The First Detailed Look at a Brown Dwarf Disk

Apai, D.; Pascucci, I.; Henning, Th.; Dullemond, C. P.

Germany

Abstract

The combination of mid-infrared and recent submillimeter/millimeter measurements allows us to set up the first comprehensive spectral energy distribution (SED) of the circumstellar material around a young brown dwarf. Simple arguments suggest that the dust is distributed in the form of a disk. We compare basic models to explore the disk parameters. The modeling shows that a flat disk geometry fits well with the observations. A flared disk explains the SED only if it has a puffed-up inner rim and an inner gap much larger than the dust sublimation radius. Similarities and differences with disks around T Tauri stars are discussed.

2003 The Astrophysical Journal
ISO 57