Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Ro-Vibrational Co Detected In The Β Pictoris Circumstellar Disk, Matthew R. Troutman, Kenneth H. Hinkle, Joan R. Najita, Terrence W. Rettig, Sean D. Brittain

Sean D Brittain

We present high-resolution near-infrared spectra of β Pictoris—a nearby young star with a debris disk. Fundamental low-J CO absorption lines are detected and strict upper limits are placed on the flux of v = 2–1 low-J CO emission lines. The limit on the UV fluorescent emission flux in the v = 2–1 lines is used to place a tight constraint on the inner extent of the CO gas. Assuming Hi is the primary collision partner, the sub-thermal population of the low-J v = 0 rotational levels constrains the density of the gas in the disk to nH = (2.5+7.1 −1.2)×105 …