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Infrared Spectroscopic Studies of Gases in the Circumstellar Environments of Young Stellar Objects

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 January 2020

Benjamin A. Sargent Open the ORCID record for Benjamin A. Sargent [Opens in a new window] ,
William J. Forrest ,
Joel D. Green ,
Edward J. Montiel ,
Curtis DeWitt  and
Matthew J. Richter
Benjamin A. Sargent
Affiliation:
Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA email: sargent@stsci.edu
William J. Forrest
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
Joel D. Green
Affiliation:
Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA email: sargent@stsci.edu
Edward J. Montiel
Affiliation:
USRA/SOFIA, NASA Ames Research Center, MS 232-12, Bldg. 232, Rm. 130-31, Moffett Field, CA 94035-000, USA
Curtis DeWitt
Affiliation:
USRA/SOFIA, NASA Ames Research Center, MS 232-12, Bldg. 232, Rm. 130-31, Moffett Field, CA 94035-000, USA
Matthew J. Richter
Affiliation:
USRA/SOFIA, NASA Ames Research Center, MS 232-12, Bldg. 232, Rm. 130-31, Moffett Field, CA 94035-000, USA
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Abstract

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The building blocks of planets in planet-forming (“protoplanetary”) disks are assembled early in the lifetime of a young star. The gas disks are relatively short-lived, with a half-life of about 3 million years, as chemical reactions modify the reservoir of material from the natal molecular cloud. Spitzer Space Telescope Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) spectra of protoplanetary disks around T Tauri stars show emission from H2O and absorption from other gases, sometimes consistent with formaldehyde, H2CO , and other times consistent with formic acid, HCOOH, in the 5-7.5 μm region. SOFIA-EXES spectra of YSOs that follow up on these Spitzer-IRS studies are presented. How the gaseous features observed between 5-7.5 μm relate to those at other wavelengths is discussed. This work suggests that water and organic molecules, which are crucial for life as we know it, are present in the habitable zones of stars at a very early age [of 1-3 million years].

Keywords

infrared: stars
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 14 , Symposium S345: Origins: From the Protosun to the First Steps of Life , August 2018 , pp. 365 - 366
Copyright
© International Astronomical Union 2020 

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