Warm HCN, C2H2, and CO in the disk of GV Tau

We present the first high-resolution, ground-based observations of HCN and C2H2 toward the T Tauri binary star system GV Tau. We detected strong absorption due to HCN nu_3 and weak C2H2 (nu_3 and nu_2 + (nu_4 + nu_5)^0_+) absorption toward the primary (GV Tau S) but not the infrared companion. We also report CO column densities and rotational temperatures, and present abundances relative to CO of HCN/CO ~0.6% and C2H2/CO ~1.2% and an upper limit for CH4/CO < 0.37% toward GV Tau S. Neither HCN nor C2H2 were detected toward the infrared companion and results suggest that abundances may differ between the two sources.Comment: 23 pages, 6 figures, accepted by Ap

A spectro-astrometric measurement of Brackett gamma emission in Herbig Ae/Be stars

In T Tauri stars, the Brackett gamma line strength is a reliable indicator of accretion luminosity. Among intermediate mass young stars, Herbig Ae stars also show this correlation, but in Herbig Be stars the Brgamma line flux significantly overpredicts accretion luminosity. This Brgamma excess in Herbig Be stars is thought to arise from a spatially extended outflow. Using commissioning data from the LUCIFER spectrograph on the 8.4-meter Large Binocular Telescope (LBT), we present a spectro-astrometric study of two Herbig Ae/Be stars, the HAe star MWC480 and the HBe star HD 259431. In both stars, an extended Brgamma source can be ruled out down to 0.001 arcsec at the 1sigma level. Using currently accepted parallax values of 137 ± 25 pc and 173 ± 37 pc, this implies a lack of spatially extended structure beyond 0.131 ± 0.024 AU for MWC 480 and 0.166 ± 0.036 AU for HD 259431

High-Resolution Near Infrared Spectroscopy of HD 100546: II. Analysis of variable rovibrational CO emission lines

We present observations of rovibrational CO in HD 100546 from four epochs spanning January 2003 through December 2010. We show that the equivalent widths of the CO lines vary during this time period with the v=1-0 CO lines brightening more than the UV fluoresced lines from the higher vibrational states. While the spectroastrometric signal of the hot band lines remains constant during this period, the spectroastrometric signal of the v=1--0 lines varies substantially. At all epochs, the spectroastrometric signals of the UV fluoresced lines are consistent with the signal one would expect from gas in an axisymmetric disk. In 2003, the spectroastrometric signal of the v=1-0 P26 line was symmetric and consistent with emission from an axisymmetric disk. However, in 2006, there was no spatial offset of the signal detected on the red side of the profile, and in 2010, the spectroastrometric offset was yet more strongly reduced toward zero velocity. A model is presented that can explain the evolution of the equivalent width of the v=1-0 P26 line and its spectroastrometric signal by adding to the system a compact source of CO emission that orbits the star near the inner edge of the disk. We hypothesize that such emission may arise from a circumplanetary disk orbiting a gas giant planet near the inner edge of the circumstellar disk. We discuss how this idea can be tested observationally and be distinguished from an alternative interpretation of random fluctuations in the disk emission.Comment: 18 pages, 10 figure

Accretion variability of Herbig Ae/Be stars observed by X-Shooter. HD 31648 and HD 163296

This work presents X-Shooter/VLT spectra of the prototypical, isolated Herbig Ae stars HD 31648 (MWC 480) and HD 163296 over five epochs separated by timescales ranging from days to months. Each spectrum spans over a wide wavelength range covering from 310 to 2475 nm. We have monitored the continuum excess in the Balmer region of the spectra and the luminosity of twelve ultraviolet, optical and near infrared spectral lines that are commonly used as accretion tracers for T Tauri stars. The observed strengths of the Balmer excesses have been reproduced from a magnetospheric accretion shock model, providing a mean mass accretion rate of 1.11 x 10^-7 and 4.50 x 10^-7 Msun yr^-1 for HD 31648 and HD 163296, respectively. Accretion rate variations are observed, being more pronounced for HD 31648 (up to 0.5 dex). However, from the comparison with previous results it is found that the accretion rate of HD 163296 has increased by more than 1 dex, on a timescale of ~ 15 years. Averaged accretion luminosities derived from the Balmer excess are consistent with the ones inferred from the empirical calibrations with the emission line luminosities, indicating that those can be extrapolated to HAe stars. In spite of that, the accretion rate variations do not generally coincide with those estimated from the line luminosities, suggesting that the empirical calibrations are not useful to accurately quantify accretion rate variability.Comment: 14 pages, 7 Figures, Accepted in Ap

High-Resolution Near Infrared Spectroscopy of HD 100546: I. Analysis of Asymmetric Ro-Vibrational OH Emission Lines

We present observations of ro-vibrational OH and CO emission from the Herbig Be star HD 100546. The emission from both molecules arises from the inner region of the disk extending from approximately 13 AU from the central star. The velocity profiles of the OH lines are narrower than the velocity profile of the [O I] 6300 Angstrom line indicating that the OH in the disk is not cospatial with the O I. This suggests that the inner optically thin region of the disk is largely devoid of molecular gas. Unlike the ro-vibrational CO emission lines, the OH lines are highly asymmetric. We show that the average CO and average OH line profiles can be fit with a model of a disk comprised of an eccentric inner wall and a circular outer disk. In this model, the vast majority of the OH flux (75%) originates from the inner wall, while the vast majority of the CO flux (65%) originates on the surface of the disk at radii greater than 13 AU. Eccentric inner disks are predicted by hydrodynamic simulations of circumstellar disks containing an embedded giant planet. We discuss the implications of such a disk geometry in light of models of planet disk tidal interactions and propose alternate explanations for the origin of the asymmetry

CO Line Emission and Absorption from the HL Tau Disk: Where is all the dust?

We present high-resolution infrared spectra of HL Tau, a heavily embedded young star. The spectra exhibit broad emission lines of hot CO gas as well as narrow absorption lines of cold CO gas. The column density for this cooler material (7.5+/-0.2 x 10^18 cm-2) indicates a large column of absorbing gas along the line of sight. In dense interstellar clouds, this column density of CO gas is associated with Av~52 magnitudes. However, the extinction toward this source (Av~23) suggests that there is less dust along the line of sight than inferred from the CO absorption data. We discuss three possibilities for the apparent paucity of dust along the line of sight through the flared disk: 1) the dust extinction has been underestimated due to differences in circumstellar grain properties, such as grain agglomeration; 2) the effect of scattering has been underestimated and the actual extinction is much higher; or (3) the line of sight through the disk is probing a gas-rich, dust-depleted region, possibly due to the stratification of gas and dust in a pre-planetary disk.Comment: To be published in The Astrophysical Journa