Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Jul 1995
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1995hst..prop.5845w&link_type=abstract
HST Proposal ID #5845
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Hst Proposal Id #5845 Interstellar Medium
Scientific paper
Disks around pre-main-sequence (PMS) stars are among the most searched for objects in astronomy. Like planets or brown dwarfs around other stars, the potential discovery of such disks carries tremendous significance beyond the traditional boundaries of astronomy. These disks may be the sites of future or active planet formation; therefore, from studies of these disks we will learn about the likelihood of planet formation elsewhere in the galaxy. In turn, from this knowledge, we will learn more about the possibility of life in the universe beyond Earth. We propose to use the polarimetric imaging capabilities of the WFPC2 to obtain 6 AU resolution maps of ``polarization disks'' around six carefully selected T Tauri stars. We propose a unique observing plan in which we will use the planned roll of the telescope to rotate the position angle of the polarizer, thus eliminating many of the systemic errors that might otherwise affect this data set. With this HST data, we will test several models for scattered light from central sources. By doing so, we will confirm or refute a large number of claims that such ``polarization disks'' represent detections of disks of dust grains around PMS objects. These data will lead to improved models of disk formation and evolution and to future searches targeted toward the most promising sources.
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