The Vega debris disc: A view from Herschel
Heras, A. M.; Walker, H. J.; Ivison, R. J.; Fridlund, M.; Blommaert, J. A. D. L.; Olofsson, G.; Dent, W. R. F.; Liseau, R.; Pilbratt, G. L.; Pantin, E.; Dominik, C.; Henning, Th.; Regibo, S.; Gomez, H. L.; Gear, W. K.; Barlow, M. J.; Brandeker, A.; Cohen, M.; Acke, B.; Swinyard, B. M.; Holland, W. S.; Vandenbussche, B.; Wesson, R.; Sicilia-Aguilar, A.; Waelkens, C.; Hogerheijde, M. R.; Bouwman, J.; Naylor, D. A.; di Francesco, J.; Matthews, B. C.; Sibthorpe, B.; Royer, P.; Greaves, J. S.; Glauser, A. M.; Hargrave, P. C.; Lim, T. L.; Polehampton, E. T.; Harvey, P. M.; De Meester, W.; Leeks, S. J.
United Kingdom, Belgium, France, Sweden, Germany, United States, Chile, Canada, Netherlands, Switzerland
Abstract
We present five band imaging of the Vega debris disc obtained using the Herschel Space Observatory. These data span a wavelength range of 70-500 μm with full-width half-maximum angular resolutions of 5.6-36.9”. The disc is well resolved in all bands, with the ring structure visible at 70 and 160 μm. Radial profiles of the disc surface brightness are produced, and a disc radius of 11” (~85 AU) is determined. The disc is seen to have a smooth structure thoughout the entire wavelength range, suggesting that the disc is in a steady state, rather than being an ephemeral structure caused by the recent collision of two large planetesimals.
Herschel is an ESA space observatory with science instruments provided by European-led Principal Investigator consortia and with important participation from NASA.