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Circumstellar Debris Disks: Observational Studies of Cold Dust and Gas Emission in Planetary Nurseries
Stockholm University, Faculty of Science, Department of Astronomy.
2012 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

Planetary systems form in disks of gas and dust surrounding newborn stars. The young circumstellar environment is characterized by frequent collisions between rocky bodies, leading to a continuous production of small dust grains. Such collisional processing persists in leftover debris disks or belts akin to the Solar System's asteroid and Kuiper belts, during the star's entire main-sequence lifetime. This thesis presents observations of thermal emission from cold dust in extended debris disks, in addition to spatially resolved observations of dust scattered light and gas emission in nearby debris disk systems. A total of 30 debris disk candidates identified from infrared excess were observed at submillimeter (submm) wavelengths with the Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment (APEX) telescope in search for dust at radial distances corresponding to the Kuiper belt or beyond. Two observing campaigns with the PolCor instrument at the Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT), performing optical polarimetric coronagraphy to resolve scattered light from nearby disks were also carried out. The edge-on debris disk surrounding the star β Pictoris was explored using integral-field spectroscopy with the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in an attempt to map the spatial distribution of previously detected gas. The APEX observations detected 14 exo-Kuiper belts, out of which 7 were new discoveries in the submm region. Modeling of the spectral energy distribution from available photometry and detected submm fluxes allowed us to study the dependence of the fractional dust luminosity and characteristic radial dust distance on stellar spectral type and age. The results indicate a decrease in fractional dust luminosity as t-α, where t is the age of the system and α = 0.8–2.0. From the VLT data we retrieved the first complete image of Ca II and Fe I emission in the disk of β Pictoris. Subsequent modeling demonstrated that the anomalous vertical structure of the observed Ca II emission can be explained by an optically thick disk midplane.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Stockholm: Department of Astronomy, Stockholm University , 2012. , p. 84
Keywords [en]
circumstellar disks, debris disks, Kuiper belts, planet formation, submillimeter imaging, photometry, coronagraphy, integral-field spectroscopy
National Category
Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology
Research subject
Astronomy
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:su:diva-74460ISBN: 978-91-7447-470-1 (print)OAI: oai:DiVA.org:su-74460DiVA, id: diva2:509538
Public defence
2012-04-20, FB52, AlbaNova universitetscentrum, Roslagstullsbacken 21, Stockholm, 10:00 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Note
At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 4: Submitted. Paper 5: Submitted.Available from: 2012-03-29 Created: 2012-03-13 Last updated: 2022-02-24Bibliographically approved
List of papers
1. q1 Eridani: a solar-type star with a planet and a dust belt
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2008 (English)In: Astronomy and Astrophysics, ISSN 0004-6361, E-ISSN 1432-0746, Vol. 480, no 3, p. L47-L50Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Context. Far-infrared excess emission from main-sequence stars is due to dust produced by orbiting minor bodies. In these disks, larger bodies, such as planets, may also be present and the understanding of their incidence and influence currently presents a challenge.

Aims. Only very few solar-type stars exhibiting an infrared excess and harbouring planets are known to date. Indeed, merely a single case of a star-planet-disk system has previously been detected at submillimeter (submm) wavelengths. Consequently, one of our aims is to understand the reasons for these poor statistics, i.e., whether these results reflected the composition and/or the physics of the planetary disks or were simply due to observational bias and selection effects. Finding more examples would be very significant.

Methods. The selected target, q(1) Eri, is a solar-type star, which was known to possess a planet, q(1) Eri b, and to exhibit excess emission at IRAS wavelengths, but had remained undetected in the millimeter regime. Therefore, submm flux densities would be needed to better constrain the physical characteristics of the planetary disk. Consequently, we performed submm imaging observations of q(1) Eri.

Results. The detected dust toward q(1) Eri at 870 mu m exhibits the remarkable fact that the entire SED, from the IR to mm-wavelengths, is fit by a single-temperature blackbody function (60 K). This would imply that the emitting regions are confined to a narrow region (ring) at radial distances much larger than the orbital distance of q(1) Eri b, and that the emitting particles are considerably larger than some hundred micron. However, the 870 mu m source is extended, with a full-width-half-maximum of roughly 600AU. Therefore, a physically more compelling model also invokes a belt of cold dust (17 K), located at 300AU from the star and about 60AU wide.

Conclusions. The minimum mass of 0.04 M-circle plus (3 M-Moon) of 1 mm-size icy ring-particles is considerable, given the stellar age of >= 1Gyr. These big grains form an inner edge at about 25 AU, which may suggest the presence of an unseen outer planet (q(1) Eri c).

Keywords
stars: individual: q(1) Eri (HD10647), stars: planetary systems, stars: planetary systems: formation
National Category
Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology
Research subject
Astronomy
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:su:diva-15367 (URN)10.1051/0004-6361:20079276 (DOI)000253993900005 ()
Available from: 2008-12-01 Created: 2008-12-01 Last updated: 2022-02-25Bibliographically approved
2. A submillimetre search for cold extended debris disks in the β Pictoris moving group
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2009 (English)In: Astronomy and Astrophysics, ISSN 0004-6361, E-ISSN 1432-0746, Vol. 508, no 2, p. 1057-1065Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Context. Previous observations with the Infrared Astronomical Satellite and the Infrared Space Observatory, and ongoing observations with Spitzer and AKARI, have led to the discovery of over 200 debris disks, based on detected mid-and far infrared excess emission, indicating warm circumstellar dust. To constrain the properties of these systems, e.g., to more accurately determine the dust mass, temperature and radial extent, follow-up observations in the submillimetre wavelength region are needed.

Aims. The beta Pictoris moving group is a nearby stellar association of young (similar to 12 Myr) co-moving stars including the classical debris disk star beta Pictoris. Due to their proximity and youth, they are excellent targets when searching for submillimetre emission from cold, extended, dust components produced by collisions in Kuiper-Belt-like disks. They also allow an age independent study of debris disk properties as a function of other stellar parameters.

Methods. We observed 7 infrared-excess stars in the beta Pictoris moving group with the LABOCA bolometer array, operating at a central wavelength of 870 mu m at the 12-m submillimetre telescope APEX. The main emission at these wavelengths comes from large, cold dust grains, which constitute the main part of the total dust mass, and hence, for an optically thin case, make better estimates on the total dust mass than earlier infrared observations. Fitting the spectral energy distribution with combined optical and infrared photometry gives information on the temperature and radial extent of the disk.

Results. From our sample, beta Pic, HD181327, and HD172555 were detected with at least 3 sigma certainty, while all others are below 2 sigma and considered non-detections. The image of beta Pic shows an offset flux density peak located near the south-west extension of the disk, similar to the one previously found by SCUBA at the JCMT. We present SED fits for detected sources and give an upper limit on the dust mass for undetected ones.

Conclusions. We find a mean fractional dust luminosity (f) over bar (dust) = 1.1 x 10(-3) at t approximate to 12 Myr, which together with recent data at 100 Myr suggests an f(dust) proportional to t(-alpha) a decline of the emitting dust, with alpha > 0.8.

Keywords
circumstellar matter, planetary systems, planetary systems: formation
National Category
Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology
Research subject
Astronomy
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:su:diva-30820 (URN)10.1051/0004-6361/200912010 (DOI)000273296700052 ()
Note
Based on observations with APEX, Llano Chajnantor, Chile (ESO programmes 079.F-9307(A) and 079.F-9308(A))Available from: 2010-01-15 Created: 2009-10-27 Last updated: 2022-02-25Bibliographically approved
3. Kuiper belts around nearby stars
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2010 (English)In: Astronomy and Astrophysics, ISSN 0004-6361, E-ISSN 1432-0746, Vol. 518, p. A40-Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Context. The existence of dusty debris disks around a large fraction of solar type main-sequence stars, inferred from excess far-IR and submillimetre emission compared to that expected from stellar photospheres, suggests that leftover planetesimal belts analogous to the asteroid-and comet reservoirs of the solar system are common.

Aims. Sensitive submillimetre observations are essential to detect and characterise cold extended dust originating from collisions of small bodies in disks, belts, or rings at Kuiper-belt distances (30-50 AU or beyond). Measurements of the flux densities at these wavelengths will extend existing IR photometry and permit more detailed modelling of the Rayleigh-Jeans tail of the disks spectral energy distribution (SED), effectively constraining dust properties and disk extensions. By observing stars spanning from a few up to several hundred Myr, the evolution of debris disks during crucial phases of planet formation can be studied.

Methods. We observed 22 exo-Kuiper-belt candidates at 870 mu m, as part of a large programme with the LABOCA bolometer at the APEX telescope. Dust masses (or upper limits) were calculated from integrated 870 mu m fluxes, and fits to the SED of detected sources revealed the fractional dust luminosities f(dust), dust temperatures T(dust), and power-law exponents beta of the opacity law.

Results. A total of 10 detections with at least 3 sigma significance were made, out of which five (HD95086, HD131835, HD161868, HD170773, and HD207129) have previously never been detected at submillimetre wavelengths. Three additional sources are marginally detected with > 2.5 sigma significance. The best-fit beta parameters all lie between 0.1 and 0.8, in agreement with previous results indicating the presence of significantly larger grains than those in the ISM. From our relatively small sample we estimate f(dust) proportional to t(-alpha), with a similar to 0.8-2.0, and identify an evolution of the characteristic radial dust distance R(dust) that is consistent with the t(1/3) increase predicted from models of self-stirred collisions in debris disks.

Keywords
circumstellar matter, planetary systems, planet formation, Kuiper belt, submillimeter observations
National Category
Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology
Research subject
Astronomy
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:su:diva-74265 (URN)10.1051/0004-6361/201014444 (DOI)000285342500058 ()
Note
authorCount :13Available from: 2012-03-09 Created: 2012-03-04 Last updated: 2022-02-24Bibliographically approved
4. VLT imaging of the β Pictoris gas disk
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(English)Article in journal (Refereed) Submitted
Keywords
Stars: circumstellar matter, Stars: planetary systems: formation, Stars: planetary systems: planetary disks
National Category
Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology
Research subject
Astronomy
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:su:diva-74456 (URN)
Available from: 2012-03-13 Created: 2012-03-13 Last updated: 2022-02-24Bibliographically approved
5. Polarimetric coronagraphy of BD+31°643
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Polarimetric coronagraphy of BD+31°643
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(English)Article in journal (Refereed) Submitted
Keywords
Stars: circumstellar matter, binaries: general, Stars: individual: BD+31 643, Stars: massive, ISM: structure
National Category
Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology
Research subject
Astronomy
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:su:diva-74458 (URN)
Available from: 2012-03-13 Created: 2012-03-13 Last updated: 2022-02-24Bibliographically approved

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