Sign on

SAO/NASA ADS Astronomy Abstract Service

· Find Similar Abstracts (with default settings below)
· Electronic Refereed Journal Article (HTML)
· Full Refereed Journal Article (PDF/Postscript)
· arXiv e-print (arXiv:0903.4455)
· References in the article
· Citations to the Article (47) (Citation History)
· Refereed Citations to the Article
· SIMBAD Objects (15)
· Also-Read Articles (Reads History)
·
· Translate This Page
Title:
A Spatially Resolved Inner Hole in the Disk Around GM Aurigae
Authors:
Hughes, A. Meredith; Andrews, Sean M.; Espaillat, Catherine; Wilner, David J.; Calvet, Nuria; D'Alessio, Paola; Qi, Chunhua; Williams, Jonathan P.; Hogerheijde, Michiel R.
Affiliation:
AA(Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA ), AB(Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA ), AC(Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, 830 Dennison Building, 500 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA ), AD(Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA ), AE(Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, 830 Dennison Building, 500 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA ), AF(Centro de Radioastronomía y Astrofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 58089 Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico ), AG(Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA ), AH(University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA ), AI(Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9513, 2300 RA Leiden, Netherlands )
Publication:
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 698, Issue 1, pp. 131-142 (2009). (ApJ Homepage)
Publication Date:
06/2009
Origin:
IOP
Astronomy Keywords:
circumstellar matter, planetary systems: protoplanetary disks, stars: individual: GM Aurigae
DOI:
10.1088/0004-637X/698/1/131
Bibliographic Code:
2009ApJ...698..131H

Abstract

We present 0farcs3 resolution observations of the disk around GM Aurigae with the Submillimeter Array (SMA) at a wavelength of 860 μm and with the Plateau de Bure Interferometer at a wavelength of 1.3 mm. These observations probe the distribution of disk material on spatial scales commensurate with the size of the inner hole predicted by models of the spectral energy distribution (SED). The data clearly indicate a sharp decrease in millimeter optical depth at the disk center, consistent with a deficit of material at distances less than ~20 AU from the star. We refine the accretion disk model of Calvet et al. based on the unresolved SED and demonstrate that it reproduces well the spatially resolved millimeter continuum data at both available wavelengths. We also present complementary SMA observations of CO J = 3-2 and J = 2-1 emission from the disk at 2'' resolution. The observed CO morphology is consistent with the continuum model prediction, with two significant deviations: (1) the emission displays a larger CO J = 3-2/J = 2-1 line ratio than predicted, which may indicate additional heating of gas in the upper disk layers; and (2) the position angle of the kinematic rotation pattern differs by 11° ± 2° from that measured at smaller scales from the dust continuum, which may indicate the presence of a warp. We note that photoevaporation, grain growth, and binarity are unlikely mechanisms for inducing the observed sharp decrease in opacity or surface density at the disk center. The inner hole plausibly results from the dynamical influence of a planet on the disk material. Warping induced by a planet could also potentially explain the difference in position angle between the continuum and CO data sets.
Bibtex entry for this abstract   Preferred format for this abstract (see Preferences)
   

Find Similar Abstracts:

Use: Authors
Title
Keywords (in text query field)
Abstract Text
Return: Query Results Return    items starting with number
Query Form
Database: Astronomy
Physics
arXiv e-prints