Browsing by Author "Ménard, F."

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    Discovery of a planetary-mass companion within the gap of the transition disk around PDS 70
    (EDP Sciences, 2018) Keppler, M.; Benisty, M.; Müller, A.; Henning, Th.; van Boekel, R.; Cantalloube, F.; Ginski, C.; van Holstein, R.G.; Maire, A.-L.; Pohl, A.; Samland, M.; Avenhaus, H.; Baudino, J.-L.; Boccaletti, A.; de Boer, J.; Bonnefoy, M.; Chauvin, G.; Desidera, S.; Langlois, M.; Lazzoni, C.; Marleau, G.-D.; Mordasini, C.; Pawellek, N.; Stolker, T.; Vigan, A.; Zurlo, A.; Birnstiel, T.; Brandner, W.; Feldt, M.; Flock, M.; Girard, J.; Gratton, R.; Hagelberg, J.; Isella, A.; Janson, M.; Juhasz, A.; Kemmer, J.; Kral, Q.; Lagrange, A.-M.; Launhardt, R.; Matter, A.; Ménard, F.; Milli, J.; Mollière, P.; Olofsson, J.; Pérez, L.; Pinilla, P.; Pinte, C.; Quanz, S.P.; Schmidt, T.; Udry, S.; Wahhaj, Z.; Williams, J.P.; Buenzli, E.; Cudel, M.; Dominik, C.; Galicher, R.; Kasper, M.; Lannier, J.; Mesa, D.; Mouillet, D.; Peretti, S.; Perrot, C.; Salter, G.; Sissa, E.; Wildi, F.; Abe, L.; Antichi, J.; Augereau, J.-C.; Baruffolo, A.; Baudoz, P.; Bazzon, A.; Beuzit, J.-L.; Blanchard, P.; Brems, S.S.; Buey, T.; De Caprio, V.; Carbillet, M.; Carle, M.; Cascone, E.; Cheetham, A.; Claudi, R.; Costille, A.; Delboulbé, A.; Dohlen, K.; Fantinel, D.; Feautrier, P.; Fusco, T.; Giro, E.; Gluck, L.; Gry, C.; Hubin, N.; Hugot, E.; Jaquet, M.; Le Mignant, D.; Llored, M.; Madec, F.; Magnard, Y.; Martinez, P.; Maurel, D.; Meyer, M.; Möller-Nilsson, O.; Moulin, T.; Mugnier, L.; Origné, A.; Pavlov, A.; Perret, D.; Petit, C.; Pragt, J.; Puget, P.; Rabou, P.; Ramos, J.; Rigal, F.; Rochat, S.; Roelfsema, R.; Rousset, G.; Roux, A.; Salasnich, B.; Sauvage, J.-F.; Sevin, A.; Soenke, C.; Stadler, E.; Suarez, M.; Turatto, M.; Weber, L.
    Context. Young circumstellar disks are the birthplaces of planets. Their study is of prime interest to understand the physical and chemical conditions under which planet formation takes place. Only very few detections of planet candidates within these disks exist, and most of them are currently suspected to be disk features. Aims. In this context, the transition disk around the young star PDS 70 is of particular interest, due to its large gap identified in previous observations, indicative of ongoing planet formation. We aim to search for the presence of an embedded young planet and search for disk structures that may be the result of disk–planet interactions and other evolutionary processes. Methods. We analyse new and archival near-infrared images of the transition disk PDS 70 obtained with the VLT/SPHERE, VLT/NaCo, and Gemini/NICI instruments in polarimetric differential imaging and angular differential imaging modes. Results. We detect a point source within the gap of the disk at about 195 mas (~22 au) projected separation. The detection is confirmed at five different epochs, in three filter bands and using different instruments. The astrometry results in an object of bound nature, with high significance. The comparison of the measured magnitudes and colours to evolutionary tracks suggests that the detection is a companion of planetary mass. The luminosity of the detected object is consistent with that of an L-type dwarf, but its IR colours are redder, possibly indicating the presence of warm surrounding material. Further, we confirm the detection of a large gap of ~54 au in size within the disk in our scattered light images, and detect a signal from an inner disk component. We find that its spatial extent is very likely smaller than ~17 au in radius, and its position angle is consistent with that of the outer disk. The images of the outer disk show evidence of a complex azimuthal brightness distribution which is different at different wavelengths and may in part be explained by Rayleigh scattering from very small grains. Conclusions. The detection of a young protoplanet within the gap of the transition disk around PDS 70 opens the door to a so far observationally unexplored parameter space of planetary formation and evolution. Future observations of this system at different wavelengths and continuing astrometry will allow us to test theoretical predictions regarding planet–disk interactions, planetary atmospheres, and evolutionary models.
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    Vortex-like kinematic signal, spirals, and beam smearing effect in the HD 142527 disk
    (EDP Sciences, 2021) Boehler, Y.; Ménard, F.; Robert, C. M. T.; Isella, A.; Pinte, C.; Gonzalez, J.-F.; Plas, G. van der; Weaver, E.; Teague, R.; Garg, H.; Méheut, H.
    Vortices are one of the most promising mechanisms to locally concentrate millimeter dust grains and allow the formation of planetesimals through gravitational collapse. The outer disk around the binary system HD 142527 is known for its large horseshoe structure with azimuthal contrasts of ~3–5 in the gas surface density and of ~50 in the dust. Using 13CO and C18O J = 3–2 transition lines, we detect kinematic deviations to the Keplerian rotation, which are consistent with the presence of a large vortex around the dust crescent, as well as a few spirals in the outer regions of the disk. Comparisons with a vortex model suggest velocity deviations up to 350 m s−1 after deprojection compared to the background Keplerian rotation, as well as an extension of ±40 au radially and ~200° azimuthally, yielding an azimuthal-to-radial aspect ratio of ~5. Another alternative for explaining the vortex-like signal implies artificial velocity deviations generated by beam smearing in association with variations of the gas velocity due to gas pressure gradients at the inner and outer edges of the circumbinary disk. The two scenarios are currently difficult to differentiate and, for this purpose, would probably require the use of multiple lines at a higher spatial resolution. The beam smearing effect, due to the finite spatial resolution of the observations and gradients in the line emission, should be common in observations of protoplanetary disks and may lead to misinterpretations of the gas velocity, in particular around ring-like structures.