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Constraining the Planetary System of Fomalhaut Using High-Resolution ALMA Observations
- Publication Year :
- 2012
- Publisher :
- arXiv, 2012.
-
Abstract
- The dynamical evolution of planetary systems leaves observable signatures in debris disks. Optical images trace micron-sized grains, which are strongly affected by stellar radiation and need not coincide with their parent body population. Observations of mm-size grains accurately trace parent bodies, but previous images lack the resolution and sensitivity needed to characterize the ring's morphology. Here we present ALMA 350 GHz observations of the Fomalhaut debris ring. These observations demonstrate that the parent body population is 13-19 AU wide with a sharp inner and outer boundary. We discuss three possible origins for the ring, and suggest that debris confined by shepherd planets is the most consistent with the ring's morphology.<br />Comment: First ALMA cycle 0 science results. Accepted by ApJL
- Subjects :
- Physics
Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP)
education.field_of_study
Population
Resolution (electron density)
Astronomy
FOS: Physical sciences
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Observable
Planetary system
Debris
Parent body
Fomalhaut
Space and Planetary Science
Planet
Astrophysics::Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
education
Astrophysics::Galaxy Astrophysics
Astrophysics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
Subjects
Details
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....9885a46906556f1ad0ee3ab830988c96
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.1204.0007