ALBERT

Description: We present the first near-IR scattered light detection of the transitional disk associated with the Herbig Ae star MWC 758 using data obtained as part of the Strategic Exploration of Exoplanets and Disks with Subaru, and 1.1 micrometer Hubble Space Telescope/NICMOS data. While submillimeter studies suggested there is a dust-depleted cavity with r = 0".35, we find scattered light as close as 0".1 (20-28 AU) from the star, with no visible cavity at H, K', or Ks . We find two small-scaled spiral structures that asymmetrically shadow the outer disk. We model one of the spirals using spiral density wave theory, and derive a disk aspect ratio of h approximately 0.18, indicating a dynamically warm disk. If the spiral pattern is excited by a perturber, we estimate its mass to be 5(exp +3)(sub -4) M(sub J), in the range where planet filtration models predict accretion continuing onto the star. Using a combination of non-redundant aperture masking data at L' and angular differential imaging with Locally Optimized Combination of Images at K' and Ks , we exclude stellar or massive brown dwarf companions within 300 mas of the Herbig Ae star, and all but planetary mass companions exterior to 0".5. We reach 5 sigma contrasts limiting companions to planetary masses, 3-4 M(sub J) at 1".0 and 2 M(sub J) at 1".55, using the COND models. Collectively, these data strengthen the case for MWC 758 already being a young planetary system.

Description: We present high resolution H-band polarized intensity (PI; FWHM = 0."1: 14 AU) and L'-band imaging data (FWHM = 0."11: 15 AU) of the circumstellar disk around the weak-lined T Tauri star PDS 70 in Centaurus at a radial distance of 28 AU (0."2) up to 210 AU (1."5). In both images, a giant inner gap is clearly resolved for the first time, and the radius of the gap is approx.70 AU. Our data show that the geometric center of the disk shifts by approx.6 AU toward the minor axis. We confirm that the brown dwarf companion candidate to the north of PDS 70 is a background star based on its proper motion. As a result of SED fitting by Monte Carlo radiative transfer modeling, we infer the existence of an optically thick inner disk at a few AU. Combining our observations and modeling, we classify the disk of PDS 70 as a pre-transitional disk. Furthermore, based on the analysis of L'-band imaging data, we put an upper limit mass of companions at approx.30 to approx.50MJ within the gap. Taking account of the presence of the large and sharp gap, we suggest that the gap could be formed by dynamical interactions of sub-stellar companions or multiple unseen giant planets in the gap. Subject headings: planetary systems - protoplanetary disks - stars: individual (PDS 70) - stars: pre-main sequence - polarization

Description: PDS 144 is a pair of Herbig Ae stars that are separated by 5.35" on the sky. It has previously been shown to have an A2Ve Herbig Ae star viewed at 83 deg inclination as its northern member and an A5Ve Herbig Ae star as its southern member. Direct imagery revealed a disk occulting PDS 144 N - the first edge-on disk observed around a Herbig Ae star. The lack of an obvious disk in direct imagery suggested PDS 144 S might be viewed face-on or not physically associated with PDS 144 N. Multi-epoch HST imagery of PDS 144 with a 5 yr baseline demonstrates PDS 144 N & S are comoving and have a common proper motion with TYC 6782-878-1. TYC 6782-878-1 has previously been identified as a member of Upper Sco sub-association A at d = 145 +/- 2 pc with an age of 5 - 10 Myr. Ground-based imagery reveals jets and a string of HH knots extending 13' (possibly further) which are aligned to within 7 deg +/- 6 deg on the sky. By combining proper motion data and the absence of a dark mid-plane with radial velocity data, we measure the inclination of PDS 144 S to be i = 73 deg +/- 7 deg. The radial velocity of the jets from PDS 144 N & S indicates they, and therefore their disks, are misaligned by 25 deg +/- 9 deg.. This degree of misalignment is similar to that seen in T-Tauri wide binaries.

Description: We present Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys (HST/ACS) coronagraphic observations of the Herbig Ae star HD 163296. HD 163296's scattered light disk was resolved in the F606W and F814W filters in observations obtained In 2003 and in the F435W filter in observations obtained in 2004. Analysis of single-epoch data indicates that the disk (V-I) color is redder than the observed stellar (V-I) color. This spatially uniform red disk color might be indicative of either an evolution in the grain size distribution (i.e. grain growth) and/or composition. Both of these processes would be consistent with the observed flat geometry of the outer disk, as diagnosed by the observed r$(exp -3)$ power law behavior of its median azimuthally averaged disk surface brightness, which suggest that grain evolution is occurring. Comparison of ACS and STIS epoch scattered light data reveals differences in the observed disk surface brightnesses, of order 1 mag arcsec$(exp -2)$, in both V and white-light filter bandpasses. Along with the observed variability in the visibility and surface brightness of the ansa(e) in the disk, and spectropolarimetric variability of the system, these results suggest that the resolved scattered light disk is variable, a phenomenon not previously observed in any other Herbig protoplanetary system We speculate that the observed behavior might be attributable to the variable inflation of the scale height of the inner disk wall, which results in variable self-shadowing of the outer disk.

Description: We present high-contrast images of HR 4796 A taken with Subaru/HiCIAO in H-band, resolving the debris disk in scattered light. The application of specialized angular differential imaging methods (ADI) allows us to trace the inner edge of the disk with high precision, and reveals a pair of "streamers" extending radially outwards from the ansae. Using a simple disk model with a power-law surface brightness profile, we demonstrate that the observed streamers can be understood as part of the smoothly tapered outer boundary of the debris disk, which is most visible at the ansae. Our observations are consistent with the expected result of a narrow planetesimal ring being ground up in a collisional cascade, yielding dust with a wide range of grain sizes. Radiation forces leave large grains in the ring and push smaller grains onto elliptical, or even hyperbolic trajectories. We measure and characterize the disk's surface brightness profile, and confirm the previously suspected offset of the disk's center from the star's position along the ring's major axis. Furthermore, we present first evidence for an offset along the minor axis. Such offsets are commonly viewed as signposts for the presence of unseen planets within a disk's cavity. Our images also offer new constraints on the presence of companions down to the planetary mass regime (approx 9 M(sub Jup) at 0".5, approx 3 M(sub Jup) at 1").

Description: We report new observations of the nova RS Ophiuchi (RS Oph) using the Keck Interferometer Nulling Instrument, approximately 3.8 days following the most recent outburst that occurred on 2006 February 12. The Keck Interferometer Nuller (KIN) operates in K-band from 8 to 12.5 pm in a nulling mode, which means that the central broad-band interference fringe is a dark fringe - with an angular width of 25 mas at mid band - rather than the bright fringe used ill a conventional optical interferometer. In this mode the stellar light itself is suppressed by the destructive fringe, effectively enhancing the contrast of the circumstellar material located near the star. By subsequently shifting the neighboring bright fringe onto the center of the source brightness distribution and integrating, a second spatial regime dominated by light from the central portion of the source is almost simultaneously sampled. The nulling technique is the sparse aperture equivalent of the conventional corongraphic technique used in filled aperture telescopes. By fitting the unique KIK inner and outer spatial regime data, we have obtained an angular size of the mid-infrared continuum of 6.2, 4.0. or 5.4 mas for a disk profile, gaussian profile (fwhm), and shell profile respectively. The data show evidence of enhanced neutral atomic hydrogen emission located in the inner spatial regime relative to the outer regime. There is also evidence of a 9.7 micron silicate feature seen outside of this region. Importantly, we see spectral lines excited by the nova flash in the outer region before the blast wave reaches these regions. These lines are from neutral, weakly excited atoms which support the following interpretation. We discuss the present results in terms of a unifying model of the system that includes an increase in density in the plane of the orbit of the two stars created by a spiral shock wave caused by the motion of the stars through the cool wind of the red giant star. These data show the power and potential of the nulling technique which has been developed for the detection of Earth-like planets around nearby stars for the Terrestrial Planet Finder Mission and Darwin missions.

Description: We present the preliminary results of near contemporaneous optical and infrared spectroscopic observations of select classical Be stars. We find strong evidence of oppositely oriented V/R hydrogen line profiles in the optical versus infrared spectra of zeta Tau, and briefly discuss how sustained contemporaneous optical and infrared spectroscopic observations might enable us to trace the detailed density structure of classical Be circumstellar disks.

Description: Photometric 2-color diagram (2-CD) surveys of young cluster populations have been used to identify populations of B-type stars exhibiting excess Ha emission. The prevalence of these excess emitters, assumed to be "Be stars". has led to the establishment of links between the onset of disk formation in classical Be stars and cluster age and/or metallicity. We have obtained imaging polarization observations of six SMC and six LMC clusters whose candidate Be populations had been previously identified via 2-CDs. The interstellar polarization (ISP) associated with these data has been identified to facilitate an examination of the circumstellar environments of these candidate Be stars via their intrinsic polarization signatures, hence determine the true nature of these objects. We determined that the ISP associated with the SMC cluster NGC 330 was characterized by a modified Serkowski law with a lambda(sub max) of approx. 4500Angstroms, indicating the presence of smaller than average dust grains. The morphology of the ISP associated with the LMC cluster NGC 2100 suggests that its interstellar environment is characterized by a complex magnetic field. Our intrinsic polarization results confirm the suggestion of Wisniewski et al. that a substantial number of bona-fide classical Be stars are present in clusters of age 5-8 Myr. Hence, our data contradict recent assertions that the Be phenomenon develops in the second half of a B star's main sequence lifetime, i.e. no earlier than 10 Myr. These data imply that a significant number of B-type stars must emerge onto the zero-age-main-sequence rotating at near-critical rotation rates, although we can not rule out the possibility that these data instead reveal the presence of a sub-group of the Be phenomenon characterized by sub-critically rotating objects. Comparing the polarimetric properties of our dataset to a similar survey of Galactic classical Be stars, we find that the prevalence of polarimetric Balmer jump signatures decreases with metallicity. We speculate that these results might indicate that either it is more difficult to form large disk systems in low metallicity environments, or that the average disk temperature is higher in these low metallicity environments. We have characterized the polarimetric signatures of all candidate Be stars in our data sample and find approx. 25% are unlikely to arise from true classical Be star-disk systems. This detection of such a substantial number "contaminants" suggests one should proceed with caution when attempting to determine the role of evolutionary age and/or metallicity in the Be phenomenon purely via 2-CD results.

Description: Context. We previously reported the direct detection of a low mass companion at a projected separation of 55+/-2 astronomical units around the B9 type star kappa Andromedae. The properties of the system (mass ratio, separation) make it a benchmark for the understanding of the formation and evolution of gas giant planets and brown dwarfs on wide-orbits. Aims. We present new angular differential imaging (ADI) images of the system at 2.146 (K(sub s)), 3.776 (L'), 4.052 (NB 4.05) and 4.78 micrometers (M') obtained with Keck/NIRC2 and LBTI/LMIRCam, as well as more accurate near-infrared photometry of the star with the MIMIR instrument. We aim to determine the near-infrared spectral energy distribution (SED) of the companion and use it to characterize the object. Methods. We used analysis methods adapted to ADI to extract the companion flux. We compared the photometry of the object to reference young/old objects and to a set of seven PHOENIX-based atmospheric models of cool objects accounting for the formation of dust. We used evolutionary models to derive mass estimates considering a wide range of plausible initial conditions. Finally, we used dedicated formation models to discuss the possible origin of the companion. Results. We derive a more accurate J = 15.86 +/- 0.21, H = 14.95 +/- 0.13, K(sub s) = 14.32 +/- 0.09 mag for kappa And b. We redetect the companion in all our high contrast observations. We confirm previous contrasts obtained at K(sub s) and L' band. We derive NB 4.05 = 13.0 +/- 0.2 and M' = 13.3 +/- 0.3 mag and estimate Log(base 10)(L/solar luminosity) = 3.76 +/- 0.06. Atmospheric models yield T(sub eff) = 1900(+100/200) K. They do not set constrains on the surface gravity. "Hot-start" evolutionary models predict masses of 14(+25/2) Jupiter mass based on the luminosity and temperature estimates, and considering a conservative age range for the system (30(+120/10) million years). "warm-start" evolutionary tracks constrain the mass to M greater than or equal to 11 Jupiter mass. Conclusions. The mass of kappa Andromedae b mostly falls in the brown-dwarf regime, due to remaining uncertainties in age and mass-luminosity models. According to the formation models, disk instability in a primordial disk could account for the position and a wide range of plausible masses of kappa and b.