The Frequency of Warm Debris Disks and Transition Disks in a Complete Sample of Intermediate-Mass GLIMPSE Stars: Placing Constraints on Disk Lifetimes

TL;DR

This study quantifies the frequency of warm and transition debris disks around intermediate-mass stars using a large, complete sample, providing new constraints on disk lifetimes and evolution.

Contribution

It presents the first large, volume-limited survey of mid-IR excesses in intermediate-mass stars, improving statistical understanding of disk frequencies and lifetimes.

Findings

0.3% of stars show warm debris disks.

1.2% of stars are transition disk candidates.

Disks around intermediate-mass stars dissipate in about 5 million years.

Abstract

The incidence of dusty debris disks around low- and intermediate-mass stars has been investigated numerous times in order to understand the early stages of planet formation. Most notably, the IRAS mission observed the entire sky at mid- and far-IR wavelengths, identifying the first debris disk systems, but was unable to detect a statistically significant sample of warm debris disks due to its limited sensitivity at 12 microns. Using Tycho-2 Spectral Catalog stars previously shown to exhibit 8 micron mid-infrared circumstellar excesses confirmed at 24 microns in the Spitzer GLIMPSE survey, we investigate the frequency of mid-IR excesses among intermediate-mass (2--4 solar mass) stars in a complete volume-limited sample. Our study of 338 stars is four times larger than a complete sample of 12 micron sources from the IRAS Point Source Catalog. We find that 0.3+-0.3% of intermediate-mass stars exhibit a signature of a possible terrestrial-temperature debris disks at wavelengths of 8 microns and greater. We also find that 1.2+-0.6% of intermediate-mass stars exhibit evidence for circumstellar disks undergoing inner disk clearing, i.e., candidate transition disk systems. Using stellar lifetimes and the frequency of transition and primordial disks within a given spectral type, we find that pre-main-sequence disks around intermediate-mass stars dissipate in 5+-2 Myr, consistent with other studies.