Linear line spectropolarimetry of Herbig Ae/Be stars
arXiv:1501.07436 · doi:10.1007/s10509-015-2323-6
Abstract
Accretion is the prime mode of star formation, but the exact mode has not yet been identified in the Herbig Ae/Be mass range. We provide evidence that the the maximum variation in mass-accretion rate is reached on a rotational timescale, which suggests that rotational modulation is the key to understanding mass accretion. We show how spectropolarimetry is uniquely capable of resolving the innermost (within 0.1 AU) regions between the star and the disk, allowing us to map the 3D geometry of the accreting gas, and test theories of angular momentum evolution. We present Monte Carlo line-emission simulations showing how one would observe changes in the polarisation properties on rotational timescales, as accretion columns come and go into our line of sight.
10 pages, 12 figures, ESO Herbig Ae/Be star conference
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Cited by in corpus (5)
- A Statistical Spectropolarimetric Study of Herbig Ae/Be Stars
- Herbig Stars: A Quarter Century of Progress
- Linear spectropolarimetry across the optical spectrum of Herbig Ae/Be stars
- Photoionization Models for the Inner Gaseous Disks of Herbig Be Stars: Evidence Against Magnetospheric Accretion?
- Evolution of the Accretion Rate of Young Intermediate Mass Stars: Implications for Disk Evolution and Planet Formation