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At least 289 records · Page 16
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DOE OSTI2012

A REMODEL OF THE ENVELOPE AROUND THE 21 {mu}m PROTOPLANETARY NEBULA IRAS 07134+1005

Recently, the CO J = 3-2 observational result of the envelope of the 21 {mu}m protoplanetary nebula (PPN) IRAS 07134+1005 has been reported. Assuming that the CO J = 3-2 line was optically thin, the mass-loss rate of the superwind in this PPN was found to be at least 2 orders of magnitude lower than the typical range. In order to obtain a more accurate mass-loss rate, we reexamine these data and construct a radiative transfer model to compare with the data. Also, in order to better resolve the superwind, we adopt a different weighting on the data to obtain maps at a higher resolution. Our result shows that the CO J = 3-2 emission is located slightly further away from the central source than the mid-infrared emission, probably because the material is cooler on the outer part and is thus better traced by the CO emission. At a lower resolution, however, the CO emission appeared to be spatially coincident with the mid-IR emission. Our model has two components, an inner ellipsoidal shell-like superwind with an equatorial density enhancement and an outer spheroidal asymptotic giant branch wind. The thick torus in the previous model could be considered as the dense equatorial part of our ellipsoidal superwind. With radiative transfer, our model reproduces more observed features than the previous model, and it obtains an averaged superwind mass-loss rate of {approx}1.8 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -5} M{sub Sun} yr{sup -1}, which is typical for a superwind. The mass-loss rate in the equatorial plane is 3 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -5} M{sub Sun} yr{sup -1}, which is also the same as that derived before from modeling the CO J = 1-0 emission.

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DOE OSTI2012

THE 2008 OUTBURST OF EX Lup-SILICATE CRYSTALS IN MOTION

EX Lup is the prototype of the EXor class of eruptive young stars. These objects show optical outbursts which are thought to be related to runaway accretion onto the star. In a previous study we observed in situ crystal formation in the disk of EX Lup during its latest outburst in 2008, making the object an ideal laboratory to investigate circumstellar crystal formation and transport. This outburst was monitored by a campaign of ground-based and Spitzer Space Telescope observations. Here we modeled the spectral energy distribution (SED) of EX Lup in the outburst from optical to millimeter wavelengths with a two-dimensional radiative transfer code. Our results showed that the shape of the SED at optical wavelengths was more consistent with a single-temperature blackbody than a temperature distribution. We also found that this single-temperature component emitted 80%-100% of the total accretion luminosity. We concluded that a thermal instability, the most widely accepted model of EXor outbursts, was likely not the triggering mechanism of the 2008 outburst of EX Lup. Our mid-infrared Spitzer spectra revealed that the strength of all crystalline bands between 8 and 30 {mu}m increased right after the end of the outburst. Six months later, however, the crystallinity in the 10 {mu}m silicate feature complex decreased. Our modeling of the mid-infrared spectral evolution of EX Lup showed that, although vertical mixing should be stronger during the outburst than in the quiescent phase, fast radial transport of crystals (e.g., by stellar/disk wind) was required to reproduce the observed mid-infrared spectra.

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DOE OSTI2012

THE ROLE OF MULTIPLICITY IN DISK EVOLUTION AND PLANET FORMATION

The past decade has seen a revolution in our understanding of protoplanetary disk evolution and planet formation in single-star systems. However, the majority of solar-type stars form in binary systems, so the impact of binary companions on protoplanetary disks is an important element in our understanding of planet formation. We have compiled a combined multiplicity/disk census of Taurus-Auriga, plus a restricted sample of close binaries in other regions, in order to explore the role of multiplicity in disk evolution. Our results imply that the tidal influence of a close ({approx}<40 AU) binary companion significantly hastens the process of protoplanetary disk dispersal, as {approx}2/3 of all close binaries promptly disperse their disks within {approx}<1 Myr after formation. However, prompt disk dispersal only occurs for a small fraction of wide binaries and single stars, with {approx}80%-90% retaining their disks for at least {approx}2-3 Myr (but rarely for more than {approx}5 Myr). Our new constraints on the disk clearing timescale have significant implications for giant planet formation; most single stars have 3-5 Myr within which to form giant planets, whereas most close binary systems would have to form giant planets within {approx}<1 Myr. If core accretion is the primary mode for giant planet formation, then gas giants in close binaries should be rare. Conversely, since almost all single stars have a similar period of time within which to form gas giants, their relative rarity in radial velocity (RV) surveys indicates either that the giant planet formation timescale is very well matched to the disk dispersal timescale or that features beyond the disk lifetime set the likelihood of giant planet formation.

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DOE OSTI2012

THE SUPERNOVA TRIGGERED FORMATION AND ENRICHMENT OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM

We investigate the enrichment of the pre-solar cloud core with short-lived radionuclides, especially {sup 26}Al. The homogeneity and the surprisingly small spread in the ratio {sup 26}Al/{sup 27}Al observed in the overwhelming majority of calcium-aluminium-rich inclusions in a vast variety of primitive chondritic meteorites places strong constraints on the formation of the solar system. Freshly synthesized radioactive {sup 26}Al has to be included and well mixed within 20 kyr. After discussing various scenarios including X-winds, asymptotic giant branch stars, and Wolf-Rayet stars, we come to the conclusion that triggering the collapse of a cold cloud core by a nearby supernova (SN) is the most promising scenario. We then narrow down the vast parameter space by considering the pre-explosion survivability of such a clump as well as the cross-section necessary for sufficient enrichment. We employ numerical simulations to address the mixing of the radioactively enriched SN gas with the pre-existing gas and the forced collapse within 20 kyr. We show that a cold clump of 10 M{sub Sun} at a distance of 5 pc can be sufficiently enriched in {sup 26}Al and triggered into collapse fast enough-within 18 kyr after encountering the SN shock-for a range of different metallicities and progenitor masses, even if the enriched material is assumed to be distributed homogeneously in the entire SN bubble. In summary, we envision an environment for the birthplace of the solar system 4.567 Gyr ago similar to the situation of the pillars in M16 nowadays, where molecular cloud cores adjacent to an H II region will be hit by an SN explosion in the future. We show that the triggered collapse and formation of the solar system as well as the required enrichment with radioactive {sup 26}Al are possible in this scenario.

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DOE OSTI2012

THE LATE STAGES OF PROTOPLANETARY DISK EVOLUTION: A MILLIMETER SURVEY OF UPPER SCORPIUS

We present deep 1.2 mm photometry of 37 stars in the young (5 Myr) Upper Scorpius OB association, sensitive to {approx}4 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -3} M{sub Jup} of cool millimeter dust. Disks around four low- and solar-mass stars are detected, as well as one debris disk around an intermediate-mass star, with dust masses ranging from 3.6 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -3} to 1.0 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -1} M{sub Jup}. The source with the most massive disk exhibits a transition-disk spectral energy distribution. Combining our results with previous studies, we find that the millimeter-detection fraction of Class II sources has significantly decreased from younger ages, and comparison with near-infrared and H{alpha} measurements indicates that the present disks have undergone significant evolution in composition or structure at all radii. The disks of Upper Scorpius represent the tail-end of the depletion of primordial disks; while a few near-solar-mass stars may still sustain giant planet formation, this process has finished around higher mass stars.

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DOE OSTI2012

VARIABILITY OF DISK EMISSION IN PRE-MAIN SEQUENCE AND RELATED STARS. II. VARIABILITY IN THE GAS AND DUST EMISSION OF THE HERBIG Fe STAR SAO 206462

We present 13 epochs of near-infrared (0.8-5 {mu}m) spectroscopic observations of the pre-transitional, 'gapped' disk system in SAO 206462 (=HD 135344B). In all, six gas emission lines (Br{alpha}, Br{gamma}, Pa{beta}, Pa{gamma}, Pa{delta}, Pa{epsilon}, and the 0.8446 {mu}m line of O I) along with continuum measurements made near the standard J, H, K, and L photometric bands were measured. A mass accretion rate of approximately 2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -8} M{sub Sun} yr{sup -1} was derived from the Br{gamma} and Pa{beta} lines. However, the fluxes of these lines varied by a factor of over two during the course of a few months. The continuum also varied, but by only {approx}30%, and even decreased at a time when the gas emission was increasing. The H I line at 1.083 {mu}m was also found to vary in a manner inconsistent with that of either the hydrogen lines or the dust. Both the gas and dust variabilities indicate significant changes in the region of the inner gas and the inner dust belt that may be common to many young disk systems. If planets are responsible for defining the inner edge of the gap, they could interact with the material on timescales commensurate with what is observed for the variations in the dust, while other disk instabilities (thermal, magnetorotational) would operate there on longer timescales than we observe for the inner dust belt. For SAO 206462, the orbital period would likely be 1-3 years. If the changes are being induced in the disk material closer to the star than the gap, a variety of mechanisms (disk instabilities, interactions via planets) might be responsible for the changes seen. The He I feature is most likely due to a wind whose orientation changes with respect to the observer on timescales of a day or less. To further constrain the origin of the gas and dust emission will require multiple spectroscopic and interferometric observations on both shorter and longer timescales that have been sampled so far.

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DOE OSTI2012

LkCa 15: A YOUNG EXOPLANET CAUGHT AT FORMATION?

Young and directly imaged exoplanets offer critical tests of planet-formation models that are not matched by radial velocity surveys of mature stars. These targets have been extremely elusive to date, with no exoplanets younger than 10-20 Myr and only a handful of direct-imaged exoplanets at all ages. We report the direct-imaging discovery of a likely (proto)planet around the young ({approx}2 Myr) solar analog LkCa 15, located inside a known gap in the protoplanetary disk (a 'transitional disk'). Our observations use non-redundant aperture masking interferometry at three epochs to reveal a faint and relatively blue point source (M{sub K{sup '}}=9.1{+-}0.2, K' - L' = 0.98 {+-} 0.22), flanked by approximately co-orbital emission that is red and resolved into at least two sources (M{sub L{sup '}}=7.5{+-}0.2, K' - L' = 2.7 {+-} 0.3; M{sub L{sup '}}=7.4{+-}0.2, K' - L' = 1.94 {+-} 0.16). We propose that the most likely geometry consists of a newly formed (proto)planet that is surrounded by dusty material. The nominal estimated mass is {approx}6 M{sub Jup} according to the 1 Myr hot-start models. However, we argue based on its luminosity, color, and the presence of circumplanetary material that the planet has likely been caught at its epoch of assembly, and hence this mass is an upper limit due to its extreme youth and flux contributed by accretion. The projected separations (71.9 {+-} 1.6 mas, 100.7 {+-} 1.9 mas, and 88.2 {+-} 1.8 mas) and deprojected orbital radii (16, 21, and 19 AU) correspond to the center of the disk gap, but are too close to the primary star for a circular orbit to account for the observed inner edge of the outer disk, so an alternative explanation (i.e., additional planets or an eccentric orbit) is likely required. This discovery is the first direct evidence that at least some transitional disks do indeed host newly formed (or forming) exoplanetary systems, and the observed properties provide crucial insight into the gas giant formation process.

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DOE OSTI2012

RAPID MID-INFRARED VARIABILITY IN PROTOSTELLAR DISKS

Spectral energy distribution (SED) in protostellar disks is determined by the disks' internal dissipation and reprocessing of irradiation from their host stars. Around T Tauri stars, most mid-infrared (MIR) radiation (in a wavelength range from a few to a few tens of {mu}m) emerges from regions around a fraction to a few AU. This region is interesting because it contains both the habitable zone and the snow line. Recent observations reveal SED variations in the MIR wavelength range. These variations are puzzling because they occur on a timescale (a few days) which is much shorter than the dynamical (months to years) timescale from 1 AU to a few AU. They are probably caused by shadows cast by inner onto outer disk regions. Interaction between disks and their misaligned magnetized host stars can lead to warped structure and periodic SED modulations. Rapid aperiodic SED variations may also be induced by observed X-ray flares from T Tauri stars. These flares can significantly modulate the ionization fraction of the gas and the net charge carried by the grains near the surface of the inner disk. The newly charged grains may be accelerated by the stellar or disk magnetic field and adjust their distances from the midplane. Shadows cast by these grains attenuate the flux of stellar photons irradiated onto regions at several AU from the central stars. We use this model to account for the observed rapid aperiodic SED variabilities. We suggest that regular monitoring of SED variations will not only provide valuable information on the distribution of the disk aspect ratio near the habitable zone but also provide a probe of the interaction between the inner regions of the disk with the magnetosphere of their host stars.

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DOE OSTI2012

CHALLENGES IN FORMING PLANETS BY GRAVITATIONAL INSTABILITY: DISK IRRADIATION AND CLUMP MIGRATION, ACCRETION, AND TIDAL DESTRUCTION

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 {approx}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 {approx}2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 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{sup -3} and 10{sup -1} M{sub J} yr{sup -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 disrupted and open gaps may be relevant to the formation of close binary systems similar to Kepler 16. A clump formed by GI-induced fragmentation can be as large as 10 AU and as luminous as 2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -3} L{sub Sun }, which will be easily detectable with ALMA, but its lifetime before dynamically collapsing is only {approx}1000 years.

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DOE OSTI2012

SECULAR GRAVITATIONAL INSTABILITY OF A DUST LAYER IN SHEAR TURBULENCE

We perform a linear stability analysis of a dust layer in a turbulent gas disk. Youdin investigated the secular gravitational instability (GI) of a dust layer using hydrodynamic equations with a turbulent diffusion term. We obtain essentially the same result independently of Youdin. In the present analysis, we restrict the area of interest to small dust particles, while investigating the secular GI in a more rigorous manner. We discuss the time evolution of the dust surface density distribution using a stochastic model and derive the advection-diffusion equation. The validity of the analysis by Youdin is confirmed in the strong drag limit. We demonstrate quantitatively that the finite thickness of a dust layer weakens the secular GI and that the density-dependent diffusion coefficient changes the growth rate. We apply the results obtained to the turbulence driven by the shear instability and find that the secular GI is faster than the radial drift when the gas density is three times as large as that in the minimum-mass disk model. If the dust particles are larger than chondrules, the secular GI grows within the lifetime of a protoplanetary disk.

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DOE OSTI2012

MULTIPLICITY, DISKS, AND JETS IN THE NGC 2071 STAR-FORMING REGION

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.

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DOE OSTI2012

CHARACTERIZING CO FOURTH POSITIVE EMISSION IN YOUNG CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS

Carbon monoxide is a commonly used IR/submillimeter tracer of gas in protoplanetary disks. We present an analysis of ultraviolet CO emission in Hubble Space Telescope Cosmic Origins Spectrograph spectra for 12 Classical T Tauri stars (CTTSs). Several ro-vibrational bands of the CO A{sup 1}{Pi}-X{sup 1}{Sigma}{sup +} (Fourth Positive) electronic transition system are spectrally resolved from emission of other atoms and H{sub 2}. The CO A{sup 1}{Pi} v' = 14 state is populated by absorption of Ly{alpha} photons, created at the accretion column on the stellar surface. For targets with strong CO emission, we model the Ly{alpha} radiation field as an input for a simple fluorescence model to estimate CO rotational excitation temperatures and column densities. Typical column densities range from N{sub CO} = 10{sup 18} to 10{sup 19} cm{sup -2}. Our measured excitation temperatures are mostly below T{sub CO} = 600 K, cooler than typical M-band CO emission. These temperatures and the emission line widths imply that the UV emission originates in a different population of CO than that which is IR-emitting. We also find a significant correlation between CO emission and the disk accretion rate M-dot and age. Our analysis shows that ultraviolet CO emission can be a useful diagnostic of CTTS disk gas.

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DOE OSTI2012

CONVERGENCE STUDIES OF MASS TRANSPORT IN DISKS WITH GRAVITATIONAL INSTABILITIES. I. THE CONSTANT COOLING TIME CASE

We conduct a convergence study of a protostellar disk, subject to a constant global cooling time and susceptible to gravitational instabilities (GIs), at a time when heating and cooling are roughly balanced. Our goal is to determine the gravitational torques produced by GIs, the level to which transport can be represented by a simple {alpha}-disk formulation, and to examine fragmentation criteria. Four simulations are conducted, identical except for the number of azimuthal computational grid points used. A Fourier decomposition of non-axisymmetric density structures in cos (m{phi}), sin (m{phi}) is performed to evaluate the amplitudes A{sub m} of these structures. The A{sub m} , gravitational torques, and the effective Shakura and Sunyaev {alpha} arising from gravitational stresses are determined for each resolution. We find nonzero A{sub m} for all m-values and that A{sub m} summed over all m is essentially independent of resolution. Because the number of measurable m-values is limited to half the number of azimuthal grid points, higher-resolution simulations have a larger fraction of their total amplitude in higher-order structures. These structures act more locally than lower-order structures. Therefore, as the resolution increases the total gravitational stress decreases as well, leading higher-resolution simulations to experience weaker average gravitational torques than lower-resolution simulations. The effective {alpha} also depends upon the magnitude of the stresses, thus {alpha}{sub eff} also decreases with increasing resolution. Our converged {alpha}{sub eff} is consistent with predictions from an analytic local theory for thin disks by Gammie, but only over many dynamic times when averaged over a substantial volume of the disk.

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DOE OSTI2012

PLANETESIMAL FORMATION AT THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN STEADY SUPER/SUB-KEPLERIAN FLOW CREATED BY INHOMOGENEOUS GROWTH OF MAGNETOROTATIONAL INSTABILITY

We have studied formation of planetesimals at a radial pressure bump in a protoplanetary disk created by radially inhomogeneous magnetorotational instability (MRI), through three-dimensional resistive MHD simulations including dust particles. In our previous papers, we showed that the inhomogeneous MRI developing in non-uniform structure of magnetic field or magnetic resistivity can transform the local gas flow in the disk to a quasi-steady state with local rigid rotation that is no longer unstable against the MRI. Since the outer part of the rigid rotation is super-Keplerian flow, a quasi-static pressure bump is created and dust concentration is expected there. In this paper, we perform simulations of the same systems, adding dust particles that suffer gas drag and modulate gas flow via the back-reaction of the gas drag (dust drag). We use {approx}O(10{sup 7}) super-particles, each of which represents {approx}O(10{sup 6})-O(10{sup 7}) dust particles with sizes of centimeter to meter. We have found that the dust drag suppresses turbulent motion to decrease the velocity dispersion of the dust particles while it broadens the dust concentrated regions to limit peaky dust concentration, compared with the simulation without the dust drag. We found that the positive effect for the gravitational instability (GI), reduction in the velocity dispersion, dominates over the negative one, suppression in particle concentration. For meter-size particles with the friction time {tau}{sub f} {approx_equal} 1/{Omega}, where {Omega} is Keplerian frequency, the GI of the dust particles that may lead to planetesimal formation is expected. For such a situation, we further introduced the self-gravity of dust particles to the simulation to demonstrate that several gravitationally bound clumps are actually formed. Through analytical arguments, we found that planetesimal formation from meter-sized dust particles is possible at {approx}5 AU, if dust spatial density is a few times larger than that in the minimum mass solar nebula.

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DOE OSTI2012

THE ORIGIN OF THE NEGATIVE TORQUE DENSITY IN DISK-SATELLITE INTERACTION

Tidal interaction between a gaseous disk and a massive orbiting perturber is known to result in angular momentum exchange between them. Understanding astrophysical manifestations of this coupling such as gap opening by planets in protoplanetary disks or clearing of gas by binary supermassive black holes (SMBHs) embedded in accretion disks requires knowledge of the spatial distribution of the torque exerted on the disk by a perturber. Recent hydrodynamical simulations by Dong et al have shown evidence for the tidal torque density produced in a uniform disk to change sign at the radial separation of Almost-Equal-To 3.2 scale heights from the perturber's orbit, in clear conflict with the previous studies. To clarify this issue, we carry out a linear calculation of the disk-satellite interaction putting special emphasis on understanding the behavior of the perturbed fluid variables in physical space. Using analytical as well as numerical methods, we confirm the reality of the negative torque density phenomenon and trace its origin to the overlap of Lindblad resonances in the vicinity of the perturber's orbit-an effect not accounted for in previous studies. These results suggest that calculations of the gap and cavity opening in disks by planets and binary SMBHs should rely on more realistic torque density prescriptions than the ones used at present.

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DOE OSTI2012

DISTRIBUTION OF ACCRETING GAS AND ANGULAR MOMENTUM ONTO CIRCUMPLANETARY DISKS

We investigate gas accretion flow onto a circumplanetary disk from a protoplanetary disk in detail by using high-resolution three-dimensional nested-grid hydrodynamic simulations, in order to provide a basis of formation processes of satellites around giant planets. Based on detailed analyses of gas accretion flow, we find that most of gas accretion onto circumplanetary disks occurs nearly vertically toward the disk surface from high altitude, which generates a shock surface at several scale heights of the circumplanetary disk. The gas that has passed through the shock surface moves inward because its specific angular momentum is smaller than that of the local Keplerian rotation, while gas near the midplane in the protoplanetary disk cannot accrete to the circumplanetary disk. Gas near the midplane within the planet's Hill sphere spirals outward and escapes from the Hill sphere through the two Lagrangian points L{sub 1} and L{sub 2}. We also analyze fluxes of accreting mass and angular momentum in detail and find that the distributions of the fluxes onto the disk surface are well described by power-law functions and that a large fraction of gas accretion occurs at the outer region of the disk, i.e., at about 0.1 times the Hill radius. The nature of power-law functions indicates that, other than the outer edge, there is no specific radius where gas accretion is concentrated. These source functions of mass and angular momentum in the circumplanetary disk would provide us with useful constraints on the structure and evolution of the circumplanetary disk, which is important for satellite formation.

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DOE OSTI2012

ON THE TRANSITIONAL DISK CLASS: LINKING OBSERVATIONS OF T TAURI STARS AND PHYSICAL DISK MODELS

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.

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DOE OSTI2012

SELF-CONSISTENT SIZE AND VELOCITY DISTRIBUTIONS OF COLLISIONAL CASCADES

The standard theoretical treatment of collisional cascades derives a steady-state size distribution assuming a single constant velocity dispersion for all bodies regardless of size. Here we relax this assumption and solve self-consistently for the bodies' steady-state size and size-dependent velocity distributions. Specifically, we account for viscous stirring, dynamical friction, and collisional damping of the bodies' random velocities in addition to the mass conservation requirement typically applied to find the size distribution in a steady-state cascade. The resulting size distributions are significantly steeper than those derived without velocity evolution. For example, accounting self-consistently for the velocities can change the standard q = 3.5 power-law index of the Dohnanyi differential size spectrum to an index as large as q = 4. Similarly, for bodies held together by their own gravity, the corresponding power-law index range 2.88 < q < 3.14 of Pan and Sari can steepen to values as large as q = 3.26. Our velocity results allow quantitative predictions of the bodies' scale heights as a function of size. Together with our predictions, observations of the scale heights for different-sized bodies for the Kuiper belt, the asteroid belt, and extrasolar debris disks may constrain the mass and number of large bodies stirring the cascade as well as the colliding bodies' internal strengths.

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