The $Spitzer$ infrared spectrograph survey of protoplanetary disks in Orion A: I. disk properties

TL;DR

This study analyzes the properties of protoplanetary disks in Orion A using Spitzer/IRS and IRTF/SpeX data, revealing differences in disk evolution, accretion rates, and dust processing compared to Taurus, influenced by stellar environment.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive comparison of disk properties in Orion A with Taurus, highlighting environmental effects on disk evolution and dust processing.

Findings

Inner disks evolve faster than outer disks.

Mass accretion rates differ between transitional and full disks.

Disks in Orion A show less grain processing than in Taurus.

Abstract

We present our investigation of 319 Class II objects in Orion A observed by $Spitzer$/IRS. We also present the follow-up observation of 120 of these Class II objects in Orion A from IRTF/SpeX. We measure continuum spectral indices, equivalent widths, and integrated fluxes that pertain to disk structure and dust composition from IRS spectra of Class II objects in Orion A. We estimate mass accretion rates using hydrogen recombination lines in the SpeX spectra of our targets. Utilizing these properties, we compare the distributions of the disk and dust properties of Orion A disks to those of Taurus disks with respect to position within Orion A (ONC and L1641) and to the sub-groups by the inferred radial structures, such as transitional disks vs. radially continuous full disks. Our main findings are as follows. (1) Inner disks evolve faster than the outer disks. (2) Mass accretion rate of transitional disks and that of radially continuous full disks are statistically significantly displaced from each other. The median mass accretion rate of radially continuous disks in ONC and L1641 is not very different from that in Taurus. (3) Less grain processing has occurred in the disks in ONC compared to those in Taurus, based on analysis of the shape index of the 10 $\mu$m silicate feature ($F_{11.3}/F_{9.8}$). (4) The 20-31 $\mu$m continuum spectral index tracks the projected distance from the most luminous Trapezium star, $\theta^{1}$ Ori C. A possible explanation is the effect of UV ablation of the outer part of the disks.