A Spitzer Study of Debris Disks In The Young Nearby Cluster NGC 2232: Icy Planets Are Common Around ~ 1.5--3 Solar-Mass Stars

TL;DR

This study uses Spitzer observations to analyze debris disks around young A-type stars in the NGC 2232 cluster, revealing that icy planet formation is common around stars of 1.5 to 3 solar masses.

Contribution

It provides new evidence that icy planet formation is prevalent around A-type stars aged 5 to 25 million years, based on debris disk frequency and characteristics.

Findings

Debris disk frequency increases from 25% at 5 Myr to 50-60% at 20-25 Myr.

Most A-type stars produce icy planets, with formation probability > 0.5-0.6.

Debris emission levels rise and then decline with stellar age.

Abstract

We describe Spitzer IRAC and MIPS observations of the nearby 25 Myr-old open cluster NGC 2232. Combining these data with ROSAT All-Sky Survey observations, proper motions, and optical photometry/spectroscopy, we construct a list of highly probable cluster members. We identify 1 A-type star, HD 45435, with definite excess emission at 4.5--24 micron indicative of debris from terrestrial planet formation. We also identify 2--4 late-type stars with possible 8 micron excesses, and 8 early-type stars with definite 24 micron excesses. Constraints on the dust luminosity and temperature suggest that the detected excesses are produced by debris disks. From our sample of B and A stars, stellar rotation appears correlated with 24 micron excess, a result expected if massive primordial disks evolve into massive debris disks. To explore the evolution of the frequency and magnitude of debris around A-type stars, we combine our results with data for other young clusters. The frequency of debris disks around A-type stars appears to increase from ~ 25% at 5 Myr to ~ 50--60% at 20--25 Myr. Older A-type stars have smaller debris disk frequencies: ~ 20% at 50--100 Myr. For these ages, the typical level of debris emission rises from 5--20 Myr and then declines. Because 24 micron dust emission probes icy planet formation around A-type stars, our results suggest that the frequency of icy planet formation is eta(i) > 0.5--0.6. Thus, most A-type stars (approx. 1.5--3 Msun) produce icy planets.