Mid‐Infrared Spectra of Dust Debris around Main‐Sequence Stars

Year: 2004

Type: article

Abstract: We report spectra obtained with the Spitzer Space Telescope in the λ = 14-35 μm range of 19 nearby main-sequence stars with infrared excesses. The six stars with strong dust emission show no recognizable spectral features, suggesting that the bulk of the emitting particles have diameters larger than 10 μm. If the observed dust results from collisional grinding of larger solids, we infer minimum masses of the parent body population between 0.004 and 0.06 M ⊕ . We estimate grain production rates of ∼10 10 g s -1 around λ Boo and HR 1570; selective accretion of this matter may help explain their peculiar surface abundances. There appear to be inner truncations in the dust clouds at 48, 11, 52, and 54 AU around HR 333, HR 506, HR 1082, and HR 3927, respectively.

Source: The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series

DOI: 10.1086/422975

Institutions: University of California, Los Angeles, California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Cornell University, University of Rochester, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Leiden Observatory, Ithaca College, Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian

Language: English

Topic: Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies

Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, California Institute of Technology, University of Rochester, Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Award: G195365207

OpenAlex ID: W1985443396