scholarly journals Disk Masses and Dust Evolution of Protoplanetary Disks around Brown Dwarfs

2021 ◽  
Vol 921 (2) ◽  
pp. 182
Author(s):  
Anneliese M. Rilinger ◽  
Catherine C. Espaillat

Abstract We present the largest sample of brown dwarf (BD) protoplanetary disk spectral energy distributions modeled to date. We compile 49 objects with ALMA observations from four star-forming regions: ρ Ophiuchus, Taurus, Lupus, and Upper Scorpius. Studying multiple regions with various ages enables us to probe disk evolution over time. Specifically, from our models, we obtain values for dust grain sizes, dust settling, and disk mass; we compare how each of these parameters vary between the regions. We find that disk mass decreases with age. We also find evidence of disk evolution (i.e., grain growth and significant dust settling) in all four regions, indicating that planet formation and disk evolution may begin to occur at earlier stages. We generally find that these disks contain too little mass to form planetary companions, though we cannot rule out that planet formation may have already occurred. Finally, we examine the disk mass–host mass relationship and find that BD disks are largely consistent with previously determined relationships for disks around T Tauri stars.

2019 ◽  
Vol 626 ◽  
pp. A11 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Cazzoletti ◽  
C. F. Manara ◽  
H. Baobab Liu ◽  
E. F. van Dishoeck ◽  
S. Facchini ◽  
...  

Context. In recent years, the disk populations in a number of young star-forming regions have been surveyed with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). Understanding the disk properties and their correlation with the properties of the central star is critical to understanding planet formation. In particular, a decrease of the average measured disk dust mass with the age of the region has been observed, consistent with grain growth and disk dissipation. Aims. We aim to compare the general properties of disks and their host stars in the nearby (d = 160 pc) Corona Australis (CrA) star forming region to those of the disks and stars in other regions. Methods. We conducted high-sensitivity continuum ALMA observations of 43 Class II young stellar objects in CrA at 1.3 mm (230 GHz). The typical spatial resolution is ~0.3′′. The continuum fluxes are used to estimate the dust masses of the disks, and a survival analysis is performed to estimate the average dust mass. We also obtained new VLT/X-shooter spectra for 12 of the objects in our sample for which spectral type (SpT) information was missing. Results. Twenty-four disks were detected, and stringent limits have been put on the average dust mass of the nondetections. Taking into account the upper limits, the average disk mass in CrA is 6 ± 3 M⊕. This value is significantly lower than that of disks in other young (1–3 Myr) star forming regions (Lupus, Taurus, Chamaeleon I, and Ophiuchus) and appears to be consistent with the average disk mass of the 5–10 Myr-old Upper Sco. The position of the stars in our sample on the Herzsprung-Russel diagram however seems to confirm that CrA has an age similar to Lupus. Neither external photoevaporation nor a lower-than-usual stellar mass distribution can explain the low disk masses. On the other hand, a low-mass disk population could be explained if the disks were small, which could happen if the parent cloud had a low temperature or intrinsic angular momentum, or if the angular momentum of the cloud were removed by some physical mechanism such as magnetic braking. Even in detected disks, none show clear substructures or cavities. Conclusions. Our results suggest that in order to fully explain and understand the dust mass distribution of protoplanetary disks and their evolution, it may also be necessary to take into consideration the initial conditions of star- and disk-formation process. These conditions at the very beginning may potentially vary from region to region, and could play a crucial role in planet formation and evolution.


2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (H15) ◽  
pp. 521-521
Author(s):  
Joanna M. Brown

Understanding how disks dissipate is essential to studies of planet formation. Infrared observations of young stars demonstrate that optically-thick circumstellar disks disappear from around half the stars in low-mass star-forming regions by an age of 3 Myr and are almost entirely absent in 10 Myr old associations (e.g. Haisch et al., 2001). Accretion ceases on the same approximate timescale (e.g. Calvet et al. 2005). The disappearence of gas and dust - planetary building material - places stringent limits on the timescales of giant planet formation. During this crucial interval, planet(esimal)s form and the remaining disk material is accreted or dispersed. Mid-infrared spectrophotometry of protoplanetary disks has revealed a small sub-class of objects in the midst of losing their disk material. These disks have spectral energy distributions (SEDs) suggestive of large inner gaps with low dust content, often interpreted as a signature of young planets. Such objects are still rare although Spitzer surveys have significantly increased the number of known transitional objects (e.g. Brown et al. 2007, D'Alessio et al., 2005). However, spectrophotometric signatures are indirect and notoriously difficult to interpret as multiple physical scenarios can result in the same SED. Recent direct imaging from millimeter interferometry has confirmed the presence of large inner holes in transitional disks, providing additional constraints and lending confidence to current SED interpretations (Brown et al. 2008, Brown et al. 2009, Andrews et al. 2009, Isella et al., 2009).


1998 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 423-424
Author(s):  
Motohide Tamura ◽  
Yoichi Itoh ◽  
Yumiko Oasa ◽  
Alan Tokunaga ◽  
Koji Sugitani

Abstract In order to tackle the problems of low-mass end of the initial mass function (IMF) in star-forming regions and the formation mechanisms of brown dwarfs, we have conducted deep infrared surveys of nearby molecular clouds. We have found a significant population of very low-luminosity sources with IR excesses in the Taurus cloud and the Chamaeleon cloud core regions whose extinction corrected J magnitudes are 3 to 8 mag fainter than those of typical T Tauri stars in the same cloud. Some of them are associated with even fainter companions. Follow-up IR spectroscopy has confirmed for the selected sources that their photospheric temperature is around 2000 to 3000 K. Thus, these very low-luminosity young stellar sources are most likely very low-mass T Tauri stars, and some of them might even be young brown dwarfs.


2019 ◽  
Vol 627 ◽  
pp. A135 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Bhardwaj ◽  
N. Panwar ◽  
G. J. Herczeg ◽  
W. P. Chen ◽  
H. P. Singh

Context. Pre-main-sequence variability characteristics can be used to probe the physical processes leading to the formation and initial evolution of both stars and planets. Aims. The photometric variability of pre-main-sequence stars is studied at optical wavelengths to explore star–disk interactions, accretion, spots, and other physical mechanisms associated with young stellar objects. Methods. We observed a field of 16′ × 16′ in the star-forming region Pelican Nebula (IC 5070) at BVRI wavelengths for 90 nights spread over one year in 2012−2013. More than 250 epochs in the VRI bands are used to identify and classify variables up to V ∼ 21 mag. Their physical association with the cluster IC 5070 is established based on the parallaxes and proper motions from the Gaia second data release (DR2). Multiwavelength photometric data are used to estimate physical parameters based on the isochrone fitting and spectral energy distributions. Results. We present a catalog of optical time-series photometry with periods, mean magnitudes, and classifications for 95 variable stars including 67 pre-main-sequence variables towards star-forming region IC 5070. The pre-main-sequence variables are further classified as candidate classical T Tauri and weak-line T Tauri stars based on their light curve variations and the locations on the color-color and color-magnitude diagrams using optical and infrared data together with Gaia DR2 astrometry. Classical T Tauri stars display variability amplitudes up to three times the maximum fluctuation in disk-free weak-line T Tauri stars, which show strong periodic variations. Short-term variability is missed in our photometry within single nights. Several classical T Tauri stars display long-lasting (≥10 days) single or multiple fading and brightening events of up to two magnitudes at optical wavelengths. The typical mass and age of the pre-main-sequence variables from the isochrone fitting and spectral energy distributions are estimated to be ≤1 M⊙ and ∼2 Myr, respectively. We do not find any correlation between the optical amplitudes or periods with the physical parameters (mass and age) of pre-main-sequence stars. Conclusions. The low-mass pre-main-sequence stars in the Pelican Nebula region display distinct variability and color trends and nearly 30% of the variables exhibit strong periodic signatures attributed to cold spot modulations. In the case of accretion bursts and extinction events, the average amplitudes are larger than one magnitude at optical wavelengths. These optical magnitude fluctuations are stable on a timescale of one year.


2020 ◽  
Vol 494 (2) ◽  
pp. 2823-2838 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Trčka ◽  
Maarten Baes ◽  
Peter Camps ◽  
Sharon E Meidt ◽  
James Trayford ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT We compare the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) and inferred physical properties for simulated and observed galaxies at low redshift. We exploit UV-submillimetre mock fluxes of ∼7000 z = 0 galaxies from the EAGLE suite of cosmological simulations, derived using the radiative transfer code skirt. We compare these to ∼800 observed galaxies in the UV-submillimetre range, from the DustPedia sample of nearby galaxies. To derive global properties, we apply the SED fitting code cigale consistently to both data sets, using the same set of ∼80 million models. The results of this comparison reveal overall agreement between the simulations and observations, both in the SEDs and in the derived physical properties, with a number of discrepancies. The optical and far-infrared regimes, and the scaling relations based upon the global emission, diffuse dust, and stellar mass, show high levels of agreement. However, the mid-infrared fluxes of the EAGLE galaxies are overestimated while the far-UV domain is not attenuated enough, compared to the observations. We attribute these discrepancies to a combination of galaxy population differences between the samples and limitations in the subgrid treatment of star-forming regions in the EAGLE-skirt post-processing recipe. Our findings show the importance of detailed radiative transfer calculations and consistent comparison, and provide suggestions for improved numerical models.


1992 ◽  
Vol 135 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
A. Ghez ◽  
G. Neugebauer ◽  
K. Matthews

AbstractWe present the results of a magnitude limited (K≤8.5 mag) multiplicity survey of T Tauri stars in the two nearest star forming regions, Taurus-Auriga and Ophiuchus-Scorpius (D = 150 pc), observable from the northern hemisphere. Each of the 70 stars in the sample was imaged at 2.2 μm using two-dimensional speckle interferometry resulting in a survey sensitive to binary stars with separations ranging from 0.″09 to about 2″.5.The frequency of double stars with separation in this range is 46±8%. A division between the classical T Tauri stars and the weak-lined T Tauri stars shows no distinction. Furthermore, no difference is observed between the binary frequencies in the two star forming regions although the clouds have very different properties.Given the limited angular separation range that this survey is sensitive to, both the spectroscopic and wide binaries will be missed. The rate at which binaries are detected suggests that most, if not all, T Tauri stars have companions.


2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (S345) ◽  
pp. 283-284
Author(s):  
Vitaly Akimkin

AbstractDust evolution in disks around young stars is a key ingredient for the global disk evolution and accompanying planet formation. The mutual sticking of initially small grains is not straightforward and can be hampered by several processes. This includes dust grain bouncing, fragmentation, electrostatic repulsion and fast drift to the central star. In this study we aim at theoretical modeling of the dust coagulation coupled with the dust charging and disk ionization calculations. We show that the electrostatic barrier is a strong restraining factor to the coagulation of micron-size dust. While the sustained turbulence helps to overcome the electrostatic barrier, dust fluffiness limits this opportunity. Coulomb repulsion may keep a significant fraction of m dust in large regions of protoplanetary disks.


2019 ◽  
Vol 486 (4) ◽  
pp. 4829-4844 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni P Rosotti ◽  
Marco Tazzari ◽  
Richard A Booth ◽  
Leonardo Testi ◽  
Giuseppe Lodato ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Protoplanetary disc surveys conducted with Atacama Large Millimetre Array (ALMA) are measuring disc radii in multiple star-forming regions. The disc radius is a fundamental quantity to diagnose whether discs undergo viscous spreading, discriminating between viscosity or angular momentum removal by winds as drivers of disc evolution. Observationally, however, the sub-mm continuum emission is dominated by the dust, which also drifts inwards, complicating the picture. In this paper we investigate, using theoretical models of dust grain growth and radial drift, how the radii of dusty viscous protoplanetary discs evolve with time. Despite the existence of a sharp outer edge in the dust distribution, we find that the radius enclosing most of the dust mass increases with time, closely following the evolution of the gas radius. This behaviour arises because, although dust initially grows and drifts rapidly on to the star, the residual dust retained on Myr time-scales is relatively well coupled to the gas. Observing the expansion of the dust disc requires using definitions based on high fractions of the disc flux (e.g. 95 per cent) and very long integrations with ALMA, because the dust grains in the outer part of the disc are small and have a low sub-mm opacity. We show that existing surveys lack the sensitivity to detect viscous spreading. The disc radii they measure do not trace the mass radius or the sharp outer edge in the dust distribution, but the outer limit of where the grains have significant sub-mm opacity. We predict that these observed radii should shrink with time.


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