Transient Accretion Events in Herbig Ae/Be Star Spectra: The Evidence for Infalling Planetesimals in HD 100546 (B9E)

Enhanced gaseous absorption resembling the high velocity circumstellar gas features in the spectrum of Beta Pic have been detected in IUE high dispersion spectra of the 2 Myr-old Herbig Be star, HD 100546, on 1995 March 9. The presence of atomic gas features in transitions of C I and O I implies that the material is produced by the pyrolysis of an unseen, solid body in a star-grazing orbit. The presence of weak Fe II absorption in the same spectrum with heavily saturated magnesium, aluminum, and silicon features is consistent with an origin in the sublimation of the olivenes detected in IRAS LRS and ISO SWS spectra of this star. The C I and O I detections suggest that, compared to Beta Pic, the planetesimals in this system contain substantial amounts of carbonaceous material. The presence of mildly refractory species such as Zn II and S II suggests that the planetesimal had not been substantially heated above 700 K during its previous lifetime.