Other
Scientific paper
Sep 2004
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2004sptz.prop.3508l&link_type=abstract
Spitzer Proposal ID #3508
Other
Scientific paper
We propose a study of protoplanetary disks around an unique sample of newly discovered pre-main-sequence stars in the relatively evolved nearby cluster eta Chamaeleontis. The eta Cha cluster provides us with the singular opportunity to study the influence of stellar properties on the evolutionary time-scales of protoplanetary disks. It consists of a well characterized, complete and unbiased sample of coeval T Tauri and Vega type stars at an age of 9 Myr. At this age a (proto)planetary system might have formed and the transition between 'gas-rich' proto-planetary to 'gas-poor' debris disks will occur. By studying the chemical processing and evolution of the circumstellar dust grains, the building blocks of planets, present in these disks, important insights into the formation mechanism and disk evolution can be obtained. An important tool for this purpose is infrared spectroscopy at mid and far infrared wavelengths, where many dust species such as silicates emit thermal radiation, resulting in clear spectral signatures. The shape and strength of these spectroscopic features reveal clues about the size distribution, solid state (amorphous/crystalline) and composition of the emitting dust grains, which are valuable tracers for the dust processing history. As a result of the coeval nature of the cluster, differences in dust properties cannot be caused by age, but rather by other stellar properties such as luminosity and mass or binarity, or different initial masses of the disks. The ultimate goal is to understand the processes governing the composition and geometry of the dust in protoplanetary disks, evolving into a dust composition observed in solar system comets, by comparing Spitzer-IRS spectra of the eta Cha cluster members. These spectra can provide a crucial contribution to existing programs by providing the link between the evolution of low- and intermediate-mass pre-main-sequence stars.
Bouwman Jeroen
Dominik Carsten
Feigelson Eric D.
Henning Th
Lawson Warrick
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