Anatomy of a Flaring Proto-Planetary Disk Around a Young Intermediate-Mass Star

• DOI: 10.1126/science.1131436
• Publication Date: 2006-09-29T01:14:54Z
• Authors: Pierre-Olivier La...; Coralie Doucet; Eric Pantin; Emilie Habart; Gaspard Duchêne; François Ménard; Christophe Pinte; Sébastien Charnoz; Jan-Willem Pel
• Keywords: Debris disk; Hydrostatic equilibrium

Although planets are being discovered around stars more massive than the Sun, information about proto-planetary disks where such have built up is sparse. We imaged mid-infrared emission from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at surface of disk surrounding young intermediate-mass star HD 97048 and characterized disk. The in an early stage evolution, as indicated by its large content dust hydrostatic flared geometry, indicative presence a amount gas that well mixed with gravitationally stable. precursor debris found more-evolved A beta-Pictoris provides rare opportunity to witness conditions prevailing before (or during) planet formation.