Mid-IR Keck Segment-Tilting Observations of the Disk Around Mira B

Details Mid-IR Keck Segment-Tilting Observations of the Disk Around Mira B Mid-IR Keck Segment-Tilting Observations of the Disk Around Mira B

Dec 2006

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006aas...20923008i&link_type=abstract

2007 AAS/AAPT Joint Meeting, American Astronomical Society Meeting 209, #230.08; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society,

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

Scientific paper

The Mira AB system is a nearby ( 107 pc) example of a wind accreting binary star system. In this class of system, the wind from a mass-losing red giant star is accreted onto a companion, as indicated by emission related to an accretion shock at ultraviolet and X-ray wavelengths. Imaging the companion is difficult because of the small separation ( 0.5") and the large contrast between Mira A ( 5000 Lsun) and Mira B (< 1 Lsun). These difficulties are one reason for the controversial nature of Mira B, which has been labelled both a low-mass main sequence star and a white dwarf by different authors.
We have imaged Mira B at mid-infrared wavelengths by turning the segmented Keck telescope into several non-redundant arrays, by individually re-pointing and co-phasing sets of segments. This technique enables excellent visibility amplitude and closure-phase calibration, which can in turn produce high-contrast images. Using this technique, we report the detection of Mira B at wavelengths of 10.7 and 12.5 microns at a position offset by about 15 AU (0.48") from the ultraviolet position of Mira B and a contrast ratio of 50:1.
We interpret the mid-infrared emission as the edge of an optically-thick accretion disk heated by Mira A, and interpret Mira B as a main-sequence star based on accretion luminosity arguments. We argue that this disk should be similar to disks around T Tauri stars, and that in the solar neighbourhood, planets formed in this class of disk should be relatively common compared to those formed alongside young stars.
M.I. is supported by a Michelson Fellowship with funding provided by the Michelson Science Center and the NASA Navigator Program.

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