Testing the Disk Regulation Paradigm with Spitzer: low mass stars

Details Testing the Disk Regulation Paradigm with Spitzer: low mass stars Testing the Disk Regulation Paradigm with Spitzer: low mass stars

Mar 2008

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008sptz.prop50773c&link_type=abstract

Spitzer Proposal ID #50773

Physics

Scientific paper

Using Spitzer data, we have recently shown an unambiguous correlation between pre-main sequence (PMS) star rotation periods and the presence of a circumstellar disk for stars with spectral type M2 and earlier in the young Orion Nebula Cluster and NGC 2264, providing the first clear evidence that star-disk interaction regulates PMS star angular momentum as they evolve onto the main sequence. Because Spitzer data allows the populations of stars with and without disks to be separated accurately, a quantitative analysis of the angular momentum history of these clusters is now underway using Monte Carlo simulations. Parameters such as the disk release timescales, angular momentum transfer efficiency, and fractions of stars released by their disksas a function of time can be constrained. However, current IRAC data for these clusters is too shallow to study stars later than M2, a group which represents half the population of stars with known rotation periods and a fundamentally different regime from the higher-mass stars. There is a sharp break in the behavior of the rotation period distributions at spectral type ~M2.5, suggesting a significant change in the efficiency or nature of the disk regulation mechanism at this boundary. Only by studying an unbiased and statistically significant sample of stars with M3 and later spectral types will we be able to establish whether or not a disk regulation mechanism is operating on very low mass stars. Whatever the answer turns out to be, it will have very important implications for the fields of angular momentum evolution of PMS stars, disk evolution, and/or stellar structure. We propose deep IRAC photometry of one 7x7 IRAC field centered on the NGC 2264 cluster (600 sec/pixel) to recover disk information for all low-mass stars with known periods. NGC 2264 is the only suitable cluster for which these observations may be made, and Spitzer's IRAC is the only instrument with the necessary sensitivity beyond 5 microns to conduct them.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Testing the Disk Regulation Paradigm with Spitzer: low mass stars 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 Testing the Disk Regulation Paradigm with Spitzer: low mass stars, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Testing the Disk Regulation Paradigm with Spitzer: low mass stars will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-886140