What Can We Learn from Protoplanetary Disk Frequency in Young Clusters?

Author(s)

S. R. Fernandes, P. S. Teixeira, J. C. Correia, J. F. Alves, F. D. Santos, E. A. Lada, C. J. Lada

Abstract

The origin and evolution of circumstellar disks is one of the main

scientific quests intimately related with planetary formation, since

disks are known to be planetary nurseries. A study of statistically

significant young stellar populations, in different evolutionary stages

and astrophysical environments, can provide fundamental tests for

theories of disk and planet formation. We are presently conducting a

systematic broadband infrared wavelength study of ten young clusters of

different ages, in order to compare their circumstellar disk frequency.

We report our results of JHK photometry of three nearby clusters of our

sample, RCW 38, NGC 2316 and NGC 2547.

Organisation(s)

Department of Astrophysics

Volume

321

Pages

237

Publication date

12-2004

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