3,150 research outputs found
Collisional Processes in Extrasolar Planetsimal Disks - Dust Clumps in Fomalhaut's Debris Disk
This paper presents a model for the outcome of collisions between
planetesimals in a debris disk and assesses the impact of collisional processes
on the structure and size distribution of the disk. The model is presented by
its application to Fomalhaut's collisionally replenished dust disk; a recent
450 micron image of this disk shows a clump embedded within it with a flux ~5
per cent of the total. The following conclusions are drawn: (i) SED modelling
is consistent with Fomalhaut's disk having a collisional cascade size
distribution extending from bodies 0.2 m in diameter down to 7 micron-sized
dust. (ii) Collisional lifetime arguments imply that the cascade starts with
planetesimals 1.5-4 km in diameter. Any larger bodies must be predominantly
primordial. (iii) Constraints on the timescale for the ignition of the cascade
are consistent with these primordial planetesimals having a distribution that
extends up to 1000km, resulting in a disk mass of 5-10 times the minimum mass
solar nebula. (iv) The debris disk is expected to be intrinsically clumpy,
since planetesimal collisions result in dust clumps. The intrinsic clumpiness
of Fomalhaut's disk is below current detection limits, but could be detectable
by future observatories such as the ALMA, and could provide the only way of
determining the primordial planetesimal population. (v) The observed clump
could have originated in a collision between two runaway planetesimals, both
larger than 1400 km diameter. It is unlikely that we should witness such an
event unless both the formation of these runaways and the ignition of the
collisional cascade occurred within the last ~10 Myr. (vi) Another explanation
for Fomalhaut's clump is that ~5 per cent of the planetesimals in the ring are
trapped in 1:2 resonance with a planet orbiting at 80 AU.Comment: 21 pages, 13 figures, accepted by MNRA
Minimal Pati-Salam Model from String Theory Unification
We provide what we believe is the minimal three family SUSY
and conformal Pati-Salam Model from type IIB superstring theory. This
orbifolded AdS model has long lived protons and has potential
phenomenological consequences for LHC.Comment: 8 page
Design of aircraft turbine fan drive gear transmission system
The following basic types of gear reduction concepts were studied as being feasible power train systems for a low-bypass-ratio, single-spool, geared turbofan engine for general aircraft use: (1) single-stage external-internal reduction, (2) gears (offset shafting), (3) multiple compound idler gear system (concentric shafting), and (4) star gear planetary system with internal ring gear final output member (concentric shafting-counterrotation). In addition, studies were made of taking the accessories drive power off both the high-speed and low-speed shafting, using either face gears or spiral bevel gears. Both antifriction and sleeve-type bearings were considered for the external-internal and star-planet reduction concepts
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CO and CI maps of the starburst galaxy M82
The first map of an external galaxy in the 3P₁ - 3P0 fine-structure line of atomic carbon (CI) is presented towards the nucleus of the starbuster M82, and compared with the distinction of the CO J = 4 - 3 molecular emission. The CI traces features that are seen in lower transition CO maps, and shows that CI and the CO are well mixed and have similar spatial distributions. There are small differences between the CO J = 4 - 3 line and lower transition CO data towards the NE part of the molecular ring, where the emission is less prominent. The abundance ratio [CI]/[CO] across M82 is very high, with an average value ~ 0.5 across most of the nucleus, a factor at least 5 times that which is typical of dense molecular cloud cores seen in our own Galaxy. This means that on average, CI is overabundant towards M82. This result can be explained using models which provide enhancements to the CI abundance above normal Interstellar Medium values, a result of a greater cosmic ray flux in M82, or where there is substantial mixing of the gas
Uncertainties in water chemistry in disks: An application to TW Hya
Context. This paper discusses the sensitivity of water lines to chemical
processes and radiative transfer for the protoplanetary disk around TW Hya. The
study focuses on the Herschel spectral range in the context of new line
detections with the PACS instrument from the Gas in Protoplanetary Systems
project (GASPS). Aims. The paper presents an overview of the chemistry in the
main water reservoirs in the disk around TW Hya. It discusses the limitations
in the interpretation of observed water line fluxes. Methods. ... (abbreviated)
Results. We report new line detections of p-H2O (3_22-2_11) at 89.99 micron and
CO J=18-17 at 144.78 micron for the disk around TW Hya. Disk modeling shows
that the far-IR fine structure lines ([OI], [CII]) and molecular submm lines
are very robust to uncertainties in the chemistry, while the water line fluxes
can change by factors of a few. The water lines are optically thick,
sub-thermally excited and can couple to the background continuum radiation
field. The low-excitation water lines are also sensitive to uncertainties in
the collision rates, e.g. with neutral hydrogen. The gas temperature plays an
important role for the [OI] fine structure line fluxes, the water line fluxes
originating from the inner disk as well as the high excitation CO, CH+ and OH
lines. Conclusions. Due to their sensitivity on chemical input data and
radiative transfer, water lines have to be used cautiously for understanding
details of the disk structure. Water lines covering a wide range of excitation
energies provide access to the various gas phase water reservoirs (inside and
outside the snow line) in protoplanetary disks and thus provide important
information on where gas-phase water is potentially located. Experimental
and/or theoretical collision rates for H2O with atomic hydrogen are needed to
diminish uncertainties from water line radiative transfer.Comment: accepted for publication in A&
CTS 11.7 GHz isolation data for the calendar year 1978
Monthly and annual percent-of-time data on polarization isolation measured for the CTS spacecraft 11.7 GHz downlink are presented. The relationship between isolation and attenuation and the degree to which isolation can be predicted from attenuation data are discussed
GASPS—A Herschel Survey of Gas and Dust in Protoplanetary Disks: Summary and Initial Statistics
We describe a large-scale far-infrared line and continuum survey of protoplanetary disk through to young debris disk systems carried out using the ACS instrument on the Herschel Space Observatory. This Open Time Key program, known as GASPS (Gas Survey of Protoplanetary Systems), targeted ∼250 young stars in narrow wavelength regions covering the [OI] fine structure line at 63 μm the brightest far-infrared line in such objects. A subset of the brightest targets were also surveyed in [OI]145 μm, [CII] at 157 μm, as well as several transitions of H_2O and high-excitation CO lines at selected wavelengths between 78 and 180 μm. Additionally, GASPS included continuum photometry at 70, 100 and 160 μm, around the peak of the dust emission. The targets were SED Class II–III T Tauri stars and debris disks from seven nearby young associations, along with a comparable sample of isolated Herbig AeBe stars. The aim was to study the global gas and dust content in a wide sample of circumstellar disks, combining the results with models in a systematic way. In this overview paper we review the scientific aims, target selection and observing strategy of the program. We summarise some of the initial results, showing line identifications, listing the detections, and giving a first statistical study of line detectability. The [OI] line at 63 μm was the brightest line seen in almost all objects, by a factor of ∼10. Overall [OI]63 μm detection rates were 49%, with 100% of HAeBe stars and 43% of T Tauri stars detected. A comparison with published disk dust masses (derived mainly from sub-mm continuum, assuming standard values of the mm mass opacity) shows a dust mass threshold for [OI]63 μm detection of ∼10^(-5) M_⊙. Normalising to a distance of 140 pc, 84% of objects with dust masses ≥10^(-5) M_⊙ can be detected in this line in the present survey; 32% of those of mass 10^(-6)–10^(-5) M_⊙, and only a very small number of unusual objects with lower masses can be detected. This is consistent with models with a moderate UV excess and disk flaring. For a given disk mass, [OI] detectability is lower for M stars compared with earlier spectral types. Both the continuum and line emission was, in most systems, spatially and spectrally unresolved and centred on the star, suggesting that emission in most cases was from the disk. Approximately 10 objects showed resolved emission, most likely from outflows. In the GASPS sample, [OI] detection rates in T Tauri associations in the 0.3–4 Myr age range were ∼50%. For each association in the 5–20 Myr age range, ∼2 stars remain detectable in [OI]63 μm, and no systems were detected in associations with age >20 Myr. Comparing with the total number of young stars in each association, and assuming a ISM-like gas/dust ratio, this indicates that ∼18% of stars retain a gas-rich disk of total mass ∼1 M_(Jupiter) for 1–4 Myr, 1–7% keep such disks for 5–10 Myr, but none are detected beyond 10–20 Myr. The brightest [OI] objects from GASPS were also observed in [OI]145 μm, [CII]157 μm and CO J = 18 - 17, with detection rates of 20–40%. Detection of the [CII] line was not correlated with disk mass, suggesting it arises more commonly from a compact remnant envelope
The nature of mid-infrared excesses from hot dust around Sun-like stars
(ABRIDGED) Studies of debris disks have shown that most systems are analogous
to the Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt. However a rare subset of sun-like stars possess
dust which lies in the terrestrial planet region. In this study we aim to
determine how many sources with apparent mid-IR excess are truly hosts of warm
dust, and investigate where the dust must lie. We observed using mid-IR imaging
with TIMMI2, VISIR and MICHELLE a sample of FGK main sequence stars reported to
have hot dust. A new modelling approach was developed to determine the
constraints that can be set on the radial extent of excess emission. We confirm
the presence of warm dust around 3 of the candidates (eta Corvi, HD145263 and
HD202406), and present constraints on the emitting dust regions. Of 2
alternative models for the eta Corvi excess emission, we find that a model with
1 hot dust component at <3 AU (combined with the known submm dust population)
fits the data better at the 2.6sigma level than an alternative model with 2
populations of dust in the mid-IR. We identify several systems which have a
companion (HD65277 and HD79873) or background object (HD53246, HD123356 and
HD128400) responsible for their mid-infrared excess, and for 3 other systems we
were able to rule out a point-like source near the star at the level of excess
observed in lower resolution observations (HD12039, HD69830 and HD191089). Hot
dust sources are either young and possibly primordial or transitional, or have
relatively small radius steady-state planetesimal belts, or they are old and
luminous with transient emission. High resolution imaging can be used to
constrain the location of the disk and help to discriminate between different
models of disk emission. For some small disks, interferometry is needed to
resolve the disk location.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic
Water depletion in the disk atmosphere of Herbig AeBe stars
We present high resolution (R = 100,000) L-band spectroscopy of 11 Herbig
AeBe stars with circumstellar disks. The observations were obtained with the
VLT/CRIRES to detect hot water and hydroxyl radical emission lines previously
detected in disks around T Tauri stars. OH emission lines are detected towards
4 disks. The OH P4.5 (1+,1-) doublet is spectrally resolved as well as the
velocity profile of each component of the doublet. Its characteristic
double-peak profile demonstrates that the gas is in Keplerian rotation and
points to an emitting region extending out to ~ 15-30 AU. The OH, emission
correlates with disk geometry as it is mostly detected towards flaring disks.
None of the Herbig stars analyzed here show evidence of hot water vapor at a
sensitivity similar to that of the OH lines. The non-detection of hot water
vapor emission indicates that the atmosphere of disks around Herbig AeBe stars
are depleted of water molecules. Assuming LTE and optically thin emission we
derive a lower limit to the OH/H2O column density ratio > 1 - 25 in contrast to
T Tauri disks for which the column density ratio is 0.3 -- 0.4.Comment: Accepted for publication in Ap
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