arXiv subjects

D. Mouillet

Publications and source records attributed to D. Mouillet.

129 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

arXiv1999

HST/NICMOS2 observations of the HD 141569 A circumstellar disk

We report the first resolved scattered light images of the circumstellar dust disk around the old Pre-Main Sequence star HD 141569 A. The disk seen in HST/NICMOS2 images shapes a bright annulus inclined at 37.5 degrees +/- 4.5 degrees from edge-on. This ring peaks at 325+/-10 AU from the star with a characteristic width of ~150 AU. At 1.6 microns, the dust grains scatter a total flux density of at least 4.5 +/- 0.5 mJy. Our disk model using the spatial distribution implied by the images does not explain the 10 microns excess and requires an additional grain population closer to the star. Some similarities and differences with the dust annulus surrounding HR 4796 A are pointed out.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1999

On the HR 4796A circumstellar disk

We investigate in details the properties of the disk surrounding the 8 Myr old star HR 4796A, one of the few stars bringing precious clues to better understand the scenario which lead to planetary system formation. We propose a model able to reproduce all the available observations : the full spectral energy distribution from the mid-infrared to the millimeter wavelengths, resolved scattered light and thermal emission observations. We show that the circumstellar matter splits into two dust components : a cold annulus, peaked at 70 AU from the star, made of ISM-like grains (amorphous composition, porosity ~ 0.6) larger than 10 microns and a population of hot dust close to the star (at about 9 AU) made of comet-like grains (crystalline composition, porosity ~ 0.97). Both dust populations are highly collisional and the grain size distribution in the cold annulus is found to be cut-off by radiation pressure. At 70 AU, bodies as large as a few meters are required to fit the data leading to a minimum disk mass of a few Earth masses and to a gas to dust ratio less than 1. We discuss aftewards some implications on the disk structure and effects of larger bodies.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1997

A planet on an inclined orbit as an explanation of the warp in the Beta Pictoris disk

We consider the deformation that has recently been observed in the inner part of the circumstellar disk around Beta Pictoris with the HST. Our recent ground based adaptive optics coronographic observations confirm that the inner disk is warped. We investigate the hypothesis that a yet undetected planet is responsible for the observed warp, through simulations of the effect of the gravitational perturbation due to a massive companion on the disk. The physical processes assumed in the simulations are discussed: since the observed particles do not survive collisions, the apparent disk shape is driven by the underlying collisionless parent population. The resulting possible parameters for the planet that are consistent with the observed disk deformation are reviewed.

astro-ph↗