Disk Evolution Study Through Imaging of Nearby Young Stars (DESTINYS): Dynamical Evidence of a Spiral-Arm-Driving and Gap-Opening Protoplanet from SAO 206462 Spiral Motion
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: In the early stages of planetary system formation, young exoplanets gravitationally interact with their surrounding environments and leave observable signatures on protoplanetary disks. Among these structures, a pair of nearly symmetric spiral arms can be driven by a giant protoplanet. For the double-spiraled SAO 206462 protoplanetary disk, we obtained three epochs of observations spanning 7 yr using the Very Large Telescope’s SPHERE instrument in near-infrared J-band polarized light. By jointly measuring the motion of the two spirals at three epochs, we obtained a rotation rate of −0.°85±0.°05yr−1. This rate corresponds to a protoplanet at 66±3 au on a circular orbit dynamically driving both spirals. The derived location agrees with the gap in ALMA dust-continuum observations, indicating that the spiral driver may also carve the observed gap. What is more, a dust filament at ∼63 au observed by ALMA coincides with the predicted orbit of the spiral-arm-driving protoplanet. This double-spiraled system is an ideal target for protoplanet imaging.
Source: Universe
Institutions: University of Arizona, Johns Hopkins University, Xiamen University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Côte d'Azur, Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Lagrange Laboratory, Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe – University of Galway, Data Observatory Foundation, University of Chile, University of Florida, University of Milan, Institut de Planétologie et d'Astrophysique de Grenoble, Université Grenoble Alpes, European Southern Observatory
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,728
Funders: National Science Foundation, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, European Space Agency, European Commission, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Xiamen University, National Science and Technology Council, Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, HORIZON EUROPE Framework Programme, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, National Key Research and Development Program of China
OpenAlex ID: W4405722172