PDS 144B is part of a binary star system known as PDS 144, which is notable for being the first confirmed Herbig Ae/Be binary system (2012) where both stars drive jets.
Herbig Ae/Be stars are a class of pre-main-sequence stars that are more massive than T Tauri stars and are characterized by their emission lines and association with reflection nebulae.
PDS 144B is part of the binary star system PDS 144, which features two Herbig Ae stars, PDS 144N (North) and PDS 144S (South). The protoplanetary disk around PDS 144B (PDS 144N) is particularly notable for its geometry and composition.
Key Features of the PDS 144B Protoplanetary Disk:
- Geometry: The disk around PDS 144B is observed nearly edge-on, within 5° of perfect alignment, which is a common feature shared with other systems like HH 30 and HK Tau B. This orientation allows for detailed studies of the disk’s structure and composition.
- Size and Structure: The disk has a radius of approximately 58 AU and a height of about 22 AU, making it relatively compact compared to other Herbig Ae disks like AB Aur or HD 100546, which are much larger. The smaller size may be due to dynamical truncation from interactions with the companion star, PDS 144S.
- Composition: The disk of PDS 144B contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are detected due to the disk’s flared structure that allows for UV irradiation of the dust. This is in contrast to the disk around PDS 144S, which lacks PAH emission, likely due to a flatter disk geometry that prevents UV irradiation.
- Inclination and Visibility: The inclination of the disk around PDS 144B is such that it is visible in direct light imagery, unlike many other circumstellar disks at similar inclinations. This visibility allows for detailed photometric and spectroscopic studies.
Overall, the PDS 144B protoplanetary disk provides a valuable opportunity to study the dynamics and chemistry of circumstellar disks in binary systems, especially given its unique edge-on orientation and the presence of PAHs.
References
PDS 144: THE FIRST CONFIRMED Herbig Ae–Herbig Ae WIDE BINARY
J. B. Hornbeck, C. A. Grady, M. D. Perrin, J. P. Wisniewski, B. M. Tofflemire, A. Brown, J. A. Holtzman, K. Arraki, K. Hamaguchi, B. Woodgate, R. Petre, B. Daly, N. A. Grogin, D. G. Bonfield, G. M. Williger, and J. T. Lauroesch
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0004-637X/744/1/54
Discovery of an Optically Thick, Edge-on Disk around the Herbig Ae Star PDS 144N
Perrin, Marshall D. ; Duchêne, Gaspard ; Kalas, Paul ; Graham, James R.
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2006ApJ…645.1272P
Circular Astronomy 