Projects per year
Abstract
Many nearby main-sequence stars have been searched for debris using the far-infrared Herschel satellite, within the DEBRIS, DUNES and Guaranteed-Time Key Projects. We discuss here 11 stars of spectral types A–M where the stellar inclination is known and can be compared to that of the spatially resolved dust belts. The discs are found to be well aligned with the stellar equators, as in the case of the Sun's Kuiper belt, and unlike many close-in planets seen in transit surveys. The ensemble of stars here can be fitted with a star–disc tilt of ≲ 10°. These results suggest that proposed mechanisms for tilting the star or disc in fact operate rarely. A few systems also host imaged planets, whose orbits at tens of au are aligned with the debris discs, contrary to what might be expected in models where external perturbers induce tilts.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | L31-L35 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters |
Volume | 438 |
Issue number | 1 |
Early online date | 25 Nov 2013 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 11 Feb 2014 |
Keywords
- Circumstellar matter
- Planetary systems
- Infrared: stars
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Dive into the research topics of 'Alignment in star-debris disc systems seen by Herschel'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 2 Finished
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Astrophysics at St Andrews:2012 - 2014: Astrophysics at St Andrews: 2012 - 2014
Horne, K. D. (PI)
Science & Technology Facilities Council
1/10/11 → 31/03/12
Project: Standard
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Wide Area Search for Planets: Project support for the Wide Area Search for Planets
Cameron, A. C. (PI)
Science & Technology Facilities Council
1/08/08 → 31/07/11
Project: Standard