A Closer Look at the LkCa 15 Protoplanetary Disk

We present 870 micron observations of dust continuum emission from the LkCa 15 protoplanetary disk at high angular resolution (with a characteristic scale of 0.25" = 35 AU), obtained with the IRAM Plateau de Bure interferometer and supplemented by slightly lower resolution observations from the Submillimeter Array. We fit these data with simple morphological models to characterize the spectacular ring-like emission structure of this disk. Our analysis indicates that a small amount of 870 micron dust emission (~5 mJy) originates inside a large (40-50 AU radius) low optical depth cavity. This result can be interpreted either in the context of an abrupt decrease by a factor of ~5 in the radial distribution of millimeter-sized dust grains or as indirect evidence for a gap in the disk, in agreement with previous inferences from the unresolved infrared spectrum and scattered light images. A preliminary model focused on the latter possibility suggests the presence of a low-mass (planetary) companion, having properties commensurate with those inferred from the recent discovery of LkCa 15b.Comment: in press at ApJ Letter

Long-lived protoplanetary disks in multiple systems: the VLA view of HD 98800

The conditions and evolution of protoplanetary disks in multiple systems can be considerably different from those around single stars, which may have important consequences for planet formation. We present Very Large Array (VLA) 8.8 mm (34 GHz) and 5 cm (6 GHz) observations of the quadruple system HD 98800, which consists of two spectroscopic binary systems (Aa-Ab, Ba-Bb). The Ba-Bb pair is surrounded by a circumbinary disk, usually assumed to be a debris disk given its $\sim$10 Myr age and lack of near infrared excess. The VLA 8.8 mm observations resolve the disk size (5-5.5 au) and its inner cavity ($\approx$3 au) for the first time, making it one of the smallest disks known. Its small size, large fractional luminosity, and millimeter spectral index consistent with blackbody emission support the idea that HD 98800 B is a massive, optically thick ring which may still retain significant amounts of gas. The disk detection at 5 cm is compatible with free-free emission from photoionized material. The diskless HD 98800 A component is also detected, showing partial polarization at 5 cm compatible with non-thermal chromospheric activity. We propose that tidal torques from Ba-Bb and A-B have stopped the viscous evolution of the inner and outer disk radii, and the disk is evolving via mass loss through photoevaporative winds. This scenario can explain the properties and longevity of HD 98800 B as well as the lack of a disk around HD 98800 A, suggesting that planet formation could have more time to proceed in multiple systems than around single stars in certain system configurations.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures, 3 tables; Submitted to ApJ May 14 2018; Accepted to ApJ August 3 2018. This version fixes a mistake in the reported position angle. The order of the figures has been changed to match that of the references in the tex

Unveiling the Structure of Pre-Transitional Disks

In the past few years, several disks with inner holes that are empty of small dust grains have been detected and are known as transitional disks. Recently, Spitzer has identified a new class of "pre-transitional disks" with gaps; these objects have an optically thick inner disk separated from an optically thick outer disk by an optically thin disk gap. A near-infrared spectrum provided the first confirmation of a gap in the pre-transitional disk of LkCa 15 by verifying that the near-infrared excess emission in this object was due to an optically thick inner disk. Here we investigate the difference between the nature of the inner regions of transitional and pre-transitional disks using the same veiling-based technique to extract the near-infrared excess emission above the stellar photosphere. We show that the near-infrared excess emission of the previously identified pre-transitional disks of LkCa 15 and UX Tau A in Taurus as well as the newly identified pre-transitional disk of ROX 44 in Ophiuchus can be fit with an inner disk wall located at the dust destruction radius. We also model the broad-band SEDs of these objects, taking into account the effect of shadowing by the inner disk on the outer disk, considering the finite size of the star. The near-infrared excess continua of these three pre-transitional disks, which can be explained by optically thick inner disks, are significantly different from that of the transitional disks of GM Aur, whose near-infrared excess continuum can be reproduced by emission from sub-micron-sized optically thin dust, and DM Tau, whose near-infrared spectrum is consistent with a disk hole that is relatively free of small dust. The structure of pre-transitional disks may be a sign of young planets forming in these disks and future studies of pre-transitional disks will provide constraints to aid in theoretical modeling of planet formation.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ on May 10, 2010; 29 page