
arXiv: astro-ph/0608563
We report 24 and/or 70 um measurements of ~160 A-type main-sequence stars using the Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer (MIPS). Their ages range from 5 to 850 Myr based on estimates from the literature (cluster or moving group associations) or from the H-R diagram and isochrones. The thermal infrared excess is identified by comparing the deviation (~3% and ~15% at the 1-��level at 24 and 70 um, respectively) between the measurements and the synthetic Kurucz photospheric predictions. Stars showing excess infrared emission due to strong emission lines or extended nebulosity seen at 24 um are excluded from our sample; therefore, the remaining infrared excesses are likely to arise from circumstellar debris disks. At the 3-sigma confidence level, the excess rate at 24 and 70 um is 32% and >=33% (with an uncertainty of 5%), considerably higher than has been found for old solar analogs and M dwarfs. Our measurements place constraints on the fractional dust luminosities and temperatures in the disks. We find that older stars tend to have lower fractional dust luminosity than younger ones. While the fractional luminosity from the excess infrared emission follows a general 1/t relationship, the values at a given stellar age vary by at least two orders of magnitude. We also find that (1) older stars possess a narrow range of temperature distribution peaking at colder temperatures, and (2) the disk emission at 70 um persists longer than that at 24 um. Both results suggest that the debris-disk clearing process is more effective in the inner regions.
17 pages, accepted for publication in ApJ
Astrophysics (astro-ph), FOS: Physical sciences, Astrophysics
Astrophysics (astro-ph), FOS: Physical sciences, Astrophysics
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 332 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 1% | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Top 1% | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 1% |
