63 research outputs found
H2O and OH gas in the terrestrial planet-forming zones of protoplanetary disks
We present detections of numerous 10-20 micron H2O emission lines from two
protoplanetary disks around the T Tauri stars AS 205A and DR Tau, obtained
using the InfraRed Spectrograph on the Spitzer Space Telescope. Follow-up 3-5
micron Keck-NIRSPEC data confirm the presence of abundant water and spectrally
resolve the lines. We also detect the P4.5 (2.934 micron) and P9.5 (3.179
micron) doublets of OH and 12CO/13CO v=1-0 emission in both sources. Line
shapes and LTE models suggest that the emission from all three molecules
originates between ~0.5 and 5 AU, and so will provide a new window for
understanding the chemical environment during terrestrial planet formation. LTE
models also imply significant columns of H2O and OH in the inner disk
atmospheres, suggesting physical transport of volatile ices either vertically
or radially; while the significant radial extent of the emission stresses the
importance of a more complete understanding of non-thermal excitation
processes.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, aastex, to appear in the Astrophysical
Journa
The c2d Spitzer spectroscopy survey of ices around low-mass young stellar objects, III: CH4
CH4 is proposed to be the starting point of a rich organic chemistry. Solid
CH4 abundances have previously been determined mostly toward high mass star
forming regions. Spitzer/IRS now provides a unique opportunity to probe solid
CH4 toward low mass star forming regions as well. Infrared spectra from the
Spitzer Space Telescope are presented to determine the solid CH4 abundance
toward a large sample of low mass young stellar objects. 25 out of 52 ice
sources in the (cores to disks) legacy have an absorption feature at 7.7
um, attributed to the bending mode of solid CH4. The solid CH4 / H2O abundances
are 2-8%, except for three sources with abundances as high as 11-13%. These
latter sources have relatively large uncertainties due to small total ice
column densities. Toward sources with H2O column densities above 2E18 cm-2, the
CH4 abundances (20 out of 25) are nearly constant at 4.7+/-1.6%. Correlation
plots with solid H2O, CH3OH, CO2 and CO column densities and abundances
relative to H2O reveal a closer relationship of solid CH4 with CO2 and H2O than
with solid CO and CH3OH. The inferred solid CH4 abundances are consistent with
models where CH4 is formed through sequential hydrogenation of C on grain
surfaces. Finally the equal or higher abundances toward low mass young stellar
objects compared with high mass objects and the correlation studies support
this formation pathway as well, but not the two competing theories: formation
from CH3OH and formation in gas phase with subsequent freeze-out.Comment: 27 pages, 7 figures, accepted by Ap
Modeling Spitzer observations of VV Ser. I. The circumstellar disk of a UX Orionis star
We present mid-infrared Spitzer-IRS spectra of the well-known UX Orionis star
VV Ser. We combine the Spitzer data with interferometric and spectroscopic data
from the literature covering UV to submillimeter wavelengths. The full set of
data are modeled by a two-dimensional axisymmetric Monte Carlo radiative
transfer code. The model is used to test the prediction of (Dullemond et al.
2003) that disks around UX Orionis stars must have a self-shadowed shape, and
that these disks are seen nearly edge-on, looking just over the edge of a
puffed-up inner rim, formed roughly at the dust sublimation radius. We find
that a single, relatively simple model is consistent with all the available
observational constraints spanning 4 orders of magnitude in wavelength and
spatial scales, providing strong support for this interpretation of UX Orionis
stars. The grains in the upper layers of the puffed-up inner rim must be small
(0.01-0.4 micron) to reproduce the colors (R_V ~ 3.6) of the extinction events,
while the shape and strength of the mid-infrared silicate emission features
indicate that grains in the outer disk (> 1-2 AU) are somewhat larger (0.3-3.0
micron). From the model fit, the location of the puffed-up inner rim is
estimated to be at a dust temperature of 1500 K or at 0.7-0.8 AU for small
grains. This is almost twice the rim radius estimated from near-infrared
interferometry. A best fitting model for the inner rim in which large grains in
the disk mid-plane reach to within 0.25 AU of the star, while small grains in
the disk surface create a puffed-up inner rim at ~0.7-0.8 AU, is able to
reproduce all the data, including the near-infrared visibilities. [Abstract
abridged]Comment: 12 pages, accepted for publication in Ap
Protostellar holes: Spitzer Space Telescope observations of the protostellar binary IRAS16293-2422
Mid-infrared (23-35 micron) emission from the deeply embedded "Class 0"
protostar IRAS16293-2422 is detected with the Spitzer Space Telescope infrared
spectrograph. A detailed radiative transfer model reproducing the full spectral
energy distribution (SED) from 23 micron to 1.3 mm requires a large inner
cavity of radius 600 AU in the envelope to avoid quenching the emission from
the central sources. This is consistent with a previous suggestion based on
high angular resolution millimeter interferometric data. An alternative
interpretation using a 2D model of the envelope with an outflow cavity can
reproduce the SED but not the interferometer visibilities. The cavity size is
comparable to the centrifugal radius of the envelope and therefore appears to
be a natural consequence of the rotation of the protostellar core, which has
also caused the fragmentation leading to the central protostellar binary. With
a large cavity such as required by the data, the average temperature at a given
radius does not increase above 60-80 K and although hot spots with higher
temperatures may be present close to each protostar, these constitute a small
fraction of the material in the inner envelope. The proposed cavity will also
have consequences for the interpretation of molecular line data, especially of
complex species probing high temperatures in the inner regions of the envelope.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ Letter
The nature of point source fringes in mid-infrared spectra acquired with the James Webb Space Telescope
The constructive and destructive interference in different layers of the
James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) detector
arrays modulate the detected signal as a function of wavelength. Additionally,
sources of different spatial profiles show different fringe patterns. Dividing
by a static fringe flat could hamper the scientific interpretation of sources
whose fringes do not match that of the fringe flat. We find point source
fringes measured by the MIRI Medium-Resolution Spectrometer (MRS) to be
reproducible under similar observing conditions. We want, thus, to identify the
variables, if they exist, that would allow for a parametrization of the signal
variations induced by point source fringe modulations. We do this by analyzing
MRS detector plane images acquired on the ground. We extracted the fringe
profile of multiple point source observations and studied the amplitude and
phase of the fringes as a function of field position and pixel sampling of the
point spread function of the optical chain. A systematic variation in the
amplitude and phase of the point source fringes is found over the wavelength
range covered by the test sources (4.9-5.8 m). The variation depends on
the fraction of the point spread function seen by the detector pixel. We
identify the non-uniform pixel illumination as the root cause of the reported
systematic variation. We report an improvement after correction of 50% on the
1 standard deviation of the spectral continuum. A 50% improvement is
also reported in line sensitivity for a benchmark test with a spectral
continuum of 100 mJy. The improvement in the shape of weak lines is illustrated
using a T Tauri model spectrum. Consequently, we verify that fringes of
extended sources and potentially semi-extended sources and crowded fields can
be simulated by combining multiple point source fringe transmissions.Comment: 17 pages, 31 figure
The c2d Spitzer Spectroscopic Survey of Ices Around Low-Mass Young Stellar Objects. IV. NH3 and CH3OH
NH3 and CH3OH are key molecules in astrochemical networks leading to the
formation of more complex N- and O-bearing molecules, such as CH3CN and
HCOOCH3. Despite a number of recent studies, little is known about their
abundances in the solid state. (...) In this work, we investigate the ~ 8-10
micron region in the Spitzer IRS (InfraRed Spectrograph) spectra of 41 low-mass
young stellar objects (YSOs). These data are part of a survey of interstellar
ices in a sample of low-mass YSOs studied in earlier papers in this series. We
used both an empirical and a local continuum method to correct for the
contribution from the 10 micron silicate absorption in the recorded spectra. In
addition, we conducted a systematic laboratory study of NH3- and
CH3OH-containing ices to help interpret the astronomical spectra. We clearly
detect a feature at ~9 micron in 24 low-mass YSOs. Within the uncertainty in
continuum determination, we identify this feature with the NH3 nu_2 umbrella
mode, and derive abundances with respect to water between ~2 and 15%.
Simultaneously, we also revisited the case of CH3OH ice by studying the nu_4
C-O stretch mode of this molecule at ~9.7 micron in 16 objects, yielding
abundances consistent with those derived by Boogert et al. 2008 (hereafter
paper I) based on a simultaneous 9.75 and 3.53 micron data analysis. Our study
indicates that NH3 is present primarily in H2O-rich ices, but that in some
cases, such ices are insufficient to explain the observed narrow FWHM. The
laboratory data point to CH3OH being in an almost pure methanol ice, or mixed
mainly with CO or CO2, consistent with its formation through hydrogenation on
grains. Finally, we use our derived NH3 abundances in combination with
previously published abundances of other solid N-bearing species to find that
up to 10-20 % of nitrogen is locked up in known ices.Comment: 31 pages, 15 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
A Spitzer c2d Legacy Survey to Identify and Characterize Disks with Inner Dust Holes
Understanding how disks dissipate is essential to studies of planet
formation. However, identifying exactly how dust and gas dissipates is
complicated due to difficulty in finding objects clearly in the transition of
losing their surrounding material. We use Spitzer IRS spectra to examine 35
photometrically-selected candidate cold disks (disks with large inner dust
holes). The infrared spectra are supplemented with optical spectra to determine
stellar and accretion properties and 1.3mm photometry to measure disk masses.
Based on detailed SED modeling, we identify 15 new cold disks. The remaining 20
objects have IRS spectra that are consistent with disks without holes, disks
that are observed close to edge-on, or stars with background emission. Based on
these results, we determine reliable criteria for identifying disks with inner
holes from Spitzer photometry and examine criteria already in the literature.
Applying these criteria to the c2d surveyed star-forming regions gives a
frequency of such objects of at least 4% and most likely of order 12% of the
YSO population identified by Spitzer.
We also examine the properties of these new cold disks in combination with
cold disks from the literature. Hole sizes in this sample are generally smaller
than for previously discovered disks and reflect a distribution in better
agreement with exoplanet orbit radii. We find correlations between hole size
and both disk and stellar masses. Silicate features, including crystalline
features, are present in the overwhelming majority of the sample although 10
micron feature strength above the continuum declines for holes with radii
larger than ~7 AU. In contrast, PAHs are only detected in 2 out of 15 sources.
Only a quarter of the cold disk sample shows no signs of accretion, making it
unlikely that photoevaporation is the dominant hole forming process in most
cases.Comment: 24 pages, 18 figures and 8 tables. Fixed a typo in Table
H_2O and OH gas in the terrestrial planet-forming zones of protoplanetary disks
We present detections of numerous 10-20 μm H_2O emission lines from two protoplanetary disks around the T Tauri stars AS 205A and DR Tau, obtained using the InfraRed Spectrograph on the Spitzer Space Telescope. Follow-up 3-5 μm Keck NIRSPEC data confirm the presence of abundant water and spectrally resolve the lines. We also detect the P4.5 (2.934 μm) and P9.5 (3.179 μm) doublets of OH and ^(12)CO/^(13)CO v = 1 → 0 emission in both sources. Line shapes and LTE models suggest that the emission from all three molecules originates between ~0.5 and 5 AU, and so will provide a new window for understanding the chemical environment during terrestrial planet formation. LTE models also imply significant columns of H_2O and OH in the inner disk atmospheres, suggesting physical transport of volatile ices either vertically or radially, while the significant radial extent of the emission stresses the importance of a more complete understanding of nonthermal excitation processes
A Spitzer Survey of Protoplanetary Disk Dust in the Young Serpens Cloud: How do Dust Characteristics Evolve with Time?
We present Spitzer IRS mid-infrared (5-35 micron) spectra of a complete
flux-limited sample (> 3 mJy at 8 micron) of young stellar object (YSO)
candidates selected on the basis of their infrared colors in the Serpens
Molecular Cloud. Spectra of 147 sources are presented and classified.
Background stars (with slope consistent with a reddened stellar spectrum and
silicate features in absorption), galaxies (with redshifted PAH features) and a
planetary nebula (with high ionization lines) amount to 22% of contamination in
this sample, leaving 115 true YSOs. Sources with rising spectra and ice
absorption features, classified as embedded Stage I protostars, amount to 18%
of the sample. The remaining 82% (94) of the disk sources are analyzed in terms
of spectral energy distribution shapes, PAHs and silicate features. The
presence, strength and shape of these silicate features are used to infer disk
properties for these systems. About 8% of the disks have 30/13 micron flux
ratios consistent with cold disks with inner holes or gaps, and 3% of the disks
show PAH emission. Comparison with models indicates that dust grains in the
surface of these disks have sizes of at least a few \mu\m. The 20 micron
silicate feature is sometimes seen in absence of the 10 micron feature, which
may be indicative of very small holes in these disks. No significant difference
is found in the distribution of silicate feature shapes and strengths between
sources in clusters and in the field. Moreover, the results in Serpens are
compared with other well-studied samples: the c2d IRS sample distributed over 5
clouds and a large sample of disks in the Taurus star-forming region. The
remarkably similar distributions of silicate feature characteristics in samples
with different environment and median ages - if significant - imply that the
dust population in the disk surface results from an equilibrium between dust
growth and destructive collision processes that are maintained over a few
million years for any YSO population irrespective of environment.Comment: accepted by Ap
Ices in the edge-on disk CRBR 2422.8-3423: Spitzer spectroscopy and Monte Carlo radiative transfer modeling
We present 5.2-37.2 micron spectroscopy of the edge-on circumstellar disk
CRBR 2422.8-3423 obtained using the InfraRed Spectrograph (IRS) of the Spitzer
Space Telescope. The IRS spectrum is combined with ground-based 3-5 micron
spectroscopy to obtain a complete inventory of solid state material present
along the line of sight toward the source. We model the object with a 2D
axisymmetric (effectively 3D) Monte Carlo radiative transfer code. It is found
that the model disk, assuming a standard flaring structure, is too warm to
contain the very large observed column density of pure CO ice, but is possibly
responsible for up to 50% of the water, CO2 and minor ice species. In
particular the 6.85 micron band, tentatively due to NH4+, exhibits a prominent
red wing, indicating a significant contribution from warm ice in the disk. It
is argued that the pure CO ice is located in the dense core Oph-F in front of
the source seen in the submillimeter imaging, with the CO gas in the core
highly depleted. The model is used to predict which circumstances are most
favourable for direct observations of ices in edge-on circumstellar disks. Ice
bands will in general be deepest for inclinations similar to the disk opening
angle, i.e. ~70 degrees. Due to the high optical depths of typical disk
mid-planes, ice absorption bands will often probe warmer ice located in the
upper layers of nearly edge-on disks. The ratios between different ice bands
are found to vary by up to an order of magnitude depending on disk inclination
due to radiative transfer effects caused by the 2D structure of the disk.
Ratios between ice bands of the same species can therefore be used to constrain
the location of the ices in a circumstellar disk. [Abstract abridged]Comment: 49 pages, accepted for publication in Ap
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