Context. The study of dynamical processes in protoplanetary disks is essential to understand planet formation. In this context, transition disks are prime targets because they are at an advanced ...stage of disk clearing and may harbor direct signatures of disk evolution. Aims. We aim to derive new constraints on the structure of the transition disk MWC 758, to detect non-axisymmetric features and understand their origin. Methods. We obtained infrared polarized intensity observations of the protoplanetary disk MWC 758 with VLT/SPHERE at 1.04 μm to resolve scattered light at a smaller inner working angle (0.093′′) and a higher angular resolution (0.027′′) than previously achieved. Results. We observe polarized scattered light within 0.53′′ (148 au) down to the inner working angle (26 au) and detect distinct non-axisymmetric features but no fully depleted cavity. The two small-scale spiral features that were previously detected with HiCIAO are resolved more clearly, and new features are identified, including two that are located at previously inaccessible radii close to the star. We present a model based on the spiral density wave theory with two planetary companions in circular orbits. The best model requires a high disk aspect ratio (H/r ~ 0.20 at the planet locations) to account for the large pitch angles which implies a very warm disk. Conclusions. Our observations reveal the complex morphology of the disk MWC 758. To understand the origin of the detected features, the combination of high-resolution observations in the submillimeter with ALMA and detailed modeling is needed.
Context. High-contrast scattered light observations have revealed the surface morphology of several dozen protoplanetary disks at optical and near-infrared wavelengths. Inclined disks offer the ...opportunity to measure part of the phase function of the dust grains that reside in the disk surface which is essential for our understanding of protoplanetary dust properties and the early stages of planet formation. Aims. We aim to construct a method which takes into account how the flaring shape of the scattering surface of an optically thick protoplanetary disk projects onto the image plane of the observer. This allows us to map physical quantities (e.g., scattering radius and scattering angle) onto scattered light images and retrieve stellar irradiation corrected images (r2-scaled) and dust phase functions. Methods. The scattered light mapping method projects a power law shaped disk surface onto the detector plane after which the observed scattered light image is interpolated backward onto the disk surface. We apply the method on archival polarized intensity images of the protoplanetary disk around HD 100546 that were obtained with VLT/SPHERE in the R′ band and VLT/NACO in the H and Ks bands. Results. The brightest side of the r2-scaled R′ band polarized intensity image of HD 100546 changes from the far to the near side of the disk when a flaring instead of a geometrically flat disk surface is used for the r2-scaling. The decrease in polarized surface brightness in the scattering angle range of ~40°–70° is likely a result of the dust phase function and degree of polarization which peak in different scattering angle regimes. The derived phase functions show part of a forward scattering peak, which indicates that large, aggregate dust grains dominate the scattering opacity in the disk surface. Conclusions. Projection effects of a protoplanetary disk surface need to be taken into account to correctly interpret scattered light images. Applying the correct scaling for the correction of stellar irradiation is crucial for the interpretation of the images and the derivation of the dust properties in the disk surface layer.
Context. Gaps, cavities, and rings in circumstellar disks are signposts of disk evolution and planet-disk interactions. We follow the recent suggestion that Herbig Ae/Be disks with a flared disk ...harbor a cavity, and investigate the disk around HD 97048. Aims. We aim to resolve the 34 ± 4 AU central cavity that has been predicted and to investigate the structure of the disk. Methods. We imaged the disk around HD 97048 using ALMA at 0.85 mm and 2.94 mm and ATCA (multiple frequency) observations. Our observations also include the 12CO J = 1−0, 12CO J = 3−2 and HCO+ J = 4−3 emission lines. Results. A central cavity in the disk around HD 97048 is resolved with a 40−46 AU radius. Additional radial structure present in the surface brightness profile can be accounted for either by an opacity gap at 90 AU or by an additional emitting ring at 150 AU. The continuum emission tracing the dust in the disk is detected out to 355 AU. The 12CO J = 3−2 disk is detected 2.4 times farther out. The 12CO emission can be traced down to ≈10 AU scales. Apparent non-Keplerian kinematics are detected inside the cavity on the HCO+ J = 4−3 velocity map. The mm spectral index measured from ATCA observations suggests that grain growth has occurred in the HD 97048 disk. Finally, we resolve a highly inclined disk out to 150 AU around the nearby 0.5 M⊙ binary ISO-ChaI 126. Conclusions. The data presented here reveal a cavity in the disk of HD 97048, and prominent radial structure in the surface brightness. The cavity size varies for different continuum frequencies and gas tracers. The gas inside the cavity follows non-Keplerian kinematics seen in HCO+ emission. The variable cavity size along with the kinematical signature suggests the presence of a substellar companion or a massive planet inside the cavity.
Several studies discussing imaging polarimetry observations of protoplanetary disks use the so-called radial Stokes parameters Qφ and Uφ to discuss the results. This approach has the advantage of ...providing a direct measure of the noise in the polarized images under the assumption that the polarization is only azimuthal, i.e., perpendicular to the direction toward the illuminating source. However, a detailed study of the validity of this assumption is currently missing. We aim to test whether departures from azimuthal polarization can naturally be produced by scattering processes in optically thick protoplanetary disks at near infrared wavelengths. We use the radiative transfer code MCFOST to create a generic model of a transition disk using different grain size distributions and dust masses. From these models we generate synthetic polarized images at 2.2 μm. We find that even for moderate inclinations (e.g., i = 40°), multiple scattering alone can produce significant (up to ~ 4.5% of the Qφ image, peak-to-peak) nonazimuthal polarization reflected in the Uφ images. We also find that different grain populations can naturally produce radial polarization (i.e., negative values in the Qφ images). Despite the simplifications of the models, our results suggest that caution is recommended when interpreting polarized images by only analyzing the Qφ and Uφ images. We find that there can be astrophysical signal in the Uφ images and negative values in the Qφ images, which indicate departures from azimuthal polarization. If significant signal is detected in the Uφ images, we recommend checking the standard Q and U images to look for departures from azimuthal polarization. On the positive side, signal in the Uφ images once all instrumental and data-reduction artifacts have been corrected for means that there is more information to be extracted regarding the dust population and particle density.
Context. Large cavities in disks are important testing grounds for the mechanisms proposed to drive disk evolution and dispersion, such as dynamical clearing by planets and photoevaporation. Aims. We ...aim to resolve the large cavity in the disk around HD 34282, whose presence has been predicted by previous studies modeling the spectral energy distribution of the disk. Methods. Using ALMA band 7 observations we studied HD 34282 with a spatial resolution of 0.10″ × 0.17′′ at 345 GHz. Results. We resolve the disk around HD 34282 into a ring between 0.24′′ and 1.15′′ (78+7-11 and 374+33-54 au adopting a distance of 325+29-47 pc). The emission in this ring shows azimuthal asymmetry centered at a radial distance of 0.46′′ and a position angle of 135° and an azimuthal FWHM of 51°. We detect CO emission both inside the disk cavity and as far out as 2.7 times the radial extent of the dust emission. Conclusions. Both the large disk cavity and the azimuthal structure in the disk around HD 34282 can be explained by the presence of a 50 Mjup brown dwarf companion at a separation of ≈0.1′′.
Context. Young circumstellar disks are the birthplaces of planets. Their study is of prime interest to understand the physical and chemical conditions under which planet formation takes place. Only ...very few detections of planet candidates within these disks exist, and most of them are currently suspected to be disk features. Aims. In this context, the transition disk around the young star PDS 70 is of particular interest, due to its large gap identified in previous observations, indicative of ongoing planet formation. We aim to search for the presence of an embedded young planet and search for disk structures that may be the result of disk–planet interactions and other evolutionary processes. Methods. We analyse new and archival near-infrared images of the transition disk PDS 70 obtained with the VLT/SPHERE, VLT/NaCo, and Gemini/NICI instruments in polarimetric differential imaging and angular differential imaging modes. Results. We detect a point source within the gap of the disk at about 195 mas (~22 au) projected separation. The detection is confirmed at five different epochs, in three filter bands and using different instruments. The astrometry results in an object of bound nature, with high significance. The comparison of the measured magnitudes and colours to evolutionary tracks suggests that the detection is a companion of planetary mass. The luminosity of the detected object is consistent with that of an L-type dwarf, but its IR colours are redder, possibly indicating the presence of warm surrounding material. Further, we confirm the detection of a large gap of ~54 au in size within the disk in our scattered light images, and detect a signal from an inner disk component. We find that its spatial extent is very likely smaller than ~17 au in radius, and its position angle is consistent with that of the outer disk. The images of the outer disk show evidence of a complex azimuthal brightness distribution which is different at different wavelengths and may in part be explained by Rayleigh scattering from very small grains. Conclusions. The detection of a young protoplanet within the gap of the transition disk around PDS 70 opens the door to a so far observationally unexplored parameter space of planetary formation and evolution. Future observations of this system at different wavelengths and continuing astrometry will allow us to test theoretical predictions regarding planet–disk interactions, planetary atmospheres, and evolutionary models.
We present scattered light images of the TW Hya disk performed with the Spectro-Polarimetric High-contrast Exoplanet REsearch instrument in Polarimetric Differential Imaging mode at 0.63, 0.79, 1.24, ...and 1.62 m. We also present H2/H3-band angular differential imaging (ADI) observations. Three distinct radial depressions in the polarized intensity distribution are seen, around 85, 21, and 6 au.21 The overall intensity distribution has a high degree of azimuthal symmetry; the disk is somewhat brighter than average toward the south and darker toward the north-west. The ADI observations yielded no signifiant detection of point sources in the disk. Our observations have a linear spatial resolution of 1-2 au, similar to that of recent ALMA dust continuum observations. The sub-micron-sized dust grains that dominate the light scattering in the disk surface are strongly coupled to the gas. We created a radiative transfer disk model with self-consistent temperature and vertical structure iteration and including grain size-dependent dust settling. This method may provide independent constraints on the gas distribution at higher spatial resolution than is feasible with ALMA gas line observations. We find that the gas surface density in the "gaps" is reduced by 50% to 80% relative to an unperturbed model. Should embedded planets be responsible for carving the gaps then their masses are at most a few 10 . The observed gaps are wider, with shallower flanks, than expected for planet-disk interaction with such low-mass planets. If forming planetary bodies have undergone collapse and are in the "detached phase," then they may be directly observable with future facilities such as the Mid-Infrared E-ELT Imager and Spectrograph at the E-ELT.
Context. Transitional disks represent a short stage of the evolution of circumstellar material. Studies of dust grains in these objects can provide pivotal information on the mechanisms of planet ...formation. Dissimilarities in the spatial distribution of small (μm−size) and large (mm−size) dust grains have recently been pointed out. Aims. Constraints on the small dust grains can be obtained by imaging the distribution of scattered light at near-infrared wavelengths. We aim at resolving structures in the surface layer of transitional disks (with particular emphasis on the inner 10−50 AU), thus increasing the scarce sample of high-resolution images of these objects. Methods. We obtained VLT/NACO near-IR high-resolution polarimetric differential imaging observations of SAO 206462 (HD 135344B). This technique allows one to image the polarized scattered light from the disk without any occulting mask and to reach an inner working angle of ~0.1″. Results. A face-on disk is detected in H and Ks bands between 0.1″ and 0.9″. No significant differences are seen between the H and Ks images. In addition to the spiral arms, these new data allow us to resolve for the first time an inner disk cavity for small dust grains. The cavity size (≃28 AU) is much smaller than what is inferred for large dust grains from (sub-)mm observations (39 to 50 AU). This discrepancy cannot be ascribed to any resolution effect. Conclusions. The interaction between the disk and potential orbiting companion(s) can explain both the spiral arm structure and the discrepant cavity sizes for small and large dust grains. One planet may be carving out the gas (and, thus, the small grains) at 28 AU, and generating a pressure bump at larger radii (39 AU), which holds back the large grains. We analytically estimate that, in this scenario, a single giant planet (with a mass between 5 and 15 MJ) at 17 to 20 AU from the star is consistent with the observed cavity sizes.
Context. Protoplanetary disks around young stars are the birth-sites of planets. Spectral energy distributions and direct images of a subset of disks known as transition disks reveal dust-depleted ...inner cavities. Some of these disks show asymmetric structures in thermal submillimetre emission and optical scattered light. These structures can be the result of planet(s) or companions embedded in the disk. Aims. We aim to detect and analyse the scattered light of the transition disk J160421.7-213028, identify disk structures, and compare the results with previous observations of this disk at other wavelengths. Methods. We obtained and analysed new polarised intensity observations of the transition disk J160421.7-213028 with VLT/SPHERE using the visible light instrument ZIMPOL at R′-band (0.626 μm). We probed the disk gap down to a radius of confidence of 0.1′′ (~15 AU at 145 pc). We interpret the results in the context of dust evolution when planets interact with the parental disk. Results. We observe a gap from 0.1 to 0.3′′ (~15 to 40 AU) and a bright annulus as previously detected by HiCIAO H-band observations at 1.65μm. The radial width of the annulus is around 40 AU, and its centre is at ~61 AU from the central star. The peak of the reflected light at 0.626 μm is located 20 AU inward of the cavity detected in the submillimetre. In addition, we detect a dip at a position angle of ~46.2 ± 5.4°. A dip was also detected with HiCIAO, but located at ~85°. If the dip observed with HiCIAO is the same, this suggests an average dip rotation of ~12°/year, which is inconsistent with the local Keplerian angular velocity of ~0.8°/yr at ~61 AU. Conclusions. The spatial discrepancy in the radial emission in J160421.7-213028 at different wavelengths is consistent with dust filtration at the outer edge of a gap carved by a massive planet. The dip rotation can be interpreted as fast variability of the inner disk and/or the presence of a warp or circumplanetary material of a planet at ~9.6 AU.
Context.
During the evolution of protoplanetary disks into planetary systems we expect to detect signatures that trace mechanisms such as planet–disk interaction. Protoplanetary disks display a large ...variety of structures in recently published high-spatial resolution images. However, the three-dimensional morphology of these disks is often difficult to infer from the two-dimensional projected images we observe.
Aims.
We aim to detect signatures of planet–disk interaction by studying the scattering surface of the protoplanetary disk around HD 34282.
Methods.
We spatially resolved the disk using the high-contrast imager VLT/SPHERE in polarimetric imaging mode. We retrieved a profile for the height of the scattering surface to create a height-corrected deprojection, which simulates a face-on orientation.
Results.
The detected disk displays a complex scattering surface. An inner clearing or cavity extending up to
r
< 0.′′28 (88 au) is surrounded by a bright inclined (
i
= 56°) ring with a position angle of 119°. The center of this ring is offset from the star along the minor axis with 0.′′07, which can be explained with a disk height of 26 au above the midplane. Outside this ring, beyond its southeastern ansa we detect an azimuthal asymmetry or blob at
r
~ 0.′′4. At larger separation, we detect an outer disk structure that can be fitted with an ellipse, which is compatible with a circular ring seen at
r
= 0.′′62 (=190 au) and a height of 77 au. After applying a height-corrected deprojection we see a circular ring centered on the star at 88 au; what had seemed to be a separate blob and outer ring could now both be part of a single-armed spiral.
Conclusions.
We present the first scattered-light image of the disk around HD 34282 and resolve a disk with an inner cavity up to
r
≈ 90 au and a highly structured scattering surface of an inclined disk at a large height
H
scat
∕
r
= 0.′′29 above the midplane at the inner edge of the outer disk. Based on the current data it is not possible to conclude decisively whether
H
scat
∕
r
remains constant or whether the surface is flared with at most
H
scat
∝
r
1.35
, although we favor the constant ratio based on our deprojections. The height-corrected deprojection allows for a more detailed interpretation of the observed structures, from which we discern the first detection of a single-armed spiral in a protoplanetary disk.
PDF
