Abstract
Context. While planet formation is thought to occur early in the history of a protoplanetary disk, the presence of planets embedded in disks, or of other processes driving disk evolution, might be traced from their imprints on the disk structure. Aims. We study the morphology of the disk around the T Tauri star HD 143006, located in the ~5–11 Myr-old Upper Sco region, and we look for signatures of the mechanisms driving its evolution. Methods. We observed HD 143006 in polarized scattered light with VLT/SPHERE at near-infrared (J-band, 1.2 μm) wavelengths, reaching an angular resolution of ~0.037′′ (~6 au). We obtained two datasets, one with a 145 mas diameter coronagraph, and the other without, enabling us to probe the disk structure down to an angular separation of ~0.06′′ (~10 au). Results. In our observations, the disk of HD 143006 is clearly resolved up to ~0.5′′ and shows a clear large-scale asymmetry with the eastern side brighter than the western side. We detect a number of additional features, including two gaps and a ring. The ring shows an overbrightness at a position angle (PA) of ~140°, extending over a range in position angle of ~60°, and two narrow dark regions. The two narrow dark lanes and the overall large-scale asymmetry are indicative of shadowing effects, likely due to a misaligned inner disk. We demonstrate the remarkable resemblance between the scattered light image of HD 143006 and a model prediction of a warped disk due to an inclined binary companion. The warped disk model, based on the hydrodynamic simulations combined with three-dimensional radiative transfer calculations, reproduces all major morphological features. However, it does not account for the observed overbrightness at PA ~ 140°. Conclusions. Shadows have been detected in several protoplanetary disks, suggesting that misalignment in disks is not uncommon. However, the origin of the misalignment is not clear. As-yet-undetected stellar or massive planetary companions could be responsible for them, and naturally account for the presence of depleted inner cavities.
Highlights
High angular resolution observations of protoplanetary disks show a wide diversity of structures on different scales
We study the morphology of the disk around the T Tauri star HD 143006, located in the ∼5–11 Myr-old Upper Sco region, and we look for signatures of the mechanisms driving its evolution
Recent observations by Loomis et al (2017) indicate that the inner disk is perturbed, with an additional warp and evidence for a radial inflow, possibly due to gap-crossing streamers. Another case of a perturbed inner disk with a warp is V354 Mon, which presents a low gas-to-dust ratio in the inner disk, and dimming events that could be due to small dust particles that result from the fragmentation of larger particles that drift from the outer disk (Schneider et al 2018)
Summary
High angular resolution observations of protoplanetary disks show a wide diversity of structures on different scales. Recent imaging of moderately inclined outer disks in some dipper stars suggested a strong misalignment between the inner and outer disk regions (Ansdell et al 2016; Loomis et al 2017) Such a misalignment can be very large, up to ∼70◦ (e.g., Marino et al 2015; Benisty et al 2017; Min et al 2017), and in some cases the resulting shadows can lead to a significant cooling of the outer disk material (Casassus et al 2018). Our paper is organized as follows: in Sect. 2 we present our observations and the data reduction; in Sect. 3 we describe the scattered light images; in Sect. 4 we present the hydrodynamical simulations and radiative transfer predictions; and in Sect. 5 we discuss our findings
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
