arXiv subjects

C. F. Manara

Publications and source records attributed to C. F. Manara.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

X-Shooter survey of disk accretion in Upper Scorpius II. A lack of correlation between accretion rates and disk properties

The evolution of protoplanetary discs is intertwined with the process of planet formation, growth and migration. Studies of nearby star forming regions of different ages and properties provide the necessary information needed to understand the processes dictating their evolution. This paper presents the results of a spectroscopic study of the stellar and accretion properties of a large sample of 127 stars with protoplanetary discs in the Upper Scorpius region with disc dust masses inferred from ALMA continuum measurements. The accretion luminosity is derived from the excess UV continuum emission with respect to the photospheric and chromospheric one self-consistently with the stellar spectral types, extinction and luminosity, using FRAPPE. We apply a new method to evaluate upper limits to the accretion luminosity. In ~50% of cases we evaluate upper limits on the accretion luminosity, either because the S/N of the data is insufficient or because the measured value of the accretion luminosity is below the estimate of the emission due to chromospheric activity. The results show that the mass accretion rate has a weak correlation with the stellar mass, while no correlation is observed with disc properties such as dust mass or gas disc radius. The dispersion is larger than what is found in younger star forming regions such as Lupus and Cham. I, and suggests a fading of the correlations with age. We find no evidence that membership to Upper Scorpius sub-groups, nor the properties of known binary or transition discs can explain the origin of this dispersion. The lack of correlation and large dispersion of accretion rates challenge the current expectations of evolutionary models. The observed properties point to a decoupling of the inner and outer disc by the age of Upper Scorpius and a fading of the relations observed in younger star forming regions.

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arXiv2026

PENELLOPE: IX. Lithium, iron and barium elemental abundances in eight nearby young clusters

We conducted a homogeneous chemical analysis of pre-main sequence stars with effective temperatures ranging from $\sim$ 3000 K to $\sim$ 5500 K in eight nearby star-forming regions (SFRs): Chamaeleon I, $η$ Chamaeleonis, Lupus, Orion OB1a, Orion OB1b, $σ$Orionis, Taurus, and Corona-Australis. Our study aims to: 1) derive the lithium abundance (A(Li)) and highlight the impact of veiling correction on both A(Li) and age determination; 2) perform the iron (Fe) and barium (Ba) abundance analysis in regions with scarce previous measurements; 3) investigate the possible Ba enhancement. The analyzed data were obtained as part of the PENELLOPE Large Program using the ESPRESSO, UVES, and X-Shooter instruments. We measured the equivalent width of the lithium line (EWLi) at $λ$ = 6707.8 Angstrom, from which A(Li) is derived using the curves of growth method. The Fe and Ba abundances have been measured through spectral synthesis analysis. Using the EAGLES code, we derived an upper limit on the age of the eight SFRs. Our findings underscore the necessity of veiling corrections on EWLi, which can shift A(Li) and age estimates by up to $\sim$ 0.7 dex and $\sim$ 20 Myr, respectively. Accounting for veiling, the A(Li) distributions peak in a range between 3.3 and 3.8 dex for most clusters, and the upper age limit is approximately 5 Myr for all SFRs. We successfully measured the mean iron and barium abundances in Lupus, Taurus, Cha I, and $η$ Cha, showing slightly sub-solar iron abundance, and a clear Ba overabundance, with [Ba/H] values reaching up to 0.75 dex.

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arXiv2025

The dance of dust: Investigating young stellar object dipper variability

The dipper subclass of YSOs are characterised by frequent dips in their light curves. Irregular dippers do not show periodic signatures and have dips accounting for significant proportions of their photospheric flux. Given the short timescales on which these dips occur, their driving mechanisms are linked to the inner circumstellar disc dynamics. We present the first multi-epoch analysis of 16 irregular dippers observed with X-Shooter. Investigating the properties of their dips, and in particular the analysis of the dust characteristics, we aim to understand the root of their variability, and get a glimpse of the inner disc behaviour. We employed a novel approach to measure the properties of the dips, by combining class III templates with Gaia photometry to construct the intrinsic photospheres. We measured several dip properties including the depth of the dips, near-infrared (NIR) excesses, and their optical depths as a function of wavelength. We record 20 significant dips that range in their dip properties and show no relation to one another. In almost all cases, the low optical depths and small NIR excesses are observed. Comparison of their optical depths with grain opacity models show that the dips can be explained by the presence of dust substructures containing processed grains obscuring their photospheres and/or their discs. These grain distributions can have maximum sizes as large as 20$μm$ and in many cases have almost grey-like extinction, while some require a strong scattering component. The findings highlight the extent of the irregularity of dippers, but also link it to the dust dynamics in the inner regions of circumstellar discs. The dust substructures causing the variability require processed dust grains to be lifted above the disc into the line of sight. Possible lifting mechanisms including disc winds, unstable accretion columns, and disc warps are discussed.

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arXiv2025

Spinning-down RU Lup. Constraints on the physics of the outflow from high-resolution spectroscopy

Magnetic winds are a key mechanism for angular momentum removal in young stars. In this work, we aim at characterizing the multi-component outflow of RU Lup. The unprecedented high resolution of the Echelle SPectrograph for Rocky Exoplanets and Stable Spectroscopic Observations (ESPRESSO) enabled a detailed study of the forbidden emission lines and the blueshifted absorption in the lines of the Na I and Ca II doublets, which we resolved in three discrete absorption components at low, medium, and high velocities. We developed a method that disentangles vertical and toroidal velocities in the absorption components and infers the wind launching radius, magnetic lever arm, and mass-loss rate. We identified a low-velocity broad component in the [O I] 5577 line, consistent with a rotating magnetohydrodynamic disk wind launched near the disk truncation radius. We showed that the discrete absorption components trace spatially and physically distinct regions of the outflow. The medium and low velocity components are launched from the inner disk (< 6.76 stellar radii) with low lever arms indicative of warm, highly mass-loaded streamlines. However, the two components differ mainly in vertical velocity. The low velocity absorption is consistent with an outer absorbing shell, while the medium velocity absorption forms near the disk truncation radius. Its higher vertical velocity is compatible with either a slightly larger lever arm, or additional heating at the base of the flow. For plausible ionization levels in the inner disk, this outflow component removes a substantial fraction of the accretion spin-up torque. In conclusion, our work shows that RU Lup hosts a stratified, rotating, warm disk wind launched across a narrow annulus near the disk truncation radius, which is sufficiently mass-loaded to extract a large amount of the stellar spin-up torque. The observations disfavor an X-wind scenario.

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arXiv2025

PENELLOPE VII: Revisiting empirical relations to measure accretion luminosity

The accretion luminosity (Lacc) in young, low-mass stars is crucial for understanding stellar formation, but direct measurements are often hindered by limited spectral coverage and challenges in UV-excess modeling. Empirical relations linking Lacc to various accretion tracers are widely used to overcome these limitations. This work revisits these empirical relations using the PENELLOPE dataset, evaluating their applicability across different star-forming regions and to accreting young objects other than Classical T Tauri Stars (CTTSs). We analyzed the PENELLOPE VLT/X-Shooter dataset of 64 CTTSs, measuring fluxes of several accretion tracers and adopting the stellar and accretion parameters derived from PENELLOPE works. We supplemented our analysis with the ODYSSEUS HST data set, which covers a wider spectral range in NUV bands. We compared the Lacc values obtained in the PENELLOPE and ODYSSEUS surveys finding statistically consistent results. Our analysis confirms that existing empirical relations, previously derived for the Lupus sample, provide reliable Lacc estimates for CTTSs in several other star-forming regions. We revisit empirical relations for accretion tracers in our dataset, based on HST-fit, with coefficients which are consistent within 1sigma with XS-fit results for most lines. We also propose a method to estimate extinction using these relations and investigate the empirical relations for Brackett lines (Br8 to Br21). The Lacc vs Lline empirical relations can be successfully used for statistical studies of accretion on young forming objects in different star-forming regions. These relations also offer a promising approach to independently estimate extinction in CTTSs. We confirm that near-infrared lines (PaB and BrG) reliably trace Lacc in high accretors, making them valuable tools for probing accretion properties of high accreting young stars not accessible in the UVB.

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arXiv2025

Probing accretion and stellar properties in the Orion Nebula with VLT/X-Shooter

Multiple photometric studies have reported the presence of seemingly older accreting pre-main sequence stars (PMS) in optical colour-magnitude diagrams (CMDs). We investigate this phenomenon in the Orion Nebula, which harbors a subset of stars that show infrared excess detected by Spitzer and Halpha excess emission, yet display significantly older isochronal ages (>10 Myr) compared to the bulk population (~1-3 Myr) in the r, (r-i) CMD. We perform a detailed spectroscopic analysis of 40 Orion Nebula stars using VLT/X-Shooter, covering CMD-based isochronal ages from 1 to over 30 Myr. We derive extinction values, stellar properties, and accretion parameters by modeling the ultraviolet excess emission through a multicomponent fitting procedure. The sample spans spectral types from M4.5 up to K6, and masses in the range ~0.1-0.8 Msun. We demonstrate that, when extinction and, most importantly, accretion effects are accurately constrained, the stellar luminosity and effective temperature of the majority of the seemingly old stars become consistent with a younger population (~1-5 Myr). This is supported by strong lithium absorption, which corroborates their youth, and by the accretion-to-stellar luminosity ratios typical for young, accreting stars. Three of these sources, however, remain old even after our analysis, despite showing signatures consistent with ongoing accretion from a protoplanetary disc. More generally, our analysis indicates that excess continuum emission from accretion shocks affects the placement of PMS stars in the CMD, displacing sources towards bluer optical colours. This study highlights the critical role of accretion in shaping the stellar properties estimates (including age) derived from optical CMDs and emphasizes the need to carefully account for accretion effects when interpreting age distributions in star-forming regions.

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arXiv2025

The accretion luminosity of Class I protostars

The value of the accretion luminosity during the early phases of star formation is a crucial information which helps us understand how stars form, yet it is still very difficult to obtain. We develop a new methodology to measure accretion luminosity using mid-infrared hydrogen recombination lines, and apply it to a limited sample of Class~I protostars in the Taurus and Ophiuchus star forming regions. We adopt the commonly used assumption that the properties of disk-protostar accretion in Class I objects is similar to the disk-star accretion in Class II objects. Using simultaneous observations of three hydrogen recombination lines Brg, Pfg, and Bra, we derive the mean intrinsic line ratios, and we verified that these are constant across the probed range of photospheric and accretion properties. We establish correlations between the line luminosities and accretion luminosity. We measure the extinction towards the line emission regions in Class I protostars comparing the observed line ratios to the Class II mean values. We then derive the Class I accretion luminosities from the established Class II correlations. We find that the accretion luminosity dominates the bolometric luminosity for the more embedded protostars, corresponding to lower values of the bolometric temperature. As the bolometric temperature increases above ~700K, there is a sharp drop of the contribution of the accretion from the bolometric luminosity. Our finding are in qualitative agreement with numerical simulations of star formation. We suggest that this methodology should be applied to larger and more statistically significant samples of Class I objects, for a more detailed comparison. Our results also suggest that by combining multiple infrared line ratios, it will be possible to derive a more detailed description of the dust extinction law in protostellar envelopes.

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arXiv2024

A New Look at Disk Winds and External Photoevaporation in the $σ$-Orionis Cluster

Disk winds play a crucial role in the evolution of protoplanetary disks. Typical conditions for star and planet formation are in regions with intermediate or strong UV radiation fields produced by massive stars. The $σ$-Orionis cluster is the ideal site to study disk winds under these conditions; its outer parts can be used to study disk evolution, while its innermost regions to study the effect of external irradiation. For this, we analyze the $\rm [OI]\,λ$6300, $\rm [NII]\,λ$6583, and $\rm [SII]\,λ$6731,$λ$6716 lines using high-resolution MIKE spectra of 27 classical T Tauri stars and complemented by intermediate-resolution X-shooter data. We decompose the line profiles into multiple Gaussian components. We calculated luminosities, line ratios, and kinematic properties of these components. We found that the $\rm [OI]\,λ$6300 line luminosity and kinematic properties are similar to those found in low-mass star-forming regions (SFRs). The frequency of single-component $\rm [OI]\,λ$6300 line profiles reflects the expected evolutionary stage given the intermediate age of $σ$-Orionis. This points to internal processes contributing to the line emission. However, the highly irradiated disks do not follow the accretion - [OI] luminosity relation found in low-mass SFRs, and all exhibit single-component line profiles. Line ratios of highly ionized species of [NII] and [SII] show higher ratios than typical values found in low-mass SFRs. The innermost regions of $σ$-Orionis are clearly affected by external irradiation, evidenced by the lack of correlation in the accretion - [OI] luminosity relation. The broad line widths of close-in sources, however, indicate a contribution from internal processes, such as magnetohydrodynamical winds and/or internal photoevaporation. This suggests a coevolution of internal and external winds in $σ$-Orionis.

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arXiv2024

SPIRou observations of the young planet-hosting star PDS 70

This paper presents near-infrared spectropolarimetric and velocimetric observations of the young planet-hosting T Tauri star PDS 70, collected with SPIRou at the 3.6m Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope from 2020 to 2024. Clear Zeeman signatures from magnetic fields at the surface of PDS 70 are detected in our data set of 40 circularly polarized spectra. Longitudinal fields inferred from Zeeman signatures, ranging from -116 to 176 G, are modulated on a timescale of 3.008$\pm$0.006 d, confirming that this is the rotation period of PDS 70. Applying Zeeman-Doppler imaging to subsets of unpolarized and circularly polarised line profiles, we show that PDS 70 hosts low-contrast brightness spots and a large-scale magnetic field in its photosphere, featuring in particular a dipole component of strength 200-420 G that evolves on a timescale of months. From the broadening of spectral lines, we also infer that PDS 70 hosts a small-scale field of 2.51$\pm$0.12 kG. Radial velocities derived from unpolarized line profiles are rotationally modulated as well, and exhibit additional longer-term chromatic variability, most likely attributable to magnetic activity rather than to a close-in giant planet (with a 3sigma upper limit on its minimum mass of ~4 Mjup at a distance of ~0.2 au). We finally confirm that accretion occurs at the surface of PDS 70, generating modulated red-shifted absorption in the 1083.3-nm He i triplet, and show that the large-scale magnetic field, often strong enough to disrupt the inner accretion disc up to the corotation radius, weakens as the star gets fainter and redder (as in 2022), suggesting that dust from the disc more easily penetrates the stellar magnetosphere in such phases.

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arXiv2024

Evidence for magnetic boundary layer accretion in RU Lup. A spectrophotometric analysis

The aim of this work is to characterize the accretion process of the classical T Tauri Star RU Lup. We studied optical high-resolution spectroscopic observations from CHIRON and ESPRESSO, obtained simultaneously with photometric data from AAVSO and TESS. We detected a periodic modulation in the narrow component of the He I 5876 line with a period that is compatible with the stellar rotation period, indicating the presence of a compact region on the stellar surface that we identified as the footprint of the accretion shock. We show that this region is responsible for the veiling spectrum, which is made up of a continuum component plus narrow line emission. An analysis of the high-cadence TESS light curve reveals quasi-periodic oscillations on timescales shorter than the stellar rotation period, suggesting that the accretion disk in RU~Lup extends inward of the corotation radius, with a truncation radius at $\sim 2 ~ R_{\star}$. This is compatible with predictions from three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic models of accretion through a magnetic boundary layer (MBL). In this scenario, the photometric variability of RU Lup is produced by a nonstationary hot spot on the stellar surface that rotates with the Keplerian period at the truncation radius. The analysis of the broad components of selected emission lines reveals the existence of a non-axisymmetric, temperature-stratified flow around the star, in which the gas leaves the accretion disk at the truncation radius and accretes onto the star channeled by the magnetic field lines. The unusually rich metallic emission line spectrum of RU Lup might be characteristic of the MBL regime of accretion. In conclusion, the behavior of RU Lup reveals many similarities to predictions from the MBL accretion scenario. Alternative explanations would require the existence of a hot spot with a complex shape, or a warped structure in the inner disk.

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arXiv2024

Binary orbit and disks properties of the RW Aur system using ALMA observations

The dynamical interactions between young binaries can perturb the material distribution of their circumstellar disks, and modify the planet formation process. In order to constrain the impact and nature of the binary interaction in the RW Aur system (bound or unbound), we analyzed the circumstellar material at 1.3 mm wavelengths, as observed at multiple epochs by ALMA. We analyzed the disk properties through parametric visibility modeling, and we used this information to constrain the dust morphology and the binary orbital period. We imaged the dust continuum emission of RW Aur with a resolution of 3 au, and we find that the radius enclosing 90% of the flux (R90%) is 19 au and 14 au for RW Aur A and B, respectively. By modeling the relative distance of the disks at each epoch, we find a consistent trend of movement for the disk of RW Aur B moving away from the disk of RW Aur A at an approximate rate of 3 mas/yr (about 0.5 au/yr in sky-projected distance). By combining ALMA astrometry, historical astrometry, and the dynamical masses of each star, we constrain the RW Aur binary stars to be most likely in a high-eccentricity elliptical orbit with a clockwise prograde orientation relative to RW Aur A, although low-eccentricity hyperbolic orbits are not ruled out by the astrometry. Our analysis does not exclude the possibility of a disk collision during the last interaction, which occurred $295_{-74}^{+21}$ yr ago relative to beginning of 2024. Evidence for the close interaction is found in a tentative warp of 6 deg in the inner 3 au of the disk of RW Aur A, in the brightness temperature of both disks, and in the morphology of the gas emission. A narrow ring that peaks at 6 au around RW Aur B is suggestive of captured material from the disk around RW Aur A.

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arXiv2024

FitteR for Accretion ProPErties of T Tauri stars (FRAPPE): A new approach to use Class III spectra to derive stellar and accretion properties

Studies of the stellar and accretion properties of classical T Tauri stars (CTTS) require comparison with photospheric spectral templates. Here we aim at expanding the currently available grid of wide-wavelength coverage observed spectra of non-accreting stars with additional new spectra and an interpolation method that allows us to obtain a continuous grid of low resolution spectra ranging from spectral type G8 to M9.5, while also mitigating observational uncertainties. This interpolated grid is then implemented in the self-consistent method to derive stellar and accretion properties of CTTS. With the new templates, we aim to estimate a lower limit on the accretion luminosities that can be obtained through a study of the UV excess emission using observed templates. We analyse the molecular photospheric features present in the VLT/X-Shooter spectra of the targets to perform a spectral classification, including estimates of their extinction. We apply a non-parametric fitting method to the full grid of observed templates to obtain an interpolated grid of templates. We use the uncertainties on our interpolated grid to estimate a lower limit on the accretion luminosity that we can measure with this method. We find that the measurable accretion luminosities ranges from $\sim 2.7$ dex lower than the stellar luminosity in M5.5 stars to $\sim 1.3$ dex lower for G8 stars. For young stars with masses of $\sim 1M_{\odot}$ and ages of 3-6 Myr this limit translates into an observational limit of mass accretion rate on the order of $10^{-10} \rm M_{\odot}/yr$. The implementation of an interpolated grid of observed templates allows us to better disentangle degenerate solutions, leading to a more reliable estimate of accretion rates in young accreting stars.

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arXiv2024

North-PHASE: Studying Periodicity, Hot Spots, Accretion Stability and Early Evolution in young stars in the northern hemisphere

We present the overview and first results from the North-PHASE Legacy Survey, which follows six young clusters for five years, using the 2 deg$^2$ FoV of the JAST80 telescope from the Javalambre Observatory (Spain). North-PHASE investigates stellar variability on timescales from days to years for thousands of young stars distributed over entire clusters. This allows us to find new YSO, characterise accretion and study inner disk evolution within the cluster context. Each region (Tr37, CepOB3, IC5070, IC348, NGC2264, and NGC1333) is observed in six filters (SDSS griz, u band, and J0660, which covers H$α$), detecting cluster members as well as field variable stars. Tr37 is used to prove feasibility and optimise the variability analysis techniques. In Tr37, variability reveals 50 new YSO, most of them proper motion outliers. North-PHASE independently confirms the youth of astrometric members, efficiently distinguishes accreting and non-accreting stars, reveals the extent of the cluster populations along Tr37/IC1396 bright rims, and detects variability resulting from rotation, dips, and irregular bursts. The proper motion outliers unveil a more complex star formation history than inferred from Gaia alone, and variability highlights previously hidden proper motion deviations in the surrounding clouds. We also find that non-YSO variables identified by North-PHASE cover a different variability parameter space and include long-period variables, eclipsing binaries, RR Lyr, and $δ$ Scuti stars. These early results also emphasize the power of variability to complete the picture of star formation where it is missed by astrometry.

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arXiv2024

PENELLOPE\,VI. -- Searching the PENELLOPE/UVES sample with spectro-astrometry: Two new microjets of Sz 103 and XX Cha

The main goal of this study is to screen the PENELLOPE/UVES targets for outflow activity and find microjets via spectro-astrometry in, e.g., the [OI]$λ$6300 line. In total, 34 T\,Tauri stars of the PENELLOPE survey have been observed with the high resolution slit spectrograph UVES in three different slit positions rotated by $120^\text{o}$. Our spectro-astrometric analysis in the [OI]$λ$6300 wind line reveals two newly discovered microjets associated with Sz\,103 and XX\,Cha. Both microjets have an extent of about $0.04$ arcseconds, that is, $<10\,\text{au}$, and we confined their orientation by the three slit observations. Furthermore, we confirm the binary nature of VW\,Cha and CVSO\,109. We present (further) evidence that DK\,Tau\,B and CVSO\,104\,A are spectroscopic binaries. Sz\,115 is tentatively a spectroscopic binary. The origin of the LVC, that is, MHD winds versus photoevaporative winds, of the Sz\,103 and XX\,Cha microjets remains unclear.

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arXiv2024

PROJECT-J: JWST observations of HH46~IRS and its outflow. Overview and first results

We present the first results of the JWST program PROJECT-J (PROtostellar JEts Cradle Tested with JWST ), designed to study the Class I source HH46 IRS and its outflow through NIRSpec and MIRI spectroscopy (1.66 to 28 micron). The data provide line-images (~ 6.6" in length with NIRSpec, and up to 20" with MIRI) revealing unprecedented details within the jet, the molecular outflow and the cavity. We detect, for the first time, the red-shifted jet within ~ 90 au from the source. Dozens of shock-excited forbidden lines are observed, including highly ionized species such as [Ne III] 15.5 micron, suggesting that the gas is excited by high velocity (> 80 km/s) shocks in a relatively high density medium. Images of H2 lines at different excitations outline a complex molecular flow, where a bright cavity, molecular shells, and a jet-driven bow-shock interact with and are shaped by the ambient conditions. Additional NIRCam 2 micron images resolve the HH46 IRS ~ 110 au binary system and suggest that the large asymmetries observed between the jet and the H2 wide angle emission could be due to two separate outflows being driven by the two sources. The spectra of the unresolved binary show deep ice bands and plenty of gaseous lines in absorption, likely originating in a cold envelope or disk. In conclusion, JWST has unraveled for the first time the origin of the HH46 IRS complex outflow demonstrating its capability to investigate embedded regions around young stars, which remain elusive even at near-IR wavelengths.

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arXiv2024

The SPHERE view of the Orion star-forming region

We present SPHERE/IRDIS H-band data for a sample of 23 stars in the Orion Star forming region observed within the DESTINYS (Disk Evolution Study Through Imaging of Nearby Young Stars) program. We use polarization differential imaging in order to detect scattered light from circumstellar dust. From the scattered light observations we characterize the disk orientation, radius and contrast. We analyse the disks in context of the stellar parameters and the environment of the Orion star-forming region. We use ancillary X-shooter spectroscopic observations to characterize the central stars in the systems. We furthermore use a combination of new and archival ALMA mm-continuum observations to characterize the dust masses present in the circumstellar disks. Within our sample we detect extended circumstellar disks in 10 of 23 systems. Of these, three are exceptionally extended (V351 Ori, V599 Ori and V1012 Ori) and show scattered light asymmetries which may indicate perturbations by embedded planets or (in the case of V599 Ori) by an outer stellar companion. Our high resolution imaging observations are also sensitive to close (sub)stellar companions and we detect 9 such objects in our sample of which 5 were previously unknown. We find in particular a possible sub-stellar companion (either a very low mass star or a high mass brown dwarf) 137 au from the star RY Ori. We find a strong anti-correlation between disk detection and multiplicity, with only 2 of our 10 disk detections located in stellar multiple systems. We also find a correlation between scattered light contrast and the millimetre flux suggesting that disks that have a high dust content are typically bright in near-infrared scattered light. Conversely we do not find significant correlations between scattered light contrast of the disks and the stellar mass or age.

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arXiv2024

The SPHERE view of the Taurus star-forming region

The sample of planet-forming disks observed by high-contrast imaging campaigns over the last decade is mature enough to enable the demographical analysis of individual star-forming regions. We present the full census of Taurus sources with VLT/SPHERE polarimetric images available. The whole sample sums up to 43 targets (of which 31 have not been previously published) corresponding to one-fifth of the Class II population in Taurus and about half of such objects that are observable. A large fraction of the sample is apparently made up of isolated faint disks (equally divided between small and large self-shadowed disks). Ambient signal is visible in about one-third of the sample. This probes the interaction with the environment and with companions or the outflow activity of the system. The central portion of the Taurus region almost exclusively hosts faint disks, while the periphery also hosts bright disks interacting with their surroundings. The few bright disks are found around apparently older stars. The overall picture is that the Taurus region is in an early evolutionary stage of planet formation. Yet, some objects are discussed individually, as in an intermediate or exceptional stage of the disk evolution. This census provides a first benchmark for the comparison of the disk populations in different star forming regions.

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arXiv2024

Evolution of the relation between the mass accretion rate and the stellar and disk mass from brown dwarfs to stars

The time evolution of the dependence of the mass accretion rate with the stellar mass and the disk mass represents a fundamental way to understand the evolution of protoplanetary disks and the formation of planets. In this work, we present observations with X-Shooter of 26 Class II very low-mass stars and brown dwarfs in the Ophiuchus, Cha-I, and Upper Scorpius star-forming regions (SFRs). These new observations extend down to SpT M9 ($\sim$0.02 $M_\odot$) the measurement of the mass accretion rate in Ophiuchus and Cha-I and add 11 very-low-mass stars to the sample of objects studied with broadband spectroscopy in Upper Scorpius. We obtained their SpT, extinction and physical parameters, and we used the intensity of various emission lines to derive their accretion luminosity and mass accretion rates. Combining these new observations with data from the literature, we compare relations between accretion and stellar and disk properties of four different SFRs with different ages: Ophiuchus (1 Myr), Lupus (2 Myr), Cha-I (3 Myr), and Upper Scorpius (5-12 Myr). We find the slopes of the $L_*-L\mathrm{_{acc}}$ and $M_*-\dot{M}\mathrm{_{acc}}$ relationships to steepen between Ophiuchus, Lupus, and Cha-I and that both relationships may be better described with a single power law. We also find the relationship between the disk mass and the mass accretion rate of the stellar population to steepen with time down to the age of Upper Scorpius. Overall, we observe hints of a faster evolution into low accretion rates of low-mass stars and brown dwarfs. We also find that brown dwarfs present higher $M\mathrm{_{disk}}/\dot{M}\mathrm{_{acc}}$ ratios (i.e., longer accretion depletion timescales) than stars in Ophiuchus, Lupus, and Cha-I. This apparently contradictory result may imply that the evolution of protoplanetary disks around brown dwarfs is different from what is seen in the stellar regime.

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