Infrared Signatures of Protoplanetary Disk Evolution

Details Infrared Signatures of Protoplanetary Disk Evolution Infrared Signatures of Protoplanetary Disk Evolution

2001-11-14

arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0111283v1

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

ApJ Accepted

Scientific paper

10.1086/338662

We investigate the observational signatures of a straightforward evolutionary scenario for protoplanetary disks in which the disk mass of small (50 micron) particles decreases homologously with time, but the disk structure and stellar parameters do not change. Our goal is to identify optimal infrared spectral indicators of the existence of disks, their structure, and mass evolution that may be tested with the upcoming SIRTF mission. We present simulated spectral energy distributions and colors over a wide range of masses. The SED is most sensitive to disk mass in the far-IR and longer wavelengths, which is already known from millimeter and radio observations. As the disk mass decreases, the excess emission of the disk over the stellar photosphere diminishes more rapidly at the longest rather than at short wavelengths. At near-infrared wavelengths, the disk remains optically thick to stellar radiation over a wide range of disk mass, resulting in a slower decline in the SED in this spectral regime. Therefore, near-IR excesses (K-L) provide a robust means of detecting disks in star clusters down to 1E-7 solar masses, while the far-IR excess probes the disk mass. Reducing the disk mass results in a clear progression in color-color diagrams with low mass disks displaying the bluest colors. We interpret color-color diagrams for Taurus-Auriga sources in the context of decreasing disk mass.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Infrared Signatures of Protoplanetary Disk Evolution does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Infrared Signatures of Protoplanetary Disk Evolution, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Infrared Signatures of Protoplanetary Disk Evolution will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-720850