The dusty disk around VV Ser

TL;DR

This study uses millimeter and centimeter observations to model the spectral energy distribution of VV Ser's disk, revealing a larger dust mass and evidence of dust grain growth and stratification.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed modeling of VV Ser's disk SED, demonstrating dust stratification and significantly revised disk mass estimates.

Findings

Disk dust mass is about 4 x 10^(-5) Msun, 400 times previous estimates.

Presence of small grains in the disk surface explains infrared emission.

Dust grains in the midplane have grown to centimeter sizes.

Abstract

We have carried out observations at millimeter and centimeter wavelengths towards VV Ser using the Plateau de Bure Interferometer and the Very Large Array. This allows us to compute the SED from near infrared to centimeter wavelengths. The modeling of the full SED has provided insight into the dust properties and a more accurate value of the disk mass. The mass of dust in the disk around VV Ser is found to be about 4 10^(-5) Msun, i.e. 400 times larger than previous estimates. Moreoever, the SED can only be accounted for assuming dust stratification in the vertical direction across the disk. The existence of small grains (0.25--1 micron) in the disk surface is required to explain the emission at near- and mid-infrared wavelengths. The fluxes measured at millimeter wavelengths imply that the dust grains in the midplane have grown up to very large sizes, at least to some centimeters.