Search

We perform the first magnetic field strength survey of Class I and Flat Spectrum (FS) sources using K -band observations with iSHELL. We obtained new observations of 42 Class I and FS sources and additionally included 10 sources from the archive. We detect photospheric lines in 44 of the sources, in addition to Br γ, H2, and CO emission in several objects. We model the photospheric absorption lines of 32 Class I and FS sources and measure their magnetic field strengths, K -band temperatures, gravities, projected rotational velocities, and infrared veiling values. We put the physical properties of Class I and FS sources in context by comparing them to the values derived for a sample of Class II sources. We find that (a) the average magnetic field strength of Class I and FS sources 〈 B 〉 = 2.0 ± 0.15 kG is consistent with the average magnetic field strength of Class II sources 〈 B 〉 = 1.8 ± 0.15 kG, and (b) the average gravity of Class I and FS objects log g = 3.43 ± 0.07 is lower than the average gravity of Class II sources log g = 3.75 ± 0.04 , although there is significant overlap between both gravity distributions. Furthermore, using stellar evolutionary models, we deduce that Class I and FS sources have a median age of ∼0.6 Myr, and are, as a group, younger than the Class II stars with a median age of ∼3 Myr. Our results confirm that Class I and FS sources host strong magnetic fields on their photospheres. Thus, it is likely that these sources accrete disk material through a magnetosphere similar to the more evolved T Tauri stars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition disks, with inner regions depleted in dust and gas, could represent later stages of protoplanetary disk evolution when newly formed planets are emerging. The PDS 70 system has attracted particular interest because of the presence of two giant planets in orbits at tens of astronomical units within the inner disk cavity, at least one of which is itself accreting. However, the region around PDS 70 most relevant to understanding the planet populations revealed by exoplanet surveys of middle-aged stars is the inner disk, which is the dominant source of the system's excess infrared emission but only marginally resolved by the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array. Here we present and analyze time-series optical and infrared photometry and spectroscopy that reveal the inner disk to be dynamic on timescales of days to years, with occultation by submicron dust dimming the star at optical wavelengths, and 3–5 μ m emission varying due to changes in disk structure. Remarkably, the infrared emission from the innermost region (nearly) disappears for ∼1 yr. We model the spectral energy distribution of the system and its time variation with a flattened warm (T ≲ 600 K) disk and a hotter (1200 K) dust that could represent an inner rim or wall. The high dust-to-gas ratio of the inner disk, relative to material accreting from the outer disk, means that the former could be a chimera consisting of depleted disk gas that is subsequently enriched with dust and volatiles produced by collisions and evaporation of planetesimals in the inner zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optical characteristics of a magnetocentrifugal disk wind from T Tauri stars that we calculated based on the MHD models of Safier (1993a, 1993b) are presented. For an outflow rate in the range yr we calculated the critical angles at which the wind becomes opaque in the optical, ultraviolet, and X-ray parts of the spectrum. The illumination of the outer regions of protoplanetary disks involved in creating a photoevaporating wind by the star and the conditions for observing young stars in different wavelength ranges depend on these angles. We show that at the early evolutionary stages of T Tauri stars the disk wind is capable of completely shielding the star and preventing the direct illumination of the peripheral disk regions in both optical and X-ray ranges. By absorbing the bulk of the stellar radiation, the disk wind itself becomes a radiation source capable of heating the disk. We show that at an outflow rate yr the fraction of the radiation absorbed by the wind can reach . Hot accretion spots can contribute significantly to the absorbed radiation. This allows the disk wind to be considered as an important infrared radiation source of T Tauri stars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We look for specific correlations predicted by magnetospheric accretion models for young stars that assume disk-locking using stellar and accretion parameters derived from low-resolution HST-STIS spectra of 33 T Tauri stars in the Orion Nebula Cluster. Our results provide strong support for the correlation predicted by a model that does not constrain the stellar magnetic field to a specific geometry, while little support is found for the correlation that assumes a dipolar stellar field geometry. These results support the conclusions from similar studies of older T Tauri stars in Taurus and NGC 2264 and underscore the role that trapped flux plays in regulating a young star's angular momentum as detailed by Ostriker & Shu. While our targets were all selected to be accreting young stars based on photometric indices, approximately half of the observed stars show no significant signs of accretion in our spectra, illustrating the difficulty in using photometric indices to find accreting stars and the possible role that variability has in the appearance of spectra in young stars. Although values of accretion luminosity derived from our models agree well with those derived from H β luminosity for strongly accreting stars, we find that accretion luminosity derived from H β luminosity is not a reliable parameter for discriminating between weakly accreting and nonaccreting T Tauri stars due to chromospheric emission that is likely present in all T Tauri stars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose an explanation for the rapid color changes on the color–magnitude diagrams observed by Gahm et al. in the T Tauri star RY Lup during its deep minima. Our calculations have shown that the hot accretion spot on the stellar surface in combination with the inhomogeneous structure of the gas–dust clouds obscuring the star can be responsible for these changes. The observed rate of of the color changes allows one to estimate the velocity of the screen across the stellar disk km s . This velocity is close to the typical gas velocities near T Tauri stars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We perform the first magnetic field strength survey of Class I and Flat Spectrum (FS) sources using K -band observations with iSHELL. We obtained new observations of 42 Class I and FS sources and additionally included 10 sources from the archive. We detect photospheric lines in 44 of the sources, in addition to Br γ , H _2 , and CO emission in several objects. We model the photospheric absorption lines of 32 Class I and FS sources and measure their magnetic field strengths, K -band temperatures, gravities, projected rotational velocities, and infrared veiling values. We put the physical properties of Class I and FS sources in context by comparing them to the values derived for a sample of Class II sources. We find that (a) the average magnetic field strength of Class I and FS sources 〈 B 〉 = 2.0 ± 0.15 kG is consistent with the average magnetic field strength of Class II sources 〈 B 〉 = 1.8 ± 0.15 kG, and (b) the average gravity of Class I and FS objects $\mathrm{log}g=3.43\pm 0.07$ is lower than the average gravity of Class II sources $\mathrm{log}g=3.75\pm 0.04$ , although there is significant overlap between both gravity distributions. Furthermore, using stellar evolutionary models, we deduce that Class I and FS sources have a median age of ∼0.6 Myr, and are, as a group, younger than the Class II stars with a median age of ∼3 Myr. Our results confirm that Class I and FS sources host strong magnetic fields on their photospheres. Thus, it is likely that these sources accrete disk material through a magnetosphere similar to the more evolved T Tauri stars.

We have discovered that the H α emission-line star Haro 5-2, located in the 3–6 Myr old Ori OB1b association, is a young quadruple system. The system has a 2+2 configuration, with an outer separation of 2.″6 and with resolved subarcsecond inner binary components. The brightest component, Aa, dominates the A-binary; it is a weak-line T Tauri star with spectral type M2.5±1. The two stars of the B component are equally bright at J , but the Bb star is much redder. Optical spectroscopy of the combined B pair indicates a rich emission-line spectrum with a M3±1 spectral type. The spectrum is highly variable and switches back and forth between a classical and a weak-line T Tauri star. In the near-IR, the spectrum shows Paschen β and Brackett γ in emission, indicative of active accretion. A significant mid-IR excess reveals the presence of circumstellar or circumbinary material in the system. Most multiple systems are likely formed during the protostellar phase, involving flybys of neighboring stars followed by an inspiraling phase driven by accretion from circumbinary material and leading to compact subsystems. However, Haro 5-2 stands out among young 2+2 quadruples, as the two inner binaries are unusually wide relative to the separation of the A and B pair, allowing future studies of the individual components. Assuming the components are coeval, the system could potentially allow stringent tests of pre-main-sequence evolutionary models.

Classical T Tauri Stars (CTTSs) are highly variable stars that possess gas- and dust-rich disks from which planets form. Much of their variability is driven by mass accretion from the surrounding disk, a process that is still not entirely understood. A multiepoch optical spectral monitoring campaign of four CTTSs (TW Hya, RU Lup, BP Tau, and GM Aur) was conducted along with contemporaneous Hubble Space Telescope (HST) UV spectra and ground-based photometry in an effort to determine accretion characteristics and gauge variability in this sample. Using an accretion flow model, we find that the magnetospheric truncation radius varies between 2.5 and 5 R _⋆ across all of our observations. There is also significant variability in all emission lines studied, particularly H α , H β , and H γ . Using previously established relationships between line luminosity and accretion, we find that, on average, most lines reproduce accretion rates consistent with accretion shock modeling of HST spectra to within 0.5 dex. Looking at individual contemporaneous observations, however, these relationships are less accurate, suggesting that variability trends differ from the trends of the population and that these empirical relationships should be used with caution in studies of variability.

We present results from simultaneous far-ultraviolet (FUV) and near-ultraviolet (NUV) observations of T Tauri stars (TTSs) in the Taurus molecular cloud with UVIT/AstroSat. This is the very first UVIT study of TTSs. From the spectral energy distribution of TTSs from FUV to IR, we show that classical TTSs (CTTSs) emit significantly higher UV excess compared to weak-line TTSs (WTTSs). The equivalent blackbody temperatures corresponding to the UV excess in CTTSs (>10 ^4 K) are also found to be relatively higher than those in WTTSs (10 ^7 ) and NUV (>10 ^3 ) bands, while WTTSs show strong excess only in the FUV (≲10 ^5 ), suggesting that excess emission in the NUV can be used as a tool to classify the TTSs. We also find a linear correlation between UV luminosity (a primary indicator of mass accretion) and H α luminosity (a secondary indicator of mass accretion) with a slope of 1.20 ± 0.22 and intercept of 2.16 ± 0.70.

The classical T Tauri star (CTTS) stage is a critical phase of the star and planet formation process. In an effort to better understand the mass accretion processes, which can dictate future stellar evolution and planet formation, a multiepoch, multiwavelength photometric and spectroscopic monitoring campaign of four CTTSs (TW Hya, RU Lup, BP Tau, and GM Aur) was carried out in 2021 and 2022/2023 as part of the Outflows and Disks around Young Stars: Synergies for the Exploration of ULLYSES Spectra program. Here we focus on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) UV spectra obtained by the HST Director’s Discretionary Time UV Legacy Library of Young Stars as Essential Standards (ULLYSES) program. Using accretion shock modeling, we find that all targets exhibit accretion variability, varying from short increases in accretion rate by up to a factor of 3 within 48 hr to longer decreases in accretion rate by a factor of 2.5 over the course of 1 yr. This is despite the generally consistent accretion morphology within each target. Additionally, we test empirical relationships between accretion rate and UV luminosity and find stark differences, showing that these relationships should not be used to estimate the accretion rate for an individual target. Our work reinforces that future multiepoch and simultaneous multiwavelength studies are critical in our understanding of the accretion process in low-mass star formation.

We present new Chandra X-ray observations of TAP 26, a ≈17 Myr old magnetically active weak-lined T Tauri star that has been reported to host a massive planet in a ≈10.8 day orbit. At a separation of a = 0.097 au the planet will be exposed to intense X-ray and UV radiation from the star. The first observation caught the star in a state of elevated X-ray emission with variability on a timescale of a few hours and an X-ray temperature kT _x ≈ 2–4 keV. Two subsequent observations 5–10 days later showed slow variability and a lower X-ray flux and temperature ( kT _x ≈ 1 keV). We characterize the X-ray emission and estimate the X-ray ionization and heating rates that will need to be incorporated into realistic models of the planet’s atmosphere.

Accurate age and mass determinations for young pre-main-sequence stars are made challenging by the presence of large-scale starspots. We present results from a near-infrared spectroscopic survey of 10 T-Tauri Stars in Taurus-Auriga that characterize spot-filling factors and temperatures, the resulting effects on temperature and luminosity determinations, and the consequences for inferred stellar masses and ages. We constructed composite models of spotted stars by combining BTSettl-CIFIST synthetic spectra of atmospheres to represent the spots and the photosphere along with continuum emission from a warm inner disk. Using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm, we find the best-fit spot and photospheric temperatures, spot-filling factors, as well as disk-filling factors. This methodology allowed us to reproduce the 0.75–2.40 μ m stellar spectra and molecular feature strengths for all of our targets, disentangling the complicated multicomponent emission. For a subset of stars with multiepoch observations spanning an entire stellar rotation, we correlate the spectral variability and changes in the filling factors with rotational periods observed in K2 and AAVSO photometry. Combining spot-corrected effective temperatures and Gaia distances, we calculate luminosities and use the Stellar Parameters of Tracks with Starspots models to infer spot-corrected masses and ages for our sample of stars. Our method of accounting for spots results in an average increase of 60% in mass and a doubling in age with respect to traditional methods using optical spectra that do not account for the effect of spots.

Transition disks, with inner regions depleted in dust and gas, could represent later stages of protoplanetary disk evolution when newly formed planets are emerging. The PDS 70 system has attracted particular interest because of the presence of two giant planets in orbits at tens of astronomical units within the inner disk cavity, at least one of which is itself accreting. However, the region around PDS 70 most relevant to understanding the planet populations revealed by exoplanet surveys of middle-aged stars is the inner disk, which is the dominant source of the system’s excess infrared emission but only marginally resolved by the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array. Here we present and analyze time-series optical and infrared photometry and spectroscopy that reveal the inner disk to be dynamic on timescales of days to years, with occultation by submicron dust dimming the star at optical wavelengths, and 3–5 μ m emission varying due to changes in disk structure. Remarkably, the infrared emission from the innermost region (nearly) disappears for ∼1 yr. We model the spectral energy distribution of the system and its time variation with a flattened warm ( T ≲ 600 K) disk and a hotter (1200 K) dust that could represent an inner rim or wall. The high dust-to-gas ratio of the inner disk, relative to material accreting from the outer disk, means that the former could be a chimera consisting of depleted disk gas that is subsequently enriched with dust and volatiles produced by collisions and evaporation of planetesimals in the inner zone.

Monoceros R2 (Mon R2) is one of the closest large active star-forming regions. This extremely young and partially embedded region provides an excellent laboratory for studying star formation and the early evolution of young stellar objects (YSOs). In this paper, we conduct an optical study of the greater Mon R2 region. Beginning with 1690 previously identified candidate YSOs, we used 496 sources with good proper motions and parallaxes from Gaia Data Release (DR) 3 to determine the astrometric properties for likely members of Mon R2. We then used both astrometric and photometric (isochronal and variability) criteria to determine that 308 of these stars are highly probable members. Using the same criteria, we considered a broad area search around Mon R2 in Gaia DR3 and separated candidate members from field stars. In total, we selected 651 likely new cluster members that had been missed in the previous X-ray and infrared excess selection techniques used in the past to establish cluster membership. Revised astrometric properties of the cluster were found using the combined sample of ∼959 highly probable member stars. For the literature plus the new candidate member list, optical light curves were compiled from the Zwicky Transient Facility. For 470 identified variable sources, we attempted classification based on the flux asymmetry ( M ) and quasiperiodicity ( Q ) metrics. We find that Mon R2 is dominated by quasiperiodic symmetric variables, with aperiodic sources also a significant population. A few tens of large-amplitude variables are identified that may be of interest for further study.

In this study, we performed high-resolution near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy ( R = 28,000; λ = 0.90–1.35 μ m) with a high signal-to-noise ratio on HD 200775, a very young (∼0.1 Myr old) and massive intermediate-mass star (a binary star with a mass of about 10 M _⊙ each) with a protoplanetary disk. The obtained spectra show eight forbidden lines of three elements: two of [S ii ] (10289 and 10323 Å), two of [N i ] (10400 and 10410 Å), and four of [Fe ii ] (12570, 12946, 12981, and 13209 Å). This is the first time that the [N i ] lines are detected in a young stellar object with a doublet deblended. Gaussian fitting of the spectra indicates that all line profiles have low-velocity components and exhibit blueshifted features, suggesting that all lines originate from the disk winds (magnetohydrodynamic disk wind and/or photoevaporative wind). Based on the fit, the [N i ] and [Fe ii ] lines are categorized into narrow components, while the [S ii ] lines are at the boundary between broad and narrow components. These forbidden lines are suggested to be very promising disk wind tracers among the existing ones because they are in the NIR-wavelength range, which can be observed from early stages with high sensitivities. Among these lines, [N i ] lines would be a rather powerful probe for deriving the basic physical parameters of disk wind gases. However, the study of these lines herein is limited to one object; thus, further studies are needed to examine their properties.

We look for specific correlations predicted by magnetospheric accretion models for young stars that assume disk-locking using stellar and accretion parameters derived from low-resolution HST-STIS spectra of 33 T Tauri stars in the Orion Nebula Cluster. Our results provide strong support for the correlation predicted by a model that does not constrain the stellar magnetic field to a specific geometry, while little support is found for the correlation that assumes a dipolar stellar field geometry. These results support the conclusions from similar studies of older T Tauri stars in Taurus and NGC 2264 and underscore the role that trapped flux plays in regulating a young star’s angular momentum as detailed by Ostriker & Shu. While our targets were all selected to be accreting young stars based on photometric indices, approximately half of the observed stars show no significant signs of accretion in our spectra, illustrating the difficulty in using photometric indices to find accreting stars and the possible role that variability has in the appearance of spectra in young stars. Although values of accretion luminosity derived from our models agree well with those derived from H β luminosity for strongly accreting stars, we find that accretion luminosity derived from H β luminosity is not a reliable parameter for discriminating between weakly accreting and nonaccreting T Tauri stars due to chromospheric emission that is likely present in all T Tauri stars.

Understanding when and how circumstellar disks disperse is crucial to constrain planet formation and migration. Thermal winds powered by high-energy stellar photons have long been theorized to drive disk dispersal. However, evidence for these winds is currently based only on small (∼3–6 km s ^−1 ) blueshifts in [Ne ii ] 12.81 μ m lines, which does not exclude MHD winds. We report JWST MIRI MRS spectro-imaging of T Cha, a disk with a large dust gap (∼30 au in radius) and blueshifted [Ne ii ] emission. We detect four forbidden noble gas lines, [Ar ii ], [Ar iii ], [Ne ii ], and [Ne iii ], of which [Ar iii ] is the first detection in any protoplanetary disk. We use line flux ratios to constrain the energy of the ionizing photons and find that argon is ionized by extreme ultraviolet, whereas neon is most likely ionized by X-rays. After performing continuum and point-spread function subtraction on the integral field unit cube, we discover a spatial extension in the [Ne ii ] emission off the disk continuum emission. This is the first spatially resolved [Ne ii ] disk wind emission. The mostly ionic spectrum of T Cha, in combination with the extended [Ne ii ] emission, points to an evolved stage for any inner MHD wind and is consistent with the existence of an outer thermal wind ionized and driven by high-energy stellar photons. This work acts as a pathfinder for future observations aiming at investigating disk dispersal using JWST.

Pre-main-sequence disk accretion is pivotal for determining the final stellar properties and the early conditions for close-in planets. We aim to establish the impact of internal (stellar mass) and external (radiation field) parameters on the disk evolution in the Lagoon Nebula massive star-forming region. We employ simultaneous u , g , r , i , H α time-series photometry, archival infrared data, and high-precision K2 light curves to derive the stellar, disk, and accretion properties for 1012 Lagoon Nebula members. We estimate that of all young stars in the Lagoon Nebula, 34%–37% have inner disks traceable down to ∼12 μ m, while 38%–41% are actively accreting. We detect disks ∼1.5 times more frequently around G, K, and M stars than around higher-mass stars, which appear to deplete their inner disks on shorter timescales. We find tentative evidence for a faster disk evolution in the central regions of the Lagoon Nebula, where the bulk of the O/B population is located. Conversely, disks appear to last longer at the nebula outskirts, where the measured fraction of disk-bearing stars tends to exceed that of accreting and disk-free stars. The derived mass accretion rates show a nonuniform dependence on stellar mass between ∼0.2 and 5 M _⊙ . In addition, the typical accretion rates appear to differ across the Lagoon Nebula extension, with values twice lower in the core region than at its periphery. Finally, we detect tentative radial density gradients in the surface accretion shocks, leading to lags in the appearance of light curve brightness features as a function of wavelength that can amount to ∼7%–30% of the rotation period.

We present a multi-epoch spectroscopic study of LkCa 4, a heavily spotted non-accreting T Tauri star. Using SpeX at NASA's Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF), 12 spectra were collected over five consecutive nights, spanning ≈1.5 stellar rotations. Using the IRTF SpeX Spectral Library, we constructed empirical composite models of spotted stars by combining a warmer (photosphere) standard star spectrum with a cooler (spot) standard weighted by the spot filling factor, f spot. The best-fit models spanned two photospheric component temperatures, T phot = 4100 K (K7V) and 4400 K (K5V), and one spot component temperature, T spot = 3060 K (M5V) with an A V of 0.3. We find values of f spot to vary between 0.77 and 0.94 with an average uncertainty of ∼0.04. The variability of f spot is periodic and correlates with its 3.374 day rotational period. Using a mean value for f meanspot to represent the total spot coverage, we calculated spot corrected values for T eff and L ⋆. Placing these values alongside evolutionary models developed for heavily spotted young stars, we infer mass and age ranges of 0.45–0.6 M ⊙ and 0.50–1.25 Myr, respectively. These inferred values represent a twofold increase in the mass and a twofold decrease in the age as compared to standard evolutionary models. Such a result highlights the need for constraining the contributions of cool and warm regions of young stellar atmospheres when estimating T eff and L ⋆ to infer masses and ages as well as the necessity for models to account for the effects of these regions on the early evolution of low-mass stars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the first detection of variability in the mid-infrared neon line emission of a protoplanetary disk by comparing a JWST Mid-InfraRed Instrument Medium Resolution Spectrometer spectrum of SZ Cha taken in 2023 with a Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph Short-High spectrum of this object from 2008. We measure the [Ne iii ]-to-[Ne ii ] line flux ratio, which is a diagnostic of the high-energy radiation field, to distinguish between the dominance of EUV- or X-ray-driven disk photoevaporation. We find that the [Ne iii ]-to-[Ne ii ] line flux ratio changes significantly from ∼1.4 in 2008 to ∼0.2 in 2023. This points to a switch from EUV-dominated to X-ray-dominated photoevaporation of the disk. We present contemporaneous ground-based optical spectra of the H α emission line that show the presence of a strong wind in 2023. We propose that this strong wind prevents EUV radiation from reaching the disk surface while the X-rays permeate the wind and irradiate the disk. We speculate that at the time of the Spitzer observations, the wind was suppressed and EUV radiation reached the disk. These observations confirm that the MIR neon emission lines are sensitive to changes in high-energy radiation reaching the disk surface. This highlights the [Ne iii ]-to-[Ne ii ] line flux ratio as a tool to gauge the efficiency of disk photoevaporation in order to provide constraints on the planet formation timescale. However, multiwavelength observations are crucial to interpret the observations and properly consider the star–disk connection.

The Radcliffe wave is shown to be present in both positions and vertical velocities of masers and radio stars belonging to the Local Arm. At the same time, it appears that the Radcliffe structure is not a wave in the true sense of the word. It more closely resembles a local high-amplitude spike that rapidly tails off. This structure has the largest amplitude in the immediate vicinity of the Sun, where the main contributors are Gould Belt stars. Based on a spectral analysis, we have obtained the following estimates of the geometric and kinematic parameters of the wave: the maximum vertical coordinate pc and the wavelength kpc, the vertical velocity perturbation amplitude reaches km s , and the wavelength found from the vertical velocities is kpc. The Radcliffe wave also manifests itself in the positions of very young pre-main-sequence stars. We have extracted a sample of such stars from the Gaia DR2 AllWISE database and obtained the following estimates from them: pc and kpc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The full disk, full of gas and dust, determines the upper limit of planet masses, and its lifetime is critical for planet formation, especially for giant planets. In this work, we studied the evolutionary timescales of the full disks of T Tauri stars (TTSs) and their relations to accretion. Combined with Gaia EDR3, Two Micron All Sky Survey, and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer data, 1077 disk-bearing TTS candidates were found in LAMOST DR8, and stellar parameters were obtained. Among them, 783 are newly classified by spectra as classical T Tauri stars (CTTSs; 169) or weak-lined T Tauri stars (WTTSs). Based on EW and FWHM of H α , 157 TTSs in accretion were identified, with ∼82% also having full disks. For TTSs with M < 0.35 M _☉ , about 80% seem to already lose their full disks at ∼0.1 Myr, which may explain their lower mass, while the remaining 20% with full disks evolve at similar rates of non-full disks within 5 Myr, allowing enough time and material to form giant planets. The fraction of accreting TTSs to disk-bearing TTSs is stable at ∼10% and can last ∼5–10 Myr, suggesting that full disks and accretion evolve with similar rates as non-full disks. For TTSs with M > 0.35 M _☉ , almost all full disks can survive more than 0.1 Myr, most for 1 Myr and some even for 20 Myr. For TTSs with M > 0.35 M _☉ , almost all full disks can survive more than 0.1 Myr, most for 1 Myr, and some even for 20 Myr, which implies planets are more likely to be formed in their disks than those of M < 0.35 M _☉ , and thus M dwarfs with M > 0.35 M _☉ can have more planets. The fraction of full-disk TTSs to disk-bearing TTSs decreases with age following the relation f ∝ t ^−0.35 , and similar relations existed in the fraction of accreting TTSs and the fraction of full-disk CTTSs, suggesting faster full disks and accretion evolution than non-full disks. For full-disk stars, the ratio of accretion of lower-mass stars is systematically lower than that of higher-mass stars, confirming the dependence of accretion on stellar mass, which may be reflective of an observational bias in the detection of accretion levels, with the lower-mass stars crossing below the detection threshold earlier than higher-mass stars.

We analyze the X-ray spectra of the ∼8000 sources detected in the Cygnus OB2 Chandra Legacy Survey (this focus issue), with the goals of characterizing the coronal plasma of the young low-mass stars in the region and estimating their intrinsic X-ray luminosities. We adopt two different strategies for X-ray sources for which more or less than 20 photons were detected. For the brighter sample we fit the spectra with absorbed isothermal models. In order to limit uncertainties, for most of the fainter Cygnus OB2 members in this sample we constrain the spectral parameters to characteristic ranges defined from the brightest stars. For X-ray sources with

The powerful, high-energy magnetic activities of young stars play important roles in the magnetohydrodynamics in the innermost parts of the protoplanetary disks. In addition, the associated UV and X-ray emission dictates the photochemistry; moreover, the corona activities can affect the atmosphere of a newborn extrasolar planet. How the UV and X-ray photons are generated and how they illuminate the disks are not well understood. Here we report the analyses of the optical and infrared (OIR) photometric monitoring observations and the high angular resolution centimeter-band images of the low-mass (M1-type) pre-main-sequence star DM Tau. We found that the OIR photometric light curves present periodic variations, which suggests that the host young star is rotating in the same direction as the natal disk and is hosting at least one giant cold spot. In addition, we resolved that the ionized gas in the DM Tau disk is localized and its spatial distribution is varying with time. All the present observations can be coherently interpreted, if the giant cold spot is the dominant anisotropic UV and/or X-ray source that illuminates the ambient cone-like region. These results indicate that a detailed theoretical model of the high-energy protostellar emission is essential in understanding the space weather around extrasolar planets and the origin of life.

Star formation can produce bubbles and outflows, as a result of stellar feedback. Outflows and bubbles inject momentum and energy into the surrounding interstellar medium, and so are related to the overall energy balance of the molecular cloud. Molecular bubbles can be resolved by higher-resolution radio telescopes to quantify the effect of star formation on molecular clouds. We report here the identification of a new molecular bubble with an outflow, and a Herbig–Haro object, HH 319, located at the bubble center. Multiwavelength data have been utilized to study its spatial structure, energy injection, and dynamical timescale. This bubble has a kinetic energy of 5.8 × 10 ^43 erg within the smallest radius of a bubble in Taurus, 0.077 pc. The bubble formed ∼70,000 yr ago. According to the proper-motion velocities of protostars from Gaia EDR3, the T Tauri binary stars (FY Tau and FZ Tau) at the southwest edge of the bubble may have produced the outflow–bubble structure. This is an unusual new structure found in low- and intermediate-mass star formation regions. Only a bubble in Orion A, driven by V380 Ori, has a similar structure. The bubble–outflow structure provides additional observational evidence for the theory of stellar wind from T Tauri stars. It enhances our understanding of how stellar feedback acts on molecular clouds.

We present spectral energy distribution (SED) modeling of 338 disks around T Tauri stars from 11 star-forming regions, ranging from ∼0.5 to 10 Myr old. The disk masses we infer from our SED models are typically greater than those reported from (sub)millimeter surveys by a factor of 1.5–5, with the discrepancy being generally higher for the more massive disks. Masses derived from (sub)millimeter fluxes rely on the assumption that the disks are optically thin at all millimeter wavelengths, which may cause the disk masses to be underestimated since the observed flux is not sensitive to the whole mass in the disk; SED models do not make this assumption and thus yield higher masses. Disks with more absorbing material should be optically thicker at a given wavelength, which could lead to a larger discrepancy for disks around massive stars when the disk temperature is scaled by the stellar luminosity. We also compare the disk masses and degree of dust settling across the different star-forming regions and find that disks in younger regions are more massive than disks in older regions, but with a similar degree of dust settling. Together, these results offer potential partial solutions to the “missing” mass problem: disks around T Tauri stars may indeed have enough material to form planetary systems, though previous studies have underestimated the mass by assuming the disks to be optically thin; these planetary systems may also form earlier than previously theorized since significant dust evolution (i.e., settling) is already apparent in young disks.

Much is known about the processes driving accretion from protoplanetary disks onto low-mass pre-main-sequence stars (T Tauri stars). Nevertheless, it is unclear how accretion stops. To determine the accretion properties and their relation to stellar properties and gain insight into the last stages of accretion, we present a detailed analysis of 24 low and possible accretors, previously identified using the He i λ 10830 line. We model moderate-resolution H α profiles of these stars using magnetospheric accretion flow models that account for the chromospheric contribution at the line center. Based on parameters derived from the fits of 20 stars that can be reproduced with the models, we find a power-law relation between the disk truncation radius and the mass accretion rate consistent with predictions from theory and simulations. Comparing the corotation and truncation radii, we find that most of our targets are accreting in the unstable regime and rule out the propeller as the main process stopping accretion. For the truncation radius to be the same as the magnetic radius, the dipole magnetic field and/or the efficiency parameter ξ need to be smaller than previously determined, suggesting that higher-order fields dominate in low accretion rates. Lastly, we determine that the lowest accretion rates that can be detected by H α line modeling are (1–3) × 10 ^−11 M _☉ yr ^−1 for M3 stars and (3–5) × 10 ^−11 M _☉ yr ^−1 for K5 stars. These limits are lower than the observed accretion rates in our sample, suggesting that we have reached a physical lower limit. This limit, $\dot{M}\sim {10}^{-10}\,{M}_{\odot }\,{\mathrm{yr}}^{-1}$ , is consistent with EUV-dominated photoevaporation.

We present a spectroscopic analysis of T Tauri stars (TTSs) observed with the wide-field multifiber spectrograph LAMOST in the substellar associations Ori OB1a located in the Orion Star-forming Complex. Based on GAIA-DR3 data, we selected stars with proper motions and parallaxes expected for TTSs belonging to the young association. We perform a spectroscopic analysis to obtain the spectral types and measure the equivalent widths of Li i and H α to confirm the youth of the stars and estimate the accretion status. We also estimate extinctions, masses, and ages for the studied sample. Out of 342 TTSs with spectroscopic and kinematic properties indicating their membership of the subassociation, 2 are reported here for the first time. Finally, we detect four stellar kinematic groups located at different distances, two in the north fields and two in the south field. These groups also show different proper motions. This suggests that the star-forming scenario in this region is more complex than the traditional spatial-temporal scenario, in which a generation of stars triggers the formation of a new spatially differentiated generation of stars.

We present a multi-epoch spectroscopic study of LkCa 4, a heavily spotted non-accreting T Tauri star. Using SpeX at NASA’s Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF), 12 spectra were collected over five consecutive nights, spanning ≈1.5 stellar rotations. Using the IRTF SpeX Spectral Library, we constructed empirical composite models of spotted stars by combining a warmer (photosphere) standard star spectrum with a cooler (spot) standard weighted by the spot filling factor, f _spot . The best-fit models spanned two photospheric component temperatures, T _phot = 4100 K (K7V) and 4400 K (K5V), and one spot component temperature, T _spot = 3060 K (M5V) with an A _V of 0.3. We find values of f _spot to vary between 0.77 and 0.94 with an average uncertainty of ∼0.04. The variability of f _spot is periodic and correlates with its 3.374 day rotational period. Using a mean value for f ^mean _spot to represent the total spot coverage, we calculated spot corrected values for T _eff and L _⋆ . Placing these values alongside evolutionary models developed for heavily spotted young stars, we infer mass and age ranges of 0.45–0.6 M _⊙ and 0.50–1.25 Myr, respectively. These inferred values represent a twofold increase in the mass and a twofold decrease in the age as compared to standard evolutionary models. Such a result highlights the need for constraining the contributions of cool and warm regions of young stellar atmospheres when estimating T _eff and L _⋆ to infer masses and ages as well as the necessity for models to account for the effects of these regions on the early evolution of low-mass stars.

The formation of hydrogen emission lines in the magnetospheres of young stars is considered. The magnetosphere is assumed to be formed by a dipole magnetic field whose axis is aligned with the stellar rotation axis. The radiative transfer in spectral lines is considered in the Sobolev approximation with nonlocal radiative coupling. We have taken into account the effect of gas ionization fraction transfer when moving in the magnetosphere, demonstrated its influence on the emission spectrum of the magnetosphere for the first time, and estimated the accretion rate from the line. We have shown that at low accretion rates yr this effect can exert a significant influence on the model intensities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variable circumstellar extinction models as applied to T Tauri stars are considered. In contrast to hotter UX Ori stars, for which simplified eclipse models are applicable, the star is deemed a point source of light, while the circumstellar dust clouds obscuring the star are assumed to be homogeneous. In the case considered here, both these simplifications may not work. Hot accretion spots are formed through accretion on T Tauri stars, while the dust structures obscuring the star from the observer can be inhomogeneous within the stellar disk. The families of color–magnitude diagrams have been computed by taking into account these two factors. It is shown that in such models the color tracks on the diagrams can differ greatly in shape from those computed in eclipse models for hot UX Ori stars. The results obtained may be applicable to AA Tau stars demonstrating eclipses by the inner circumstellar disk regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate disk mass measurements are necessary to constrain disk evolution and the timescale of planet formation, but such measurements are difficult to make and are very dependent on assumptions. Here, we look at the assumption that the disk is optically thin at radio wavelengths and the effect of this assumption on measurements of disk dust mass. We model the optical to radio spectral energy distributions of 41 protoplanetary disks located in the young (∼1–3 Myr old) Lupus star-forming region, including 0.89 1.33 and 3 mm flux densities when available. We measure disk dust masses that are ∼1.5–6 times higher than when using the commonly adopted disk dust mass equation under the assumption of optically thin emission in the (sub)millimeter range. The cause of this discrepancy is that most disks are optically thick at millimeter wavelengths, even up to 3 mm, demonstrating that observations at longer wavelengths are needed to trace the fully optically thin emission of disks.

Wide-field searches for young stellar objects (YSOs) can place useful constraints on the prevalence of clustered versus distributed star formation. The Spitzer/IRAC Candidate YSO (SPICY) catalog is one of the largest compilations of such objects (∼120,000 candidates in the Galactic midplane). Many SPICY candidates are spatially clustered, but, perhaps surprisingly, approximately half the candidates appear spatially distributed. To better characterize this unexpected population and confirm its nature, we obtained Palomar/DBSP spectroscopy for 26 of the optically bright ( G < 15 mag) “isolated” YSO candidates. We confirm the YSO classifications of all 26 sources based on their positions on the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram, H and Ca ii line emission from over half the sample, and robust detection of infrared excesses. This implies a contamination rate of

We present Gemini-NIFS, Very Large Telescope-SINFONI, and Keck-OSIRIS observations of near-IR [Fe ii ] emission that are associated with well-studied jets from three active T Tauri stars—RW Aur A, RY Tau, and DG Tau—taken from 2012 to 2021. We primarily cover the redshifted jet from RW Aur A and the blueshifted jets from RY Tau and DG Tau, in order to investigate long-term time variabilities that are potentially related to the activities of mass accretion and/or the stellar magnetic fields. All of these jets consist of several moving knots, with tangential velocities of 70–240 km s ^−1 , which were ejected from the star with different velocities and at irregular time intervals. Via comparisons with the literature, we identify significant differences in the tangential velocities between 1985–2008 and 2008–2021 for the DG Tau jet. The sizes of the individual knots appear to increase with time, and, in turn, their peak brightnesses in the 1.644 μ m emission decreased by up to a factor of ∼30 during the epochs of our observations. The variety of decay timescales measured in the [Fe ii ] 1.644 μ m emission could be attributed to different preshock conditions should the moving knots be unresolved shocks. However, our data do not exclude the possibility that these knots are due to nonuniform density/temperature distributions with another heating mechanism, or, in some cases, due to stationary shocks without proper motions. Spatially resolved observations of these knots with significantly higher angular resolutions will be necessary to better understand their physical nature.

The spatial and kinematic properties of a large sample of young T Tauri stars from the solar neighborhood 500 pc in radius have been studied. The following parameters of the position ellipsoid have been determined from the most probable members of the Gould Belt: its sizes are pc and it is oriented at an angle of to the Galactic plane with a longitude of the ascending node of . An analysis of the motions of stars from this sample has shown that the residual velocity ellipsoid with principal semiaxes km s is oriented at an angle of to the Galactic plane with a longitude of the ascending node of . It has been established that much of the expansion effect (kinematic effect) typical for Gould Belt stars, 5–6 km s kpc , can be explained by the influence of a Galactic spiral density wave with a radial perturbation amplitude km s . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Galactic cosmic rays and solar protons ionize the present terrestrial atmosphere, and the air showers are simulated by well-tested Monte-Carlo simulations, such as PHITS code. We use the latest version of PHITS to evaluate the possible ionization of protoplanetary disks by galactic cosmic rays (GCRs), solar protons, and by supernova remnants. The attenuation length of GCR ionization is updated as 118 g cm−2, which is approximately 20% larger than the popular value. Hard and soft possible spectra of solar protons give comparable and 20% smaller attenuation lengths compared with those from standard GCR spectra, respectively, while the attenuation length is approximately 10% larger for supernova remnants. Further, all of the attenuation lengths become 10% larger in the compound gas of cosmic abundance, e.g. 128 g cm−2 for GCRs, which can affect the minimum estimate of the size of dead zones in protoplanetary disks when the incident flux is unusually high.

The formation of hydrogen emission lines in the magnetospheres of young stars is considered. The magnetosphere is assumed to be formed by a dipolar magnetic field whose axis is aligned with the stellar rotation axis. The radiative transfer in spectral lines is considered in the Sobolev approximation by taking into account the nonlocal radiative coupling. The gas density and temperature distributions in the magnetosphere are taken to be the same as those in Hartmann et al. (1994). The results of our calculations of the Hα and Hβ line intensities and profiles are presented for the case of a slowly rotating star. We separately consider the magnetospheric models in which the infalling gas is heated by radiation from an accretion spot on the stellar surface and the case where the axis of the magnetosphere is tilted with respect to the stellar rotation axis. Rotational modulation of the spectral line profiles with the stellar rotation period is observed in the latter case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young stars show a variety of highly energetic phenomena, from accretion and outflow processes to hot coronal plasmas confined in their outer atmosphere, all regulated by the intense stellar magnetic fields. Many aspects on each of these phenomena are debated, but, most notably, their complex mutual interaction remains obscure. In this work, I report how these phenomena are simultaneously responsible for the high‐energy emission from young stars, with a special focus on the expected and observed variability in the X‐ray band. Investigating variations in the X‐ray emission from young stars allows us to pose constraints on flare and coronal plasma properties, coronal heating, accretion stream properties, and accretion geometries. All these results are important building blocks for constructing a comprehensive picture of the complex magnetosphere of young stars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a spectropolarimetric study of the classical T Tauri star (cTTS) LkCa 15 investigating the large-scale magnetic topology of the central star and the way the field connects to the inner regions of the accretion disc. We find that the star hosts a strong poloidal field with a mainly axisymmetric dipole component of 1.35 kG, whereas the mass accretion rate at the surface of the star is 10−9.2 M⊙  yr−1. It implies that the magnetic field of LkCa 15 is able to evacuate the central regions of the disc up to a distance of 0.07 au at which the Keplerian orbital period equals the stellar rotation period. Our results suggest that LkCa 15, like the lower mass cTTS AA Tau, interacts with its disc in a propeller mode, a regime supposedly very efficient at slowing down the rotation of cTTSs hosting strong dipolar fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]