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A. Sicilia-Aguilar

Publications and source records attributed to A. Sicilia-Aguilar.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

A gas density drop in the inner 6 AU of the transition disk around the Herbig Ae star HD 139614: Further evidence for a giant planet inside the disk?

Context: Quantifying the gas content inside the dust gaps of transition disks is important to establish their origin. Aims: We seek to constrain the surface density of warm gas in the disk of HD 139614, a Herbig Ae star with a transition disk exhibiting a dust gap from 2.3 to 6 AU. Methods: We have obtained ESO/VLT CRIRES high-resolution spectra of CO ro-vibrational emission. We derived constraints on the disk's structure by modeling the line-profiles, the spectroastrometric signal, and the rotational diagrams using flat Keplerian disk models. Results: We detected v=1-0 12CO, 2-1 12CO, 1-0 13CO, 1-0 C18O, and 1-0 C17O ro-vibrational lines. 12CO v=1-0 lines have an average width of 14 km/s, Tgas of 450 K and an emitting region from 1 to 15 AU. 13CO and C18O lines are on average 70 and 100 K colder, 1 and 4 km/s narrower, and are dominated by emission at R>6 AU. The 12CO v=1-0 line-profile indicates that if there is a gap in the gas it must be narrower than 2 AU. We find that a drop in the gas surface density (delta_gas) at R<5-6 AU is required to simultaneously reproduce the line-profiles and rotational diagrams of the three CO isotopologs. Delta_gas can range from 10^-2 to 10^-4 depending on the gas-to-dust ratio of the outer disk. We find that at 1 2 AU) gas gap suggest the presence of an embedded <2 MJ planet at around 4 AU.

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A "Rosetta Stone" for protoplanetary disks: The synergy of multi-wavelength observations

The recent progress in instrumentation and telescope development has brought us different ways to observe protoplanetary disks, including interferometers, space missions, adaptive optics, polarimetry, and time- and spectrally-resolved data. While the new facilities have changed the way we can tackle the existing open problems in disk structure and evolution, there is a substantial lack of interconnection between different observing techniques and their user communities. Here, we explore the complementarity of some of the state-of-the-art observing techniques, and how they can be brought together in a collective effort to understand how disks evolve and disperse at the time of planet formation. This paper was born at the "Protoplanetary Discussions" meeting in Edinburgh, 2016. Its goal is to clarify where multi-wavelength observations of disks converge in unveiling disk structure and evolution, and where they diverge and challenge our current understanding. We discuss caveats that should be considered when linking results from different observations, or when drawing conclusions based on limited datasets (in terms of wavelength or sample). We focus on disk properties that are currently being revolutionized by multi-wavelength observations. Specifically: the inner disk radius, holes and gaps and their link to large-scale disk structures, the disk mass, and the accretion rate. We discuss how the links between them, as well as the apparent contradictions, can help us to disentangle the disk physics and to learn about disk evolution.

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An M-dwarf star in the transition disk of Herbig HD 142527; Physical parameters and orbital elements

HD 142527A is one of the most studied Herbig Ae/Be stars with a transitional disk, as it has the largest imaged gap in any protoplanetary disk: the gas is cleared from 30 to 90 AU. The HD142527 system is also unique in that it has a stellar companion with a small mass compared to the mass of the primary star. This factor of ~20 in mass ratio between the two objects makes this binary system different from any other YSO. The HD142527 system could therefore provide a valuable test bed. This low-mass stellar object may be responsible for both the gap and dust trapping observed by ALMA at longer distances. We observed this system with the NACO and GPI instruments using the aperture masking technique. Aperture masking is ideal for providing high dynamic range even at very small angular separations. We present the spectral energy distribution for HD142527A and B. Brightness of the companion is now known from the R band up to the M' band. We also followed the orbital motion of HD 142527B over a period of more than two years. The SED of the companion is compatible with a T=3000+/-100K object in addition to a 1700K blackbody environment (likely a circus-secondary disk). From evolution models, we find that it is compatible with an object of mass 0.13+/-0.03Msun, radius 0.90+/-0.15Rsun, and age $1.0^{+1.0}_{-0.75}$Myr. This age is significantly younger than the age previously estimated for HD142527A. Computations to constrain the orbital parameters found a semi major axis of $140^{+120}_{-70}$mas, an eccentricity of 0.5+/-0.2, an inclination of 125+/-15 degrees, and a position angle of the right ascending node of -5+/-40 degrees. Inclination and position angle of the ascending node are in agreement with an orbit coplanar with the inner disk, not coplanar with the outer disk. Despite its high eccentricity, it is unlikely that HD142527B is responsible for truncating the inner edge of the outer disk.

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A network of filaments detected by Herschel in the Serpens Core: A laboratory to test simulations of low-mass star formation

Filaments represent a key structure during the early stages of the star formation process. Simulations show filamentary structure commonly formed before and during the formation of cores. Aims. The Serpens Core represents an ideal laboratory to test the state-of-the-art of simulations of turbulent Giant Molecular Clouds. We use Herschel observations of the Serpens Core to compute temperature and column density maps of the region. Among the simulations of Dale et al. (2012), we select the early stages of their Run I, before stellar feedback is initiated, with similar total mass and physical size as the Serpens Core. We derive temperature and column density maps also from the simulations. The observed distribution of column densities of the filaments has been analysed first including and then masking the cores. The same analysis has been performed on the simulations as well. A radial network of filaments has been detected in the Serpens Core. The analysed simulation shows a striking morphological resemblance to the observed structures. The column density distribution of simulated filaments without cores shows only a log-normal distribution, while the observed filaments show a power-law tail. The power-law tail becomes evident in the simulation if one focuses just on the column density distribution of the cores. In contrast, the observed cores show a flat distribution. Even though the simulated and observed filaments are subjectively similar-looking, we find that they behave in very different ways. The simulated filaments are turbulence-dominated regions, the observed filaments are instead self-gravitating structures that will probably fragment into cores.

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The accretion dynamics of EX Lupi in quiescence:The star, the spot, and the accretion column

EX Lupi is a young star, prototype of EXor variables. Its spectrum is very rich in emission lines, including many metallic lines. It has been also proposed to have a close companion. We use the metallic emission lines to study the accretion structures and to test the companion hypothesis. We analyse 54 spectra taken in 5 years of quiescence time. We study the line profile variability and the radial velocity of the metallic emission lines. We use the velocity signatures of different species with various excitation conditions and their time dependency to track the dynamics associated to accretion. We observe periodic velocity variations in the line components consistent with rotational modulation. The modulation is stronger for lines with higher excitation potentials. We propose that the narrow line components are produced in the post-shock region, while the broad components originate in the more extended, pre-shock material. All the emission lines suffer velocity modulation due to the rotation of the star. The broad components are responsible for the line-dependent veiling observed in EX Lupi. Rotationally-modulated line-dependent veiling can explain the radial velocity signatures, making the close-in companion hypothesis unnecessary. The accretion structure is locked to the star and very stable during the 5 years of observations. Not all stars with similar spectral types and accretion rates show the same metallic emission lines, maybe related to differences in temperature and density in their accretion structure(s). The contamination of photospheric lines by accretion processes can be turned into a very useful tool to determine the innermost details of the accretion channels in the proximities of the star. Emission lines from very stable accretion columns will nevertheless be a very strong limitation for the detection of companions by radial velocity in young stars. (Abridged)

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GW Ori: Inner disk readjustments in a triple system

(abridged) We study the young stellar system GW Ori, concentrating on its accretion/wind activity by using our high-resolution optical spectra and $U$-band photometry. We also characterize the disk properties of GW Ori by modeling its spectral energy distribution (SED). By comparing our data to the synthetical spectra, we classify GW Ori as a G8 star. Based on the RVs derived from the spectra, we confirm the previous result as a close companion in GW Ori with a period of ~242 days and an orbital semi-major axis of ~1 AU. The RV residuals after the subtraction of the orbital solution with the equivalent widths of accretion-related emission lines vary with periods of 5-6.7 days during short time intervals, which are caused by the rotational modulation. The H$α$ and H$β$ line profiles of GW Ori can be decomposed in two central-peaked emission components and one blue-shifted absorption component. The absorption components are due to a disk wind modulated by the orbital motion of the close companion. Therefore, the systems like GW Ori can be used to study the extent of disk winds. We find that the accretion rates of GW Ori are rather constant but can occasionally be enhanced by a factor of 2-3. We reproduce the SED of GW Ori by using disk models with gaps ~25-55 AU in size. A small population of tiny dust particles within the gap produces the excess emission at near-infrared bands and the strong and sharp silicate feature at 10 $μ$m. The SED of GW Ori exhibits dramatic changes on timescales of ~20 yr in the near-infrared bands, which can be explained as the change in the amount and distribution of small dust grains in the gap. We collect a sample of binary/multiple systems with disks in the literature and find a strong positive correlation between their gap sizes and separations from the primaries to companions, which is generally consistent with the prediction from the theory.

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Discovery and Observations of ASASSN-13db, an EX Lupi-Type Accretion Event on a Low-Mass T Tauri Star

We discuss ASASSN-13db, an EX Lupi-type ("EXor") accretion event on the young stellar object (YSO) SDSS J051011.01$-$032826.2 (hereafter SDSSJ0510) discovered by the All-Sky Automated Survey for SuperNovae (ASAS-SN). Using archival photometric data of SDSSJ0510 we construct a pre-outburst spectral energy distribution (SED) and find that it is consistent with a low-mass class II YSO near the Orion star forming region ($d \sim 420$ pc). We present follow-up photometric and spectroscopic observations of the source after the $ΔV \sim-$5.4 magnitude outburst that began in September 2013 and ended in early 2014. These data indicate an increase in temperature and luminosity consistent with an accretion rate of $\sim10^{-7}$ $\rm{M}_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$, three or more orders of magnitude greater than in quiescence. Spectroscopic observations show a forest of narrow emission lines dominated by neutral metallic lines from Fe I and some low-ionization lines. The properties of ASASSN-13db are similar to those of the EXor prototype EX Lupi during its strongest observed outburst in late 2008.

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Radial velocity variations in the young eruptive star EX Lup

EX Lup-type objects (EXors) are low-mass pre-main sequence objects characterized by outbursts attributed to highly enhanced disk accretion. The trigger mechanism of EXor outbursts is still debated. One theory requires a close (sub)stellar companion that perturbs the inner disk and triggers the onset of the outburst. Here, we study the radial velocity (RV) variations of EX Lup, the prototype of EXors. We conducted a 5-year RV survey with HARPS and FEROS. We analyzed the activity of EX Lup by checking the bisector and several other activity indicators. We complemented the RV data with photometric monitoring to look for signatures of activity or varying accretion. We found that the RV of EX Lup is periodic, with stable period, semi-amplitude, and phase over at least four years of observations. This period is not present in any of the activity indicators. However, the RV of narrow metallic emission lines suggest the same period, but with an anti-correlating phase. The observed absorption line RVs can be fitted with a Keplerian solution around a 0.6 M_Sun central star with M2 sin i = (14.7 +/- 0.7) M_Jup and eccentricity of e = 0.24. Alternatively, we attempted to model the observations with a cold/hot stellar spot as well, but the spot parameters needed to reproduce the RV semi-amplitude are in contradiction with the photometric variability, making the spot scenario unlikely. We discuss two possibilities to explain the RV data: a geometry with two accretion columns rotating with the star, and a single accretion flow synchronized with the orbital motion of the hypothetical companion. In the companion scenario, the companion's mass would fall into the brown dwarf desert, which, together with the unusually small separation would make EX Lup a unique binary system, with interesting implications on the physical mechanisms responsible for triggering the outburst.

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Disks, accretion and outflows of brown dwarfs

Characterization of the properties of young brown dwarfs are important to constraining the formation of objects at the extreme low-mass end of the IMF. While young brown dwarfs share many properties with solar-mass T Tauri stars, differences may be used as tests of how the physics of accretion/outflow and disk chemistry/dissipation depend on the mass of the central object. This article summarizes the presentations and discussions during the splinter session on 'Disks, accretion and outflows of brown dwarfs' held at the CoolStars17 conference in Barcelona in June 2012. Recent results in the field of brown dwarf disks and outflows include the determination of brown dwarf disk masses and geometries based on Herschel far-IR photometry (70-160 um), accretion properties based on X-Shooter spectra, and new outflow detections in the very low-mass regime.

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Young stars in Epsilon Cha and their disks: disk evolution in sparse associations

(abridge) The nearby young stellar association Epsilon Cha association has an estimated age of 3-5 Myr, making it an ideal laboratory to study the disk dissipation process and provide empirical constraints on the timescale of planet formation. We combine the available literature data with our Spitzer IRS spectroscopy and VLT/VISIR imaging data. The very low mass stars USNO-B120144.7 and 2MASS J12005517 show globally depleted spectral energy distributions pointing at strong dust settling. 2MASS J12014343 may have a disk with a very specific inclination where the central star is effectively screened by the cold outer parts of a flared disk but the 10 micron radiation of the warm inner disk can still reach us. We find the disks in sparse stellar associations are dissipated more slowly than those in denser (cluster) environments. We detect C_{2}H_{2} rovibrational band around 13.7 micron on the IRS spectrum of USNO-B120144.7. We find strong signatures of grain growth and crystallization in all Epsilon Cha members with 10 micron features detected in their IRS spectra. We combine the dust properties derived in the Epsilon Cha sample with those found using identical or similar methods in the MBM 12, Coronet cluster, Eta Cha associations, and in the cores to disks (c2d) legacy program. We find that disks around low-mass young stars show a negative radial gradient in the mass-averaged grain size and mass fraction of crystalline silicates. A positive correlation exists between the mass-averaged grain sizes of amorphous silicates and the accretion rates if the latter is above ~10^{-9} Msun/yr, possibly indicating that those disks are sufficiently turbulent to prevent grains of several microns in size to sink into the disk interior.

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The bipolar outflow and disk of the brown dwarf ISO217

We show that the very young brown dwarf candidate ISO217 (M6.25) is driving an intrinsically asymmetric bipolar outflow with a stronger and slightly faster red-shifted component based on spectro-astrometry of forbidden [SII] emission lines observed in UVES/VLT spectra taken in 2009. ISO217 is only one of a handful of brown dwarfs and VLMS (M5-M8) for which an outflow has been detected and that show that the T Tauri phase continues at the substellar limit. We measure a spatial extension of the outflow of +/-190mas (+/-30AU) and velocities of +/-40-50kms/s. We show that the velocity asymmetry between both lobes is variable on timescales of a few years and that the strong asymmetry of a factor of 2 found in 2007 might be smaller than originally anticipated when using a more realistic stellar rest-velocity. We also detect forbidden [FeII]7155 emission, for which we propose as potential origin the hot inner regions of the outflow. To understand the ISO217 system, we determine the disk properties based on radiative transfer modeling of the SED. This disk model agrees very well with Herschel/PACS data at 70mu. We find that the disk is flared and intermediately inclined (~45deg). The total disk mass (4e-6 Msun) is small compared to the accretion and outflow rate of ISO217 (~1e-10 Msun/yr). We propose that this discrepancy can be explained by either a higher disk mass than inferred from the model (strong undetected grain growth) and/or by an on average lower accretion and outflow rate than the determined values. We show that a disk inclination significantly exceeding 45deg, as suggested from Halpha modeling and from both lobes of the outflow being visible, is inconsistent with the SED data. Thus, despite its intermediate inclination angle, the disk of this brown dwarf does not appear to obscure the red outflow component, which is very rarely seen for T Tauri objects (only one other case).

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Herschel images of Fomalhaut. An extrasolar Kuiper Belt at the height of its dynamical activity

Fomalhaut is a young, nearby star that is suspected to harbor an infant planetary system, interspersed with one or more belts of dusty debris. We present far-infrared images obtained with the Herschel Space Observatory with an angular resolution between 5.7 and 36.7 arcsec at wavelengths between 70 and 500 micrometer. The images show the main debris belt in great detail. Even at high spatial resolution, the belt appears smooth. The region in between the belt and the central star is not devoid of material; thermal emission is observed here as well. Also at the location of the star, excess emission is detected. We use a dynamical model together with radiative-transfer tools to derive the parameters of the debris disk. We include detailed models of the interaction of the dust grains with radiation, for both the radiation pressure and the temperature determination. Comparing these models to the spatially resolved temperature information contained in the images allows us to place strong constraints on the presence of grains that will be blown out of the system by radiation pressure. We use this to derive the dynamical parameters of the system. The appearance of the belt points towards a remarkably active system in which dust grains are produced at a very high rate by a collisional cascade in a narrow region filled with dynamically excited planetesimals. Dust particles with sizes below the blow-out size are abundantly present. The equivalent of 2000 one-km-sized comets are destroyed every day, out of a cometary reservoir amounting to 110 Earth masses. From comparison of their scattering and thermal properties, we find evidence that the dust grains are fluffy aggregates, which indicates a cometary origin. The excess emission at the location of the star may be produced by hot dust with a range of temperatures, but may also be due to gaseous free-free emission from a stellar wind.

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Star formation and disk properties in Pismis 24

(abridged) We investigate the properties of young stars and their disks in the NGC 6357 complex, concentrating on the most massive star cluster within the complex: Pismis 24. We discover two new young clusters in the NGC 6357 complex. We give a revised distance estimate for Pismis 24 of 1.7+-0.2 kpc. We find that the massive star Pis 24-18 is a binary system, with the secondary being the main X-ray source of the pair. We derive the cluster mass function and find that up to the completeness limit at low masses it agrees well with the IMF of the Trapezium cluster. We derive a median age of 1 Myr for the Pismis 24 cluster members. We find five proplyds in HST archival imaging of the cluster, four of which are newly found. In all cases the proplyd tails are pointing directly away from the massive star system Pis 24-1. One proplyd shows a second tail, pointing away from Pis 24-2, suggesting this object is being photoevaporated from two directions simultaneously. We find that the global disk frequency (~30%) in Pismis 24 is much lower than some other clusters of similar age, such as the Orion Nebula Cluster. When comparing the disk frequencies in 19 clusters/star-forming regions of various ages and different (massive) star content, we find that the disks in clusters harboring extremely massive stars (typically earlier than O5), like Pismis 24, are dissipated roughly twice as quickly as in clusters/star-forming regions without extremely massive stars. Within Pismis 24, we find that the disk frequency within a projected distance of 0.6 pc from Pis 24-1 is substantially lower than at larger radii (~19% vs. ~37%). We argue for a combination of photoevaporation and irradiation with ionizing UV photons from nearby massive stars, causing increased MRI-induced turbulence and associated accretion activity, to play an important role in the dissipation of low-mass star disks in Pismis 24.

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Photometric determination of the mass accretion rates of pre-main sequence stars. III. Results in the Large Magellanic Cloud

We present a multi-wavelength study of three star forming regions, spanning the age range 1-14 Myr, located between the 30 Doradus complex and supernova SN1987A in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). We reliably identify about 1000 pre-main sequence (PMS) star candidates actively undergoing mass accretion and estimate their stellar properties and mass accretion rate (Macc). Our measurements represent the largest Macc dataset of low-metallicity stars presented so far. As such, they offer a unique opportunity to study on a statistical basis the mass accretion process in the LMC and, more in general, the evolution of the mass accretion process around low-metallicity stars. We find that the typical \dot{M} of PMS stars in the LMC is higher than for galactic PMS stars of the same mass, independently of their age. Taking into account the caveats of isochronal age and \dot{M} estimates, the difference in Macc between the LMC and our Galaxy appears to be about an order of magnitude. We review the main mechanisms of disk dispersal and find indications that typically higher Macc are to be expected in low-metallicity environments. However, many issues of this scenario need to be clarified by future observations and modeling. We also find that, in the mass range 1-2 M_sun, the Macc of PMS stars in the LMC increases with stellar mass as \dot{M}acc\proptoM^b, with b \approx1, i.e. slower than the second power low found for galactic PMS stars in the same mass regime.

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Near-infrared spectroscopy of EX Lupi in outburst

EX Lup is the prototype of the EXor class of young eruptive stars: objects showing repetitive brightenings due to increased accretion from the circumstellar disk to the star. In this paper, we report on medium-resolution near-infrared spectroscopy of EX\,Lup taken during its extreme outburst in 2008, as well as numerical modeling with the aim of determining the physical conditions around the star. We detect emission lines from atomic hydrogen, helium, and metals, as well as first overtone bandhead emission from carbon monoxide. Our results indicate that the emission lines are originating from gas located in a dust-free region within ~ 0.2 AU of the star. The profile of the CO bandhead indicates that the CO gas has a temperature of 2500 K, and is located in the inner edge of the disk or in the outer parts of funnel flows. The atomic metals are probably co-located with the CO. Some metallic lines are fluorescently excited, suggesting direct exposure to ultraviolet photons. The Brackett series indicates emission from hot (10000 K) and optically thin gas. The hydrogen lines display a strong spectro-astrometric signal, suggesting that the hydrogen emission is probably not coming from an equatorial boundary layer; a funnel flow or disk wind origin is more likely. This picture is broadly consistent with the standard magnetospheric accretion model usually assumed for normally accreting T Tauri stars. Our results also set constraints on the eruption mechanism, supporting a model where material piles up around the corotation radius and episodically falls onto the star.

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Fundamental Vibrational Transition of CO during the Outburst of EX Lupi in 2008

We report monitoring observations of the T Tauri star EX Lupi during its outburst in 2008 in the CO fundamental band at 4.6-5.0 um. The observations were carried out at the VLT and the Subaru Telescope at six epochs from April to August 2008, covering the plateau of the outburst and the fading phase to a quiescent state. The line flux of CO emission declines with the visual brightness of the star and the continuum flux at 5 um, but composed of two subcomponents that decay with different rates. The narrow line emission (50 km s-1 in FWHM) is near the systemic velocity of EX Lupi. These emission lines appear exclusively in v=1-0. The line widths translate to a characteristic orbiting radius of 0.4 AU. The broad line component (FWZI ~ 150 km s-1) is highly excited upto v<=6. The line flux of the component decreases faster than the narrow line emission. Simple modeling of the line profiles implies that the broad-line emitting gas is orbiting around the star at 0.04-0.4 AU. The excitation state, the decay speed of the line flux, and the line profile, indicate that the broad-line emission component is physically distinct from the narrow-line emission component, and more tightly related to the outburst event.

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From filamentary clouds to prestellar cores to the stellar IMF: Initial highlights from the Herschel Gould Belt survey

We summarize the first results from the Gould Belt survey, obtained toward the Aquila Rift and Polaris Flare regions during the 'science demonstration phase' of Herschel. Our 70-500 micron images taken in parallel mode with the SPIRE and PACS cameras reveal a wealth of filamentary structure, as well as numerous dense cores embedded in the filaments. Between ~ 350 and 500 prestellar cores and ~ 45-60 Class 0 protostars can be identified in the Aquila field, while ~ unbound starless cores and no protostars are observed in the Polaris field. The prestellar core mass function (CMF) derived for the Aquila region bears a strong resemblance to the stellar initial mass function (IMF), already confirming the close connection between the CMF and the IMF with much better statistics than earlier studies. Comparing and contrasting our Herschel results in Aquila and Polaris, we propose an observationally-driven scenario for core formation according to which complex networks of long, thin filaments form first within molecular clouds, and then the densest filaments fragment into a number of prestellar cores via gravitational instability.

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The β Pictoris disk imaged by Herschel PACS and SPIRE

We obtained Herschel PACS and SPIRE images of the thermal emission of the debris disk around the A5V star β Pic. The disk is well resolved in the PACS filters at 70, 100, and 160 μm. The surface brightness profiles between 70 and 160 μm show no significant asymmetries along the disk, and are compatible with 90% of the emission between 70 and 160 μm originating in a region closer than 200 AU to the star. Although only marginally resolving the debris disk, the maps obtained in the SPIRE 250 - 500 μm filters provide full-disk photometry, completing the SED over a few octaves in wavelength that had been previously inaccessible. The small far-infrared spectral index (β = 0.34) indicates that the grain size distribution in the inner disk (<200AU) is inconsistent with a local collisional equilibrium. The size distribution is either modified by non-equilibrium effects, or exhibits a wavy pattern, caused by an under-abundance of impactors which have been removed by radiation pressure.

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