High-resolution Mid-infrared Spectroscopy of GV Tau N: Surface Accretion and Detection of NH3 in a Young Protoplanetary Disk

JR Najita, JS Carr, SD Brittain, JH Lacy… - The Astrophysical …, 2021 - iopscience.iop.org
JR Najita, JS Carr, SD Brittain, JH Lacy, MJ Richter, GW Doppmann
The Astrophysical Journal, 2021iopscience.iop.org
Physical processes that redistribute or remove angular momentum from protoplanetary disks
can drive mass accretion onto the star and affect the outcome of planet formation. Despite
ubiquitous evidence that protoplanetary disks are engaged in accretion, the process (es)
responsible remain unclear. Here we present evidence for redshifted molecular absorption
in the spectrum of a Class I source that indicates rapid inflow at the disk surface. High-
resolution mid-infrared spectroscopy of GV Tau N reveals a rich absorption spectrum of …
Abstract
Physical processes that redistribute or remove angular momentum from protoplanetary disks can drive mass accretion onto the star and affect the outcome of planet formation. Despite ubiquitous evidence that protoplanetary disks are engaged in accretion, the process (es) responsible remain unclear. Here we present evidence for redshifted molecular absorption in the spectrum of a Class I source that indicates rapid inflow at the disk surface. High-resolution mid-infrared spectroscopy of GV Tau N reveals a rich absorption spectrum of individual lines of C 2 H 2, HCN, NH 3, and H 2 O. From the properties of the molecular absorption, we can infer that it carries a significant accretion rate
iopscience.iop.org