2008/12/15 by B. Uzpen, Henry A. Kobulnicky, H. A. Kobulnicky +2
Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Astronomy #Astrophysics #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Circumstellar disk #Debris #Debris disk #Infrared #Infrared excess #Physics #Planetary system #Sky #Star formation #Stars #Stellar classification #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1088/0004-6256/137/2/3329
4 Figures. Accepted in the Astronomical Journal
arxiv created 2008/12/15 · openalex publication_date 2009/01/28 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
The incidence of dusty debris disks around low- and intermediate-mass stars has been investigated numerous times in order to understand the early stages of planet formation. Most notably, the Infrared Astronomical Satellite ( IRAS ) mission observed the entire sky at mid- and far-infrared (IR) wavelengths, identifying the first debris disk systems, but was unable to detect a statistically significant sample of warm debris disks due to its limited sensitivity at 12 μm. Using Tycho-2 Spectral Catalog stars previously shown to exhibit 8 μm mid-IR circumstellar excesses confirmed at 24 μm in the Spitzer Galactic Legacy Infrared MidPlane Survey Extraordinaire (GLIMPSE) survey, we investigate the frequency of mid-IR excesses among intermediate-mass (2–4 M ☉ ) stars in a complete volume-limited sample. Our study of 338 stars is four times larger than a complete sample of 12 μm sources from the IRAS Point Source Catalog. We find that 0.3% ± 0.3% of intermediate-mass stars exhibit a signature of a possible terrestrial-temperature debris disks at wavelengths of 8 μm and greater. We also find that 1.2% ± 0.6% of intermediate-mass stars exhibit evidence for circumstellar disks undergoing inner disk clearing, i.e., candidate transition disk systems. Using stellar lifetimes and the frequency of transition and primordial disks within a given spectral type, we find that pre-main-sequence disks around intermediate-mass stars dissipate in 5 ± 2 Myr, consistent with other studies.