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Encyclopedia > Debris disk
Debris disk around star AU Microscopii. Image taken by Hubble Space Telescope
Debris disk around star AU Microscopii. Image taken by Hubble Space Telescope

Debris disk is a ring-shaped circumstellar disk of dust and debris in orbit around a star. Debris disks have been found around both evolved and young stars, as well as at least one debris disk in orbit around a neutron star.[1] They can consitute a phase in the formation of a planetary system, thus forming a protoplanetary disk.[2] They can also be produced and maintained as the remnants of collisions between planetismals.[3] AU Microscopiis debris disk AU Microscopii is a red dwarf star located 32 light-years from Earth. ... The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is a telescope in orbit around the Earth, named after astronomer Edwin Hubble. ... This article is about the astronomical object. ... A neutron star is one of the few possible endpoints of stellar evolution. ... A protoplanetary disc (also protoplanetary disk, proplyd) is an accretion disc surrounding a T Tauri star. ...


By 2001, over 900 candidate stars have been found to possess a debris disk. They are usually located by examining the star system in infrared light and looking for an excess of radiation beyond that emitted by the star. This excess is inferred to be radiation from the star that has been absorbed by the disk, then radiated away as infrared energy.[4] Image of two girls in mid-infrared (thermal) light (false color) Infrared (IR) radiation is electromagnetic radiation of a wavelength longer than that of visible light, but shorter than that of radio waves. ...


In certain cases the debris disks can be observed directly by occulting the primary star and then imaging the system.

Contents

Observation history

In 1984 a debris disk was located in orbit around the star Vega using the IRAS satellite. Initially this was believed to be a protoplanetary disk, but it is now thought to be a debris disk by reason of the star's relative youth. Subsequently irregularities have been found in the disk, which may be indicative of the presence of planetary bodies.[5] Similar discoveries of debris disks were made around the stars Fomalhaut and Beta Pictoris. Vega (α Lyr / α Lyrae / Alpha Lyrae) is a white main sequence star approximately 25. ... The Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) was a space-based observatory that performed a survey of the entire sky at infrared wavelengths. ... A protoplanetary disc (also protoplanetary disk, proplyd) is an accretion disc surrounding a T Tauri star. ... Fomalhaut (α PsA / α Piscis Austrini / Alpha Piscis Austrini) is the brightest star in the constellation Piscis Austrinus and one of the brightest stars in the nighttime sky. ... Beta Pictoris (β Pic / β Pictoris) is the second brightest star in the constellation Pictor. ...


By 1998 a debris disk had been located around the nearby star 55 Cancri, a system that is also known to contain a planet.[6] Structures in the debris disk around Epsilon Eridani also suggest perturbations by a planetary body in orbit around that star, which may be used to constrain the mass and orbit of the planet.[7] 55 Cancri (abbreviated 55 Cnc; Bayer designation ρ1 Cancri, Rho-1 Cancri) is a nearby 6th magnitude star in the constellation Cancer. ... Epsilon Eridani (ε Eri / ε Eridani) is a notable main-sequence K2 class star in the constellation of Eridanus. ...


Origin

Notable belts

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This article has been tagged since December 2006.

Belts of dust or debris have also been detected around stars other than the Sun, including the following:

Star Distance
(ly)		 Orbit
(AU)
Epsilon Eridani[7] 10.5 35-75
Vega[5] 25 86-200
AU Microscopii[8] 33 50–150
HD 69830 41 <1
55 Cancri[6] 41 27-50
HD 139664 57 60-109
HD 53143 60  ?
Beta Pictoris 63 25-550
Zeta Leporis[9] 70 2.5-12.2
HD 107146 88 130
Fomalhaut[5] 133 25
HD 12039 137 5
HR 4796 A 220 200
HD 141569 320 400
HD 113766 430 0.35-5.8
HD 92945

The orbital distance of the belt is an estimated mean distance or range, based either on direct measurement from imaging or derived from the temperature of the belt. The Earth has an average distance from the Sun of 1 AU. A light-year or lightyear, symbol ly, is a unit of length. ... The astronomical unit (AU or au or a. ... Epsilon Eridani (ε Eri / ε Eridani) is a notable main-sequence K2 class star in the constellation of Eridanus. ... Vega (α Lyr / α Lyrae / Alpha Lyrae) is a white main sequence star approximately 25. ... AU Microscopiis debris disk AU Microscopii is a red dwarf star located 32 light-years from Earth. ... Image:Http://www. ... 55 Cancri (abbreviated 55 Cnc; Bayer designation ρ1 Cancri, Rho-1 Cancri) is a nearby 6th magnitude star in the constellation Cancer. ... Beta Pictoris (β Pic / β Pictoris) is the second brightest star in the constellation Pictor. ... Zeta Leporis (ζ Lep / ζ Leporis) is a star in the north-eastern section of the constellation Lepus, near the constellation of Orion. ... False colour image of HD 107146, showing disc. ... Fomalhaut (α PsA / α Piscis Austrini / Alpha Piscis Austrini) is the brightest star in the constellation Piscis Austrinus and one of the brightest stars in the nighttime sky. ... HD 12039 is a variable star in the constellation of Cetus. ... Adjectives: Terrestrial, Terran, Telluric, Tellurian, Earthly Atmosphere Surface pressure: 101. ...


References

  1. ^ Z. Wang, D. Chakrabarty, D. L. Kaplan (2006). "A debris disk around an isolated young neutron star". Nature 440 (7085): 772-775. 
  2. ^ "Spitzer Team Says Debris Disk Could Be Forming Infant Terrestrial Planets", NASA, December 14, 2005. Retrieved on 2007-01-03.
  3. ^ "Spitzer Sees Dusty Aftermath of Pluto-Sized Collision", NASA, January 10, 2005. Retrieved on 2007-01-03.
  4. ^ Debris Disk Database. Royal Observatory Edinburgh. Retrieved on 2007-01-03.
  5. ^ a b c Joint Astronomy Centre (April 21, 1998). Astronomers discover possible new Solar Systems in formation around the nearby stars Vega and Fomalhaut. Press release. Retrieved on 2006-04-24.
  6. ^ a b "University Of Arizona Scientists Are First To Discover Debris Disk Around Star Orbited By Planet", ScienceDaily, October 23, 1998. Retrieved on 2006-05-24.
  7. ^ a b J.S. Greaves; W.S. Holland; M.C. Wyatt; W.R.F. Dent; E.I. Robson; I.M. Coulson; T. Jenness; G.H. Moriarty-Schieven; G.R. Davis; H.M. Butner; W.K. Gear; C. Dominik; H. J. Walker (2005). "Structure in the Epsilon Eridani Debris Disk". The Astrophysical Journal 619: L187 – L190. 
  8. ^ Sanders, Robert. "Dust around nearby star like powder snow", UC Berkeley News, January 8, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-01-11.
  9. ^ M. M. Moerchen, C. M. Telesco, C. Packham, T. J. J. Kehoe (2006). "Mid-infrared resolution of a 3 AU-radius debris disk around Zeta Leporis". Astrophysical Journal Letters. 

2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ... January 3 is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ... January 3 is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ... January 3 is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... A news release, press release or press statement is a written or recorded communication directed at members of the news media for the purpose of announcing something claimed as having news value. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... April 24 is the 114th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (115th in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... May 24 is the 144th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (145th in leap years). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ... January 11 is the 11th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

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