Hot Molecular Gas Orbiting Hot Molecular Gas Orbiting Young Stars:  Planet Forming Young Stars:  Planet Forming

Disks or Small Stellar Disks or Small Stellar Companions?Companions?

A look at data taken at the 200” Mount A look at data taken at the 200” Mount Palomar Telescope, and at NASA’s IRTF on Palomar Telescope, and at NASA’s IRTF on

Mauna KeaMauna KeaDavid Whelan, April 6, 2005David Whelan, April 6, 2005

Today I will discuss:

•What Herbig AeBe stars are and how we believe they form

•Where we went to observe Herbig AeBe stars

•Some results: expected and unexpected

•The electromagnetic spectrum and where we are looking in it

The infraredThe infrared

IR: roughly =1-200 m

spectrum

1)Condensation of dust and gas

2)Formation of a protostar surrounded by an envelope of gas and dust

3)Young star surrounded by spinning accretion disk.

The three theoretical steps for the evolution of intermediate mass stars are:

Herbig AeBe stars

Hale 200” Telescope Dome

The Control Room at the Hale Telescope

NASA’s Infrared Telescope Facility,

Mauna Kea

Some results: possible spectral features and where they come from

Molecular features in emission (CO)

Molecular features in absorption

Atomic features in emission (Br gamma)

Molecular features in absorption (cool stars)

SUNDISK

These next two slides are what two Herbig AeBe Stars’ Spectra look like…

…but sometimes, you get something you don’t expect…

Ooh! CO bandheads!

LOTS of them!

It turns out HD 41511 is a binary star, and may look like this image of Gilese A and B

http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/stars/startypes/index.shtml

THE END

THANK YOU!