Dispersion in the lifetime and accretion rate of T Tauri discs

Details Dispersion in the lifetime and accretion rate of T Tauri discs Dispersion in the lifetime and accretion rate of T Tauri discs

2003-03-14

arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0303343v1

Mon.Not.Roy.Astron.Soc. 342 (2003) 1139

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

MNRAS, in press

Scientific paper

10.1046/j.1365-8711.2003.06604.x

We compare evolutionary models for protoplanetary discs that include disc winds with observational determinations of the disc lifetime and accretion rate in Taurus. Using updated estimates for stellar ages in Taurus, together with published classifications, we show that the evolution of the disc fraction with stellar age is similar to that derived for ensembles of stars within young clusters. Around 30 percent of stars lose their discs within 1 Myr, while the remainder have disc lifetimes that are typically in the 1-10 Myr range. We show that the latter range of ages is consistent with theoretical models for disc evolution, provided that there is a dispersion of around 0.5 in the log of the initial disc mass. The same range of initial conditions brackets the observed variation in the accretion rate of Classical T Tauri stars at a given age. We discuss the expected lifetime of discs in close binary systems, and show that our models predict that the disc lifetime is almost constant for separations exceeding 10 au. This implies a low predicted fraction of binaries that pair a Classical T Tauri star with a Weak-lined T Tauri star, and is in better agreement with observations of the disc lifetime in binaries than disc models that do not include disc mass loss in a wind.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Dispersion in the lifetime and accretion rate of T Tauri discs 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 Dispersion in the lifetime and accretion rate of T Tauri discs, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Dispersion in the lifetime and accretion rate of T Tauri discs will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-218028