What can we Learn from Disk Frequency in Young Clusters?

Author(s)

Paula S. Teixeira, Sofia R. Fernandes, João F. Alves, José C. Correia, Charles Lada, Elizabeth Lada, Filipe D. Santos

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 statiscally

significant young stellar populations in differing 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.

In this talk we report our results of JHK photometry of two nearby

clusters in our sample L1654 and NGC 2547. Having a considerable age

difference (1-5 and 14 Myr respectively) it is expected that NGC 2547

shows a smaller frequency of disks according to present theories of disk

dissipation and planetary formation.

Organisation(s)

Department of Astrophysics

External organisation(s)

Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, European Southern Observatory (Germany), University of Florida, Gainesville

Publication date

2003

Portal url

https://ucris.univie.ac.at/portal/en/publications/what-can-we-learn-from-disk-frequency-in-young-clusters(eab1d1ac-7422-4667-94dc-daab8896b9df).html