby advancing the study in this important branch of astrophysics and benefiting Professional Researchers, Lecturers, and Graduate Students.

Photoionization Models for the Inner Gaseous Disks of Herbig Be Stars: Evidence against Magnetospheric Accretion?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Patel, P.; Sigut, T. A. A.; Landstreet, J. D., E-mail: ppatel54@uwo.ca [Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 3K7 (Canada)

2017-02-20

We investigate the physical properties of the inner gaseous disks of three hot Herbig B2e stars, HD 76534, HD 114981, and HD 216629, by modeling CFHT-ESPaDOns spectra using non-LTE radiative transfer codes. We assume that the emission lines are produced in a circumstellar disk heated solely by photospheric radiation from the central star in order to test whether the optical and near-infrared emission lines can be reproduced without invoking magnetospheric accretion. The inner gaseous disk density was assumed to follow a simple power-law in the equatorial plane, and we searched for models that could reproduce observed lines of H i (H α and H β ), He i, Ca ii, and Fe ii. For the three stars, good matches were found for all emission line profiles individually; however, no density model based on a single power-law was able to reproduce all of the observed emission lines. Among the single power-law models, the one with the gas density varying as ∼10{sup −10}( R {sub *}/ R ){sup 3} g cm{sup −3} in the equatorial plane of a 25 R {sub *} (0.78 au) disk did the best overall job of representing the optical emission lines of the three stars. This model implies a mass for the H α -emitting portion of the inner gaseous disk of ∼10{sup −9} M {sub *}. We conclude that the optical emission line spectra of these HBe stars can be qualitatively reproduced by a ≈1 au, geometrically thin, circumstellar disk of negligible mass compared to the central star in Keplerian rotation and radiative equilibrium.

Photoionization Models for the Inner Gaseous Disks of Herbig Be Stars: Evidence against Magnetospheric Accretion?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patel, P.; Sigut, T. A. A.; Landstreet, J. D.

2017-01-01

We investigate the physical properties of the inner gaseous disks of three hot Herbig B2e stars, HD 76534, HD 114981, and HD 216629, by modeling CFHT-ESPaDOns spectra using non-LTE radiative transfer codes. We assume that the emission lines are produced in a circumstellar disk heated solely by photospheric radiation from the central star in order to test whether the optical and near-infrared emission lines can be reproduced without invoking magnetospheric accretion. The inner gaseous disk density was assumed to follow a simple power-law in the equatorial plane, and we searched for models that could reproduce observed lines of H i (H α and H β ), He i, Ca ii, and Fe ii. For the three stars, good matches were found for all emission line profiles individually; however, no density model based on a single power-law was able to reproduce all of the observed emission lines. Among the single power-law models, the one with the gas density varying as ∼10 −10 ( R * / R ) 3 g cm −3 in the equatorial plane of a 25 R * (0.78 au) disk did the best overall job of representing the optical emission lines of the three stars. This model implies a mass for the H α -emitting portion of the inner gaseous disk of ∼10 −9 M * . We conclude that the optical emission line spectra of these HBe stars can be qualitatively reproduced by a ≈1 au, geometrically thin, circumstellar disk of negligible mass compared to the central star in Keplerian rotation and radiative equilibrium.

THE LONG-TERM EVOLUTION OF PHOTOEVAPORATING PROTOPLANETARY DISKS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bae, Jaehan; Hartmann, Lee [Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, 500 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48105 (United States); Zhu Zhaohuan [Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, 4 Ivy Lane, Peyton Hall, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); Gammie, Charles, E-mail: jaehbae@umich.edu, E-mail: lhartm@umich.edu, E-mail: zhuzh@astro.princeton.edu, E-mail: gammie@illinois.edu [Department of Astronomy, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 1002 W. Green Street, Urbana, IL 61801 (United States)

2013-09-01

We perform calculations of our one-dimensional, two-zone disk model to study the long-term evolution of the circumstellar disk. In particular, we adopt published photoevaporation prescriptions and examine whether the photoevaporative loss alone, coupled with a range of initial angular momenta of the protostellar cloud, can explain the observed decline of the frequency of optically thick dusty disks with increasing age. In the parameter space we explore, disks have accreting and/or non-accreting transitional phases lasting for {approx}< 20% of their lifetime, which is in reasonable agreement with observed statistics. Assuming that photoevaporation controls disk clearing, we find that the initial angular momentum distribution of clouds needs to be weighted in favor of slowly rotating protostellar cloud cores. Again, assuming inner disk dispersal by photoevaporation, we conjecture that this skewed angular momentum distribution is a result of fragmentation into binary or multiple stellar systems in rapidly rotating cores. Accreting and non-accreting transitional disks show different evolutionary paths on the M-dot-R{sub wall} plane, which possibly explains the different observed properties between the two populations. However, we further find that scaling the photoevaporation rates downward by a factor of 10 makes it difficult to clear the disks on the observed timescales, showing that the precise value of the photoevaporative loss is crucial to setting the clearing times. While our results apply only to pure photoevaporative loss (plus disk accretion), there may be implications for models in which planets clear disks preferentially at radii of the order of 10 AU.

A CHEMICAL VIEW OF PROTOSTELLAR-DISK FORMATION IN L1527

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakai, Nami; Oya, Yoko; Watanabe, Yoshimasa; Yamamoto, Satoshi; Sakai, Takeshi; Hirota, Tomoya; Ceccarelli, Cecilia; Kahane, Claudine; Lopez-Sepulcre, Ana; Lefloch, Bertrand; Vastel, Charlotte; Bottinelli, Sandrine; Caux, Emmanuel; Coutens, Audrey; Aikawa, Yuri; Takakuwa, Shigehisa; Yen, Hsi-Wei; Ohashi, Nagayoshi

2014-01-01

Subarcsecond images of the rotational line emissions of CCH, CS, H 2 CO, and CH 3 OH have been obtained toward the low-mass protostar IRAS 04368+2557 in L1527 as one of the early science projects of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array. The intensity distributions of CCH and CS show a double-peaked structure along the edge-on envelope with a dip toward the protostar position, whereas those of H 2 CO and CH 3 OH are centrally peaked. By analyzing the position-velocity diagrams along the envelope, CCH and CS are found to reside mainly in the envelope, where the gas is infalling with conservation of its angular momentum. They are almost absent inward of the centrifugal barrier (a half of the centrifugal radius). Although H 2 CO exists in the infalling rotating envelope, it also resides in the disk component inside the centrifugal barrier to some extent. On the other hand, CH 3 OH seems to exist around the centrifugal barrier and in the disk component. Hence, the drastic chemical change occurs at the centrifugal barrier. A discontinuous infalling motion as well as the gas-grain interaction would be responsible for the chemical change. This result will put an important constraint on initial chemical compositions for chemical evolution of protostellar disks

Warm Debris Disk Candidates from WISE

Science.gov (United States)

Padgett, Deborah; Stapelfeldt, Karl; Liu, Wilson; Leisawitz, David

2011-01-01

The Wide Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) has just completed a sensitive all-sky survey in photometric bands at 3.4, 4.6, 12, and 22 microns. We report on a preliminary investigation of main sequence Hipparcos and Tycho catalog stars with 22 micron emission in excess of photospheric levels. This warm excess emission traces material in the circumstellar region likely to host terrestrial planets and is preferentially found in young systems with ages warm debris disk candidates are detected among FGK stars and 150 A stars within 120 pc. We are in the process of obtaining spectra to determine spectral types and activity level of these stars and are using HST, Herschel and Keck to characterize the dust, multiplicity, and substellar companions of these systems. In this contribution, we will discuss source selection methods and individual examples from among the WISE debris disk candidates.

ABSENCE OF SIGNIFICANT COOL DISKS IN YOUNG STELLAR OBJECTS EXHIBITING REPETITIVE OPTICAL OUTBURSTS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Hauyu Baobab; Hirano, Naomi; Takami, Michihiro; Dong, Ruobing [Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, P.O. Box 23-141, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China); Galván-Madrid, Roberto; Rodríguez, Luis F.; Carrasco-González, Carlos [Instituto de Radioastronomía y Astrofísica, UNAM, A.P. 3-72, Xangari, Morelia, 58089 (Mexico); Vorobyov, Eduard I. [Department of Astrophysics, University of Vienna, Tuerkenschanzstrasse 17, A-1180, Vienna (Austria); Kóspál, Ágnes [Konkoly Observatory, Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 67, 1525 Budapest (Hungary); Dunham, Michael M. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, MS 78, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Henning, Thomas [Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie Königstuhl, 17 D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Hashimoto, Jun [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 Japan (Japan); Hasegawa, Yasuhiro, E-mail: baobabyoo@gmail.com [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States)

2016-01-10

We report Submillimeter Array 1.3 mm high angular resolution observations toward the four EXor-type outbursting young stellar objects VY Tau, V1118 Ori, V1143 Ori, and NY Ori. The data mostly show low dust masses M{sub dust} in the associated circumstellar disks. Among the sources, NY Ori possesses a relatively massive disk with M{sub dust} ∼ 9 × 10{sup −4}M{sub ⊙}. V1118 Ori has a marginal detection equivalent to M{sub dust} ∼ 6 × 10{sup −5}M{sub ⊙}. V1143 Ori has a non-detection also equivalent to M{sub dust} < 6 × 10{sup −5}M{sub ⊙}. For the nearest source, VY Tau, we get a surprising non-detection that provides a stringent upper limit M{sub dust} < 6 × 10{sup −6}M{sub ⊙}. We interpret our findings as suggesting that the gas and dust reservoirs that feed the short-duration, repetitive optical outbursts seen in some EXors may be limited to the small-scale, innermost region of their circumstellar disks. This hot dust may have escaped our detection limits. Follow-up, more sensitive millimeter observations are needed to improve our understanding of the triggering mechanisms of EXor-type outbursts.

DM ORI: A YOUNG STAR OCCULTED BY A DISTURBANCE IN ITS PROTOPLANETARY DISK

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodriguez, Joseph E.; Stassun, Keivan G.; Lund, Michael B.; Weintraub, David A. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, 6301 Stevenson Center, Nashville, TN 37235 (United States); Cargile, Phillip [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Shappee, Benjamin J. [Carnegie Observatories, 813 Santa Barbara Street, Pasadena, CA 91101 (United States); Siverd, Robert J. [Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network, 6740 Cortona Drive, Suite 102, Santa Barbara, CA 93117 (United States); Pepper, Joshua [Department of Physics, Lehigh University, 16 Memorial Drive East, Bethlehem, PA 18015 (United States); Kochanek, Christopher S.; Gaudi, B. Scott; Stanek, Krzysztof Z.; Holoien, Thomas W.-S. [Department of Astronomy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States); James, David [Cerro Tololo InterAmerican Observatory, Casilla 603, La Serena (Chile); Kuhn, Rudolf B. [South African Astronomical Observatory, P.O. Box 9, Observatory 7935 (South Africa); Beatty, Thomas G. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, The Pennsylvania State University, 525 Davey Lab, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Prieto, Jose L. [Nucleo de Astronoma de la Facultad de Ingeniera, Universidad Diego Portales, Av. Ejercito 441, Santiago (Chile); Feldman, Daniel M.; Espaillat, Catherine C. [Department of Astronomy, Boston University, 725 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215 (United States)

2016-11-01

In some planet formation theories, protoplanets grow gravitationally within a young star’s protoplanetary disk, a signature of which may be a localized disturbance in the disk’s radial and/or vertical structure. Using time-series photometric observations by the Kilodegree Extremely Little Telescope South project and the All-Sky Automated Survey for SuperNovae, combined with archival observations, we present the discovery of two extended dimming events of the young star, DM Ori. This young system faded by ∼1.5 mag from 2000 March to 2002 August and then again in 2013 January until 2014 September (depth ∼1.7 mag). We constrain the duration of the 2000–2002 dimming to be < 860 days, and the event in 2013–2014 to be < 585 days, separated by ∼12.5 years. A model of the spectral energy distribution indicates a large infrared excess consistent with an extensive circumstellar disk. Using basic kinematic arguments, we propose that DM Ori is likely being periodically occulted by a feature (possibly a warp or perturbation) in its circumstellar disk. In this scenario, the occulting feature is located >6 au from the host star, moving at ∼14.6 km s{sup −1} and is ∼4.9 au in width. This localized structure may indicate a disturbance such as that which may be caused by a protoplanet early in its formation.

A Resolved and Asymmetric Ring of PAHs within the Young Circumstellar Disk of IRS 48

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schworer, Guillaume; Lacour, Sylvestre; Du Foresto, Vincent Coudé [LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS, Sorbonne Universits, UPMC Univ. Paris 06, Univ. Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité (France); Huélamo, Nuria [Dpto. Astrofísica, Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), ESAC Campus, P.O. Box 78, E-28691, Villanueva de la Cañada (Spain); Pinte, Christophe; Chauvin, Gaël [Univ. Grenoble Alpes, IPAG, F-38000 Grenoble, France CNRS, IPAG, F-38000 Grenoble (France); Ehrenreich, David [Observatoire de l’Université de Genève, 51 chemin des Maillettes, 1290 Versoix (Switzerland); Girard, Julien [European Southern Observatory, Alonso de Cordova 3107, Casilla 19001 Vitacura, Santiago 19 (Chile); Tuthill, Peter [Sydney Institute for Astronomy, School of Physics, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia)

2017-06-20

For one decade, the spectral type and age of the ρ Oph object IRS-48 were subject to debate and mystery. Modeling its disk with mid-infrared to millimeter observations led to various explanations to account for the complex intricacy of dust holes and gas-depleted regions. We present multi-epoch high-angular-resolution interferometric near-infrared data of spatially resolved emissions in the first 15 au of IRS-48, known to have very strong polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emissions within this dust-depleted region. We make use of new Sparse-Aperture-Masking data to instruct a revised radiative-transfer model, where spectral energy distribution fluxes and interferometry are jointly fitted. Neutral and ionized PAH, very small grains (VSG), and classical silicates are incorporated into the model; new stellar parameters and extinction laws are explored. A bright (42 L {sub ⊙}) and hence large (2.5 R {sub ⊙}) central star with A {sub v} = 12.5 mag and R {sub v} = 6.5 requires less near-infrared excess: the inner-most disk at ≈1 au is incompatible with the interferometric data. The revised stellar parameters place this system on a 4 Myr evolutionary track, four times younger than the previous estimations, which is in better agreement with the surrounding ρ Oph region and disk-lifetime observations. The disk-structure solution converges to a classical-grain outer disk from 55 au combined with an unsettled and fully resolved VSG and PAH ring, between 11 and 26 au. We find two overluminosities in the PAH ring at color-temperatures consistent with the radiative transfer simulations; one follows a Keplerian circular orbit at 14 au. We show a depletion of a factor of ≈5 of classical dust grains up to 0.3 mm compared to very small particles: the IRS-48 disk is nearly void of dust grains in the first 55 au. A 3.5 M {sub Jup} planet on a 40 au orbit can qualitatively explain the new disk structure.

SPATIALLY RESOLVING THE HK Tau B EDGE-ON DISK FROM 1.2 TO 4.7 μm: A UNIQUE SCATTERED LIGHT DISK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCabe, C.; Duchene, G.; Pinte, C.; Menard, F.; Stapelfeldt, K. R.; Ghez, A. M.

2011-01-01

We present spatially resolved scattered light images of the circumstellar disk around HK Tau B at 3.8 and 4.7 μm taken with the Keck Telescope Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics (AO) system, and 1.6-2.12 μm images taken with the Very Large Telescope/NACO AO system. Combined with previously published optical Hubble Space Telescope data, we investigate the spatially resolved scattered light properties of this edge-on circumstellar disk and probe for the presence of large grains. The 0.6-3.8 μm scattered light observations reveal strong, and in some cases, unusual, wavelength dependencies in the observed disk morphology. The separation between the two scattered light nebulae, which is directly proportional to the disk-mass-opacity product, decreases by 30% between 0.6 and 3.8 μm. Over the same wavelength range, the FWHM of the disk nebulosity declines by a factor of two, while the flux ratio between the two nebulae increases by a factor of ∼8. No other disk known to date shows a flux ratio that increases with wavelength. Both the FWHM and nebula flux ratio are affected by the scattering phase function and the observed behavior can most readily be explained by a phase function that becomes more forward throwing with wavelength. The multi-wavelength scattered light observations also confirm the asymmetric nature of the disk and show that the level of asymmetry is a function of wavelength. We use the MCFOST radiative transfer code to model the disk at four wavelengths, corresponding to the I, H, Ks, and L' bandpasses. A single power-law grain size distribution can recreate the observed disk properties simultaneously at all four wavelengths. Bayesian analysis of the dust parameters finds a 99% probability that the maximum grain size is 5.5 μm or larger. We also find that the grain size distribution is steep, with a 99% probability of a power-law index of 4.2 or larger, suggesting that these large grains are a small fraction of the overall dust population. The best

Stirring up the dust: a dynamical model for halo-like dust clouds in transitional disks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Krijt, S.; Dominik, C.

2011-01-01

Context. A small number of young stellar objects show signs of a halo-like structure of optically thin dust, in addition to a circumstellar disk. This halo or torus is located within a few AU of the star, but its origin has not yet been understood. Aims. A dynamically excited cloud of planetesimals

STABILITY OF MAGNETIZED DISKS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PLANET FORMATION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lizano, Susana; Galli, Daniele; Cai, Mike J.; Adams, Fred C.

2010-01-01

This paper considers gravitational perturbations in geometrically thin disks with rotation curves dominated by a central object, but with substantial contributions from magnetic pressure and tension. The treatment is general, but the application is to the circumstellar disks that arise during the gravitational collapse phase of star formation. We find the dispersion relation for spiral density waves in these generalized disks and derive the stability criterion for axisymmetric (m = 0) disturbances (the analog of the Toomre parameter Q T ) for any radial distribution of the mass-to-flux ratio λ. The magnetic effects work in two opposing directions: on one hand, magnetic tension and pressure stabilize the disk against gravitational collapse and fragmentation; on the other hand, they also lower the rotation rate making the disk more unstable. For disks around young stars the first effect generally dominates, so that magnetic fields allow disks to be stable for higher surface densities and larger total masses. These results indicate that magnetic fields act to suppress the formation of giant planets through gravitational instability. Finally, even if gravitational instability can form a secondary body, it must lose an enormous amount of magnetic flux in order to become a planet; this latter requirement represents an additional constraint for planet formation via gravitational instability and places a lower limit on the electrical resistivity.

Polarimetric Imaging of Large Cavity Structures in the Pre-transitional Protoplanetary Disk Around PDS 70: Observations of the Disk

Science.gov (United States)

Hashimoto, J.; Dong, R.; Kudo, T.; Honda, M.; McClure, M. K.; Zhu, Z.; Muto, T.; Wisniewski, J.; Abe, L.; Brandner, W.;

The 0.5 micrometer-2.2 micrometer Scattered Light Spectrum of the Disk Around TW Hya

Science.gov (United States)

Debes, John H.; Jang-Condell, Hannah; Weinberger, Alycia J.; Roberg, Aki; Schneider, Glenn

2012-01-01

We present a 0.5-2.2micron scattered light spectrum of the circumstellar disk around TW Hya from a combination of spatially resolved HST STIS spectroscopy and NICMOS coronagraphic images of the disk. \\Ve investigate the morphology at the disk at distances> 40 AU over this wide range of wavelengths. We measure the surface brightness, azimuthal symmetry, and spectral character of the disk as a function of radius. We find that the scattering efficiency of the dust is largely neutral to blue over the observed wavelengths. We find a good fit to the data over a wide range of distances from the star if we use a model disk with a partial gap of 30% depth at 80 AU and with steep disk truncation exterior to 100 AU. If the gap is caused by a planetary companion in the process of accreting disk gas, it must be less than 20 Solar mass.

EVOLUTION OF THE DUST/GAS ENVIRONMENT AROUND HERBIG Ae/Be STARS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Tie; Zhang Huawei; Wu Yuefang; Qin Shengli; Miller, Martin

2011-01-01

Using the KOSMA 3 m telescope, 54 Herbig Ae/Be (HAe/Be) stars were surveyed in CO and 13 CO emission lines. The properties of the stars and their circumstellar environments were studied by fitting spectral energy distributions (SEDs). The mean line width of 13 CO (2-1) lines of this sample is 1.87 km s -1 . The average column density of H 2 is found to be 4.9 x 10 21 cm -2 for stars younger than 10 6 yr, while this drops to 2.5 x 10 21 cm -2 for those older than 10 6 yr. No significant difference is found among the SEDs of HAe and HBe stars of the same age. Infrared excess decreases with age, envelope masses and envelope accretion rates decease with age after 10 5 yr, the average disk mass of the sample is 3.3 x 10 -2 M sun , the disk accretion rate decreases more slowly than the envelope accretion rate, and a strong correlation between the CO line intensity and the envelope mass is found.

NEW DEBRIS DISKS IN NEARBY YOUNG MOVING GROUPS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moór, A.; Kóspál, Á.; Ábrahám, P.; Kiss, Cs. [Konkoly Observatory, Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 67, H-1525 Budapest (Hungary); Balog, Z.; Henning, Th. [Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Csengeri, T. [Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, D-53121 Bonn (Germany); Juhász, A., E-mail: moor@konkoly.hu [Institute of Astronomy, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3, OHA (United Kingdom)

2016-08-01

A significant fraction of nearby young moving group members harbor circumstellar debris dust disks. Due to their proximity and youth, these disks are attractive targets for studying the early evolution of debris dust and planetesimal belts. Here we present 70 and 160 μ m observations of 31 systems in the β Pic moving group, and in the Tucana–Horologium, Columba, Carina, and Argus associations, using the Herschel Space Observatory . None of these stars were observed at far-infrared wavelengths before. Our Herschel measurements were complemented by photometry from the WISE satellite for the whole sample, and by submillimeter/millimeter continuum data for one source, HD 48370. We identified six stars with infrared excess, four of them are new discoveries. By combining our new findings with results from the literature, we examined the incidence and general characteristics of debris disks around Sun-like members of the selected groups. With their dust temperatures of <45 K the newly identified disks around HD 38397, HD 48370, HD 160305, and BD-20 951 represent the coldest population within this sample. For HD 38397 and HD 48370, the emission is resolved in the 70 μ m Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrograph images, the estimated radius of these disks is ∼90 au. Together with the well-known disk around HD 61005, these three systems represent the highest mass end of the known debris disk population around young G-type members of the selected groups. In terms of dust content, they resemble the hypothesized debris disk of the ancient solar system.

DISK FORMATION IN MAGNETIZED CLOUDS ENABLED BY THE HALL EFFECT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krasnopolsky, Ruben; Shang, Hsien; Li Zhiyun

2011-01-01

Stars form in dense cores of molecular clouds that are observed to be significantly magnetized. A dynamically important magnetic field presents a significant obstacle to the formation of protostellar disks. Recent studies have shown that magnetic braking is strong enough to suppress the formation of rotationally supported disks in the ideal MHD limit. Whether non-ideal MHD effects can enable disk formation remains unsettled. We carry out a first study on how disk formation in magnetic clouds is modified by the Hall effect, the least explored of the three non-ideal MHD effects in star formation (the other two being ambipolar diffusion and Ohmic dissipation). For illustrative purposes, we consider a simplified problem of a non-self-gravitating, magnetized envelope collapsing onto a central protostar of fixed mass. We find that the Hall effect can spin up the inner part of the collapsing flow to Keplerian speed, producing a rotationally supported disk. The disk is generated through a Hall-induced magnetic torque. Disk formation occurs even when the envelope is initially non-rotating, provided that the Hall coefficient is large enough. When the magnetic field orientation is flipped, the direction of disk rotation is reversed as well. The implication is that the Hall effect can in principle produce both regularly rotating and counter-rotating disks around protostars. The Hall coefficient expected in dense cores is about one order of magnitude smaller than that needed for efficient spin-up in these models. We conclude that the Hall effect is an important factor to consider in studying the angular momentum evolution of magnetized star formation in general and disk formation in particular.

Evolution of disk galaxies and the origin of SO galaxies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larson, R.B.; Tinsley, B.M.; Caldwell, C.N.

1980-01-01

We reconsider the relation between spiral and SO galaxies in the light of recent data on the colors and morphology of disk systems, and on the content of clusters at different redshifts. Star formation will strongly deplete the gas in most spirals in a fraction of the Hubble time, so we suggest that the gas in spirals has been replenished by infall from residual envelopes, probably including gas-rich companions and tidal debris. SO's may then be disk systems that lost their gas-rich envelopes at an early stage and consumed their remaining gas by star formation. This picture is consistent with the color of SO's if most of their star formation stopped at least a few gigayears ago, and it is consistent with their small disk-to-bulge ratios relative to spirals, since this is a direct result of the early truncation of star formation. Numerical simulations show that the gas envelopes of disk galaxies in clusters are largely stripped away when the clusters collapse, but star formation can continue in the spirals for several gigayears while their remaining disk gas is consumed. These results can explain the blue galaxies observed by Butcher and Oemler in two condensed clusters at zapprox.0.4: these clusters are seen just before most of their galaxies run out of gas, so that star formation is still occurring in them but will soon die out, causing the spirals to evolve into SO's with normal present colors. A rapid evolution of the galaxy content of condensed clusters is predicted at moderate redshifts, ranging from a large fraction of blue galaxies at zapprox.0.4 to very few at zapprox.0

Spitzer SAGE-Spec: Near infrared spectroscopy, dust shells, and cool envelopes in extreme Large Magellanic Cloud asymptotic giant branch stars

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blum, R. D. [NOAO, 950 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719 (United States); Srinivasan, S.; Kemper, F.; Ling, B. [Academia Sinica, Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, 11F of Astronomy-Mathematics Building, NTU/AS, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China); Volk, K. [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States)

2014-11-01

K-band spectra are presented for a sample of 39 Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) SAGE-Spec sources in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The spectra exhibit characteristics in very good agreement with their positions in the near-infrared—Spitzer color-magnitude diagrams and their properties as deduced from the Spitzer IRS spectra. Specifically, the near-infrared spectra show strong atomic and molecular features representative of oxygen-rich and carbon-rich asymptotic giant branch stars, respectively. A small subset of stars was chosen from the luminous and red extreme ''tip'' of the color-magnitude diagram. These objects have properties consistent with dusty envelopes but also cool, carbon-rich ''stellar'' cores. Modest amounts of dust mass loss combine with the stellar spectral energy distribution to make these objects appear extreme in their near-infrared and mid-infrared colors. One object in our sample, HV 915, a known post-asymptotic giant branch star of the RV Tau type, exhibits CO 2.3 μm band head emission consistent with previous work that demonstrates that the object has a circumstellar disk.

Spitzer SAGE-Spec: Near infrared spectroscopy, dust shells, and cool envelopes in extreme Large Magellanic Cloud asymptotic giant branch stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blum, R. D.; Srinivasan, S.; Kemper, F.; Ling, B.; Volk, K.

2014-01-01

K-band spectra are presented for a sample of 39 Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) SAGE-Spec sources in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The spectra exhibit characteristics in very good agreement with their positions in the near-infrared—Spitzer color-magnitude diagrams and their properties as deduced from the Spitzer IRS spectra. Specifically, the near-infrared spectra show strong atomic and molecular features representative of oxygen-rich and carbon-rich asymptotic giant branch stars, respectively. A small subset of stars was chosen from the luminous and red extreme ''tip'' of the color-magnitude diagram. These objects have properties consistent with dusty envelopes but also cool, carbon-rich ''stellar'' cores. Modest amounts of dust mass loss combine with the stellar spectral energy distribution to make these objects appear extreme in their near-infrared and mid-infrared colors. One object in our sample, HV 915, a known post-asymptotic giant branch star of the RV Tau type, exhibits CO 2.3 μm band head emission consistent with previous work that demonstrates that the object has a circumstellar disk.

DYNAMICAL EVOLUTION OF VISCOUS DISKS AROUND Be STARS. I. PHOTOMETRY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haubois, X.; Carciofi, A. C. [Instituto de Astronomia, Geofisica e Ciencias Atmosfericas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Rua do Matao 1226, Cidade Universitaria, Sao Paulo, SP 05508-900 (Brazil); Rivinius, Th. [European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere, Casilla 19001, Santiago 19 (Chile); Okazaki, A. T. [Faculty of Engineering, Hokkai-Gakuen University, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo 062-8605 (Japan); Bjorkman, J. E., E-mail: xhaubois@astro.iag.usp.br [Ritter Observatory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606 (United States)

2012-09-10

Be stars possess gaseous circumstellar disks that modify in many ways the spectrum of the central B star. Furthermore, they exhibit variability at several timescales and for a large number of observables. Putting the pieces together of this dynamical behavior is not an easy task and requires a detailed understanding of the physical processes that control the temporal evolution of the observables. There is an increasing body of evidence that suggests that Be disks are well described by standard {alpha}-disk theory. This paper is the first of a series that aims at studying the possibility of inferring several disk and stellar parameters through the follow-up of various observables. Here we study the temporal evolution of the disk density for different dynamical scenarios, including the disk build-up as a result of a long and steady mass injection from the star, the disk dissipation that occurs after mass injection is turned off, as well as scenarios in which active periods are followed by periods of quiescence. For those scenarios, we investigate the temporal evolution of continuum photometric observables using a three-dimensional non-LTE radiative transfer code. We show that light curves for different wavelengths are specific of a mass loss history, inclination angle, and {alpha} viscosity parameter. The diagnostic potential of those light curves is also discussed.

The Fragmentation Criteria in Local Vertically Stratified Self-gravitating Disk Simulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baehr, Hans; Klahr, Hubert [Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Kratter, Kaitlin M., E-mail: baehr@mpia.de [Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States)

2017-10-10

Massive circumstellar disks are prone to gravitational instabilities, which trigger the formation of spiral arms that can fragment into bound clumps under the right conditions. Two-dimensional simulations of self-gravitating disks are useful starting points for studying fragmentation because they allow high-resolution simulations of thin disks. However, convergence issues can arise in 2D from various sources. One of these sources is the 2D approximation of self-gravity, which exaggerates the effect of self-gravity on small scales when the potential is not smoothed to account for the assumed vertical extent of the disk. This effect is enhanced by increased resolution, resulting in fragmentation at longer cooling timescales β . If true, it suggests that the 3D simulations of disk fragmentation may not have the same convergence problem and could be used to examine the nature of fragmentation without smoothing self-gravity on scales similar to the disk scale height. To that end, we have carried out local 3D self-gravitating disk simulations with simple β cooling with fixed background irradiation to determine if 3D is necessary to properly describe disk fragmentation. Above a resolution of ∼40 grid cells per scale height, we find that our simulations converge with respect to the cooling timescale. This result converges in agreement with analytic expectations which place a fragmentation boundary at β {sub crit} = 3.

Millimeter Detection of AlO (X 2Σ+): Metal Oxide Chemistry in the Envelope of VY Canis Majoris

Science.gov (United States)

Tenenbaum, E. D.; Ziurys, L. M.

2009-03-01

A new circumstellar molecule, the radical AlO (X 2Σ+), has been detected toward the envelope of the oxygen-rich supergiant star VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa) using the Arizona Radio Observatory (ARO). The N = 7 → 6 and 6 → 5 rotational transitions of AlO at 268 and 230 GHz were observed at 1 mm using the ARO Submillimeter Telescope (SMT) and the N = 4 → 3 line was detected at 2 mm using the ARO 12 m telescope. Based on the shape of the line profiles, AlO most likely arises from the dust-forming region in the spherical outflow of VY CMa, as opposed to the blue or redshifted winds, with a source size of θ s ~ 0farcs5. Given this source size, the column density of AlO was found to be N tot ~ 2 × 1015 cm-2 for T rot ~ 230 K, with a fractional abundance, relative to H2, of ~10-8. Gas-phase thermodynamic equilibrium chemistry is the likely formation mechanism for AlO in VY CMa, but either shocks disrupt the condensation process into Al2O3, or chemical "freezeout" occurs. The species therefore survives further into the circumstellar envelope to a radius of r ~ 20 R *. The detection of AlO in VY CMa is additional evidence of an active gas-phase refractory chemistry in oxygen-rich envelopes, and suggests such objects may be fruitful sources for other new oxide identifications.

INFALLING–ROTATING MOTION AND ASSOCIATED CHEMICAL CHANGE IN THE ENVELOPE OF IRAS 16293–2422 SOURCE A STUDIED WITH ALMA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oya, Yoko; López-Sepulcre, Ana; Watanabe, Yoshimasa; Yamamoto, Satoshi [Department of Physics, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Sakai, Nami [The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN), Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Ceccarelli, Cecilia; Lefloch, Bertrand; Favre, Cécile, E-mail: oya@taurus.phys.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp [Université Grenoble Alpes, IPAG, F-38000 Grenoble (France)

2016-06-20

We have analyzed rotational spectral line emission of OCS, CH{sub 3}OH, HCOOCH{sub 3}, and H{sub 2}CS observed toward the low-mass Class 0 protostellar source IRAS 16293–2422 Source A at a sub-arcsecond resolution (∼0.″6 × 0.″5) with ALMA. Significant chemical differentiation is found on a scale of 50 au. The OCS line is found to trace well the infalling–rotating envelope in this source. On the other hand, the distributions of CH{sub 3}OH and HCOOCH{sub 3} are found to be concentrated around the inner part of the infalling–rotating envelope. With a simple ballistic model of the infalling–rotating envelope, the radius of the centrifugal barrier (a half of the centrifugal radius) and the protostellar mass are evaluated from the OCS data to be from 40 to 60 au and from 0.5 to 1.0 M {sub ⊙}, respectively, assuming the inclination angle of the envelope/disk structure to be 60° (90° for the edge-on configuration). Although the protostellar mass is correlated with the inclination angle, the radius of the centrifugal barrier is not. This is the first indication of the centrifugal barrier of the infalling–rotating envelope in a hot corino source. CH{sub 3}OH and HCOOCH{sub 3} may be liberated from ice mantles by weak accretion shocks around the centrifugal barrier and/or by protostellar heating. The H{sub 2}CS emission seems to come from the disk component inside the centrifugal barrier in addition to the envelope component. The centrifugal barrier plays a central role not only in the formation of a rotationally supported disk but also in the chemical evolution from the envelope to the protoplanetary disk.

Modeling the HD 32297 Debris Disk With Far-Infrared Herschel Data

Science.gov (United States)

Donaldson, J.K.; Lebreton, J.; Roberge, A.; Augereau, J.-C.; Krivov, A. V.

2013-01-01

HD 32297 is a young A-star (approx. 30 Myr) 112 pc away with a bright edge-on debris disk that has been resolved in scattered light. We observed the HD 32297 debris disk in the far-infrared and sub-millimeter with the Herschel Space Observatory PACS and SPIRE instruments, populating the spectral energy distribution (SED) from 63 to 500 micron..We aimed to determine the composition of dust grains in the HD 32297 disk through SED modeling, using geometrical constraints from the resolved imaging to break the degeneracies inherent in SED modeling. We found the best fitting SED model has two components: an outer ring centered around 110 AU, seen in the scattered light images, and an inner disk near the habitable zone of the star. The outer disk appears to be composed of grains>2 micron consisting of silicates, carbonaceous material, and water ice with an abundance ratio of 1:2:3 respectively and 90% porosity. These grains appear consistent with cometary grains, implying the underlying planetesimal population is dominated by comet-like bodies. We also discuss the 3.7 sigma detection of [C ii] emission at 158 micron with the Herschel PACS instrument, making HD 32297 one of only a handful of debris disks with circumstellar gas detected

DETECTION OF N{sub 2}D{sup +} IN A PROTOPLANETARY DISK

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Jane; Öberg, Karin I. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)

2015-08-20

Observations of deuterium fractionation in the solar system, and in interstellar and circumstellar material, are commonly used to constrain the formation environment of volatiles. Toward protoplanetary disks, this approach has been limited by the small number of detected deuterated molecules, i.e., DCO{sup +} and DCN. Based on ALMA Cycle 2 observations toward the disk around the T Tauri star AS 209, we report the first detection of N{sub 2}D{sup +} (J = 3–2) in a protoplanetary disk. These data are used together with previous Submillimeter Array observations of N{sub 2}H{sup +} (J = 3–2) to estimate a disk-averaged D/H ratio of 0.3–0.5, an order of magnitude higher than disk-averaged ratios previously derived for DCN/HCN and DCO{sup +}/HCO{sup +} around other young stars. The high fractionation in N{sub 2}H{sup +} is consistent with model predictions. The presence of abundant N{sub 2}D{sup +} toward AS 209 also suggests that N{sub 2}D{sup +} and the N{sub 2}D{sup +}/N{sub 2}H{sup +} ratio can be developed into effective probes of deuterium chemistry, kinematics, and ionization processes outside the CO snow line of disks.

The 0.5-2.22 micrometer Scattered Light Spectrum of the Disk around TW Hya: Detection of a Partially Filled Disk Gap at 80 AU*

Science.gov (United States)

Debes, John H.; Jang-Condell, Hannah; Weinberger, Alycia J.; Roberge, Aki; Schneider, Glenn

2013-01-01

We present a 0.5-2.2 micrometer scattered light spectrum of the circumstellar disk around TW Hya from a combination of spatially resolved Hubble Space Telescope STIS spectroscopy and NICMOS coronagraphic images of the disk. We investigate the morphology of the disk at distances greater than 40 AU over this wide range of wavelengths, and identify the presence of a depression in surface brightness at approximately 80 AU that could be caused by a gap in the disk. Additionally, we quantify the surface brightness, azimuthal symmetry, and spectral character of the disk as a function of radius. Our analysis shows that the scattering efficiency of the dust is largely neutral to blue over the observed wavelengths. We model the disk as a steady a-disk with an ad hoc gap structure. The thermal properties of the disk are selfconsistently calculated using a three-dimensional radiative transfer code that uses ray tracing to model the heating of the disk interior and scattered light images. We find a good fit to the data over a wide range of distances from the star if we use a model disk with a partially filled gap of 30% depth at 80 AU and with a self-similar truncation knee at 100 AU. The origin of the gap is unclear, but it could arise from a transition in the nature of the disk's dust composition or the presence of a planetary companion. Based on scalings to previous hydrodynamic simulations of gap-opening criteria for embedded proto-planets, we estimate that a planetary companion forming the gap could have a mass between 6 and 28 solar mass.

Local protoplanetary disk ionisation by T Tauri star energetic particles

Science.gov (United States)

Fraschetti, F.; Drake, J.; Cohen, O.; Garraffo, C.

2017-10-01

The evolution of protoplanetary disks is believed to be driven largely by viscosity. The ionization of the disk that gives rise to viscosity is caused by X-rays from the central star or by energetic particles released by shock waves travelling into the circumstellar medium. We have performed test-particle numerical simulations of GeV-scale protons traversing a realistic magnetised wind of a young solar mass star with a superposed small-scale turbulence. The large-scale field is generated via an MHD model of a T Tauri wind, whereas the isotropic (Kolmogorov power spectrum) turbulent component is synthesised along the particles' trajectories. We have combined Chandra observations of T Tauri flares with solar flare scaling for describing the energetic particle spectrum. In contrast with previous models, we find that the disk ionization is dominated by X-rays except within narrow regions where the energetic particles are channelled onto the disk by the strongly tangled and turbulent field lines; the radial thickness of such regions broadens with the distance from the central star (5 stellar radii or more). In those regions, the disk ionization due to energetic particles can locally dominate the stellar X-rays, arguably, out to large distances (10, 100 AU) from the star.

An interferometric study of the post-AGB binary 89 Herculis. I. Spatially resolving the continuum circumstellar environment at optical and near-IR wavelengths with the VLTI, NPOI, IOTA, PTI, and the CHARA Array

Science.gov (United States)

Hillen, M.; Verhoelst, T.; Van Winckel, H.; Chesneau, O.; Hummel, C. A.; Monnier, J. D.; Farrington, C.; Tycner, C.; Mourard, D.; ten Brummelaar, T.; Banerjee, D. P. K.; Zavala, R. T.

2013-11-01

Context. Binary post-asymptotic giant branch (post-AGB) stars are interesting laboratories to study both the evolution of binaries as well as the structure of circumstellar disks. Aims: A multiwavelength high angular resolution study of the prototypical object 89 Herculis is performed with the aim of identifying and locating the different emission components seen in the spectral energy distribution. Methods: A large interferometric data set, collected over the past decade and covering optical and near-infrared wavelengths, is analyzed in combination with the spectral energy distribution and flux-calibrated optical spectra. In this first paper only simple geometric models are applied to fit the interferometric data. Combining the interferometric constraints with the photometry and the optical spectra, we re-assess the energy budget of the post-AGB star and its circumstellar environment. Results: We report the first (direct) detection of a large (35-40%) optical circumstellar flux contribution and spatially resolve its emission region. Given this large amount of reprocessed and/or redistributed optical light, the fitted size of the emission region is rather compact and fits with(in) the inner rim of the circumbinary dust disk. This rim dominates our K band data through thermal emission and is rather compact, emitting significantly already at a radius of twice the orbital separation. We interpret the circumstellar optical flux as due to a scattering process, with the scatterers located in the extremely puffed-up inner rim of the disk and possibly also in a bipolar outflow seen pole-on. A non-local thermodynamic equilibrium gaseous origin in an inner disk cannot be excluded but is considered highly unlikely. Conclusions: This direct detection of a significant amount of circumbinary light at optical wavelengths poses several significant questions regarding our understanding of both post-AGB binaries and the physics in their circumbinary disks. Although the

CONSTRAINTS ON THE PRESENCE OF SiO GAS IN THE DEBRIS DISK OF HD 172555

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wilson, T. L. [United States Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 (United States); Nilsson, R. [Astrophysics Department, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024 (United States); Chen, C. H.; Moerchen, M.; Banzatti, A. [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21212 (United States); Lisse, C. M. [Space Exploration Sector, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD, 20723 (United States); Käufl, H.-U., E-mail: thomaswilson1b@gmail.com [European Southern Observatory, K-Schwarzschild-str. 2, Garching, D-85748 (Germany)

2016-08-01

We have carried out two sets of observations to quantify the properties of SiO gas in the unusual HD 172555 debris disk: (1) a search for the J = 8–7 rotational transition from the vibrational ground state, carried out with the Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment (APEX) submillimeter telescope and heterodyne receiver at 863 μ m and (2) a search at 8.3 μ m for the P(17) ro-vibrational transition of gas phase SiO, carried out with the Very Large Telescope (VLT)/VISIR with a resolution, λ /Δ λ , of 30,000. The APEX measurement resulted in a 3.3 σ detection of an interstellar feature, but only an upper limit to emission at the radial velocity and line width expected from HD 172555. The VLT/VISIR result was also an upper limit. These were used to provide limits for the abundance of gas phase SiO for a range of temperatures. The upper limit from our APEX detection, assuming an 8000 K primary star photospheric excitation, falls more than an order of magnitude below the self-shielding stability threshold derived by Johnson et al. (2012). Our results thus favor a solid-state origin for the 8.3 μ m feature seen in the Spitzer IRS spectrum of the circumstellar excess emission and the production of circumstellar O i and Si i by SiO UV photolysis. The implications of these estimates are explored in the framework of models of the HD 172555 circumstellar disk.

Pyrene synthesis in circumstellar envelopes and its role in the formation of 2D nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Long; Kaiser, Ralf I.; Xu, Bo; Ablikim, Utuq; Ahmed, Musahid; Joshi, Dharati; Veber, Gregory; Fischer, Felix R.; Mebel, Alexander M.

2018-05-01

For the past decades, the hydrogen-abstraction/acetylene-addition (HACA) mechanism has been instrumental in attempting to untangle the origin of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as identified in carbonaceous meteorites such as Allende and Murchison. However, the fundamental reaction mechanisms leading to the synthesis of PAHs beyond phenanthrene (C14H10) are still unknown. By exploring the reaction of the 4-phenanthrenyl radical (C14H9•) with acetylene (C2H2) under conditions prevalent in carbon-rich circumstellar environments, we show evidence of a facile, isomer-selective formation of pyrene (C16H10). Along with the hydrogen-abstraction/vinylacetylene-addition (HAVA) mechanism, molecular mass growth processes from pyrene may lead through systematic ring expansions not only to more complex PAHs, but ultimately to 2D graphene-type structures. These fundamental reaction mechanisms are crucial to facilitate an understanding of the origin and evolution of the molecular universe and, in particular, of carbon in our Galaxy.

THE 0.5-2.22 μm SCATTERED LIGHT SPECTRUM OF THE DISK AROUND TW Hya: DETECTION OF A PARTIALLY FILLED DISK GAP AT 80 AU

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Debes, John H.; Jang-Condell, Hannah; Weinberger, Alycia J.; Roberge, Aki; Schneider, Glenn

2013-01-01

We present a 0.5-2.2 μm scattered light spectrum of the circumstellar disk around TW Hya from a combination of spatially resolved Hubble Space Telescope STIS spectroscopy and NICMOS coronagraphic images of the disk. We investigate the morphology of the disk at distances >40 AU over this wide range of wavelengths, and identify the presence of a depression in surface brightness at ∼80 AU that could be caused by a gap in the disk. Additionally, we quantify the surface brightness, azimuthal symmetry, and spectral character of the disk as a function of radius. Our analysis shows that the scattering efficiency of the dust is largely neutral to blue over the observed wavelengths. We model the disk as a steady α-disk with an ad hoc gap structure. The thermal properties of the disk are self-consistently calculated using a three-dimensional radiative transfer code that uses ray tracing to model the heating of the disk interior and scattered light images. We find a good fit to the data over a wide range of distances from the star if we use a model disk with a partially filled gap of 30% depth at 80 AU and with a self-similar truncation knee at 100 AU. The origin of the gap is unclear, but it could arise from a transition in the nature of the disk's dust composition or the presence of a planetary companion. Based on scalings to previous hydrodynamic simulations of gap-opening criteria for embedded proto-planets, we estimate that a planetary companion forming the gap could have a mass between 6 and 28 M ⊕ .

MIPS Observations of the Fabulous Four Debris Disks

Science.gov (United States)

Su, K. Y. L.; Stansberry, J. A.; Rieke, G. H.; Trilling, D. E.; Stapelfeldt, K. R.; Werner, M. W.; Beichman, C.; Chen, C.; Marengo, M.; Megeath, T.; Backman, D.; van Cleve, J.

2004-12-01

The Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer (MIPS) provides long-wavelength capability with imaging bands at 24, 70, and 160 um. We will present the MIPS images of the Fabulous Four Debris Disks: Beta Pictoris (A5 V), Epsilon Eridani (K2 V), Fomalhaut (A3 V) and Vega (A0 V). These systems discovered by IRAS possess large far-infrared excess emission above photosphere, indicating the existence of a circumstellar dusty disk. Given the main-sequence ages of these stars ( ˜12 Myr for Beta Pictoris, ˜730 Myr for Epsilon Eridani, ˜200 Myr for Fomalhaut, and ˜350 Myr for Vega), the dust in the systems could not be primordial as it would have been removed by radiation pressure and Poynting-Robertson drag on relatively short time scales ( ˜1E4 yr). The second-generation dust in such debris disks is thought to arise primarily from collisions between planetesimals (asteroids) and from cometary activity; however, details about the debris formation and evolution are not well understood. With the sensitivity and angular resolution of the Spitizer Space Telescope, the structures of these nearby debris disks were mapped in great detail to study the disks' spatial structures at mid- to far-infrared wavelengths. These high spatial resolution images provide unprecedented new constraints on the the dust properties in the systems and limits on the origin of dusty debris. Support for this work was provided by NASA through Contract Number 960785 issued by JPL/Caltech.

Searching for the Expelled Hydrogen Envelope in Type I Supernovae via Late-Time H α Emission

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vinko, J.; Silverman, J. M.; Wheeler, J. C.; MacQueen, P.; Marion, G. H. [Department of Astronomy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Pooley, D. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Trinity University, One Trinity Place, San Antonio, TX 78212 (United States); Szalai, T. [Department of Optics and Quantum Electronics, University of Szeged, Dom ter 9, Szeged, 6720 (Hungary); Kelly, P. [Department of Astronomy, University of California at Berkeley, 501 Campbell Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720-3411 (United States); Sárneczky, K. [Konkoly Observatory, Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Konkoly Thege ut 15-17, Budapest, 1121 (Hungary)

2017-03-01

We report the first results from our long-term observational survey aimed at discovering late-time interaction between the ejecta of hydrogen-poor Type I supernovae (SNe I) and the hydrogen-rich envelope expelled from the progenitor star several decades/centuries before explosion. The expelled envelope, moving with a velocity of ∼10–100 km s{sup −1}, is expected to be caught up by the fast-moving SN ejecta several years/decades after explosion, depending on the history of the mass-loss process acting in the progenitor star prior to explosion. The collision between the SN ejecta and the circumstellar envelope results in net emission in the Balmer lines, especially H α . We look for signs of late-time H α emission in older SNe Ia/Ibc/IIb with hydrogen-poor ejecta via narrowband imaging. Continuum-subtracted H α emission has been detected for 13 point sources: 9 SN Ibc, 1 SN IIb, and 3 SN Ia events. Thirty-eight SN sites were observed on at least two epochs, from which three objects (SN 1985F, SN 2005kl, and SN 2012fh) showed significant temporal variation in the strength of their H α emission in our Direct Imaging Auxiliary Functions Instrument (DIAFI) data. This suggests that the variable emission is probably not due to nearby H ii regions unassociated with the SN and hence is an important additional hint that ejecta–circumstellar medium interaction may take place in these systems. Moreover, we successfully detected the late-time H α emission from the Type Ib SN 2014C, which was recently discovered as a strongly interacting SN in various (radio, infrared, optical, and X-ray) bands.

MILLIMETER DETECTION OF AlO (X 2Σ+): METAL OXIDE CHEMISTRY IN THE ENVELOPE OF VY CANIS MAJORIS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tenenbaum, E. D.; Ziurys, L. M.

2009-01-01

A new circumstellar molecule, the radical AlO (X 2 Σ + ), has been detected toward the envelope of the oxygen-rich supergiant star VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa) using the Arizona Radio Observatory (ARO). The N = 7 → 6 and 6 → 5 rotational transitions of AlO at 268 and 230 GHz were observed at 1 mm using the ARO Submillimeter Telescope (SMT) and the N = 4 → 3 line was detected at 2 mm using the ARO 12 m telescope. Based on the shape of the line profiles, AlO most likely arises from the dust-forming region in the spherical outflow of VY CMa, as opposed to the blue or redshifted winds, with a source size of θ s ∼ 0.''5. Given this source size, the column density of AlO was found to be N tot ∼ 2 x 10 15 cm -2 for T rot ∼ 230 K, with a fractional abundance, relative to H 2 , of ∼10 -8 . Gas-phase thermodynamic equilibrium chemistry is the likely formation mechanism for AlO in VY CMa, but either shocks disrupt the condensation process into Al 2 O 3 , or chemical 'freezeout' occurs. The species therefore survives further into the circumstellar envelope to a radius of r ∼ 20 R * . The detection of AlO in VY CMa is additional evidence of an active gas-phase refractory chemistry in oxygen-rich envelopes, and suggests such objects may be fruitful sources for other new oxide identifications.

A deeply embedded young protoplanetary disk around L1489 IRS observed by the Submillimeter Array

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brinch, C.; Crapsi, A.; Jørgensen, J. K.

2007-01-01

Context. Circumstellar disks are expected to form early in the process that leads to the formation of a young star, during the collapse of the dense molecular cloud core. Currently, it is not well understood at what stage of the collapse the disk is formed or how it subsequently evolves. Aims. We....... This misalignment of the angular momentum axes may be caused by a gradient within the angular momentum in the parental cloud, or if L1489 IRS is a binary system rather than just a single star. In the latter case, future observations looking for variability at sub-arcsecond scales may be able to constrain...

NARROW Na AND K ABSORPTION LINES TOWARD T TAURI STARS: TRACING THE ATOMIC ENVELOPE OF MOLECULAR CLOUDS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pascucci, I.; Simon, M. N. [Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Edwards, S. [Five College Astronomy Department, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063 (United States); Heyer, M. [Department of Astronomy, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003-9305 (United States); Rigliaco, E. [Institute for Astronomy, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Strasse 27, CH-8093 Zurich (Switzerland); Hillenbrand, L. [Department of Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Gorti, U.; Hollenbach, D., E-mail: pascucci@lpl.arizona.edu [SETI Institute, Mountain View, CA 94043 (United States)

2015-11-20

We present a detailed analysis of narrow Na i and K i absorption resonance lines toward nearly 40 T Tauri stars in Taurus with the goal of clarifying their origin. The Na i λ5889.95 line is detected toward all but one source, while the weaker K i λ7698.96 line is detected in about two-thirds of the sample. The similarity in their peak centroids and the significant positive correlation between their equivalent widths demonstrate that these transitions trace the same atomic gas. The absorption lines are present toward both disk and diskless young stellar objects, which excludes cold gas within the circumstellar disk as the absorbing material. A comparison of Na i and CO detections and peak centroids demonstrates that the atomic gas and molecular gas are not co-located, the atomic gas being more extended than the molecular gas. The width of the atomic lines corroborates this finding and points to atomic gas about an order of magnitude warmer than the molecular gas. The distribution of Na i radial velocities shows a clear spatial gradient along the length of the Taurus molecular cloud filaments. This suggests that absorption is associated with the Taurus molecular cloud. Assuming that the gradient is due to cloud rotation, the rotation of the atomic gas is consistent with differential galactic rotation, whereas the rotation of the molecular gas, although with the same rotation axis, is retrograde. Our analysis shows that narrow Na i and K i absorption resonance lines are useful tracers of the atomic envelope of molecular clouds. In line with recent findings from giant molecular clouds, our results demonstrate that the velocity fields of the atomic and molecular gas are misaligned. The angular momentum of a molecular cloud is not simply inherited from the rotating Galactic disk from which it formed but may be redistributed by cloud–cloud interactions.

NARROW Na AND K ABSORPTION LINES TOWARD T TAURI STARS: TRACING THE ATOMIC ENVELOPE OF MOLECULAR CLOUDS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pascucci, I.; Simon, M. N.; Edwards, S.; Heyer, M.; Rigliaco, E.; Hillenbrand, L.; Gorti, U.; Hollenbach, D.

2015-01-01

We present a detailed analysis of narrow Na i and K i absorption resonance lines toward nearly 40 T Tauri stars in Taurus with the goal of clarifying their origin. The Na i λ5889.95 line is detected toward all but one source, while the weaker K i λ7698.96 line is detected in about two-thirds of the sample. The similarity in their peak centroids and the significant positive correlation between their equivalent widths demonstrate that these transitions trace the same atomic gas. The absorption lines are present toward both disk and diskless young stellar objects, which excludes cold gas within the circumstellar disk as the absorbing material. A comparison of Na i and CO detections and peak centroids demonstrates that the atomic gas and molecular gas are not co-located, the atomic gas being more extended than the molecular gas. The width of the atomic lines corroborates this finding and points to atomic gas about an order of magnitude warmer than the molecular gas. The distribution of Na i radial velocities shows a clear spatial gradient along the length of the Taurus molecular cloud filaments. This suggests that absorption is associated with the Taurus molecular cloud. Assuming that the gradient is due to cloud rotation, the rotation of the atomic gas is consistent with differential galactic rotation, whereas the rotation of the molecular gas, although with the same rotation axis, is retrograde. Our analysis shows that narrow Na i and K i absorption resonance lines are useful tracers of the atomic envelope of molecular clouds. In line with recent findings from giant molecular clouds, our results demonstrate that the velocity fields of the atomic and molecular gas are misaligned. The angular momentum of a molecular cloud is not simply inherited from the rotating Galactic disk from which it formed but may be redistributed by cloud–cloud interactions

White dwarf atmospheres and circumstellar environments

CERN Document Server

Hoard, Donald W

2012-01-01

Written by selected astronomers at the forefront of their fields, this timely and novel book compiles the latest results from research on white dwarf stars, complementing existing literature by focusing on fascinating new developments in our understanding of the atmospheric and circumstellar environments of these stellar remnants. Complete with a thorough refresher on the observational characteristics and physical basis for white dwarf classification, this is a must-have resource for researchers interested in the late stages of stellar evolution, circumstellar dust and nebulae, and the future

HIGH-RESOLUTION 25 μM IMAGING OF THE DISKS AROUND HERBIG AE/BE STARS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Honda, M. [Department of Mathematics and Physics, Kanagawa University, 2946 Tsuchiya, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 259-1293 (Japan); Maaskant, K. [Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9513, 2300 RA Leiden (Netherlands); Okamoto, Y. K. [Institute of Astrophysics and Planetary Sciences, Faculty of Science, Ibaraki University, 2-1-1 Bunkyo, Mito, Ibaraki 310-8512 (Japan); Kataza, H. [Department of Infrared Astrophysics, Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 229-8510 (Japan); Yamashita, T. [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan); Miyata, T.; Sako, S.; Kamizuka, T. [Institute of Astronomy, School of Science, University of Tokyo, 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-0015 (Japan); Fujiyoshi, T.; Fujiwara, H. [Subaru Telescope, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, 650 North A’ohoku Place, Hilo, Hawaii 96720 (United States); Sakon, I.; Onaka, T. [Department of Astronomy, School of Science, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Mulders, G. D. [Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Lopez-Rodriguez, E.; Packham, C. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249 (United States)

2015-05-10

We imaged circumstellar disks around 22 Herbig Ae/Be stars at 25 μm using Subaru/COMICS and Gemini/T-ReCS. Our sample consists of an equal number of objects from each of the two categories defined by Meeus et al.; 11 group I (flaring disk) and II (flat disk) sources. We find that group I sources tend to show more extended emission than group II sources. Previous studies have shown that the continuous disk is difficult to resolve with 8 m class telescopes in the Q band due to the strong emission from the unresolved innermost region of the disk. This indicates that the resolved Q-band sources require a hole or gap in the disk material distribution to suppress the contribution from the innermost region of the disk. As many group I sources are resolved at 25 μm, we suggest that many, but not all, group I Herbig Ae/Be disks have a hole or gap and are (pre-)transitional disks. On the other hand, the unresolved nature of many group II sources at 25 μm supports the idea that group II disks have a continuous flat disk geometry. It has been inferred that group I disks may evolve into group II through the settling of dust grains into the mid-plane of the protoplanetary disk. However, considering the growing evidence for the presence of a hole or gap in the disk of group I sources, such an evolutionary scenario is unlikely. The difference between groups I and II may reflect different evolutionary pathways of protoplanetary disks.

HIGH-RESOLUTION 25 μM IMAGING OF THE DISKS AROUND HERBIG AE/BE STARS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Honda, M.; Maaskant, K.; Okamoto, Y. K.; Kataza, H.; Yamashita, T.; Miyata, T.; Sako, S.; Kamizuka, T.; Fujiyoshi, T.; Fujiwara, H.; Sakon, I.; Onaka, T.; Mulders, G. D.; Lopez-Rodriguez, E.; Packham, C.

2015-01-01

We imaged circumstellar disks around 22 Herbig Ae/Be stars at 25 μm using Subaru/COMICS and Gemini/T-ReCS. Our sample consists of an equal number of objects from each of the two categories defined by Meeus et al.; 11 group I (flaring disk) and II (flat disk) sources. We find that group I sources tend to show more extended emission than group II sources. Previous studies have shown that the continuous disk is difficult to resolve with 8 m class telescopes in the Q band due to the strong emission from the unresolved innermost region of the disk. This indicates that the resolved Q-band sources require a hole or gap in the disk material distribution to suppress the contribution from the innermost region of the disk. As many group I sources are resolved at 25 μm, we suggest that many, but not all, group I Herbig Ae/Be disks have a hole or gap and are (pre-)transitional disks. On the other hand, the unresolved nature of many group II sources at 25 μm supports the idea that group II disks have a continuous flat disk geometry. It has been inferred that group I disks may evolve into group II through the settling of dust grains into the mid-plane of the protoplanetary disk. However, considering the growing evidence for the presence of a hole or gap in the disk of group I sources, such an evolutionary scenario is unlikely. The difference between groups I and II may reflect different evolutionary pathways of protoplanetary disks

The Circumstellar Environment of VY CMa

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, N.; Humphreys, R. M.; Krautter, J.; Gehrz, R. D.; Davidson, K.; Jones, T. J.; Hubrig, S.

1999-05-01

VY Canis Majoris is one of the most luminous known M supergiants. It is near the upper liminosity limit for cool stars on the HR Diagram. The optical star is partially obscured by its own circumstellar material. We present preliminary results of recent HST/WFPC2 optical imaging, and ground-based near-IR and mid-IR imaging of VY CMa and its circumstellar environment. We compare these results with previously obtained images of the related, but more evolved object IRC+10420 and discuss implications for their possible evolutionary and mass loss histories.

HERSCHEL's ''COLD DEBRIS DISKS'': BACKGROUND GALAXIES OR QUIESCENT RIMS OF PLANETARY SYSTEMS?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krivov, A. V.; Loehne, T.; Mutschke, H.; Neuhaeuser, R. [Astrophysikalisches Institut und Universitaetssternwarte, Friedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena, Schillergaesschen 2-3, D-07745 Jena (Germany); Eiroa, C.; Marshall, J. P.; Mustill, A. J. [Departamento de Fisica Teorica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, E-28049 Madrid (Spain); Montesinos, B. [Departamento de Astrofisica, Centro de Astrobiologia (CAB, CSIC-INTA), ESAC Campus, P.O. Box 78, E-28691 Villanueva de la Canada, Madrid (Spain); Del Burgo, C. [Instituto Nacional de Astrofisica, Optica y Electronica (INAOE), Apartado Postal 51 y 216, 72000 Puebla, Pue. (Mexico); Absil, O. [Institut d' Astrophysique et de Geophysique, Universite de Liege, Allee du 6 Aout 17, B-4000 Liege (Belgium); Ardila, D. [NASA Herschel Science Center, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Augereau, J.-C.; Ertel, S.; Lebreton, J. [UJF-Grenoble 1/CNRS-INSU, Institut de Planetologie et d' Astrophysique de Grenoble (IPAG), UMR 5274, F-38041 Grenoble (France); Bayo, A. [European Southern Observatory, Alonso de Cordova 3107, Vitacura, Santiago (Chile); Bryden, G. [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States); Danchi, W. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics, Code 667, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Liseau, R. [Department of Earth and Space Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Onsala Space Observatory, SE-43992, Onsala (Sweden); Mora, A. [ESA-ESAC Gaia SOC, P.O. Box 78, E-28691 Villanueva de la Canada, Madrid (Spain); Pilbratt, G. L., E-mail: krivov@astro.uni-jena.de [ESA Astrophysics and Fundamental Physics Missions Division, ESTEC/SRE-SA, Keplerlaan 1, 2201 AZ Noordwijk (Netherlands); and others

2013-07-20

Infrared excesses associated with debris disk host stars detected so far peak at wavelengths around {approx}100 {mu}m or shorter. However, 6 out of 31 excess sources studied in the Herschel Open Time Key Programme, DUNES, have been seen to show significant-and in some cases extended-excess emission at 160 {mu}m, which is larger than the 100 {mu}m excess. This excess emission has been attributed to circumstellar dust and has been suggested to stem from debris disks colder than those known previously. Since the excess emission of the cold disk candidates is extremely weak, challenging even the unrivaled sensitivity of Herschel, it is prudent to carefully consider whether some or even all of them may represent unrelated galactic or extragalactic emission, or even instrumental noise. We re-address these issues using several distinct methods and conclude that it is highly unlikely that none of the candidates represents a true circumstellar disk. For true disks, both the dust temperatures inferred from the spectral energy distributions and the disk radii estimated from the images suggest that the dust is nearly as cold as a blackbody. This requires the grains to be larger than {approx}100 {mu}m, even if they are rich in ices or are composed of any other material with a low absorption in the visible. The dearth of small grains is puzzling, since collisional models of debris disks predict that grains of all sizes down to several times the radiation pressure blowout limit should be present. We explore several conceivable scenarios: transport-dominated disks, disks of low dynamical excitation, and disks of unstirred primordial macroscopic grains. Our qualitative analysis and collisional simulations rule out the first two of these scenarios, but show the feasibility of the third one. We show that such disks can indeed survive for gigayears, largely preserving the primordial size distribution. They should be composed of macroscopic solids larger than millimeters, but smaller

New Circumstellar Sources of PO and PN: The Increasing Role of Phosphorus Chemistry in Oxygen-rich Stars

Science.gov (United States)

Ziurys, L. M.; Schmidt, D. R.; Bernal, J. J.

2018-04-01

PO and PN have been newly identified in several oxygen-rich circumstellar envelopes, using the Submillimeter Telescope of the Arizona Radio Observatory. The J = 5 → 4 and J = 6 → 5 transitions of PN near 235 and 282 GHz, and the lambda doublets originating in the J = 5.5 → 4.5 and J = 6.5 → 5.5 lines of PO at 240 and 284 GHz, have been detected toward the shells of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars TX Cam and R Cas. A similar set of lines has been observed toward the supergiant NML Cyg, and new transitions of these two molecules were also measured toward the AGB star IK Tau. Along with the previous data from VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa), these spectral lines were analyzed using the non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) circumstellar modeling code, ESCAPADE. For the AGB stars, peak abundances found for PN and PO were f ∼ (1–2) × 10‑8 and (0.5–1) × 10‑7, respectively, while those for the supergiants were f(PN) ∼ (0.3–0.7) × 10‑8 and f(PO) ∼ (5–7) × 10‑8. PN was well modeled with a spherical radial distribution, suggesting formation near the stellar photosphere, perhaps enhanced by shocks. PO was best reproduced by a shell model, indicating a photochemical origin, except for VY CMa. Overall, the abundance of PO is a factor of 5–20 greater than that of PN. This study suggests that phosphorus-bearing molecules are common in O-rich envelopes, and that a significant amount of phosphorus (>20%) remains in the gas phase.

MAGNETIC BRAKING AND PROTOSTELLAR DISK FORMATION: AMBIPOLAR DIFFUSION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mellon, Richard R.; Li Zhiyun

2009-01-01

It is established that the formation of rotationally supported disks during the main accretion phase of star formation is suppressed by a moderately strong magnetic field in the ideal MHD limit. Nonideal MHD effects are expected to weaken the magnetic braking, perhaps allowing the disk to reappear. We concentrate on one such effect, ambipolar diffusion, which enables the field lines to slip relative to the bulk neutral matter. We find that the slippage does not sufficiently weaken the braking to allow rotationally supported disks to form for realistic levels of cloud magnetization and cosmic ray ionization rate; in some cases, the magnetic braking is even enhanced. Only in dense cores with both exceptionally weak fields and unreasonably low ionization rate do such disks start to form in our simulations. We conclude that additional processes, such as Ohmic dissipation or Hall effect, are needed to enable disk formation. Alternatively, the disk may form at late times when the massive envelope that anchors the magnetic brake is dissipated, perhaps by a protostellar wind.

RESOLVED IMAGES OF LARGE CAVITIES IN PROTOPLANETARY TRANSITION DISKS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrews, Sean M.; Wilner, David J.; Espaillat, Catherine; Qi Chunhua; Brown, J. M.; Hughes, A. M.; Dullemond, C. P.; McClure, M. K.

2011-01-01

Circumstellar disks are thought to experience a rapid 'transition' phase in their evolution that can have a considerable impact on the formation and early development of planetary systems. We present new and archival high angular resolution (0.''3 ∼ 40-75 AU) Submillimeter Array (SMA) observations of the 880 μm (340 GHz) dust continuum emission from 12 such transition disks in nearby star-forming regions. In each case, we directly resolve a dust-depleted disk cavity around the central star. Using two-dimensional Monte Carlo radiative transfer calculations, we interpret these dust disk structures in a homogeneous, parametric model framework by reproducing their SMA continuum visibilities and spectral energy distributions. The cavities in these disks are large (R cav = 15-73 AU) and substantially depleted of small (∼μm-sized) dust grains, although their mass contents are still uncertain. The structures of the remnant material at larger radii are comparable to normal disks. We demonstrate that these large cavities are relatively common among the millimeter-bright disk population, comprising at least 1 in 5 (20%) of the disks in the bright half (and ≥26% of the upper quartile) of the millimeter luminosity (disk mass) distribution. Utilizing these results, we assess some of the physical mechanisms proposed to account for transition disk structures. As has been shown before, photoevaporation models do not produce the large cavity sizes, accretion rates, and disk masses representative of this sample. A sufficient decrease of the dust optical depths in these cavities by particle growth would be difficult to achieve: substantial growth (to meter sizes or beyond) must occur in large (tens of AU) regions of low turbulence without also producing an abundance of small particles. Given those challenges, we suggest instead that the observations are most commensurate with dynamical clearing due to tidal interactions with low-mass companions-very young (∼1 Myr) brown

Evidence for Different Disk Mass Distributions between Early- and Late-type Be Stars in the BeSOS Survey

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arcos, C.; Kanaan, S.; Curé, M. [Instituto de Física y Astronomía, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso. Av. Gran Bretana 1111, Valparaíso (Chile); Jones, C. E.; Sigut, T. A. A. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 3K7 (Canada)

2017-06-10

The circumstellar disk density distributions for a sample of 63 Be southern stars from the BeSOS survey were found by modeling their H α emission line profiles. These disk densities were used to compute disk masses and disk angular momenta for the sample. Average values for the disk mass are 3.4 × 10{sup −9} and 9.5 × 10{sup −10} M {sub ⋆} for early (B0–B3) and late (B4–B9) spectral types, respectively. We also find that the range of disk angular momentum relative to the star is (150–200) J {sub ⋆}/ M {sub ⋆} and (100–150) J {sub ⋆}/ M {sub ⋆}, again for early- and late-type Be stars, respectively. The distributions of the disk mass and disk angular momentum are different between early- and late-type Be stars at a 1% level of significance. Finally, we construct the disk mass distribution for the BeSOS sample as a function of spectral type and compare it to the predictions of stellar evolutionary models with rapid rotation. The observed disk masses are typically larger than the theoretical predictions, although the observed spread in disk masses is typically large.

SPITZER SPECTROSCOPY OF THE CIRCUMPRIMARY DISK IN THE BINARY BROWN DWARF 2MASS J04414489+2301513

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adame, Lucia; Calvet, Nuria; McClure, M. K.; Hartmann, Lee; Luhman, K. L.; D'Alessio, Paola; Furlan, Elise; Forrest, William J.; Watson, Dan M.

2011-01-01

Using the Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph, we have performed mid-infrared spectroscopy on the young binary brown dwarf 2MASS J04414489+2301513 (15 AU) in the Taurus star-forming region. The spectrum exhibits excess continuum emission that likely arises from a circumstellar disk around the primary. Silicate emission is not detected in these data, indicating the presence of significant grain growth. This is one of the few brown dwarf disks at such a young age (∼1 Myr) that has been found to lack silicate emission. To quantitatively constrain the properties of the disk, we have compared the spectral energy distribution of 2MASS J04414489+2301513 to the predictions of our vertical structure codes for irradiated accretion disks. Our models suggest that the remaining atmospheric grains of moderately depleted layers may have grown to a size of ∼>5 μm. In addition, our model fits indicate an outer radius of 0.2-0.3 AU for the disk. The small size of this circumprimary disk could be due to truncation by the secondary. The absence of an outer disk containing a reservoir of small, primordial grains, combined with a weak turbulent mechanism, may be responsible for the advanced grain growth in this disk.

SOFIA/FORCAST AND SPITZER/IRAC IMAGING OF THE ULTRACOMPACT H II REGION W3(OH) AND ASSOCIATED PROTOSTARS IN W3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hirsch, Lea; Adams, Joseph D.; Herter, Terry L.; Gull, George E.; Henderson, Charles P.; Schoenwald, Justin [Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, 105 Space Sciences Building, Ithaca, NY 14853 (United States); Hora, Joseph L. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, MS 65, Cambridge, MA 02138-1516 (United States); De Buizer, James M.; Vacca, William [SOFIA-University Space Research Association, NASA Ames Reseach Center, Mail Stop N211-3, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (United States); Megeath, S. Thomas [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Toledo, Mailstop 111, 2801 West Bancroft Street, Toledo, OH 43606 (United States); Keller, Luke D. [Ithaca College, Physics Department, 264 Center for Natural Sciences, Ithaca, NY 14850 (United States)

2012-10-01

We present infrared observations of the ultracompact H II region W3(OH) made by the FORCAST instrument aboard the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) and by the Spitzer/Infrared Array Camera. We contribute new wavelength data to the spectral energy distribution (SED), which constrains the optical depth, grain size distribution, and temperature gradient of the dusty shell surrounding the H II region. We model the dust component as a spherical shell containing an inner cavity with radius {approx}600 AU, irradiated by a central star of type O9 and temperature {approx}31, 000 K. The total luminosity of this system is 7.1 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 4} L{sub Sun }. An observed excess of 2.2-4.5 {mu}m emission in the SED can be explained by our viewing a cavity opening or clumpiness in the shell structure whereby radiation from the warm interior of the shell can escape. We claim to detect the nearby water maser source W3 (H{sub 2}O) at 31.4 and 37.1 {mu}m using beam deconvolution of the FORCAST images. We constrain the flux densities of this object at 19.7-37.1 {mu}m. Additionally, we present in situ observations of four young stellar and protostellar objects in the SOFIA field, presumably associated with the W3 molecular cloud. Results from the model SED fitting tool of Robitaille et al. suggest that two objects (2MASS J02270352+6152357 and 2MASS J02270824+6152281) are intermediate-luminosity ({approx}236-432 L{sub Sun }) protostars; one object (2MASS J02270887+6152344) is either a high-mass protostar with luminosity 3 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 3} L{sub Sun} or a less massive young star with a substantial circumstellar disk but depleted envelope; and the other (2MASS J02270743+6152281) is an intermediate-luminosity ({approx}768 L{sub Sun }) protostar nearing the end of its envelope accretion phase or a young star surrounded by a circumstellar disk with no appreciable circumstellar envelope.

EFFECT OF PHOTODESORPTION ON THE SNOW LINES AT THE SURFACE OF OPTICALLY THICK CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS AROUND HERBIG Ae/Be STARS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oka, Akinori; Nakamoto, Taishi; Inoue, Akio K.; Honda, Mitsuhiko

2012-01-01

We investigate the effect of photodesorption on the snow line position at the surface of a protoplanetary disk around a Herbig Ae/Be star, motivated by the detection of water ice particles at the surface of the disk around HD142527 by Honda et al. For this aim, we obtain the density and temperature structure in the disk with a 1+1D radiative transfer and determine the distribution of water ice particles in the disk by the balance between condensation, sublimation, and photodesorption. We find that photodesorption induced by far-ultraviolet radiation from the central star depresses the ice-condensation front toward the mid-plane and pushes the surface snow line significantly outward when the stellar effective temperature exceeds a certain critical value. This critical effective temperature depends on the stellar luminosity and mass, the water abundance in the disk, and the yield of photodesorption. We present an approximate analytic formula for the critical temperature. We separate Herbig Ae/Be stars into two groups on the HR diagram according to the critical temperature: one is the disks where photodesorption is effective and from which we may not find ice particles at the surface, and the other is the disks where photodesorption is not effective. We estimate the snow line position at the surface of the disk around HD142527 to be 100-300 AU, which is consistent with the water ice detection at >140 AU in the disk. All the results depend on the dust grain size in a complex way, and this point requires more work in the future.

PROTOPLANETARY AND TRANSITIONAL DISKS IN THE OPEN STELLAR CLUSTER IC 2395

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Balog, Zoltan [Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg, D-69117 (Germany); Siegler, Nick [NASA Exoplanet Exploration Program, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States); Rieke, G. H.; Su, K. Y. L.; Gáspár, András [Steward Observatory, 933 N. Cherry Ave, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Kiss, L. L. [Konkoly Observatory, Research Center for Astronomy and Earth Sciences, P.O. Box 67, H-1525 Budapest (Hungary); Muzerolle, James [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Gutermuth, R. A. [Department of Astronomy, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA (United States); Bell, Cameron P. M. [Institute for Astronomy, ETH Zürich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Strasse 27, 8093, Zürich (Switzerland); Vinkó, J. [Dept. of Optics and Quantum Electronics, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged (Hungary); Young, E. T., E-mail: balog@mpia-hd.mpg.de [NASA Ames SOFIA Science Center, N211, Mountain View, CA 94043 (United States)

2016-11-20

We present new deep UBVRI images and high-resolution multi-object optical spectroscopy of the young (∼6–10 Myr old), relatively nearby (800 pc) open cluster IC 2395. We identify nearly 300 cluster members and use the photometry to estimate their spectral types, which extend from early B to middle M. We also present an infrared imaging survey of the central region using the IRAC and MIPS instruments on board the Spitzer Space Telescope , covering the wavelength range from 3.6 to 24 μ m. Our infrared observations allow us to detect dust in circumstellar disks originating over a typical range of radii from ∼0.1 to ∼10 au from the central star. We identify 18 Class II, 8 transitional disk, and 23 debris disk candidates, respectively, 6.5%, 2.9%, and 8.3% of the cluster members with appropriate data. We apply the same criteria for transitional disk identification to 19 other stellar clusters and associations spanning ages from ∼1 to ∼18 Myr. We find that the number of disks in the transitional phase as a fraction of the total with strong 24 μ m excesses ([8] – [24] ≥ 1.5) increases from (8.4 ± 1.3)% at ∼3 Myr to (46 ± 5)% at ∼10 Myr. Alternative definitions of transitional disks will yield different percentages but should show the same trend.

Oxygen-rich Mass Loss with a Pinch of Salt: NaCl in the Circumstellar Gas of IK Tauri and VY Canis Majoris

Science.gov (United States)

Milam, S. N.; Apponi, A. J.; Woolf, N. J.; Ziurys, L. M.

2007-10-01

The NaCl molecule has been observed in the circumstellar envelopes of VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa) and IK Tauri (IK Tau)-the first identifications of a metal refractory in oxygen-rich shells of evolved stars. Five rotational transitions of NaCl at 1 and 2 mm were detected toward VY CMa and three 1 mm lines were observed toward IK Tau, using the telescopes of the Arizona Radio Observatory. In both objects, the line widths of the NaCl profiles were extremely narrow relative to those of other molecules, indicating that sodium chloride has not reached the terminal outflow velocity in either star, likely a result of early condensation onto grains. Modeling the observed spectra suggests abundances, relative to H2, of f~5×10-9 in VY CMa and f~4×10-9 in IK Tau, with source sizes of 0.5" and 0.3", respectively. The extent of these sources is consistent with the size of the dust acceleration zones in both stars. NaCl therefore appears to be at least as abundant in O-rich shells as compared to C-rich envelopes, where f~(0.2-2)×10-9, although it appears to condense out earlier in the O-rich case. Chemical equilibrium calculations indicate that NaCl is the major carrier of sodium at T~1100 K for oxygen-rich stars, with predicted fractional abundances in good agreement with the observations. These measurements suggest that crystalline salt may be an important condensate for sodium in both C- and O-rich circumstellar shells.

A geometrical model of VY Canis Majoris for SiO maser lines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Zhen-Pu; Kaifu, N.

1984-01-01

A new geometrical model of VY CMa is proposed to explain the three-peaked spectra of transition upsilon=1,2 J=1-0 of SiO maser emission. In this model the circumstellar envelope of VY CMa is a rotating disk of gas and dust seen nearly edge-on. The disk consists of two regions: a decelerated steady stream near the photosphere of the star and an accelerated one further away. Other geometries are discussed and eliminated. Calculated profiles of SiO maser lines fit well the observations. It is possible to explain the three-peaked profiles of SiO maser lines emitted by NML Cyg, RR Aql, NML Tau, etc. (orig.)

Near-IR High-Resolution Imaging Polarimetry of the SU Aur Disk: Clues for Tidal Tails?

Science.gov (United States)

De Leon, Jerome; Michihiro, Takami; Karr, Jennifer; Hashimoto, Jun; Kudo, Tomoyuki; Sitko, Michael; Mayama, Satoshi; Kusakabe, Nobuyuki; Grady, Carol A.; McElwain, Michael W.

2015-01-01

We present new high-resolution (approximately 0.09) H-band imaging observations of the circumstellar disk around the T Tauri star SU Aur. Our observations with Subaru-HiCIAO have revealed the presence of scattered light as close as 0.15 (approximately 20 AU) to the star. Within our image, we identify bright emission associated with a disk with a minimum radius of approximately 90 AU, an inclination of approximately 35 deg from the plane of the sky, and an approximate PA of 15 deg for the major axis. We find a brightness asymmetry between the northern and southern sides of the disk due to a non-axisymmetric disk structure. We also identify a pair of asymmetric tail structures extending east and west from the disk. The western tail extends at least 2. 5 (350 AU) from the star, and is probably associated with a reflection nebula previously observed at optical and near-IR wavelengths. The eastern tail extends at least 1 (140 AU) at the present signal-to-noise. These tails are likely due to an encounter with an unseen brown dwarf, but our results do not exclude the explanation that these tails are outflow cavities or jets.

DISK EVOLUTION IN THE THREE NEARBY STAR-FORMING REGIONS OF TAURUS, CHAMAELEON, AND OPHIUCHUS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Furlan, E.; Watson, Dan M.; McClure, M. K.

2009-01-01

We analyze samples of Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph spectra of T Tauri stars in the Ophiuchus, Taurus, and Chamaeleon I star-forming regions, whose median ages lie in the <1-2 Myr range. The median mid-infrared spectra of objects in these three regions are similar in shape, suggesting, on average, similar disk structures. When normalized to the same stellar luminosity, the medians follow each other closely, implying comparable mid-infrared excess emission from the circumstellar disks. We use the spectral index between 13 and 31 μm and the equivalent width of the 10 μm silicate emission feature to identify objects whose disk configuration departs from that of a continuous, optically thick accretion disk. Transitional disks, whose steep 13-31 μm spectral slope and near-IR flux deficit reveal inner disk clearing, occur with about the same frequency of a few percent in all three regions. Objects with unusually large 10 μm equivalent widths are more common (20%-30%); they could reveal the presence of disk gaps filled with optically thin dust. Based on their medians and fraction of evolved disks, T Tauri stars in Taurus and Chamaeleon I are very alike. Disk evolution sets in early, since already the youngest region, the Ophiuchus core (L1688), has more settled disks with larger grains. Our results indicate that protoplanetary disks show clear signs of dust evolution at an age of a few Myr, even as early as ∼1 Myr, but age is not the only factor determining the degree of evolution during the first few million years of a disk's lifetime.

Observation of the Central Part of the Beta-Pictoris Disk with an Anti-Blooming CCD

Science.gov (United States)

Lecavelier Des Etangs, A.; Perrin, G.; Ferlet, R.; Vidal Madjar, A.; Colas, F.; Buil, C.; Sevre, F.; Arlot, J. E.; Beust, H.; Lagrange Henri, A. M.; Lecacheux, J.; Deleuil, M.; Gry, C.

1993-07-01

β Pictoris (A5V) possesses a circumstellar disk of gas and dust which is oriented edge-on to Earth. Possibly a planet may be indirectly responsible for spectroscopic events, presently interpreted as the signature of the vaporisation of comet-like bodies when grazing the star, and may have cleared up dust particles in the inner zone. Previous coronographic studies coupled with IRAS and ground based IR observations also seem to indicate that the inner regions of the disk may be possibly dust free. We have extended the coronographic studies closer to the star in order to directly observe this zone, through a different observational technique based on the use of an anti- blooming CCD. These new observations, recorded at La Silla (Chile), revealed the structure of the disk down to two arcsec from the star (30 AU from the star). A different nature of dust particles seems to be present in the inner regions of the disk, in possible relation with a planetary formation process. Also an inverted asymmetry is observed in the inner region of the disk when compared to the outer one, a structure possibly related to a non homogeneous distribution of the dust within the disk.

The 0.5-2.22 μm Scattered Light Spectrum of the Disk around TW Hya: Detection of a Partially Filled Disk Gap at 80 AU

Science.gov (United States)

Debes, John H.; Jang-Condell, Hannah; Weinberger, Alycia J.; Roberge, Aki; Schneider, Glenn

2013-07-01

We present a 0.5-2.2 μm scattered light spectrum of the circumstellar disk around TW Hya from a combination of spatially resolved Hubble Space Telescope STIS spectroscopy and NICMOS coronagraphic images of the disk. We investigate the morphology of the disk at distances >40 AU over this wide range of wavelengths, and identify the presence of a depression in surface brightness at ~80 AU that could be caused by a gap in the disk. Additionally, we quantify the surface brightness, azimuthal symmetry, and spectral character of the disk as a function of radius. Our analysis shows that the scattering efficiency of the dust is largely neutral to blue over the observed wavelengths. We model the disk as a steady α-disk with an ad hoc gap structure. The thermal properties of the disk are self-consistently calculated using a three-dimensional radiative transfer code that uses ray tracing to model the heating of the disk interior and scattered light images. We find a good fit to the data over a wide range of distances from the star if we use a model disk with a partially filled gap of 30% depth at 80 AU and with a self-similar truncation knee at 100 AU. The origin of the gap is unclear, but it could arise from a transition in the nature of the disk's dust composition or the presence of a planetary companion. Based on scalings to previous hydrodynamic simulations of gap-opening criteria for embedded proto-planets, we estimate that a planetary companion forming the gap could have a mass between 6 and 28 M ⊕. Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. These observations are associated with programs 10167, 8624, 7226, and 7233.

Radial Surface Density Profiles of Gas and Dust in the Debris Disk around 49 Ceti

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hughes, A. Meredith; Lieman-Sifry, Jesse; Flaherty, Kevin M.; Daley, Cail M. [Department of Astronomy, Van Vleck Observatory, Wesleyan University, 96 Foss Hill Drive, Middletown, CT 06459 (United States); Roberge, Aki [Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 667, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Kóspál, Ágnes; Moór, Attila; Ábrahám, Peter [Konkoly Observatory, Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 67, 1525 Budapest (Hungary); Kamp, Inga [Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, University of Groningen, Postbus 800, 9700 AV Groningen (Netherlands); Wilner, David J.; Andrews, Sean M. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, MS-51, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Kastner, Joel H., E-mail: amhughes@astro.wesleyan.edu [Rochester Institute of Technology, 54 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623 (United States)

2017-04-20

We present ∼0.″4 resolution images of CO(3–2) and associated continuum emission from the gas-bearing debris disk around the nearby A star 49 Ceti, observed with the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA). We analyze the ALMA visibilities in tandem with the broadband spectral energy distribution to measure the radial surface density profiles of dust and gas emission from the system. The dust surface density decreases with radius between ∼100 and 310 au, with a marginally significant enhancement of surface density at a radius of ∼110 au. The SED requires an inner disk of small grains in addition to the outer disk of larger grains resolved by ALMA. The gas disk exhibits a surface density profile that increases with radius, contrary to most previous spatially resolved observations of circumstellar gas disks. While ∼80% of the CO flux is well described by an axisymmetric power-law disk in Keplerian rotation about the central star, residuals at ∼20% of the peak flux exhibit a departure from axisymmetry suggestive of spiral arms or a warp in the gas disk. The radial extent of the gas disk (∼220 au) is smaller than that of the dust disk (∼300 au), consistent with recent observations of other gas-bearing debris disks. While there are so far only three broad debris disks with well characterized radial dust profiles at millimeter wavelengths, 49 Ceti’s disk shows a markedly different structure from two radially resolved gas-poor debris disks, implying that the physical processes generating and sculpting the gas and dust are fundamentally different.

THE PECULIAR DEBRIS DISK OF HD 111520 AS RESOLVED BY THE GEMINI PLANET IMAGER

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Draper, Zachary H.; Matthews, Brenda C.; Gerard, Benjamin [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Rd., Victoria, BC V8P 5C2 (Canada); Duchêne, Gaspard; Wang, Jason J.; Kalas, Paul; Graham, James R. [Department of Astronomy, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Millar-Blanchaer, Maxwell A. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H4 (Canada); Padgett, Deborah [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 8800 Greenbelt Rd., Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Ammons, S. Mark [Lawrence Livermore National Lab, 7000 East Ave., Livermore, CA 94551 (United States); Bulger, Joanna [Subaru Telescope, NAOJ, 650 North Aohoku Pl., Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); Chen, Christine; Greenbaum, Alexandra Z. [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Dr., Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Chilcote, Jeffrey K. [Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto, 50 St. George St., Toronto, ON M5S 3H4 (Canada); Doyon, René [Institut de Recherche sur les Exoplanètes, Départment de Physique, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7 (Canada); Fitzgerald, Michael P. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States); Follette, Kate B.; Macintosh, Bruce [Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Hibon, Pascale [European Southern Observatory, Casilla 19001, Santiago 19 (Chile); Hinkley, Sasha [University of Exeter, Astrophysics Group, Physics Building, Stocker Rd., Exeter, EX4 4QL (United Kingdom); and others

2016-08-01

Using the Gemini Planet Imager, we have resolved the circumstellar debris disk around HD 111520 at a projected range of ∼30–100 AU in both total and polarized H -band intensity. The disk is seen edge-on at a position angle of 165° along the spine of emission. A slight inclination and asymmetric warp are covariant and alter the interpretation of the observed disk emission. We employ three point-spread function subtraction methods to reduce the stellar glare and instrumental artifacts to confirm that there is a roughly 2:1 brightness asymmetry between the NW and SE extension. This specific feature makes HD 111520 the most extreme example of asymmetric debris disks observed in scattered light among similar highly inclined systems, such as HD 15115 and HD 106906. We further identify a tentative localized brightness enhancement and scale height enhancement associated with the disk at ∼40 AU away from the star on the SE extension. We also find that the fractional polarization rises from 10% to 40% from 0.″5 to 0.″8 from the star. The combination of large brightness asymmetry and symmetric polarization fraction leads us to believe that an azimuthal dust density variation is causing the observed asymmetry.

An ultraviolet study of B[e] stars: evidence for pulsations, luminous blue variable type variations and processes in envelopes

Science.gov (United States)

Krtičková, I.; Krtička, J.

2018-06-01

Stars that exhibit a B[e] phenomenon comprise a very diverse group of objects in a different evolutionary status. These objects show common spectral characteristics, including the presence of Balmer lines in emission, forbidden lines and strong infrared excess due to dust. Observations of emission lines indicate illumination by an ultraviolet ionizing source, which is key to understanding the elusive nature of these objects. We study the ultraviolet variability of many B[e] stars to specify the geometry of the circumstellar environment and its variability. We analyse massive hot B[e] stars from our Galaxy and from the Magellanic Clouds. We study the ultraviolet broad-band variability derived from the flux-calibrated data. We determine variations of individual lines and the correlation with the total flux variability. We detected variability of the spectral energy distribution and of the line profiles. The variability has several sources of origin, including light absorption by the disc, pulsations, luminous blue variable type variations, and eclipses in the case of binaries. The stellar radiation of most of B[e] stars is heavily obscured by circumstellar material. This suggests that the circumstellar material is present not only in the disc but also above its plane. The flux and line variability is consistent with a two-component model of a circumstellar environment composed of a dense disc and an ionized envelope. Observations of B[e] supergiants show that many of these stars have nearly the same luminosity, about 1.9 × 105 L⊙, and similar effective temperatures.

Probing Disk Stratification by Combining X-ray and Disk Inclination Data for Taurus-Auriga

Science.gov (United States)

Arraki, Kenza S.; Daly, B.; Harding, M.; McCleary, J.; Cox, A. W.; Grady, C. A.; Woodgate, B. E.; Hamaguchi, K.; Wisniewski, J. P.; Brakken-Thal, S.; Hilton, G.; Bonfield, D.; Williger, G. M.

2010-01-01

Photoelectric neutral Hydrogen absorption, N(H), is a probe of the gas and dust column towards the star. Kastner et al. (2005) found a correlation between N(H) and proplyd aspect ratio in the Orion nebula cluster. We extend this study to Taurus-Auriga by combining publicly available N(H) data from the XMM-Newton Extended Survey of the Taurus molecular cloud (XEST), with published disk inclination data obtained from HST coronagraphic imagery and mm interferometry. Additional inclinations were derived from jet proper motion and radial velocity data obtained from archival HST imagery and the Apache Point Observatory 3.5m telescope's Goddard Fabry-Perot and DIS long-slit spectrograph. Both N(H) and extinction have linear relations with system inclination, where the extinction has a smaller slope than the N(H) trend. Correlations with system inclination demonstrate that the bulk of both N(H) and extinction arise in the disk rather than in remnant envelopes, nearby molecular cloud material, or foreground material. The deficit in extinction compared with predictions for ISM-like gas to dust ratios is consistent with grain growth and settling toward the disk midplane and stratification in disks occurring by 2 Myr. However, the disks remain gas-rich, indicating that giant planet formation is still feasible. We gratefully acknowledge the support of the NASA Motivating Undergraduates in Science and Technology (MUST) Project and of NASA's APRA program under WBS#399131.02.06.02.32. A grant of Director's Discretionary Time funded observing time at the Apache Point Observatory.

THE SPINDLE: AN IRRADIATED DISK AND BENT PROTOSTELLAR JET IN ORION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bally, John; Youngblood, Allison; Ginsburg, Adam, E-mail: John.Bally@colorado.edu, E-mail: Allison.Youngblood@colorado.edu, E-mail: Adam.Ginsburg@colorado.edu [Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, University of Colorado, UCB 389, Boulder, CO 80309 (United States)

2012-09-10

We present Hubble Space Telescope observations of a bent, pulsed Herbig-Haro jet, HH 1064, emerging from the young star Parenago 2042 embedded in the H II region NGC 1977 located about 30' north of the Orion Nebula. This outflow contains eight bow shocks in the redshifted western lobe and five bow shocks in the blueshifted eastern lobe. Shocks within a few thousand AU of the source star exhibit proper motions of {approx}160 km s{sup -1} but motions decrease with increasing distance. Parenago 2042 is embedded in a proplyd-a photoevaporating protoplanetary disk. A remarkable set of H{alpha} arcs resembling a spindle surround the redshifted (western) jet. The largest arc with a radius of 500 AU may trace the ionized edge of a circumstellar disk inclined by {approx}30 Degree-Sign . The spindle may be the photoionized edge of either a {approx}3 km s{sup -1} FUV-driven wind from the outer disk or a faster MHD-powered flow from an inner disk. The HH 1064 jet appears to be deflected north by photoablation of the south-facing side of a mostly neutral jet beam. V2412 Ori, located 1' west of Parenago 2042 drives a second bent flow, HH 1065. Both HH 1064 and 1065 are surrounded by LL Ori-type bows marking the boundary between the outflow cavity and the surrounding nebula.

Revealing the structure and dust content of debris disks on solar systems scales with GPI

Science.gov (United States)

Duchene, Gaspard; Fitzgerald, Michael P.; Kalas, Paul; Graham, James R.; Arriaga, Pauline; Bruzzone, Sebastian; Chen, Christine; Dawson, Rebekah Ilene; Dong, Ruobing; Draper, Zachary; Esposito, Thomas; Follette, Katherine; Hung, Li-Wei; Lawler, Samantha; Metchev, Stanimir; Millar-Blanchaer, Max; Murray-Clay, Ruth; Perrin, Marshall D.; Rameau, Julien; Wang, Jason; Wolff, Schuyler; Macintosh, Bruce; GPIES Team

2016-01-01

High contrast scattered light images offer the best prospect to assess the detailed geometry and structure of dusty debris disks. In turn, such images can yield profound insight on the architecture of the underlying planetary system as dust grains respond to the gravitational pull of planetary bodies. A new generation of extreme adaptive optics systems now enables an unprecedented exploration of circumstellar disks on solar system scales. Here we review the new science derived from over a dozen debris disks imaged with the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) as part of the GPI Exoplanet Survey (GPIES). In addition to its exquisite imaging capability, GPI's polarimetric mode provides invaluable insight on the dust content of each disk, in most cases for the very first time. These early results typically reveal narrow belts of material with evacuated regions roughly 50-100 AU in radius, subtle asymmetries in structure and high degree of linear polarization. We will provide an overview of the disk observations made during the GPIES campaign to date and will discuss in more detail some of the most remarkable systems.This work is supported by grants NSF AST-0909188, -1411868, -1413718; NASA NNX-15AD95G, -14AJ80G, -11AD21G; and the NExSS research network.

A NEW ALGORITHM FOR SELF-CONSISTENT THREE-DIMENSIONAL MODELING OF COLLISIONS IN DUSTY DEBRIS DISKS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stark, Christopher C.; Kuchner, Marc J.

2009-01-01

We present a new 'collisional grooming' algorithm that enables us to model images of debris disks where the collision time is less than the Poynting-Robertson (PR) time for the dominant grain size. Our algorithm uses the output of a collisionless disk simulation to iteratively solve the mass flux equation for the density distribution of a collisional disk containing planets in three dimensions. The algorithm can be run on a single processor in ∼1 hr. Our preliminary models of disks with resonant ring structures caused by terrestrial mass planets show that the collision rate for background particles in a ring structure is enhanced by a factor of a few compared to the rest of the disk, and that dust grains in or near resonance have even higher collision rates. We show how collisions can alter the morphology of a resonant ring structure by reducing the sharpness of a resonant ring's inner edge and by smearing out azimuthal structure. We implement a simple prescription for particle fragmentation and show how PR drag and fragmentation sort particles by size, producing smaller dust grains at smaller circumstellar distances. This mechanism could cause a disk to look different at different wavelengths, and may explain the warm component of dust interior to Fomalhaut's outer dust ring seen in the resolved 24 μm Spitzer image of this system.

KINEMATICS OF THE CO GAS IN THE INNER REGIONS OF THE TW Hya DISK

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rosenfeld, Katherine A.; Qi Chunhua; Andrews, Sean M.; Wilner, David J. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Corder, Stuartt A. [National Radio Astronomy Observatory, 520 Edgemont Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903 (United States); Dullemond, C. P. [Institut fuer Theoretische Astrophysik, Universitaet Heidelberg, Albert-Ueberle-Str. 2, D-69120 Heidelberg (Germany); Lin Shinyi [Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 (United States); Hughes, A. M. [Department of Astronomy, University of California at Berkeley, 601 Campbell Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); D' Alessio, Paola [Centro de Radioastronomia y Astrofisica, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Apartado Postal 72-3 (Xangari), 58089 Morelia, Michoacan (Mexico); Ho, P. T. P. [Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, P.O. Box 23-141, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China)

2012-10-01

We present a detailed analysis of the spatially and spectrally resolved {sup 12}CO J = 2-1 and J = 3-2 emission lines from the TW Hya circumstellar disk, based on science verification data from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). These lines exhibit substantial emission in their high-velocity wings (with projected velocities out to 2.1 km s{sup -1}, corresponding to intrinsic orbital velocities >20 km s{sup -1}) that trace molecular gas as close as 2 AU from the central star. However, we are not able to reproduce the intensity of these wings and the general spatio-kinematic pattern of the lines with simple models for the disk structure and kinematics. Using three-dimensional non-local thermodynamic equilibrium molecular excitation and radiative transfer calculations, we construct some alternative models that successfully account for these features by modifying either (1) the temperature structure of the inner disk (inside the dust-depleted disk cavity; r < 4 AU), (2) the intrinsic (Keplerian) disk velocity field, or (3) the distribution of disk inclination angles (a warp). The latter approach is particularly compelling because a representative warped disk model qualitatively reproduces the observed azimuthal modulation of optical light scattered off the disk surface. In any model scenario, the ALMA data clearly require a substantial molecular gas reservoir located inside the region where dust optical depths are known to be substantially diminished in the TW Hya disk, in agreement with previous studies based on infrared spectroscopy. The results from these updated model prescriptions are discussed in terms of their potential physical origins, which might include dynamical perturbations from a low-mass companion with an orbital separation of a few AU.

Circumstellar matter and the nature of the SN1987A progenitor star

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chevalier, R.A.; Fransson, C.

1987-01-01

The radio observations of the supernova SN1987A can be interpreted in terms of its interaction with circumstellar matter. The early turn-on of the radio emission implies a relatively low density circumstellar medium. The optical properties of the supernova imply that the progenitor star had a smaller radius than that of a typical type II supernova progenitor. The mass loss properties are consistent with this hypothesis. The authors predict the thermal X-ray luminosity of the supernova, and note that it is below the current upper limit. A bright infrared dust echo is not expected. Weak ultraviolet emission lines from circumstellar gas may be visible. Although the circumstellar density is low, it is possible that the progenitor star did lose a substantial fraction of its mass prior to the supernova explosion. (author)

Discovery of Low-ionization Envelopes in the Planetary Nebula NGC 5189: Spatially-resolved Diagnostics from HST Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Danehkar, Ashkbiz; Karovska, Margarita; Maksym, Walter Peter; Montez, Rodolfo

2018-01-01

The planetary nebula NGC 5189 shows one of the most spectacular morphological structures among planetary nebulae with [WR]-type central stars. Using high-angular resolution HST/WFC3 imaging, we discovered inner, low-ionization structures within a region of 0.3 parsec × 0.2 parsec around the central binary system. We used Hα, [O III], and [S II] emission line images to construct line-ratio diagnostic maps, which allowed us to spatially resolve two distinct low-ionization envelopes within the inner, ionized gaseous environment, extending over a distance of 0.15 pc from the central binary. Both the low-ionization envelopes appear to be expanding along a NE to SW symmetric axis. The SW envelope appears smaller than its NE counterpart. Our diagnostic maps show that highly-ionized gas surrounds these low-ionization envelopes, which also include filamentary and clumpy structures. These envelopes could be a result of a powerful outburst from the central interacting binary, when one of the companions (now a [WR] star) was in its AGB evolutionary stage, with a strong mass-loss generating dense circumstellar shells. Dense material ejected from the progenitor AGB star is likely heated up as it propagates along a symmetric axis into the previously expelled low-density material. Our new diagnostic methodology is a powerful tool for high-angular resolution mapping of low-ionization structures in other planetary nebulae with complex structures possibly caused by past outbursts from their progenitors.

10 micron Spectroscopy with OSCIR: Silicate Minerology and The Origins of Disks & Protoplanetesimals

Science.gov (United States)

Woodward, Chick; Wooden, Diane; Harker, David; Rodgers, Bernadette; Butner, Harold

1999-02-01

The analysis of the silicate mineralogy of pre-main sequence Herbig Ae/Be (HeAeBe) stars to main sequence (beta)-Pic systems, probes the chemical and physical conditions in these potentially planet-forming environments, the condensation of dust from the gas-disk, and the aggregation and accretion of these solids into planetesimals and comets. We propose to obtain 10 micron OSCIR spectra of a selected list of HeAeBe and (beta)-Pic like systems. Use of our ground-based data, combined with the ISO SWS database, and our extensive analytical modeling efforts will permit us to develop a fundamental understanding of connections between silicate mineralogy and the origins and evolution of disks and protoplanetesimals. This program will provide a framework to extend our understanding of planetary formation processes and the mineralogy of dust in differing circumstellar environs and comets to be studied with the NASA STARDUST and SIRTF missions.

UV Spectroscopy of Star-Grazing Comets Within the 49 Ceti Debris Disk

Science.gov (United States)

Miles, Brittany E.; Roberge, Aki; Welsh, Barry

2016-01-01

We present the analysis of time-variable Doppler-shifted absorption features in far-UV spectra of the unusual 49 Ceti debris disk. This nearly edge-on disk is one of the brightest known and is one of the very few containing detectable amounts of circumstellar (CS) gas as well as dust. In our two visits of Hubble Space Telescope STIS spectra, variable absorption features are seen on the wings of lines arising from CII and CIV but not for any of the other CS absorption lines. Similar variable features have long been seen in spectra of the well-studied Beta Pictoris debris disk and attributed to the transits of star-grazing comets. We calculated the velocity ranges and apparent column densities of the 49 Cet variable gas, which appears to have been moving at velocities of tens to hundreds of kms(-1) relative to the central star. The velocities in the redshifted variable event seen in the second visit show that the maximum distances of the in falling gas at the time of transit were about 0.050.2 au from the central star. A preliminary attempt at a composition analysis of the redshifted event suggests that the C/O ratio in the in falling gas is super-solar, as it is in the bulk of the stable disk gas.

Protoplanetary disks around intermediate-mass stars: the asset of imaging in the mid-infrared

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doucet, Coralie

2006-01-01

The accrued efficiency of the instruments in many wavelengths has allowed to show that most young stellar objects were surrounded by circumstellar matter distributed in a disk. Direct imaging of such systems is very difficult because of their narrow angular size and their weak luminosity in comparison with the star. Nowadays, 50 % of low-mass pre-main sequence stars, i.e. T Tauri stars, are surrounded by a disk. This proportion is less obvious for intermediate-mass stars, like Herbig Ae stars, that are less numerous and whose direct disk detection is more difficult. Until now, only the interpretation of the Spectral Energy Distribution (SED) of such objects allows to have access to the geometry of the disk. But the solutions are degenerated and several parameters fit the same SED. It is essential to have direct images of the objects, the only evidence of the presence of disks. This PhD allows to show that mid-infrared imaging could rise a part of the degeneracy of the disk's parameters linked to the fit of the SED for several objects and gives constraints on the minimum external radius and inclination of the disk. We present a new observation mode with VISIR, the mid-infrared imager and spectrometer on the VLT (ESO, Chile): the so-called BURST mode. This mode allows to reach the diffraction limit of the telescope. Thanks to mid-infrared imaging with this instrument, we were able, for the first time, to have access to the geometry of a disk (flared structure) around a massive star that was, until now, only deduced from the SED modelling. (author) [fr

Signatures of Hot Molecular Hydrogen Absorption from Protoplanetary Disks. I. Non-thermal Populations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoadley, Keri; France, Kevin; Arulanantham, Nicole; Loyd, R. O. Parke; Kruczek, Nicholas, E-mail: keri.hoadley@colorado.edu [Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP), University of Colorado Space Science Building (SPSC), 3665 Discovery Drive, Boulder, CO 80303 (United States)

2017-09-01

The environment around protoplanetary disks (PPDs) regulates processes that drive the chemical and structural evolution of circumstellar material. We perform a detailed empirical survey of warm molecular hydrogen (H{sub 2}) absorption observed against H i-Ly α (Ly α : λ 1215.67) emission profiles for 22 PPDs, using archival Hubble Space Telescope ultraviolet (UV) spectra to identify H{sub 2} absorption signatures and quantify the column densities of H{sub 2} ground states in each sightline. We compare thermal equilibrium models of H{sub 2} to the observed H{sub 2} rovibrational level distributions. We find that, for the majority of targets, there is a clear deviation in high-energy states ( T {sub exc} ≳ 20,000 K) away from thermal equilibrium populations ( T (H{sub 2}) ≳ 3500 K). We create a metric to estimate the total column density of non-thermal H{sub 2} ( N (H{sub 2}){sub nLTE}) and find that the total column densities of thermal ( N (H{sub 2})) and N (H{sub 2}){sub nLTE} correlate for transition disks and targets with detectable C iv-pumped H{sub 2} fluorescence. We compare N (H{sub 2}) and N (H{sub 2}){sub nLTE} to circumstellar observables and find that N (H{sub 2}){sub nLTE} correlates with X-ray and far-UV luminosities, but no correlations are observed with the luminosities of discrete emission features (e.g., Ly α , C iv). Additionally, N (H{sub 2}) and N (H{sub 2}){sub nLTE} are too low to account for the H{sub 2} fluorescence observed in PPDs, so we speculate that this H{sub 2} may instead be associated with a diffuse, hot, atomic halo surrounding the planet-forming disk. We create a simple photon-pumping model for each target to test this hypothesis and find that Ly α efficiently pumps H{sub 2} levels with T {sub exc} ≥ 10,000 K out of thermal equilibrium.

Formation of Planetary Populations I: Metallicity & Envelope Opacity Effects

Science.gov (United States)

Alessi, Matthew; Pudritz, Ralph E.

2018-05-01

We present a comprehensive body of simulations of the formation of exoplanetary populations that incorporate the role of planet traps in slowing planetary migration. The traps we include in our model are the water ice line, the disk heat transition, and the dead zone outer edge. We reduce our model parameter set to two physical parameters: the opacity of the accreting planetary atmospheres (κenv) and a measure of the efficiency of planetary accretion after gap opening (fmax). We perform planet population synthesis calculations based on the initial observed distributions of host star and disk properties - their disk masses, lifetimes, and stellar metallicities. We find the frequency of giant planet formation scales with disk metallicity, in agreement with the observed Jovian planet frequency-metallicity relation. We consider both X-ray and cosmic ray disk ionization models, whose differing ionization rates lead to different dead zone trap locations. In both cases, Jovian planets form in our model out to 2-3 AU, with a distribution at smaller radii dependent on the disk ionization source and the setting of envelope opacity. We find that low values of κenv (0.001-0.002 cm2 g-1) and X-ray disk ionization are necessary to obtain a separation between hot Jupiters near 0.1 AU, and warm Jupiters outside 0.6 AU, a feature present in the data. Our model also produces a large number of super Earths, but the majority are outside of 2 AU. As our model assumes a constant dust to gas ratio, we suggest that radial dust evolution must be taken into account to reproduce the observed super Earth population.

Warm H2O and OH Disk Emission in V1331 Cyg

Science.gov (United States)

Doppmann, Greg W.; Najita, Joan R.; Carr, John S.; Graham, James R.

2011-09-01

We present high-resolution (R = 24, 000) L-band spectra of the young intermediate-mass star V1331 Cyg obtained with NIRSPEC on the Keck II telescope. The spectra show strong, rich emission from water and OH that likely arises from the warm surface region of the circumstellar disk. We explore the use of the new BT2 water line list in fitting the spectra, and we find that it does a much better job than the well-known HITRAN water line list in the observed wavelength range and for the warm temperatures probed by our data. By comparing the observed spectra with synthetic disk emission models, we find that the water and OH emission lines have similar widths (FWHM ~= 18 km s-1). If the line widths are set by disk rotation, the OH and water emission lines probe a similar range of disk radii in this source. The water and OH emission are consistent with thermal emission for both components at a temperature ~1500 K. The column densities of the emitting water and OH are large, ~1021 cm-2 and ~1020 cm-2, respectively. Such a high column density of water is more than adequate to shield the disk midplane from external UV irradiation in the event of complete dust settling out of the disk atmosphere, enabling chemical synthesis to continue in the midplane despite a harsh external UV environment. The large OH-to-water ratio is similar to expectations for UV irradiated disks, although the large OH column density is less easily accounted for. Data presented herein were obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory from telescope time allocated to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration through the agency's scientific partnership with the California Institute of Technology and the University of California. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation.

PROTOPLANETARY DISK MASSES FROM STARS TO BROWN DWARFS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohanty, Subhanjoy; Mortlock, Daniel; Greaves, Jane; Pascucci, Ilaria; Apai, Daniel; Scholz, Aleks; Thompson, Mark; Lodato, Giuseppe; Looper, Dagny

2013-01-01

We present SCUBA-2 850 μm observations of seven very low mass stars (VLMS) and brown dwarfs (BDs). Three are in Taurus and four in the TW Hydrae Association (TWA), and all are classical T Tauri (cTT) analogs. We detect two of the three Taurus disks (one only marginally), but none of the TWA ones. For standard grains in cTT disks, our 3σ limits correspond to a dust mass of 1.2 M ⊕ in Taurus and a mere 0.2 M ⊕ in the TWA (3-10× deeper than previous work). We combine our data with other submillimeter/millimeter (sub-mm/mm) surveys of Taurus, ρ Oph, and the TWA to investigate the trends in disk mass and grain growth during the cTT phase. Assuming a gas-to-dust mass ratio of 100:1 and fiducial surface density and temperature profiles guided by current data, we find the following. (1) The minimum disk outer radius required to explain the upper envelope of sub-mm/mm fluxes is ∼100 AU for intermediate-mass stars, solar types, and VLMS, and ∼20 AU for BDs. (2) While the upper envelope of apparent disk masses increases with M * from BDs to VLMS to solar-type stars, no such increase is observed from solar-type to intermediate-mass stars. We propose this is due to enhanced photoevaporation around intermediate stellar masses. (3) Many of the disks around Taurus and ρ Oph intermediate-mass and solar-type stars evince an opacity index of β ∼ 0-1, indicating significant grain growth. Of the only four VLMS/BDs in these regions with multi-wavelength measurements, three are consistent with considerable grain growth, though optically thick disks are not ruled out. (4) For the TWA VLMS (TWA 30A and B), combining our 850 μm fluxes with the known accretion rates and ages suggests substantial grain growth by 10 Myr, comparable to that in the previously studied TWA cTTs Hen 3-600A and TW Hya. The degree of grain growth in the TWA BDs (2M1207A and SSPM1102) remains largely unknown. (5) A Bayesian analysis shows that the apparent disk-to-stellar mass ratio has a roughly

Circumstellar ammonia in oxygen-rich evolved stars

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, K. T.; Menten, K. M.; Kamiński, T.; Wyrowski, F.; Lacy, J. H.; Greathouse, T. K.

2018-04-01

Context. The circumstellar ammonia (NH3) chemistry in evolved stars is poorly understood. Previous observations and modelling showed that NH3 abundance in oxygen-rich stars is several orders of magnitude above that predicted by equilibrium chemistry. Aims: We would like to characterise the spatial distribution and excitation of NH3 in the oxygen-rich circumstellar envelopes (CSEs) of four diverse targets: IK Tau, VY CMa, OH 231.8+4.2, and IRC +10420. Methods: We observed NH3 emission from the ground state in the inversion transitions near 1.3 cm with the Very Large Array (VLA) and submillimetre rotational transitions with the Heterodyne Instrument for the Far-Infrared (HIFI) aboard Herschel Space Observatory from all four targets. For IK Tau and VY CMa, we observed NH3 rovibrational absorption lines in the ν2 band near 10.5 μm with the Texas Echelon Cross Echelle Spectrograph (TEXES) at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF). We also attempted to search for the rotational transition within the excited vibrational state (v2 = 1) near 2 mm with the IRAM 30m Telescope. Non-LTE radiative transfer modelling, including radiative pumping to the vibrational state, was carried out to derive the radial distribution of NH3 in the CSEs of these targets. Results: We detected NH3 inversion and rotational emission in all four targets. IK Tau and VY CMa show blueshifted absorption in the rovibrational spectra. We did not detect vibrationally excited rotational transition from IK Tau. Spatially resolved VLA images of IK Tau and IRC +10420 show clumpy emission structures; unresolved images of VY CMa and OH 231.8+4.2 indicate that the spatial-kinematic distribution of NH3 is similar to that of assorted molecules, such as SO and SO2, that exhibit localised and clumpy emission. Our modelling shows that the NH3 abundance relative to molecular hydrogen is generally of the order of 10-7, which is a few times lower than previous estimates that were made without considering radiative

FORMING AN O STAR VIA DISK ACCRETION?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiu Keping; Zhang Qizhou; Beuther, Henrik; Fallscheer, Cassandra

2012-01-01

We present a study of outflow, infall, and rotation in a ∼10 5 L ☉ star-forming region, IRAS 18360-0537, with Submillimeter Array and IRAM 30 m observations. The 1.3 mm continuum map shows a 0.5 pc dust ridge, of which the central compact part has a mass of ∼80 M ☉ and harbors two condensations, MM1 and MM2. The CO (2-1) and SiO (5-4) maps reveal a biconical outflow centered at MM1, which is a hot molecular core (HMC) with a gas temperature of 320 ± 50 K and a mass of ∼13 M ☉ . The outflow has a gas mass of 54 M ☉ and a dynamical timescale of 8 × 10 3 yr. The kinematics of the HMC are probed by high-excitation CH 3 OH and CH 3 CN lines, which are detected at subarcsecond resolution and unveil a velocity gradient perpendicular to the outflow axis, suggesting a disk-like rotation of the HMC. An infalling envelope around the HMC is evidenced by CN lines exhibiting a profound inverse P Cygni profile, and the estimated mass infall rate, 1.5 × 10 –3 M ☉ yr –1 , is well comparable to that inferred from the mass outflow rate. A more detailed investigation of the kinematics of the dense gas around the HMC is obtained from the 13 CO and C 18 O (2-1) lines; the position-velocity diagrams of the two lines are consistent with the model of a free-falling and Keplerian-like rotating envelope. The observations suggest that the protostar of a current mass ∼10 M ☉ embedded within MM1 will develop into an O star via disk accretion and envelope infall.

OT2_amoor_4: A census of debris disks in nearby young moving groups with Herschel.

Science.gov (United States)

Moór, A.

2011-09-01

Nearly all young stars harbour circumstellar disks, that serve as the reservoir for mass accretion onto the star, and later become the birthplace of planetary systems. After the disappearance of the gas component from the disk a dusty debris disk is formed that is believed to mark the location of the planetesimal belt as well. For outlining the evolution of such debris disks traditionally open clusters and field stars were studied, however we argue that the recently discovered young moving groups are more suitable objects for such analyses, due to their proximity and good coverage of the first 50 Myr period of the planetary system evolution. In this proposal we request 70/160 um Herschel/PACS photometric observations for so-far unobserved moving group members. These observations will provide a complete coverage of all known members within 80 pc of five nearby young moving groups (beta Pic Moving Group, Tucana-Horologium, Carina, Columba, and Argus), in the A to K spectral range. Based on the new observations we will identify new debris disks, characterize the disk population within individual moving groups, and study disk evolution by comparing the groups of different ages. The results will be used to verify predictions of the self-stirring model of the evolution of planetesimal disks. We will also compare the properties of debris disks in groups of the same age, looking for additional 'environmental' parameters that affect disk structure over a whole moving group. Our study will be a significant contribution to the census of debris disks in young moving groups, increasing the number of observed sources by a factor of 1.5. Since Spitzer could perform only a limited census and the so-far approved Herschel programs added very few additional moving group obervations, our programme is expected to have a high legacy value.

Molecules in stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsuji, T.

1986-01-01

Recently, research related to molecules in stars has rapidly expanded because of progress in related fields. For this reason, it is almost impossible to cover all the topics related to molecules in stars. Thus, here the authors focus their attention on molecules in the atmospheres of cool stars and do not cover in any detail topics related to circumstellar molecules originating from expanding envelopes located far from the stellar surface. However, the authors do discuss molecules in quasi-static circumstellar envelopes (a recently discovered new component of circumstellar envelopes) located near the stellar surface, since molecular lines originating from such envelopes show little velocity shift relative to photospheric lines, and hence they directly affect the interpretation and analysis of stellar spectra

The embedded young stars in the Taurus-Auriga molecular cloud. I - Models for spectral energy distributions

Science.gov (United States)

Kenyon, Scott J.; Calvet, Nuria; Hartmann, Lee

1993-01-01

We describe radiative transfer calculations of infalling, dusty envelopes surrounding pre-main-sequence stars and use these models to derive physical properties for a sample of 21 heavily reddened young stars in the Taurus-Auriga molecular cloud. The density distributions needed to match the FIR peaks in the spectral energy distributions of these embedded sources suggest mass infall rates similar to those predicted for simple thermally supported clouds with temperatures about 10 K. Unless the dust opacities are badly in error, our models require substantial departures from spherical symmetry in the envelopes of all sources. These flattened envelopes may be produced by a combination of rotation and cavities excavated by bipolar flows. The rotating infall models of Terebey et al. (1984) models indicate a centrifugal radius of about 70 AU for many objects if rotation is the only important physical effect, and this radius is reasonably consistent with typical estimates for the sizes of circumstellar disks around T Tauri stars.

SELF-DESTRUCTING SPIRAL WAVES: GLOBAL SIMULATIONS OF A SPIRAL-WAVE INSTABILITY IN ACCRETION DISKS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bae, Jaehan; Hartmann, Lee; Nelson, Richard P.; Richard, Samuel

2016-01-01

We present results from a suite of three-dimensional global hydrodynamic simulations that shows that spiral density waves propagating in circumstellar disks are unstable to the growth of a parametric instability that leads to break down of the flow into turbulence. This spiral wave instability (SWI) arises from a resonant interaction between pairs of inertial waves, or inertial-gravity waves, and the background spiral wave. The development of the instability in the linear regime involves the growth of a broad spectrum of inertial modes, with growth rates on the order of the orbital time, and results in a nonlinear saturated state in which turbulent velocity perturbations are of a similar magnitude to those induced by the spiral wave. The turbulence induces angular momentum transport and vertical mixing at a rate that depends locally on the amplitude of the spiral wave (we obtain a stress parameter α ∼ 5 × 10 −4 in our reference model). The instability is found to operate in a wide range of disk models, including those with isothermal or adiabatic equations of state, and in viscous disks where the dimensionless kinematic viscosity ν ≤ 10 −5 . This robustness suggests that the instability will have applications to a broad range of astrophysical disk-related phenomena, including those in close binary systems, planets embedded in protoplanetary disks (including Jupiter in our own solar system) and FU Orionis outburst models. Further work is required to determine the nature of the instability and to evaluate its observational consequences in physically more complete disk models than we have considered in this paper.

Fall-Back Disks in Long and Short GRBS

Science.gov (United States)

Cannizo, John K.; Troja, E.; Gehrels, N.

2011-01-01

We present numerical time-dependent calculations for fall-back disks relevant for GRBs in which the disk of material surrounding the black hole (BH) powering the GRB jet modulates the mass flow, and hence the strength of the jet. Given the initial existence of a small mass appr oximately less than 10(exp -4) M(solar) near the progenitor with a circularization radius approximately 10(exp 10) - 10(exp 11) cm, an una voidable consequence will be the formation of an "external disk" whose outer edge continually moves to larger radii due to angular momentum transport and lack of a confining torque. For long GRBs, if the mass distribution in the initial fall-back disk traces the progenitor envelope, then a radius approximates 10(exp 11) cm gives a time scale app roximately 10(exp 4) s for the X-ray plateau. For late times t > 10(exp 7) s a steepening due to a cooling front in the disk may have obser vational support in GRB 060729. For short GRBs, one expects most of t he mass initially to lie at small radii < 10(exp 8) cm; however the presence of even a trace amount approximately 10(exp -9) M(solar) of hi gh angular material can give a brief plateau in the light curve.

DISCOVERY OF CRYSTALLIZED WATER ICE IN A SILHOUETTE DISK IN THE M43 REGION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Terada, Hiroshi [Subaru Telescope, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, 650 North A' ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); Tokunaga, Alan T., E-mail: terada@subaru.naoj.org [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu 96822 (United States)

2012-07-01

We present the 1.9-4.2 {mu}m spectra of the five bright (L {<=} 11.2) young stars associated with silhouette disks with a moderate to high inclination angle of 39 Degree-Sign -80 Degree-Sign in the M42 and M43 regions. The water ice absorption is seen toward d121-1925 and d216-0939, while the spectra of d182-316, d183-405, and d218-354 show no water ice feature around 3.1 {mu}m within the detection limits. By comparing the water ice features toward nearby stars, we find that the water ice absorption toward d121-1925 and d216-0939 most likely originates from the foreground material and the surrounding disk, respectively. The angle of the disk inclination is found to be mainly responsible for the difference of the optical depth of the water ice among the five young stars. Our results suggest that there is a critical inclination angle between 65 Degree-Sign and 75 Degree-Sign for the circumstellar disk where the water ice absorption becomes strong. The average density at the disk surface of d216-0939 was found to be 6.38 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -18} g cm{sup -3}. The water ice absorption band in the d216-0939 disk is remarkable in that the maximum optical depth of the water ice band is at a longer wavelength than detected before. It indicates that the primary carrier of the feature is purely crystallized water ice at the surface of the d216-0939 disk with characteristic size of {approx}0.8 {mu}m, which suggests grain growth. This is the first direct detection of purely crystallized water ice in a silhouette disk.

PHOTOIONIZATION MODELS OF THE INNER GASEOUS DISK OF THE HERBIG BE STAR BD+65 1637

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Patel, P.; Sigut, T. A. A.; Landstreet, J. D., E-mail: ppatel54@uwo.ca [Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario Canada N6A 3K7 (Canada)

2016-01-20

We attempt to constrain the physical properties of the inner, gaseous disk of the Herbig Be star BD+65 1637 using non-LTE, circumstellar disk codes and observed spectra (3700–10500 Å) from the ESPaDOnS instrument on the Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope. The photoionizing radiation of the central star is assumed to be the sole source of input energy for the disk. We model optical and near-infrared emission lines that are thought to form in this region using standard techniques that have been successful in modeling the spectra of classical Be stars. By comparing synthetic line profiles of hydrogen, helium, iron, and calcium with the observed line profiles, we try to constrain the geometry, density structure, and kinematics of the gaseous disk. Reasonable matches have been found for all line profiles individually; however, no disk density model based on a single power law for the equatorial density was able to simultaneously fit all of the observed emission lines. Among the emission lines, the metal lines, especially the Ca ii IR triplet, seem to require higher disk densities than the other lines. Excluding the Ca ii lines, a model in which the equatorial disk density falls as 10{sup −10} (R{sub *}/R){sup 3} g cm{sup −3} seen at an inclination of 45° for a 50 R{sub *} disk provides reasonable matches to the overall line shapes and strengths. The Ca ii lines seem to require a shallower drop-off as 10{sup −10} (R{sub *}/R){sup 2} g cm{sup −3} to match their strength. More complex disk density models are likely required to refine the match to the BD+65 1637 spectrum.

On circumstellar molecules in the Pleiades.

Science.gov (United States)

Hobbs, L. M.

1972-01-01

Consideration of both old and new observations of the interstellar 4232-A line of CH(+) for the brightest members of the Pleiades. These observations suggest that the molecules are circumstellar in some sense, perhaps resembling in this respect the micron-sized grains inferred to be present in this region.

AN UNBIASED 1.3 mm EMISSION LINE SURVEY OF THE PROTOPLANETARY DISK ORBITING LkCa 15

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Punzi, K. M.; Kastner, J. H. [Center for Imaging Science, School of Physics and Astronomy, and Laboratory for Multiwavelength Astrophysics, Rochester Institute of Technology, 54 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623 (United States); Hily-Blant, P.; Forveille, T. [UJF—Grenoble 1/CNRS-INSU, Institut de Planétologie et d’Astrophysique de Grenoble (IPAG) UMR 5274, F-38041, Grenoble (France); Sacco, G. G. [INAF—Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri, Largo E. Fermi 5, I-50125, Firenze (Italy)

2015-06-01

The outer (>30 AU) regions of the dusty circumstellar disk orbiting the ∼2–5 Myr old, actively accreting solar analog LkCa 15 are known to be chemically rich, and the inner disk may host a young protoplanet within its central cavity. To obtain a complete census of the brightest molecular line emission emanating from the LkCa 15 disk over the 210–270 GHz (1.4–1.1 mm) range, we have conducted an unbiased radio spectroscopic survey with the Institute de Radioastronomie Millimétrique (IRAM) 30 m telescope. The survey demonstrates that in this spectral region, the most readily detectable lines are those of CO and its isotopologues {sup 13}CO and C{sup 18}O, as well as HCO{sup +}, HCN, CN, C{sub 2}H, CS, and H{sub 2}CO. All of these species had been previously detected in the LkCa 15 disk; however, the present survey includes the first complete coverage of the CN (2–1) and C{sub 2}H (3–2) hyperfine complexes. Modeling of these emission complexes indicates that the CN and C{sub 2}H either reside in the coldest regions of the disk or are subthermally excited, and that their abundances are enhanced relative to molecular clouds and young stellar object environments. These results highlight the value of unbiased single-dish line surveys in guiding future high-resolution interferometric imaging of disks.

Multiwavelength Imaging Of YSOs With Disk In South Pillars Of Eta Carina

Science.gov (United States)

Reyes, J. A.; Porras, B. A.

2013-04-01

We present multiwavelength imaginery and spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of 15 Young Stellar Objects (YSOs) with disk components lying on the South Pillars region close to Eta Carina (η Car). The SEDs include IR fluxes from 2MASS, IRAC, MSX, AKARI, and MIPS-24 μm, and 1.1 mm flux from AzTEC camera at the ASTE antenna. Millimeter fluxes help to constrain the number of fitted models, which provide the list of physical parameters for the star, the disk and the envelope. We then compare the parameters of the YSOs and their spatial location within the star forming region.

Young Stellar Variability of GM Cephei by Circumstellar Dust Clumps

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Po-Chieh; Chen, Wen-Ping; Hu, Chia-Ling; Burkhonov, Otabek; Ehgamberdiev, Shuhrat; Liu, Jinzhong; Naito, Hiroyuki; Pakstiene, Erika; Qvam, Jan Kare Trandem; Rätz, Stefanie; Semkov, Evgeni

2018-04-01

UX Orionis stars are a sub-type of Herbig Ae/be or T Tauri stars exhibiting sporadic extinction of stellar light due to circumstellar dust obscuration. GM Cep is such an UX Orionis star in the young (∼ 4 Myr) open cluster Trumpler 37 at ∼ 900 pc, showing a prominent infrared access, H-alpha emission, and flare activity. Our multi-color photometric monitoring from 2009 to 2016 showed (i) sporadic brightening on a time scale of days due to young stellar accretion, (ii) cyclic, but not strictly periodical, occultation events, each lasting for a couple months, with a probable recurrence time of about two years, (iii) normal dust reddening as the star became redder when dimmer, (iv) the unusual "blueing" phenomena near the brightness minima, during which the star appeared bluer when dimmer, and (v) a noticeable polarization, from 3 to 9 percent in g', r', and i' -bands. The occultation events may be caused by dust clumps, signifying the density inhomogeneity in a young stellar disk from grain coagulation to planetesimal formation. The level of polarization was anti-correlated with the brightness in the bright state, when the dust clump backscattered stellar light. We discussed two potential hypotheses: orbiting dust clumps versus dust clumps along a spiral arm structure.

THE ROTATING OUTFLOW, ENVELOPE, AND DISK OF THE CLASS-0/I PROTOSTAR [BHB2007] no. 11 IN THE PIPE NEBULA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hara, C. [University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Shimajiri, Y.; Kurono, Y.; Saigo, K.; Nakamura, F.; Saito, M.; Kawabe, R. [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, 2-21-1 Osawa Mitaka, Tokyo 181-0015 (Japan); Tsukagoshi, T. [Ibaraki University, 2-1-1 Bunkyo Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture 310-8512 (Japan); Wilner, David, E-mail: c.hara@nao.ac.jp [Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)

2013-07-10

We present the results of observations toward a low-mass Class-0/I protostar [BHB2007] no. 11 (B59 no. 11) in the nearby (d = 130 pc) star-forming region Barnard 59 (B59), in the Pipe Nebula. We utilize the Atacama Submillimeter Telescope Experiment (ASTE) 10 m telescope ({approx}22'' resolution), focusing on the CO(3-2), HCO{sup +}, H{sup 13}CO{sup +}(4-3), and 1.1 mm dust-continuum emission transitions. We also show Submillimeter Array (SMA) data with {approx}5'' resolution in {sup 12}CO, {sup 13}CO, C{sup 18}O(2-1), and 1.3 mm dust-continuum emission. From ASTE CO(3-2) observations, we found that B59 no. 11 is blowing a collimated outflow whose axis lies almost on the plane of the sky. The outflow traces well a cavity-like structure seen in the 1.1 mm dust-continuum emission. The results of SMA {sup 13}CO and C{sup 18}O(2-1) observations have revealed that a compact and elongated structure of dense gas is associated with B59 no. 11; the structure is oriented perpendicular to the outflow axis. There is a compact dust condensation with a size of 350 Multiplication-Sign 180 AU seen in the SMA 1.3 mm continuum map, and the direction of its major axis is almost the same as that of the dense gas elongation. The distributions of {sup 13}CO and C{sup 18}O emission also show velocity gradients along their major axes, which are thought to arise from the envelope/disk rotation. From detailed analysis of the SMA data, we infer that B59 no. 11 is surrounded by a Keplerian disk with a radius of less than 350 AU. In addition, the SMA CO(2-1) image shows a velocity gradient in the outflow in the same direction as that of the dense gas rotation. We suggest that this velocity gradient indicates rotation in the outflow.

The composition of circumstellar and interstellar dust

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tielens, AGGM; Woodward, CE; Biscay, MD; Shull, JM

2001-01-01

A large number of solid dust components have been identified through analysis of stardust recovered from meteorites, and analysis of IR observations of circumstellar shells and the interstellar medium. These include graphite, hydrogenated amorphous carbon, diamond, PAHs, silicon-, iron-, and

Hubble Space Telescope Imaging of the Mass-losing Supergiant VY Canis Majoris

Science.gov (United States)

Kastner, Joel H.; Weintraub, David A.

1998-04-01

The highly luminous M supergiant VY CMa is a massive star that appears to be in its final death throes, losing mass at high rate en route to exploding as a supernova. Subarcsecond-resolution optical images of VY CMa, obtained with the Faint Object Camera (FOC) aboard the Hubble Space Telescope, vividly demonstrate that mass loss from VY CMa is highly anisotropic. In the FOC images, the optical ``star'' VY CMa constitutes the bright, well-resolved core of an elongated reflection nebula. The imaged nebula is ~3" (~4500 AU) in extent and is clumpy and highly asymmetric. The images indicate that the bright core, which lies near one edge of the nebula, is pure scattered starlight. We conclude that at optical wavelengths VY CMa is obscured from view along our line of sight by its own dusty envelope. The presence of the extended reflection nebula then suggests that this envelope is highly flattened and/or that the star is surrounded by a massive circumstellar disk. Such axisymmetric circumstellar density structure should have profound effects on post-red supergiant mass loss from VY CMa and, ultimately, on the shaping of the remnant of the supernova that will terminate its post-main-sequence evolution.

Constraints on observing brightness asymmetries in protoplanetary disks at solar system scale

Science.gov (United States)

Brunngräber, Robert; Wolf, Sebastian

2018-04-01

We have quantified the potential capabilities of detecting local brightness asymmetries in circumstellar disks with the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) in the mid-infrared wavelength range. The study is motivated by the need to evaluate theoretical models of planet formation by direct observations of protoplanets at early evolutionary stages, when they are still embedded in their host disk. Up to now, only a few embedded candidate protoplanets have been detected with semi-major axes of 20-50 au. Due to the small angular separation from their central star, only long-baseline interferometry provides the angular resolving power to detect disk asymmetries associated to protoplanets at solar system scales in nearby star-forming regions. In particular, infrared observations are crucial to observe scattered stellar radiation and thermal re-emission in the vicinity of embedded companions directly. For this purpose we performed radiative transfer simulations to calculate the thermal re-emission and scattered stellar flux from a protoplanetary disk hosting an embedded companion. Based on that, visibilities and closure phases are calculated to simulate observations with the future beam combiner MATISSE, operating at the L, M and N bands at the VLTI. We find that the flux ratio of the embedded source to the central star can be as low as 0.5 to 0.6% for a detection at a feasible significance level due to the heated dust in the vicinity of the embedded source. Furthermore, we find that the likelihood for detection is highest for sources at intermediate distances r ≈ 2-5 au and disk masses not higher than ≈10-4 M⊙.

LONG-TERM EVOLUTION OF PROTOSTELLAR AND PROTOPLANETARY DISKS. I. OUTBURSTS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Zhaohuan; Hartmann, Lee; Gammie, Charles F.; Book, Laura G.; Simon, Jacob B.; Engelhard, Eric

2010-01-01

As an initial investigation into the long-term evolution of protostellar disks, we explore the conditions required to explain the large outbursts of disk accretion seen in some young stellar objects. We use one-dimensional time-dependent disk models with a phenomenological treatment of the magnetorotational instability (MRI) and gravitational torques to follow disk evolution over long timescales. Comparison with our previous two-dimensional disk model calculations indicates that the neglect of radial effects and two-dimensional disk structure in the one-dimensional case makes only modest differences in the results; this allows us to use the simpler models to explore parameter space efficiently. We find that the mass infall rates typically estimated for low-mass protostars generally result in AU-scale disk accretion outbursts, as predicted by our previous analysis. We also confirm quasi-steady accretion behavior for high mass infall rates if the values of α-parameter for the MRI are small, while at this high accretion rate convection from the thermal instability may lead to some variations. We further constrain the combinations of the α-parameter and the MRI critical temperature, which can reproduce observed outburst behavior. Our results suggest that dust sublimation may be connected with full activation of the MRI. This is consistent with the idea that small dust captures ions and electrons to suppress the MRI. In a companion paper, we will explore both long-term outburst and disk evolution with this model, allowing for infall from protostellar envelopes with differing angular momenta.

Bright Localized Near-Infrared Emission at 1-4 AU in the AB Aurigae Disk Revealed by IOTA Closure Phases

Science.gov (United States)

Millan-Gabet, R.; Monnier, J. D.; Berger, J.-P.; Traub, W. A.; Schloerb, F. P.; Pedretti, E.; Benisty, M.; Carleton, N. P.; Haguenauer, P.; Kern, P.; Labeye, P.; Lacasse, M. G.; Malbet, F.; Perraut, K.; Pearlman, M.; Thureau, N.

2006-07-01

We report on the detection of localized off-center emission at 1-4 AU in the circumstellar environment of the young stellar object AB Aurigae. We used closure-phase measurements in the near-infrared that were made at the long-baseline interferometer IOTA, the first obtained on a young stellar object using this technique. When probing sub-AU scales, all closure phases are close to zero degrees, as expected given the previously determined size of the AB Aurigae inner-dust disk. However, a clear closure-phase signal of -3.5d +/- 0.5d is detected on one triangle containing relatively short baselines, requiring a high degree of non-point symmetry from emission at larger (AU-sized) scales in the disk. We have not identified any alternative explanation for these closure-phase results, and we demonstrate that a ``disk hot spot'' model can fit our data. We speculate that such detected asymmetric near-infrared emission might arise as a result of localized viscous heating due to a gravitational instability in the AB Aurigae disk, or to the presence of a close stellar companion or accreting substellar object.

SELF-DESTRUCTING SPIRAL WAVES: GLOBAL SIMULATIONS OF A SPIRAL-WAVE INSTABILITY IN ACCRETION DISKS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bae, Jaehan; Hartmann, Lee [Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, 1085 S. University Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Nelson, Richard P.; Richard, Samuel, E-mail: jaehbae@umich.edu, E-mail: lhartm@umich.edu, E-mail: r.p.nelson@qmul.ac.uk, E-mail: samuel.richard@qmul.ac.uk [Astronomy Unit, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS (United Kingdom)

2016-09-20

We present results from a suite of three-dimensional global hydrodynamic simulations that shows that spiral density waves propagating in circumstellar disks are unstable to the growth of a parametric instability that leads to break down of the flow into turbulence. This spiral wave instability (SWI) arises from a resonant interaction between pairs of inertial waves, or inertial-gravity waves, and the background spiral wave. The development of the instability in the linear regime involves the growth of a broad spectrum of inertial modes, with growth rates on the order of the orbital time, and results in a nonlinear saturated state in which turbulent velocity perturbations are of a similar magnitude to those induced by the spiral wave. The turbulence induces angular momentum transport and vertical mixing at a rate that depends locally on the amplitude of the spiral wave (we obtain a stress parameter α ∼ 5 × 10{sup −4} in our reference model). The instability is found to operate in a wide range of disk models, including those with isothermal or adiabatic equations of state, and in viscous disks where the dimensionless kinematic viscosity ν ≤ 10{sup −5}. This robustness suggests that the instability will have applications to a broad range of astrophysical disk-related phenomena, including those in close binary systems, planets embedded in protoplanetary disks (including Jupiter in our own solar system) and FU Orionis outburst models. Further work is required to determine the nature of the instability and to evaluate its observational consequences in physically more complete disk models than we have considered in this paper.

Protoplanetary disks studied with 2-Dimensional imaging polarimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hajjar, R.; Bastien, P.

2000-01-01

Full text: This paper describes a method devised to determine density profiles of disks around Young Stellar Objects (YSOs), since this is crucial for the determination of the possible creation of planets based on theories of the proto solar nebula. It is based on the determination of the position of null polarization points in maps of YSOs as a function of wavelength. This information is interpreted in terms of variation in optical depth then converted to densities based on opacity tables for published grain models. This method has been used on a number of YSOs, namely HL Tau, the archetypal low mass T tauri protostar and showed a density profile compatible with previous models based on the spectral energy distribution of T Tauri stars. We will also explore the possibility of combining this method with millimeter and submillimeter data in order to better constraint grain models circumstellar matter distribution around YSOs

CIRCUMSTELLAR SHELLS IN ABSORPTION IN TYPE Ia SUPERNOVAE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borkowski, Kazimierz J.; Blondin, John M.; Reynolds, Stephen P.

2009-01-01

Progenitors of Type Ia supernovae (SNe) have been predicted to modify their ambient circumstellar (CSM) and interstellar environments through the action of their powerful winds. While there is X-ray and optical evidence for circumstellar interaction in several remnants of Type Ia SNe, widespread evidence for such interaction in Type Ia SNe themselves has been lacking. We consider prospects for the detection of CSM shells that have been predicted to be common around Type Ia SNe. Such shells are most easily detected in Na I absorption lines. Variable (declining) absorption is expected to occur soon after the explosion, primarily during the SN rise time, for shells located within ∼1-10 pc of a SN. The distance of the shell from the SN can be determined by measuring the timescale for line variability.

A Survey of CH3CN and HC3N in Protoplanetary Disks

Science.gov (United States)

Bergner, Jennifer B.; Guzmán, Viviana G.; Öberg, Karin I.; Loomis, Ryan A.; Pegues, Jamila

2018-04-01

The organic content of protoplanetary disks sets the initial compositions of planets and comets, thereby influencing subsequent chemistry that is possible in nascent planetary systems. We present observations of the complex nitrile-bearing species CH3CN and HC3N toward the disks around the T Tauri stars AS 209, IM Lup, LkCa 15, and V4046 Sgr as well as the Herbig Ae stars MWC 480 and HD 163296. HC3N is detected toward all disks except IM Lup, and CH3CN is detected toward V4046 Sgr, MWC 480, and HD 163296. Rotational temperatures derived for disks with multiple detected lines range from 29 to 73 K, indicating emission from the temperate molecular layer of the disk. V4046 Sgr and MWC 480 radial abundance profiles are constrained using a parametric model; the gas-phase CH3CN and HC3N abundances with respect to HCN are a few to tens of percent in the inner 100 au of the disk, signifying a rich nitrile chemistry at planet- and comet-forming disk radii. We find consistent relative abundances of CH3CN, HC3N, and HCN between our disk sample, protostellar envelopes, and solar system comets; this is suggestive of a robust nitrile chemistry with similar outcomes under a wide range of physical conditions.

SIGNATURES OF GRAVITATIONAL INSTABILITY IN RESOLVED IMAGES OF PROTOSTELLAR DISKS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dong, Ruobing [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Vorobyov, Eduard [Department of Astrophysics, The University of Vienna, Vienna, A-1180 (Austria); Pavlyuchenkov, Yaroslav [Institute of Astronomy, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation); Chiang, Eugene [Department of Astronomy, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Liu, Hauyu Baobab, E-mail: rdong2013@berkeley.edu [European Southern Observatory (ESO), Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 2, D-85748 Garching (Germany)

2016-06-01

Protostellar (class 0/I) disks, which have masses comparable to those of their nascent host stars and are fed continuously from their natal infalling envelopes, are prone to gravitational instability (GI). Motivated by advances in near-infrared (NIR) adaptive optics imaging and millimeter-wave interferometry, we explore the observational signatures of GI in disks using hydrodynamical and Monte Carlo radiative transfer simulations to synthesize NIR scattered light images and millimeter dust continuum maps. Spiral arms induced by GI, located at disk radii of hundreds of astronomical units, are local overdensities and have their photospheres displaced to higher altitudes above the disk midplane; therefore, arms scatter more NIR light from their central stars than inter-arm regions, and are detectable at distances up to 1 kpc by Gemini/GPI, VLT/SPHERE, and Subaru/HiCIAO/SCExAO. In contrast, collapsed clumps formed by disk fragmentation have such strong local gravitational fields that their scattering photospheres are at lower altitudes; such fragments appear fainter than their surroundings in NIR scattered light. Spiral arms and streamers recently imaged in four FU Ori systems at NIR wavelengths resemble GI-induced structures and support the interpretation that FUors are gravitationally unstable protostellar disks. At millimeter wavelengths, both spirals and clumps appear brighter in thermal emission than the ambient disk and can be detected by ALMA at distances up to 0.4 kpc with one hour integration times at ∼0.″1 resolution. Collapsed fragments having masses ≳1 M {sub J} can be detected by ALMA within ∼10 minutes.

Planetesimal Formation by the Streaming Instability in a Photoevaporating Disk

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carrera, Daniel; Johansen, Anders; Davies, Melvyn B. [Lund Observatory, Dept. of Astronomy and Theoretical Physics, Lund University, Box 43, SE-221 00 Lund (Sweden); Gorti, Uma [NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA (United States)

2017-04-10

Recent years have seen growing interest in the streaming instability as a candidate mechanism to produce planetesimals. However, these investigations have been limited to small-scale simulations. We now present the results of a global protoplanetary disk evolution model that incorporates planetesimal formation by the streaming instability, along with viscous accretion, photoevaporation by EUV, FUV, and X-ray photons, dust evolution, the water ice line, and stratified turbulence. Our simulations produce massive (60–130 M {sub ⊕}) planetesimal belts beyond 100 au and up to ∼20 M {sub ⊕} of planetesimals in the middle regions (3–100 au). Our most comprehensive model forms 8 M {sub ⊕} of planetesimals inside 3 au, where they can give rise to terrestrial planets. The planetesimal mass formed in the inner disk depends critically on the timing of the formation of an inner cavity in the disk by high-energy photons. Our results show that the combination of photoevaporation and the streaming instability are efficient at converting the solid component of protoplanetary disks into planetesimals. Our model, however, does not form enough early planetesimals in the inner and middle regions of the disk to give rise to giant planets and super-Earths with gaseous envelopes. Additional processes such as particle pileups and mass loss driven by MHD winds may be needed to drive the formation of early planetesimal generations in the planet-forming regions of protoplanetary disks.

Dynamic Young Stars and their Disks: A Temporal View of NGC 2264 with Spitzer and CoRoT*

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cody Ann Marie

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Variability is a signature feature of young stars. Among the well known light curve phenomena are periodic variations attributed to surface spots and irregular changes associated with accretion or circumstellar disk material. While decades of photometric monitoring have provided a framework for classifying young star variability, we still know surprisingly little about its underlying mechanisms and connections to the surrounding disks. In the past few years, dedicated photometric monitoring campaigns from the ground and space have revolutionized our view of young stars in the time domain. We present a selection of optical and infrared time series from several recent campaigns, highlighting the Coordinated Synoptic Investigation of NGC 2264 (“CSI 2264”– a joint30-day effort with the Spitzer, CoRoT, and MOST telescopes. The extraordinary photometric precision, high cadence, and long time baseline of these observations is now enabling correlation of variability properties at very different wavelengths, corresponding to locations from the stellar surface to the inner 0.1 AU of the disk. We present some results of the CSI 2264 program, including new classes of optical/infrared behavior. Further efforts to tie observed variability features to physical models will provide insights into the inner disk environment at a time when planet formation may be underway.

PROBING SHOCK BREAKOUT AND PROGENITORS OF STRIPPED-ENVELOPE SUPERNOVAE THROUGH THEIR EARLY RADIO EMISSIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maeda, Keiichi, E-mail: keiichi.maeda@ipmu.jp [Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli-IPMU), Todai Institutes for Advanced Study (TODIAS), University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8583 (Japan)

2013-01-01

We study properties of early radio emission from stripped-envelope supernovae (SNe; those of Type IIb/Ib/Ic). We suggest there is a sub-class of stripped-envelope SNe based on their radio properties, including the optically well-studied Type Ic SNe (SNe Ic) 2002ap and 2007gr, showing a rapid rise to a radio peak within {approx}10 days and reaching a low luminosity (at least an order of magnitude fainter than a majority of SNe IIb/Ib/Ic). They show a decline after the peak that is shallower than that of other stripped-envelope SNe while their spectral index is similar. We show that all these properties are naturally explained if the circumstellar material (CSM) density is low and therefore the forward shock is expanding into the CSM without deceleration. Since the forward shock velocity in this situation, as estimated from the radio properties, still records the maximum velocity of the SN ejecta following the shock breakout, observing these SNe in radio wavelengths provides new diagnostics on the nature of both the breakout and the progenitor which otherwise require a quite rapid follow-up in other wavelengths. The inferred post-shock breakout velocities of SNe Ic 2002ap and 2007gr are sub-relativistic, {approx}0.3c. These are higher than that inferred for SN II 1987A, in line with suggested compact progenitors. However, these are lower than expected for a Wolf-Rayet (W-R) progenitor. It may reflect an as yet unresolved nature of the progenitors just before the explosion, and we suggest that the W-R progenitor envelopes might have been inflated which could quickly reduce the maximum ejecta velocity from the initial shock breakout velocity.

New observations and models of circumstellar CO line emission of AGB stars in the Herschel SUCCESS programme

Science.gov (United States)

Danilovich, T.; Teyssier, D.; Justtanont, K.; Olofsson, H.; Cerrigone, L.; Bujarrabal, V.; Alcolea, J.; Cernicharo, J.; Castro-Carrizo, A.; García-Lario, P.; Marston, A.

2015-09-01

Context. Asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars are in one of the latest evolutionary stages of low to intermediate-mass stars. Their vigorous mass loss has a significant effect on the stellar evolution, and is a significant source of heavy elements and dust grains for the interstellar medium. The mass-loss rate can be well traced by carbon monoxide (CO) line emission. Aims: We present new Herschel/HIFI and IRAM 30 m telescope CO line data for a sample of 53 galactic AGB stars. The lines cover a fairly large range of excitation energy from the J = 1 → 0 line to the J = 9 → 8 line, and even the J = 14 → 13 line in a few cases. We perform radiative transfer modelling for 38 of these sources to estimate their mass-loss rates. Methods: We used a radiative transfer code based on the Monte Carlo method to model the CO line emission. We assume spherically symmetric circumstellar envelopes that are formed by a constant mass-loss rate through a smoothly accelerating wind. Results: We find models that are consistent across a broad range of CO lines for most of the stars in our sample, i.e., a large number of the circumstellar envelopes can be described with a constant mass-loss rate. We also find that an accelerating wind is required to fit, in particular, the higher-J lines and that a velocity law will have a significant effect on the model line intensities. The results cover a wide range of mass-loss rates (~10-8 to 2 × 10-5 M⊙ yr-1) and gas expansion velocities (2 to 21.5 km s-1) , and include M-, S-, and C-type AGB stars. Our results generally agree with those of earlier studies, although we tend to find slightly lower mass-loss rates by about 40%, on average. We also present "bonus" lines detected during our CO observations. Herschel is an ESA space observatory with science instruments provided by European-led Principal Investigator consortia and with important participation from NASA.Based on observations carried out with the IRAM 30 m Telescope. IRAM is

Veiling and Accretion Around the Young Binary Stars S and VV Corona Australis

Science.gov (United States)

Sullivan, Kendall; Prato, Lisa; Avilez, Ian

2018-01-01

S CrA and VV CrA are two young binary star systems with separations of 170 AU and 250 AU, respectively, in the southern star-forming region Corona Australis. The spectral types of the four stars in these two systems are similar, approximately K7 to M1, hence the stellar masses are also similar. The study of young stars just emerging from their natal cloud cores at the very limits of observability allows us to probe the extreme environments in which planet formation begins to occur. Stars in this early evolutionary stage can have circumstellar or circumbinary disks, and sometimes remnants of the envelopes which surrounded them during the protostellar stage. Envelopes accrete onto disks and disks in turn accrete onto the central stars, triggering elevated continuum emission, line emission, outflows, and stellar winds. This violent stage marks the onset of the epoch of planet formation. Using high-resolution near-infrared, H-band spectroscopy from the Keck II telescope using the NIRSPEC instrument over 4-6 epochs, we are probing the chaotic environment surrounding the four stars in these systems. We determine the spectral types for VV CrA A and B for the first time, and examine the variable veiling and emission occurring around each of these stars. This research was supported in part by NSF grants AST-1461200 and AST-1313399.

Characterizing Debris Disks in the Late Stages of Planet Formation

Science.gov (United States)

White, Jacob

2018-01-01

The planet formation process shapes the morphology and grain size distribution of circumstellar disks, encoding the formation history of a given system. Remnants of planet formation, such as comets and asteroids, collisionally evolve and can replenish the dust and small solids that would otherwise be cleared on short timescales. These grains are observed through reprocessed starlight at submm to cm wavelengths.The spectrum of the mm/cm emission reveals details of the grain population. However, one confounding parameter in studying these grains around stars is the stars themselves. The emission from stars in the mm/cm is nontrivial and generally not well-constrained. I will present examples of debris systems (HD 141569 and Fomalhaut) studied by ALMA and the VLA, in which unconstrained stellar emission may be contributing to the observed flux densities. Such contamination in turn biases the inferred emission from the disk and the corresponding dust properties. In some cases, the behavior of the observed A/B stars can exhibit an emission profile that has similarities to that of the Sun's mm/cm emission, although the same processes are not thought to necessarily occur in the atmospheres of massive stars.To address the uncertainty in stellar emission at mm/cm wavelengths, we present ongoing radio observations (JCMT, SMA, VLA) of Sirius A, which is a bright, nearby star with no known debris. We seek to use this system to set an observationally determined standard for stellar atmosphere modeling and debris disk studies around A stars, as well as to take the first step toward characterizing potential intrinsic uncertainty in stellar emission at these wavelengths. This talk will highlight the effort to characterize stellar atmospheres through a project known as MESAS (Measuring the Emission of Stellar Atmospheres at Submillimeter/millimeter wavelengths) which is imperative to the success of current and future debris disk studies.

THE CIRCUMSTELLAR ENVIRONMENT OF R CORONAE BOREALIS: WHITE DWARF MERGER OR FINAL-HELIUM-SHELL FLASH?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clayton, Geoffrey C.; Andrews, J. E.; Sugerman, Ben E. K.; Adam Stanford, S.; Whitney, B. A.; Honor, J.; Babler, B.; Barlow, M. J.; Gordon, K. D.; Bond, Howard E.; Matsuura, M.; Geballe, T. R.; De Marco, O.; Lawson, W. A.; Sibthorpe, B.; Olofsson, G.; Polehampton, E.; Gomez, H. L.; Hargrave, P. C.; Ivison, R. J.

2011-01-01

In 2007, R Coronae Borealis (R CrB) went into a historically deep and long decline. In this state, the dust acts like a natural coronagraph at visible wavelengths, allowing faint nebulosity around the star to be seen. Imaging has been obtained from 0.5 to 500 μm with Gemini/GMOS, Hubble Space Telescope/WFPC2, Spitzer/MIPS, and Herschel/SPIRE. Several of the structures around R CrB are cometary globules caused by wind from the star streaming past dense blobs. The estimated dust mass of the knots is consistent with their being responsible for the R CrB declines if they form along the line of sight to the star. In addition, there is a large diffuse shell extending up to 4 pc away from the star containing cool 25 K dust that is detected all the way out to 500 μm. The spectral energy distribution of R CrB can be well fitted by a 150 AU disk surrounded by a very large diffuse envelope which corresponds to the size of the observed nebulosity. The total masses of the disk and envelope are 10 –4 and 2 M ☉ , respectively, assuming a gas-to-dust ratio of 100. The evidence pointing toward a white dwarf merger or a final-helium-shell flash origin for R CrB is contradictory. The shell and the cometary knots are consistent with a fossil planetary nebula. Along with the fact that R CrB shows significant lithium in its atmosphere, this supports the final-helium-shell flash. However, the relatively high inferred mass of R CrB and its high fluorine abundance support a white dwarf merger.

Angular momentum exchange by gravitational torques and infall in the circumbinary disk of the protostellar system L1551 NE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Takakuwa, Shigehisa; Ho, Paul T. P. [Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, P.O. Box 23-141, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China); Saito, Masao [Joint ALMA Observatory, Ave. Alonso de Cordova 3107, Vitacura, Santiago (Chile); Saigo, Kazuya [ALMA Project Office, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Osawa 2-21-1, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan); Matsumoto, Tomoaki [Faculty of Humanity and Environment, Hosei University, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8160 (Japan); Lim, Jeremy [Department of Physics, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road (Hong Kong); Hanawa, Tomoyuki, E-mail: takakuwa@asiaa.sinica.edu.tw [Center for Frontier Science, Chiba University, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8522 (Japan)

2014-11-20

We report an ALMA observation of the Class I binary protostellar system L1551 NE in the 0.9 mm continuum, C{sup 18}O (3-2), and {sup 13}CO (3-2) lines at a ∼1.6 times higher resolution and a ∼6 times higher sensitivity than those of our previous SubMillimeter Array (SMA) observations, which revealed a r ∼ 300 AU scale circumbinary disk in Keplerian rotation. The 0.9 mm continuum shows two opposing U-shaped brightenings in the circumbinary disk and exhibits a depression between the circumbinary disk and the circumstellar disk of the primary protostar. The molecular lines trace non-axisymmetric deviations from Keplerian rotation in the circumbinary disk at higher velocities relative to the systemic velocity, where our previous SMA observations could not detect the lines. In addition, we detect inward motion along the minor axis of the circumbinary disk. To explain the newly observed features, we performed a numerical simulation of gas orbits in a Roche potential tailored to the inferred properties of L1551 NE. The observed U-shaped dust features coincide with locations where gravitational torques from the central binary system are predicted to impart angular momentum to the circumbinary disk, producing shocks and hence density enhancements seen as a pair of spiral arms. The observed inward gas motion coincides with locations where angular momentum is predicted to be lowered by the gravitational torques. The good agreement between our observation and model indicates that gravitational torques from the binary stars constitute the primary driver for exchanging angular momentum so as to permit infall through the circumbinary disk of L1551 NE.

Evidence for circumstellar obscuration of OB stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bohannan, B.

1975-01-01

Reddish found a strong increase of color excess with increasing stellar luminosity: here referred to as the Reddish Effect: in ten young galactic clusters and associations. New photometric and spectroscopic observations drawn from the literature are combined with data used by Reddish to reconsider the color excess versus intrinsic magnitude diagrams of the same ten stellar groups. The reality of the Effect is questioned in all but one of the systems; this was accomplished by identifying possible foreground stars and by recognizing some of the brightest stars as supergiants, then applying correct intrinsic color indices. After careful reanalysis, the one stellar group to retain an indication of the Reddish Effect is Cygnus OB2. No correlation of reddening with luminosity was found for five additional very young stellar groups in the southern hemisphere; these groups should exhibit the Effect if it is a natural consequence of stellar evolution. Reddish ascribed the correlation to massive circumstellar remnants of material from which the stars formed. However, a peculiar dispersion in color excess could also be attributed to patchy dust within the stellar group. In several stellar systems previously identified as displaying the Reddish Effect, a correlation of observed color excess with dust and gas concentrations is noted on Palomar Sky Survey prints. If present, circumstellar dust clouds should []anifest their existence in modes other than a correlation of color excess with luminosity. The following possibilities are considered and all show negative results: correlation of color excess with spectral type; correlation of reddening slope E/subU//sub -//subB//E/subB//sub -//subV/ with spectral type; observable infrared excess. The preceding astrophysical arguments strongly imply that circumstellar dust remnants from stellar formation do not remain around stars during their main-sequence lifetimes. (auth)

High mass star formation to the extremes: NGC 3603 at high angular resolution in the near-infrared

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nuernberger, Dieter E A

2008-01-01

High angular resolution observations play a decisive role for our understanding of high mass star formation processes, both within our Galaxy and in extragalactic starburst regions. We take the Galactic starburst template NGC 3603 as paradigm and report here on high angular resolution JHK s L' observations of the enigmatic, highly reddened sources IRS 9A-C in the NGC 3603 region, which were performed with NACO at ESO's Very Large Telescope Yepun. These broad-band imaging data strongly support the classification of IRS 9A-C as high mass protostellar candidates. We also confirm unambiguously the membership of IRS 9A-C with the NGC 3603 region as gas and dust is seen to be stripped off from their circumstellar envelopes by strong stellar winds, originating from the high mass main sequence stars of the nearby OB cluster. The orientation of these gas and dust streamers coincides with that of a very faint, only marginally detected mini-pillar protruding from the adjacent molecular clump NGC 3603 MM 2. The L' data show extended envelopes around IRS 9A-C and reveal sub-structures therein which are indicative for non-spherically distributed material. It seems obvious that protostellar mass outflows are at work to clear cavities along the polar axes of the central protostar, and / or that circumstellar disks are taking shape.

CHARACTERIZATION OF THE INNER DISK AROUND HD 141569 A FROM KECK/NIRC2 L-BAND VORTEX CORONAGRAPHY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mawet, Dimitri; Bottom, Michael; Matthews, Keith [Department of Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, MC 249-17, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Choquet, Élodie; Serabyn, Eugene [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States); Absil, Olivier; Huby, Elsa; Gonzalez, Carlos A. Gomez; Wertz, Olivier; Carlomagno, Brunella; Christiaens, Valentin; Defrère, Denis; Delacroix, Christian; Habraken, Serge; Jolivet, Aissa [Space sciences, Technologies and Astrophysics Research (STAR) Institute, Université de Liège, 19 Allée du Six Août, B-4000 Liège (Belgium); Femenia, Bruno [W. M. Keck Observatory, 65-1120 Mamalahoa Hwy., Kamuela, HI 96743 (United States); Lebreton, Jérémy [NASA Exoplanet Science Institute, California Institute of Technology, 770 South Wilson Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Forsberg, Pontus; Karlsson, Mikael [Department of Engineering Sciences, Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 534, SE-751 21 Uppsala (Sweden); Milli, Julien, E-mail: dmawet@astro.caltech.edu [European Southern Observatory, Alonso de Cordóva 3107, Vitacura, Santiago (Chile); and others

2017-01-01

HD 141569 A is a pre-main sequence B9.5 Ve star surrounded by a prominent and complex circumstellar disk, likely still in a transition stage from protoplanetary to debris disk phase. Here, we present a new image of the third inner disk component of HD 141569 A made in the L ′ band (3.8 μ m) during the commissioning of the vector vortex coronagraph that has recently been installed in the near-infrared imager and spectrograph NIRC2 behind the W.M. Keck Observatory Keck II adaptive optics system. We used reference point-spread function subtraction, which reveals the innermost disk component from the inner working distance of ≃23 au and up to ≃70 au. The spatial scale of our detection roughly corresponds to the optical and near-infrared scattered light, thermal Q , N , and 8.6 μ m PAH emission reported earlier. We also see an outward progression in dust location from the L ′ band to the H band (Very Large Telescope/SPHERE image) to the visible ( Hubble Space Telescope ( HST )/STIS image), which is likely indicative of dust blowout. The warm disk component is nested deep inside the two outer belts imaged by HST-NICMOS in 1999 (at 406 and 245 au, respectively). We fit our new L ′-band image and spectral energy distribution of HD 141569 A with the radiative transfer code MCFOST. Our best-fit models favor pure olivine grains and are consistent with the composition of the outer belts. While our image shows a putative very faint point-like clump or source embedded in the inner disk, we did not detect any true companion within the gap between the inner disk and the first outer ring, at a sensitivity of a few Jupiter masses.

Modeling of the hydrogen maser disk in MWC 349

Science.gov (United States)

Ponomarev, Victor O.; Smith, Howard A.; Strelnitski, Vladimir S.

1994-04-01

Maser amplification in a Keplerian circumstellar disk seen edge on-the idea put forward by Gordon (1992), Martin-Pintado, & Serabyn (1992), and Thum, Martin-Pintado, & Bachiller (1992) to explain the millimeter hydrogen recombination lines in MWC 349-is further justified and developed here. The double-peaked (vs. possible triple-peaked) form of the observed spectra is explained by the reduced emission from the inner portion of the disk, the portion responsible for the central ('zero velocity') component of a triple-peaked spectrum. Radial gradient of electron density and/or free-free absorption within the disk are identified as the probable causes of this central 'hole' in the disk and of its opacity. We calculate a set of synthetic maser spectra radiated by a homogeneous Keplerian ring seen edge-on and compare them to the H30-alpha observations of Thum et al., averaged over about 1000 days. We used a simple graphical procedure to solve an inverse problem and deduced the probable values of some basic disk and maser parameters. We find that the maser is essentially unsaturated, and that the most probable values of electron temperature. Doppler width of the microturbulence, and electron density, all averaged along the amplification path are, correspondingly, Te less than or equal to 11,000 K, Vmicro less than or equal to 14 km/s, ne approx. = (3 +/- 2) x 107/cu cm. The model shows that radiation at every frequency within the spectrum arises in a monochromatic 'hot spot.' The maximum optical depth within the 'hot spot' producing radiation at the spectral peak maximum is taumax approx. = 6 +/- 1; the effective width of the masing ring is approx. = 0.4-0.7 times its outer diameter; the size of the 'hot spot' responsible for the radiation at the spectral peak frequency is approx. = 0.2-0.3 times the distance between the two 'hot spots' corresponding to two peaks. An important derivation of our model is the dynamical mass of the central star, M* approx. = 26 solar masses

A SELF-CONSISTENT MODEL OF THE CIRCUMSTELLAR DEBRIS CREATED BY A GIANT HYPERVELOCITY IMPACT IN THE HD 172555 SYSTEM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, B. C.; Melosh, H. J.; Lisse, C. M.; Chen, C. H.; Wyatt, M. C.; Thebault, P.; Henning, W. G.; Gaidos, E.; Elkins-Tanton, L. T.; Bridges, J. C.; Morlok, A.

2012-01-01

Spectral modeling of the large infrared excess in the Spitzer IRS spectra of HD 172555 suggests that there is more than 10 19 kg of submicron dust in the system. Using physical arguments and constraints from observations, we rule out the possibility of the infrared excess being created by a magma ocean planet or a circumplanetary disk or torus. We show that the infrared excess is consistent with a circumstellar debris disk or torus, located at ∼6 AU, that was created by a planetary scale hypervelocity impact. We find that radiation pressure should remove submicron dust from the debris disk in less than one year. However, the system's mid-infrared photometric flux, dominated by submicron grains, has been stable within 4% over the last 27 years, from the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (1983) to WISE (2010). Our new spectral modeling work and calculations of the radiation pressure on fine dust in HD 172555 provide a self-consistent explanation for this apparent contradiction. We also explore the unconfirmed claim that ∼10 47 molecules of SiO vapor are needed to explain an emission feature at ∼8 μm in the Spitzer IRS spectrum of HD 172555. We find that unless there are ∼10 48 atoms or 0.05 M ⊕ of atomic Si and O vapor in the system, SiO vapor should be destroyed by photo-dissociation in less than 0.2 years. We argue that a second plausible explanation for the ∼8 μm feature can be emission from solid SiO, which naturally occurs in submicron silicate ''smokes'' created by quickly condensing vaporized silicate.

THE CIRCUMSTELLAR ENVIRONMENT OF R CORONAE BOREALIS: WHITE DWARF MERGER OR FINAL-HELIUM-SHELL FLASH?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Clayton, Geoffrey C.; Andrews, J. E. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 (United States); Sugerman, Ben E. K. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Goucher College, 1021 Dulaney Valley Rd., Baltimore, MD 21204 (United States); Adam Stanford, S. [IGPP, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94551 (United States); Whitney, B. A. [Space Science Institute, 4750 Walnut St. Suite 205, Boulder, CO 80301 (United States); Honor, J.; Babler, B. [Department of Astronomy, 475 North Charter St., University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706 (United States); Barlow, M. J. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT (United Kingdom); Gordon, K. D.; Bond, Howard E.; Matsuura, M. [STScI, 3700 San Martin Dr., Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Geballe, T. R. [Gemini Observatory, 670 N. A' ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); De Marco, O. [Department of Physics, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109 (Australia); Lawson, W. A. [School of PEMS, University of New South Wales, ADFA, P.O. Box 7916, Canberra, ACT 2610 (Australia); Sibthorpe, B. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Astronomie, Koenigstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Olofsson, G. [Department of Astronomy, Stockholm University, AlbaNova University Center, Roslagstullsbacken 21, SE-10691 Stockholm (Sweden); Polehampton, E. [Space Science and Technology Department, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot OX11 0QX (United Kingdom); Gomez, H. L.; Hargrave, P. C. [School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University, 5 The Parade, Cardiff, Wales CF24 3YB (United Kingdom); Ivison, R. J., E-mail: gclayton@phys.lsu.edu, E-mail: jandrews@phys.lsu.edu, E-mail: ben.sugerman@goucher.edu, E-mail: stanford@physics.ucdavis.edu, E-mail: bwhitney@spacescience.org, E-mail: jhonor@astro.wisc.edu, E-mail: brian@astro.wisc.edu, E-mail: mjb@star.ucl.ac.uk [UK Astronomy Technology Centre, ROE, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh EH9 3HJ (United Kingdom); and others

2011-12-10

In 2007, R Coronae Borealis (R CrB) went into a historically deep and long decline. In this state, the dust acts like a natural coronagraph at visible wavelengths, allowing faint nebulosity around the star to be seen. Imaging has been obtained from 0.5 to 500 {mu}m with Gemini/GMOS, Hubble Space Telescope/WFPC2, Spitzer/MIPS, and Herschel/SPIRE. Several of the structures around R CrB are cometary globules caused by wind from the star streaming past dense blobs. The estimated dust mass of the knots is consistent with their being responsible for the R CrB declines if they form along the line of sight to the star. In addition, there is a large diffuse shell extending up to 4 pc away from the star containing cool 25 K dust that is detected all the way out to 500 {mu}m. The spectral energy distribution of R CrB can be well fitted by a 150 AU disk surrounded by a very large diffuse envelope which corresponds to the size of the observed nebulosity. The total masses of the disk and envelope are 10{sup -4} and 2 M{sub Sun }, respectively, assuming a gas-to-dust ratio of 100. The evidence pointing toward a white dwarf merger or a final-helium-shell flash origin for R CrB is contradictory. The shell and the cometary knots are consistent with a fossil planetary nebula. Along with the fact that R CrB shows significant lithium in its atmosphere, this supports the final-helium-shell flash. However, the relatively high inferred mass of R CrB and its high fluorine abundance support a white dwarf merger.

THE MASS DEPENDENCE BETWEEN PROTOPLANETARY DISKS AND THEIR STELLAR HOSTS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrews, Sean M.; Rosenfeld, Katherine A.; Kraus, Adam L.; Wilner, David J.

2013-01-01

We present a substantial extension of the millimeter (mm) wave continuum photometry catalog for circumstellar dust disks in the Taurus star-forming region, based on a new ''snapshot'' λ = 1.3 mm survey with the Submillimeter Array. Combining these new data with measurements in the literature, we construct a mm-wave luminosity distribution, f(L mm ), for Class II disks that is statistically complete for stellar hosts with spectral types earlier than M8.5 and has a 3σ depth of roughly 3 mJy. The resulting census eliminates a longstanding selection bias against disks with late-type hosts, and thereby demonstrates that there is a strong correlation between L mm and the host spectral type. By translating the locations of individual stars in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram into masses and ages, and adopting a simple conversion between L mm and the disk mass, M d , we confirm that this correlation corresponds to a statistically robust relationship between the masses of dust disks and the stars that host them. A Bayesian regression technique is used to characterize these relationships in the presence of measurement errors, data censoring, and significant intrinsic scatter: the best-fit results indicate a typical 1.3 mm flux density of ∼25 mJy for 1 M ☉ hosts and a power-law scaling L mm ∝M * 1.5-2.0 . We suggest that a reasonable treatment of dust temperature in the conversion from L mm to M d favors an inherently linear M d ∝M * scaling, with a typical disk-to-star mass ratio of ∼0.2%-0.6%. The measured rms dispersion around this regression curve is ±0.7 dex, suggesting that the combined effects of diverse evolutionary states, dust opacities, and temperatures in these disks imprint a full width at half-maximum range of a factor of ∼40 on the inferred M d (or L mm ) at any given host mass. We argue that this relationship between M d and M * likely represents the origin of the inferred correlation between giant planet frequency and host star mass in the

The Mass Dependence between Protoplanetary Disks and their Stellar Hosts

Science.gov (United States)

Andrews, Sean M.; Rosenfeld, Katherine A.; Kraus, Adam L.; Wilner, David J.

2013-07-01

We present a substantial extension of the millimeter (mm) wave continuum photometry catalog for circumstellar dust disks in the Taurus star-forming region, based on a new "snapshot" λ = 1.3 mm survey with the Submillimeter Array. Combining these new data with measurements in the literature, we construct a mm-wave luminosity distribution, f(L mm), for Class II disks that is statistically complete for stellar hosts with spectral types earlier than M8.5 and has a 3σ depth of roughly 3 mJy. The resulting census eliminates a longstanding selection bias against disks with late-type hosts, and thereby demonstrates that there is a strong correlation between L mm and the host spectral type. By translating the locations of individual stars in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram into masses and ages, and adopting a simple conversion between L mm and the disk mass, Md , we confirm that this correlation corresponds to a statistically robust relationship between the masses of dust disks and the stars that host them. A Bayesian regression technique is used to characterize these relationships in the presence of measurement errors, data censoring, and significant intrinsic scatter: the best-fit results indicate a typical 1.3 mm flux density of ~25 mJy for 1 M ⊙ hosts and a power-law scaling L_mm ∝ M_{\\ast}^{1.5-2.0}. We suggest that a reasonable treatment of dust temperature in the conversion from L mm to Md favors an inherently linear Md vpropM * scaling, with a typical disk-to-star mass ratio of ~0.2%-0.6%. The measured rms dispersion around this regression curve is ±0.7 dex, suggesting that the combined effects of diverse evolutionary states, dust opacities, and temperatures in these disks imprint a full width at half-maximum range of a factor of ~40 on the inferred Md (or L mm) at any given host mass. We argue that this relationship between Md and M * likely represents the origin of the inferred correlation between giant planet frequency and host star mass in the exoplanet

EXCLUSION OF COSMIC RAYS IN PROTOPLANETARY DISKS: STELLAR AND MAGNETIC EFFECTS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cleeves, L. Ilsedore; Adams, Fred C.; Bergin, Edwin A.

2013-01-01

Cosmic rays (CRs) are thought to provide an important source of ionization in the outermost and densest regions of protoplanetary disks; however, it is unknown to what degree they are physically present. As is observed in the solar system, stellar winds can inhibit the propagation of CRs within the circumstellar environment and subsequently into the disk. In this work, we explore the hitherto neglected effects of CR modulation by both stellar winds and magnetic field structures and study how these processes act to reduce disk ionization rates. We construct a two-dimensional protoplanetary disk model of a T-Tauri star system, focusing on ionization from stellar and interstellar FUV, stellar X-ray photons, and CRs. We show that stellar winds can power a heliosphere-like analog, i.e., a ''T-Tauriosphere,'' diminishing CR ionization rates by several orders of magnitude at low to moderate CR energies (E CR ≤ 1 GeV). We explore models of both the observed solar wind CR modulation and a highly simplified estimate for ''elevated'' CR modulation as would be expected from a young T-Tauri star. In the former (solar analog) case, we estimate the ionization rate from galactic CRs to be ζ CR ∼ (0.23-1.4) × 10 –18 s –1 . This range of values, which we consider to be the maximum CR ionization rate for the disk, is more than an order of magnitude lower than what is generally assumed in current models for disk chemistry and physics. In the latter elevated case, i.e., for a ''T-Tauriosphere,'' the ionization rate by CRs is ζ CR ∼ –20 s –1 , which is 1000 times smaller than the interstellar value. We discuss the implications of a diminished CR ionization rate on the gas physics by estimating the size of the resulting magnetorotational instability dead zones. Indeed, if winds are as efficient at CR modulation as predicted here, short-lived radionuclides (now extinct) would have provided the major source of ionization (ζ RN ∼ 7.3 × 10 –19 s –1 ) in the planet

METAMORPHOSIS OF SN 2014C: DELAYED INTERACTION BETWEEN A HYDROGEN POOR CORE-COLLAPSE SUPERNOVA AND A NEARBY CIRCUMSTELLAR SHELL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milisavljevic, D.; Margutti, R.; Kamble, A.; Patnaude, D. J.; Raymond, J. C.; Challis, P.; Drout, M. R.; Grindlay, J. E.; Kirshner, R. P.; Lunnan, R.; Miller, G. F.; Parrent, J. T.; Sanders, N. E.; Eldridge, J. J.; Fong, W.; Bietenholz, M.; Chornock, R.; Fransson, C.; Fesen, R. A.; Mackey, J.

2015-01-01

We present optical observations of supernova SN 2014C, which underwent an unprecedented slow metamorphosis from H-poor type Ib to H-rich type IIn over the course of one year. The observed spectroscopic evolution is consistent with the supernova having exploded in a cavity before encountering a massive shell of the progenitor star’s stripped hydrogen envelope. Possible origins for the circumstellar shell include a brief Wolf–Rayet fast wind phase that overtook a slower red supergiant wind, eruptive ejection, or confinement of circumstellar material by external influences of neighboring stars. An extended high velocity Hα absorption feature seen in near-maximum light spectra implies that the progenitor star was not completely stripped of hydrogen at the time of core collapse. Archival pre-explosion Subaru Telescope Suprime-Cam and Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 images of the region obtained in 2009 show a coincident source that is most likely a compact massive star cluster in NGC 7331 that hosted the progenitor system. By comparing the emission properties of the source with stellar population models that incorporate interacting binary stars we estimate the age of the host cluster to be 30–300 Myr, and favor ages closer to 30 Myr in light of relatively strong Hα emission. SN 2014C is the best observed member of a class of core-collapse supernovae that fill the gap between events that interact strongly with dense, nearby environments immediately after explosion and those that never show signs of interaction. Better understanding of the frequency and nature of this intermediate population can contribute valuable information about the poorly understood final stages of stellar evolution

METAMORPHOSIS OF SN 2014C: DELAYED INTERACTION BETWEEN A HYDROGEN POOR CORE-COLLAPSE SUPERNOVA AND A NEARBY CIRCUMSTELLAR SHELL

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Milisavljevic, D.; Margutti, R.; Kamble, A.; Patnaude, D. J.; Raymond, J. C.; Challis, P.; Drout, M. R.; Grindlay, J. E.; Kirshner, R. P.; Lunnan, R.; Miller, G. F.; Parrent, J. T.; Sanders, N. E. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138 (United States); Eldridge, J. J. [Department of Physics, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland (New Zealand); Fong, W. [Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 N. Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Bietenholz, M. [Hartebeesthoek Radio Observatory, P.O. Box 443, Krugersdorp 1740 (South Africa); Chornock, R. [Astrophysical Institute, Department of Physics and Astronomy, 251B Clippinger Lab, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701 (United States); Fransson, C. [Oskar Klein Centre, Department of Astronomy, Stockholm University, AlbaNova, SE106 91 Stockholm (Sweden); Fesen, R. A. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Dartmouth College, 6127 Wilder Lab, Hanover, NH 03755 (United States); Mackey, J., E-mail: dmilisav@cfa.harvard.edu [Argelander-Institut für Astronomie, Auf dem Hgel 71, D-53121 Bonn (Germany); and others

2015-12-20

We present optical observations of supernova SN 2014C, which underwent an unprecedented slow metamorphosis from H-poor type Ib to H-rich type IIn over the course of one year. The observed spectroscopic evolution is consistent with the supernova having exploded in a cavity before encountering a massive shell of the progenitor star’s stripped hydrogen envelope. Possible origins for the circumstellar shell include a brief Wolf–Rayet fast wind phase that overtook a slower red supergiant wind, eruptive ejection, or confinement of circumstellar material by external influences of neighboring stars. An extended high velocity Hα absorption feature seen in near-maximum light spectra implies that the progenitor star was not completely stripped of hydrogen at the time of core collapse. Archival pre-explosion Subaru Telescope Suprime-Cam and Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 images of the region obtained in 2009 show a coincident source that is most likely a compact massive star cluster in NGC 7331 that hosted the progenitor system. By comparing the emission properties of the source with stellar population models that incorporate interacting binary stars we estimate the age of the host cluster to be 30–300 Myr, and favor ages closer to 30 Myr in light of relatively strong Hα emission. SN 2014C is the best observed member of a class of core-collapse supernovae that fill the gap between events that interact strongly with dense, nearby environments immediately after explosion and those that never show signs of interaction. Better understanding of the frequency and nature of this intermediate population can contribute valuable information about the poorly understood final stages of stellar evolution.

Astronomical and Meteoritic Evidence for the Nature of Interstellar Dust and Its Processing in Protoplanetary Disks

Science.gov (United States)

Alexander, C. M. O'd.; Boss, A. P.; Keller, L. P.; Nuth, J. A.; Weinberger, A.

Here we compare the astronomical and meteoritic evidence for the nature and origin of interstellar dust, and how it is processed in protoplanetary disks. The relative abundances of circumstellar grains in meteorites and interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) are broadly consistent with most astronomical estimates of galactic dust production, although graphite/amorphous C is highly underabundant. The major carbonaceous component in meteorites and IDPs is an insoluble organic material (IOM) that probably formed in the interstellar medium, but a solar origin cannot be ruled out. GEMS (glass with embedded metal and sulfide) that are isotopically solar within error are the best candidates for interstellar silicates, but it is also possible that they are solar system condensates. No dust from young stellar objects has been identified in IDPs, but it is difficult to differentiate them from solar system material or indeed some circumstellar condensates. The crystalline silicates in IDPs are mostly solar condensates, with lesser amounts of annealed GEMS. The IOM abundances in IDPs are roughly consistent with the degree of processing indicated by their crystallinity if the processed material was ISM dust. The IOM contents of meteorites are much lower, suggesting that there was a gradient in dust processing in the solar system. The microstructure of much of the pyroxene in IDPs suggests that it formed at temperatures >1258 K and cooled relatively rapidly (~1000 K/h). This cooling rate favors shock heating rather than radial transport of material annealed in the hot inner disk as the mechanism for producing crystalline dust in comets and IDPs. Shock heating is also a likely mechanism for producing chondrules in meteorites, but the dust was probably heated at a different time and/or location to chondrules.

Variable circumstellar obscuration of the carbon star R Fornacis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feast, M.W.; Whitelock, P.A.; Catchpole, R.M.; Roberts, G.; Overbeek, M.D.

1984-01-01

In 1983 the carbon Mira-type variable R For became unusually faint in the visible and infrared. This is interpreted as a change in circumstellar obscuration. For absorption by graphite spheres the required particle radius is 0.15 μm. (author)

Exotic Metal Molecules in Oxygen-Rich Envelopes: Detection of AlOH (X1Σ^+) in VY Canis Majoris

Science.gov (United States)

Tenenbaum, E. D.; Ziurys, L. M.

2010-06-01

A new interstellar molecule, AlOH, has been detected toward the envelope of VY Canis Majoris, an oxygen-rich red supergiant. Three rotational transitions of AlOH were observed using the facilities of the Arizona Radio Observatory (ARO). The J = 9 → 8 and J = 7 → 6 lines at 1 mm were measured with the ARO Submillimeter Telescope (SMT), while the J = 5 → 4 transition at 2 mm was observed with the ARO 12 m antenna on Kitt Peak. The AlOH spectra exhibit quite narrow line widths, indicating that the emission arises from within the dust acceleration zone of the central circumstellar outflow. From a radiative transfer analysis, the abundance of AlOH relative to H_2 was found to be 1x10-7 for a source size of 0.26'' or 22 R_*. AlOH is likely formed just beyond the photosphere via thermodynamic equilibrium chemistry, and then disappears due to dust condensation. The AlOH/AlO abundance ratio found in VY CMa is ˜17. LTE calculations predict the monohydroxides should be the major carriers of Al, Ca, and Mg in O-rich envelopes, as opposed to the oxides or halides.

A SIGNIFICANTLY LOW CO ABUNDANCE TOWARD THE TW Hya PROTOPLANETARY DISK: A PATH TO ACTIVE CARBON CHEMISTRY?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Favre, Cécile; Cleeves, L. Ilsedore; Bergin, Edwin A.; Qi, Chunhua; Blake, Geoffrey A.

2013-01-01

In this Letter we report the CO abundance relative to H 2 derived toward the circumstellar disk of the T-Tauri star TW Hya from the HD (1 – 0) and C 18 O (2 – 1) emission lines. The HD (1 – 0) line was observed by the Herschel Space Observatory Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer whereas C 18 O (2 – 1) observations were carried out with the Submillimeter Array at a spatial resolution of 2.''8 × 1.''9 (corresponding to ∼151 × 103 AU). In the disk's warm molecular layer (T > 20 K) we measure a disk-averaged gas-phase CO abundance relative to H 2 of χ(CO) = (0.1-3) × 10 –5 , substantially lower than the canonical value of χ(CO) = 10 –4 . We infer that the best explanation of this low χ(CO) is the chemical destruction of CO followed by rapid formation of carbon chains, or perhaps CO 2 , that can subsequently freeze-out, resulting in the bulk mass of carbon locked up in ice grain mantles and oxygen in water. As a consequence of this likely time-dependent carbon sink mechanism, CO may be an unreliable tracer of H 2 gas mass

Disk

NARCIS (Netherlands)

P.A. Boncz (Peter); L. Liu (Lei); M. Tamer Özsu

2008-01-01

htmlabstractIn disk storage, data is recorded on planar, round and rotating surfaces (disks, discs, or platters). A disk drive is a peripheral device of a computer system, connected by some communication medium to a disk controller. The disk controller is a chip, typically connected to the CPU of

Constraining the disk masses of the class I binary protostar GV Tau

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sheehan, Patrick D.; Eisner, Josh A., E-mail: psheehan@email.arizona.edu [Steward Observatory, University of Arizona 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States)

2014-08-10

We present new spatially resolved 1.3 mm imaging with CARMA of the GV Tau system. GV Tau is a Class I binary protostar system in the Taurus Molecular Cloud, the components of which are separated by 1.''2. Each protostar is surrounded by a protoplanetary disk, and the pair may be surrounded by a circumbinary envelope. We analyze the data using detailed radiative transfer modeling of the system. We create synthetic protostar model spectra, images, and visibilities and compare them with CARMA 1.3 mm visibilities, a Hubble Space Telescope near-infrared scattered light image, and broadband spectral energy distributions from the literature to study the disk masses and geometries of the GV Tau disks. We show that the protoplanetary disks around GV Tau fall near the lower end of estimates of the Minimum Mass Solar Nebula, and may have just enough mass to form giant planets. When added to the sample of Class I protostars from Eisner, we confirm that Class I protostars are on average more massive than their Class II counterparts. This suggests that substantial dust grain processing occurs between the Class I and Class II stages, and may help to explain why the Class II protostars do not appear to have, on average, enough mass in their disks to form giant planets.

NON-IDEAL MHD EFFECTS AND MAGNETIC BRAKING CATASTROPHE IN PROTOSTELLAR DISK FORMATION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Zhiyun; Krasnopolsky, Ruben; Shang Hsien

2011-01-01

Dense, star-forming cores of molecular clouds are observed to be significantly magnetized. A realistic magnetic field of moderate strength has been shown to suppress, through catastrophic magnetic braking, the formation of a rotationally supported disk (RSD) during the protostellar accretion phase of low-mass star formation in the ideal MHD limit. We address, through two-dimensional (axisymmetric) simulations, the question of whether realistic levels of non-ideal effects, computed with a simplified chemical network including dust grains, can weaken the magnetic braking enough to enable an RSD to form. We find that ambipolar diffusion (AD), the dominant non-ideal MHD effect over most of the density range relevant to disk formation, does not enable disk formation, at least in two dimensions. The reason is that AD allows the magnetic flux that would be dragged into the central stellar object in the ideal MHD limit to pile up instead in a small circumstellar region, where the magnetic field strength (and thus the braking efficiency) is greatly enhanced. We also find that, on the scale of tens of AU or more, a realistic level of Ohmic dissipation does not weaken the magnetic braking enough for an RSD to form, either by itself or in combination with AD. The Hall effect, the least explored of these three non-ideal MHD effects, can spin up the material close to the central object to a significant, supersonic rotation speed, even when the core is initially non-rotating, although the spun-up material remains too sub-Keplerian to form an RSD. The problem of catastrophic magnetic braking that prevents disk formation in dense cores magnetized to realistic levels remains unresolved. Possible resolutions of this problem are discussed.

Are young supernova remnants interacting with circumstellar gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chevalier, R.A.

1982-01-01

The young remnants of galactic Type I supernovae (SN 1006, SN 1572, and SN 1604) appear to be interacting with moderately dense gas (n/sub O/> or =0.1 cm -3 ). If the gas in the ambient interstellar medium, the observations suggest that gas of this density is fairly pervasive. If the gas is circumstellar, there are important implications for the progenitors of Type I supernovae. A plausible density distribution for circumstellar gas is rhoinfinityr -2 . The expansion of a supernova into such a medium is examined and is compared with expansion into a uniform medium. The two cases can be distinguished on the basis of their density profiles and their rates of expansion. Currently available data factor the hypothesis of expansion in a uniform medium for all three Type I remnants; the evidence is the strongest for SN 1572 and the weakest for SN 1604. Further X-ray and radio observations of the galactic remnants and of extragalactic Type I supernovae should serve to test this hypothesis

COMPARATIVE SPECTRA OF OXYGEN-RICH VERSUS CARBON-RICH CIRCUMSTELLAR SHELLS: VY CANIS MAJORIS AND IRC +10216 AT 215-285 GHz

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tenenbaum, E. D.; Dodd, J. L.; Woolf, N. J.; Ziurys, L. M.; Milam, S. N.

2010-01-01

A sensitive (1σ rms at 1 MHz resolution ∼3 mK) 1 mm spectral line survey (214.5-285.5 GHz) of VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa) and IRC +10216 has been conducted to compare the chemistries of oxygen- and carbon-rich circumstellar envelopes. This study was carried out using the Submillimeter Telescope of the Arizona Radio Observatory with a new Atacama Large Millimeter Array type receiver. This survey is the first to chemically characterize an O-rich circumstellar shell at millimeter wavelengths. In VY CMa, 128 emission features were detected arising from 18 different molecules; and in IRC +10216, 720 lines were observed, assigned to 32 different species. The 1 mm spectrum of VY CMa is dominated by SO 2 and SiS; in IRC +10216, C 4 H and SiC 2 are the most recurrent species. Ten molecules were common to both sources: CO, SiS, SiO, CS, CN, HCN, HNC, NaCl, PN, and HCO + . Sulfur plays an important role in VY CMa, but saturated/unsaturated carbon dominates the molecular content of IRC +10216, producing CH 2 NH, for example. Although the molecular complexity of IRC +10216 is greater, VY CMa supports a unique 'inorganic' chemistry leading to the oxides PO, AlO, and AlOH. Only diatomic and triatomic compounds were observed in VY CMa, while species with four or more atoms are common in IRC +10216, reflecting carbon's ability to form multiple strong bonds, unlike oxygen. In VY CMa, a new water maser (v 2 = 2) has been found, as well as vibrationally excited NaCl. Toward IRC +10216, vibrationally excited CCH was detected for the first time.

Comparative Spectra of Oxygen-rich Versus Carbon-rich Circumstellar Shells: VY Canis Majoris and IRC +10216 at 215-285 GHz

Science.gov (United States)

Tenenbaum, E. D.; Dodd, J. L.; Milam, S. N.; Woolf, N. J.; Ziurys, L. M.

2010-09-01

A sensitive (1σ rms at 1 MHz resolution ~3 mK) 1 mm spectral line survey (214.5-285.5 GHz) of VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa) and IRC +10216 has been conducted to compare the chemistries of oxygen- and carbon-rich circumstellar envelopes. This study was carried out using the Submillimeter Telescope of the Arizona Radio Observatory with a new Atacama Large Millimeter Array type receiver. This survey is the first to chemically characterize an O-rich circumstellar shell at millimeter wavelengths. In VY CMa, 128 emission features were detected arising from 18 different molecules; and in IRC +10216, 720 lines were observed, assigned to 32 different species. The 1 mm spectrum of VY CMa is dominated by SO2 and SiS; in IRC +10216, C4H and SiC2 are the most recurrent species. Ten molecules were common to both sources: CO, SiS, SiO, CS, CN, HCN, HNC, NaCl, PN, and HCO+. Sulfur plays an important role in VY CMa, but saturated/unsaturated carbon dominates the molecular content of IRC +10216, producing CH2NH, for example. Although the molecular complexity of IRC +10216 is greater, VY CMa supports a unique "inorganic" chemistry leading to the oxides PO, AlO, and AlOH. Only diatomic and triatomic compounds were observed in VY CMa, while species with four or more atoms are common in IRC +10216, reflecting carbon's ability to form multiple strong bonds, unlike oxygen. In VY CMa, a new water maser (v 2 = 2) has been found, as well as vibrationally excited NaCl. Toward IRC +10216, vibrationally excited CCH was detected for the first time.

CARBON CHEMISTRY IN THE ENVELOPE OF VY CANIS MAJORIS: IMPLICATIONS FOR OXYGEN-RICH EVOLVED STARS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ziurys, L. M.; Tenenbaum, E. D.; Pulliam, R. L.; Woolf, N. J.; Milam, S. N.

2009-01-01

Observations of the carbon-bearing molecules CO, HCN, CS, HNC, CN, and HCO + have been conducted toward the circumstellar envelope of the oxygen-rich red supergiant star, VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa), using the Arizona Radio Observatory (ARO). CO and HCN were also observed toward the O-rich shells of NML Cyg, TX Cam, IK Tau, and W Hya. Rotational transitions of these species at 1 mm, 0.8 mm, and 0.4 mm were measured with the ARO Submillimeter Telescope, including the J = 6 → 5 line of CO at 691 GHz toward TX Cam and W Hya. The ARO 12 m was used for 2 mm and 3 mm observations. Four transitions were observed for HCO + in VY CMa, the first definitive identification of this ion in a circumstellar envelope. Molecular line profiles from VY CMa are complex, indicating three separate outflows: a roughly spherical flow and separate red- and blueshifted winds, as suggested by earlier observations. Spectra from the other sources appear to trace a single outflow component. The line data were modeled with a radiative transfer code to establish molecular abundances relative to H 2 and source distributions. Abundances for CO derived for these objects vary over an order of magnitude, f ∼ 0.4-5 x 10 -4 , with the lower values corresponding to the supergiants. For HCN, a similar range in abundance is found (f ∼ 0.9-9 x 10 -6 ), with no obvious dependence on the mass-loss rate. In VY CMa, HCO + is present in all three outflows with f ∼ 0.4-1.6 x 10 -8 and a spatial extent similar to that of CO. HNC is found only in the red- and blueshifted components with [HCN]/[HNC] ∼ 150-190, while [CN]/[HCN] ∼ 0.01 in the spherical flow. All three velocity components are traced in CS, which has a confined spatial distribution and f ∼ 2-6 x 10 -7 . These observations suggest that carbon-bearing molecules in O-rich shells are produced by a combination of photospheric shocks and photochemistry. Shocks may play a more prominent role in the supergiants because of their macroturbulent

Carbon Chemistry in the Envelope of VY Canis Majoris: Implications for Oxygen-Rich Evolved Stars

Science.gov (United States)

Ziurys, L. M.; Tenenbaum, E. D.; Pulliam, R. L.; Woolf, N. J.; Milam, S. N.

2009-04-01

Observations of the carbon-bearing molecules CO, HCN, CS, HNC, CN, and HCO+ have been conducted toward the circumstellar envelope of the oxygen-rich red supergiant star, VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa), using the Arizona Radio Observatory (ARO). CO and HCN were also observed toward the O-rich shells of NML Cyg, TX Cam, IK Tau, and W Hya. Rotational transitions of these species at 1 mm, 0.8 mm, and 0.4 mm were measured with the ARO Submillimeter Telescope, including the J = 6 → 5 line of CO at 691 GHz toward TX Cam and W Hya. The ARO 12 m was used for 2 mm and 3 mm observations. Four transitions were observed for HCO+ in VY CMa, the first definitive identification of this ion in a circumstellar envelope. Molecular line profiles from VY CMa are complex, indicating three separate outflows: a roughly spherical flow and separate red- and blueshifted winds, as suggested by earlier observations. Spectra from the other sources appear to trace a single outflow component. The line data were modeled with a radiative transfer code to establish molecular abundances relative to H2 and source distributions. Abundances for CO derived for these objects vary over an order of magnitude, f ~ 0.4-5 × 10-4, with the lower values corresponding to the supergiants. For HCN, a similar range in abundance is found (f ~ 0.9-9 × 10-6), with no obvious dependence on the mass-loss rate. In VY CMa, HCO+ is present in all three outflows with f ~ 0.4-1.6 × 10-8 and a spatial extent similar to that of CO. HNC is found only in the red- and blueshifted components with [HCN]/[HNC] ~ 150-190, while [CN]/[HCN] ~ 0.01 in the spherical flow. All three velocity components are traced in CS, which has a confined spatial distribution and f ~ 2-6 × 10-7. These observations suggest that carbon-bearing molecules in O-rich shells are produced by a combination of photospheric shocks and photochemistry. Shocks may play a more prominent role in the supergiants because of their macroturbulent velocities.

A SELF-CONSISTENT MODEL OF THE CIRCUMSTELLAR DEBRIS CREATED BY A GIANT HYPERVELOCITY IMPACT IN THE HD 172555 SYSTEM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnson, B. C.; Melosh, H. J. [Department of Physics, Purdue University, 525 Northwestern Avenue, West Lafayette, IN 47907 (United States); Lisse, C. M. [JHU-APL, 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD 20723 (United States); Chen, C. H. [STScI, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Wyatt, M. C. [Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA (United Kingdom); Thebault, P. [LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, F-92195 Meudon Principal Cedex (France); Henning, W. G. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 8800 Greenbelt Road, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Gaidos, E. [Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Elkins-Tanton, L. T. [Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution for Science, Washington, DC 20015 (United States); Bridges, J. C. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH (United Kingdom); Morlok, A., E-mail: johns477@purdue.edu [Department of Physical Sciences, Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA (United Kingdom)

2012-12-10

Spectral modeling of the large infrared excess in the Spitzer IRS spectra of HD 172555 suggests that there is more than 10{sup 19} kg of submicron dust in the system. Using physical arguments and constraints from observations, we rule out the possibility of the infrared excess being created by a magma ocean planet or a circumplanetary disk or torus. We show that the infrared excess is consistent with a circumstellar debris disk or torus, located at {approx}6 AU, that was created by a planetary scale hypervelocity impact. We find that radiation pressure should remove submicron dust from the debris disk in less than one year. However, the system's mid-infrared photometric flux, dominated by submicron grains, has been stable within 4% over the last 27 years, from the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (1983) to WISE (2010). Our new spectral modeling work and calculations of the radiation pressure on fine dust in HD 172555 provide a self-consistent explanation for this apparent contradiction. We also explore the unconfirmed claim that {approx}10{sup 47} molecules of SiO vapor are needed to explain an emission feature at {approx}8 {mu}m in the Spitzer IRS spectrum of HD 172555. We find that unless there are {approx}10{sup 48} atoms or 0.05 M{sub Circled-Plus} of atomic Si and O vapor in the system, SiO vapor should be destroyed by photo-dissociation in less than 0.2 years. We argue that a second plausible explanation for the {approx}8 {mu}m feature can be emission from solid SiO, which naturally occurs in submicron silicate ''smokes'' created by quickly condensing vaporized silicate.

H12CN and H13CN excitation analysis in the circumstellar outflow of R Sculptoris

Science.gov (United States)

Saberi, M.; Maercker, M.; De Beck, E.; Vlemmings, W. H. T.; Olofsson, H.; Danilovich, T.

2017-03-01

Context. The 12CO/13CO isotopologue ratio in the circumstellar envelope (CSE) of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars has been extensively used as the tracer of the photospheric 12C/13C ratio. However, spatially-resolved ALMA observations of R Scl, a carbon rich AGB star, have shown that the 12CO/13CO ratio is not consistent over the entire CSE. Hence, it can not necessarily be used as a tracer of the 12C/13C ratio. The most likely hypothesis to explain the observed discrepancy between the 12CO/13CO and 12C/13C ratios is CO isotopologue selective photodissociation by UV radiation. Unlike the CO isotopologue ratio, the HCN isotopologue ratio is not affected by UV radiation. Therefore, HCN isotopologue ratios can be used as the tracer of the atomic C ratio in UV irradiated regions. Aims: We aim to present ALMA observations of H13CN(4-3) and APEX observations of H12CN(2-1), H13CN(2-1, 3-2) towards R Scl. These new data, combined with previously published observations, are used to determine abundances, ratio, and the sizes of line-emitting regions of the aforementioned HCN isotopologues. Methods: We have performed a detailed non-LTE excitation analysis of circumstellar H12CN(J = 1-0, 2-1, 3-2, 4-3) and H13CN(J = 2-1, 3-2, 4-3) line emission around R Scl using a radiative transfer code based on the accelerated lambda iteration (ALI) method. The spatial extent of the molecular distribution for both isotopologues is constrained based on the spatially resolved H13CN(4-3) ALMA observations. Results: We find fractional abundances of H12CN/H2 = (5.0 ± 2.0) × 10-5 and H13CN/H2 = (1.9 ± 0.4) × 10-6 in the inner wind (r ≤ (2.0 ± 0.25) ×1015 cm) of R Scl. The derived circumstellar isotopologue ratio of H12CN/H13CN = 26.3 ± 11.9 is consistent with the photospheric ratio of 12C/13C 19 ± 6. Conclusions: We show that the circumstellar H12CN/H13CN ratio traces the photospheric 12C/13C ratio. Hence, contrary to the 12CO/13CO ratio, the H12CN/H13CN ratio is not affected by UV

Azimuthal asymmetries in the debris disk around HD 61005. A massive collision of planetesimals?

Science.gov (United States)

Olofsson, J.; Samland, M.; Avenhaus, H.; Caceres, C.; Henning, Th.; Moór, A.; Milli, J.; Canovas, H.; Quanz, S. P.; Schreiber, M. R.; Augereau, J.-C.; Bayo, A.; Bazzon, A.; Beuzit, J.-L.; Boccaletti, A.; Buenzli, E.; Casassus, S.; Chauvin, G.; Dominik, C.; Desidera, S.; Feldt, M.; Gratton, R.; Janson, M.; Lagrange, A.-M.; Langlois, M.; Lannier, J.; Maire, A.-L.; Mesa, D.; Pinte, C.; Rouan, D.; Salter, G.; Thalmann, C.; Vigan, A.

2016-06-01

Context. Debris disks offer valuable insights into the latest stages of circumstellar disk evolution, and can possibly help us to trace the outcomes of planetary formation processes. In the age range 10 to 100 Myr, most of the gas is expected to have been removed from the system, giant planets (if any) must have already been formed, and the formation of terrestrial planets may be on-going. Pluto-sized planetesimals, and their debris released in a collisional cascade, are under their mutual gravitational influence, which may result into non-axisymmetric structures in the debris disk. Aims: High angular resolution observations are required to investigate these effects and constrain the dynamical evolution of debris disks. Furthermore, multi-wavelength observations can provide information about the dust dynamics by probing different grain sizes. Methods: Here we present new VLT/SPHERE and ALMA observations of the debris disk around the 40 Myr-old solar-type star HD 61005. We resolve the disk at unprecedented resolution both in the near-infrared (in scattered and polarized light) and at millimeter wavelengths. We perform a detailed modeling of these observations, including the spectral energy distribution. Results: Thanks to the new observations, we propose a solution for both the radial and azimuthal distribution of the dust grains in the debris disk. We find that the disk has a moderate eccentricity (e ~ 0.1) and that the dust density is two times larger at the pericenter compared to the apocenter. Conclusions: With no giant planets detected in our observations, we investigate alternative explanations besides planet-disk interactions to interpret the inferred disk morphology. We postulate that the morphology of the disk could be the consequence of a massive collision between ~1000 km-sized bodies at ~61 au. If this interpretation holds, it would put stringent constraints on the formation of massive planetesimals at large distances from the star. Based on observations

Accretion outbursts in self-gravitating protoplanetary disks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bae, Jaehan; Hartmann, Lee [Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, 500 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48105 (United States); Zhu, Zhaohuan [Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, 4 Ivy Lane, Peyton Hall, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); Nelson, Richard P., E-mail: jaehbae@umich.edu, E-mail: lhartm@umich.edu, E-mail: zhuzh@astro.princeton.edu, E-mail: r.p.nelson@qmul.ac.uk [Astronomy Unit, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS (United Kingdom)

2014-11-01

We improve on our previous treatments of the long-term evolution of protostellar disks by explicitly solving disk self-gravity in two dimensions. The current model is an extension of the one-dimensional layered accretion disk model of Bae et al. We find that gravitational instability (GI)-induced spiral density waves heat disks via compressional heating (i.e., PdV work), and can trigger accretion outbursts by activating the magnetorotational instability (MRI) in the magnetically inert disk dead zone. The GI-induced spiral waves propagate well inside of the gravitationally unstable region before they trigger outbursts at R ≲ 1 AU where GI cannot be sustained. This long-range propagation of waves cannot be reproduced with the previously used local α treatments for GI. In our standard model where zero dead-zone residual viscosity (α{sub rd}) is assumed, the GI-induced stress measured at the onset of outbursts is locally as large as 0.01 in terms of the generic α parameter. However, as suggested in our previous one-dimensional calculations, we confirm that the presence of a small but finite α{sub rd} triggers thermally driven bursts of accretion instead of the GI + MRI-driven outbursts that are observed when α{sub rd} = 0. The inclusion of non-zero residual viscosity in the dead zone decreases the importance of GI soon after mass feeding from the envelope cloud ceases. During the infall phase while the central protostar is still embedded, our models stay in a 'quiescent' accretion phase with M-dot {sub acc}∼10{sup −8}--10{sup −7} M{sub ⊙} yr{sup −1} over 60% of the time and spend less than 15% of the infall phase in accretion outbursts. While our models indicate that episodic mass accretion during protostellar evolution can qualitatively help explain the low accretion luminosities seen in most low-mass protostars, detailed tests of the mechanism will require model calculations for a range of protostellar masses with some constraint on the

Accretion outbursts in self-gravitating protoplanetary disks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bae, Jaehan; Hartmann, Lee; Zhu, Zhaohuan; Nelson, Richard P.

2014-01-01

We improve on our previous treatments of the long-term evolution of protostellar disks by explicitly solving disk self-gravity in two dimensions. The current model is an extension of the one-dimensional layered accretion disk model of Bae et al. We find that gravitational instability (GI)-induced spiral density waves heat disks via compressional heating (i.e., PdV work), and can trigger accretion outbursts by activating the magnetorotational instability (MRI) in the magnetically inert disk dead zone. The GI-induced spiral waves propagate well inside of the gravitationally unstable region before they trigger outbursts at R ≲ 1 AU where GI cannot be sustained. This long-range propagation of waves cannot be reproduced with the previously used local α treatments for GI. In our standard model where zero dead-zone residual viscosity (α rd ) is assumed, the GI-induced stress measured at the onset of outbursts is locally as large as 0.01 in terms of the generic α parameter. However, as suggested in our previous one-dimensional calculations, we confirm that the presence of a small but finite α rd triggers thermally driven bursts of accretion instead of the GI + MRI-driven outbursts that are observed when α rd = 0. The inclusion of non-zero residual viscosity in the dead zone decreases the importance of GI soon after mass feeding from the envelope cloud ceases. During the infall phase while the central protostar is still embedded, our models stay in a 'quiescent' accretion phase with M-dot acc ∼10 −8 --10 −7 M ⊙ yr −1 over 60% of the time and spend less than 15% of the infall phase in accretion outbursts. While our models indicate that episodic mass accretion during protostellar evolution can qualitatively help explain the low accretion luminosities seen in most low-mass protostars, detailed tests of the mechanism will require model calculations for a range of protostellar masses with some constraint on the initial core angular momentum, which

Circumstellar X-ray Emission from SN1978K

Science.gov (United States)

Schlegel, Eric M.; Colbert, E.; Petre, R.

1995-02-01

We present the X-ray light curve in the 0.2 2.4 keV band based on fiveROSAT observations of SN1978K in NGC 1313. The X-ray emission is believed to arise from the interaction of the reverse shock and the expanding debris from the supernova. The reverse shock becomes established after the outgoing shock runs into circumstellar matter.

Comparative Spectra of Oxygen-Rich Versus Carbon-Rich Circumstellar Shells: VY Canis Majoris and IRC(plus)10216 at 215-285 GHz

Science.gov (United States)

Tenebaum, E. D.; Dodd, J. L.; Milam, S. N.; Woolf, N. J.; Ziurys, L. M.

2010-01-01

A sensitive (1sigma rms at 1 MHz resolution approx.3 mK) 1 mm spectral line survey (214.5-285.5 GHz) of VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa) and IRC +10216 has been conducted to compare the chemistries of oxygen- and carbon-rich circumstellar envelopes. This study was carried out using the Submillimeter Telescope of the Arizona Radio Observatory with a new Atacama Large Millimeter Array type receiver. This survey is the first to chemically characterize an O-rich circumstellar shell at millimeter wavelengths. In VY CMa, 128 emission features were detected arising from 18 different molecules; and in IRC +10216, 720 lines were observed, assigned to 32 different species. The 1 mm spectrum of VY CMa is dominated by SO, and SiS; in IRC +10216, C4H and SiC2 are the most recurrent species. Ten molecules were common to both sources: CO, SiS, SiO, CS, CN, HCN, HNC, NaCl, PN, and HCO(+). Sulfur plays an important role in VY CMa, but saturated/ unsaturated carbon dominates the molecular content of IRC +102.16, producing CH2NH, for example. Although the molecular complexity of IRC +10216 is greater, VY CMa supports a unique "inorganic" chemistry leading to the oxides PO, AlO, and AlOH. Only diatomic and triatomic compounds were observed in VY CMa, while species with four or more atoms are common in IRC +10216, reflecting carbon's ability to form multiple strong bonds, unlike oxygen. In VY CMa, a new water maser (v2 = 2) has been found, as well as vibrationally excited NaCl. Toward IRC +10216, vibrationally excited CCH was detected for the first time.

IRC +10 216 in 3D: morphology of a TP-AGB star envelope

Science.gov (United States)

Guélin, M.; Patel, N. A.; Bremer, M.; Cernicharo, J.; Castro-Carrizo, A.; Pety, J.; Fonfría, J. P.; Agúndez, M.; Santander-García, M.; Quintana-Lacaci, G.; Velilla Prieto, L.; Blundell, R.; Thaddeus, P.

2018-02-01

During their late pulsating phase, AGB stars expel most of their mass in the form of massive dusty envelopes, an event that largely controls the composition of interstellar matter. The envelopes, however, are distant and opaque to visible and NIR radiation: their structure remains poorly known and the mass-loss process poorly understood. Millimeter-wave interferometry, which combines the advantages of longer wavelength, high angular resolution and very high spectral resolution is the optimal investigative tool for this purpose. Mm waves pass through dust with almost no attenuation. Their spectrum is rich in molecular lines and hosts the fundamental lines of the ubiquitous CO molecule, allowing a tomographic reconstruction of the envelope structure. The circumstellar envelope IRC +10 216 and its central star, the C-rich TP-AGB star closest to the Sun, are the best objects for such an investigation. Two years ago, we reported the first detailed study of the CO(2-1) line emission in that envelope, made with the IRAM 30-m telescope. It revealed a series of dense gas shells, expanding at a uniform radial velocity. The limited resolution of the telescope (HPBW 11″) did not allow us to resolve the shell structure. We now report much higher angular resolution observations of CO(2-1), CO(1-0), CN(2-1) and C4H(24-23) made with the SMA, PdB and ALMA interferometers (with synthesized half-power beamwidths of 3″, 1″ and 0.3″, respectively). Although the envelope appears much more intricate at high resolution than with an 11″ beam, its prevailing structure remains a pattern of thin, nearly concentric shells. The average separation between the brightest CO shells is 16″ in the outer envelope, where it appears remarkably constant. Closer to the star (system with a period of 700 yr and a near face-on elliptical orbit. The companion fly-by triggers enhanced episodes of mass loss near periastron. The densification of the shell pattern observed in the central part of the

Upper limits to the detection of ammonia from protoplanetary disks around HL Tauri and L1551-IRS 5

Science.gov (United States)

Gomez, Jose F.; Torrelles, Jose M.; Ho, Paul T. P.; Rodriguez, Luis F.; Canto, Jorge

1993-01-01

We present NH3(1, 1) and (2, 2) observations of the young stellar sources HL Tau and L1551-IRS 5 using the VLA in its B-configuration, which provides an angular resolution of about 0.4 arcsec (about 50 AU at 140 pc) at 1.3 cm wavelength. Our goal was to detect and resolve circumstellar molecular disks with radius of the order of 100 AU around these two sources. No ammonia emission was detected toward either of them. The 3-sigma levels were 2.7 mJy/beam and 3.9 mJy/beam for HL Tau and L1551-IRS 5, respectively, with a velocity resolution of about 5 km/s. With this nondetection, we estimate upper limits to the mass of the proposed protoplanetary molecular disks (within a radius of 10 AU from the central stars) on the order of 0.02/(X(NH3)/10 exp -8) solar mass for HL Tau and 0.1/(X(NH3)/10 exp -8) solar mass for L1551-IRS 5.

CONSTRAINTS ON THE LIFETIMES OF DISKS RESULTING FROM TIDALLY DESTROYED ROCKY PLANETARY BODIES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Girven, J.; Gänsicke, B. T.; Marsh, T. R.; Brinkworth, C. S.; Hoard, D. W.; Farihi, J.; Koester, D.

2012-01-01

Spitzer IRAC observations of 15 metal-polluted white dwarfs reveal infrared excesses in the spectral energy distributions of HE 0110–5630, GD 61, and HE 1349–2305. All three of these stars have helium-dominated atmospheres, and their infrared emissions are consistent with warm dust produced by the tidal destruction of (minor) planetary bodies. This study brings the number of metal-polluted, helium and hydrogen atmosphere white dwarfs surveyed with IRAC to 53 and 38, respectively. It also nearly doubles the number of metal-polluted helium-rich white dwarfs found to have closely orbiting dust by Spitzer. From the increased statistics for both atmospheric types with circumstellar dust, we derive a typical disk lifetime of log [t disk (yr)] = 5.6 ± 1.1 (ranging from 3 × 10 4 to 5 × 10 6 yr). This assumes a relatively constant rate of accretion over the timescale where dust persists, which is uncertain. We find that the fraction of highly metal-polluted helium-rich white dwarfs that have an infrared excess detected by Spitzer is only 23%, compared to 48% for metal-polluted hydrogen-rich white dwarfs, and we conclude from this difference that the typical lifetime of dusty disks is somewhat shorter than the diffusion timescales of helium-rich white dwarf. We also find evidence for higher time-averaged accretion rates onto helium-rich stars compared to the instantaneous accretion rates onto hydrogen-rich stars; this is an indication that our picture of evolved star-planetary system interactions is incomplete. We discuss some speculative scenarios that can explain the observations.

XMM-NEWTON MONITORING OF THE CLOSE PRE-MAIN-SEQUENCE BINARY AK SCO. EVIDENCE OF TIDE-DRIVEN FILLING OF THE INNER GAP IN THE CIRCUMBINARY DISK

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gomez de Castro, Ana Ines [S. D. Astronomia y Geodesia and Instituto de Matematica Interdisciplinar, Fac. de CC Matematicas, Universidad Complutense, E-28040 Madrid (Spain); Lopez-Santiago, Javier [Departamento de Astrofisica, Fac de CC Fisicas, Universidad Complutense, E-28040 Madrid (Spain); Talavera, Antonio [European Space Astronomy Center, Villanueva de la Canada, E-28691, Madrid (Spain); Sytov, A. Yu.; Bisikalo, D. [Institute of Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Pyatnitskaya St. 48, 109017 Moscow (Russian Federation)

2013-03-20

AK Sco stands out among pre-main-sequence binaries because of its prominent ultraviolet excess, the high eccentricity of its orbit, and the strong tides driven by it. AK Sco consists of two F5-type stars that get as close as 11 R{sub *} at periastron passage. The presence of a dense (n{sub e} {approx} 10{sup 11} cm{sup -3}) extended envelope has been unveiled recently. In this article, we report the results from an XMM-Newton-based monitoring of the system. We show that at periastron, X-ray and UV fluxes are enhanced by a factor of {approx}3 with respect to the apastron values. The X-ray radiation is produced in an optically thin plasma with T {approx} 6.4 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 6} K and it is found that the N{sub H} column density rises from 0.35 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 21} cm{sup -2} at periastron to 1.11 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 21} cm{sup -2} at apastron, in good agreement with previous polarimetric observations. The UV emission detected in the Optical Monitor band seems to be caused by the reprocessing of the high-energy magnetospheric radiation on the circumstellar material. Further evidence of the strong magnetospheric disturbances is provided by the detection of line broadening of 278.7 km s{sup -1} in the N V line with Hubble Space Telescope/Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph. Numerical simulations of the mass flow from the circumbinary disk to the components have been carried out. They provide a consistent scenario with which to interpret AK Sco observations. We show that the eccentric orbit acts like a gravitational piston. At apastron, matter is dragged efficiently from the inner disk border, filling the inner gap and producing accretion streams that end as ring-like structures around each component of the system. At periastron, the ring-like structures come into contact, leading to angular momentum loss, and thus producing an accretion outburst.

HIGH-RESOLUTION OBSERVATIONS OF DUST CONTINUUM EMISSION AT 340 GHz FROM THE LOW-MASS T TAURI STAR FN TAURI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Momose, Munetake; Ohashi, Nagayoshi; Kudo, Tomoyuki; Tamura, Motohide; Kitamura, Yoshimi

2010-01-01

FN Tau is a rare example of a very low-mass T Tauri star that exhibits a spatially resolved nebulosity in near-infrared scattering light. To directly derive the parameters of a circumstellar disk around FN Tau, observations of dust continuum emission at 340 GHz are carried out with the Submillimeter Array (SMA). A point-like dust continuum emission was detected with a synthesized beam of ∼0.''7 in FWHM. From the analysis of the visibility plot, the radius of the emission is estimated to be ≤0.''29, corresponding to 41 AU. This is much smaller than the radius of the nebulosity, 1.''85 for its brighter part at 1.6 μm. The 340 GHz continuum emission observed with the SMA and the photometric data at λ ≤ 70 μm are explained by a power-law disk model whose outer radius and mass are 41 AU and (0.24-5.9) x 10 -3 M sun , respectively, if the exponent of dust mass opacity (β) is assumed to be 0-2. The disk model cannot fully reproduce the flux density at 230 GHz obtained with the IRAM 30 m telescope, suggesting that there is another extended 'halo' component that is missed in the SMA observations. By requiring the halo not to be detected with the SMA, the lower limit to the size of the halo is evaluated to be between 174 AU and 574 AU, depending on the assumed β value. This size is comparable to the near-infrared nebulosity, implying that the halo unseen with the SMA corresponds to the origin of the near-infrared nebulosity. The halo can contain mass comparable to or at most 8 times greater than that of the inner power-law disk, but its surface density should be lower than that at the outer edge of the power-law disk by more than 1 order of magnitude. The physical nature of the halo is unclear, but it may be the periphery of a flared circumstellar disk that is not described well in terms of a power-law disk model, or a remnant of a protostellar envelope having flattened structure.

Carrier-envelope offset frequency stabilization of an ultrafast semiconductor laser

Science.gov (United States)

Jornod, Nayara; Gürel, Kutan; Wittwer, Valentin J.; Brochard, Pierre; Hakobyan, Sargis; Schilt, Stéphane; Waldburger, Dominik; Keller, Ursula; Südmeyer, Thomas

2018-02-01

We present the self-referenced stabilization of the carrier-envelope offset (CEO) frequency of a semiconductor disk laser. The laser is a SESAM-modelocked VECSEL emitting at a wavelength of 1034 nm with a repetition frequency of 1.8 GHz. The 270-fs pulses are amplified to 3 W and compressed to 120 fs for the generation of a coherent octavespanning supercontinuum spectrum. A quasi-common-path f-to-2f interferometer enables the detection of the CEO beat with a signal-to-noise ratio of 30 dB sufficient for its frequency stabilization. The CEO frequency is phase-locked to an external reference with a feedback signal applied to the pump current.

Detailed Structure of the Outer Disk Around HD 169142 with Polarized Light in H-band

Science.gov (United States)

Momose, Munetake; Morita, Ayaka; Fukagawa, Misato; Muto, Takayuki; Takeuchi, Taku; Hashimoto, Jun; Honda, Mitsuhiko; Kudo, Tomoyuki; Okamoto, Yoshiko K.; Kanagawa, Kazuhiro D.;

HOT HIGH-MASS ACCRETION DISK CANDIDATES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beuther, H.; Walsh, A. J.; Longmore, S. N.

2009-01-01

To better understand the physical properties of accretion disks in high-mass star formation, we present a study of a dozen high-mass accretion disk candidates observed at high spatial resolution with the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) in the high-excitation (4,4) and (5,5) lines of NH 3 . All of our originally selected sources were detected in both NH 3 transitions, directly associated with CH 3 OH Class II maser emission and implying that high-excitation NH 3 lines are good tracers of the dense gas components in hot-core-type targets. Only the one source that did not satisfy the initial selection criteria remained undetected. From the 11 mapped sources, six show clear signatures of rotation and/or infall motions. These signatures vary from velocity gradients perpendicular to the outflows, to infall signatures in absorption against ultracompact H II regions, to more spherical infall signatures in emission. Although our spatial resolution is ∼1000 AU, we do not find clear Keplerian signatures in any of the sources. Furthermore, we also do not find flattened structures. In contrast to this, in several of the sources with rotational signatures, the spatial structure is approximately spherical with sizes exceeding 10 4 AU, showing considerable clumpy sub-structure at even smaller scales. This implies that on average typical Keplerian accretion disks-if they exist as expected-should be confined to regions usually smaller than 1000 AU. It is likely that these disks are fed by the larger-scale rotating envelope structure we observe here. Furthermore, we do detect 1.25 cm continuum emission in most fields of view. While in some cases weak cm continuum emission is associated with our targets, more typically larger-scale H II regions are seen offset more than 10'' from our sources. While these H II regions are unlikely to be directly related to the target regions, this spatial association nevertheless additionally stresses that high-mass star formation rarely

The Pleiades Using Astronomical Spectroscopic Technique within the Range of H-α Region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zambri Zainuddin, Mohd; Muhyidin, Meer Ashwinkumar; Ahmad, Nazhatulshima; Mohd Saadon, Mohd Hafiz

2011-01-01

The Pleiades is an open star cluster located in the constellation of Taurus, which mainly consists of hot and luminous B-type stars. Observations were conducted over five-day period in December 2009 at Langkawi National Observatory, Malaysia by using 20-inch telescope diameter of Ritchey-Chretien reflector telescope, together with SBIG Self Guided Spectrograph and SBIG ST-7 CCD camera. The spectra of seven main members of the cluster, namely Alcyone; Atlas; Celaeno; Electra; Maia; Merope and Taygeta; and of Alcyone B; a smaller component of Alcyone quadruple system, were obtained in the optical range of approximately 6300 A to 7100 A. This range was picked due to the vicinity of Balmer H-α spectral line at 6562.852 A. Alcyone, Electra and Merope were found to have H-α emissions possibly caused by the presence of equatorial circumstellar disks or envelopes made up of ejected matter. Electra and Merope in particular exhibited peculiar asymmetric double emission peaks, which could be evidence of one-armed density wave in each of their circumstellar disks. Atlas, Celaeno, Merope, Taygeta and Alcyone B showed strong H-α absorptions with broadening characteristic of high rotational velocities. As deduced from the spectra, the stars were found to have atmospheres with similar chemical content, with spectral lines characteristics of singly ionized silicon, singly ionized iron and singly ionized oxygen. The measured radial velocities of all eight stars also suggest that the cluster could someday disperse.

Radio transients from newborn black holes

Science.gov (United States)

Kashiyama, Kazumi; Hotokezaka, Kenta; Murase, Kohta

2018-05-01

We consider radio emission from a newborn black hole (BH), which is accompanied by a mini-disk with a mass of ≲ M⊙. Such a disk can be formed from an outer edge of the progenitor's envelope, especially for metal-poor massive stars and/or massive stars in close binaries. The disk accretion rate is typically super-Eddington and an ultrafast outflow with a velocity of ˜0.1-0.3 c will be launched into the circumstellar medium. The outflow forms a collisionless shock, and electrons are accelerated and emit synchrotron emission in radio bands with a flux of ˜ 10^{26-30} erg s^{-1} Hz^{-1} days to decades after the BH formation. The model predicts not only a fast UV/optical transient but also quasi-simultaneous inverse-Compton X-ray emission ˜ a few days after the BH formation, and the discovery of the radio counterpart with coordinated searches will enable us to identify this type of transients. The occurrence rate can be 0.1 - 10 % of the core-collapse supernova rate, which makes them a promising target of dedicated radio observations such as the Jansky VLA Sky Survey.

THE LONG-TERM DYNAMICAL EVOLUTION OF DISK-FRAGMENTED MULTIPLE SYSTEMS IN THE SOLAR NEIGHBORHOOD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Yun [Department of Astronomy, School of Physics, Peking University, Yiheyuan Lu 5, Haidian Qu, Beijing 100871 (China); Kouwenhoven, M. B. N. [Department of Mathematical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, 111 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou Dushu Lake Science and Education Innovation District, Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou 215123 (China); Stamatellos, D. [Jeremiah Horrocks Institute for Mathematics, Physics and Astronomy, University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE (United Kingdom); Goodwin, Simon P., E-mail: t.kouwenhoven@xjtlu.edu.cn [Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Sheffield, Hicks Building, Hounsfield Road, Sheffield S3 7RH (United Kingdom)

2016-11-10

The origin of very low-mass hydrogen-burning stars, brown dwarfs (BDs), and planetary-mass objects (PMOs) at the low-mass end of the initial mass function is not yet fully understood. Gravitational fragmentation of circumstellar disks provides a possible mechanism for the formation of such low-mass objects. The kinematic and binary properties of very low-mass objects formed through disk fragmentation at early times (<10 Myr) were discussed in our previous paper. In this paper we extend the analysis by following the long-term evolution of disk-fragmented systems up to an age of 10 Gyr, covering the ages of the stellar and substellar populations in the Galactic field. We find that the systems continue to decay, although the rates at which companions escape or collide with each other are substantially lower than during the first 10 Myr, and that dynamical evolution is limited beyond 1 Gyr. By t = 10 Gyr, about one third of the host stars are single, and more than half have only one companion left. Most of the other systems have two companions left that orbit their host star in widely separated orbits. A small fraction of companions have formed binaries that orbit the host star in a hierarchical triple configuration. The majority of such double-companion systems have internal orbits that are retrograde with respect to their orbits around their host stars. Our simulations allow a comparison between the predicted outcomes of disk fragmentation with the observed low-mass hydrogen-burning stars, BDs, and PMOs in the solar neighborhood. Imaging and radial velocity surveys for faint binary companions among nearby stars are necessary for verification or rejection of the formation mechanism proposed in this paper.

Transitional Disks Associated with Intermediate-Mass Stars: Results of the SEEDS YSO Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Grady, C.; Fukagawa, M.; Maruta, Y.; Ohta, Y.; Wisniewski, J.; Hashimoto, J.; Okamoto, Y.; Momose, M.; Currie, T.; McElwain, M.;

Enveloping Aerodynamic Decelerator

Science.gov (United States)

Nock, Kerry T. (Inventor); Aaron, Kim M. (Inventor); McRonald, Angus D. (Inventor); Gates, Kristin L. (Inventor)

2018-01-01

An inflatable aerodynamic deceleration method and system is provided for use with an atmospheric entry payload. The inflatable aerodynamic decelerator includes an inflatable envelope and an inflatant, wherein the inflatant is configured to fill the inflatable envelope to an inflated state such that the inflatable envelope surrounds the atmospheric entry payload, causing aerodynamic forces to decelerate the atmospheric entry payload.

THE IONIZED CIRCUMSTELLAR ENVELOPES OF ORION SOURCE I AND THE BECKLIN-NEUGEBAUER OBJECT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Plambeck, R. L.; Wright, M. C. H. [Radio Astronomy Lab, Hearst Field Annex, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Bolatto, A. D.; Pound, M. W.; Teuben, P. J. [Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 (United States); Carpenter, J. M.; Perez, L. M. [Department of Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Eisner, J. A.; Marrone, D. P. [Department of Astronomy, University of Arizona, 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Lamb, J. W.; Leitch, E. M.; Muchovej, S. J.; Volgenau, N. H.; Woody, D. P. [Owens Valley Radio Observatory, California Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 968, Big Pine, CA 93513 (United States); Zauderer, B. A. [Department of Astronomy, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)

2013-03-01

The 229 GHz ({lambda}1.3 mm) radio emission from Orion-KL was mapped with up to 0.''14 angular resolution with CARMA, allowing measurements of the flux densities of Source I ({sup S}rcI{sup )} and the Becklin-Neugebauer Object (BN), the two most massive stars in this region. We find integrated flux densities of 310 {+-} 45 mJy for SrcI and 240 {+-} 35 mJy for BN. SrcI is optically thick even at 229 GHz. No trace of the H30{alpha} recombination line is seen in its spectrum, although the v {sub 2} = 1, 5(5,0)-6(4,3) transition of H{sub 2}O, 3450 K above the ground state, is prominent. SrcI is elongated at position angle 140 Degree-Sign , as in 43 GHz images. These results are most easily reconciled with models in which the radio emission from SrcI arises via the H{sup -} free-free opacity in a T < 4500 K disk, as considered by Reid et al. By contrast, the radio spectrum of BN is consistent with p {sup +}/e {sup -} free-free emission from a dense (n{sub e} {approx} 5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 7} cm{sup -3}), but otherwise conventional, hypercompact H II region. The source is becoming optically thin at 229 GHz, and the H30{alpha} recombination line, at V {sub LSR} = 23.2 {+-} 0.5 km s{sup -1}, is prominent in its spectrum. A Lyman continuum flux of 5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 45} photons s{sup -1}, consistent with that expected from a B star, is required to maintain the ionization. Supplementary 90 GHz observations were made to measure the H41{alpha} and H42{alpha} recombination lines toward BN. Published 43 and 86 GHz data suggest that SrcI brightened with respect to BN over the 15 year period from 1994 to 2009.

Tidal Distortion of the Envelope of an AGB Star IRS 3 near Sgr A{sup *}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yusef-Zadeh, F.; Royster, M. J.; Roberts, D. A. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208 (United States); Wardle, M. [Department of Physics and Astronomy and Research Center for Astronomy, Astrophysics and Astrophotonics, Macquarie University, Sydney NSW 2109 (Australia); Cotton, W.; Kunneriath, D. [National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Charlottesville, VA 22903 (United States); Schödel, R. [Instituto de Astfisica de Andalucia (CSIC), Glorieta de la Astronomia S/N, E-18008 Granada (Spain)

2017-03-01

We present radio and millimeter continuum observations of the Galactic center taken with the Very Large Array (VLA) and ALMA at 44 and 226 GHz, respectively. We detect radio and millimeter emission from IRS 3, lying ∼4.″5 NW of Sgr A*, with a spectrum that is consistent with the photospheric emission from an AGB star at the Galactic center. Millimeter images reveal that the envelope of IRS 3, the brightest and most extended 3.8 μ m Galactic center stellar source, consists of two semicircular dust shells facing the direction of Sgr A*. The outer circumstellar shell, at a distance of 1.6 × 10{sup 4} au, appears to break up into “fingers” of dust directed toward Sgr A*. These features coincide with molecular CS (5–4) emission and a near-IR extinction cloud distributed between IRS 3 and Sgr A*. The NE–SW asymmetric shapes of the IRS 3 shells seen at 3.8 μ m and radio are interpreted as structures that are tidally distorted by Sgr A*. Using the kinematics of CS emission and the proper motion of IRS 3, the tidally distorted outflowing material from the envelope after 5000 yr constrains the distance of IRS 3 to ∼0.7 pc in front of or ∼0.5 pc behind Sgr A*. This suggests that the mass loss by stars near Sgr A* can supply a reservoir of molecular material near Sgr A*. We also present dark features in radio continuum images coincident with the envelope of IRS 3. These dusty stars provide examples in which high-resolution radio continuum images can identify dust-enshrouded stellar sources embedded in an ionized medium.

The interaction of Type Ia supernovae with their circumstellar medium

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chiotellis, A.

2013-01-01

This thesis is focused on the study of a specific class of supernovae, named Type Ia (or thermonuclear) supernovae. In particular, we attempt to gain information about their origin through the study of the interaction of these supernovae with circumstellar structures that have been shaped by their

Magnetically aligned dust and SiO maser polarisation in the envelope of the red supergiant VY Canis Majoris

Science.gov (United States)

Vlemmings, W. H. T.; Khouri, T.; Martí-Vidal, I.; Tafoya, D.; Baudry, A.; Etoka, S.; Humphreys, E. M. L.; Jones, T. J.; Kemball, A.; O'Gorman, E.; Pérez-Sánchez, A. F.; Richards, A. M. S.

2017-07-01

Aims: Polarisation observations of circumstellar dust and molecular (thermal and maser) lines provide unique information about dust properties and magnetic fields in circumstellar envelopes of evolved stars. Methods: We use Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) Band 5 science verification observations of the red supergiant VY CMa to study the polarisation of SiO thermal/maser lines and dust continuum at 1.7 mm wavelength. We analyse both linear and circular polarisation and derive the magnetic field strength and structure, assuming the polarisation of the lines originates from the Zeeman effect, and that of the dust originates from aligned dust grains. We also discuss other effects that could give rise to the observed polarisation. Results: We detect, for the first time, significant polarisation ( 3%) of the circumstellar dust emission at millimeter wavelengths. The polarisation is uniform with an electric vector position angle of 8°. Varying levels of linear polarisation are detected for the J = 4 - 328SiO v = 0, 1, 2, and 29SiO v = 0, 1 lines, with the strongest polarisation fraction of 30% found for the 29SiO v = 1 maser. The linear polarisation vectors rotate with velocity, consistent with earlier observations. We also find significant (up to 1%) circular polarisation in several lines, consistent with previous measurements. We conclude that the detection is robust against calibration and regular instrumental errors, although we cannot yet fully rule out non-standard instrumental effects. Conclusions: Emission from magnetically aligned grains is the most likely origin of the observed continuum polarisation. This implies that the dust is embedded in a magnetic field >13 mG. The maser line polarisation traces the magnetic field structure. The magnetic field in the gas and dust is consistent with an approximately toroidal field configuration, but only higher angular resolution observations will be able to reveal more detailed field structure. If the

(Quasi-)Poisson enveloping algebras

OpenAIRE

Yang, Yan-Hong; Yao, Yuan; Ye, Yu

2010-01-01

We introduce the quasi-Poisson enveloping algebra and Poisson enveloping algebra for a non-commutative Poisson algebra. We prove that for a non-commutative Poisson algebra, the category of quasi-Poisson modules is equivalent to the category of left modules over its quasi-Poisson enveloping algebra, and the category of Poisson modules is equivalent to the category of left modules over its Poisson enveloping algebra.

The structure of protostellar dense cores: a millimeter continuum study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Motte, Frederique

1998-01-01

A comprehensive theoretical scenario explains low-mass star formation and describes the gravitational collapse of an isolated 'ideal' dense core. The major aim of this thesis is to check the standard model predictions on the structure of protostellar dense cores (or envelopes). The earliest stages of star formation remain poorly known because the protostars are still deeply embedded in massive, opaque circumstellar cocoons. On the one hand, sensitive bolometer arrays very recently allow us to measure the millimeter continuum emission arising from dense cores. Such observations are a powerful tool to constrain the density structure of proto-stellar dense cores (on large length scale). In particular, we studied the structure of isolated proto-stellar envelopes in Taurus and protostars in the ρ Ophiuchi cluster. In order to accurately derive their envelope density power law, we simulated the observation of several envelope models. Then we show that most of the Taurus protostars present a density structure consistent with the standard model predictions. In contrast, dense cores in ρ Ophiuchi main cloud are highly fragmented and protostellar envelope have finite size. Moreover fragmentation appears to be essential in determining the final stellar mass of ρ Oph forming stars. In clusters, fragmentation may thus be at the origin of the stellar initial mass function (IMF). On the other hand, our interferometric millimeter continuum observations are tracing (with higher angular resolution) the inner part of protostellar envelopes. Our study show that disks during protostellar stages are not yet massive and thus do not perturb the analysis of envelope density structure. (author) [fr

Strong late-time circumstellar interaction in the peculiar supernova iPTF14hls

Science.gov (United States)

Andrews, Jennifer E.; Smith, Nathan

2018-06-01

We present a moderate-resolution spectrum of the peculiar Type II supernova (SN) iPTF14hls taken on day 1153 after discovery. This spectrum reveals the clear signature of shock interaction with dense circumstellar material (CSM). We suggest that this CSM interaction may be an important clue for understanding the extremely unusual photometric and spectroscopic evolution seen over the first 600 d of iPTF14hls. The late-time spectrum shows a double-peaked intermediate-width H α line indicative of expansion speeds around 1000 km s-1, with the double-peaked shape hinting at a disc-like geometry in the CSM. If the CSM were highly asymmetric, perhaps in a disc or torus that was ejected from the star 3-6 yr prior to explosion, the CSM interaction could have been overrun and hidden below the SN ejecta photosphere from a wide range of viewing angles. In that case, CSM interaction luminosity would have been thermalized well below the photosphere, potentially sustaining the high luminosity without exhibiting the traditional observational signatures of strong CSM interaction (narrow H α emission and X-rays). Variations in density structure of the CSM could account for the multiple rebrightenings of the light curve. We propose that a canonical 1 × 1051 erg explosion energy with enveloped CSM interaction as seen in some recent SNe, rather than an entirely new explosion mechanism, may be adequate to explain the peculiar evolution of iPTF14hls.

Increased H2CO production in the outer disk around HD 163296

Science.gov (United States)

Carney, M. T.; Hogerheijde, M. R.; Loomis, R. A.; Salinas, V. N.; Öberg, K. I.; Qi, C.; Wilner, D. J.

2017-09-01

Context. The gas and dust in circumstellar disks provide the raw materials to form planets. The study of organic molecules and their building blocks in such disks offers insight into the origin of the prebiotic environment of terrestrial planets. Aims: We aim to determine the distribution of formaldehyde, H2CO, in the disk around HD 163296 to assess the contribution of gas- and solid-phase formation routes of this simple organic. Methods: Three formaldehyde lines were observed (H2CO 303-202, H2CO 322-221, and H2CO 321-220) in the protoplanetary disk around the Herbig Ae star HD 163296 with ALMA at 0.5″ (60 AU) spatial resolution. Different parameterizations of the H2CO abundance were compared to the observed visibilities, using either a characteristic temperature, a characteristic radius or a radial power law index to describe the H2CO chemistry. Similar models were applied to ALMA Science Verification data of C18O. In each scenario, χ2 minimization on the visibilities was used to determine the best-fit model in each scenario. Results: H2CO 303-202 was readily detected via imaging, while the weaker H2CO 322-221 and H2CO 321-220 lines required matched filter analysis to detect. H2CO is present throughout most of the gaseous disk, extending out to 550 AU. An apparent 50 AU inner radius of the H2CO emission is likely caused by an optically thick dust continuum. The H2CO radial intensity profile shows a peak at 100 AU and a secondary bump at 300 AU, suggesting increased production in the outer disk. In all modeling scenarios, fits to the H2CO data show an increased abundance in the outer disk. The overall best-fit H2CO model shows a factor of two enhancement beyond a radius of 270 ± 20 AU, with an inner abundance (relative to H2) of 2 - 5 × 10-12. The H2CO emitting region has a lower limit on the kinetic temperature of T> 20 K. The C18O modeling suggests an order of magnitude depletion of C18O in the outer disk and an abundance of 4 - 12 × 10-8 in the inner disk

Optical spectroscopy of the Be/X-ray binary V850 Centauri/GX 304-1 during faint X-ray periodical activity

Science.gov (United States)

Malacaria, C.; Kollatschny, W.; Whelan, E.; Santangelo, A.; Klochkov, D.; McBride, V.; Ducci, L.

2017-07-01

Context. Be/X-ray binaries (BeXRBs) are the most populous class of high-mass X-ray binaries. Their X-ray duty cycle is tightly related to the optical companion wind activity, which in turn can be studied through dedicated optical spectroscopic observations. Aims: We study optical spectral features of the Be circumstellar disk to test their long-term variability and their relation with the X-ray activity. Special attention has been given to the Hα emission line, one of the best tracers of the disk conditions. Methods: We obtained optical broadband medium resolution spectra from a dedicated campaign with the Anglo-Australian Telescope and the Southern African Large Telescope in 2014-2015. Data span over one entire binary orbit, and cover both X-ray quiescent and moderately active periods. We used Balmer emission lines to follow the evolution of the circumstellar disk. Results: We observe prominent spectral features, like double-peaked Hα and Hβ emission lines. The HαV/R ratio significantly changes over a timescale of about one year. Our observations are consistent with a system observed at a large inclination angle (I ≳ 60°). The derived circumstellar disk size shows that the disk evolves from a configuration that prevents accretion onto the neutron star, to one that allows only moderate accretion. This is in agreement with the contemporary observed X-ray activity. Our results are interpreted within the context of inefficient tidal truncation of the circumstellar disk, as expected for this source's binary configuration. We derived the Hβ-emitting region size, which is equal to about half of the corresponding Hα-emitting disk, and constrain the luminosity class of V850 Cen as III-V, consistent with the previously proposed class.

GAS PHASE SYNTHESIS OF (ISO)QUINOLINE AND ITS ROLE IN THE FORMATION OF NUCLEOBASES IN THE INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parker, Dorian S. N.; Kaiser, Ralf I.; Kostko, Oleg; Troy, Tyler P.; Ahmed, Musahid; Mebel, Alexander M.; Tielens, Alexander G. G. M.

2015-01-01

Nitrogen-substituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs) have been proposed to play a key role in the astrochemical evolution of the interstellar medium, yet the formation mechanisms of even their simplest prototypes—quinoline and isoquinoline—remain elusive. Here, we reveal a novel concept that under high temperature conditions representing circumstellar envelopes of carbon stars, (iso)quinoline can be synthesized via the reaction of pyridyl radicals with two acetylene molecules. The facile gas phase formation of (iso)quinoline in circumstellar envelopes defines a hitherto elusive reaction class synthesizing aromatic structures with embedded nitrogen atoms that are essential building blocks in contemporary biological-structural motifs. Once ejected from circumstellar shells and incorporated into icy interstellar grains in cold molecular clouds, these NPAHs can be functionalized by photo processing forming nucleobase-type structures as sampled in the Murchison meteorite

Accretion and evolution of ∼2.5 M ⊕ planets with voluminous H/He envelopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bodenheimer, Peter; Lissauer, Jack J.

2014-01-01

Formation of planets in the Neptune size range with low-mass, but voluminous, H 2 /He gaseous envelopes is modeled by detailed numerical simulations according to the core-nucleated accretion scenario. Formation locations ranging from 0.5 to 4 AU from a star of 1 M ☉ are considered. The final planets have heavy-element cores of 2.2-2.5 M ⊕ and envelopes in the range 0.037-0.16 M ⊕ . After the formation process, which lasts 2 Myr or less, the planets evolve at constant mass up to an age of several Gyr. For assumed equilibrium temperatures of 250, 500, and 1000 K, their calculated final radii are compared with those observed by the Kepler spacecraft. For the particular case of Kepler-11 f, we address the question whether it could have formed in situ or whether migration from a formation location farther out in the disk is required.

Storage envelopes or sleeves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freshwater, J.R.; Wagman, P.I.

1980-01-01

A storage envelope or sleeve particularly for processed X-ray films is described. It consists of front and back panels joined together at a hinge line and connected along the intermediate sides by connecting flaps. An inner pocket is formed from a third flap which is folded to lie against the inner face of the back panel. The panels may have additional score lines parallel to the closed sides of the envelope and the inner pocket so that the envelope and the inner pocket can accommodate bulky contents. The free edge of the pocket is inset from the open side of the envelope, and finger cut-outs may be provided to facilitate access to the contents of the envelope and the pocket. (author)

Protective plasma envelope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bocharov, V.N.; Konstantinov, S.G.; Kudryavtsev, A.M.; Myskin, O.K.; Panasyuk, V.M.; Tsel'nik, F.A.

1984-06-01

A method of creating an annular plasma envelope used to protect the hot plasma from flows of impurities and gases from the walls of the vacuum chamber is described. The diameter of the envelope is 30 cm, the thickness of the wall is 1.5 cm, the length is 2.5 m, and its density is from 10 13 to 10 14 cm -3 . The envelope attenuates the incident (from outside) flow of helium 10-fold and the low of hydrogen 20-fold

SUBMILLIMETER POLARIZATION OBSERVATION OF THE PROTOPLANETARY DISK AROUND HD 142527

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kataoka, Akimasa; Dullemond, Cornelis P.; Pohl, Adriana [Zentrum für Astronomie der Universität Heidelberg, Institut für Theoretische Astrophysik, Albert-Ueberle-Str. 2, D-69120 Heidelberg (Germany); Tsukagoshi, Takashi; Momose, Munetake [College of Science, Ibaraki University, 2-1-1 Bunkyo, Mito, Ibaraki 310-8512 (Japan); Nagai, Hiroshi [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan); Muto, Takayuki [Division of Liberal Arts, Kogakuin University, 1-24-2 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 163-8677 (Japan); Fukagawa, Misato [Division of Particle and Astrophysical Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602 (Japan); Shibai, Hiroshi [Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043 (Japan); Hanawa, Tomoyuki [Center for Frontier Science, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage, Chiba 263-8522 (Japan); Murakawa, Koji, E-mail: kataoka@uni-heidelberg.de [College of General Education, Osaka Sangyo University, 3-1-1, Nakagaito, Daito, Osaka 574-8530 (Japan)

2016-11-10

We present the polarization observations toward the circumstellar disk around HD 142527 by using Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array at the frequency of 343 GHz. The beam size is 0.″51 × 0.″44, which corresponds to the spatial resolution of ∼71 × 62 au. The polarized intensity displays a ring-like structure with a peak located on the east side with a polarization fraction of P = 3.26 ± 0.02%, which is different from the peak of the continuum emission from the northeast region. The polarized intensity is significantly weaker at the peak of the continuum where P = 0.220 ± 0.010%. The polarization vectors are in the radial direction in the main ring of the polarized intensity, while there are two regions outside at the northwest and northeast areas where the vectors are in the azimuthal direction. If the polarization vectors represent the magnetic field morphology, the polarization vectors indicate the toroidal magnetic field configuration on the main ring and the poloidal fields outside. On the other hand, the flip of the polarization vectors is predicted by the self-scattering of thermal dust emission due to the change of the direction of thermal radiation flux. Therefore, we conclude that self-scattering of thermal dust emission plays a major role in producing polarization at millimeter wavelengths in this protoplanetary disk. Also, this puts a constraint on the maximum grain size to be approximately 150 μ m if we assume compact spherical dust grains.

Constraints on Circumstellar Dust Grain Sizes from High Spatial Resolution Observations in the Thermal Infrared

Science.gov (United States)

Bloemhof, E. E.; Danen, R. M.; Gwinn, C. R.

1996-01-01

We describe how high spatial resolution imaging of circumstellar dust at a wavelength of about 10 micron, combined with knowledge of the source spectral energy distribution, can yield useful information about the sizes of the individual dust grains responsible for the infrared emission. Much can be learned even when only upper limits to source size are available. In parallel with high-resolution single-telescope imaging that may resolve the more extended mid-infrared sources, we plan to apply these less direct techniques to interpretation of future observations from two-element optical interferometers, where quite general arguments may be made despite only crude imaging capability. Results to date indicate a tendency for circumstellar grain sizes to be rather large compared to the Mathis-Rumpl-Nordsieck size distribution traditionally thought to characterize dust in the general interstellar medium. This may mean that processing of grains after their initial formation and ejection from circumstellar atmospheres adjusts their size distribution to the ISM curve; further mid-infrared observations of grains in various environments would help to confirm this conjecture.

On the Terminal Rotation Rates of Giant Planets

Science.gov (United States)

Batygin, Konstantin

2018-04-01

Within the general framework of the core-nucleated accretion theory of giant planet formation, the conglomeration of massive gaseous envelopes is facilitated by a transient period of rapid accumulation of nebular material. While the concurrent build-up of angular momentum is expected to leave newly formed planets spinning at near-breakup velocities, Jupiter and Saturn, as well as super-Jovian long-period extrasolar planets, are observed to rotate well below criticality. In this work, we demonstrate that the large luminosity of a young giant planet simultaneously leads to the generation of a strong planetary magnetic field, as well as thermal ionization of the circumplanetary disk. The ensuing magnetic coupling between the planetary interior and the quasi-Keplerian motion of the disk results in efficient braking of planetary rotation, with hydrodynamic circulation of gas within the Hill sphere playing the key role of expelling spin angular momentum to the circumstellar nebula. Our results place early-stage giant planet and stellar rotation within the same evolutionary framework, and motivate further exploration of magnetohydrodynamic phenomena in the context of the final stages of giant planet formation.

When Bad Masks Turn Good

Science.gov (United States)

Abraham, Roberto G.

In keeping with the spirit of a meeting on ‘masks,' this talk presents two short stories on the theme of dust. In the first, dust plays the familiar role of the evil obscurer, the enemy to bedefeated by the cunning observer in order to allow a key future technology (adaptive optics) to be exploited fully by heroic astronomers. In the second story, dust itself emerges as the improbable hero, in the form of a circumstellar debris disks. I will present evidence of a puzzling near-infrared excess in the continuum of high-redshift galaxies and will argue that the seemingly improbable origin of this IR excess is a population of young circumstellar disks formed around high-mass stars in distant galaxies. Assuming circumstellar disks extend down to lower masses,as they do in our own Galaxy, the excess emission presents us with an exciting opportunity to measure the formation rate of planetary systems in distant galaxies at cosmic epochs before our own solar system formed.

CSI 2264: simultaneous optical and infrared light curves of young disk-bearing stars in NGC 2264 with CoRoT and Spitzer—evidence for multiple origins of variability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cody, Ann Marie; Stauffer, John; Rebull, Luisa M.; Carey, Sean; Baglin, Annie; Micela, Giuseppina; Flaccomio, Ettore; Morales-Calderón, María; Aigrain, Suzanne; Bouvier, Jèrôme; Hillenbrand, Lynne A.; Carpenter, John; Findeisen, Krzysztof; Gutermuth, Robert; Song, Inseok; Turner, Neal; Alencar, Silvia H. P.; Zwintz, Konstanze; Plavchan, Peter; Terebey, Susan

2014-01-01

We present the Coordinated Synoptic Investigation of NGC 2264, a continuous 30 day multi-wavelength photometric monitoring campaign on more than 1000 young cluster members using 16 telescopes. The unprecedented combination of multi-wavelength, high-precision, high-cadence, and long-duration data opens a new window into the time domain behavior of young stellar objects. Here we provide an overview of the observations, focusing on results from Spitzer and CoRoT. The highlight of this work is detailed analysis of 162 classical T Tauri stars for which we can probe optical and mid-infrared flux variations to 1% amplitudes and sub-hour timescales. We present a morphological variability census and then use metrics of periodicity, stochasticity, and symmetry to statistically separate the light curves into seven distinct classes, which we suggest represent different physical processes and geometric effects. We provide distributions of the characteristic timescales and amplitudes and assess the fractional representation within each class. The largest category (>20%) are optical 'dippers' with discrete fading events lasting ∼1-5 days. The degree of correlation between the optical and infrared light curves is positive but weak; notably, the independently assigned optical and infrared morphology classes tend to be different for the same object. Assessment of flux variation behavior with respect to (circum)stellar properties reveals correlations of variability parameters with Hα emission and with effective temperature. Overall, our results point to multiple origins of young star variability, including circumstellar obscuration events, hot spots on the star and/or disk, accretion bursts, and rapid structural changes in the inner disk.

Identifying Likely Disk-hosting M dwarfs with Disk Detective

Science.gov (United States)

Silverberg, Steven; Wisniewski, John; Kuchner, Marc J.; Disk Detective Collaboration

2018-01-01

M dwarfs are critical targets for exoplanet searches. Debris disks often provide key information as to the formation and evolution of planetary systems around higher-mass stars, alongside the planet themselves. However, less than 300 M dwarf debris disks are known, despite M dwarfs making up 70% of the local neighborhood. The Disk Detective citizen science project has identified over 6000 new potential disk host stars from the AllWISE catalog over the past three years. Here, we present preliminary results of our search for new disk-hosting M dwarfs in the survey. Based on near-infrared color cuts and fitting stellar models to photometry, we have identified over 500 potential new M dwarf disk hosts, nearly doubling the known number of such systems. In this talk, we present our methodology, and outline our ongoing work to confirm systems as M dwarf disks.

ALMA Survey of Lupus Protoplanetary Disks. II. Gas Disk Radii

Science.gov (United States)

Ansdell, M.; Williams, J. P.; Trapman, L.; van Terwisga, S. E.; Facchini, S.; Manara, C. F.; van der Marel, N.; Miotello, A.; Tazzari, M.; Hogerheijde, M.; Guidi, G.; Testi, L.; van Dishoeck, E. F.

2018-05-01

We present Atacama Large Millimeter/Sub-Millimeter Array (ALMA) Band 6 observations of a complete sample of protoplanetary disks in the young (∼1–3 Myr) Lupus star-forming region, covering the 1.33 mm continuum and the 12CO, 13CO, and C18O J = 2–1 lines. The spatial resolution is ∼0.″25 with a medium 3σ continuum sensitivity of 0.30 mJy, corresponding to M dust ∼ 0.2 M ⊕. We apply Keplerian masking to enhance the signal-to-noise ratios of our 12CO zero-moment maps, enabling measurements of gas disk radii for 22 Lupus disks; we find that gas disks are universally larger than millimeter dust disks by a factor of two on average, likely due to a combination of the optically thick gas emission and the growth and inward drift of the dust. Using the gas disk radii, we calculate the dimensionless viscosity parameter, α visc, finding a broad distribution and no correlations with other disk or stellar parameters, suggesting that viscous processes have not yet established quasi-steady states in Lupus disks. By combining our 1.33 mm continuum fluxes with our previous 890 μm continuum observations, we also calculate the millimeter spectral index, α mm, for 70 Lupus disks; we find an anticorrelation between α mm and millimeter flux for low-mass disks (M dust ≲ 5), followed by a flattening as disks approach α mm ≈ 2, which could indicate faster grain growth in higher-mass disks, but may also reflect their larger optically thick components. In sum, this work demonstrates the continuous stream of new insights into disk evolution and planet formation that can be gleaned from unbiased ALMA disk surveys.

DISK BRAKING IN YOUNG STARS: PROBING ROTATION IN CHAMAELEON I AND TAURUS-AURIGA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duy Cuong Nguyen; Jayawardhana, Ray; Van Kerkwijk, Marten H.; Damjanov, Ivana; Brandeker, Alexis; Scholz, Alexander

2009-01-01

We present a comprehensive study of rotation, disk, and accretion signatures for 144 T Tauri stars in the young (∼2 Myr old) Chamaeleon I and Taurus-Auriga star-forming regions based on multi-epoch high-resolution optical spectra from the Magellan Clay 6.5 m telescope supplemented by mid-infrared photometry from the Spitzer Space Telescope. In contrast to previous studies in the Orion Nebula Cluster and NGC 2264, we do not see a clear signature of disk braking in Tau-Aur and Cha I. We find that both accretors and non-accretors have similar distributions of vsin i. This result could be due to different initial conditions, insufficient time for disk braking, or a significant age spread within the regions. The rotational velocities in both regions show a clear mass dependence, with F-K stars rotating on average about twice as fast as M stars, consistent with results reported for other clusters of similar age. Similarly, we find the upper envelope of the observed values of specific angular momentum j varies as M 0.5 for our sample which spans a mass range of ∼0.16-3 M sun . This power law complements previous studies in Orion which estimated j ∝ M 0.25 for ∼ sun . Furthermore, the overall specific angular momentum of this ∼10 Myr population is five times lower than that of non-accretors in our sample, and implies a stellar braking mechanism other than disk braking could be at work. For a subsample of 67 objects with mid-infrared photometry, we examine the connection between accretion signatures and dusty disks: in the vast majority of cases (63/67), the two properties correlate well, which suggests that the timescale of gas accretion is similar to the lifetime of inner disks.

Biomimetic Envelopes

OpenAIRE

Ilaria Mazzoleni

2010-01-01

How to translate the lessons learned from the analysis and observation of the animal world is the design learning experience presented in this article. Skin is a complex and incredibly sophisticated organ that performs various functions, including protection, sensation and heat and water regulation. In a similar way building envelopes serve multiple roles, as they are the interface between the building inhabitants and environmental elements. The resulting architectural building envelopes prot...

THICK-DISK EVOLUTION INDUCED BY THE GROWTH OF AN EMBEDDED THIN DISK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Villalobos, Alvaro; Helmi, Amina; Kazantzidis, Stelios

2010-01-01

We perform collisionless N-body simulations to investigate the evolution of the structural and kinematical properties of simulated thick disks induced by the growth of an embedded thin disk. The thick disks used in the present study originate from cosmologically common 5:1 encounters between initially thin primary disk galaxies and infalling satellites. The growing thin disks are modeled as static gravitational potentials and we explore a variety of growing-disk parameters that are likely to influence the response of thick disks. We find that the final thick-disk properties depend strongly on the total mass and radial scale length of the growing thin disk, and much less sensitively on its growth timescale and vertical scale height as well as the initial sense of thick-disk rotation. Overall, the growth of an embedded thin disk can cause a substantial contraction in both the radial and vertical direction, resulting in a significant decrease in the scale lengths and scale heights of thick disks. Kinematically, a growing thin disk can induce a notable increase in the mean rotation and velocity dispersions of thick-disk stars. We conclude that the reformation of a thin disk via gas accretion may play a significant role in setting the structure and kinematics of thick disks, and thus it is an important ingredient in models of thick-disk formation.

Kinematics of the CSE in VY CMa

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Yoon Kyung

2009-07-01

We report on astrometric results of H2O and SiO masers in the circumstellar envelopes of VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa) carried out with VERA for 2 years. Absolute positions and proper motions of 3 different frequencies of masers were measured with phase-referencing analyses. Using the positions and the 3-dimensional velocities of the masers, we considered the 3-dimensional structures and kinematics of the circumstellar envelopes around VY CMa. The H2O masers show bipolar outflow along the line of sight, and the SiO masers have both expanding and contracting motions with less than 5 km/s.

Accretion and evolution of ∼2.5 M {sub ⊕} planets with voluminous H/He envelopes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bodenheimer, Peter [UCO/Lick Observatory, Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States); Lissauer, Jack J., E-mail: peter@ucolick.org, E-mail: Jack.J.Lissauer@nasa.gov [Space Science and Astrobiology Division, NASA-Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (United States)

2014-08-20

Formation of planets in the Neptune size range with low-mass, but voluminous, H{sub 2}/He gaseous envelopes is modeled by detailed numerical simulations according to the core-nucleated accretion scenario. Formation locations ranging from 0.5 to 4 AU from a star of 1 M {sub ☉} are considered. The final planets have heavy-element cores of 2.2-2.5 M {sub ⊕} and envelopes in the range 0.037-0.16 M {sub ⊕}. After the formation process, which lasts 2 Myr or less, the planets evolve at constant mass up to an age of several Gyr. For assumed equilibrium temperatures of 250, 500, and 1000 K, their calculated final radii are compared with those observed by the Kepler spacecraft. For the particular case of Kepler-11 f, we address the question whether it could have formed in situ or whether migration from a formation location farther out in the disk is required.

DISENTANGLING THE ENTANGLED: OBSERVATIONS AND ANALYSIS OF THE TRIPLE NON-COEVAL PROTOSTELLAR SYSTEM VLA1623

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murillo, Nadia M.; Lai, Shih-Ping

2013-01-01

Commonplace at every evolutionary stage, multiple protostellar systems (MPSs) are thought to be formed through fragmentation, but it is unclear when and how. The youngest MPSs, which have not yet undergone much evolution, provide important constraints to this question. It is then of interest to disentangle early stage MPSs. In this Letter we present the results of our work on VLA1623 using our observations and archival data from the Submillimeter Array. Our continuum and line observations trace VLA1623's components, outflow, and envelope, revealing unexpected characteristics. We construct the spectral energy distribution (SED) for each component using the results of our work and data from literature, as well as derive physical parameters from continuum and perform a simple kinematical analysis of the circumstellar material. Our results show VLA1623 to be a triple non-coeval system composed of VLA1623A, B, and W, with each source driving its own outflow and unevenly distributed circumstellar material. From the SED, physical parameters, and IR emission we conclude that VLA1623A and W are Class 0 and Class I protostars, respectively, and together drive the bulk of the observed outflow. Furthermore, we find two surprising results, first the presence of a rotating disk-like structure about VLA1623A with indications of pure Keplerian rotation, which, if real, would make it one of the first evidence of Keplerian disk structures around Class 0 protostars. Second, we find VLA1623B to be a bona fide extremely young protostellar object between the starless core and Class 0 stages.

Oscillations of disks

CERN Document Server

Kato, Shoji

2016-01-01

This book presents the current state of research on disk oscillation theory, focusing on relativistic disks and tidally deformed disks. Since the launch of the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) in 1996, many high-frequency quasiperiodic oscillations (HFQPOs) have been observed in X-ray binaries. Subsequently, similar quasi-periodic oscillations have been found in such relativistic objects as microquasars, ultra-luminous X-ray sources, and galactic nuclei. One of the most promising explanations of their origin is based on oscillations in relativistic disks, and a new field called discoseismology is currently developing. After reviewing observational aspects, the book presents the basic characteristics of disk oscillations, especially focusing on those in relativistic disks. Relativistic disks are essentially different from Newtonian disks in terms of several basic characteristics of their disk oscillations, including the radial distributions of epicyclic frequencies. In order to understand the basic processes...

Millimeter Detection Of AlO (X2Σ+) In The Oxygen-rich Envelope Of VY Canis Majoris

Science.gov (United States)

Tenenbaum, Emily D.; Ziurys, L. M.

2009-05-01

A new circumstellar molecule, the radical AlO (X 2Σ+), has been detected toward the envelope of the oxygen-rich supergiant star VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa) via three rotational emission lines. The N = 7 → 6 and 6 → 5 features of AlO were observed at 1 mm using the Arizona Radio Observatory Submillimeter Telescope (ARO SMT) and the N = 4 → 3 line was detected at 2 mm using the ARO 12 m dish. All lines exhibit noticeable hyperfine broadening due to the I = 5/2 spin of the aluminum nucleus. Based on simulations of the line profiles, AlO most likely arises from the dust-acceleration zone in the spherical outflow of VY CMa, with a source size of θs 0.5''. Given this source size, the column density of AlO was found to be Ntot 2 × 1015 cm-2 for Trot 230 K, with a fractional abundance, relative to H2, of 10-8. Gas-phase thermodynamic equilibrium chemistry is the likely formation mechanism for AlO in VY CMa, but shocks may disrupt the condensation process into Al2O3, allowing AlO to survive 20 stellar radii. The detection of AlO in VY CMa is additional evidence of an active gas-phase refractory chemistry in oxygen-rich envelopes, and suggests such objects may be fruitful sources for other new oxide identifications.

Si-BEARING MOLECULES TOWARD IRC+10216: ALMA UNVEILS THE MOLECULAR ENVELOPE OF CWLeo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prieto, L. Velilla; Cernicharo, J.; Quintana-Lacaci, G.; Agúndez, M.; Castro-Carrizo, A.; Guélin, M.; Fonfría, J. P.; Marcelino, N.; Zúñiga, J.; Requena, A.; Bastida, A.; Lique, F.

2015-01-01

We report the detection of SiS rotational lines in high-vibrational states as well as SiO and SiC 2 lines in their ground vibrational state toward IRC+10216 during the Atacama Large Millimeter Array Cycle 0. The spatial distribution of these molecules shows compact emission for SiS and a more extended emission for SiO and SiC 2 and also proves the existence of an increase in the SiC 2 emission at the outer shells of the circumstellar envelope (CSE). We analyze the excitation conditions of the vibrationally excited SiS using the population diagram technique, and we use a large velocity gradient model to compare with the observations. We found moderate discrepancies between the observations and the models that could be explained if SiS lines detected are optically thick. Additionally, the line profiles of the detected rotational lines in the high-energy vibrational states show a decreasing linewidth with increasing energy levels. This may be evidence that these lines could be excited only in the inner shells, i.e., the densest and hottest, of the CSE of IRC+10216

THE WHITE DWARFS WITHIN 20 PARSECS OF THE SUN: KINEMATICS AND STATISTICS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sion, Edward M.; McCook, George P.; Wasatonic, Richard; Holberg, J. B.; Oswalt, Terry D.

2009-01-01

We present the kinematical properties, distribution of spectroscopic subtypes, and stellar population subcomponents of the white dwarfs within 20 pc of the Sun. We find no convincing evidence of halo white dwarfs in the total 20 pc sample of 129 white dwarfs nor is there convincing evidence of genuine thick disk subcomponent members within 20 parsecs. Virtually, the entire 20 pc sample likely belongs to the thin disk. The total DA to non-DA ratio of the 20 pc sample is 1.6, a manifestation of deepening envelope convection which transforms DA stars with sufficiently thin H surface layers into non-DAs. The addition of five new stars to the 20 pc sample yields a revised local space density of white dwarfs of (4.9 ± 0.5) x 10 -3 pc -3 and a corresponding mass density of (3.3 ± 0.3) x 10 -3 M sun pc -3 . We find that at least 15% of the white dwarfs within 20 parsecs of the Sun (the DAZ and DZ stars) have photospheric metals that possibly originate from accretion of circumstellar material (debris disks) around them. If this interpretation is correct, this suggests the possibility that the same percentage have planets or asteroid-like bodies orbiting them.

Composite grains: Application to circumstellar dust

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. B. Vaidya

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Using the discrete dipole approximation (DDA we calculate the absorption efficiency of the composite grain, made up of a host silicate spheroid and inclusions of graphite, in the spectral region 5.0-25.0μm. We study the absorption as a function of the voulume fraction of the inclusions. In particular, we study the variation in the 10.0μm and 18.0μm emission features with the volume fraction of the inclusions. Using the extinction efficiencies, of the composite grains we calculate the infrared fluxes at several dust temperatures and compare the model curves with the observed infrared emission curves (IRAS-LRS, obtained for circumstellar dust shells around oxygen rich M-type stars.

Building envelope

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Gibberd, Jeremy T

2009-01-01

Full Text Available for use in the building. This is done through photovoltaic and solar water heating panels and wind turbines. Ideally these are integrated in the design of the building envelope to improve the aesthetic quality of the building and minimise material... are naturally ventilated. Renewable energy The building envelope includes renewable energy generation such as photovoltaics, wind turbines and solar water heaters and 10% of the building’s energy requirements are generated from these sources. Views All...

The possible nature of socket stars in H II regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castelaz, M.W.

1990-01-01

Close inspection of faint stars (V of about 14 mag) in H II regions show that they appear to be surrounded by circumstellar envelopes of about 10 arcsecs in diameter (as reported by Feibelman in 1989). The present premise is that the sockets are envelopes of obscuring dust which should emit a measurable amount of infrared radiation based on a simple thermal equilibrium model. A search of literature shows that, of 36 socket stars listed by Feibelman, 17 have been measured in the infrared. Of the 17, 14 show excess IR emission. This is very strong evidence that the socket stars are really stars with circumstellar envelopes. Socket stars may be a new type of astronomical object or well-known astronomical objects in environments or evolutionary states not previously seen. 22 refs

Magnetically Induced Disk Winds and Transport in the HL Tau Disk

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasegawa, Yasuhiro; Flock, Mario; Turner, Neal J.; Okuzumi, Satoshi

2017-01-01

The mechanism of angular momentum transport in protoplanetary disks is fundamental to understanding the distributions of gas and dust in the disks. The unprecedented ALMA observations taken toward HL Tau at high spatial resolution and subsequent radiative transfer modeling reveal that a high degree of dust settling is currently achieved in the outer part of the HL Tau disk. Previous observations, however, suggest a high disk accretion rate onto the central star. This configuration is not necessarily intuitive in the framework of the conventional viscous disk model, since efficient accretion generally requires a high level of turbulence, which can suppress dust settling considerably. We develop a simplified, semi-analytical disk model to examine under what condition these two properties can be realized in a single model. Recent, non-ideal MHD simulations are utilized to realistically model the angular momentum transport both radially via MHD turbulence and vertically via magnetically induced disk winds. We find that the HL Tau disk configuration can be reproduced well when disk winds are properly taken into account. While the resulting disk properties are likely consistent with other observational results, such an ideal situation can be established only if the plasma β at the disk midplane is β 0 ≃ 2 × 10 4 under the assumption of steady accretion. Equivalently, the vertical magnetic flux at 100 au is about 0.2 mG. More detailed modeling is needed to fully identify the origin of the disk accretion and quantitatively examine plausible mechanisms behind the observed gap structures in the HL Tau disk.

Magnetically Induced Disk Winds and Transport in the HL Tau Disk

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hasegawa, Yasuhiro; Flock, Mario; Turner, Neal J. [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States); Okuzumi, Satoshi, E-mail: yasuhiro@caltech.edu [Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8551 (Japan)

2017-08-10

The mechanism of angular momentum transport in protoplanetary disks is fundamental to understanding the distributions of gas and dust in the disks. The unprecedented ALMA observations taken toward HL Tau at high spatial resolution and subsequent radiative transfer modeling reveal that a high degree of dust settling is currently achieved in the outer part of the HL Tau disk. Previous observations, however, suggest a high disk accretion rate onto the central star. This configuration is not necessarily intuitive in the framework of the conventional viscous disk model, since efficient accretion generally requires a high level of turbulence, which can suppress dust settling considerably. We develop a simplified, semi-analytical disk model to examine under what condition these two properties can be realized in a single model. Recent, non-ideal MHD simulations are utilized to realistically model the angular momentum transport both radially via MHD turbulence and vertically via magnetically induced disk winds. We find that the HL Tau disk configuration can be reproduced well when disk winds are properly taken into account. While the resulting disk properties are likely consistent with other observational results, such an ideal situation can be established only if the plasma β at the disk midplane is β {sub 0} ≃ 2 × 10{sup 4} under the assumption of steady accretion. Equivalently, the vertical magnetic flux at 100 au is about 0.2 mG. More detailed modeling is needed to fully identify the origin of the disk accretion and quantitatively examine plausible mechanisms behind the observed gap structures in the HL Tau disk.

HIFISTARS Herschel/HIFI observations of VY Canis Majoris. Molecular-line inventory of the envelope around the largest known star

Science.gov (United States)

Alcolea, J.; Bujarrabal, V.; Planesas, P.; Teyssier, D.; Cernicharo, J.; De Beck, E.; Decin, L.; Dominik, C.; Justtanont, K.; de Koter, A.; Marston, A. P.; Melnick, G.; Menten, K. M.; Neufeld, D. A.; Olofsson, H.; Schmidt, M.; Schöier, F. L.; Szczerba, R.; Waters, L. B. F. M.

2013-11-01

Aims: The study of the molecular gas in the circumstellar envelopes of evolved stars is normally undertaken by observing lines of CO (and other species) in the millimetre-wave domain. In general, the excitation requirements of the observed lines are low at these wavelengths, and therefore these observations predominantly probe the cold outer envelope while studying the warm inner regions of the envelopes normally requires sub-millimetre (sub-mm) and far-infrared (FIR) observational data. Methods: To gain insight into the physical conditions and kinematics of the warm (100-1000 K) gas around the red hyper-giant VY CMa, we performed sensitive high spectral resolution observations of molecular lines in the sub-mm/FIR using the HIFI instrument of the Herschel Space Observatory. We observed CO, H2O, and other molecular species, sampling excitation energies from a few tens to a few thousand K. These observations are part of the Herschel guaranteed time key program HIFISTARS. Results: We detected the J = 6-5, J = 10-9, and J = 16-15 lines of 12CO and 13CO at ~100, 300, and 750 K above the ground state (and the 13CO J = 9-8 line). These lines are crucial for improving the modelling of the internal layers of the envelope around VY CMa. We also detected 27 lines of H2O and its isotopomers, and 96 lines of species such as NH3, SiO, SO, SO2 HCN, OH and others, some of them originating from vibrationally excited levels. Three lines were not unambiguously assigned. Conclusions: Our observations confirm that VY CMa's envelope must consist of two or more detached components. The molecular excitation in the outer layers is significantly lower than in the inner ones, resulting in strong self-absorbed profiles in molecular lines that are optically thick in this outer envelope, for instance, low-lying lines of H2O. Except for the most abundant species, CO and H2O, most of the molecular emission detected at these sub-mm/FIR wavelengths arise from the central parts of the envelope. The

The LHC on an envelope

CERN Multimedia

2007-01-01

The series of envelopes featuring CERN issued this summer was a huge success. The French postal services of the Pays de Gex will shortly be launching the second set of pre-paid envelopes issued in collaboration with the Laboratory this year, this time highlighting the LHC. Five thousand envelopes describing the accelerator’s capabilities will go on sale on 12 November, and some of the packs will even contain a small sample of the cables from the heart of the LHC magnets. The sets of ten pre-paid envelopes will tell you everything about CERN’s flagship accelerator, from its astounding technical capabilities to its spin-offs in the fields of technology and human resources. Each envelope will feature a different attribute or spin-off of the LHC. People will be invited to consult CERN’s public website for more detailed explanations if they want to know more. The new envelopes will be available from five post offices in the Pays ...

The pathways of C: from AGB stars, to the Interstellar Medium, and finally into the protoplanetary disk

Science.gov (United States)

Trigo-Rodriguez, J. M.; Garcia-Hernandez, D. A.

2011-05-01

The origin, and role of C in the formation of first solar system aggregates is described. Stellar grains evidence demonstrates that Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars were nearby to the solar nebula at the time of solar system formation. Such stars continue to burn H and He in shells that surround the C-O core. During their evolution, flashes occur in the He shell and the C, and O produced are eventually dredged up into the star's envelop and then to the stellar surface, and finally masively ejected to the interstellar medium (IM). Once in a molecular cloud, the electrophilicity of C makes this element reactable with the surrounding gas to produce different molecular species. Primitive meteorites, particularly these known as chondrites, preserved primeval materials of the disk. The abundances of short-lived radionuclides (SLN), inferred to have been present in the early solar system (ESS), are a constraint on the birth and early evolution of the solar system as their relatively short half lives do not allow the observed abundances to be explained by galactic chemical evolution processes. We present a model of a 6.5 solar masses star of solar metallicity that simultaneously match the abundances of SLNs inferred to have been present in the ESS by using a dilution factor of 1 part of AGB material per 300 parts of original solar nebula material, and taking into account a time interval between injection of SLNs and consolidation of chondrites equal to 0.53 Myr [2]. Such a polluting source does not overproduce 53Mn, as supernova models do, and only marginally affects isotopic ratios of stable elements. The AGB stars released O- and C-rich gas with important oxidizing implications to first solar system materials as recently detected in circumstellar environments [3]. REF: [1] Lada C.J. and Lada E.A. 2003. Ann. Rev. A&A. 41: 57; [2] Trigo-Rodriguez J.M. et al. 2009. MAPS 44: 627; [3] Decin L. et al. 2010. Nature 467: 64.

Exotic Metal Molecules in Oxygen-rich Envelopes: Detection of AlOH (X1Σ+) in VY Canis Majoris

Science.gov (United States)

Tenenbaum, E. D.; Ziurys, L. M.

2010-03-01

A new interstellar molecule, AlOH, has been detected toward the envelope of VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa), an oxygen-rich red supergiant. Three rotational transitions of AlOH were observed using the facilities of the Arizona Radio Observatory (ARO). The J = 9 → 8 and J = 7 → 6 lines at 1 mm were measured with the ARO Submillimeter Telescope, while the J = 5 → 4 transition at 2 mm was observed with the ARO 12 m antenna on Kitt Peak. The AlOH spectra exhibit quite narrow line widths of 16-23 km s-1, as found for NaCl in this source, indicating that the emission arises from within the dust acceleration zone of the central circumstellar outflow. From a radiative transfer analysis, the abundance of AlOH relative to H2 was found to be ~1 × 10-7 for a source size of 0.26'' or 22 R* . In contrast, AlCl was not detected with f VY CMa is ~17. Therefore, AlOH appears to be the dominant gas-phase molecular carrier of aluminum in this oxygen-rich shell. Local thermodynamic equilibrium calculations predict that the monohydroxides should be the major carriers of Al, Ca, and Mg in O-rich envelopes, as opposed to the oxides or halides. The apparent predominance of aluminum-bearing molecules in VY CMa may reflect proton addition processes in H-shell burning.

Millimeter Detection of AlO (X^2 Σ ^+): Metal Oxide Chemistry in the Envelope of VY Canis Majoris

Science.gov (United States)

Tenenbaum, E. D.; Ziurys, L. M.

2009-06-01

A new circumstellar molecule, the radical AlO (X^2 Σ ^+), has been detected toward the envelope of the oxygen-rich supergiant star VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa) using the Arizona Radio Observatory (ARO). The N = 7 → 6 and 6 → 5 rotational transitions of AlO at 268 and 230 GHz were observed at 1 mm using the ARO Submillimeter Telescope (SMT) and the N = 4 → 3 line was detected at 2 mm using the ARO 12 m. Based on the shape of the line profiles, AlO most likely arises from the dust-forming region in the spherical outflow of VY CMa, as opposed to the blue- or red-shifted winds, with a source size of θ_s ˜ 0.5^''. Given this source size, the column density of AlO was found to be N_{tot} ˜ 2 × 10^{15} cm^{-2} for T_{rot} ˜ 230 K, with a fractional abundance, relative to H_2, of ˜ 10^{-8}. Gas-phase thermodynamic equilibrium chemistry is the likely formation mechanism for AlO in VY CMa, but shocks may disrupt the condensation process into Al_2O_3, allowing AlO to survive to a radius of ˜ 20 R_*. The detection of AlO in VY CMa is additional evidence of an active gas-phase refractory chemistry in oxygen-rich envelopes, and suggests such objects may be fruitful sources for other new oxide identifications.

Radio Interferometric Detection of TiO and TiO_2 in VY Canis Majoris: "seeds" of Inorganic Dust Formation

Science.gov (United States)

Brunken, S.; Muller, H. S. P.; Kaminski, T.; Menten, K. M.; Gott-Lieb, C. A.; Patel, N. A.; Young, K. H.; McCarthy, M. C.; Winters, J. M.; Decin, L.

2013-06-01

Circumstellar envelopes around late-type stars harbour a rich variety of molecular gas and copious amounts of dust, originating from the mass-loss of the central star during the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) or the red supergiant phase. The formation of dust in these objects, in particular the first nucleation stages out of gas phase molecules, is still poorly understood. Here we report the first detection of pure rotational transitions of the two simplest titanium oxides, TiO and TiO_2, towards the oxygen-rich red supergiant VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa). This actually represents the first secure identification of TiO_2 in space. Observations of several rotational emission lines of both species with the Submillimeter Array (SMA) in the 345 GHz-band and with the IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer (PdBI) around 220 GHz confirm the presence of these refractory species in the cool (<1000 K) circumstellar envelope in a region several times the size of the dust formation zone. The role of Ti oxides as "seeds" of inorganic dust formation in oxygen-rich circumstellar envelopes will be discussed in view of the present observations.

Models for the circumstellar medium of long gamma-ray burst progenitor candidates

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Marle, A.J. van

2006-01-01

Long gamma-ray bursts are highly energetic events that are thought to occur when certain massive stars, that end their lives as Wolf-Rayet stars, collapse at the end of their evolution. We present models of the circumstellar medium around those massive stars that are thought to be possible

Contact statuses between functionally graded brake disk and pure pad disk

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shahzamanian, M.M.; Sahari, B.B.; Bayat, M.; Mustapha, F.; Ismarrubie, Z.N.; Shahrjerdi, A.

2009-01-01

Full text: The contact statuses between functionally graded (FG) brake disks and pure pad disk are investigated by using finite element method (FEM). Two types of variation is considered for FG brake disk, the variation of materials are considered change in radial and thickness direction of disk. The material properties of these two types of FG brake disks are assumed to be represented by power-law distributions in the radius and thickness direction. The results are obtained and then compared. For the radial FG brake disk, the inner and outer surfaces are considered metal and ceramic respectively, and friction coefficient between metal surface and ceramic surface of FG brake dick with pad are considered 1.4 and 0.75 respectively. For the thickness FG brake disk the contact surface with pure pad brake disk is ceramic and the free surface is metal and friction coefficient between ceramic (contact) surface and pure pad brake disk is considered 0.75. In both types of FG brake disks the Coulomb contact friction is applied. Mechanical response of FG brake disks are compared and verified with the known results in the literatures. Three types of contact statuses are introduced as Sticking, Contact and Near Contact. The contact status between pad and disk for different values for pad thickness, grading index,n , and percentage of friction coefficient (λ) is shown. It can be seen that for all values of percentage of friction coefficient,λ , and grading indices, n, by increasing the thickness of pad cause the contact status changes from sticking to contact and then to near contact. (author)

The LHC in an envelope

CERN Multimedia

2007-01-01

The series of envelopes featuring CERN issued this summer was a huge success. The French postal services of the Pays de Gex will shortly be launching the second set of pre-paid envelopes issued in collaboration with the Laboratory this year, this time highlighting the LHC. Five thousand envelopes describing the accelerator’s capabilities will go on sale on 12 November, and some of the packs will even contain a small sample of the cables from the heart of the LHC magnets. The sets of ten pre-paid envelopes will tell you everything about CERN’s flagship accelerator, from its astounding technical capabilities to its spin-offs in the fields of technology and human resources. Each envelope will feature a different attribute or spin-off of the LHC. People will be invited to consult CERN’s public website for more detailed explanations if they want to know more. The new envelopes will be available from five post offices in the Pays de Gex (Ferney-Voltaire, Prévessin...

GIANT PLANET MIGRATION, DISK EVOLUTION, AND THE ORIGIN OF TRANSITIONAL DISKS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexander, Richard D.; Armitage, Philip J.

2009-01-01

We present models of giant planet migration in evolving protoplanetary disks. Our disks evolve subject to viscous transport of angular momentum and photoevaporation, while planets undergo Type II migration. We use a Monte Carlo approach, running large numbers of models with a range in initial conditions. We find that relatively simple models can reproduce both the observed radial distribution of extrasolar giant planets, and the lifetimes and accretion histories of protoplanetary disks. The use of state-of-the-art photoevaporation models results in a degree of coupling between planet formation and disk clearing, which has not been found previously. Some accretion across planetary orbits is necessary if planets are to survive at radii ∼<1.5 AU, and if planets of Jupiter mass or greater are to survive in our models they must be able to form at late times, when the disk surface density in the formation region is low. Our model forms two different types of 'transitional' disks, embedded planets and clearing disks, which show markedly different properties. We find that the observable properties of these systems are broadly consistent with current observations, and highlight useful observational diagnostics. We predict that young transition disks are more likely to contain embedded giant planets, while older transition disks are more likely to be undergoing disk clearing.

MULTIPLICITY, DISKS, AND JETS IN THE NGC 2071 STAR-FORMING REGION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carrasco-Gonzalez, Carlos [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Radioastronomie (MPIfR), Auf dem Huegel 69, 53121 Bonn (Germany); Osorio, Mayra; Anglada, Guillem; Gomez, Jose F. [Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia, CSIC, Camino Bajo de Huetor 50, E-18008 Granada (Spain); D' Alessio, Paola; Rodriguez, Luis F. [Centro de Radioastronomia y Astrofisica UNAM, Apartado Postal 3-72 (Xangari), 58089 Morelia, Michoacan (Mexico); Torrelles, Jose M., E-mail: carrasco@mpifr-bonn.mpg.de [Instituto de Ciencias del Espacio (CSIC)-UB/IEEC, Universitat de Barcelona, Marti i Franques 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain)

2012-02-10

We present centimeter (cm) and millimeter (mm) observations of the NGC 2071 star-forming region performed with the Very Large Array (VLA) and Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy (CARMA). We detected counterparts at 3.6 cm and 3 mm for the previously known sources IRS 1, IRS 2, IRS 3, and VLA 1. All these sources show spectral energy distributions (SEDs) dominated by free-free thermal emission at cm wavelengths and thermal dust emission at mm wavelengths, suggesting that all of them are associated with young stellar objects (YSOs). IRS 1 shows a complex morphology at 3.6 cm, with changes in the direction of its elongation. We discuss two possible explanations to this morphology: the result of changes in the direction of a jet due to interactions with a dense ambient medium, or that we are actually observing the superposition of two jets arising from two components of a binary system. Higher angular resolution observations at 1.3 cm support the second possibility, since a double source is inferred at this wavelength. IRS 3 shows a clear jet-like morphology at 3.6 cm. Over a timespan of four years, we observed changes in the morphology of this source that we interpret as due to ejection of ionized material in a jet. The emission at 3 mm of IRS 3 is angularly resolved, with a deconvolved size (FWHM) of {approx}120 AU, and seems to be tracing a dusty circumstellar disk perpendicular to the radio jet. An irradiated accretion disk model around an intermediate-mass YSO can account for the observed SED and spatial intensity profile at 3 mm, supporting this interpretation.

MULTIPLICITY, DISKS, AND JETS IN THE NGC 2071 STAR-FORMING REGION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carrasco-González, Carlos; Osorio, Mayra; Anglada, Guillem; Gómez, José F.; D'Alessio, Paola; Rodríguez, Luis F.; Torrelles, José M.

2012-01-01

We present centimeter (cm) and millimeter (mm) observations of the NGC 2071 star-forming region performed with the Very Large Array (VLA) and Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy (CARMA). We detected counterparts at 3.6 cm and 3 mm for the previously known sources IRS 1, IRS 2, IRS 3, and VLA 1. All these sources show spectral energy distributions (SEDs) dominated by free-free thermal emission at cm wavelengths and thermal dust emission at mm wavelengths, suggesting that all of them are associated with young stellar objects (YSOs). IRS 1 shows a complex morphology at 3.6 cm, with changes in the direction of its elongation. We discuss two possible explanations to this morphology: the result of changes in the direction of a jet due to interactions with a dense ambient medium, or that we are actually observing the superposition of two jets arising from two components of a binary system. Higher angular resolution observations at 1.3 cm support the second possibility, since a double source is inferred at this wavelength. IRS 3 shows a clear jet-like morphology at 3.6 cm. Over a timespan of four years, we observed changes in the morphology of this source that we interpret as due to ejection of ionized material in a jet. The emission at 3 mm of IRS 3 is angularly resolved, with a deconvolved size (FWHM) of ∼120 AU, and seems to be tracing a dusty circumstellar disk perpendicular to the radio jet. An irradiated accretion disk model around an intermediate-mass YSO can account for the observed SED and spatial intensity profile at 3 mm, supporting this interpretation.

CT-guided percutaneous laser disk decompression for cervical and lumbar disk hernia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimizu, Kanichiro; Koyama, Tutomu; Harada, Junta; Abe, Toshiaki

2008-01-01

Percutaneous laser disk decompression under X-ray fluoroscopy was first reported in 1987 for minimally invasive therapy of lumbar disk hernia. In patients with disk hernia, laser vaporizes a small portion of the intervertebral disk thereby reducing the volume and pressure of the affected disk. We present the efficacy and safety of this procedure, and analysis of fair or poor response cases. In our study, 226 cases of lumbar disk hernia and 7 cases of cervical disk hernia were treated under CT guided PLDD. Japan Orthopedic Association (JOA) score and Mac-Nab criteria were investigated to evaluate the response to treatment. Improvement ratio based on the JOA score was calculated as follows. Overall success rate was 91.6% in cases lumber disk hernia, and 100% in cases of cervical disk hernia. We experienced two cases with two cases with postoperative complication. Both cases were treated conservatively. The majority of acute cases and post operative cases were reported to be 'good' on Mac-Nab criteria. Cases of fair or poor response on Mac-Nab criteria were lateral type, foraminal stenosis or large disk hernia. CT-guided PLDD is a safe and accurate procedure. The overall success rate can be increased by carefully selecting patients. (author)

Disk Storage Server

CERN Multimedia

This model was a disk storage server used in the Data Centre up until 2012. Each tray contains a hard disk drive (see the 5TB hard disk drive on the main disk display section - this actually fits into one of the trays). There are 16 trays in all per server. There are hundreds of these servers mounted on racks in the Data Centre, as can be seen.

Cortical processing of dynamic sound envelope transitions.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Yi; Wang, Xiaoqin

2010-12-08

Slow envelope fluctuations in the range of 2-20 Hz provide important segmental cues for processing communication sounds. For a successful segmentation, a neural processor must capture envelope features associated with the rise and fall of signal energy, a process that is often challenged by the interference of background noise. This study investigated the neural representations of slowly varying envelopes in quiet and in background noise in the primary auditory cortex (A1) of awake marmoset monkeys. We characterized envelope features based on the local average and rate of change of sound level in envelope waveforms and identified envelope features to which neurons were selective by reverse correlation. Our results showed that envelope feature selectivity of A1 neurons was correlated with the degree of nonmonotonicity in their static rate-level functions. Nonmonotonic neurons exhibited greater feature selectivity than monotonic neurons in quiet and in background noise. The diverse envelope feature selectivity decreased spike-timing correlation among A1 neurons in response to the same envelope waveforms. As a result, the variability, but not the average, of the ensemble responses of A1 neurons represented more faithfully the dynamic transitions in low-frequency sound envelopes both in quiet and in background noise.

HNC IN PROTOPLANETARY DISKS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Graninger, Dawn; Öberg, Karin I.; Qi, Chunhua; Kastner, Joel

2015-01-01

The distributions and abundances of small organics in protoplanetary disks are potentially powerful probes of disk physics and chemistry. HNC is a common probe of dense interstellar regions and the target of this study. We use the Submillimeter Array (SMA) to observe HNC 3–2 toward the protoplanetary disks around the T Tauri star TW Hya and the Herbig Ae star HD 163296. HNC is detected toward both disks, constituting the first spatially resolved observations of HNC in disks. We also present SMA observations of HCN 3–2 and IRAM 30 m observations of HCN and HNC 1–0 toward HD 163296. The disk-averaged HNC/HCN emission ratio is 0.1–0.2 toward both disks. Toward TW Hya, the HNC emission is confined to a ring. The varying HNC abundance in the TW Hya disk demonstrates that HNC chemistry is strongly linked to the disk physical structure. In particular, the inner rim of the HNC ring can be explained by efficient destruction of HNC at elevated temperatures, similar to what is observed in the ISM. However, to realize the full potential of HNC as a disk tracer requires a combination of high SNR spatially resolved observations of HNC and HCN and disk-specific HNC chemical modeling

HNC IN PROTOPLANETARY DISKS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Graninger, Dawn; Öberg, Karin I.; Qi, Chunhua [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Kastner, Joel, E-mail: dgraninger@cfa.harvard.edu [Center for Imaging Science, School of Physics and Astronomy, and Laboratory for Multiwavelength Astrophysics, Rochester Institute of Technology, 54 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623 (United States)

2015-07-01

The distributions and abundances of small organics in protoplanetary disks are potentially powerful probes of disk physics and chemistry. HNC is a common probe of dense interstellar regions and the target of this study. We use the Submillimeter Array (SMA) to observe HNC 3–2 toward the protoplanetary disks around the T Tauri star TW Hya and the Herbig Ae star HD 163296. HNC is detected toward both disks, constituting the first spatially resolved observations of HNC in disks. We also present SMA observations of HCN 3–2 and IRAM 30 m observations of HCN and HNC 1–0 toward HD 163296. The disk-averaged HNC/HCN emission ratio is 0.1–0.2 toward both disks. Toward TW Hya, the HNC emission is confined to a ring. The varying HNC abundance in the TW Hya disk demonstrates that HNC chemistry is strongly linked to the disk physical structure. In particular, the inner rim of the HNC ring can be explained by efficient destruction of HNC at elevated temperatures, similar to what is observed in the ISM. However, to realize the full potential of HNC as a disk tracer requires a combination of high SNR spatially resolved observations of HNC and HCN and disk-specific HNC chemical modeling.

A RING/DISK/OUTFLOW SYSTEM ASSOCIATED WITH W51 NORTH: A VERY MASSIVE STAR IN THE MAKING

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zapata, Luis A.; Schilke, Peter; Menten, Karl; Ho, Paul T. P.; Rodriguez, Luis F.; Palau, Aina; Garrod, Robin T.

2009-01-01

Sensitive and high angular resolution (∼0.''4) SO 2 [22 2,20 → 22 1,21 ] and SiO[5 → 4] line and 1.3 and 7 mm continuum observations made with the Submillimeter Array (SMA) and the Very Large Array (VLA) toward the young massive cluster W51 IRS2 are presented. We report the presence of a large (of about 3000 AU) and massive (40 M sun ) dusty circumstellar disk and a hot gas molecular ring around a high-mass protostar or a compact small stellar system associated with W51 North. The simultaneous observations of the silicon monoxide molecule, an outflow gas tracer, further revealed a massive (200 M sun ) and collimated (∼14 0 ) outflow nearly perpendicular to the dusty and molecular structures suggesting thus the presence of a single very massive protostar with a bolometric luminosity on the order of 10 5 L sun . A molecular hybrid local thermodynamic equilibrium model of a Keplerian and infalling disk with an inner cavity and a central stellar mass of more than 60 M sun agrees well with the SO 2 [22 2,20 → 22 1,21 ] line observations. Finally, these results suggest that mechanisms, such as mergers of low- and intermediate-mass stars, might not be necessary for forming very massive stars.

HIGH-PRECISION C17O, C18O, AND C16O MEASUREMENTS IN YOUNG STELLAR OBJECTS: ANALOGUES FOR CO SELF-SHIELDING IN THE EARLY SOLAR SYSTEM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, Rachel L.; Young, Edward D.; Pontoppidan, Klaus M.; Morris, Mark R.; Van Dishoeck, Ewine F.

2009-01-01

Using very high resolution (λ/Δλ ∼ 95 000) 4.7 μm fundamental and 2.3 μm overtone rovibrational CO absorption spectra obtained with the Cryogenic Infrared Echelle Spectrograph infrared spectrometer on the Very Large Telescope (VLT), we report detections of four CO isotopologues-C 16 O, 13 CO, C 18 O, and the rare species, C 17 O-in the circumstellar environment of two young protostars: VV CrA, a binary T Tauri star in the Corona Australis molecular cloud, and Reipurth 50, an intermediate-mass FU Ori star in the Orion Molecular Cloud. We argue that the observed CO absorption lines probe a protoplanetary disk in VV CrA, and a protostellar envelope in Reipurth 50. All CO line profiles are spectrally resolved, with intrinsic line widths of ∼3-4 km s -1 (FWHM), permitting direct calculation of CO oxygen isotopologue ratios with 5%-10% accuracy. The rovibrational level populations for all species can be reproduced by assuming that CO absorption arises in two temperature regimes. In the higher temperature regime, in which the column densities are best determined, the derived oxygen isotope ratios in VV CrA are: [C 16 O]/[C 18 O] =690 ± 30; [C 16 O]/[C 17 O] =2800 ± 300, and [C 18 O]/[C 17 O]=4.1 ± 0.4. For Reipurth 50, we find [C 16 O]/[C 18 O] =490 ± 30; [C 16 O]/[C 17 O] =2200 ± 150, [C 18 O]/[C 17 O] = 4.4 ± 0.2. For both objects, 12 C/ 13 C are on the order of 100, nearly twice the expected interstellar medium (ISM) ratio. The derived oxygen abundance ratios for the VV CrA disk show a significant mass-independent deficit of C 17 O and C 18 O relative to C 16 O compared to ISM baseline abundances. The Reipurth 50 envelope shows no clear differences in oxygen CO isotopologue ratios compared with the local ISM. A mass-independent fractionation can be interpreted as being due to selective photodissociation of CO in the disk surface due to self-shielding. The deficits in C 17 O and C 18 O in the VV CrA protoplanetary disk are consistent with an analogous

Development of Disk Rover, wall-climbing robot using permanent magnet disk

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirose, Shigeo; Tsutsumitake; Hiroshi; Toyama, Ryousei; Kobayashi, Kengo.

1992-01-01

A new type of wall climbing robot, named Disk Rover, using permanent magnet disks are developed. The newly introduced permanent magnet disk is to rotate the magnet disk on the surface of wall with partly contacted posture. It allows to produce high magnetic attraction force compared with conventional permanent wheel which utilizes only a small portion of the magnet installed around the wheel. The optimum design of the magnetic wheel is done by using finit element method and it is shown that the magnetic attraction force vs. weight ratio can be designed about three times higher than conventional type magnet wheel. The developed Disk Rover is 25 kg in weight including controller and battery, about 685 mm in diameter, 239 mm in height and has a pair of permanent magnet disks. It is demonstrated by the experiments that the Disk Rover can move around on the surface of the wall quite smoothly by radio control and has payload of about its own weight. Several considerations are also done in order to surmount bead weld. (author)

CHARACTERIZING THE YOUNGEST HERSCHEL-DETECTED PROTOSTARS. I. ENVELOPE STRUCTURE REVEALED BY CARMA DUST CONTINUUM OBSERVATIONS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tobin, John J.; Stutz, Amelia M.; Henning, Thomas; Ragan, Sarah E.; Megeath, S. Thomas; Fischer, William J.; Ali, Babar; Stanke, Thomas; Manoj, P.; Calvet, Nuria; Hartmann, Lee

2015-01-01

We present Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy 2.9 mm dust continuum emission observations of a sample of 14 Herschel-detected Class 0 protostars in the Orion A and B molecular clouds, drawn from the PACS Bright Red Sources (PBRS) sample. These objects are characterized by very red 24-70 μm colors and prominent submillimeter emission, suggesting that they are very young Class 0 protostars embedded in dense envelopes. We detect all of the PBRS in 2.9 mm continuum emission and emission from four protostars and one starless core in the fields toward the PBRS; we also report one new PBRS source. The ratio of 2.9 mm luminosity to bolometric luminosity is higher by a factor of ∼5 on average, compared to other well-studied protostars in the Perseus and Ophiuchus clouds. The 2.9 mm visibility amplitudes for 6 of the 14 PBRS are very flat as a function of uv distance, with more than 50% of the source emission arising from radii <1500 AU. These flat visibility amplitudes are most consistent with spherically symmetric envelope density profiles with ρ ∝ R –2.5 . Alternatively, there could be a massive unresolved structure like a disk or a high-density inner envelope departing from a smooth power law. The large amount of mass on scales <1500 AU (implying high average central densities) leads us to suggest that that the PBRS with flat visibility amplitude profiles are the youngest PBRS and may be undergoing a brief phase of high mass infall/accretion and are possibly among the youngest Class 0 protostars. The PBRS with more rapidly declining visibility amplitudes still have large envelope masses, but could be slightly more evolved

ALMA MEASUREMENTS OF CIRCUMSTELLAR MATERIAL IN THE GQ LUP SYSTEM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

MacGregor, Meredith A.; Wilner, David J.; Czekala, Ian; Andrews, Sean M.; Ricci, Luca [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Dai, Y. Sophia [Caltech/IPAC, 1200 E. California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA, 91125 (United States); Herczeg, Gregory J. [Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Peking University, Yi He Yuan Lu 5, Haidian Qu, 100871 Beijing (China); Kratter, Kaitlin M. [Department of Astronomy, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Kraus, Adam L. [Department of Astronomy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Testi, Leonardo [European Southern Observatory (ESO) Headquarters, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 2, D-85748 Garching bei Muenchen (Germany)

2017-01-20

We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array observations of the GQ Lup system, a young Sun-like star with a substellar-mass companion in a wide-separation orbit. These observations of 870 μ m continuum and CO J = 3–2 line emission with beam size ∼0.″3 (∼45 au) resolve the disk of dust and gas surrounding the primary star, GQ Lup A, and provide deep limits on any circumplanetary disk surrounding the companion, GQ Lup b. The circumprimary dust disk is compact with an FWHM of 59 ± 12 au, while the gas has a larger extent with a characteristic radius of 46.5 ± 1.8 au. By forward-modeling the velocity field of the circumprimary disk based on the CO emission, we constrain the mass of GQ Lup A to be M {sub *} = (1.03 ± 0.05) ∗ ( d /156 pc) M {sub ⊙}, where d is a known distance, and determine that we view the disk at an inclination angle of 60.°5 ± 0.°5 and a position angle of 346° ± 1°. The 3 σ upper limit on the 870 μ m flux density of any circumplanetary disk associated with GQ Lup b of <0.15 mJy implies an upper limit on the dust disk mass of <0.04 M {sub ⊕} for standard assumptions about optically thin emission. We discuss proposed mechanisms for the formation of wide-separation substellar companions given the non-detection of circumplanetary disks around GQ Lup b and other similar systems.

AN EXTREME ANALOGUE OF ϵ AURIGAE: AN M-GIANT ECLIPSED EVERY 69 YEARS BY A LARGE OPAQUE DISK SURROUNDING A SMALL HOT SOURCE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodriguez, Joseph E.; Stassun, Keivan G.; Lund, Michael B.; Conroy, Kyle E. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, 6301 Stevenson Center, Nashville, TN 37235 (United States); Siverd, Robert J. [Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network, 6740 Cortona Drive, Suite 102, Santa Barbara, CA 93117 (United States); Pepper, Joshua [Department of Physics, Lehigh University, 16 Memorial Drive East, Bethlehem, PA 18015 (United States); Tang, Sumin [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Kafka, Stella [American Association of Variable Star Observers, 49 Bay State Road, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Gaudi, B. Scott; Stevens, Daniel J.; Kochanek, Christopher S. [Department of Astronomy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States); Beatty, Thomas G. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, The Pennsylvania State University, 525 Davey Lab, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Shappee, Benjamin J. [Carnegie Observatories, 813 Santa Barbara Street, Pasadena, CA 91101 (United States)

2016-05-01

We present TYC 2505-672-1 as a newly discovered and remarkable eclipsing system comprising an M-type red giant that undergoes a ∼3.45 year long, near-total eclipse (depth of ∼4.5 mag) with a very long period of ∼69.1 years. TYC 2505-672-1 is now the longest-period eclipsing binary system yet discovered, more than twice as long as that of the currently longest-period system, ϵ Aurigae. We show from analysis of the light curve including both our own data and historical data spanning more than 120 years and from modeling of the spectral energy distribution, both before and during eclipse, that the red giant primary is orbited by a moderately hot source ( T {sub eff} ≈ 8000 K) that is itself surrounded by an extended, opaque circumstellar disk. From the measured ratio of luminosities, the radius of the hot companion must be in the range of 0.1–0.5 R {sub ⊙} (depending on the assumed radius of the red giant primary), which is an order of magnitude smaller than that for a main sequence A star and 1–2 orders of magnitude larger than that for a white dwarf. The companion is therefore most likely a “stripped red giant” subdwarf-B type star destined to become a He white dwarf. It is, however, somewhat cooler than most sdB stars, implying a very low mass for this “pre-He-WD” star. The opaque disk surrounding this hot source may be a remnant of the stripping of its former hydrogen envelope. However, it is puzzling how this object became stripped, given that it is at present so distant (orbital semimajor axis of ∼24 au) from the current red giant primary star. Extrapolating from our calculated ephemeris, the next eclipse should begin in early UT 2080 April and end in mid UT 2083 September (eclipse center UT 2081 December 24). In the meantime, radial velocity observations would establish the masses of the components, and high-cadence UV observations could potentially reveal oscillations of the hot companion that would further constrain its evolutionary

Understanding Floppy Disks.

Science.gov (United States)

Valentine, Pamela

1980-01-01

The author describes the floppy disk with an analogy to the phonograph record, and discusses the advantages, disadvantages, and capabilities of hard-sectored and soft-sectored floppy disks. She concludes that, at present, the floppy disk will continue to be the primary choice of personal computer manufacturers and their customers. (KC)

OT1_ipascucc_1: Understanding the Origin of Transition Disks via Disk Mass Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Pascucci, I.

2010-07-01

Transition disks are a distinguished group of few Myr-old systems caught in the phase of dispersing their inner dust disk. Three different processes have been proposed to explain this inside-out clearing: grain growth, photoevaporation driven by the central star, and dynamical clearing by a forming giant planet. Which of these processes lead to a transition disk? Distinguishing between them requires the combined knowledge of stellar accretion rates and disk masses. We propose here to use 43.8 hours of PACS spectroscopy to detect the [OI] 63 micron emission line from a sample of 21 well-known transition disks with measured mass accretion rates. We will use this line, in combination with ancillary CO millimeter lines, to measure their gas disk mass. Because gas dominates the mass of protoplanetary disks our approach and choice of lines will enable us to trace the bulk of the disk mass that resides beyond tens of AU from young stars. Our program will quadruple the number of transition disks currently observed with Herschel in this setting and for which disk masses can be measured. We will then place the transition and the ~100 classical/non-transition disks of similar age (from the Herschel KP "Gas in Protoplanetary Systems") in the mass accretion rate-disk mass diagram with two main goals: 1) reveal which gaps have been created by grain growth, photoevaporation, or giant planet formation and 2) from the statistics, determine the main disk dispersal mechanism leading to a transition disk.

All the Universe in an envelope

CERN Multimedia

2007-01-01

Do you know which force is hidden in an envelope or how many billions of years old are the atoms it contains? You will find the answers to these (curious) questions in a post office in the Pays de Gex. The French postal services of the Pays de Gex are again issuing pre-paid envelopes in collaboration with CERN (see Bulletin No. 24/2006). The new series presents some of the concepts of modern physics in an amazing way by showing what you can learn about the Universe with a single envelope. Packets of ten pre-stamped envelopes, each carrying a statement on fundamental physics, will be on sale from 7 July onwards. To learn more about the physics issues presented on the envelopes, people are invited to go to the CERN Web site where they will find the explanations. Five thousand envelopes will be put on sale in July and five thousand more during the French "Fête de la science" in October. They will be available from five post offices in the Pays de Gex (F...

CHALLENGES IN FORMING PLANETS BY GRAVITATIONAL INSTABILITY: DISK IRRADIATION AND CLUMP MIGRATION, ACCRETION, AND TIDAL DESTRUCTION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Zhaohuan; Hartmann, Lee; Nelson, Richard P.; Gammie, Charles F.

2012-01-01

We present two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations of self-gravitating protostellar disks subject to axisymmetric, continuing mass loading from an infalling envelope and irradiation from the central star to explore the growth of gravitational instability (GI) and disk fragmentation. We assume that the disk is built gradually and smoothly by the infall, resulting in good numerical convergence. We confirm that for disks around solar-mass stars, infall at high rates at radii beyond ∼50 AU leads to disk fragmentation. At lower infall rates, however, irradiation suppresses fragmentation. We find that, once formed, the fragments or clumps migrate inward on typical type I timescales of ∼2 × 10 3 yr initially, but with a stochastic component superimposed due to their interaction with the GI-induced spiral arms. Migration begins to deviate from the type I timescale when the clump becomes more massive than the local disk mass, and/or when the clump begins to form a gap in the disk. As they migrate, clumps accrete from the disk at a rate between 10 –3 and 10 –1 M J yr –1 , consistent with analytic estimates that assume a 1-2 Hill radii cross section. The eventual fates of these clumps, however, diverge depending on the migration speed: 3 out of 13 clumps in our simulations become massive enough (brown dwarf mass range) to open gaps in the disk and essentially stop migrating; 4 out of 13 are tidally destroyed during inward migration; and 6 out of 13 migrate across the inner boundary of the simulated disks. A simple analytic model for clump evolution explains the different fates of the clumps and reveals some limitations of two-dimensional simulations. Overall, our results indicate that fast migration, accretion, and tidal destruction of the clumps pose challenges to the scenario of giant planet formation by GI in situ, although we cannot address whether or not remnant solid cores can survive after tidal stripping. The models where the massive clumps are not

Tracing Planets in Circumstellar Discs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Uribe Ana L.

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Planets are assumed to form in circumstellar discs around young stellar objects. The additional gravitational potential of a planet perturbs the disc and leads to characteristic structures, i.e. spiral waves and gaps, in the disc density profile. We perform a large-scale parameter study on the observability of these planet-induced structures in circumstellar discs in the (submm wavelength range for the Atacama Large (SubMillimeter Array (ALMA. On the basis of hydrodynamical and magneto-hydrodynamical simulations of star-disc-planet models we calculate the disc temperature structure and (submm images of these systems. These are used to derive simulated ALMA maps. Because appropriate objects are frequent in the Taurus-Auriga region, we focus on a distance of 140 pc and a declination of ≈ 20°. The explored range of star-disc-planet configurations consists of six hydrodynamical simulations (including magnetic fields and different planet masses, nine disc sizes with outer radii ranging from 9 AU to 225 AU, 15 total disc masses in the range between 2.67·10-7 M⊙ and 4.10·10-2 M⊙, six different central stars and two different grain size distributions, resulting in 10 000 disc models. At almost all scales and in particular down to a scale of a few AU, ALMA is able to trace disc structures induced by planet-disc interaction or the influence of magnetic fields in the wavelength range between 0.4...2.0 mm. In most cases, the optimum angular resolution is limited by the sensitivity of ALMA. However, within the range of typical masses of protoplane tary discs (0.1 M⊙...0.001 M⊙ the disc mass has a minor impact on the observability. At the distance of 140 pc it is possible to resolve discs down to 2.67·10-6 M⊙ and trace gaps in discs with 2.67·10-4 M⊙ with a signal-to-noise ratio greater than three. In general, it is more likely to trace planet-induced gaps in magneto-hydrodynamical disc models, because gaps are wider in the presence of

Equilibrium configuration of a stratus floating above accretion disks: Full-disk calculation

Science.gov (United States)

Itanishi, Yusuke; Fukue, Jun

2017-06-01

We examine floating strati above a luminous accretion disk, supported by the radiative force from the entire disk, and calculate the equilibrium locus, which depends on the disk luminosity and the optical depth of the stratus. Due to the radiative transfer effect (albedo effect), the floating height of the stratus with a finite optical depth generally becomes high, compared with the particle case. In contrast to the case of the near-disk approximation, moreover, the floating height becomes yet higher in the present full-disk calculation, since the intense radiation from the inner disk is taken into account. As a result, when the disk luminosity normalized by the Eddington luminosity is ˜0.3 and the stratus optical depth is around unity, the stable configuration disappears at around r ˜ 50 rg, rg being the Schwarzschild radius, and the stratus would be blown off as a cloudy wind consisting of many strati with appropriate conditions. This luminosity is sufficiently smaller than the Eddington one, and the present results suggest that the radiation-driven cloudy wind can be easily blown off from the sub-Eddington disk, and this can explain various outflows observed in ultra-fast outflow objects as well as in broad-absorption-line quasars.

Profiling procedure for disk cutter to generate the male rotor, screw compressors component, using the “Substitute Family Circle” - graphic method in AUTOCAD environment

Science.gov (United States)

Popa, CL; Popa, V.

2016-11-01

This paper proposes a profiling method for the tool which generates the helical groove of male rotor, screw compressor component. The method is based on a complementary theorem of surfaces enveloping - "Substitute Family Circles Method”. The specific theorem of family circles of substitution has been applied using AUTOCAD graphics design environment facility. The frontal view of the male rotor, screw compressor component, has been determinate knowing the transverse profile of female rotor, and using this theorem of "Substitute Family Circle". The three-dimensional model of the rotor makes possible to apply the same theorem, leading to the surface of revolution enveloping the helical surface. An application will be also presented to determine the axial profile of the disk cutter, numeric and graphics, following the proposed algorithm.

A Detached Protostellar Disk around a ˜0.2 M ⊙ Protostar in a Possible Site of a Multiple Star Formation in a Dynamical Environment in Taurus

Science.gov (United States)

Tokuda, Kazuki; Onishi, Toshikazu; Saigo, Kazuya; Hosokawa, Takashi; Matsumoto, Tomoaki; Inutsuka, Shu-ichiro; Machida, Masahiro N.; Tomida, Kengo; Kunitomo, Masanobu; Kawamura, Akiko; Fukui, Yasuo; Tachihara, Kengo

2017-11-01

We report ALMA observations in 0.87 mm continuum and 12CO (J = 3-2) toward a very low-luminosity (<0.1 L ⊙) protostar, which is deeply embedded in one of the densest cores, MC27/L1521F, in Taurus with an indication of multiple star formation in a highly dynamical environment. The beam size corresponds to ˜20 au, and we have clearly detected blueshifted/redshifted gas in 12CO associated with the protostar. The spatial/velocity distributions of the gas show there is a rotating disk with a size scale of ˜10 au, a disk mass of ˜10-4 M ⊙, and a central stellar mass of ˜0.2 M ⊙. The observed disk seems to be detached from the surrounding dense gas, although it is still embedded at the center of the core whose density is ˜106 cm-3. The current low-outflow activity and the very low luminosity indicate that the mass accretion rate onto the protostar is extremely low in spite of a very early stage of star formation. We may be witnessing the final stage of the formation of ˜0.2 M ⊙ protostar. However, we cannot explain the observed low luminosity with the standard pre-main-sequence evolutionary track unless we assume cold accretion with an extremely small initial radius of the protostar (˜0.65 {R}⊙ ). These facts may challenge our current understanding of the low mass star formation, in particular the mass accretion process onto the protostar and the circumstellar disk.

2TB hard disk drive

CERN Multimedia

This particular object was used up until 2012 in the Data Centre. It slots into one of the Disk Server trays. Hard disks were invented in the 1950s. They started as large disks up to 20 inches in diameter holding just a few megabytes (link is external). They were originally called "fixed disks" or "Winchesters" (a code name used for a popular IBM product). They later became known as "hard disks" to distinguish them from "floppy disks (link is external)." Hard disks have a hard platter that holds the magnetic medium, as opposed to the flexible plastic film found in tapes and floppies.

Creating a Lunar EVA Work Envelope

Science.gov (United States)

Griffin, Brand N.; Howard, Robert; Rajulu, Sudhakar; Smitherman, David

2009-01-01

A work envelope has been defined for weightless Extravehicular Activity (EVA) based on the Space Shuttle Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU), but there is no equivalent for planetary operations. The weightless work envelope is essential for planning all EVA tasks because it determines the location of removable parts, making sure they are within reach and visibility of the suited crew member. In addition, using the envelope positions the structural hard points for foot restraints that allow placing both hands on the job and provides a load path for reacting forces. EVA operations are always constrained by time. Tasks are carefully planned to ensure the crew has enough breathing oxygen, cooling water, and battery power. Planning first involves computers using a virtual work envelope to model tasks, next suited crew members in a simulated environment refine the tasks. For weightless operations, this process is well developed, but planetary EVA is different and no work envelope has been defined. The primary difference between weightless and planetary work envelopes is gravity. It influences anthropometry, horizontal and vertical mobility, and reaction load paths and introduces effort into doing "overhead" work. Additionally, the use of spacesuits other than the EMU, and their impacts on range of motion, must be taken into account. This paper presents the analysis leading to a concept for a planetary EVA work envelope with emphasis on lunar operations. There is some urgency in creating this concept because NASA has begun building and testing development hardware for the lunar surface, including rovers, habitats and cargo off-loading equipment. Just as with microgravity operations, a lunar EVA work envelope is needed to guide designers in the formative stages of the program with the objective of avoiding difficult and costly rework.

ON THE NATURE OF THE ENIGMATIC OBJECT IRAS 19312+1950: A RARE PHASE OF MASSIVE STAR FORMATION?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cordiner, M. A.; Charnley, S. B.; Milam, S. N. [Astrochemistry Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 691, 8800 Greenbelt Road, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Boogert, A. C. A. [Universities Space Research Association, Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, NASA Ames Research Center, MS 232-11, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (United States); Justtanont, K.; Wirström, E. S. [Department of Earth and Space Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Onsala Space Observatory, SE-439 92, Onsala (Sweden); Cox, N. L. J. [Instituut voor Sterrenkunde, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, bus 2401, B-3001, Leuven (Belgium); Smith, R. G. [School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Australian Defence Force Academy, Canberra ACT 2600 (Australia); Tielens, A. G. G. M. [Leiden Observatory, University of Leiden, P.O. Box 9513, NL-2300 RA Leiden (Netherlands); Keane, J. V., E-mail: martin.cordiner@nasa.gov [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States)

2016-09-01

IRAS 19312+1950 is a peculiar object that has eluded firm characterization since its discovery, with combined maser properties similar to an evolved star and a young stellar object (YSO). To help determine its true nature, we obtained infrared spectra of IRAS 19312+1950 in the range 5–550 μ m using the Herschel and Spitzer space observatories. The Herschel PACS maps exhibit a compact, slightly asymmetric continuum source at 170 μ m, indicative of a large, dusty circumstellar envelope. The far-IR CO emission line spectrum reveals two gas temperature components: ≈0.22 M {sub ⊙} of material at 280 ± 18 K, and ≈1.6 M {sub ⊙} of material at 157 ± 3 K. The O i 63 μ m line is detected on-source but no significant emission from atomic ions was found. The HIFI observations display shocked, high-velocity gas with outflow speeds up to 90 km s{sup −1} along the line of sight. From Spitzer spectroscopy, we identify ice absorption bands due to H{sub 2}O at 5.8 μ m and CO{sub 2} at 15 μ m. The spectral energy distribution is consistent with a massive, luminous (∼2 × 10{sup 4} L {sub ⊙}) central source surrounded by a dense, warm circumstellar disk and envelope of total mass ∼500–700 M {sub ⊙}, with large bipolar outflow cavities. The combination of distinctive far-IR spectral features suggest that IRAS 19312+1950 should be classified as an accreting, high-mass YSO rather than an evolved star. In light of this reclassification, IRAS 19312+1950 becomes only the fifth high-mass protostar known to exhibit SiO maser activity, and demonstrates that 18 cm OH maser line ratios may not be reliable observational discriminators between evolved stars and YSOs.

On the Nature of the Enigmatic Object IRAS 19312+1950: A Rare Phase of Massive Star Formation?

Science.gov (United States)

Cordiner, M. A.; Boogert, A. C. A.; Charnley, S. B.; Justtanont, K.; Cox, N. L. J.; Smith, R. G.; Tielens, A. G. G. M.; Wirstrom, E. S.; Milam, S. N.; Keane, J. V.

2016-01-01

IRAS?19312+1950 is a peculiar object that has eluded firm characterization since its discovery, with combined maser properties similar to an evolved star and a young stellar object (YSO). To help determine its true nature, we obtained infrared spectra of IRAS?19312+1950 in the range 5-550 microns using the Herschel and Spitzer space observatories. The Herschel PACS maps exhibit a compact, slightly asymmetric continuum source at 170 microns, indicative of a large, dusty circumstellar envelope. The far-IR CO emission line spectrum reveals two gas temperature components: approx. = 0.22 Stellar Mass of material at 280+/-18 K, and ˜1.6 Me of material at 157+/-3 K. The OI 63 micron line is detected on-source but no significant emission from atomic ions was found. The HIFI observations display shocked, high-velocity gas with outflow speeds up to 90 km/s along the line of sight. From Spitzer spectroscopy, we identify ice absorption bands due to H2O at 5.8 microns and CO2 at 15 microns. The spectral energy distribution is consistent with a massive, luminous (approx. 2 × 10(exp 4) Stellar Luminosity) central source surrounded by a dense, warm circumstellar disk and envelope of total mass approx. 500-700 Stellar Mass with large bipolar outflow cavities. The combination of distinctive far-IR spectral features suggest that IRAS19312+1950 should be classified as an accreting, high-mass YSO rather than an evolved star. In light of this reclassification, IRAS19312+1950 becomes only the fifth high-mass protostar known to exhibit SiO maser activity, and demonstrates that 18 cm OH maser line ratios may not be reliable observational discriminators between evolved stars and YSOs.

Magnetohydrodynamics of accretion disks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torkelsson, U.

1994-04-01

The thesis consists of an introduction and summary, and five research papers. The introduction and summary provides the background in accretion disk physics and magnetohydrodynamics. The research papers describe numerical studies of magnetohydrodynamical processes in accretion disks. Paper 1 is a one-dimensional study of the effect of magnetic buoyancy on a flux tube in an accretion disk. The stabilizing influence of an accretion disk corona on the flux tube is demonstrated. Paper 2-4 present numerical simulations of mean-field dynamos in accretion disks. Paper 11 verifies the correctness of the numerical code by comparing linear models to previous work by other groups. The results are also extended to somewhat modified disk models. A transition from an oscillatory mode of negative parity for thick disks to a steady mode of even parity for thin disks is found. Preliminary results for nonlinear dynamos at very high dynamo numbers are also presented. Paper 3 describes the bifurcation behaviour of the nonlinear dynamos. For positive dynamo numbers it is found that the initial steady solution is replaced by an oscillatory solution of odd parity. For negative dynamo numbers the solution becomes chaotic at sufficiently high dynamo numbers. Paper 4 continues the studies of nonlinear dynamos, and it is demonstrated that a chaotic solution appears even for positive dynamo numbers, but that it returns to a steady solution of mixed parity at very high dynamo numbers. Paper 5 describes a first attempt at simulating the small-scale turbulence of an accretion disk in three dimensions. There is only find cases of decaying turbulence, but this is rather due to limitations of the simulations than that turbulence is really absent in accretion disks

Preparation of thin actinide metal disks using a multiple disk casting technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Conner, W.V.

1975-01-01

A casting technique has been developed for preparing multiple actinide metal disks which have a minimum thickness of 0.006 inch. This technique was based on an injection casting procedure which utilizes the weight of a tantalum metal rod to force the molten metal into the mold cavity. Using the proper mold design and casting parameters, it has been possible to prepare ten 1/2 inch diameter neptunium or plutonium metal disks in a single casting, This casting technique is capable of producing disks which are very uniform. The average thickness of the disks from a typical casting will vary no more than 0.001 inch and the variation in the thickness of the individual disks will range from 0.0001 to 0.0005 inch. (Auth.)

Preparation of thin actinide metal disks using a multiple disk casting technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Conner, W.V.

1976-01-01

A casting technique has been developed for preparing multiple actinide metal disks which have a minimum thickness of 0.006 inch. This technique was based on an injection casting procedure which utilizes the weight of a tantalum metal rod to force the molten metal into the mold cavity. Using the proper mold design and casting parameters, it has been possible to prepare ten 1/2 inch diameter neptunium or plutonium metal disks in a single casting. This casting technique is capable of producing disks which are very uniform. The average thickness of the disks from a typical casting will vary no more than 0.001 inch and the variation in the thickness of the individual disks will range from 0.0001 to 0.0005 inch. (author)

14 CFR 29.87 - Height-velocity envelope.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... Category A engine isolation requirements, the height-velocity envelope for complete power failure must be... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Height-velocity envelope. 29.87 Section 29... AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS: TRANSPORT CATEGORY ROTORCRAFT Flight Performance § 29.87 Height-velocity envelope. (a...

Imaging the water snowline in a protostellar envelope with H13CO+

Science.gov (United States)

van 't Hoff, Merel L. R.; Persson, Magnus V.; Harsono, Daniel; Taquet, Vianney; Jørgensen, Jes K.; Visser, Ruud; Bergin, Edwin A.; van Dishoeck, Ewine F.

2018-05-01

Context. Snowlines are key ingredients for planet formation. Providing observational constraints on the locations of the major snowlines is therefore crucial for fully connecting planet compositions to their formation mechanism. Unfortunately, the most important snowline, that of water, is very difficult to observe directly in protoplanetary disks because of the close proximity of this snowline to the central star. Aims: Based on chemical considerations, HCO+ is predicted to be a good chemical tracer of the water snowline because it is particularly abundant in dense clouds when water is frozen out. This work aims to map the optically thin isotopolog H13CO+ toward the envelope of the low-mass protostar NGC 1333-IRAS2A, where the snowline is at a greater distance from the star than in disks. Comparison with previous observations of H218O show whether H13CO+ is indeed a good tracer of the water snowline. Methods: NGC 1333-IRAS2A was observed using the NOrthern Extended Millimeter Array (NOEMA) at 0.''9 resolution, targeting the H13CO+ J = 3 - 2 transition at 260.255 GHz. The integrated emission profile was analyzed using 1D radiative transfer modeling of a spherical envelope with a parametrized abundance profile for H13CO+. This profile was validated with a full chemical model. Results: The H13CO+ emission peaks 2'' northeast of the continuum peak, whereas H218O shows compact emission on source. Quantitative modeling shows that a decrease in H13CO+ abundance by at least a factor of six is needed in the inner 360 AU to reproduce the observed emission profile. Chemical modeling indeed predicts a steep increase in HCO+ just outside the water snowline; the 50% decrease in gaseous H2O at the snowline is not enough to allow HCO+ to be abundant. This places the water snowline at 225 AU, further away from the star than expected based on the 1D envelope temperature structure for NGC 1333-IRAS2A. In contrast, DCO+ observations show that the CO snowline is at the expected

ON THE TRANSITIONAL DISK CLASS: LINKING OBSERVATIONS OF T TAURI STARS AND PHYSICAL DISK MODELS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Espaillat, C.; Andrews, S.; Qi, C.; Wilner, D.; Ingleby, L.; Calvet, N.; Hernández, J.; Furlan, E.; D'Alessio, P.; Muzerolle, J.

2012-01-01

Two decades ago 'transitional disks' (TDs) described spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of T Tauri stars with small near-IR excesses, but significant mid- and far-IR excesses. Many inferred this indicated dust-free holes in disks possibly cleared by planets. Recently, this term has been applied disparately to objects whose Spitzer SEDs diverge from the expectations for a typical full disk (FD). Here, we use irradiated accretion disk models to fit the SEDs of 15 such disks in NGC 2068 and IC 348. One group has a 'dip' in infrared emission while the others' continuum emission decreases steadily at all wavelengths. We find that the former have an inner disk hole or gap at intermediate radii in the disk and we call these objects 'transitional disks' and 'pre-transitional disks' (PTDs), respectively. For the latter group, we can fit these SEDs with FD models and find that millimeter data are necessary to break the degeneracy between dust settling and disk mass. We suggest that the term 'transitional' only be applied to objects that display evidence for a radical change in the disk's radial structure. Using this definition, we find that TDs and PTDs tend to have lower mass accretion rates than FDs and that TDs have lower accretion rates than PTDs. These reduced accretion rates onto the star could be linked to forming planets. Future observations of TDs and PTDs will allow us to better quantify the signatures of planet formation in young disks.

EXOTIC METAL MOLECULES IN OXYGEN-RICH ENVELOPES: DETECTION OF AlOH (X1Σ+) IN VY CANIS MAJORIS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tenenbaum, E. D.; Ziurys, L. M.

2010-01-01

A new interstellar molecule, AlOH, has been detected toward the envelope of VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa), an oxygen-rich red supergiant. Three rotational transitions of AlOH were observed using the facilities of the Arizona Radio Observatory (ARO). The J = 9 → 8 and J = 7 → 6 lines at 1 mm were measured with the ARO Submillimeter Telescope, while the J = 5 → 4 transition at 2 mm was observed with the ARO 12 m antenna on Kitt Peak. The AlOH spectra exhibit quite narrow line widths of 16-23 km s -1 , as found for NaCl in this source, indicating that the emission arises from within the dust acceleration zone of the central circumstellar outflow. From a radiative transfer analysis, the abundance of AlOH relative to H 2 was found to be ∼1 x 10 -7 for a source size of 0.26'' or 22 R * . In contrast, AlCl was not detected with f ≤ 5 x 10 -8 . AlOH is likely formed just beyond the photosphere via thermodynamic equilibrium chemistry and then disappears due to dust condensation. The AlOH/AlO abundance ratio found in VY CMa is ∼17. Therefore, AlOH appears to be the dominant gas-phase molecular carrier of aluminum in this oxygen-rich shell. Local thermodynamic equilibrium calculations predict that the monohydroxides should be the major carriers of Al, Ca, and Mg in O-rich envelopes, as opposed to the oxides or halides. The apparent predominance of aluminum-bearing molecules in VY CMa may reflect proton addition processes in H-shell burning.

Solitary Alfven wave envelopes and the modulational instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kennel, C.F.

1987-06-01

The derivative nonlinear Schroedinger equation describes the modulational instability of circularly polarized dispersive Alfven wave envelopes. It also may be used to determine the properties of finite amplitude localized stationary wave envelopes. Such envelope solitons exist only in conditions of modulational stability. This leaves open the question of whether, and if so, how, the modulational instability produces envelope solitons. 12 refs

DYNAMICAL ACCRETION OF PRIMORDIAL ATMOSPHERES AROUND PLANETS WITH MASSES BETWEEN 0.1 AND 5 M {sub ⊕} IN THE HABITABLE ZONE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stökl, Alexander; Dorfi, Ernst A.; Johnstone, Colin P. [Department of Astrophysics, University of Vienna, Türkenschanzstrasse 17, A-1180 Vienna (Austria); Lammer, Helmut, E-mail: alexander.stoekl@astro.univie.ac.at [Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Schmiedlstr. 6, A-8042, Graz (Austria)

2016-07-10

In the early, disk-embedded phase of evolution of terrestrial planets, a protoplanetary core can accumulate gas from the circumstellar disk into a planetary envelope. In order to relate the accumulation and structure of this primordial atmosphere to the thermal evolution of the planetary core, we calculated atmosphere models characterized by the surface temperature of the core. We considered cores with masses between 0.1 and 5 M {sub ⊕} situated in the habitable zone around a solar-like star. The time-dependent simulations in 1D-spherical symmetry include the hydrodynamics equations, gray radiative transport, and convective energy transport. Using an implicit time integration scheme, we can use large time steps and and thus efficiently cover evolutionary timescales. Our results show that planetary atmospheres, when considered with reference to a fixed core temperature, are not necessarily stable, and multiple solutions may exist for one core temperature. As the structure and properties of nebula-embedded planetary atmospheres are an inherently time-dependent problem, we calculated estimates for the amount of primordial atmosphere by simulating the accretion process of disk gas onto planetary cores and the subsequent evolution of the embedded atmospheres. The temperature of the planetary core is thereby determined from the computation of the internal energy budget of the core. For cores more massive than about one Earth mass, we obtain that a comparatively short duration of the disk-embedded phase (∼10{sup 5} years) is sufficient for the accumulation of significant amounts of hydrogen atmosphere that are unlikely to be removed by later atmospheric escape processes.

THE SPITZER INFRARED SPECTROGRAPH SURVEY OF PROTOPLANETARY DISKS IN ORION A. I. DISK PROPERTIES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, K. H. [Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI), 776, Daedeokdae-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-348 (Korea, Republic of); Watson, Dan M.; Manoj, P.; Forrest, W. J. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627 (United States); Furlan, Elise [Infrared Processing and Analysis Center, Caltech, 770 S. Wilson Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Najita, Joan [National Optical Astronomy Observatory, 950 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719 (United States); Sargent, Benjamin [Center for Imaging Science and Laboratory for Multiwavelength Astrophysics, Rochester Institute of Technology, 54 Lomb Memorial Dr., Rochester, NY 14623 (United States); Hernández, Jesús [Centro de Investigaciones de Astronomía, Apdo. Postal 264, Mérida 5101-A (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of); Calvet, Nuria [Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, 830 Dennison Building, 500 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Adame, Lucía [Facultad de Ciencias Físico-Matemáticas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Av. Universidad S/N, San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, C.P. 66451, México (Mexico); Espaillat, Catherine [Department of Astronomy, Boston University, 725 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215 (United States); Megeath, S. T. [Ritter Astrophysical Research Center, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Toledo, 2801 W. Bancroft St., Toledo, OH 43606 (United States); Muzerolle, James, E-mail: quarkosmos@kasi.re.kr [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); and others

2016-09-01

We present our investigation of 319 Class II objects in Orion A observed by Spitzer /IRS. We also present the follow-up observations of 120 of these Class II objects in Orion A from the Infrared Telescope Facility/SpeX. We measure continuum spectral indices, equivalent widths, and integrated fluxes that pertain to disk structure and dust composition from IRS spectra of Class II objects in Orion A. We estimate mass accretion rates using hydrogen recombination lines in the SpeX spectra of our targets. Utilizing these properties, we compare the distributions of the disk and dust properties of Orion A disks with those of Taurus disks with respect to position within Orion A (Orion Nebular Cluster [ONC] and L1641) and with the subgroups by the inferred radial structures, such as transitional disks (TDs) versus radially continuous full disks (FDs). Our main findings are as follows. (1) Inner disks evolve faster than the outer disks. (2) The mass accretion rates of TDs and those of radially continuous FDs are statistically significantly displaced from each other. The median mass accretion rate of radially continuous disks in the ONC and L1641 is not very different from that in Taurus. (3) Less grain processing has occurred in the disks in the ONC compared to those in Taurus, based on analysis of the shape index of the 10 μ m silicate feature ( F {sub 11.3}/ F {sub 9.8}). (4) The 20–31 μ m continuum spectral index tracks the projected distance from the most luminous Trapezium star, θ {sup 1} Ori C. A possible explanation is UV ablation of the outer parts of disks.