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Title: ON THE NATURE OF THE HERBIG B[e] STAR BINARY SYSTEM V921 SCORPII: GEOMETRY AND KINEMATICS OF THE CIRCUMPRIMARY DISK ON SUB-AU SCALES

Abstract

V921 Scorpii is a close binary system (separation 0.''025) showing the B[e]-phenomenon. The system is surrounded by an enigmatic bipolar nebula, which might have been shaped by episodic mass-loss events, possibly triggered by dynamical interactions between the companion and the circumprimary disk. In this paper, we investigate the spatial structure and kinematics of the circumprimary disk, with the aim to obtain new insights into the still strongly debated evolutionary stage. For this purpose, we combine, for the first time, infrared spectro-interferometry (VLTI/AMBER, {lambda}/{Delta}{lambda} = 12, 000) and spectro-astrometry (VLT/CRIRES, {lambda}/{Delta}{lambda} = 100, 000), which allows us to study the AU-scale distribution of circumstellar gas and dust with an unprecedented velocity resolution of 3 km s{sup -1}. Using a model-independent photocenter analysis technique, we find that the Br{gamma}-line-emitting gas rotates in the same plane as the dust disk. We can reproduce the wavelength-differential visibilities and phases and the double-peaked line profile using a Keplerian-rotating disk model. The derived mass of the central star is 5.4 {+-} 0.4 M{sub Sun} {center_dot} (d/1150 pc), which is considerably lower than expected from the spectral classification, suggesting that V921 Sco might be more distant (d {approx} 2 kpc) than commonly assumed. Using the geometric informationmore » provided by our Br{gamma} spectro-interferometric data and Paschen, Brackett, and Pfund line decrement measurements in 61 hydrogen recombination line transitions, we derive the density of the line-emitting gas (N{sub e} = (2-6) Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 19} m{sup -3}). Given that our measurements can be reproduced with a Keplerian velocity field without an outflowing velocity component and the non-detection of age-indicating spectroscopic diagnostics, our study provides new evidence for the pre-main-sequence nature of V921 Sco.« less

Authors:
; ; ;  [1]; ; ;  [2]
  1. Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, 918 Dennison Building, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1090 (United States)
  2. Max Planck Institut fuer Radioastronomie, Auf dem Huegel 69, 53121 Bonn (Germany)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22037119
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Astrophysical Journal
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 752; Journal Issue: 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0004-637X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; ACCRETION DISKS; ASTRONOMY; ASTROPHYSICS; BINARY STARS; COSMIC DUST; DENSITY; HYDROGEN; INTERFEROMETRY; MAIN SEQUENCE STARS; MASS; NEBULAE; PHOTON EMISSION; PROTOPLANETS; RECOMBINATION; RESOLUTION; VELOCITY

Citation Formats

Kraus, Stefan, Calvet, Nuria, Hartmann, Lee, Monnier, John D, Hofmann, Karl-Heinz, Kreplin, Alexander, and Weigelt, Gerd. ON THE NATURE OF THE HERBIG B[e] STAR BINARY SYSTEM V921 SCORPII: GEOMETRY AND KINEMATICS OF THE CIRCUMPRIMARY DISK ON SUB-AU SCALES. United States: N. p., 2012. Web. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/752/1/11.
Kraus, Stefan, Calvet, Nuria, Hartmann, Lee, Monnier, John D, Hofmann, Karl-Heinz, Kreplin, Alexander, & Weigelt, Gerd. ON THE NATURE OF THE HERBIG B[e] STAR BINARY SYSTEM V921 SCORPII: GEOMETRY AND KINEMATICS OF THE CIRCUMPRIMARY DISK ON SUB-AU SCALES. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/752/1/11
Kraus, Stefan, Calvet, Nuria, Hartmann, Lee, Monnier, John D, Hofmann, Karl-Heinz, Kreplin, Alexander, and Weigelt, Gerd. 2012. "ON THE NATURE OF THE HERBIG B[e] STAR BINARY SYSTEM V921 SCORPII: GEOMETRY AND KINEMATICS OF THE CIRCUMPRIMARY DISK ON SUB-AU SCALES". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/752/1/11.
@article{osti_22037119,
title = {ON THE NATURE OF THE HERBIG B[e] STAR BINARY SYSTEM V921 SCORPII: GEOMETRY AND KINEMATICS OF THE CIRCUMPRIMARY DISK ON SUB-AU SCALES},
author = {Kraus, Stefan and Calvet, Nuria and Hartmann, Lee and Monnier, John D and Hofmann, Karl-Heinz and Kreplin, Alexander and Weigelt, Gerd},
abstractNote = {V921 Scorpii is a close binary system (separation 0.''025) showing the B[e]-phenomenon. The system is surrounded by an enigmatic bipolar nebula, which might have been shaped by episodic mass-loss events, possibly triggered by dynamical interactions between the companion and the circumprimary disk. In this paper, we investigate the spatial structure and kinematics of the circumprimary disk, with the aim to obtain new insights into the still strongly debated evolutionary stage. For this purpose, we combine, for the first time, infrared spectro-interferometry (VLTI/AMBER, {lambda}/{Delta}{lambda} = 12, 000) and spectro-astrometry (VLT/CRIRES, {lambda}/{Delta}{lambda} = 100, 000), which allows us to study the AU-scale distribution of circumstellar gas and dust with an unprecedented velocity resolution of 3 km s{sup -1}. Using a model-independent photocenter analysis technique, we find that the Br{gamma}-line-emitting gas rotates in the same plane as the dust disk. We can reproduce the wavelength-differential visibilities and phases and the double-peaked line profile using a Keplerian-rotating disk model. The derived mass of the central star is 5.4 {+-} 0.4 M{sub Sun} {center_dot} (d/1150 pc), which is considerably lower than expected from the spectral classification, suggesting that V921 Sco might be more distant (d {approx} 2 kpc) than commonly assumed. Using the geometric information provided by our Br{gamma} spectro-interferometric data and Paschen, Brackett, and Pfund line decrement measurements in 61 hydrogen recombination line transitions, we derive the density of the line-emitting gas (N{sub e} = (2-6) Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 19} m{sup -3}). Given that our measurements can be reproduced with a Keplerian velocity field without an outflowing velocity component and the non-detection of age-indicating spectroscopic diagnostics, our study provides new evidence for the pre-main-sequence nature of V921 Sco.},
doi = {10.1088/0004-637X/752/1/11},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22037119}, journal = {Astrophysical Journal},
issn = {0004-637X},
number = 1,
volume = 752,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jun 10 00:00:00 EDT 2012},
month = {Sun Jun 10 00:00:00 EDT 2012}
}