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At least 181 records · Page 10
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1991

Nonlinear evolution of accretion disks induced by radiative feedback processes

The existence of accretion disks around young stellar objects has recently become widely accepted. The luminosity of some young stellar objects is highly variable and is generally attributed to the release of gravitational energy from matter funneled onto them by accretion disks. The inward transport of matter through these disks is coupled to the outward transfer of angular momentum. This transfer is most likely to be regulated by the mixing of adjacent annuli through the process of large-scale turbulence. Most of the accretion energy generated by this process emerges near the inner edge of the disk. This radiation may be intercepted by the disk and may modify the vertical and viscous evolution of the disk itself. If surface heating can stabilize the disk against the dominant viscous process, then in systems with large accretion rates, angular momentum transport and mass flow through the disk will be quenched. Using this result, it is shown that such a mechanism can induce feedback through the disk which produces oscillations in the luminosity of the central object. This oscillation can become chaotic in certain regimes and might thus explain the highly variable nature of many T Tauri systems and their outbursting counterparts: the FU Orionis objects.

Bell, K. R.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Redundant disk arrays: Reliable, parallel secondary storage

During the past decade, advances in processor and memory technology have given rise to increases in computational performance that far outstrip increases in the performance of secondary storage technology. Coupled with emerging small-disk technology, disk arrays provide the cost, volume, and capacity of current disk subsystems, by leveraging parallelism, many times their performance. Unfortunately, arrays of small disks may have much higher failure rates than the single large disks they replace. Redundant arrays of inexpensive disks (RAID) use simple redundancy schemes to provide high data reliability. The data encoding, performance, and reliability of redundant disk arrays are investigated. Organizing redundant data into a disk array is treated as a coding problem. Among alternatives examined, codes as simple as parity are shown to effectively correct single, self-identifying disk failures.

Gibson, Garth Alan↗
NASA NTRS1992

Model scattering envelopes of young stellar objects. I - Method and application to circumstellar disks

We describe a Monte Carlo code that accurately treats multiple scattering, absorption, and polarization by dust, and use this code to calculate images of dusty disks around young stellar objects. We present some approximate analytic results that describe the behavior of the Monte Carlo calculations. A geometrically thin disk illuminated by a central T Tauri star scatters very little light at distances of many AU from the star. Viewed at any inclination, the flux scattered by such a disk at the distance to the nearest star-forming region will be overwhelmed by the stellar image. An optically thick disk that has a flaring surface may be observable, especially if viewed nearly edge-on so that the stellar source becomes occulted. An optically thin disk with a finite opening angle, similar to the one surrounding beta Pictoris, is about as observable as the typical flared optically thick disk at a similar distance from the earth. The polarization position angle is perpendicular to the disk plane in all of the models, in contrast to observations of many young stellar objects which have the position angle oriented parallel to the presumed disk plane. We suggest that the scattered light structures observed around many premain-sequence objects are dusty envelopes rather than disks.

Whitney, Barbara A.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Astronomical observations of phenomena in disks

Astronomical constraints on disks around young stellar objects are reviewed in this abstract. Since disks around the youngest stars cannot generally be resolved spatially, most results are based on analyses of the infrared and radio emission from circumstellar dust and gas. At least half of all young stars seem to have substantial circumstellar disks at an age of approximately 10(exp 6) yr. The young objects without disks tend to be binary stellar systems, though not exclusively, and some close binaries may have outer disks that are not tidally disrupted. Probably most, if not all, stars formed originally with circumstellar disks, but evolutionary timescales may differ dramatically. All the results, disk disappearance, disk mass around young stars, and long-wavelength dust opacities, are subject to the additional uncertainty of the effects of infalling dusty envelopes, which produce the disks in the first place.

Hartmann, L.↗
NASA NTRS1994

The stability of thick, self-gravitating disks in protostellar systems

Using numerical hydrodynamics techniques, we perform a nonlinear stability analysis of accretion disk systems that contain thick, self-gravitating disks. The systems are initially represented by a point mass M(sub c) at the center and a geometrically thick, axisymmetric disk of mass M(sub d) that supports uniform specific angular momentum and obeys an n = 3/2, polytropic equation of state. The equilibrium disk structure is uniquely defined upon the specification of two key dimensionless system parameters: M(sub d)/M(sub c) and T/absolute value of W (the ratio of rotational kinetic energy if the disk to the gravitational potential energy of the system). The focus of this work is on the identification of systems within this two-dimensional parameter space that are marginally unstable toward the development of nonaxisymmetric distortions. The geometric form and relative pattern speed of the disk's distortion as well as the likelihood of disk fragmentation as a result of such instabilities is examined, particularly in the context of protostellar systems. The value of T/absolute value of W at which thick disks first become dynamically unstable to nonaxisymmetric distortions is found to vary significantly with the mass ratio of the accertion disk system. Nonaxisymmetric eigenmodes with four distinctly different characters are identified in systems with mass ratios in the range 0.2 less than or equal to (M(sub d)/M(sub c)) less than or equal to 5.

Woodward, John W.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Relativistic Iron Emission and Disk Reflection in Galactic Microquasar XTE J1748-288

We report evidence for an Fe K-alpha fluorescence line feature and disk reflection in the very high, high-, and low-state X-ray spectra of the Galactic microquasar XTE J1748 - 288 during its 1998 June outburst. Spectral analyses are made on data gathered throughout the outburst by the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer Proportional Counter Array. Gaussian line, relativistic disk emission line, and ionized disk reflection models are fitted to the data. In the very high state the line profile appears strongly redshifted, consistent with disk emission from the innermost stable orbits around a maximally rotating Kerr black hole. In the high state the line profile is less redshifted and increasingly prominent. The low-state line profile is very strong (approx. 0.5 keV equivalent width) and centered at 6.7 +/- 0.10 keV; disk line emission model fits indicate that the inner edge of the disk fluctuates between approx. 20R(sub g) and - approx. 100R(sub g) in this state. The disk reflection fraction is traced through the outburst; reflection from an ionized disk is preferred in the very high and high states, and reflection from a relatively neutral disk is preferred in the low state. We discuss the implications of our findings for the binary system dynamics and accretion flow geometry in XTE J1748 - 288.

Miller, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Relativistic Iron Emission and Disk Reflection in Galactic Microquasar XTE J1748-288

We report evidence for an Fe K(alpha) fluorescence line feature and disk reflection in the very high, high-, and low-state X-ray spectra of the Galactic microquasar XTE J1748-288 during its 1998 June outburst. Spectral analyses are made on data gathered throughout the outburst by the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer Proportional Counter Array. Gaussian line, relativistic disk emission line, and ionized disk reflection models are fitted to the data. In the very high state the line profile appears strongly redshifted, consistent with disk emission from the innermost stable orbits around a maximally rotating Kerr black hole. In the high state the line profile is less redshifted and increasingly prominent. The low-state line profile is very strong (approx. 0.5 keV equivalent width) and centered at 6.7 +/- 0.10 keV; disk line emission model fits indicate that the inner edge of the disk fluctuates between approx. 20Rg and approx. 100Rg in this state. The disk reflection fraction is traced through the outburst; reflection from an ionized disk is preferred in the very high and high states, and reflection from a relatively neutral disk is preferred in the low state. We discuss the implications of our findings for the binary system dynamics and accretion flow geometry in XTE J1748-288.

Miller, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS2001

A Realistic Accretion Disk Model for AGNs

We present a new relativistic accretion disk model of AGNs, based on alpha modified accretion disk theory, where alpha is a parameter that characterizes the efficiency of the mechanism of angular momentum transport. In this model we have considered a geometrically-thin, high-luminosity (alpha-accretion disk, around a supermassive black hole. The geometrically thin limit assumes a local energy balance within the accretion disk, which has been used to derive the plasma temperature of the disk. The energy balance equation has three solutions: low, medium and high temperature, depending on the heating rate of the accretion disk. We predict that the inner part of a high luminosity accretion disk is in the high- temperature (10(exp 7) to 10(exp 9) K) state and for this we obtain the high temperature solution of the energy balance equation using a Comptonization process. We find the local spectrum of each ring of the disk (we have divided the high temperature region of the disk into 50 rings) to be a diluted Wien spectrum. However, the emergent integral spectrum of the high temperature region is a power-law with a high-energy cutoff that depends on the basic parameters of AGNs (the accretion rate, the incidence angle, and the mass and the angular momentum of the central black hole). We have fitted the observed spectra of 28 AGNs using the present model and have derived the values of the basic parameters of these AGNs. Results of these spectral fittings have been discussed in the framework of the unification model of AGNs.

Suleimanov, V.↗
NASA NTRS2002

High Temperature Spin Testing of a Superalloy Disk With a Dual Grain Structure

Comparative spin tests were run on superalloy disks at an elevated temperature to determine the benefits of a DMHT disk, with a fine grain bore and coarse grain rim, versus a traditional subsolvus disk with a fine grain structure in the bore and rim. The results of these tests showed that the DMHT disk exhibited significantly lower growth at 1500 F. Further, the results of these tests could be accurately predicted using a 2D viscoelastic finite element analysis. These results indicate DMHT technology can be used to extend disk operating temperatures when compared to traditional subsolvus heat treatment options for superalloy disks. However, additional research is required to ensure the safe operation of a DMHT disk under more realistic engine operating conditions. This includes testing to determine the burst margin and cyclic capability of DMHT disks in a spin pit, at a minimum, and ultimately running an engine test with a DMHT disk.

Gayda, John↗
NASA NTRS2003

Coronagraphic Observations of Optically Thin Debris Disks

We present the first observations of the debris disks around HD141569A and HD100546 made with the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) Coronagraph. Both HD141569A and HD100546 are known to possess circumstellar disks with complex structures. HD141569A's disk was shown to exhibit a a gap from NICMOS observations (Weinberger et ai. 1999), while HD100546 has been shown to exhibit a disk with spiral strucure (Grady et ai. 2001). The ACS observations were made as part of the GTO program to study the formation of planetary systems. The performance of the ACS Coronagraph meets pre-launch expectations, and allows us t o achieve images with both unparalleled contrast and, a fully-sampled point spread function. We will present new, multi-color images of each object obtained with the F435W, F606W and F814W filters. These images present a significant improvement over the previous observations with NICMOS and STIS. We fully resolve the complex spiral structures observed within these disks and determine the true angular extent of the disks. Disk properties including color variations, disk asymmetries and morphology are determined. We discuss the formation history of these disks in the light of,our new observations and review the evidence for the possibility that the systems harbor planets.

Clampin, Mark↗
NASA NTRS2003

Coronagraphic Observations of Optically Thin Debris Disks

We present the first observations of the debris disks around HD141569A and HD100546 made with the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) Coronagraph. Both HD141569A and HD100546 are known to possess circumstellar disks with complex structures. HD141569A's disk was shown to exhibit a a gap from NICMOS observations, while HD100546 has been shown to exhibit a disk with spiral structure (Grady et al. 2001). The ACS observations were made as part of the GTO program to study the formation of planetary systems. The performance of the ACS Coronagraph meets pre-launch expectations, and allows us to achieve images with both unparalleled contrast and, a fully-sampled point spread function. We will present new, multi-color images of each object obtained with the F435W, F606W and F814W filters. These images present a significant improvement over the previous observations with NICMOS and STIS. We fully resolve the complex spiral structures observed within these disks and determine the true angular extent of the disks. Disk properties including color variations, disk asymmetries and morphology are determined. We discuss the formation history of these disks in the light of our new observations and review the evidence for the possibility that the systems harbor planets.

Clampin, Mark↗
NASA NTRS2006

Burst Testing and Analysis of Superalloy Disks With a Dual Grain Microstructure

Elastic-plastic finite element analyses of room temperature burst tests on four superalloy disks were conducted and reported in this paper. Two alloys, Rene 104 (General Electric Aircraft Engines) and Alloy 10 (Honeywell Engines & Systems), were studied. For both alloys an advanced dual microstructure disk, fine grain bore and coarse grain rim, were analyzed and compared with conventional disks with uniform microstructures, coarse grain for Rene 104 and fine grain for Alloy 10. The analysis and experimental data were in good agreement up to burst. At burst, the analysis underestimated the speed and growth of the Rene 104 disks, but overestimated the speed and growth of the Alloy 10 disks. Fractography revealed that the Alloy 10 disks displayed significant surface microcracking and coalescence in comparison to Rene 104 disks. This phenomenon may help explain the differences between the Alloy 10 disks and the Rene 104 disks, as well as the observed deviations between analytical and experimental data at burst.

Gayda, John↗
NASA NTRS2006

Disk Evolution in Cep OB2: Results from the Spitzer Space Telescope

We presented the results of an infrared imaging survey of Tr 37 and NGC 7160 using the IRAC and MIPS instruments on board the Spitzer Space Telescope. Our observations cover the wavelength range from 3.6 to 24 microns, allowing us to detect disk emission over a typical range of radii 0.1 to 20 AU from the central star. In Tr 37, with an age of about 4 Myr, about 48% of the low-mass stars exhibit detectable disk emission in the IRAC bands. Roughly 10% of the stars with disks may be "transition" objects, with essentially photospheric fluxes at wavelengths i 4.5 microns but with excesses at longer wavelengths, indicating an optically thin inner disk. The median optically thick disk emission in Tr 37 is lower than the corresponding median for stars in the younger Taurus region; the decrease in infrared excess is larger at 6-8 microns than at 24 microns, suggesting that grain growth and/or dust settling has proceeded faster at smaller disk radii, as expected on general theoretical grounds. Only about 4% of the low-mass stars in the 10 Myr old cluster NGC 7160 show detectable infrared disk emission. We also find evidence for 24 micron excesses around a few intermediate-mass stars, which may represent so-called "debris disk" systems. Our observations provided new constraints on disk evolution through an important age range.

Sicilia-Aguilar Aurora↗
NASA NTRS2012

A Peculiar Class of Debris Disks from Herschel/DUNES: A Steep Fall Off in the Far Infrared

Context. The existence of debris disks around old main sequence stars is usually explained by continuous replenishment of small dust grains through collisions from a reservoir of larger objects. Aims. We present photometric data of debris disks around HIP 103389 (HD199260), HIP 100350 (HN Peg, HD206860), and HIP 114948 (HD 219482), obtained in the context of our Herschel Open TIme Key Program DUNES (DUst around NEarby Stars). Methods. We used Herschel/PACS to detect the thermal emission of the three debris disks with a 30 sigma sensitivity of a few mJy at l00 micron and 160 micron. In addition, we obtained Herschel/PACS photometric data at 70 micron for HIP 103389. These observations are complemented by a large variety of optical to far-infrared photometric data. Two different approaches are applied to reduce the Herschel data to investigate the impact of data reduction on the photometry. We fit analytical models to the available spectral energy distribution (SED) data using the fitting method of simulated therma1 annealing as well as a classical grid search method. Results. The SEDs of the three disks potentially exhibit an unusually steep decrease at wavelengths >= 70 micron. We investigate the significance of the peculiar shape of these SEDs and the impact on models of the disks provided it is real. Using grain compositions that have been applied successfully for modeling of many other debris disks, our modeling reveals that such a steep decrease of the SEDs in the long wavelength regime is inconsistent with a power-law exponent of the grain size distribution -3.5 expected from a standard equilibrium collisional cascade. In contrast, a steep grain size distribution or, alternatively an upper grain size in the range of few tens of micrometers are implied. This suggests that a very distinct range of grain sizes would dominate the thermal. emission of such disks. However, we demonstrate that the understanding of the data of faint sources obtained with Herschel is still incomplete and that the significance of our results depends on the version of the data reduction pipeline used. Conclusions. A new mechanism to produce the dust in the presented debris disks, deviations from the conditions required for a standard equilibrium collisional cascade (grain size exponent of -3.5), and/or significantly different dust properties would be necessary to explain the potentially steep SED shape of the three debris disks presented.

Ertel, S.↗
NASA NTRS2012

The Disk and Jet of the Classical T Tauri Star AA Tau

Previous studies of the classical T-Tauri star AA Tau have interpreted the UX Ononis-like photopolarimetric variability as being due to a warp in the inner disk caused by an inclined stellar magnetic dipole field. We test that these effects are macroscopically observable in the inclination and alignment of the disk. We use HST/STIS coronagraphic detection of the disk to measure the outer disk radius and inclination and find that the inner disk is both misinclined and misaligned with respect to the outer disk. AA Tau drives a faint jet which is also misaligned with respect to the outer disk minor axis. The jet is also poorly colimated near the sun. The measured inclination 71 +/- 1 deg is above the inclination range suggested for stars with UX Ononis-like variability, indicating that dust grains in the disk have grown and settled toward the disk midplane.

Grady, Carol A.↗
NASA NTRS2013

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

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 micron; 49 Cet is significantly extended in the 70 micron 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 micron and [C ii] 158 micron. 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 Oi 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.

thermochemical modeling↗
NASA NTRS2013

The Disk and Jet of the Classical T Tauri Star AA Tau

Previous studies of the classical T Tauri star AA Tau have interpreted the UX Orionis-like photopolarimetric variability as being due to a warp in the inner disk caused by an inclined stellar magnetic dipolefield. We test that these effects are macroscopically observable in the inclination and alignment of the disk. We use the HST/STIS coronagraphic detection of the disk to measure the outer disk radius and inclination, and find that the inner disk is both misinclined and misaligned with respect to the outer disk. AA Tau drives a faint jet which is also misaligned with respect to the projection of the outer disk minor axis. The jet is also poorly collimated near the star. The measured inclination, 71+/-1deg, is above the inclination range suggested for stars with UX Orionis-like variability, indicating that dust grains in the disk have grown and settled toward the disk midplane.

UX Orionis↗
NASA NTRS2024

JWST-TST High Contrast: Asymmetries, Dust Populations, and Hints of a Collision in the β Pictoris Disk with NIRCam and MIRI

We present the first JWST Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) and Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) observations of the prominent debris disk around βPictoris. Coronagraphic observations in eight filters spanning from 1.8 to 23 μm provide an unprecedentedly clear view of the disk at these wavelengths. The objectives of the observing program were to investigate the dust composition and distribution and to investigate the presence of planets in the system. In this paper, we focus on the disk components, providing surface brightness measurements for all images and a detailed investigation of the asymmetries observed. A companion paper by Kammerer et al. will focus on the planets in this system using the same data. We report for the first time the presence of an extended secondary disk in thermal emission, with a curved extension bent away from the plane of the disk. This feature, which we refer to as the “cat’s tail,” seems to be connected with the previously reported CO clump, mid-infrared asymmetry detected on the southwest side of the disk, and the warp observed in scattered light. We present a model of this secondary disk sporadically producing dust that broadly reproduces the morphology, flux, and color of the cat’s tail, as well as other features observed in the disk, and which suggests the secondary disk is composed largely of porous, organic refractory dust grains.

Isabel Rebollido↗