292 research outputs found
NICMOS Images of the GG Tau Circumbinary Disk
We present deep, near-infrared images of the circumbinary disk surrounding
the pre-main-sequence binary star, GG Tau A, obtained with NICMOS aboard the
Hubble Space Telescope. The spatially resolved proto-planetary disk scatters
roughly 1.5% of the stellar flux, with a near-to-far side flux ratio of ~1.4,
independent of wavelength, and colors that are comparable to the central
source; all of these properties are significantly different from the earlier
ground-based observations. New Monte Carlo scattering simulations of the disk
emphasize that the general properties of the disk, such as disk flux, near side
to far side flux ratio and integrated colors, can be approximately reproduced
using ISM-like dust grains, without the presence of either circumstellar disks
or large dust grains, as had previously been suggested. A single parameter
phase function is fitted to the observed azimuthal variation in disk flux,
providing a lower limit on the median grain size of 0.23 micron. Our analysis,
in comparison to previous simulations, shows that the major limitation to the
study of grain growth in T Tauri disk systems through scattered light lies in
the uncertain ISM dust grain properties. Finally, we use the 9 year baseline of
astrometric measurements of the binary to solve the complete orbit, assuming
that the binary is coplanar with the circumbinary ring. We find that the
estimated 1 sigma range on disk inner edge to semi-major axis ratio, 3.2 <
Rin/a < 6.7, is larger than that estimated by previous SPH simulations of
binary-disk interactions.Comment: 40 pages, 8 postscript figures, accepted for publication in Ap
Closed-form expressions for particle relative velocities induced by turbulence
In this note we present complete, closed-form expressions for random relative
velocities between colliding particles of arbitrary size in nebula turbulence.
These results are exact for very small particles (those with stopping times
much shorter than the large eddy overturn time) and are also surprisingly
accurate in complete generality (that is, also apply for particles with
stopping times comparable to, or much longer than, the large eddy overturn
time). We note that some previous studies may have adopted previous simple
expressions, which we find to be in error regarding the size dependence in the
large particle regime.Comment: 8 pages, accepted as Research Note by A&
The Pre-Variscan sequence of the Carnic Alps
The Pre-Variscan sequence of the Carnic Alps includes rocks deposited between the Middle Ordovician and the early Late Carboniferous, and represents one of the most continuous sequence of the world in that time interval. In a relatively small area it is possible to distinguish rocks deposited at
various latitudes and climate (from cold in the Ordovician to tropical in the Devonian), and in different sedimentary environments (from shallow water, including reef deposition, to basin). The lithostratigraphy of the sequence has been recently revised and formalised, and 36 formations have been discriminated
Two-Dimensional Hydrodynamic Models of Super Star Clusters with a Positive Star Formation Feedback
Using the hydrodynamic code ZEUS, we perform 2D simulations to determine the
fate of the gas ejected by massive stars within super star clusters. It turns
out that the outcome depends mainly on the mass and radius of the cluster. In
the case of less massive clusters, a hot high velocity ( km
s) stationary wind develops and the metals injected by supernovae are
dispersed to large distances from the cluster. On the other hand, the density
of the thermalized ejecta within massive and compact clusters is sufficiently
large as to immediately provoke the onset of thermal instabilities. These
deplete, particularly in the central densest regions, the pressure and the
pressure gradient required to establish a stationary wind, and instead the
thermally unstable parcels of gas are rapidly compressed, by a plethora of
re-pressurizing shocks, into compact high density condensations. Most of these
are unable to leave the cluster volume and thus accumulate to eventually feed
further generations of star formation.
The simulations cover an important fraction of the parameter-space, which
allows us to estimate the fraction of the reinserted gas which accumulates
within the cluster and the fraction that leaves the cluster as a function of
the cluster mechanical luminosity, the cluster size and heating efficiency.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ; 27 pages, 9 figures, 1 tabl
Coagulation of small grains in disks: the influence of residual infall and initial small-grain content
Turbulent coagulation in protoplanetary disks is known to operate on
timescale far shorter than the lifetime of the disk. In the absence of
mechanisms that replenish the small dust grain population, protoplanetary disks
would rapidly lose their continuum opacity-bearing dust. This is inconsistent
with infrared observations of disks around T Tauri stars and Herbig Ae/Be
stars, which are usually optically thick at visual wavelengths and show
signatures of small (a<~ 3um) grains. A plausible replenishing mechanism of
small grains is collisional fragmentation or erosion of large dust aggregates,
which model calculations predict to play an important role in protoplanetary
disks. If optically thick disks are to be seen as proof for ongoing
fragmentation or erosion, then alternative explanations for the existence of
optically thick disks must be studied carefully. In this study we explore two
scenarios. First, we study the effect of residual, low-level infall of matter
onto the disk surface. We find that infall rates as low as 10^{-11} Msun/yr
can, in principle, replenish the small grain population to a level that keeps
the disk marginally optically thick. However, it remains to be seen if the
assumption of such inflow is realistic for star+disk systems at the age of
several Myrs, at which winds and jets are expected to have removed any residual
envelope. In summary, fragmentation or erosion still appear to be the most
promising processes to explain the abundant presence of small grains in old
disks.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, A&A in pres
Interaction of Infall and Winds in Young Stellar Objects
The interaction of a stellar or disk wind with a collapsing environment holds
promise for explaining a variety of outflow phenomena observed around young
stars. In this paper we present the first simulations of these interactions.
The focus here is on exploring how ram pressure balance between wind and
ambient gas and post-shock cooling affects the shape of the resulting outflows.
In our models we explore the role of ram pressure and cooling by holding the
wind speed constant and adjusting the ratio of the inflow mass flux to the wind
mass flux (Mdot_a/Mdot_w) Assuming non-spherical cloud collapse, we find that
relatively strong winds can carve out wide, conical outflow cavities and that
relatively weak winds can be strongly collimated into jet-like structures. If
the winds become weak enough, they can be cut off entirely by the infalling
environment. We identify discrepancies between results from standard snowplow
models and those presented here that have important implications for molecular
outflows. We also present mass vs. velocity curves for comparison with
observations.Comment: 35 pages, 11 figures (PNG and EPS
Problems in Interpreting Unusually Large Burrows
Although marine burrows of unusually large dimensions have long been known in certain areas, they are probably much more widespread in the rock record than is generally recognized. Such burrows constitute a heterogeneous group, having little in common other than exceptional size. Yet their size alone unites them in difficulty of interpretation: e.g., densely spaced-dwelling burrows of combined dwelling-escape burrows as much as 12 cm in diameter and 5 m long; vertical dwelling burrows only 0.5 cm in diameter but up to 9 m long; possible escape structures as much as 24 cm in diameter and 3 m long, subsequently penetrated in some cases by secondary burrow-like structures.
Numerous special problems are encountered in the study and interpretation of burrows of these extreme dimensions: (1) field exposure and accessibility, so that the full extent, or a large part, of the structures can be studied; (2) preservation of the burrows in continuity, not merely in places where they pass through certain beds or within concretion horizons; (3) the fossilization barrier ; our knowledge of comparable modern structures of similar dimensions or of the animals responsible for them is negligible; and (4) the possibility that certain of these unusual structures were formed by physical rather than organic processes; again, our criteria for comparisons are limited.
The examples selected by us—from the Permian of Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming, the Cretaceous and Paleocene of northwestern Europe, and the Pleistocene of North Carolina—are intended primarily (1) to call additional attention to such intriguing structures, and (2) to illustrate some of the problems involved in interpreting their origin and function. Hopefully, future work will solve many of these problems
HST NICMOS Images of the HH 7/11 Outflow in NGC1333
We present near infrared images in H2 at 2.12um of the HH 7/11 outflow and
its driving source SVS 13 taken with HST NICMOS 2 camera, as well as archival
Ha and [SII] optical images obtained with the WFPC2 camera. The NICMOS high
angular resolution observations confirm the nature of a small scale jet arising
from SVS 13, and resolve a structure in the HH 7 working surface that could
correspond to Mach disk H2 emission. The H2 jet has a length of 430 AU (at a
distance of 350 pc), an aspect ratio of 2.2 and morphologically resembles the
well known DG Tau optical micro-jet. The kinematical age of the jet (approx. 10
yr) coincides with the time since the last outburst from SVS 13. If we
interpret the observed H2 flux density with molecular shock models of 20-30
km/s, then the jet has a density as high as 1.e+5 cc. The presence of this
small jet warns that contamination by H2 emission from an outflow in studies
searching for H2 in circumstellar disks is possible. At the working surface,
the smooth H2 morphology of the HH 7 bowshock indicates that the magnetic field
is strong, playing a major role in stabilizing this structure. The H2 flux
density of the Mach disk, when compared with that of the bowshock, suggests
that its emission is produced by molecular shocks of less than 20 km/s. The
WFPC2 optical images display several of the global features already inferred
from groundbased observations, like the filamentary structure in HH 8 and HH
10, which suggests a strong interaction of the outflow with its cavity. The H2
jet is not detected in {SII] or Ha, however, there is a small clump at approx.
5'' NE of SVS 13 that could be depicting the presence either of a different
outburst event or the north edge of the outflow cavity.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures (JPEGs
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