Millimeter Imaging of the beta Pictoris Debris Disk: Evidence for a Planetesimal Belt
Dec, 2010Citations per year
Abstract: (arXiv)
We present observations at 1.3 millimeters wavelength of the beta Pictoris debris disk with beam size 4.3 x 2.6 arcsec (83 x 50 AU) from the Submillimeter Array. The emission shows two peaks separated by ~7 arsec along the disk plane, which we interpret as a highly inclined dust ring or belt. A simple model constrains the belt center to 94+/-8 AU, close to the prominent break in slope of the optical scattered light. We identify this region as the location as the main reservoir of dust producing planetesimals in the disk.References(41)
Figures(2)