Evolution Of Circumstellar Disks Research Articles

Circumstellar disks in binary star systems

In this paper we study the evolution of viscous and radiative circumstellar disks under the influence of a companion star. We focus on the eccentric {\gamma} Cephei and {\alpha} Centauri system as examples and compare the disk quantities such as disk eccentricity and precession rate to previous isothermal simulations. We perform two-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of the binary star systems under the assumption of coplanarity of the disk, host star and binary companion. We use the grid-based, staggered mesh code FARGO with an additional energy equation to which we added radiative cooling based on opacity tables. The eccentric binary companion perturbs the disk around the primary star periodically. Upon passing periastron spirals arms are induced that wind from the outer disk towards the star. In isothermal simulations this results in disk eccentricities up to {\epsilon}_disk ~ 0.2, but in more realistic radiative models we obtain much smaller eccentricities of about {\epsilon}_disk ~ 0.04 - 0.06 with no real precession. Models with varying viscosity and disk mass indicate show that disks with less mass have lower temperatures and higher disk eccentricity. The rather large high disk eccentricities, as indicated in previous isothermal disk simulations, implied a more difficult planet formation in the {\gamma} Cephei system due to the enhanced collision velocities of planetesimals. We have shown that under more realistic conditions with radiative cooling the disk become less eccentric and thus planet formation may be made easier. However, we estimate that the viscosity in the disk has to very small, with {\alpha} \lesssim 0.001, because otherwise the disk's lifetime will be too short to allow planet formation to occur along the core instability scenario. We estimate that the periodic heating of the disk in eccentric binaries will be observable in the mid-IR regime.

Classification of the circumstellar disc evolution during the main accretion phase

We have carried out hydro-dynamical simulations to investigate the formation and evolution of protostar and circumstellar disks from the prestellar cloud. As the initial state, we adopt the molecular cloud core with two non-dimensional parameters representing the thermal and rotational energies. With these parameters, we make 17 models and calculate the cloud evolution ~ 10^4 years after the protostar formation. We find that early evolution of the star-disk system can be qualitatively classified into four modes: the massive disk, early fragmentation, late fragmentation, and protostar dominant modes. In the 'massive disk mode' to which the majority of models belong, the disk mass is greater than the protostellar mass for over 10^4 years and no fragmentation occurs in the circumstellar disk. The collapsing cloud shows fragmentation before the protostar formation in the 'early fragmentation mode'. The circumstellar disk shows fragmentation after the protostar formation in the 'late fragmentation mode', in which the secondary star substantially gains its mass from the circumstellar disk after fragmentation and it has a mass comparable to that of the primary star. The protostellar mass rapidly increases and exceeds the circumstellar disk mass in the 'protostar dominant mode'. This mode appears only when the initial molecular cloud core has a considerably small rotational energy. Comparison of our results with observations indicates that a majority of protostar has a fairly massive disk during the main accretion phase: the circumstellar disk mass is comparable to or more massive than the protostar. It is expected that such a massive disk promotes gas-giant formation by gravitational instability in a subsequent evolution stage.

Sub-Keplerian accretion onto circumstellar disks

Models of the formation, evolution and photoevaporation of circumstellar disks are an essential ingredient in many theories of the formation of planetary systems. The ratio of disk mass over stellar mass in the circumstellar phase of a disk is largely determined by the angular momentum of the original cloud core from which the system was formed. While full 3D or 2D axisymmetric hydrodynamical models of accretion onto the disk automatically treat all aspects of angular momentum, this is not so trivial for 1D and semi-2D viscous disk models. Since 1D and semi-2D disk models are still very useful for long-term evolutionary modelling of disks with relatively little numerical effort, we investigate how the 2D nature of accretion affects the formation and evolution of the disk in such models. A proper treatment of this problem requires a correction for the sub-Keplerian velocity at which accretion takes place. We develop an update of our semi-2D time-dependent disk evolution model to properly treat the effects of sub-Keplerian accretion. The new model also accounts for the effects of the vertical extent of the disk on the accretion streamlines from the envelope. The disks produced with the new method are smaller than those obtained previously, but their mass is mostly unchanged. The new disks are a few degrees warmer in the outer parts, so they contain less solid CO. Otherwise, the results for ices are unaffected. The 2D treatment of the accretion results in material accreting at larger radii, so a smaller fraction comes close enough to the star for amorphous silicates to be thermally annealed into crystalline form. The lower crystalline abundances thus predicted correspond more closely to observed abundances than did earlier model predictions. We argue that thermal annealing followed by radial mixing must be responsible for at least part of the observed crystalline material.

STRUCTURE AND COMPOSITION OF TWO TRANSITIONAL CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS IN CORONA AUSTRALIS

The late stages of evolution of the primordial circumstellar disks surrounding young stars are poorly understood, yet vital to constrain theories of planet formation. We consider basic structural models for the disks around two ~10 Myr-old members of the nearby RCrA association, RX J1842.9-3532 and RX J1852.3-3700. We present new arcsecond-resolution maps of their 230 GHz continuum emission from the Submillimeter Array and unresolved CO(3-2) spectra from the Atacama Submillimeter Telescope Experiment. By combining these data with broadband fluxes from the literature and infrared fluxes and spectra from the catalog of the Formation and Evolution of Planetary Systems (FEPS) Legacy program on the Spitzer Space Telescope, we assemble a multiwavelength data set probing the gas and dust disks. Using the Monte Carlo radiative transfer code RADMC to model simultaneously the SED and millimeter continuum visibilities, we derive basic dust disk properties and identify an inner cavity of radius 16 AU in the disk around RX J1852.3-3700. We also identify an optically thin 5 AU cavity in the disk around RX J1842.9-3532, with a small amount of optically thick material close to the star. The molecular line observations suggest an intermediate disk inclination in RX J1842.9-3532, consistent with the continuum emission. In combination with the dust models, the molecular data allow us to derive a lower CO content than expected, suggesting that the process of gas clearing is likely underway in both systems, perhaps simultaneously with planet formation.

THE BURST MODE OF ACCRETION AND DISK FRAGMENTATION IN THE EARLY EMBEDDED STAGES OF STAR FORMATION

We revisit our original papers on the burst mode of accretion by incorporating a detailed energy balance equation into a thin-disk model for the formation and evolution of circumstellar disks around low-mass protostars.Our model includes the effect of radiative cooling, viscous and shock heating, and heating due to stellar and background irradiation. Following the collapse from the prestellar phase allows us to model the early embedded phase of disk formation and evolution. During this time, the disk is susceptible to fragmentation, depending upon the properties of the initial prestellar core. Globally, we find that higher initial core angular momentum and mass content favors more fragmentation, but higher levels of background radiation can moderate the tendency to fragment. A higher rate of mass infall onto the disk than that onto the star is a necessary but not sufficient condition for disk fragmentation. More locally, both the Toomre Q-parameter needs to be below a critical value _and_ the local cooling time needs to be shorter than a few times the local dynamical time. Fragments that form during the early embedded phase tend to be driven into the inner disk regions, and likely trigger mass accretion and luminosity bursts that are similar in magnitude to FU-Orionis-type or EX-Lupi-like events. Disk accretion is shown to be an intrinsically variable process, thanks to disk fragmentation, nonaxisymmetric structure, and the effect of gravitational torques. The additional effect of a generic \alpha-type viscosity acts to reduce burst frequency and accretion variability, and is likely to not be viable for values of \alpha significantly greater than 0.01.

Rotational velocities of nearby young stars

<i>Context. <i/>Stellar rotation is a crucial parameter driving stellar magnetism, activity and mixing of chemical elements. Measuring rotational velocities of young stars can give additional insight in the initial conditions of the star formation process. Furthermore, the evolution of stellar rotation is coupled to the evolution of circumstellar disks. Disk-braking mechanisms are believed to be responsible for rotational deceleration during the accretion phase, and rotational spin-up during the contraction phase after decoupling from the disk for fast rotators arriving at the ZAMS. On the ZAMS, stars get rotationally braked by solar-type winds.<i>Aims. <i/>We investigate the projected rotational velocities <i>v<i/> <i>i<i/> of a sample of young stars with respect to the stellar mass and disk evolutionary state to search for possible indications of disk-braking mechanisms. Furthermore, we search for signs of rotational spin-up of stars that have already decoupled from their circumstellar disks.<i>Methods. <i/>We analyse the stellar spectra of 220 nearby (mostly <i><<i/>100 pc) young (2–600 Myr) stars for their <i>v<i/> <i>i<i/>, stellar age, H<i>α<i/> emission, and accretion rates. The stars have been observed with FEROS at the 2.2 m MPG/ESO telescope and HARPS at the 3.6 m telescope in La Silla, Chile. The spectra have been cross-correlated with appropriate theoretical templates. We build a new calibration to be able to derive <i>v<i/> <i>i<i/> values from the cross-correlated spectra. Stellar ages are estimated from the equivalent width at 6708 Å. The equivalent width and width at 10% height of the H<i>α<i/> emission are measured to identify accretors and used to estimate accretion rates . The is then analysed with respect to the evolutionary state of the circumstellar disks to search for indications of disk-braking mechanisms in accretors.<i>Results. <i/>We find that the broad <i>v<i/> <i>i<i/> distribution of our targets extends to rotation velocities of up to more than 100 km s<sup>-1<sup/> and peaks at a value of 7.8 <i>±<i/> 1.2 km s <sup>-1<sup/>, and that ~70% of our stars show <i>v<i/> <i>i<i/> <i><<i/> 30 km s<sup>-1<sup/>. Furthermore, we can find indications for disk-braking in accretors and rotational spin-up of stars which are decoupled from their disks. In addition, we show that a number of young stars are suitable for precise radial-velocity measurements for planet-search surveys.

TIDALLY INDUCED BROWN DWARF AND PLANET FORMATION IN CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS

Most stars are born in clusters and the resulting gravitational interactions between cluster members may significantly affect the evolution of circumstellar discs and therefore the formation of planets and brown dwarfs. Recent findings suggest that tidal perturbations of typical circumstellar discs due to close encounters may inhibit rather than trigger disc fragmentation and so would seem to rule out planet formation by external tidal stimuli. However, the disc models in these calculations were restricted to disc radii of 40 AU and disc masses below 0.1 M_sun. Here we show that even modest encounters can trigger fragmentation around 100 AU in the sorts of massive (~0.5 M_sun), extended (>=100 AU) discs that are observed around young stars. Tidal perturbation alone can do this, no disc-disc collision is required. We also show that very-low-mass binary systems can form through the interaction of objects in the disc. In our computations, otherwise non-fragmenting massive discs, once perturbed, fragment into several objects between about 0.01 and 0.1 M_sun, i.e., over the whole brown dwarf mass range. Typically these orbit on highly eccentric orbits or are even ejected. While probably not suitable for the formation of Jupiter- or Neptune-type planets, our scenario provides a possible formation mechanism for brown dwarfs and very massive planets which, interestingly, leads to a mass distribution consistent with the canonical substellar IMF. As a minor outcome, a possible explanation for the origin of misaligned extrasolar planetary systems is discussed.

EVIDENCE FOR DELAYED MASSIVE STAR FORMATION IN THE M17 PROTO-OB ASSOCIATION

Through analysis of archival images and photometry from the Spitzer GLIMPSE and MIPSGAL surveys combined with 2MASS and MSX data, we have identified 488 candidate young stellar objects (YSOs) in the giant molecular cloud M17 SWex, which extends ~50 pc southwest from the prominent Galactic H II region M17. Our sample includes >200 YSOs with masses >3 Msun that will become B-type stars on the main sequence. Extrapolating over the stellar initial mass function (IMF), we find that M17 SWex contains >1.3x10^4 young stars, representing a proto-OB association. The YSO mass function is significantly steeper than the Salpeter IMF, and early O stars are conspicuously absent from M17 SWex. Assuming M17 SWex will form an OB association with a Salpeter IMF, these results reveal the combined effects of (1) more rapid circumstellar disk evolution in more massive YSOs and (2) delayed onset of massive star formation.

Fast and accurate frequency-dependent radiation transport for hydrodynamics simulations in massive star formation

Context: Radiative feedback plays a crucial role in the formation of massive stars. The implementation of a fast and accurate description of the proceeding thermodynamics in pre-stellar cores and evolving accretion disks is therefore a main effort in current hydrodynamics simulations. Aims: We introduce our newly implemented three-dimensional frequency dependent radiation transport algorithm for hydrodynamics simulations of spatial configurations with a dominant central source. Methods: The module combines the advantage of the speed of an approximate Flux Limited Diffusion (FLD) solver with the high accuracy of a frequency dependent first order ray-tracing routine. Results: We prove the viability of the scheme in a standard radiation benchmark test compared to a full frequency dependent Monte-Carlo based radiative transfer code. The setup includes a central star, a circumstellar flared disk, as well as an envelope. The test is performed for different optical depths. Considering the frequency dependence of the stellar irradiation, the temperature distributions can be described precisely in the optically thin, thick, and irradiated transition regions. Resulting radiative forces onto dust grains are reproduced with high accuracy. The achievable parallel speedup of the method imposes no restriction on further radiative (magneto-) hydrodynamics simulations. Conclusions: The proposed approximate radiation transport method enables frequency dependent radiation hydrodynamics studies of the evolution of pre-stellar cores and circumstellar accretion disks around an evolving massive star in a highly efficient and accurate manner.

On the eccentricity of self-gravitating circumstellar disks in eccentric binary systems

We study the evolution of circumstellar massive disks around the primary star of a binary system focusing on the computation of disk eccentricity. In particular, we concentrate on its dependence on the binary eccentricity. Self-gravity is included in our numerical simulations. Our standard model assumes a semimajor axis for the binary of 30 AU, the most probable value according to the present binary statistics.

THE BIMODALITY OF ACCRETION IN T TAURI STARS AND BROWN DWARFS

We present numerical solutions of the collapse of prestellar cores that lead to the formation and evolution of circumstellar disks. The disk evolution is then followed for up to three million years. A variety of models of different initial masses and rotation rates allows us to study disk accretion around brown dwarfs and low-mass T Tauri stars, with central object mass $M_st < 0.2 Msun$, as well as intermediate and upper-mass T Tauri stars (0.2 Msun < M_st < 3.0 Msun). Our models include self-gravity and allow for nonaxisymmetric motions. In addition to the self-consistently generated gravitational torques, we introduce an effective turbulent \alpha-viscosity with \alpha = 0.01, which allows us particularly to model accretion in the low-mass regime where disk self-gravity is diminishing. A range of models with observationally-motivated values of the initial ratio of rotational to gravitational energy yields a correlation between mass accretion rate \dot{M} and M_st that is relatively steep, as observed. Additionally, our modeling reveals evidence for a bimodality in the \dot{M}--M_st correlation, with a steeper slope at lower masses and a shallower slope at intermediate and upper masses, as also implied by observations. We show that the neglect of disk self-gravity leads to a much steeper \dot{M}--M_st relation for intermediate and upper-mass T Tauri stars. This demonstrates that an accurate treatment of global self-gravity is essential to understanding observations of circumstellar disks.

PRIMORDIAL CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS IN BINARY SYSTEMS: EVIDENCE FOR REDUCED LIFETIMES

We combine the results from several multiplicity surveys of pre-main-sequence stars located in four nearby star-forming regions with Spitzer data from three different Legacy Projects. This allows us to construct a sample of 349 targets, including 125 binaries, which we use to to investigate the effect of companions on the evolution of circumstellar disks. We find that the distribution of projected separations of systems with Spitzer excesses is significantly different (P ~2.4e-5, according to the KS test for binaries with separations < 400 AU) from that of systems lacking evidence for a disk. As expected, systems with projected separations < 40 AU are half as likely to retain at least one disk than are systems with projected separations in the 40-400 AU range. These results represent the first statistically significant evidence for a correlation between binary separation and the presence of an inner disk (r ~ 1 AU). Several factors (e.g., the incompleteness of the census of close binaries, the use of unresolved disk indicators, and projection effects) have previously masked this correlation in smaller samples. We discuss the implications of our findings for circumstellar disk lifetimes and the formation of planets in multiple systems.

Secular evolution of viscous and self-gravitating circumstellar discs

We add the effect of turbulent viscosity via the \alpha-prescription to models of the self-consistent formation and evolution of protostellar discs. Our models are non-axisymmetric and carried out using the thin-disc approximation. Self-gravity plays an important role in the early evolution of a disc, and the later evolution is determined by the relative importance of gravitational and viscous torques. In the absence of viscous torques, a protostellar disc evolves into a self-regulated state with disk-averaged Toomre parameter Q \sim 1.5-2.0, non-axisymmetric structure diminishing with time, and maximum disc-to-star mass ratio \xi = 0.14. We estimate an effective viscosity parameter \alpha_eff associated with gravitational torques at the inner boundary of our simulation to be in the range 10^{-4}-10^{-3} during the late evolution. Addition of viscous torques with a low value \alpha = 10^{-4} has little effect on the evolution, structure, and accretion properties of the disc, and the self-regulated state is largely preserved. A sequence of increasing values of \alpha results in the discs becoming more axisymmetric in structure, being more gravitationally stable, having greater accretion rates, larger sizes, shorter lifetimes, and lower disc-to-star mass ratios. For \alpha=10^{-2}, the model is viscous-dominated and the self-regulated state largely disappears by late times. (Abridged)

Correlation between the spatial distribution of circumstellar disks and massive stars in the young open cluster NGC 6611

Context: the observations of the proplyds in the Orion Nebula Cluster, showing clear evidence of ongoing photoevaporation, have provided a clear proof about the role of the externally induced photoevaporation in the evolution of circumstellar disks. NGC 6611 is an open cluster suitable to study disk photoevaporation, thanks to its large population of massive members and of stars with disk. In a previous work, we obtained evidence of the influence of the strong UV field generated by the massive cluster members on the evolution of disks around low-mass Pre-Main Sequence members. That work was based on a multi-band BVIJHK and X-ray catalog purposely compiled to select the cluster members with and without disk. Aims: in this paper we complete the list of candidate cluster members, using data at longer wavelengths obtained with Spitzer/IRAC, and we revisit the issue of the effects of UV radiation on the evolution of disks in NGC 6611. Methods: we select the candidate members with disks of NGC 6611, in a field of view of 33'x34' centered on the cluster, using IRAC color-color diagrams and suitable reddening-free color indices. Besides, using the X-ray data to select Class III cluster members, we estimate the disks frequency vs. the intensity of the incident radiation emitted by massive members. Results: we identify 458 candidate members with circumstellar disks, among which 146 had not been revealed in our previous work. Comparing of the various color indices we used to select the cluster members with disk, we claim that they detect the excesses due to the emission of the same physical region of the disk: the inner rim at the dust sublimation radius. Our new results confirm that UV radiation from massive stars affects the evolution of nearby circumstellar disks.

Cold CO in circumstellar disks

Aims. We attempt to understand the presence of gas phase CO below its sublimation temperature in circumstellar disks. We study two promising mechanisms to explain this phenomenon: turbulent mixing and photodesorption. Methods. We compute the chemical evolution of circumstellar disks including grain surface reactions with and without turbulent mixing and CO photodesorption. Results. We show that photodesorption significantly enhances the gas phase CO abundance, by extracting CO from the grains when the visual extinction remains below about 5 magnitudes. However, the resulting dependence of column density on radial distance is inconsistent with observations so far. We propose that this inconsistency could be the result of grain growth. On the other hand, the influence of turbulent mixing is not found to be straightf orward. The effi ciency of turbulent mixing depends upon a variety of parameters, including the disk structure. For the set of par ameters we chose, turbulent mixing is not found to have any significant influence on the CO column density.

Resolving the Chemistry in the Disk of TW Hydrae. I. Deuterated Species

We present Submillimeter Array observations of several deuterated species in the disk around the classical T Tauri star TW Hydrae at arcsecond scales, including detections of the DCN J = 3–2 and DCO+ J = 3–2 lines and upper limits to the HDO 31,2–22,1, ortho-H2D+ 11,0–11,1, and para-D2H+ 11,0–10,1 transitions. We also present observations of the HCN J = 3–2, HCO+ J = 3–2, and H13CO+ J = 4–3 lines for comparison with their deuterated isotopologues. We constrain the radial and vertical distributions of various species in the disk by fitting the data using a model where the molecular emission from an irradiated accretion disk is sampled with a two-dimensional Monte Carlo radiative transfer code. We find that the distribution of DCO+ differs markedly from that of HCO+. The D/H ratios inferred change by at least 1 order of magnitude (0.01-0.1) for radii <30 to ≥70 AU, and there is a rapid falloff of the abundance of DCO+ at radii larger than 90 AU. Using a simple analytical chemical model, we constrain the degree of ionization, x(e−) = n(e−)/n(H2), to be ~10^−7 in the disk layer(s) where these molecules are present. Provided the distribution of DCN follows that of HCN, the ratio of DCN to HCN is determined to be (1.7 ± 0.5) × 10^−2; however, this ratio is very sensitive to the poorly constrained vertical distribution of HCN. The resolved radial distribution of DCO+ indicates that in situ deuterium fractionation remains active within the TW Hydrae disk and must be considered in the molecular evolution of circumstellar accretion disks.

Spitzer‐MIPS Observations of the η Chamaeleontis Young Association

We have mapped the η Chamaeleontis young stellar association in the far-infrared with the Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer (MIPS) on the Spitzer Space Telescope. All 16 members within the map region were detected at 24 μm, along with five members at 70 μm and two at 160 μm. Ten stars show far-infrared excess emission indicating the presence of circumstellar disks; six of these have central clearings as evidenced by the onset of excess emission at λ > 5 μm. No new infrared-excess sources are identified among the 113 2MASS field stars with 24 μm photometry but not seen as X-ray sources, indicating that membership lists derived from X-ray surveys are reasonably complete. Circumstellar disks in the η Cha association span the range from 10^(−1) to 10^(−4) in their fractional infrared luminosity, with a median L_d/L_* of 0.04. The presence of optically thick, optically thin, and intermediate optical depth disks within the same stellar group, in combination with the large fraction of disks with inner holes, indicates that the η Cha association represents a crucial stage in circumstellar disk evolution.

The Evolution of Circumstellar Disks in Ophiuchus Binaries

Four Ophiuchus binaries, two Class I systems and two Class II systems, with separations of ~450-1100 AU, were observed with the Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO) millimeter interferometer. In each system, the 3 mm continuum maps show dust emission at the location of the primary star, but no emission at the position of the secondary. This result is different from observations of less evolved Class 0 binaries, in which dust emission is detected from both sources. The nondetection of secondary disks is, however, similar to the dust distribution seen in wide Class II Taurus binaries. The combined OVRO results from the Ophiuchus and Taurus binaries suggest that secondary disk masses are significantly lower than primary disk masses by the Class II stage, with initial evidence that massive secondary disks are reduced by the Class I stage. Although some of the secondaries retain hot inner disk material, the early dissipation of massive outer disks may negatively impact planet formation around secondary stars. Masses for the circumprimary disks are within the range of masses measured for disks around single T Tauri stars and, in some cases, larger than the minimum mass solar nebula. More massive primary disks are predicted by several formation models and are broadly consistent with the observations. Combining the 3 mm data with previous 1.3 mm observations, the dust opacity power-law index for each primary disk is estimated. The opacity index values are all less than the scaling for interstellar dust, possibly indicating grain growth within the circumprimary disks.

Three-fluid plasmas in star formation

Context. Interstellar magnetic fields influence all stages of the process of star formation, from the collapse of molecular cloud cores to the formation and evolution of circumstellar disks and protostellar jets. This requires us to have a full understanding of the physical properties of magnetized plasmas of different degrees of ionization for a wide range of densities and temperatures.

Effects of photophoresis on the evolution of transitional circumstellar disks

Although known for almost a century, the photophoretic force has only recently been considered in astrophysical context for the first time. In our work, we have examined the effect of photophoresis, acting together with stellar gravity, radiation pressure, and gas drag, on the evolution of solids in transitional circumstellar disks. We have applied our calculations to four different systems: the disks of HR 4796A and HD 141569A, which are several Myr-old AB-type stars, and two hypothetical systems that correspond to the solar nebula after disk dispersal has progressed sufficiently for the disk to become optically thin. Our results suggest that solid objects migrate inward or outward, until they reach a certain size-dependent stability distance from the star. The larger the bodies, the closer to the star they tend to accumulate. Photophoresis increases the stability radii, moving objects to larger distances. What is more, photophoresis may cause formation of a belt of objects, but only in a certain range of sizes and only around low-luminosity stars. The effects of photophoresis are noticeable in the size range from several micrometers to several centimeters (for older transitional disks) or even several meters (for younger, more gaseous, ones). We argue that due to gas damping, rotation does not substantially inhibit photophoresis.