No Arabic abstract
The mechanism of angular momentum transport in protoplanetary disks is fundamental to understand the distributions of gas and dust in the disks. The unprecedented, high spatial resolution ALMA observations taken toward HL Tau and subsequent radiative transfer modeling reveal that a high degree of dust settling is currently achieved at the outer part of the HL Tau disk. Previous observations however suggest a high disk accretion rate onto the central star. This configuration is not necessarily intuitive in the framework of the conventional viscous disk model, since efficient accretion generally requires a high level of turbulence, which can suppress dust settling considerably. We develop a simplified, semi-analytical disk model to examine under what condition these two properties can be realized in a single model. Recent, non-ideal MHD simulations are utilized to realistically model the angular momentum transport both radially via MHD turbulence and vertically via magnetically induced disk winds. We find that the HL Tau disk configuration can be reproduced well when disk winds are properly taken into account. While the resulting disk properties are likely consistent with other observational results, such an ideal situation can be established only if the plasma $beta$ at the disk midplane is $beta_0 simeq 2 times 10^4$ under the assumption of steady accretion. Equivalently, the vertical magnetic flux at 100 au is about 0.2 mG. More detailed modeling is needed to fully identify the origin of the disk accretion and quantitatively examine plausible mechanisms behind the observed gap structures in the HL Tau disk.
Recent ALMA images of HL Tau show gaps in the dusty disk that may be caused by planetary bodies. Given the young age of this system, if confirmed, this finding would imply very short timescales for planet formation, probably in a gravitationally unstable disk. To test this scenario, we searched for young planets by means of direct imaging in the L-band using the Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer mid-infrared camera. At the location of two prominent dips in the dust distribution at ~70AU (~0.5) from the central star we reach a contrast level of ~7.5mag. We did not detect any point source at the location of the rings. Using evolutionary models we derive upper limits of ~10-15MJup at <=0.5-1Ma for the possible planets. With these sensitivity limits we should have been able to detect companions sufficiently massive to open full gaps in the disk. The structures detected at mm-wavelengths could be gaps in the distributions of large grains on the disk midplane, caused by planets not massive enough to fully open gaps. Future ALMA observations of the molecular gas density profile and kinematics as well as higher contrast infrared observations may be able to provide a definitive answer.
Photoevaporation and magnetically driven winds are two independent mechanisms to remove mass from protoplanetary disks. In addition to accretion, the effect of these two principles acting concurrently could be significant and the transition between those two has not been extensively studied and quantified in the literature yet. In order to contribute to the understanding of disk winds, we present the phenomena emerging in the framework of two-dimensional axisymmetric, non-ideal magnetohydrodynamic simulations including EUV-/ X-ray driven photoevaporation. Of particular interest are the examination of the transition region between photoevaporation and magnetically driven wind, the possibility of emerging magneto-centrifugal wind effects, as well as the morphology of the wind itself depending on the strength of the magnetic field. We use the PLUTO code in a 2.5D axisymmetric configuration with additional treatment of EUV-/ X-ray heating and dynamic ohmic diffusion based on a semi-analytical chemical model. We identify the transition between both outflow types to occur for values of the initial plasma beta $beta geq 10^7$, while magnetically driven winds generally outperform photoevaporation for stronger fields. In our simulations we observe irregular and asymmetric outflows for stronger magnetic fields. In the weak field regime the photoevaporation rates are slightly lowered by perturbations of the gas density in the inner regions of the disk. Overall, our results predict a wind with a lever arm smaller than 1.5, consistent with a hot magneto-thermal wind. Stronger accretion flows are present for values of $beta < 10^7$.
Outflowing motions, whether a wind launched from the disk, a jet launched from the protostar, or the entrained molecular outflow, appear to be an ubiquitous feature of star formation. These outwards motions have a number of root causes, and how they manifest is intricately linked to their environment as well as the process of star formation itself. Using the ALMA Science Verification data of HL Tau, we investigate the high velocity molecular gas being removed from the system as a result of the star formation process. We aim to place these motions in context with the optically detected jet, and the disk. With these high resolution ($sim 1$) ALMA observations of CO (J=1-0), we quantify the outwards motions of the molecular gas. We find evidence for a bipolar outwards flow, with an opening angle, as measured in the red-shifted lobe, starting off at 90$^circ$, and narrowing to 60$^circ$ further from the disk, likely because of magnetic collimation. Its outwards velocity, corrected for inclination angle is of order 2.4 km s$^{-1}$.
The first long-baseline ALMA campaign resolved the disk around the young star HL Tau into a number of axisymmetric bright and dark rings. Despite the very young age of HL Tau these structures have been interpreted as signatures for the presence of (proto)planets. The ALMA images triggered numerous theoretical studies based on disk-planet interactions, magnetically driven disk structures, and grain evolution. Of special interest are the inner parts of disks, where terrestrial planets are expected to form. However, the emission from these regions in HL Tau turned out to be optically thick at all ALMA wavelengths, preventing the derivation of surface density profiles and grain size distributions. Here, we present the most sensitive images of HL Tau obtained to date with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array at 7.0 mm wavelength with a spatial resolution comparable to the ALMA images. At this long wavelength the dust emission from HL Tau is optically thin, allowing a comprehensive study of the inner disk. We obtain a total disk dust mass of 0.001 - 0.003 Msun, depending on the assumed opacity and disk temperature. Our optically thin data also indicate fast grain growth, fragmentation, and formation of dense clumps in the inner densest parts of the disk. Our results suggest that the HL Tau disk may be actually in a very early stage of planetary formation, with planets not already formed in the gaps but in the process of future formation in the bright rings.
A number of protoplanetary disks observed with ALMA potentially provide direct examples of initial conditions for planetary systems. In particular, the HL Tau disk has been intensively studied, and its rings/gaps are conventionally interpreted to be a result of unseen massive planets embedded in the gaps. Based on this interpretation, we carried out N-body simulations to investigate orbital evolution of planets within the protoplanetary disk and after the disk dispersal. Before the disk dispersal, our N-body simulations include both migration and mass-growth of the planet coupled with evolution of the disk. By varying the disk parameters, we produce a variety of widely-separated planetary systems consisting of three super-Jupiters at the end of disk dispersal. We found the outer planet is more massive than the inner one, and the migration of the innermost planet is inefficient due to the accretion of outer planet(s). We also showed how the final configuration and the final planetary mass depend on disk parameters. The migration is found to be convergent and no planet-pair has a period ratio less than 2. After the disk dispersal, we switch to pure gravitational N-body simulations and integrate the orbits up to 10 Gyr. Most simulated systems remain stable for at least 10 Gyr. We discuss implications of our result in terms of the observed widely-separated planetary systems HR 8799 and PDS 70.