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Discovery of solar system-size halos around young starsNear-infrared speckle interferometric observations of five pre-main-sequence stars reveal a core-halo structure around two of these stars: HL Tau and R Mon. The halo light distribution is shown to arise from scattered light from small circumstellar particles. Halo sizes of 320 x 200 AU (alpha x delta FWHM) and 1300 x 1300 AU are deduced for HL Tau and R Mon, respectively, and the halo light is substantially bluer than the stellar light. The minimum mass of small particles in the scattering regions is comparable to the earth's mass in HL Tau and ten times greater in R Mon. Mass loss from the stars is almost certainly insufficient to produce the halo matter. The halos probably consist of relatively slowly moving matter bound gravitationally to the stars. From the size and mass of the circumstellar matter, it appears likely that these halos are in the early stage in the formation of planet-forming disks around the young stars.
Document ID
19850041358
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Beckwith, S.
(Cornell Univ. Ithaca, NY, United States)
Skrutskie, M. F.
(Cornell University Ithaca, NY, United States)
Zuckerman, B.
(California, University Los Angeles, CA, United States)
Dyck, H. M.
(California, University Los Angeles, CA; Max-Planck-Institut fuer Astronomie, Heidelberg, Germany)
Date Acquired
August 12, 2013
Publication Date
December 15, 1984
Publication Information
Publication: Astrophysical Journal, Part 1
Volume: 287
ISSN: 0004-637X
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Accession Number
85A23509
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF AST-82-08793
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSG-2412
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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