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Spectral Energy Distributions of Passive T Tauri Disks: Inclination

Chiang, E. I. and Goldreich, Peter (1999) Spectral Energy Distributions of Passive T Tauri Disks: Inclination. Astrophysical Journal, 519 (1). pp. 279-284. ISSN 0004-637X. doi:10.1086/307351. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20130227-084127575

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Abstract

We compute spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for passive T Tauri disks viewed at arbitrary inclinations. Semianalytic models of disks in radiative and hydrostatic equilibrium are employed. Over viewing angles for which the flared disk does not occult the central star, the SED varies negligibly with inclination. For such aspects, the SED shortward of ~80 μm is particularly insensitive to orientation, since short wavelength disk emission is dominated by superheated surface layers, which are optically thin. The SED of a nearly edge-on disk is that of a class I source. The outer disk occults inner disk regions, and emission shortward of ~30 μm is dramatically extinguished. Spectral features from dust grains may appear in absorption. However, millimeter-wavelength fluxes decrease by at most a factor of 2 from face-on to edge-on orientations. We present illustrative applications of our SED models. The class I source 04108+2803B is considered a T Tauri star hidden from view by an inclined circumstellar disk. Fits to its observed SED yield model-dependent values for the disk mass of ~0.015 M_☉ and a disk inclination of ~65° relative to face-on. The class II source GM Aur represents a T Tauri star only slightly obscured by its circumstellar disk. Fitted parameters include a disk mass of ~0.050 M_☉ and an inclination of ~60°, where the viewing angle is chosen to reproduce the observed visual extinction of A_V = 0.5 mag.


Item Type:Article
Related URLs:
URLURL TypeDescription
http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/307351DOIUNSPECIFIED
http://iopscience.iop.org/0004-637X/519/1/279PublisherUNSPECIFIED
Additional Information:© 1999 American Astronomical Society. Received 1998 September 15; accepted 1999 February 3. Financial support for this research was provided by NSF grant 94-14232, NASA grant NAG5-7008, and an NSF Graduate Fellowship. We thank an anonymous referee for a careful reading of our paper and for providing suggestions that helped to improve its presentation.
Group:UNSPECIFIED, Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences
Funders:
Funding AgencyGrant Number
NSF94-14232
NASANAG5-7008
NSF Graduate FellowshipUNSPECIFIED
Subject Keywords:accretion, accretion disks - circumstellar matter - radiative transfer - stars : individual (GM Aurigae, 04108]2803B) - stars : preÈmain-sequence
Issue or Number:1
DOI:10.1086/307351
Record Number:CaltechAUTHORS:20130227-084127575
Persistent URL:https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20130227-084127575
Official Citation:Spectral Energy Distributions of Passive T Tauri Disks: Inclination E. I. Chiang and P. Goldreich 1999 ApJ 519 279
Usage Policy:No commercial reproduction, distribution, display or performance rights in this work are provided.
ID Code:37163
Collection:CaltechAUTHORS
Deposited By: Ruth Sustaita
Deposited On:28 Feb 2013 15:42
Last Modified:09 Nov 2021 23:27

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