Discovery of CI around 51 Ophiuchi.
Deleuil, M.; Ferlet, R.; Vidal-Madjar, A.; Lagrange, A. -M.; Beust, H.; Mouillet, D.; Lecavelier Des Etangs, A.; Backman, D. E.; Lissauer, J. J.
Abstract
We present the discovery of cold CI in the 51 Oph environment, with a column density of N=5x10^13^cm^-2^ and temperature T=~20K. This is the first β Pic-like star other than β Pic with simultaneous detection of cold dust and gas. The CI/infrared continuum ratio and consequently the gas/dust ratio are similar to the β Pic ones. Since CI has a very short lifetime, it must be continuously replenished, probably by molecular gas dissociation. This provides evidence for the presence of evaporating bodies. A new upper limit on CO content is also given.