Multiple rings in the transitional disk of GM Aurigae revealed by VLA and ALMA

TL;DR

High-resolution ALMA and VLA observations of GM Aurigae's protoplanetary disk reveal multiple rings and a cavity, suggesting planet formation processes and dust grain trapping mechanisms.

Contribution

This study combines ALMA and VLA data to resolve and model multiple rings in GM Aurigae's disk, indicating potential planet formation signatures.

Findings

Disk contains a 35 au cavity and extends to 250 au.

Two bright rings at approximately 40 and 80 au.

Inner cavity size varies between 0.9 mm and 7 mm observations.

Abstract

Our understanding of protoplanetary disks is rapidly departing from the classical view of a smooth, axisymmetric disk. This is in part thanks to the high angular resolution that (sub)mm observations can provide. Here we present the combined results of ALMA (0.9 mm) and VLA (7 mm) dust continuum observations toward the protoplanetary disk around the solar analogue GM Aur. Both images clearly resolve the $\sim$35 au inner cavity. The ALMA observations also reveal a fainter disk that extends up to $\sim250$ au. We model our observations using two approaches: an analytical fit to the observed deprojected visibilities, and a physical disk model that fits the SED as well as the VLA and ALMA observations. Despite not being evident in the deconvolved images, the VLA and ALMA visibilities can only be fitted with two bright rings of radii $\sim$40 and $\sim$80 au. Our physical model indicates that this morphology is the result of an accumulation or trapping of large dust grains, probably due to the presence of two pressure bumps in the disk. Even though alternative mechanisms cannot be discarded, the multiple rings suggest that forming planets may have cleared at least two gaps in the disk. Finally, our analysis suggests that the inner cavity might display different sizes at 0.9 mm and 7 mm. This discrepancy could be caused by the presence of free-free emission close to the star at 7 mm, or by a more compact accumulation of the large dust grains at the edge of the cavity.