2024
Autores
Ganci, V; Labadie, L; Perraut, K; Wojtczak, A; Kaufhold, J; Benisty, M; Alecian, E; Bourdarot, G; Brandner, W; Garatti, A; Dougados, C; Lopez, RG; Sanchez-Bermudez, J; Soulain, A; Amorim, A; Berger, JP; Caselli, P; Clénet, Y; Drescher, A; Eckart, A; Eisenhauer, F; Fabricius, M; Feuchtgruber, H; Garcia, P; Gendron, E; Genzel, R; Gillessen, S; Grant, S; Heissel, G; Henning, T; Horrobin, M; Jocou, L; Kervella, P; Lacour, S; Lapeyrère, V; Le Bouquin, JB; Léna, P; Lutz, D; Mang, F; Morujao, N; Ott, T; Paumard, T; Perrin, G; Ribeiro, D; Bordoni, MS; Scheithauer, S; Shangguan, J; Shimizu, T; Straubmeier, C; Sturm, E; Tacconi, L; van Dishoeck, E; Vincent, F; Woillez, J;
Publicação
ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS
Abstract
Context. Temporal variability in the photometric and spectroscopic properties of protoplanetary disks is common in young stellar objects. However, evidence pointing toward changes in their morphology over short timescales has only been found for a few sources, mainly due to a lack of high-cadence observations at high angular resolution. Understanding this type of variation could be important for our understanding of phenomena related to disk evolution. Aims. We study the morphological variability of the innermost circumstellar environment of HD 98922, focusing on its dust and gas content. Methods. Multi-epoch observations of HD 98922 at milliarcsecond resolution with VLTI/GRAVITY in the K-band at low (R = 20) and high (R = 4000) spectral resolution are combined with VLTI/PIONIER archival data covering a total time span of 11 yr. We interpret the interferometric visibilities and spectral energy distribution with geometrical models and through radiative transfer techniques using the code MCMax. We investigated high-spectral-resolution quantities (visibilities and differential phases) to obtain information on the properties of the HI Brackett-gamma (Br gamma)-line-emitting region. Results. Comparing observations taken with similar (u,v) plane coverage, we find that the squared visibilities do not vary significantly, whereas we find strong variability in the closure phases, suggesting temporal variations in the asymmetric brightness distribution associated to the disk. Our observations are best fitted by a model of a crescent-like asymmetric dust feature located at similar to 1 au and accounting for similar to 70 % of the near-infrared (NIR) emission. The feature has an almost constant magnitude and orbits the central star with a possible sub-Keplerian period of similar to 12 months, although a 9 month period is another, albeit less probable, solution. The radiative transfer models show that the emission originates from a small amount of carbon-rich (25%) silicates, or quantum-heated particles located in a low-density region. Among different possible scenarios, we favor hydrodynamical instabilities in the inner disk that can create a large vortex. The high spectral resolution differential phases in the Br gamma line show that the hot-gas compact component is offset from the star and in some cases is located between the star and the crescent feature. The scale of the emission does not favor magnetospheric accretion as a driving mechanism. The scenario of an asymmetric disk wind or a massive accreting substellar or planetary companion is discussed. Conclusions. With this unique observational data set for HD 98922, we reveal morphological variability in the innermost 2 au of its disk region. This property is possibly common to many other protoplanetary disks, but is not commonly observed due to a lack of high-cadence observation. It is therefore important to pursue this approach with other sources for which an extended dataset with PIONIER, GRAVITY, and possibly MATISSE is available.
2024
Autores
Nowacki, H; Perraut, K; Labadie, L; Bouvier, J; Dougados, C; Benisty, M; Wojtczak, JA; Soulain, A; Alecian, E; Brandner, W; Garatti, AO; Lopez, R; Ganci, V; Sánchez Bermúdez, J; Berger, J; Bourdarot, G; Caselli, P; Clénet, Y; Davies, R; Drescher, A; Eckart, A; Eisenhauer, F; Fabricius, M; Feuchtgruber, H; Förster Schreiber, NM; Garcia, P; Gendron, E; Genzel, R; Gillessen, S; Grant, S; Henning, T; Jocou, L; Kervella, P; Kurtovic, N; Lacour, S; Lapeyrère, V; Le Bouquin, J; Lutz, D; Mang, F; Ott, T; Paumard, T; Perrin, G; Rabien, S; Ribeiro, D; Bordoni, M; Scheithauer, S; Shangguan, J; Shimizu, T; Spezzano, S; Straubmeier, C; Sturm, E; Tacconi, L; van Dishoeck, E; Vincent, F; Widmann, F;
Publicação
ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS
Abstract
Context. The dust- and gas-rich protoplanetary disks around young stellar systems play a key role in star and planet formation. While considerable progress has recently been made in probing these disks on large scales of a few tens of astronomical units (au), the central au requires further investigation. Aims.We aim to unveil the physical processes at play in the innermost regions of the strongly accreting T Tauri Star S CrA N by means of near-infrared interferometric observations. As recent spectropolarimetric observations suggest that S CrA N might undergo intense ejection processes, we focus on the accretion-ejection phenomena and on the star-disk interaction region. Methods. We obtained interferometric observations with VLTI/GRAVITY in the K-band during two consecutive nights in August 2022. The analysis of the continuum emission, coupled with the differential analysis across the Br gamma line, allows us to constrain the morphology of the dust and the gas distribution in the innermost regions of S CrA N and to investigate their temporal variability. These observations are compared to magnetospheric accretion-ejection models of T Tauri stars and to previous observations in order to elucidate the physical processes operating in these regions. Results. The K-band continuum emission is well reproduced with an azimuthally modulated dusty ring with a half-light radius of 0.24 au (similar to 20 R*), an inclination of similar to 30 degrees, and a position angle of similar to 150 degrees. As the star alone cannot explain such a large sublimation front, we propose that magnetospheric accretion is an important dust-heating mechanism leading to this continuum emission. The Br gamma-emitting region (0.05-0.06 au; 5-7 R*) is found to be more compact than the continuum, to be similar in size or larger than the magnetospheric truncation radius. The on-sky displacements across the Br gamma spectral channels are aligned along a position angle offset by 45 degrees from the disk, and extend up to 2 R*. This is in agreement with radiative transfer models combining magnetospheric accretion and disk winds. These on-sky displacements remain unchanged from one night to another, while the line flux decreases by 13%, suggesting a dominant contribution of wind to the origin of the Br gamma line. Conclusions. Our observations support the scenario where the Br gamma line originates from a combination of (variable) accretion-ejection processes in the inner disk region.
2024
Autores
Bouarour, YI; Lopez, RG; Sanchez-Bermudez, J; Garatti, ACO; Perraut, K; Aimar, N; Amorim, A; Berger, JP; Bourdarot, G; Brandner, W; Clénet, Y; de Zeeuw, PT; Dougados, C; Drescher, A; Eckart, A; Eisenhauer, F; Flock, M; Garcia, P; Gendron, E; Genzel, R; Gillessen, S; Grant, S; Heissel, G; Henning, T; Jocou, L; Kervella, P; Labadie, L; Lacour, S; Lapeyrere, V; Le Bouquin, JB; Léna, P; Linz, H; Lutz, D; Mang, F; Nowacki, H; Ott, T; Paumard, T; Perrin, G; Pineda, JE; Ribeiro, DC; Bordoni, MS; Shangguan, J; Shimizu, T; Soulain, A; Straubmeier, C; Sturm, E; Tacconi, L; Vincent, F;
Publicação
ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS
Abstract
Aims. We aim to investigate the origin of the HI Br gamma emission in young stars by using GRAVITY to image the innermost region of circumstellar disks, where important physical processes such as accretion and winds occur. With high spectral and angular resolution, we focus on studying the continuum and the HI Br gamma-emitting area of the Herbig star HD 58647. Methods. Using VLTI-GRAVITY, we conducted observations of HD 58647 with both high spectral and high angular resolution. Thanks to the extensive uv coverage, we were able to obtain detailed images of the circumstellar environment at a sub-au scale, specifically capturing the continuum and the Br gamma-emitting region. Through the analysis of velocity-dispersed images and photocentre shifts, we were able to investigate the kinematics of the HI Br gamma-emitting region. Results. The recovered continuum images show extended emission where the disk major axis is oriented along a position angle of 14 degrees. The size of the continuum emission at 5-sigma levels is similar to 1.5 times more extended than the sizes reported from geometrical fitting (3.69 mas +/- 0.02 mas). This result supports the existence of dust particles close to the stellar surface, screened from the stellar radiation by an optically thick gaseous disk. Moreover, for the first time with GRAVITY, the hot gas component of HD 58647 traced by the Br gamma has been imaged. This allowed us to constrain the size of the Br gamma-emitting region and study the kinematics of the hot gas; we find its velocity field to be roughly consistent with gas that obeys Keplerian motion. The velocity-dispersed images show that the size of the hot gas emission is from a more compact region than the continuum (2.3 mas +/- 0.2 mas). Finally, the line phases show that the emission is not entirely consistent with Keplerian rotation, hinting at a more complex structure in the hot gaseous disk.
2024
Autores
Lopez, RG; Natta, A; Fedriani, R; Garatti, ACO; Sanchez-Bermudez, J; Perraut, K; Dougados, C; Bouarour, YI; Bouvier, J; Brandner, W; Garcia, P; Koutoulaki, M; Labadie, L; Linz, H; Alécian, E; Benisty, M; Berger, JP; Bourdarot, G; Caselli, P; Clénet, Y; de Zeeuw, PT; Davies, R; Eckart, A; Eisenhauer, F; Förster-Schreiber, NM; Gendron, E; Gillessen, S; Grant, S; Henning, T; Kervella, P; Lacour, S; Lapeyrère, V; Le Bouquin, JB; Lutz, D; Mang, F; Nowacki, H; Ott, T; Paumard, T; Perrin, G; Shangguan, J; Shimizu, T; Soulain, A; Straubmeier, C; Sturm, E; Tacconi, L; van Dishoeck, EF; Vincent, F; Widmann, F;
Publicação
ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS
Abstract
Context. The region of protoplanetary disks closest to a star (within 1-2 au) is shaped by a number of different processes, from accretion of the disk material onto the central star to ejection in the form of winds and jets. Optical and near-IR emission lines are potentially good tracers of inner disk processes if very high spatial and/or spectral resolution are achieved. Aims. In this paper, we exploit the capabilities of the VLTI-GRAVITY near-IR interferometer to determine the location and kinematics of the hydrogen emission line Br gamma. Methods. We present VLTI-GRAVITY observations of the Br gamma line for a sample of 26 stars of intermediate mass (HAEBE), the largest sample so far analysed with near-IR interferometry. Results. The Br gamma line was detected in 17 objects. The emission is very compact (in most cases only marginally resolved), with a size of 10-30 R*(1-5 mas). About half of the total flux comes from even smaller regions, which are unresolved in our data. For eight objects, it was possible to determine the position angle (PA) of the line-emitting region, which is generally in agreement with that of the inner-dusty disk emitting the K-band continuum. The position-velocity pattern of the Br gamma line-emitting region of the sampled objects is roughly consistent with Keplerian rotation. The exception is HD 45677, which shows more extended emission and more complex kinematics. The most likely scenario for the Br gamma origin is that the emission comes from an MHD wind launched very close to the central star, in a region well within the dust sublimation radius. An origin in the bound gas layer at the disk surface cannot be ruled out, while accreting matter provides only a minor fraction of the total flux. Conclusions. These results show the potential of near-IR spectro-interferometry to study line emission in young stellar objects.
2024
Autores
Nowak, M; Lacour, S; Abuter, R; Woillez, J; Dembet, R; Bordoni, MS; Bourdarot, G; Courtney-Barrer, B; Defrère, D; Drescher, A; Eisenhauer, F; Fabricius, M; Feuchtgruber, H; Frahm, R; Garcia, P; Gillessen, S; Gopinath, V; Graf, J; Hoenig, S; Kreidberg, L; Laugier, R; Le Bouquin, JB; Lutz, D; Mang, F; Millour, F; More, N; Morujao, N; Ott, T; Paumard, T; Perrin, G; Rau, C; Ribeiro, DC; Shangguan, J; Shimizu, T; Soulez, F; Straubmeier, C; Widmann, F; Wolff, B;
Publicação
ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS
Abstract
Context. The GRAVITY beam-combiner at the Very Large Telescope Interferometer has recently made important contributions to many different fields of astronomy, from observations of the Galactic centre to the study of massive stars, young stellar objects, exoplanet atmospheres, and active galactic nuclei. These achievements were only made possible by the development of several key technologies, including the development of reliable and high-performance fringe trackers. These systems compensate for disturbances ranging from atmospheric turbulence to vibrations in the optical system, enabling long exposures and ensuring the stability of interferometric measurements. Aims. As part of the ongoing GRAVITY+ upgrade of the Very Large Telescope Interferometer infrastructure, we aim to improve the performance of the GRAVITY fringe tracker, and to enable its use by other instruments. Methods. We modified the group-delay controller to consistently maintain tracking in the white-light fringe, which is characterised by a minimum group delay. Additionally, we introduced a novel approach in which fringe-tracking is performed in the non-observable optical path length state-space using a covariance-weighted Kalman filter and an auto-regressive model of the disturbance. We outline this new state-space representation and the formalism we used to propagate the state vector and generate the control signal. While our approach is presented specifically in the context of GRAVITY/GRAVITY+, it can easily be adapted to other instruments or interfero-metric facilities. Results. We successfully demonstrate phase-delay tracking within a single fringe, with any spurious phase jumps detected and corrected in less than 100 ms. We also report a significant performance improvement, as shown by a reduction of similar to 30 to 40% in phase residuals, and a much better behaviour under sub-optimal atmospheric conditions. Compared to what was observed in 2019, the median residuals have decreased from 150 nm to 100 nm on the Auxiliary Telescopes and from 250 nm to 150 nm on the Unit Telescopes. Conclusions. The improved phase-delay tracking combined with white-light fringe tracking means that from now on, the GRAVITY fringe tracker can be used by other instruments operating in different wavebands. The only limitation remains the need for an adjustment of the optical path dispersion.
2024
Autores
Abd El Dayem, K; GRAVITY Collaboration; Abuter, R; Aimar, N; Seoane, PA; Amorim, A; Beck, J; Berger, JP; Bonnet, H; Bourdarot, G; Brandner, W; Cardoso, V; Dolcetta, RC; Clénet, Y; Davies, R; de Zeeuw, PT; Drescher, A; Eckart, A; Eisenhauer, F; Feuchtgruber, H; Finger, G; Schreiber, NMF; Foschi, A; Gao, F; Garcia, P; Gendron, E; Genzel, R; Gillessen, S; Hartl, M; Haubois, X; Haussmann, F; Heissel, G; Henning, T; Hippler, S; Horrobin, M; Jochum, L; Jocou, L; Kaufer, A; Kervella, P; Lacour, S; Lapeyrère, V; Le Bouquin, JB; Léna, P; Lutz, D; Mang, F; More, N; Ott, T; Paumard, T; Perraut, K; Perrin, G; Pfuhl, O; Rabien, S; Ribeiro, DC; Bordoni, MS; Scheithauer, S; Shangguan, J; Shimizu, T; Stadler, J; Straub, O; Straubmeier, C; Sturm, E; Tacconi, LJ; Urso, I; Vincent, F; von Fellenberg, SD; Widmann, F; Wieprecht, E; Woillez, J; Zhang, F;
Publicação
ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS
Abstract
Studying the orbital motion of stars around Sagittarius A* in the Galactic center provides a unique opportunity to probe the gravitational potential near the supermassive black hole at the heart of our Galaxy. Interferometric data obtained with the GRAVITY instrument at the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) since 2016 has allowed us to achieve unprecedented precision in tracking the orbits of these stars. GRAVITY data have been key to detecting the in-plane, prograde Schwarzschild precession of the orbit of the star S2 that is predicted by general relativity. By combining astrometric and spectroscopic data from multiple stars, including S2, S29, S38, and S55 - for which we have data around their time of pericenter passage with GRAVITY - we can now strengthen the significance of this detection to an approximately 10 sigma confidence level. The prograde precession of S2's orbit provides valuable insights into the potential presence of an extended mass distribution surrounding Sagittarius A*, which could consist of a dynamically relaxed stellar cusp comprising old stars and stellar remnants, along with a possible dark matter spike. Our analysis, based on two plausible density profiles - a power-law and a Plummer profile - constrains the enclosed mass within the orbit of S2 to be consistent with zero, establishing an upper limit of approximately 1200 M-circle dot with a 1 sigma confidence level. This significantly improves our constraints on the mass distribution in the Galactic center. Our upper limit is very close to the expected value from numerical simulations for a stellar cusp in the Galactic center, leaving little room for a significant enhancement of dark matter density near Sagittarius A*.
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