Protoplanetary Disk Evolution in Serpens
First Author:
Isa Oliveira
Email: oliveira AT strw.leidenuniv.nl
Leiden Observatory
Niels Bohrweg 2
Leiden, 2333CA The Netherlands
Coauthors:
Merín, Bruno, ESAC/ESA
Pontoppidan, Klaus, Caltech
van Dishoeck, Ewine, Leiden Observatory/MPE
Abstract
Based on the ``Cores to Disks'' (c2d) Spitzer Legacy maps, a rich population of young stellar objects (YSO) was uncovered in a region of ~0.5 sq. degrees in the Serpens Molecular Cloud. This sample contains 150 bright YSOs with infrared excess, in a broad range of temperatures and luminosities, making Serpens an unique target region for obtaining a complete, well-defined sample of multi-wavelength observations of young stars in a possible evolutionary sequence. Follow-up complimentary observations in the optical and mid-infrared (Spitzer/IRS GO3) allow us to characterize the central stars, as well as the surrounding disks. The shape and slope of the mid-infrared excess provide information on the flaring geometry of the disks. The spectral features give constraints on grain growth and mineralogy, which in turn probes heating and radial mixing. The presence of PAH features traces UV radiation, whereas Halpha is a diagnostic of accretion. Assuming that the stars within a small region are nearly coeval, this provides direct constraints on the importance of environment and initial conditions on disk evolution. We are studying this rich population in order to connect the evolution of the disks with the evolution of their harboring stars, attempting to establish the mechanisms that determine the evolutionary sequence of protoplanetary disks.
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