A spatially-resolved large cavity of the J0337 protoplanetary disk in Perseus

TL;DR

This study uses high-contrast imaging to reveal a large, spatially-resolved cavity in the J0337 protoplanetary disk, suggesting potential planetary or substellar companions within the cavity based on non-detections.

Contribution

First direct imaging detection of a large cavity in the J0337 disk in Perseus, with modeling indicating an 80 au radius and constraints on potential companions.

Findings

Discovered an ~80 au cavity in the J0337 disk.

No companions detected within 0.1 to 2.5 arcseconds, with mass limits down to a few Jupiter masses.

Compared cavity features with other systems, suggesting possible planetary or brown dwarf presence.

Abstract

We present Keck/NIRC2 $K_{\rm p}L_{\rm p}$ high-contrast imaging observations of a J0337 protoplanetary disk. The data discover the spatially-resolved large cavity, which is the second report among protoplanetary disks in the Perseus star forming region after the LkH$\alpha$~330 system. Our data and forward modeling using RADMC-3D suggests $\sim80$~au for the cavity radius. There is discrepancy between J0337's SED and the modeled SED at $\sim10\micron$ and this suggests an unseen inner disk. We also searched for companions around J0337 but did not detect any companion candidates at separations between $0\farcs1$ and $2\farcs5$. The $L_{\rm p}$-band detection limit corresponds to $\sim20 M_{\rm Jup}$ at 60~au, $\sim9-10 M_{\rm Jup}$ at 90~au, and $\sim3 M_{\rm Jup}$ at $>120$~au. Compared with other young systems with large cavities such as PDS~70 and RX~J1604, multiple Jovian planets, a single eccentric Jovian planet, or a massive brown-dwarf at an inner separation could exist within the cavity.