Discovery of a nearly edge-on disk around HD 32297

Abstract

We report the discovery of a nearly edge-on disk about the A0 star HD 32297 seen in light scattered by the disk grains revealed in NICMOS PSF-subtracted coronagraphic images. The disk extends to a distance of at least 400 AU (3".3) along its major axis with a 1.1 mu m flux density of 4.81 +/- 0.57 mJy beyond a radius of 0".3 from the coronagraphically occulted star. The fraction of 1.1 mu m starlight scattered by the disk, 0.0033 +/- 0.0004, is comparable to its fractional excess emission at 25 + 60 mu m of similar to 0.0027 as measured from IRAS data. The disk appears to be inclined 10 degrees.5 +/- 2 degrees.5 from an edge-on viewing geometry, with its major axis oriented 236 degrees.5 +/- 1 degrees eastward of north. The disk exhibits unequal brightness on opposing sides and a break in the surface brightness profile along the NE-side disk major axis. Such asymmetries might implicate the existence of one or more (unseen) planetary mass companions.

Description
Keywords
circumstellar matter, infrared : stars, planetary systems : protoplanetary disks, stars : individual (HD 32297), NICMOS CORONAGRAPHIC OBSERVATIONS, Astronomy & Astrophysics
Citation
Schneider, G., et al. (2005): Discovery of a Nearly Edge-on Disk around HD 32297. The Astronomical Journal, 629(2). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1086/452631