Structure of the DM Tau Outer Disk: Probing the vertical kinetic temperature gradient
Abstract
We use high angular and spectral resolution ({ ~ } 1'' & 0.1 km s-1) images in 12CO, 13CO J=2 -> 1, J=1 -> 0 and C18O J=2 -> 1 coming from the IRAM interferometer to probe the vertical temperature distribution in the disk of DM Tau. We investigate here a new method based on the different opacities of the CO isotopomers to sample the temperature disk structure at various vertical scales inside the disk. Typically, the 12CO transitions are sampling at 2-4 scale heights, while the 13CO data are more likely tracing 1 scale height for the J=2-1, and the disk mid-plane for the J=1-0 line. At the disk scale at which the IRAM observations are sensitive (R>= 50-60 AU), the analysis reveals a vertical temperature gradient. The outer layers where tau (12CO J=2 -> 1) =~ 1 are warmer ({ ~ } 30 K) than the inner layers probed by 13CO and C18O data ({ ~ } 13-20 K). These findings are consistent with the structure expected for flared irradiated disks around TTauri stars. We also observe that the outer radius of the disk is smaller in 13CO and C18O than in 12CO. These differences in truncation radius are in agreement with photodissociation effects. We also note that the dynamical mass determination from CO is weakly affected by the temperature gradient.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- February 2003
- DOI:
- 10.1051/0004-6361:20021638
- Bibcode:
- 2003A&A...399..773D
- Keywords:
-
- stars: individual: DM Tauri;
- stars: circumstellar matter;
- stars: pre-main sequence;
- radio-lines: stars