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We present here the first ever mid-infrared spectroscopic time series observation of the transiting exoplanet L 168-9 b with the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) on the James Webb Space Telescope. The data were obtained as part of the MIRI commissioning activities, to characterize the performance of the Low Resolution Spectroscopy (LRS) mode for these challenging observations. To assess the MIRI LRS performance, we performed two independent analyses of the data. We find that with a single transit observation we reached a spectro-photometric precision of ∼50 ppm in the 7–8 μ m range at R = 50, consistent with ∼25 ppm systematic noise. The derived band averaged transit depth is 524 ± 15 ppm and 547 ± 13 ppm for the two applied analysis methods, respectively, recovering the known transit depth to within 1 σ. The measured noise in the planet's transmission spectrum is approximately 15%–20% higher than random noise simulations over wavelengths 6.8 ≲ λ ≲ 11 μ m. We observed an larger excess noise at the shortest wavelengths of up to a factor of two, for which possible causes are discussed. This performance was achieved with limited in-flight calibration data, demonstrating the future potential of MIRI for the characterization of exoplanet atmospheres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a deep Spitzer/Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) survey of the OB association IC 1795 carried out to investigate the evolution of protoplanetary disks in regions of massive star formation. Combining Spitzer/IRAC data with Chandra/Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer observations, we find 289 cluster members. An additional 340 sources with an infrared excess, but without X-ray counterpart, are classified as cluster member candidates. Both surveys are complete down to stellar masses of about 1 M.... We present pre-main-sequence isochrones computed for the first time in the Spitzer/IRAC colors. The age of the cluster, determined via the location of the Class III sources in the [3.6]-[4.5]/[3.6] color-magnitude diagram, is in the range of 3-5 Myr. As theoretically expected, we do not find any systematic variation in the spatial distribution of disks within 0.6 pc of either O-type star in the association. However, the disk fraction in IC 1795 does depend on the stellar mass: sources with masses >2 M... have a disk fraction of ~20%, while lower mass objects (2-0.8 M...) have a disk fraction of ~50%. This implies that disks around massive stars have a shorter dissipation timescale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving our understanding of the earliest stages of star formation is crucial to gain insight into the origin of stellar masses, multiple systems, and protoplanetary disks. We discuss recent advances made in this area, thanks to submillimeter mapping observations with large single-dish telescopes and interferometers. Although ambipolar diffusion appears to be too slow cores, there is nevertheless good evidence that the gravitational collapse of isolated protostellar cores is strongly magnetically controlled. We also argue that the beginning of protostellar collapse is much more violent in cluster-forming clouds than in regions of distributed star formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We measured the mid-infrared (MIR) extinction using Spitzer photometry and spectroscopy (3.6–37 μm) for a sample of Milky Way sight lines (mostly) having measured ultraviolet extinction curves. We used the pair method to determine the MIR extinction that we then fit with a power law for the continuum and modified Drude profiles for the silicate features. We derived 16 extinction curves having a range of A(V) (1.8–5.5) and R(V) values (2.4–4.3). Our sample includes two dense sight lines that have 3 μm ice feature detections and weak 2175 Å bumps. The average A(λ)/A(V) diffuse sight-line extinction curve we calculate is lower than most previous literature measurements. This agrees better with literature diffuse dust grain models, though it is somewhat higher. The 10 μm silicate feature does not correlate with the 2175 Å bump, for the first time providing direct observational confirmation that these two features arise from different grain populations. The strength of the 10 μm silicate feature varies by ∼2.5 and is not correlated with A(V) or R(V). It is well fit by a modified Drude profile with strong correlations seen between the central wavelength, width, and asymmetry. We do not detect other features with limits in A(λ)/A(V) units of 0.0026 (5–10 μm), 0.004 (10–20 μm), and 0.008 (20–40 μm). We find that the standard prescription of estimating R(V) from C × E(Ks − V)/E(B − V) has C = −1.14 and a scatter of ∼7%. Using the IRAC 5.6 μm band instead of Ks gives C = −1.03 and the least scatter of ∼3%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The onset of planet formation in protoplanetary disks is marked by the growth and crystallization of sub-micrometer-sized dust grains accompanied by dust settling toward the disk mid-plane. Here, we present infrared spectra of disks around brown dwarfs and brown dwarf candidates. We show that all three processes occur in such cool disks in a way similar or identical to that in disks around low- and intermediate-mass stars. These results indicate that the onset of planet formation extends to disks around brown dwarfs, suggesting that planet formation is a robust process occurring in most young circumstellar disks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe the operations concept and data reduction plan for the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The overall JWST operations concept is to use observation templates (OTs) to provide a straightforward and intuitive way for users to specify observations. MIRI has four OTs that correspond to the four observing modes: (1) imaging, (2) coronagraphy, (3) low-resolution spectroscopy, and (4) medium-resolution spectroscopy. We outline the user choices and expansion of these choices into detailed instrument operations. The data reduction plans for MIRI are split into three stages, where the specificity of the reduction steps to the observation type increases with stage. The reduction starts with integration ramps: stage 1 yields uncalibrated slope images; stage 2 calibrates the slope images; and then stage 3 combines multiple calibrated slope images into high-level data products (e.g., mosaics, spectral cubes, and extracted source information). Finally, we give examples of the data and data products that will be derived from each of the four different OTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low-resolution spectrometer of the MIRI, which forms part of the imager module, will provide R ~ 100 long-slit and slitless spectroscopy from 5 to 12 μm. The design is optimized for observations of compact sources, such as exoplanet host stars. We provide here an overview of the design of the LRS, and its performance as measured during extensive test campaigns, examining in particular the delivered image quality, dispersion, and resolving power, as well as spectrophotometric performance, flatfield accuracy, and the effects of fringing. We describe the operational concept of the slitless mode, which is optimally suited to transit spectroscopy of exoplanet atmospheres. The LRS mode of the MIRI was found to perform consistently with its requirements and goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CO is an important component of a protoplanetary disc as it is one of the most abundant gas phase species. Furthermore, observations of CO transitions can be used as a diagnostic of the gas, tracing conditions in both the inner and outer disc. We present Herschel/PACS spectroscopy of a sample of 22 Herbig Ae/Be (HAEBEs) and eight T Tauri stars (TTS), covering the pure rotational CO transitions from J = 14 → 13 up to J = 49 → 48. CO is detected in only five HAEBEs, namely AB Aur, HD36112, HD97048, HD100546, and IRS 48, and in four TTS, namely AS 205, S CrA, RU Lup, and DG Tau. The highest transition detected is J = 36 → 35 with Eup of 3669 K, seen in HD100546 and DG Tau.We construct rotational diagrams for the discs with at least three CO detections to derive Trot and find average temperatures of 270 K for the HAEBEs and 485 K for the TTS. The HD100546 star requires an extra temperature component at Trot ~ 900-1000 K, suggesting a range of temperatures in its disc atmosphere, which is consistent with thermo-chemical disc models. In HAEBEs, the objects with CO detections all have flared discs in which the gas and dust are thermally decoupled. We use a small model grid to analyse our observations and find that an increased amount of flaring means higher line flux, as it increases the mass in warm gas. CO is not detected in our flat discs as the emission is below the detection limit. We find that HAEBE sources with CO detections have high LUV and strong PAH emission, which is again connected to the heating of the gas. In TTS, the objects with CO detections are all sources with evidence of a disc wind or outflow. For both groups of objects, sources with CO detections generally have high UV luminosity (either stellar in HAEBEs or due to accretion in TTS), but this is not a suffcient condition for the detection of the far-IR CO lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present Herschel-HIFI, SPIRE, and PACS 50-670 μm imaging and spectroscopy of six FU Orionis-type objects and candidates (FU Orionis, V1735 Cyg, V1515 Cyg, V1057 Cyg, V1331 Cyg, and HBC 722), ranging in outburst date from 1936 to 2010, from the "FOOSH" (FU Orionis Objects Surveyed with Herschel) program, as well as ancillary results from Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph and the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory. In their system properties (Lbol, Tbol, and line emission), we find that FUors are in a variety of evolutionary states. Additionally, some FUors have features of both Class I and II sources: warm continuum consistent with Class II sources, but rotational line emission typical of Class I, far higher than Class II sources of similar mass/luminosity. Combining several classification techniques, we find an evolutionary sequence consistent with previous mid-IR indicators. We detect [O I] in every source at luminosities consistent with Class 0/I protostars, much greater than in Class II disks. We detect transitions of 13CO (Jup of 5-8) around two sources (V1735 Cyg and HBC 722) but attribute them to nearby protostars. Of the remaining sources, three (FU Ori, V1515 Cyg, and V1331 Cyg) exhibit only low-lying CO, but one (V1057 Cyg) shows CO up to J = 23 → 22 and evidence for H2O and OH emission, at strengths typical of protostars rather than T Tauri stars. Rotational temperatures for "cool" CO components range from 20 to 81 K, for ~ 1050 total CO molecules. We detect [C I] and [N II] primarily as diffuse emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present 50-210μm spectral scans of 30 Class 0/I protostellar sources, obtained with Herschel-PACS, and 0.5-1000μm spectral energy distributions, as part of the Dust, Ice, and Gas in Time Key Program. Some sources exhibit up to 75 H2O lines ranging in excitation energy from 100 to 2000 K, 12 transitions of OH, and CO rotational lines ranging from J = 14 → 13 up to J = 40 → 39. [O I] is detected in all but one source in the entire sample; among the sources with detectable [O I] are two very low luminosity objects. The mean 63/145μm [O I] flux ratio is 17.2 ± 9.2. The [O I] 63μm line correlates with Lbol, but not with the time-averaged outflow rate derived from low-J CO maps. [C II] emission is in general not local to the source. The sample Lbol increased by 1.25 (1.06) and Tbol decreased to 0.96 (0.96) of mean (median) values with the inclusion of the Herschel data. Most CO rotational diagrams are characterized by two optically thin components (〈N〉 = (0.70 ± 1.12) × 1049 total particles). NCO correlates strongly with Lbol, but neither Trot nor NCO(warm)/NCO(hot) correlates with Lbol, suggesting that the total excited gas is related to the current source luminosity, but that the excitation is primarily determined by the physics of the interaction (e.g., UV-heating/shocks). Rotational temperatures for H2O (〈Trot〉 = 194 ± 85 K) and OH (〈Trot〉 = 183 ± 117 K) are generally lower than for CO, and much of the scatter in the observations about the best fit is attributed to differences in excitation conditions and optical depths among the detected lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph spectroscopy for 14 intermediate-mass young stellar objects (YSOs). We use Spitzer spectroscopy to investigate the physical properties of these sources and their environments. Our sample can be divided into two types of objects: young isolated, embedded objects with spectra that are dominated by ice and silicate absorption bands, and more evolved objects that are dominated by extended emission from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and pure H2 rotational lines. We are able to constrain the illuminating FUV fields by classifying the PAH bands below 9 µm. For most of the sources we are able to detect several atomic fine structure lines. In particular, the [Ne II] line appearing in two regions could originate from unresolved photodissociation regions or J-shocks. We relate the identified spectral features to observations obtained from NIR through submillimeter imaging. The spatial extent of several H2 and PAH bands is matched with morphologies identified in previous Infrared Array Camera observations. This also allows us to distinguish between the different H2 excitation mechanisms. In addition, we calculate the optical extinction from the silicate bands and use this to constrain the spectral energy distribution fit, allowing us to estimate the masses of these YSOs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present Spitzer/Infrared Spectrograph spectra of 31 T Tauri stars (TTS) and IRAM/1.3 mm observations for 34 low- and intermediate-mass stars in the Cep OB2 region. Including our previously published data, we analyze 56 TTS and 3 intermediate-mass stars with silicate features in Tr 37 (~4 Myr) and NGC 7160 (~12 Myr). The silicate emission features are well reproduced with a mixture of amorphous (with olivine, forsterite, and silica stoichiometry) and crystalline grains (forsterite, enstatite). We explore grain size and disk structure using radiative transfer disk models, finding that most objects have suffered substantial evolution (grain growth, settling). About half of the disks show inside-out evolution, with either dust-cleared inner holes or a radially dependent dust distribution, typically with larger grains and more settling in the innermost disk. The typical strong silicate features nevertheless require the presence of small dust grains, and could be explained by differential settling according to grain size, anomalous dust distributions, and/or optically thin dust populations within disk gaps. M-type stars tend to have weaker silicate emission and steeper spectral energy distributions than K-type objects. The inferred low dust masses are in a strong contrast with the relatively high gas accretion rates, suggesting global grain growth and/or an anomalous gas-to-dust ratio. Transition disks in the Cep OB2 region display strongly processed grains, suggesting that they are dominated by dust evolution and settling. Finally, the presence of rare but remarkable disks with strong accretion at old ages reveals that some very massive disks may still survive to grain growth, gravitational instabilities, and planet formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detection of molecules using infrared spectroscopy probes the conditions and compositions of exoplanet atmospheres. Water (H2O), methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), and carbon monoxide (CO) have been detected in two hot Jupiters. These previous results relied on space-based telescopes that do not provide spectroscopic capability in the 2.4–5.2 μm spectral region. Here we report ground-based observations of the dayside emission spectrum for HD 189733b between 2.0–2.4 μm and 3.1–4.1 μm, where we find a bright emission feature. Where overlap with space-based instruments exists, our results are in excellent agreement with previous measurements. A feature at ∼3.25 μm is unexpected and difficult to explain with models that assume local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) conditions at the 1 bar to 1 × 10-6 bar pressures typically sampled by infrared measurements. The most likely explanation for this feature is that it arises from non-LTE emission from CH4, similar to what is seen in the atmospheres of planets in our own Solar System. These results suggest that non-LTE effects may need to be considered when interpreting measurements of strongly irradiated exoplanets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mid-infrared atomic and ionic line ratios measured in spectra of pre-main-sequence stars are sensitive indicators of the hardness of the radiation field impinging on the disk surface. We present a low-resolution Spitzer IRS search for [Ar II] at 6.98 μm, [Ne II] at 12.81 μm, and [Ne III] 15.55 μm lines in 56 transitional disks. These objects, characterized by reduced near-infrared but strong far-infrared excess emission, are ideal targets to set constraints on the stellar radiation field onto the disk, because their spectra are not contaminated by shock emission from jets/outflows or by molecular emission lines. After demonstrating that we can detect [Ne II] lines and recover their fluxes from the low-resolution spectra, here we report the first detections of [Ar II] lines toward protoplanetary disks. We did not detect [Ne III] emission in any of our sources. Our [Ne II]/[Ne III] line flux ratios combined with literature data suggest that a soft-EUV or X-ray spectrum produces these gas lines. Furthermore, the [Ar II]/[Ne II] line flux ratios point to a soft X-ray and/or soft-EUV stellar spectrum as the ionization source of the [Ar II] and [Ne II] emitting layer of the disk. If the soft X-ray component dominates over the EUV, then we would expect larger photoevaporation rates and, hence, a reduction of the time available to form planets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]