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handle: 1885/38159
We use published optical spectral and IR excess data from nine young clusters and associations to study the stellar mass dependent dispersal of circumstellar disks. All clusters older than ~3 Myr show a decrease in disk fraction with increasing stellar mass for Solar to higher mass stars. This result is significant at about the 1 $��$ level in each cluster. For the complete set of clusters we reject the null hypothesis--that Solar and intermediate-mass stars lose their disks at the same rate--with 95-99.9% confidence. To interpret this behaviour, we investigate the impact of grain growth, binary companions, and photoevaporation on the evolution of disk signatures. Changes in grain growth timescales at fixed disk temperature may explain why early-type stars with IR excesses appear to evolve faster than their later-type counterparts. Little evidence that binary companions affect disk evolution suggests that photoevaporation is the more likely mechanism for disk dispersal. A simple photoevaporation model provides a good fit to the observed disk fractions for Solar and intermediate-mass stars. Although the current mass-dependent disk dispersal signal is not strong, larger and more complete samples of clusters with ages of 3-5 Myr can improve the significance and provide better tests of theoretical models. In addition, the orbits of extra-Solar planets can constrain models of disk dispersal and migration. We suggest that the signature of stellar mass dependent disk dispersal due to photoevaporation may be present in the orbits of observed extra Solar planets. Planets orbiting hosts more massive than ~1.6 Msun may have larger orbits because the disks in which they formed were dispersed before they could migrate.
Accepted to ApJ
Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP), Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, FOS: Physical sciences, Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR), Astrophysics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP), Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, FOS: Physical sciences, Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR), Astrophysics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
citations 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). | 90 | |
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 10% | |
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 10% | |
impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% |