GAS DISTRIBUTION, KINEMATICS, AND EXCITATION STRUCTURE IN THE DISKS AROUND THE CLASSICAL Be STARS {beta} CANIS MINORIS AND {zeta} TAURI

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2012 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/744/1/19· OSTI ID:22004368

Kraus, S; Monnier, J D; Che, X; Baron, F ^[1]; Schaefer, G; Ten Brummelaar, T A; McAlister, H A; Turner, N H; Sturmann, J; Sturmann, L ^[2]; Touhami, Y; Gies, D R ^[3]; Aufdenberg, J P ^[4]; Thureau, N ^[5]

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1. Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, 918 Dennison Building, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1090 (United States)
2. CHARA Array, Georgia State University, P.O. Box 3965, Atlanta, GA 30302-3965 (United States)
3. Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Georgia State University, P.O. Box 4106, Atlanta, GA 30302-4106 (United States)
4. Department of Physical Sciences, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, 600 S. Clyde Morris Blvd., Daytona Beach FL 32114 (United States)
5. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of St. Andrews (United Kingdom)

Using CHARA and VLTI near-infrared spectro-interferometry with hectometric baseline lengths (up to 330 m) and with high spectral resolution (up to {lambda}/{Delta}{lambda} = 12, 000), we studied the gas distribution and kinematics around two classical Be stars. The combination of high spatial and spectral resolution achieved allows us to constrain the gas velocity field on scales of a few stellar radii and to obtain, for the first time in optical interferometry, a dynamical mass estimate using the position-velocity analysis technique known from radio astronomy. For our first target star, {beta} Canis Minoris, we model the H+K-band continuum and Br{gamma}-line geometry with a near-critical rotating stellar photosphere and a geometrically thin equatorial disk. Testing different disk rotation laws, we find that the disk is in Keplerian rotation (v(r){proportional_to}r{sup -0.5{+-}0.1}) and derive the disk position angle (140 Degree-Sign {+-} 1.{sup 0}7), inclination (38.{sup 0}5 {+-} 1 Degree-Sign ), and the mass of the central star (3.5 {+-} 0.2 M{sub Sun }). As a second target star, we observed the prototypical Be star {zeta} Tauri and spatially resolved the Br{gamma} emission as well as nine transitions from the hydrogen Pfund series (Pf 14-22). Comparing the spatial origin of the different line transitions, we find that the Brackett (Br{gamma}), Pfund (Pf 14-17), and Balmer (H{alpha}) lines originate from different stellocentric radii (R{sub cont} < R{sub Pf} < R{sub Br{gamma}} {approx} R{sub H{alpha}}), which we can reproduce with an LTE line radiative transfer computation. Discussing different disk-formation scenarios, we conclude that our constraints are inconsistent with wind compression models predicting a strong outflowing velocity component, but support viscous decretion disk models, where the Keplerian-rotating disk is replenished with material from the near-critical rotating star.

• OSTI ID: 22004368
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 744; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
ASTRONOMY
ASTROPHYSICS
INCLINATION
INTERFEROMETRY
LTE
PHOTOSPHERE
ROTATION
STARS