Structure in the eps Eridani Debris Disk
Abstract
The nearby (3.22 pc) star epsilon Eridani hosts the closest debris disk to the Sun and is a key template for understanding debris disk phenomena. The dusty debris originates from the collisional erosion of planetesimals, analogous to comets and asteroids, and can persist only in dynamically stable regions like belts and resonances. The distribution of the dust producing planetesimals is best traced by millimetre emission, since the large grains that dominate at these wavelengths are minimally affected by stellar radiation and winds. Previous single dish observations show that the basic millimetre morphology of the epsilon Eridani debris disk is a ring of radius 60 AU. We propose to use the ATCA H75 and H168 configurations at 43 GHz to obtain higher resolution information that will allow us to discriminate amongst differing models for the debris disk structure and origin. In particular, we will derive new quantitative estimates of the ring width, any offset of the disk centroid from the stellar position, and the location and size of any resonant clumps (as well as background sources).
- Publication:
-
ATNF Proposal
- Pub Date:
- April 2014
- Bibcode:
- 2014atnf.prop.6181M
- Keywords:
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- star formation (Galactic);
- planetary science;
- ATCA