Inclination Evolution of Protoplanetary Disks Around Eccentric Binaries

Inclination Evolution of Protoplanetary Disks Around Eccentric Binaries

Authors:

Zanazzi et al

Abstract:
It is usually thought that viscous torque works to align a circumbinary disk with the binary's orbital plane. However, recent numerical simulations suggest that the disk may evolve to a configuration perpendicular to the binary orbit ("polar alignment") if the binary is eccentric and the initial disk-binary inclination is sufficiently large. We carry out a theoretical study on the long-term evolution of inclined disks around eccentric binaries, calculating the disk warp profile and dissipative torque acting on the disk. For disks with aspect ratio H/r larger than the viscosity parameter α, bending wave propagation effectively makes the disk precess as a quasi-rigid body, while viscosity acts on the disk warp and twist to drive secular evolution of the disk-binary inclination. We derive a simple analytic criterion (in terms of the binary eccentricity and initial disk orientation) for the disk to evolve toward polar alignment with the eccentric binary. For typical protoplanetary disk parameters, the timescale of the inclination evolution is shorter than the disk lifetime, suggesting that highly-inclined disks and planets may exist orbiting eccentric binaries.

HOW BRIGHT ARE THE GAPS IN CIRCUMBINARY DISK SYSTEMS?

HOW BRIGHT ARE THE GAPS IN CIRCUMBINARY DISK SYSTEMS?

Authors:

Shi et al

Abstract:

When a circumbinary disk surrounds a binary whose secondary's mass is at least $\sim {10}^{-2}\times $ the primary's mass, a nearly empty cavity with radius a few times the binary separation is carved out of the disk. Narrow streams of material pass from the inner edge of the circumbinary disk into the domain of the binary itself, where they eventually join onto the small disks orbiting the members of the binary. Using data from three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics simulations of this process, we determine the luminosity of these streams; it is mostly due to weak laminar shocks, and is in general only a few percent of the luminosity of adjacent regions of either the circumbinary disk or the "mini-disks." This luminosity therefore hardly affects the deficit in the thermal continuum predicted on the basis of a perfectly dark gap region.

CoRoT 223992193: Investigating the variability in a low-mass, pre-main sequence eclipsing binary with evidence of a circumbinary disk

CoRoT 223992193: Investigating the variability in a low-mass, pre-main sequence eclipsing binary with evidence of a circumbinary disk

Authors:

Gillen et al

Abstract:

CoRoT 223992193 is the only known low-mass, pre-main sequence eclipsing binary that shows evidence of a circumbinary disk. The system displays complex photometric and spectroscopic variability over a range of timescales and wavelengths. Using two optical CoRoT runs, and infrared Spitzer 3.6 and 4.5 μm observations (simultaneous with the second CoRoT run), we model the out-of-eclipse light curves. The large scale structure in both CoRoT light curves is consistent with the constructive and destructive interference of starspot signals at two slightly different periods. Using the stellar vsini 's, we infer different rotation periods: the primary is consistent with synchronisation and the secondary is slightly supersynchronous. Comparison of the raw data to the residuals of our spot model in colour-magnitude space indicates additional contributions consistent with variable dust emission and obscuration. We also identify short-duration flux dips preceding secondary eclipse in all three CoRoT and Spitzer bands. We construct a model of the inner regions of the binary and propose that these dips could be caused by partial occultation of the central binary by the accretion stream onto the primary star. Analysis of 15 VLT/FLAMES Hα profiles reveal an emission profile associated with each star: the majority is consistent with chromospheric emission but higher velocity emission is also seen, which could be due to prominences or accretion-related phenomena. In addition, simultaneous u and r-band observations from CFHT/MEGACam reveal a short-lived u-band excess consistent with either an accretion hot spot or stellar flare. The photometric and spectroscopic variations are complex but are consistent with the picture of two active stars possibly undergoing non-steady, low-level accretion; the system's very high inclination provides a new view of such variability.

On the energy dissipation rate at the inner edge of circumbinary disks

On the energy dissipation rate at the inner edge of circumbinary discs

Authors:

Tarquem et al

Abstract:

We study, by means of numerical simulations and analysis, the details of the accretion process from a disc onto a binary system. We show that energy is dissipated at the edge of a circumbinary disc and this is associated with the tidal torque that maintains the cavity: angular momentum is transferred from the binary to the disc through the action of compressional shocks and viscous friction. These shocks can be viewed as being produced by fluid elements which drift into the cavity and, before being accreted, are accelerated onto trajectories that send them back to impact the disc. The rate of energy dissipation is approximately equal to the product of potential energy per unit mass at the disc's inner edge and the accretion rate, estimated from the disc parameters just beyond the cavity edge, that would occur without the binary. For very thin discs, the actual accretion rate onto the binary may be significantly less. We calculate the energy emitted by a circumbinary disc taking into account energy dissipation at the inner edge and also irradiation arising there from reprocessing of light from the stars. We find that, for tight PMS binaries, the SED is dominated by emission from the inner edge at wavelengths between 1-4 and 10 μm. This may apply to systems like CoRoT 223992193 and V1481 Ori.

The Frequency Of Binary Star Interlopers Amongst Transitional Disks

The Frequency Of Binary Star Interlopers Amongst Transitional Discs

Authors:

Ruíz-Rodríguez et al

Abstract:

Using Non-Redundant Mask interferometry (NRM), we searched for binary companions to objects previously classified as Transitional Disks (TD). These objects are thought to be an evolutionary stage between an optically thick disk and optically thin disk. We investigate the presence of a stellar companion as a possible mechanism of material depletion in the inner region of these disks, which would rule out an ongoing planetary formation process in distances comparable to the binary separation. For our detection limits, we implement a new method of completeness correction using a combination of randomly sampled binary orbits and Bayesian inference. The selected sample of 24 TDs belong to the nearby and young star forming regions: Ophiuchus (∼ 130 pc), Taurus-Auriga (∼ 140 pc) and IC348 ( ∼ 220 pc). These regions are suitable to resolve faint stellar companions with moderate to high confidence levels at distances as low as 2 au from the central star. With a total of 31 objects, including 11 known TDs and circumbinary disks from the literature, we have found that a fraction of 0.38 ± 0.09 of the SEDs of these objects are likely due to the tidal interaction between a close binary and its disk, while the remaining SEDs are likely the result of other internal processes such as photoevaporation, grain growth, planet disk interactions. In addition, we detected four companions orbiting outside the area of the truncation radii and we propose that the IR excesses of these systems are due to a disk orbiting a secondary companion

ROTATIONALLY DRIVEN FRAGMENTATION IN THE FORMATION OF THE BINARY PROTOSTELLAR SYSTEM L1551 IRS 5

ROTATIONALLY DRIVEN FRAGMENTATION IN THE FORMATION OF THE BINARY PROTOSTELLAR SYSTEM L1551 IRS 5

Authors:

Lim et al

Abstract:

Both bulk rotation and local turbulence have been widely suggested to drive the fragmentation in collapsing cores that produces multiple star systems. Even when the two mechanisms predict different alignments for stellar spins and orbits, subsequent internal or external interactions can drive multiple systems toward or away from alignment, thus masking their formation processes. Here, we demonstrate that the geometrical and dynamical relationship between a binary system and its surrounding bulk envelope provide the crucial distinction between fragmentation models. We find that the circumstellar disks of the binary protostellar system L1551 IRS 5 are closely parallel, not just with each other but also with their surrounding flattened envelope. Measurements of the relative proper motion of the binary components spanning nearly 30 years indicate an orbital motion related to that of the envelope rotation. Eliminating orbital solutions whereby the circumstellar disks would be tidally truncated to sizes smaller than observed, the remaining solutions favor a circular or low-eccentricity orbit tilted by up to ~25° from the circumstellar disks. Turbulence-driven fragmentation can generate local angular momentum to produce a coplanar binary system, but this would have no particular relationship to the system's surrounding envelope. Instead, the observed properties conform with predictions for rotationally driven fragmentation. If the fragments were produced at different heights or on opposite sides of the mid-plane in the flattened central region of a rotating core, the resulting protostars would then exhibit circumstellar disks parallel with the surrounding envelope but tilted from the orbital plane, as is observed.

94 Ceti: a triple star with a planet and dust disk

94 Ceti: a triple star with a planet and dust disc

Authors:

Wiegert et al

Abstract:

94 Ceti is a triple star system with a circumprimary gas giant planet and far-infrared excess. Such excesses around main sequence stars are likely due to debris discs, and are considered as signposts of planetary systems and, therefore, provide important insights into the configuration and evolution of the planetary system. Consequently, in order to learn more about the 94 Ceti system, we aim to precisely model the dust emission to fit its observed SED and to simulate its orbital dynamics. We interpret our APEX bolometric observations and complement them with archived Spitzer and Herschel bolometric data to explore the stellar excess and to map out background sources in the fields. Dynamical simulations and 3D radiative transfer calculations were used to constrain the debris disc configurations and model the dust emission. The best fit dust disc model for 94 Ceti implies a circumbinary disc around the secondary pair, limited by dynamics to radii smaller than 40 AU and with a grain size power-law distribution of ~a^-3.5. This model exhibits a dust-to-star luminosity ratio of 4.6+-0.4*10^-6. The system is dynamically stable and N-body symplectic simulations results are consistent with semi-analytical equations that describe orbits in binary systems. In the observations we also find tentative evidence of a circumtertiary ring that could be edge-on.

A Dwarf Protoplanetary Disk around XZ Tau B

A Dwarf Protoplanetary Disk around XZ Tau B

Authors:

Osorio et al

Abstract:

We report the discovery of a dwarf protoplanetary disk around the star XZ Tau B that shows all the features of a classical transitional disk but on a much smaller scale. The disk has been imaged with the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA), revealing that its dust emission has a quite small radius of ~ 3.4 au and presents a central cavity of ~ 1.3 au in radius that we attribute to clearing by a compact system of orbiting (proto)planets. Given the very small radii involved, evolution is expected to be much faster in this disk (observable changes in a few months) than in classical disks (observable changes requiring decades) and easy to monitor with observations in the near future. From our modeling we estimate that the mass of the disk is large enough to form a compact planetary system.

Carrying a Torch for Dust in Binary Star Systems

Carrying a Torch for Dust in Binary Star Systems

Authors:

Cotton et al

Abstract:

Young stars are frequently observed to host circumstellar disks, within which their attendant planetary systems are formed. Scattered light imaging of these proto-planetary disks reveals a rich variety of structures including spirals, gaps and clumps. Self-consistent modelling of both imaging and multi-wavelength photometry enables the best interpretation of the location and size distribution of disks' dust. Epsilon Sagittarii is an unusual star system. It is a binary system with a B9.5III primary that is also believed to host a debris disk in an unstable configuration. Recent polarimetric measurements of the system with the High Precision Polarimetric Instrument (HIPPI) revealed an unexpectedly high fractional linear polarisation, one greater than the fractional infrared excess of the system. Here we develop a spectral energy distribution model for the system and use this as a basis for radiative transfer modelling of its polarisation with the RADMC-3D software package. The measured polarisation can be reproduced for grain sizes around 2.0 microns.

Protoplanetary Disks in Misaligned Binary Systems

Discs in misaligned binary systems

Authors:

Rawiraswattana et al

Abstract:

We perform SPH simulations to study precession and changes in alignment between the circumprimary disc and the binary orbit in misaligned binary systems. We find that the precession process can be described by the rigid-disc approximation, where the disc is considered as a rigid body interacting with the binary companion only gravitationally. Precession also causes change in alignment between the rotational axis of the disc and the spin axis of the primary star. This type of alignment is of great important for explaining the origin of spin-orbit misaligned planetary systems. However, we find that the rigid-disc approximation fails to describe changes in alignment between the disc and the binary orbit. This is because the alignment process is a consequence of interactions that involve the fluidity of the disc, such as the tidal interaction and the encounter interaction. Furthermore, simulation results show that there are not only alignment processes, which bring the components towards alignment, but also anti-alignment processes, which tend to misalign the components. The alignment process dominates in systems with misalignment angle near 90°, while the anti-alignment process dominates in systems with the misalignment angle near 0° or 180°. This means that highly misaligned systems will become more aligned but slightly misaligned systems will become more misaligned.

High spatial resolution optical imaging of the multiple T Tauri system LkHα 262/LkHα 263

High spatial resolution optical imaging of the multiple T Tauri system LkHα 262/LkHα 263

Authors:

Valesco et al

Abstract:

We report high spatial resolution i’ band imaging of the multiple T Tauri system LkHα 262/LkHα 263 obtained during the first commissioning period of the Adaptive Optics Lucky Imager (AOLI) at the 4.2 m William Herschel Telescope, using its Lucky Imaging mode. AOLI images have provided photometry for each of the two components LkHα 263 A and B (0.41 arcsec separation) and marginal evidence for an unresolved binary or a disc in LkHα 262. The AOLI data combined with previously available and newly obtained optical and infrared imaging show that the three components of LkHα 263 are co-moving, that there is orbital motion in the AB pair, and, remarkably, that LkHα 262-263 is a common proper motion system with less than 1 mas/yr relative motion. We argue that this is a likely five-component gravitationally bounded system. According to BT-settl models the mass of each of the five components is close to 0.4 M⊙ and the age is in the range 1-2 Myr. The presence of discs in some of the components offers an interesting opportunity to investigate the formation and evolution of discs in the early stages of multiple very low-mass systems. In particular, we provide tentative evidence that the disc in 263C could be coplanar with the orbit of 263AB.

How Circumbinary Gas Giants Kepler-16 & Kepler-34 Could Have Formed

Modelling circumbinary protoplanetary disks II. Gas disk feedback on planetesimal dynamical and collisional evolution in the circumbinary systems Kepler-16 and 34

Authors:

Lines et al

Abstract:

Aims.

We investigate the feasibility of planetesimal growth in circumbinary protoplanetary disks around the observed systems Kepler- 16 and Kepler-34 under the gravitational influence of a precessing eccentric gas disk.

Methods.

We embed the results of our previous hydrodynamical simulations of protoplanetary disks around binaries into an N-body code to perform 3D, high-resolution, inter-particle gravity-enabled simulations of planetesimal growth and dynamics that include the gravitational force imparted by the gas.

Results.

Including the full, precessing asymmetric gas disk generates high eccentricity orbits for planetesimals orbiting at the edge of the circumbinary cavity, where the gas surface density and eccentricity have their largest values. The gas disk is able to efficiently align planetesimal pericenters in some regions leading to phased, non-interacting orbits. Outside of these areas eccentric planetesimal orbits become misaligned and overlap leading to crossing orbits and high relative velocities during planetesimal collisions. This can lead to an increase in the number of erosive collisions that far outweighs the number of collisions that result in growth. Gravitational focusing from the static axisymmetric gas disk is weak and does not significantly alter collision outcomes from the gas free case.

Conclusions.

Due to asymmetries in the gas disk, planetesimals are strongly perturbed onto highly eccentric orbits. Where planetesimals orbits are not well aligned, orbit crossings lead to an increase in the number of erosive collisions. This makes it difficult for sustained planetesimal accretion to occur at the location of Kepler-16b and Kepler-34b and we therefore rule out in-situ growth. This adds further support to our initial suggestions that most circumbinary planets should form further out in the disk and migrate inwards.

Imaging the dust sublimation front of a circumbinary disk

Imaging the dust sublimation front of a circumbinary disk

Authors:

Hillen et al

Abstract:

Aims.

We present the first near-IR milli-arcsecond-scale image of a post-AGB binary that is surrounded by hot circumbinary dust.

Methods.

A very rich interferometric data set in six spectral channels was acquired of IRAS 08544-4431 with the new RAPID camera on the PIONIER beam combiner at the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI). A broadband image in the H-band was reconstructed by combining the data of all spectral channels using the SPARCO method.

Results.

We spatially separate all the building blocks of the IRAS 08544-4431 system in our milliarcsecond-resolution image. Our dissection reveals a dust sublimation front that is strikingly similar to that expected in early-stage protoplanetary disks, as well as an unexpected flux signal of ~4% from the secondary star. The energy output from this companion indicates the presence of a compact circum-companion accretion disk, which is likely the origin of the fast outflow detected in Hα.

Conclusions.

Our image provides the most detailed view into the heart of a dusty circumstellar disk to date. Our results demonstrate that binary evolution processes and circumstellar disk evolution can be studied in detail in space and over time.

ALMA's Observations of the Circumbinary Disk of DQ Tauri

A Disk-based Dynamical Constraint on the Mass of the Young Binary DQ Tau

Authors:

Czekala et al

Abstract:

We present new ALMA observations of CO J=2−1 line emission from the DQ Tau circumbinary disk. These data are used to tomographically reconstruct the Keplerian disk velocity field in a forward-modeling inference framework, and thereby provide a dynamical constraint on the mass of the DQ Tau binary of M∗=1.27+0.46−0.27M⊙. Those results are compared with an updated and improved orbital solution for this double-lined system based on long-term monitoring of its stellar radial velocities. Both of these independent dynamical constraints on the binary mass are in excellent agreement: taken together, they demonstrate that the DQ Tau system mass is 1.21±0.26M⊙ and that the disk and binary orbital planes are aligned within 3∘ (at 3σ confidence). The predictions of various theoretical models for pre-main sequence stellar evolution are also consistent with these masses, although more detailed comparisons are difficult due to lingering uncertainties in the photospheric properties of the individual components. DQ Tau is the third nearly equal-mass double-lined spectroscopic binary with a circumbinary disk that has been dynamically "weighed" with these two independent techniques: all show consistent results, validating the overall accuracy of the disk-based approach and demonstrating that it can be robustly applied to large samples of young, single stars as ALMA ramps up to operations at full capacity.

Atomic Oxygen Detected in SS 433's Circumbinary Disk

SS 433: O I lines and the circumbinary disk

Author:

Bowler

Abstract:

Atomic oxygen emission at 8446 Angstroms traces the stable circumbinary disk undisturbed through an optical outburst and accompanying radio flare

Binary Star System AK Sco Appears to Have Circumbinary Planets

Detection of Sharp Symmetric Features in the Circumbinary Disk Around AK Sco

Authors:

Jansen et al

Abstract:

The Search for Planets Orbiting Two Stars (SPOTS) survey aims to study the formation and distribution of planets in binary systems by detecting and characterizing circumbinary planets and their formation environments through direct imaging. With the SPHERE Extreme Adaptive Optics instrument, a good contrast can be achieved even at small (less than 300 mas) separations from bright stars, which enables studies of planets and disks in a separation range that was previously inaccessible. Here, we report the discovery of resolved scattered light emission from the circumbinary disk around the well-studied young double star AK Sco, at projected separations in the ~13--40 AU range. The sharp morphology of the imaged feature is surprising, given the smooth appearance of the disk in its spectral energy distribution. We show that the observed morphology can be represented either as a highly eccentric ring around AK Sco, or as two separate spiral arms in the disk, wound in opposite directions. The relative merits of these interpretations are discussed, as well as whether these features may have been caused by one or several circumbinary planets interacting with the disk.

Jets From Warped Disks in Binary Systems

Wobbling and precessing jets from warped disks in binary systems

Authors:

Sheikhnezami et al

Abstract:

We present results of the first ever three-dimensional (3D) magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations of the accretion-ejection structure. We investigate the 3D evolution of jets launched symmetrically from single stars but also jets from warped disks in binary systems. We have applied various model setups and tested them by simulating a stable and bipolar symmetric 3D structure from a single star-disk-jet system. Our reference simulation maintains a good axial symmetry and also a bipolar symmetry for more than 600 rotations of the inner disk confirming the quality of our model setup. We have then implemented a 3D gravitational potential (Roche potential) due to a companion star and run a variety of simulations with different binary separations and mass ratios. These simulations show typical 3D deviations from axial symmetry, such as jet inclination outside the Roche lobe or spiral arms forming in the accretion disk. In order to find indication for precession effects, we have also run an exemplary parameter setup, essentially governed by a small binary separation of only ≃200 inner disk radii. This simulation shows strong indication that we observe the onset of a jet precession caused by the wobbling of the jet launching disk. We estimate the opening angle of the precession cone defined by the lateral motion of the the jet axis of about 4 degree after about 5000 dynamical time steps.

Eclipsing Binary CoRoT 223992193 Appears to Have a Circumpibary Protoplanetary Disk

A circumbinary disc model for the variability of the eclipsing binary CoRoT 223992193

Authors:

Terquem et al

Abstract:

We calculate the flux received from a binary system obscured by a circumbinary disc. The disc is modelled using two dimensional hydrodynamical simulations, and the vertical structure is derived by assuming it is isothermal. The gravitational torque from the binary creates a cavity in the disc's inner parts. If the line of sight along which the system is observed has a high inclination I, it intersects the disc and some absorption is produced. As the system is not axisymmetric, the resulting light curve displays variability. We calculate the absorption and produce light curves for different values of the dust disc aspect ratio H/r and mass of dust in the cavity Mdust. This model is applied to the high inclination (I=85∘) eclipsing binary CoRoT 223992193, which shows 5-10% residual photometric variability after the eclipses and a spot model are subtracted. We find that such variations for I∼85∘ can be obtained for H/r=10−3 and Mdust≥10−12 M⊙. For higher H/r, Mdust would have to be close to this lower value and I somewhat less than 85∘. Our results show that such variability in a system where the stars are at least 90% visible at all phases can be obtained only if absorption is produced by dust located inside the cavity. If absorption is dominated by the parts of the disc located close to or beyond the edge of the cavity, the stars are significantly obscured.

Tatooine Nurseries

Tatooine Nurseries: Structure and Evolution of Circumbinary Protoplanetary Disks

Authors:

Vartanyan et al

Abstract:

Recent discoveries of circumbinary planets by Kepler mission provide motivation for understanding their birthplaces - protoplanetary disks around stellar binaries with separations less than 1 AU. We explore properties and evolution of such circumbinary disks focusing on modification of their structure caused by tidal coupling to the binary. We develop a set of analytical scaling relations describing viscous evolution of the disk properties, which are verified and calibrated using 1D numerical calculations with realistic inputs. Injection of angular momentum by the central binary suppresses mass accretion onto the binary and causes radial distribution of the viscous angular momentum flux F_J to be different from that in a standard accretion disk around a single star with no torque at the center. Disks with no mass accretion at the center develop F_J profile which is flat in radius. Radial profiles of temperature and surface density are also quite different from those in disks around single stars. Damping of the density waves driven by the binary and viscous dissipation dominate heating of the inner disk (within 1-2 AU), pushing the iceline beyond 3-5 AU, depending on disk mass and age. Irradiation by the binary governs disk thermodynamics beyond ~10 AU. However, self-shadowing by the hot inner disk may render central illumination irrelevant out to ~20 AU. Spectral energy distribution of a circumbinary disk exhibits a distinctive bump around 10 micron, which may facilitate identification of such disks around unresolved binaries. Efficient tidal coupling to the disk drives orbital inspiral of the binary and may cause low-mass and compact binaries to merge into a single star within the disk lifetime. We generally find that circumbinary disks present favorable sites for planet formation (despite wider zone of volatile depletion), in agreement with the statistics of Kepler circumbinary planets.

Cool and Luminous Transients from Mass-Losing Binary Stars

Cool and Luminous Transients from Mass-Losing Binary Stars

Authors:

Pejcha et al

Abstract:

We study transients produced by equatorial disk-like outflows from catastrophically mass-losing binary stars with an asymptotic velocity and energy deposition rate near the inner edge which are proportional to the binary escape velocity v_esc. As a test case, we present the first smoothed-particle radiation-hydrodynamics calculations of the mass loss from the outer Lagrange point with realistic equation of state and opacities. The resulting spiral stream becomes unbound for binary mass ratios 0.06 less than q less than 0.8. For synchronous binaries with non-degenerate components, the spiral-stream arms merge at a radius of ~10a, where a is the binary semi-major axis, and the accompanying shock thermalizes 10-20% of the kinetic power of the outflow. The mass-losing binary outflows produce luminosities proportional to the mass loss rate and v_esc, reaching up to ~10^6 L_Sun. The effective temperatures depend primarily on v_esc and span 500 less than T_eff less than 6000 K. Dust readily forms in the outflow, potentially in a catastrophic global cooling transition. The appearance of the transient is viewing angle-dependent due to vastly different optical depths parallel and perpendicular to the binary plane. The predicted peak luminosities, timescales, and effective temperatures of mass-losing binaries are compatible with those of many of the class of recently-discovered red transients such as V838 Mon and V1309 Sco. We predict a correlation between the peak luminosity and the outflow velocity, which is roughly obeyed by the known red transients. Outflows from mass-losing binaries can produce luminous (10^5 L_Sun) and cool (T_eff less than 1500 K) transients lasting a year or longer, as has potentially been detected by Spitzer surveys of nearby galaxies.