2001/03/27 by David E. Trilling, David W. Koerner, D. W. Koerner +4 · 5 citations
Chemistry · Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Molecular Spectroscopy and Structure #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1086/320332
4 pages, 3 figures, accepted by ApJL
arxiv created 2001/03/27 · openalex publication_date 2001/05/10 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
We present ground-based near-infrared (H-band) imaging of the circumstellar disk around the nearby classical T Tauri star TW Hydrae. The scattered-light image shows a face-on disk with a radius of 4# (corresponding to 225 AU) and a morphology that agrees with recent images from the Hubble Space Telescope and the Very Large Array. The best-fit power-law for the disk's radial surface brightness profile obeys the law . We use our #3.3#0.3 r image and published continuum flux densities to derive properties of the disk with a simple model of emission from a flat disk. The best-fit values for disk mass and inner radius are 0.03 and 0.3 AU, respectively; the M , best-fit values for the temperature, density, and grain opacity power-law exponents (q, p, and b) are 0.7, 1.3, and 0.9, respectively. These properties are similar to those of disks around classical T Tauri stars located in more distant molecular clouds. Because of TW Hydrae's nearby location and pole-on orientation, it is a uniquely favorable object for future studies of radial disk structure at the classical T Tauri stage. Subject headings: accretion, accretion disks --- circumstellar matter --- open clusters and associations: individual (TW Hydrae) --- planetary systems: protoplanetary disks --- stars: individual (TW Hydrae) --- stars: pre--main-sequence 1.