Multi-epoch Near-infrared Interferometry of the Spatially Resolved Disk around the Be Star Tau

G. H. Schaefer; D. R. Gies; J. D. Monnier; N. D. Richardson; Y. Touhami; M. Zhao; X. Che; E. Pedretti; N. Thureau; T. ten Brummelaar; H. A. McAlister; S. T. Ridgway; J. Sturmann; L. Sturmann; N. H. Turner; C. D. Farrington; P. J. Goldfinger

Multi-epoch Near-infrared Interferometry of the Spatially Resolved Disk around the Be Star Tau

G. H. Schaefer
, D. R. Gies
, J. D. Monnier
, N. D. Richardson
, Y. Touhami
, M. Zhao
, X. Che
, E. Pedretti
, N. Thureau
, T. ten Brummelaar
, H. A. McAlister
, S. T. Ridgway
, J. Sturmann
, L. Sturmann
, N. H. Turner
, C. D. Farrington
, P. J. Goldfinger

SAMS UHI

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

We present interferometric observations of the Be star ¿ Tau obtained using the MIRC beam combiner at the CHARA Array. We resolved the disk during four epochs in 2007-2009. We fit the data with a geometric model to characterize the circumstellar disk as a skewed elliptical Gaussian and the central Be star as a uniform disk. The visibilities reveal a nearly edge-on disk with an FWHM major axis of ~1.8 mas in the H band. The non-zero closure phases indicate an asymmetry within the disk. Interestingly, when combining our results with previously published interferometric observations of ¿ Tau, we find a correlation between the position angle of the disk and the spectroscopic V/R ratio, suggesting that the tilt of the disk is precessing. This work is part of a multi-year monitoring campaign to investigate the development and outward motion of asymmetric structures in the disks of Be stars.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1838-1849
Journal	The Astronomical Journal
Volume	140
Issue number	6
Publication status	Published - 1 Dec 2010

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http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2010AJ....140.1838S

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Schaefer, G. H., Gies, D. R., Monnier, J. D., Richardson, N. D., Touhami, Y., Zhao, M., Che, X., Pedretti, E., Thureau, N., ten Brummelaar, T., McAlister, H. A., Ridgway, S. T., Sturmann, J., Sturmann, L., Turner, N. H., Farrington, C. D., & Goldfinger, P. J. (2010). Multi-epoch Near-infrared Interferometry of the Spatially Resolved Disk around the Be Star Tau. The Astronomical Journal, 140(6), 1838-1849. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2010AJ....140.1838S

@article{9422af696069418482ef574937cba547,

title = "Multi-epoch Near-infrared Interferometry of the Spatially Resolved Disk around the Be Star Tau",

abstract = "We present interferometric observations of the Be star ¿ Tau obtained using the MIRC beam combiner at the CHARA Array. We resolved the disk during four epochs in 2007-2009. We fit the data with a geometric model to characterize the circumstellar disk as a skewed elliptical Gaussian and the central Be star as a uniform disk. The visibilities reveal a nearly edge-on disk with an FWHM major axis of \textasciitilde{}1.8 mas in the H band. The non-zero closure phases indicate an asymmetry within the disk. Interestingly, when combining our results with previously published interferometric observations of ¿ Tau, we find a correlation between the position angle of the disk and the spectroscopic V/R ratio, suggesting that the tilt of the disk is precessing. This work is part of a multi-year monitoring campaign to investigate the development and outward motion of asymmetric structures in the disks of Be stars.",

author = "Schaefer, \{G. H.\} and Gies, \{D. R.\} and Monnier, \{J. D.\} and Richardson, \{N. D.\} and Y. Touhami and M. Zhao and X. Che and E. Pedretti and N. Thureau and \{ten Brummelaar\}, T. and McAlister, \{H. A.\} and Ridgway, \{S. T.\} and J. Sturmann and L. Sturmann and Turner, \{N. H.\} and Farrington, \{C. D.\} and Goldfinger, \{P. J.\}",

year = "2010",

month = dec,

day = "1",

language = "English",

volume = "140",

pages = "1838--1849",

journal = "The Astronomical Journal",

issn = "1538-3881",

publisher = "American Astronomical Society",

number = "6",

}

Schaefer, GH, Gies, DR, Monnier, JD, Richardson, ND, Touhami, Y, Zhao, M, Che, X, Pedretti, E, Thureau, N, ten Brummelaar, T, McAlister, HA, Ridgway, ST, Sturmann, J, Sturmann, L, Turner, NH, Farrington, CD & Goldfinger, PJ 2010, 'Multi-epoch Near-infrared Interferometry of the Spatially Resolved Disk around the Be Star Tau', The Astronomical Journal, vol. 140, no. 6, pp. 1838-1849. <http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2010AJ....140.1838S>

TY - JOUR

T1 - Multi-epoch Near-infrared Interferometry of the Spatially Resolved Disk around the Be Star Tau

AU - Schaefer, G. H.

AU - Gies, D. R.

AU - Monnier, J. D.

AU - Richardson, N. D.

AU - Touhami, Y.

AU - Zhao, M.

AU - Che, X.

AU - Pedretti, E.

AU - Thureau, N.

AU - ten Brummelaar, T.

AU - McAlister, H. A.

AU - Ridgway, S. T.

AU - Sturmann, J.

AU - Sturmann, L.

AU - Turner, N. H.

AU - Farrington, C. D.

AU - Goldfinger, P. J.

PY - 2010/12/1

Y1 - 2010/12/1

N2 - We present interferometric observations of the Be star ¿ Tau obtained using the MIRC beam combiner at the CHARA Array. We resolved the disk during four epochs in 2007-2009. We fit the data with a geometric model to characterize the circumstellar disk as a skewed elliptical Gaussian and the central Be star as a uniform disk. The visibilities reveal a nearly edge-on disk with an FWHM major axis of ~1.8 mas in the H band. The non-zero closure phases indicate an asymmetry within the disk. Interestingly, when combining our results with previously published interferometric observations of ¿ Tau, we find a correlation between the position angle of the disk and the spectroscopic V/R ratio, suggesting that the tilt of the disk is precessing. This work is part of a multi-year monitoring campaign to investigate the development and outward motion of asymmetric structures in the disks of Be stars.

AB - We present interferometric observations of the Be star ¿ Tau obtained using the MIRC beam combiner at the CHARA Array. We resolved the disk during four epochs in 2007-2009. We fit the data with a geometric model to characterize the circumstellar disk as a skewed elliptical Gaussian and the central Be star as a uniform disk. The visibilities reveal a nearly edge-on disk with an FWHM major axis of ~1.8 mas in the H band. The non-zero closure phases indicate an asymmetry within the disk. Interestingly, when combining our results with previously published interferometric observations of ¿ Tau, we find a correlation between the position angle of the disk and the spectroscopic V/R ratio, suggesting that the tilt of the disk is precessing. This work is part of a multi-year monitoring campaign to investigate the development and outward motion of asymmetric structures in the disks of Be stars.

M3 - Article

SN - 1538-3881

VL - 140

SP - 1838

EP - 1849

JO - The Astronomical Journal

JF - The Astronomical Journal

IS - 6

ER -

Multi-epoch Near-infrared Interferometry of the Spatially Resolved Disk around the Be Star Tau

Abstract

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