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Selected Works

2014

Accretion

Articles 1 - 9 of 9

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

The Li Overabundance Of J37: Diffusion Or Accretion?, J F. Ashwell, R D. Jeffries, C P. Deliyannis, A Steinhauer, Jeremy R. King Aug 2014

The Li Overabundance Of J37: Diffusion Or Accretion?, J F. Ashwell, R D. Jeffries, C P. Deliyannis, A Steinhauer, Jeremy R. King

Jeremy R King

In September 2002 the discovery of a super Li-rich F-dwarf (J37) in NGC 6633, an iron poor analogue of the better studied Hyades and Praecepe open clusters, was announced. This unique star was thought to be the smoking gun for the action of diffusion, models of which predict a narrow ”Li-peak” at approximately the correct temperature. However, with more detailed studies into J37s abundance pattern this star provides firm evidence for the accretion of planetesimals or other material from the circumstellar environment of new born stars. Thanks to the specific predictions made about the behaviour of Be abundances, (the most …


Beryllium Enhancement As Evidence For Accretion In A Lithium-Rich F Dwarf, Johanna F. Ashwell, R D. Jeffries, Barry Smalley, C P. Deliyannis, Aaron Steinhauer, Jeremy R. King Aug 2014

Beryllium Enhancement As Evidence For Accretion In A Lithium-Rich F Dwarf, Johanna F. Ashwell, R D. Jeffries, Barry Smalley, C P. Deliyannis, Aaron Steinhauer, Jeremy R. King

Jeremy R King

The early F dwarf star ``J37'' in the open cluster NGC6633 shows an unusual pattern of photospheric abundances, including an order of magnitude enhancement of lithium and iron-peak elements, but an under-abundance of carbon. As a consequence of its thin convection zone these anomalies have been attributed to either radiative diffusion or the accretion of hydrogen-depleted material. By comparing high resolution VLT/UVES spectra of J37 (and other F stars in NGC 6633) with syntheses of the Be ii doublet region at 3131 Ang, we establish that J37 also has a Be abundance (A(Be)=3.0+/-0.5) that is at least ten times the …


Post-Outburst Observations Of V1647 Orionis: Detection Of A Brief Warm Molecular Outflow, Sean D. Brittain, Terrence W. Rettig, Theodore Simon, Dinshaw S. Balsara, David Tilley, Erika Gibb, Kenneth H. Hinkle Aug 2014

Post-Outburst Observations Of V1647 Orionis: Detection Of A Brief Warm Molecular Outflow, Sean D. Brittain, Terrence W. Rettig, Theodore Simon, Dinshaw S. Balsara, David Tilley, Erika Gibb, Kenneth H. Hinkle

Sean D Brittain

We present new observations of the fundamental rovibrational CO spectrum of V1647 Ori, the young star whose recent outburst illuminated McNeil's Nebula. Previous spectra, acquired during outburst in 2004 February and July, had shown the CO emission lines to be broad and centrally peaked, similar to the CO spectrum of a typical classical T Tauri star. In this Letter, we present CO spectra acquired shortly after the luminosity of the source returned to its pre-outburst level (2006 February) and roughly 1 year later (2006 December and 2007 February). The spectrum taken in 2006 February revealed blueshifted CO absorption lines superimposed …


Near-Infrared Spectroscopic Study Of V1647 Ori, Sean D. Brittain, T W. Rettig, Theodore Simon, Erika L. Gibb, Joseph Liskowsky Aug 2014

Near-Infrared Spectroscopic Study Of V1647 Ori, Sean D. Brittain, T W. Rettig, Theodore Simon, Erika L. Gibb, Joseph Liskowsky

Sean D Brittain

We present new high-resolution infrared echelle spectra of V1647 Ori, the young star that illuminates McNeil's nebula. From the start, V1647 Ori has been an enigmatic source that has defied classification, in some ways resembling eruptive stars of the FUor class and in other respects the EXor variables. V1647 Ori underwent an outburst in 2003 before fading back to its pre-outburst brightness in 2006. In 2008, it underwent a new outburst. In this paper we present high-resolution K-band and M-band spectra from the W. M. Keck Observatory that were acquired during the 2008 outburst. We compare the spectra to spectra …


A Spectro-Astrometric Measurement Of Brackett Gamma Emission In Herbig Ae/Be Stars, Thomas S. Rice, Sean D. Brittain Aug 2014

A Spectro-Astrometric Measurement Of Brackett Gamma Emission In Herbig Ae/Be Stars, Thomas S. Rice, Sean D. Brittain

Sean D Brittain

In T Tauri stars, the Brackett gamma line strength is a reliable indicator of accretion luminosity. Among intermediate mass young stars, Herbig Ae stars also show this correlation, but in Herbig Be stars the Brgamma line flux significantly overpredicts accretion luminosity. This Brgamma excess in Herbig Be stars is thought to arise from a spatially extended outflow. Using commissioning data from the LUCIFER spectrograph on the 8.4-meter Large Binocular Telescope (LBT), we present a spectro-astrometric study of two Herbig Ae/Be stars, the HAe star MWC480 and the HBe star HD 259431. In both stars, an extended Brgamma source can be …


Warm Gas In The Inner Disks Around Young Intermediate-Mass Stars, Sean D. Brittain, Theodore Simon, Joan R. Najita, Terrence W. Rettig Aug 2014

Warm Gas In The Inner Disks Around Young Intermediate-Mass Stars, Sean D. Brittain, Theodore Simon, Joan R. Najita, Terrence W. Rettig

Sean D Brittain

The characterization of gas in the inner disks around young stars is of particular interest because of its connection to planet formation. In order to study the gas in inner disks, we have obtained high-resolution K- and M-band spectroscopy of 14 intermediate-mass young stars. In sources that have optically thick inner disks, i.e., E(K-L)>1, our detection rate of the rovibrational CO transitions is 100%, and the gas is thermally excited. Of the five sources that do not have optically thick inner disks, we only detect the rovibrational CO transitions from HD 141569. In this case, we show that the …


Co Emission In The Inner Disk Around Young Intermediate-Mass Stars, Matt L. Stevans, Sean D. Brittain Aug 2014

Co Emission In The Inner Disk Around Young Intermediate-Mass Stars, Matt L. Stevans, Sean D. Brittain

Sean D Brittain

We present observations that indicate viscous heating contributes significantly to the surface heating of the inner disk region (0.1-5 AU) around young intermediate-mass stars, Herbig AeBe stars, when the inner disk is optically thick. Brgamma flux is known to scale with accretion rate around young stars. We find a trend between Brgamma and CO emissivity, a tracer 1, 500 K gas in the gaseous atmospheres of less evolved inner disk regions in a sample of 25 Herbig AeBe stars, the higher mass analog of T Tauri stars. Evolved Herbig circumstellar disks do not follow this trend as closely. A thermal …


Accretion Variability Of Herbig Ae/Be Stars Observed By X-Shooter Hd 31648 And Hd 163296, I Mendigutia, Sean D. Brittain, C Eiroa, G Meeus, B Montesinos, A Mora, J Muzerolle, R D. Oudmaijer, E Rigliaco Aug 2014

Accretion Variability Of Herbig Ae/Be Stars Observed By X-Shooter Hd 31648 And Hd 163296, I Mendigutia, Sean D. Brittain, C Eiroa, G Meeus, B Montesinos, A Mora, J Muzerolle, R D. Oudmaijer, E Rigliaco

Sean D Brittain

This work presents X-Shooter/Very Large Telescope spectra of the prototypical, isolated Herbig Ae stars HD 31648 (MWC 480) and HD 163296 over five epochs separated by timescales ranging from days to months. Each spectrum spans over a wide wavelength range covering from 310 to 2475 nm. We have monitored the continuum excess in the Balmer region of the spectra and the luminosity of 12 ultraviolet, optical, and near-infrared spectral lines that are commonly used as accretion tracers for T Tauri stars. The observed strengths of the Balmer excesses have been reproduced from a magnetospheric accretion shock model, providing a mean …


Measuring The Stellar Accretion Rates Of Herbig Ae/Be Stars, Brian Donehew, Sean D. Brittain Aug 2014

Measuring The Stellar Accretion Rates Of Herbig Ae/Be Stars, Brian Donehew, Sean D. Brittain

Sean D Brittain

The accretion rate of young stars is a fundamental characteristic of these systems.While accretion onto T Tauri stars has been studied extensively, little work has been done on measuring the accretion rate of their intermediate-mass analogs, the Herbig Ae/Be stars. Measuring the stellar accretion rate of Herbig Ae/Bes is not straightforward both because of the dearth of metal absorption lines available for veiling measurements and the intrinsic brightness of Herbig Ae/Be stars at ultraviolet wavelengths where the brightness of the accretion shock peaks. Alternative approaches to measuring the accretion rate of young stars by measuring the luminosity of proxies such …