ALMA Resolves CI Emission from the beta Pictoris Debris Disk

作者：Cataldi Gianni; Brandeker Alexis; Wu Yanqin; Chen Christine; Dents William; de Vries Bernard L; Kamp Inga; Liseau Rene; Olofsson Goran; Pantin Eric; Roberge Aki

来源：Astrophysical Journal, 2018, 861(1): 72.

DOI：10.3847/1538-4357/aac5f3

• circumstellar matter
• methods: observational
• radiative transfer
• stars: individual (beta Pictoris)
• submillimeter: planetary systems
• techniques: interferometric

The debris disk around beta Pictoris is known to contain gas. Previous ALMA observations revealed a CO belt at similar to 85 au with a distinct clump, interpreted as a location of enhanced gas production. Photodissociation converts CO into C and O within similar to 50 a. We resolve C I emission at 492 GHz using ALMA and study its spatial distribution. C I shows the same clump as seen for CO. This is surprising, as C is expected to quickly spread in azimuth. We derive a low C mass (between 5 x 10(-4) and 3.1 x 10(-3) MA(circle plus)), indicating that gas production started only recently (within similar to 5000 a). No evidence is seen for an atomic accretion disk inward of the CO belt, perhaps because the gas did not yet have time to spread radially. The fact that C and CO share the same asymmetry argues against a previously proposed scenario where the clump is due to an outward-migrating planet trapping planetesimals in a resonance, nor can the observations be explained by an eccentric planetesimal belt secularly forced by a planet. Instead, we suggest that the dust and gas disks should be eccentric. Such a configuration, we further speculate, might be produced by a recent tidal disruption event. Assuming that the disrupted body has had a CO mass fraction of 10%, its total mass would be greater than or similar to 3M(Moon).

• 出版日期2018-7-1
• 单位中国科学院国家天文台