A Closer Look at the LkCa 15 Protoplanetary Disk

Details A Closer Look at the LkCa 15 Protoplanetary Disk A Closer Look at the LkCa 15 Protoplanetary Disk

2011-10-18

arxiv.org/abs/1110.3865v1

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics

in press at ApJ Letters

Scientific paper

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.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

A Closer Look at the LkCa 15 Protoplanetary Disk 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 A Closer Look at the LkCa 15 Protoplanetary Disk, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and A Closer Look at the LkCa 15 Protoplanetary Disk will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-289684