Disk Evolution in Taurus, Ophiuchus, and Chamaeleon I
First Author:
Elise Furlan
Email: Elise.Furlan AT jpl.nasa.gov
JPL, Caltech
4800 Oak Grove Drive, MS 264-767
Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
Coauthors:
Watson, Dan M., University of Rochester
McClure, Melissa, University of Rochester
Manoj, P., University of Rochester
Espaillat, Catherine, University of Michigan
D'Alessio, Paola, UNAM, Mexico
Calvet, Nuria, University of Michigan
Kim, Kyoung Hee, University of Rochester
Sargent, Ben, University of Rochester
Forrest, William J., University of Rochester
Hartmann, Lee, University of Michigan
Abstract
We present an analysis of Spitzer-IRS spectra of T Tauri stars in Taurus, Ophiuchus, and Chamaeleon I, which are three nearby star-forming regions of comparable age (1-2 Myr), but with differing environments. The IRS spectra reveal emission from dust in the inner few AU of the disks around these stars and thus probe the region where planets are thought to form. We compare the median IRS spectra of T Tauri stars in these three regions, and we use the spectral index at mid-infrared wavelengths together with the strength of the silicate emission feature to derive and compare the degree of disk evolution in the three young regions. We conclude that dust settling and radial structure formation is well under way in disks at an age of 1-2 Myr.
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