arXiv subjects

C. del Burgo

Publications and source records attributed to C. del Burgo.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2014

The first planet detected in the WTS: an inflated hot-Jupiter in a 3.35 day orbit around a late F-star [ERRATUM]

We report the discovery of WTS-1b, the first extrasolar planet found by the WFCAM Transit Survey, which began observations at the 3.8-m United Kingdom Infrared Telescope (UKIRT) in August 2007. Light curves comprising almost 1200 epochs with a photometric precision of better than 1 per cent to J ~ 16 were constructed for ~60000 stars and searched for periodic transit signals. For one of the most promising transiting candidates, high-resolution spectra taken at the Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET) allowed us to estimate the spectroscopic parameters of the host star, a late-F main sequence dwarf (V=16.13) with possibly slightly subsolar metallicity, and to measure its radial velocity variations. The combined analysis of the light curves and spectroscopic data resulted in an orbital period of the substellar companion of 3.35 days, a planetary mass of 4.01 +- 0.35 Mj and a planetary radius of 1.49+0.16-0.18 Rj. WTS-1b has one of the largest radius anomalies among the known hot Jupiters in the mass range 3-5 Mj. The high irradiation from the host star ranks the planet in the pM class.

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arXiv2014

Fossil Groups Origins III. The relation between optical and X-ray luminosities

This study is part of the FOssil Groups Origin (FOGO) project which aims at carrying out a systematic and multiwavelength study of a large sample of fossil systems. Here we focus on the relation between the optical luminosity (Lopt) and X-ray luminosity (Lx). Out of a sample of 28 candidate fossil systems, we consider a sample of 12 systems whose fossil classification has been confirmed by a companion study. They are compared with the complementary sample of 16 systems whose fossil nature is not confirmed and with a subsample of 102 galaxy systems from the RASS-SDSS galaxy cluster survey. Fossil and normal systems span the same redshift range 0<z<0.5 and have the same Lx distribution. For each fossil system, the Lx in the 0.1-2.4 keV band is computed using data from the ROSAT All Sky Survey. For each fossil and normal system we homogeneously compute Lopt in the r-band within the characteristic cluster radius, using data from the SDSS DR7. We sample the Lx-Lopt relation over two orders of magnitude in Lx. Our analysis shows that fossil systems are not statistically distinguishable from the normal systems both through the 2D KS test and the fit of the Lx-Lopt relation. The optical luminosity of the galaxy system does strongly correlate with the X-ray luminosity of the hot gas component, independently of whether the system is fossil or not. We conclude that our results are consistent with the classical "merging scenario" of the brightest galaxy formed via merger/cannibalism of other group galaxies, with conservation of the optical light. We find no evidence for a peculiar state of the hot intracluster medium.

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arXiv2014

Correlations between the stellar, planetary and debris components of exoplanet systems observed by $\textit{Herschel}$

The $\textit{Herschel}$ DEBRIS, DUNES and GT programmes observed 37 exoplanet host stars within 25 pc at 70, 100 and 160 $μ$m with the sensitivity to detect far-infrared excess emission at flux density levels only an order of magnitude greater than that of the Solar system's Edgeworth-Kuiper belt. Here we present an analysis of that sample, using it to more accurately determine the (possible) level of dust emission from these exoplanet host stars and thereafter determine the links between the various components of these exoplanetary systems through statistical analysis. We have fitted the flux densities measured from recent \textit{Herschel} observations with a simple two parameter ($T_{d}$, $L_{\rm IR}/L_{\star}$) black body model (or to the 3-$σ$ upper limits at 100 $μ$m). From this uniform approach we calculate the fractional luminosity, radial extent, dust temperature and disc mass. We then plotted the calculated dust luminosity or upper limits against the stellar properties, e.g. effective temperature, metallicity, age, and identified correlations between these parameters. A total of eleven debris discs are identified around the 37 stars in the sample. An incidence of ten cool debris discs around the Sun-like exoplanet host stars (29 $\pm$ 9 %) is consistent with the detection rate found by DUNES (20.2 $\pm$ 2.0 %). For the debris disc systems, the dust temperatures range from 20 to 80 K, and fractional luminosities ($L_{\rm IR}/L_{\star}$) between 2.4 $\times$10$^{-6}$ and 4.1 $\times$10$^{-4}$. In the case of non-detections, we calculated typical 3-$σ$ upper limits to the dust fractional luminosities of a few $\times10^{-6}$. We recover the previously identified correlation between stellar metallicity and hot Jupiter planets in our data set. We find a correlation between the increased presence of dust, lower planet masses and lower stellar metallicities. (abridged)

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arXiv2014

Fossil Groups Origins III. Characterization of the sample and observational properties of fossil systems

(Abridged) Fossil systems are group- or cluster-sized objects whose luminosity is dominated by a very massive central galaxy. In the current cold dark matter scenario, these objects formed hierarchically at an early epoch of the Universe and then slowly evolved until present day. That is the reason why they are called {\it fossils}. We started an extensive observational program to characterize a sample of 34 fossil group candidates spanning a broad range of physical properties. Deep $r-$band images were taken for each candidate and optical spectroscopic observations were obtained for $\sim$ 1200 galaxies. This new dataset was completed with SDSS DR7 archival data to obtain robust cluster membership and global properties of each fossil group candidate. For each system, we recomputed the magnitude gaps between the two brightest galaxies ($Δm_{12}$) and the first and fourth ranked galaxies ($Δm_{14}$) within 0.5 $R_{\rm 200}$. We consider fossil systems those with $Δm_{12} \ge 2$ mag or $Δm_{14} \ge 2.5$ mag within the errors. We find that 15 candidates turned out to be fossil systems. Their observational properties agree with those of non-fossil systems. Both follow the same correlations, but fossils are always extreme cases. In particular, they host the brightest central galaxies and the fraction of total galaxy light enclosed in the central galaxy is larger in fossil than in non-fossil systems. Finally, we confirm the existence of genuine fossil clusters. Combining our results with others in the literature, we favor the merging scenario in which fossil systems formed due to mergers of $L^\ast$ galaxies. The large magnitude gap is a consequence of the extreme merger ratio within fossil systems and therefore it is an evolutionary effect. Moreover, we suggest that at least one candidate in our sample could represent a transitional fossil stage.

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arXiv2014

WTS-2 b: a hot Jupiter orbiting near its tidal destruction radius around a K-dwarf

We report the discovery of WTS-2 b, an unusually close-in 1.02-day hot Jupiter (Mp=1.12MJ, Rp=1.363RJ) orbiting a K2V star, which has a possible gravitationally-bound M-dwarf companion at 0.6 arcsec separation contributing ~20 percent of the total flux in the observed J-band light curve. The planet is only 1.5 times the separation from its host star at which it would be destroyed by Roche lobe overflow, and has a predicted remaining lifetime of just ~40 Myr, assuming a tidal dissipation quality factor of Q'*=10^6. Q'* is a key factor in determining how frictional processes within a host star affect the orbital evolution of its companion giant planets, but it is currently poorly constrained by observations. We calculate that the orbital decay of WTS-2 b would correspond to a shift in its transit arrival time of T_shift~17 seconds after 15 years assuming Q'*=10^6. A shift less than this would place a direct observational constraint on the lower limit of Q'* in this system. We also report a correction to the previously published expected T_shift for WASP-18 b, finding that T_shift=356 seconds after 10 years for Q'*=10^6, which is much larger than the estimated 28 seconds quoted in WASP-18 b discovery paper. We attempted to constrain Q'* via a study of the entire population of known transiting hot Jupiters, but our results were inconclusive, requiring a more detailed treatment of transit survey sensitivities at long periods. We conclude that the most informative and straight-forward constraints on Q'* will be obtained by direct observational measurements of the shift in transit arrival times in individual hot Jupiter systems. We show that this is achievable across the mass spectrum of exoplanet host stars within a decade, and will directly probe the effects of stellar interior structure on tidal dissipation.

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arXiv2014

Spectroscopic signatures of youth in low-mass kinematic candidates of young moving groups

We present a study of age-related spectral signatures observed in 25 young low-mass objects that we have previously determined as possible kinematic members of five young moving groups: the Local Association (Pleiades moving group, age=20 - 150 Myr), the Ursa Major group (Sirius supercluster, age=300 Myr), the Hyades supercluster (age=600 Myr), IC 2391 supercluster (age=35--55 Myr) and the Castor moving group (age=200 Myr). In this paper we characterize the spectral properties of observed high or low resolution spectra of our kinematic members by fitting theoretical spectral distributions. We study signatures of youth, such as lithium {\sc i} 6708 Å, H$α$ emission and other age-sensitive spectroscopic signatures in order to confirm the kinematic memberships through age constraints. We find that 21 ($84\%$) targets show spectroscopic signatures of youth in agreement with the age ranges of the moving group to which membership is implied. For two further objects, age-related constraints remain difficult to determine from our analysis. In addition, we confirm two moving group kinematic candidates as brown dwarfs.

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arXiv2014

How dusty is alpha Centauri? Excess or non-excess over the infrared photospheres of main-sequence stars

[Abridged] Debris discs around main-sequence stars indicate the presence of larger rocky bodies. The components of the nearby binary aCentauri have higher than solar metallicities, which is thought to promote giant planet formation. We aim to determine the level of emission from debris in the aCen system. Having already detected the temperature minimum, Tmin, of aCenA, we here attempt to do so also for the companion aCenB. Using the aCen stars as templates, we study possible effects Tmin may have on the detectability of unresolved dust discs around other stars. We use Herschel and APEX photometry to determine the stellar spectral energy distributions. In addition, we use APEX for spectral line mapping to study the complex background around aCen seen in the photometric images. Models of stellar atmospheres and discs are used to estimate the amount of debris around these stars. For solar-type stars, a fractional dust luminosity fd 2e-7 could account for SEDs that do not exhibit the Tmin-effect. Slight excesses at the 2.5 sigma level are observed at 24 mu for both stars, which, if interpreted to be due to dust, would correspond to fd (1-3)e-5. Dynamical disc modelling leads to rough mass estimates of the putative Zodi belts around the aCen stars, viz. <~4e-6 MMoon of 4 to 1000 mu size grains, distributed according to n a^-3.5. Similarly, for filled-in Tmin emission, corresponding EKBs could account for ~1e-3 MMoon of dust. Light scattered and/or thermally emitted by exo-Zodi discs will have profound implications for future spectroscopic missions designed to search for biomarkers in the atmospheres of Earth-like planets. The F-IR SED of aCenB is marginally consistent with the presence of a minimum temperature region in the upper atmosphere. We also show that an aCenA-like temperature minimum may result in an erroneous apprehension about the presence of dust around other stars.

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arXiv2013

Potential multi-component structure of the debris disk around HIP 17439 revealed by Herschel/DUNES

[abridged] Aims. Our Herschel Open Time Key Programme DUNES aims at detecting and characterizing debris disks around nearby, sun-like stars. In addition to the statistical analysis of the data, the detailed study of single objects through spatially resolving the disk and detailed modeling of the data is a main goal of the project. Methods. We obtained the first observations spatially resolving the debris disk around the sun-like star HIP 17439 (HD23484) using the instruments PACS and SPIRE on board the Herschel Space Observatory. Simultaneous multi-wavelength modeling of these data together with ancillary data from the literature is presented. Results. A standard single component disk model fails to reproduce the major axis radial profiles at 70 um, 100 um, and 160 um simultaneously. Moreover, the best-fit parameters derived from such a model suggest a very broad disk extending from few au up to few hundreds of au from the star with a nearly constant surface density which seems physically unlikely. However, the constraints from both the data and our limited theoretical investigation are not strong enough to completely rule out this model. An alternative, more plausible, and better fitting model of the system consists of two rings of dust at approx. 30 au and 90 au, respectively, while the constraints on the parameters of this model are weak due to its complexity and intrinsic degeneracies. Conclusions. The disk is probably composed of at least two components with different spatial locations (but not necessarily detached), while a single, broad disk is possible, but less likely. The two spatially well-separated rings of dust in our best-fit model suggest the presence of at least one high mass planet or several low-mass planets clearing the region between the two rings from planetesimals and dust.

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arXiv2013

Can eccentric debris disks be long-lived? A first numerical investigation and application to $ζ^2$ Reticuli

Imaging of debris disks has found evidence for both eccentric and offset disks. One hypothesis is that these provide evidence for massive perturbers that sculpt the observed structures. One such disk was recently observed in the far-IR by the Herschel Space Observatory around $ζ^2$ Ret. In contrast with previously reported systems, the disk is significantly eccentric, and the system is Gyr-old. We aim to investigate the long-term evolution of eccentric structures in debris disks caused by a perturber on an eccentric orbit. Both analytical predictions and numerical N-body simulations are used to investigate the observable structures that could be produced by eccentric perturbers. The long-term evolution of the disk geometry is examined, with particular application to the $ζ^2$ Ret system. In addition, synthetic images of the disk are produced for comparison with Herschel observations. We show that an eccentric companion can produce both the observed offsets and eccentric disks. Such effects are not immediate and we characterise the timescale required for the disk to develop to an eccentric state. For the case of $ζ^2$ Ret, we place limits on the mass and orbit of the companion required to produce the observations. Synthetic images show that the pattern observed around $ζ^2$ Ret can be produced by an eccentric disk seen close to edge-on, and allow us to bring additional constraints on the disk parameters of our model (disk flux, extent). We determine that eccentric planets or stellar companions can induce long-lived eccentric structures in debris disks. Observations of such eccentric structures provide potential evidence of the presence of such a companion in a planetary system. We consider the example of $ζ^2$ Ret, whose observed eccentric disk can be explained by a distant companion at tens of AU, on an eccentric orbit ($e_p\gtrsim 0.3$).

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arXiv2013

Alignment in star-debris disc systems seen by Herschel

Many nearby main-sequence stars have been searched for debris using the far-infrared Herschel satellite, within the DEBRIS, DUNES and Guaranteed-Time Key Projects. We discuss here 11 stars of spectral types A to M where the stellar inclination is known and can be compared to that of the spatially-resolved dust belts. The discs are found to be well aligned with the stellar equators, as in the case of the Sun's Kuiper belt, and unlike many close-in planets seen in transit surveys. The ensemble of stars here can be fitted with a star-disc tilt of ~<10 degrees. These results suggest that proposed mechanisms for tilting the star or disc in fact operate rarely. A few systems also host imaged planets, whose orbits at tens of AU are aligned with the debris discs, contrary to what might be expected in models where external perturbers induce tilts.

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arXiv2013

Herschel's "Cold Debris Disks": Background Galaxies or Quiescent Rims of Planetary Systems?

(abridged) Infrared excesses associated with debris disk host stars detected so far peak at wavelengths around ~100μm or shorter. However, six out of 31 excess sources in the Herschel OTKP DUNES have been seen to show significant - and in some cases extended - excess emission at 160μm, which is larger than the 100μm excess. This excess emission has been suggested to stem from debris disks colder than those known previously. Using several methods, we re-consider whether some or even all of the candidates may be associated with unrelated galactic or extragalactic emission and conclude that it is highly unlikely that none of the candidates represents a true circumstellar disk. For true disks, both the dust temperatures inferred from the SEDs and the disk radii estimated from the images suggest that the dust is nearly as cold as a blackbody. This requires the grains to be larger than ~100μm, regardless of their material composition. To explain the dearth of small grains, we explore several conceivable scenarios: transport-dominated disks, disks of low dynamical excitation, and disks of unstirred primordial macroscopic grains. Our qualitative analysis and collisional simulations rule out the first two of these scenarios, but show the feasibility of the third one. We show that such disks can survive for gigayears, largely preserving the primordial size distribution. They should be composed of macroscopic solids larger than millimeters, but smaller than kilometers in size. Thus planetesimal formation, at least in the outer regions of the systems, has stopped before "cometary" or "asteroidal" sizes were reached.

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arXiv2013

DUst Around NEarby Stars. The survey observational results

Debris discs are a consequence of the planet formation process and constitute the fingerprints of planetesimal systems. Their solar system's counterparts are the asteroid and Edgeworth-Kuiper belts. The DUNES survey aims at detecting extra-solar analogues to the Edgeworth-Kuiper belt around solar-type stars, putting in this way the solar system into context. The survey allows us to address some questions related to the prevalence and properties of planetesimal systems. We used {\it Herschel}/PACS to observe a sample of nearby FGK stars. Data at 100 and 160 $μ$m were obtained, complemented in some cases with observations at 70 $μ$m, and at 250, 350 and 500 $μ$m using SPIRE. The observing strategy was to integrate as deep as possible at 100 $μ$m to detect the stellar photosphere. Debris discs have been detected at a fractional luminosity level down to several times that of the Edgeworth-Kuiper belt. The incidence rate of discs around the DUNES stars is increased from a rate of $\sim$ 12.1% $\pm$ 5% before \emph{Herschel} to $\sim$ 20.2% $\pm$ 2%. A significant fraction ($\sim$ 52%) of the discs are resolved, which represents an enormous step ahead from the previously known resolved discs. Some stars are associated with faint far-IR excesses attributed to a new class of cold discs. Although it cannot be excluded that these excesses are produced by coincidental alignment of background galaxies, statistical arguments suggest that at least some of them are true debris discs. Some discs display peculiar SEDs with spectral indexes in the 70-160$μ$m range steeper than the Rayleigh-Jeans one. An analysis of the debris disc parameters suggests that a decrease might exist of the mean black body radius from the F-type to the K-type stars. In addition, a weak trend is suggested for a correlation of disc sizes and an anticorrelation of disc temperatures with the stellar age.

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arXiv2012

$α$ Centauri A in the far infrared

Chromospheres and coronae are common phenomena on solar-type stars. Understanding the energy transfer to these heated atmospheric layers requires direct access to the relevant empirical data. Study of these structures has, by and large, been limited to the Sun thus far. The region of the temperature reversal can be directly observed only in the far infrared and submm. We aim at the determination of the characteristics of the atmosphere in the region of the temperature minimum of the solar sister star alpha Cen A. For the nearby binary system alpha Centauri, stellar parameters are known with high accuracy from measurements. For the basic model parameters Teff, log g and [Fe/H], we interpolate in the grid of GAIA/PHOENIX stellar model atmospheres and compute the corresponding model for the G2 V star alpha Cen A. Comparison with photometric measurements shows excellent agreement between observed photospheric data in the optical and infrared. For longer wavelengths, the modelled spectral energy distribution is compared to MIPS, PACS, SPIRE and LABOCA photometry. A specifically tailored Uppsala model based on the MARCS code and extending further in wavelength is used to gauge the emission characteristics of alpha Cen A in the FIR. Similar to the Sun, the FIR emission of alpha Cen A originates in the minimum temperature region above the stellar photosphere in the visible. However, in comparison with the solar case, the FIR photosphere of alpha Cen A appears marginally cooler, Tmin=T160mu=3920+/-375 K. Beyond the minimum near 160mu, the brightness temperatures increase and this radiation likely originates in warmer regions of the chromosphere of alpha Cen A. To the best of our knowledge this is the first time a temperature minimum has been directly measured on a main-sequence star other than the Sun.

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arXiv2012

J band Variability of M Dwarfs in the WFCAM Transit Survey

We present an analysis of the photometric variability of M dwarfs in the WFCAM Transit Survey. Although periodic lightcurve variability in low mass stars is generally dominated by photospheric star spot activity, M dwarf variability in the J band has not been as thoroughly investigated as at visible wavelengths. Spectral type estimates for a sample of over 200,000 objects are made using spectral type-colour relations, and over 9600 dwarfs (J<17) with spectral types later than K7 were found. The light curves of the late-type sample are searched for periodicity using a Lomb-Scargle periodogram analysis. A total of 68 periodic variable M dwarfs are found in the sample with periods ranging from 0.16 days to 90.33 days, with amplitudes in the range of ~0.009 to ~0.115 in the J band. We simulate active M dwarfs with a range of latitude-independent spot coverages and estimate a periodically variable fractions of 1-3 per cent for stars where spots cover more than 10 per cent of the star's surface. Our simulated spot distributions indicate that operating in the J band, where spot contrast ratios are minimised, enables variability in only the most active of stars to be detected. These findings affirm the benefits of using the $J$ band for planetary transit searches compared to visible bands. We also serendipitously find a ΔJ>0.2 mag flaring event from an M4V star in our sample.

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arXiv2012

The first planet detected in the WTS: an inflated hot-Jupiter in a 3.35 day orbit around a late F-star

We report the discovery of WTS-1b, the first extrasolar planet found by the WFCAM Transit Survey, which began observations at the 3.8-m United Kingdom Infrared Telescope. Light curves comprising almost 1200 epochs with a photometric precision of better than 1 per cent to J=16 were constructed for 60000 stars and searched for periodic transit signals. For one of the most promising transiting candidates, high-resolution spectra taken at the Hobby-Eberly Telescope allowed us to estimate the spectroscopic parameters of the host star, a late-F main sequence dwarf (V=16.13) with possibly slightly subsolar metallicity, and to measure its radial velocity variations. The combined analysis of the light curves and spectroscopic data resulted in an orbital period of the substellar companion of 3.35 days, a planetary mass of 4.01+-0.35 Mj and a planetary radius of 1.49+-0.17 Rj. WTS-1b has one of the largest radius anomalies among the known hot Jupiters in the mass range 3-5 Mj.

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arXiv2012

Intermediate Resolution Near-Infrared Spectroscopy of 36 late-M Dwarfs

We present observations of 36 late-M dwarfs obtained with the KeckII/NIRSPEC in the J-band at a resolution of \sim20,000. We have measured projected rotational velocities, absolute radial velocities, and pseudo-equivalent widths of atomic lines. 12 of our targets did not have previous measurements in the literature. For the other 24 targets, we confirm previously reported measurements. We find that 13 stars from our sample have vsini below our measurement threshold (12 km/s) whereas four of our targets are fast rotators (vsini > 30 km/s). As fast rotation causes spectral features to be washed out, stars with low projected rotational velocities are sought for radial velocity surveys. At our intermediate spectral resolution we have confirmed the identification of neutral atomic lines reported in Mclean et al. 2007. We also calculated pseudo-equivalent widths (p-EW) of 12 atomic lines. Our results confirm that the p-EW of K I lines are strongly dependent on spectral types. We observe that the p-EW of Fe I and Mn I lines remain fairly constant with later spectral type. We suggest that those lines are particularly suitable for deriving metallicities for late-M dwarfs.

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arXiv2012

Four ultra-short period eclipsing M-dwarf binaries in the WFCAM Transit Survey

We report on the discovery of four ultra-short period (P<0.18 days) eclipsing M-dwarf binaries in the WFCAM Transit Survey. Their orbital periods are significantly shorter than of any other known main-sequence binary system, and are all significantly below the sharp period cut-off at P~0.22 days as seen in binaries of earlier type stars. The shortest-period binary consists of two M4 type stars in a P=0.112 day orbit. The binaries are discovered as part of an extensive search for short-period eclipsing systems in over 260,000 stellar lightcurves, including over 10,000 M-dwarfs down to J=18 mag, yielding 25 binaries with P<0.23 days. In a popular paradigm, the evolution of short period binaries of cool main-sequence stars is driven by loss of angular momentum through magnetised winds. In this scheme, the observed P~0.22 day period cut-off is explained as being due to timescales that are too long for lower-mass binaries to decay into tighter orbits. Our discovery of low-mass binaries with significantly shorter orbits implies that either these timescales have been overestimated for M-dwarfs, e.g. due to a higher effective magnetic activity, or that the mechanism for forming these tight M-dwarf binaries is different from that of earlier type main-sequence stars.

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arXiv2012

A peculiar class of debris disks from Herschel/DUNES - A steep fall off in the far infrared

Aims. We present photometric data of debris disks around HIP 103389 (HD 199260), HIP 107350 (HN Peg, HD206860), and HIP 114948 (HD 219482), obtained in the context of our Herschel Open Time Key Program DUNES (DUst around NEarby Stars). Methods. We used Herschel/PACS to detect the thermal emission of the three debris disks with a 3 sigma sensitivity of a few mJy at 100 um and 160 um. In addition, we obtained Herschel/PACS photometric data at 70 um for HIP 103389. Two different approaches are applied to reduce the Herschel data to investigate the impact of data reduction on the photometry. We fit analytical models to the available spectral energy distribution (SED) data. Results. The SEDs of the three disks potentially exhibit an unusually steep decrease at wavelengths > 70 um. We investigate the significance of the peculiar shape of these SEDs and the impact on models of the disks provided it is real. Our modeling reveals that such a steep decrease of the SEDs in the long wavelength regime is inconsistent with a power-law exponent of the grain size distribution -3.5 expected from a standard equilibrium collisional cascade. In contrast, a very distinct range of grain sizes is implied to dominate the thermal emission of such disks. However, we demonstrate that the understanding of the data of faint sources obtained with Herschel is still incomplete and that the significance of our results depends on the version of the data reduction pipeline used. Conclusions. A new mechanism to produce the dust in the presented debris disks, deviations from the conditions required for a standard equilibrium collisional cascade (grain size exponent of -3.5), and/or significantly different dust properties would be necessary to explain the potentially steep SED shape of the three debris disks presented. (abridged)

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