Johnston, KG, Keto, E, Robitaille, TP et al. (1 more author) (2011) The standard model of low-mass star formation applied to massive stars: multiwavelength modelling of IRAS 20126+4104. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 415 (3). pp. 2953-2968. ISSN 0035-8711
Abstract
In order to investigate whether massive stars form similarly to their low-mass counterparts, we have used the standard envelope plus disc geometry successfully applied to low-mass protostars to model the near-IR to submillimetre spectral energy distribution (SED) and several mid-IR images of the embedded massive star IRAS 20126+4104. We have used a Monte Carlo radiative transfer dust code to model the continuum absorption, emission and scattering through two azimuthally symmetric dust geometries, the first consisting of a rotationally flattened envelope with outflow cavities, and the second which also includes a flared accretion disc. Our results show that the envelope plus disc model reproduces the observed SED and images more accurately than the model without a disc, although the latter model more closely reproduces the morphology of the mid-IR emission within a radius of 1.1 arcsec or ∼1800 au. We have put forward several possible causes of this discontinuity, including inner truncation of the disc due to stellar irradiation or precession of the outflow cavity. Our best-fitting envelope plus disc model has a disc radius of 9200 au. We find that it is unlikely that the outer regions of such a disc would be in hydrostatic or centrifugal equilibrium, however we calculate that the temperatures within the disc would keep it stable to fragmentation.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | (c) 2011, The Authors. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. Reproduced in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | accretion; accretion discs; radiative transfer; stars: formation; ISM: jets and outflows; infrared: stars |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences (Leeds) > School of Physics and Astronomy (Leeds) > Astrophysics (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 14 Feb 2017 13:52 |
Last Modified: | 14 Feb 2017 13:52 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.18913.x |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Oxford University Press |
Identification Number: | 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.18913.x |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:112362 |