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Bacciotti, F.
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Bacciotti, F.
Official Name
Bacciotti, F.
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Now showing 1 - 10 of 13
- PublicationThe accretion/ejection paradigm of low mass stars tested with HST(Società Astronomica Italiana, 2005-01-01)
; ; ; ; In the last few years new investigation techniques have allowed us to study in depth the spectacular phenomenon of protostellar jets, and to test the validity of the proposed models for their acceleration. In this contribution we review the current knowledge on the subject, with a special emphasis on the recent achievements obtained thanks to observations at high angular resolution, like those performed at subarcsecond scales with the Hubble Space Telescope. These results have made us able to define more clearly the morphology, kinematics, excitation of the flows on small scales, and, in turn, to derive stringent constraints for the physical processes at work. The novel information acquired puts us in a very good position to plan theoretical and observational studies aimed at understanding if similar accretion/ejection processes are also at work during the formation of Brown Dwarfs. If scaled-down versions of Herbig-Haro jets are found associated to these objects, then it would mean that the wellknown formation scenario of solar–mass stars is truly universal.38 - PublicationThe near-UV: The true window on jet rotation(Società Astronomica Italiana, 2017-01-01)
; ; ; High resolution observations of jet rotation in newly forming stars have the potential to support theories of magneto-centrifugal jet launching. We report a detection of a radial velocity difference across the blue-shifted jet from RY Tau, the direction of which matches the CO disk rotation sense. Now, in 3 of 3 cases, the sense of the near-UV jet gradient matches the disk rotation sense, implying that we are indeed observing jet rotation. It seems the jet core, probed at near-UV wavelengths, is protected by the outer jet layers from kinematic contaminations, and thus represents the only true window on jet rotation.78 - PublicationJet rotation investigated in the near-ultraviolet with the Hubble Space Telescope imaging spectrograph(IOP Publishing, 2012-04-20)
; ; ; ; We present results of the second phase of our near-ultraviolet investigation into protostellar jet rotation using the Hubble Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph. We obtain long-slit spectra at the base of five T Tauri jets to determine if there is a difference in radial velocity between the jet borders which may be interpreted as a rotation signature. These observations are extremely challenging and push the limits of current instrumentation, but have the potential to provide long-awaited observational support for the magnetocentrifugal mechanism of jet launching in which jets remove angular momentum from protostellar systems. We successfully detect all five jet targets (from RW Aur, HN Tau, DP Tau, and CW Tau) in several near-ultraviolet emission lines, including the strong Mg II doublet. However, only RW Aur's bipolar jet presents a sufficiently high signal-to-noise ratio to allow for analysis. The approaching jet lobe shows a difference of 10kms-1 in a direction which agrees with the disk rotation sense, but is opposite to previously published optical measurements for the receding jet. The near-ultraviolet difference is not found six months later, nor is it found in the fainter receding jet. Overall, in the case of RW Aur, differences are not consistent with a simple jet rotation interpretation. Indeed, given the renowned complexity and variability of this system, it now seems likely that any rotation signature is confused by other influences, with the inevitable conclusion that RW Aur is not suited to a jet rotation study. © 2012. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.163Scopus© Citations 27 - PublicationALMA Polarimetric Studies of Rotating Jet/Disk Systems(Springer, 2019-08-02)
; ; ; ; We have recently obtained polarimetric data at mm wavelengths with ALMA for the young systems DG Tau and CW Tau, for which the rotation properties of jet and disk have been investigated in previous high angular resolution studies. The motivation was to test the models of magneto-centrifugal launch of jets via the determination of the magnetic configuration at the disk surface. The analysis of these data, however, reveals that self-scattering of dust thermal radiation dominates the polarization pattern. It is shown that even if no information on the magnetic field can be derived in this case, the polarization data are a powerful tool for the diagnostics of the properties and the evolution of dust in protoplanetary disks.179 - PublicationALMA Observations of Polarized Emission toward the CW Tau and DG Tau Protoplanetary Disks: Constraints on Dust Grain Growth and Settling(IOP Publishing, 2018-10-01)
; ; ; ; We present polarimetric data of CW Tau and DG Tau, two well-known Class II disk/jet systems, obtained with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) at 870 μm and 0.″2 average resolution. In CW Tau, the total and polarized emission are both smooth and symmetric, with polarization angles almost parallel to the minor axis of the projected disk. In contrast, DG Tau displays a structured polarized emission, with an elongated brighter region in the disk's near side and a belt-like feature beyond about 0.″3 from the source. At the same time, the total intensity is spatially smooth, with no features. The polarization pattern, almost parallel to the minor axis in the inner region, becomes azimuthal in the outer belt, possibly because of a drop in optical depth. The polarization fraction has average values of 1.2% in CW Tau and 0.4% in DG Tau. Our results are consistent with polarization from self-scattering of the dust thermal emission. In this hypothesis, the maximum size of the grains contributing to polarization is in the range 100-150 μm for CW Tau and 50-70 μm for DG Tau. The polarization maps combined with dust opacity estimates indicate that these grains are distributed in a geometrically thin layer in CW Tau, representing a settling in the disk midplane. Meanwhile, such settling is not yet apparent for DG Tau. These results advocate polarization studies as a fundamental complement to total emission observations, in investigations of the structure and the evolution of protoplanetary disks.249Scopus© Citations 31 - PublicationT Tauri Jet Physics Resolved Near the Launching Region with the Hubble Space TelescopeWe present an analysis of the gas physics at the base of jets from five T Tauri stars based on high angular resolution optical spectra, using the Hubble Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (HST STIS). The spectra refer to a region within 100 AU of the star, i.e., where the collimation of the jet has just taken place. We form position-velocity (PV) images of the line ratios to get a global picture of the flow excitation. We then apply a specialized diagnostic technique to find the electron density, ionization fraction, electron temperature, and total density. Our results are in the form of PV maps of the obtained quantities, in which the gas behavior is resolved as a function of both radial velocity and distance from the jet axis. They highlight a number of interesting physical features of the jet collimation region, including regions of extremely high density, asymmetries with respect to the axis, and possible shock signatures. Finally, we estimate the jet mass and angular momentum outflow rates, both of which are fundamental parameters in constraining models of accretion-ejection structures, particularly if the parameters can be determined close to the jet foot point. Comparing mass flow rates for cases where the mass accretion rate is available in the literature (i.e., for DG Tau, RW Aur, and CW Tau) reveals a mass ejection-to-accretion ratio of 0.01-0.07. Finally, where possible (i.e., for DG Tau and CW Tau), both mass and angular momentum outflow rates are resolved into higher and lower velocity jet material. For the clearer case of DG Tau, this reveals that the more collimated higher velocity component plays a dominant role in mass and angular momentum transport.
187Scopus© Citations 69 - PublicationPhysical properties of the jet from DG Tauri on sub-arcsecond scales with HST/STISContext. Stellar jets are believed to play a key role in star formation, but the question of how they originate is still being debated. Aims. We derive the physical properties at the base of the jet from DG Tau both along and across the flow and as a function of velocity. Methods. We analysed seven optical spectra of the DG Tau jet, taken with the Hubble Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph. The spectra were obtained by placing a long-slit parallel to the jet axis and stepping it across the jet width. The resulting position-velocity diagrams in optical forbidden emission lines allowed access to plasma conditions via calculation of emission line ratios. In this way, we produced a 3D map (2D in space and 1D in velocity) of the jet's physical parameters i.e. electron density ne, hydrogen ionisation fraction xe, and total hydrogen density nH. The method used is a new version of the BE-technique. Results. A fundamental improvement is that the new diagnostic method allows us to overcome the upper density limit of the standard [S≠ii] diagnostics. As a result, we find at the base of the jet high electron density, ne ~ 105, and very low ionisation, xe ~ 0.02-0.05, which combine to give a total density up to n H ~ 3 × 106. This analysis confirms previous reports of variations in plasma parameters along the jet, (i.e. decrease in density by several orders of magnitude, increase of xe from 0.05 to a plateau at 0.7 downstream at 2" from the star). Furthermore, a spatial coincidence is revealed between sharp gradients in the total density and supersonic velocity jumps. This strongly suggests that the emission is caused by shock excitation. No evidence was found of variations in the parameters across the jet, within a given velocity interval. The position-velocity diagrams indicate the presence of both fast accelerating gas and slower, less collimated material. We derive the mass outflow rate, Mj, in the blue-shifted lobe in different velocity channels, that contribute to a total of Mj ~ 8±4 × 10-9 M⊙yr-1. We estimate that a symmetric bipolar jet would transport at the low and intermediate velocities probed by rotation measurements, an angular momentum flux of L̇ j ~ 2.9 ± 1.5 × 10-6 M ⊙yr-1 AU km s-1. We discuss implications of these findings for jet launch theories. Conclusions. The derived properties of the DG Tau jet are demonstrated to be consistent with magneto-centrifugal theory. However, non-stationary modelling is required in order to explain all of the features revealed at high resolution.
193Scopus© Citations 30 - PublicationFurther indications of jet rotation in new ultraviolet and optical Hubble Space Telescope STIS spectra(IOP Publishing, 2007-07-01)
; ; ; ; We present survey results that suggest rotation signatures at the base of T Tauri jets. Observations were conducted with the Hubble Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph at optical and near-ultraviolet (NUV) wavelengths. Results are presented for the approaching jet from DG Tau, CW Tau, HH 30, and the bipolar jet from TH 28. Systematic asymmetries in Doppler shift were detected across the jet, within 100 AU from the star. At optical wavelengths, radial velocity differences were typically (10-25) ± 5 km s-1, while differences in the NUV range were consistently lower, at typically 10 ± 5 km s-1. Results are interpreted as possible rotation signatures. Importantly, there is agreement between the optical and NUV results for DG Tau. Under the assumption of steady magnetocentrifugal acceleration, the survey results lead to estimates for the distance of the jet footpoint from the star, and give values consistent with earlier studies. In the case of DG Tau, for example, we see that the higher velocity component appears to be launched from a distance of 0.2-0.5 AU from the star along the disk plane, while the lower velocity component appears to trace a wider part of the jet launched from as far as 1.9 AU. The results for the other targets are similar. Therefore, if indeed the detected Doppler gradients trace rotation within the jet, then under the assumption of steady MHD ejection, the derived footpoint radii support the existence of magnetized disk winds. However, since we do not resolved the innermost layers of the flow, we cannot exclude the possibility that there also exists an X-wind or stellar wind component. © 2007, The American Astronomical Society, All rights reserved.197Scopus© Citations 105 - PublicationRotation of jets from young stars: New clues from the Hubble Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph(IOP Publishing, 2004-04-01)
; ; ; ; We report findings from the first set of data in a current survey to establish conclusively whether jets from young stars rotate. We observed the bipolar jets from the T Tauri stars TH 28 and RW Aur and the blueshifted jet from T Tauri star LkHα 321, using the Hubble Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph. Forbidden emission lines show distinct and systematic velocity asymmetries of 10-25 (±5) km s-1 at a distance of 0″.3 from the source, representing a (projected) distance of ≈40 AU along the jet in the case of RW Aur, ≈50 AU for TH 28, and 165 AU in the case of LkHα 321. These velocity asymmetries are interpreted as rotation in the initial portion of the jet where it is accelerated and collimated. For the bipolar jets, both lobes appear to rotate in the same direction. Values obtained were in agreement with the predictions of MHD disk-wind models. Finally, we determine, from derived toroidal and poloidal velocities, values for the distance from the central axis of the footpoint for the jet's low-velocity component of ≈0.5-2 AU, consistent with the models of magnetocentrifugal launching.151Scopus© Citations 145 - PublicationA search for consistent jet and disk rotation signatures in RY tau(IOP Publishing, 2015-05-01)
; ; ; ; We present a radial velocity study of the RY Tau jet-disk system, designed to determine whether a transfer of angular momentum from disk to jet can be observed. Many recent studies report on the rotation of T Tauri disks and on what may be a signature of T Tauri jet rotation. However, due to observational difficulties, few studies report on both disk and jet within the same system to establish if the senses of rotation match and hence can be interpreted as a transfer of angular momentum. We report a clear signature of Keplerian rotation in the RY Tau disk, based on Plateau de Bure observations. We also report on the transverse radial velocity profile of the RY Tau jet close to the star. We identify two distinct profile shapes: a v-shape, which appears near jet shock positions, and a flat profile, which appears between shocks. We do not detect a rotation signature above 3σ uncertainty in any of our transverse cuts of the jet. Nevertheless, if the jet is currently in steady-state, the errors themselves provide a valuable upper limit on the jet toroidal velocity of 10 km s-1, implying a launch radius of ≤0.45 AU. However, possible contamination of jet kinematics, via shocks or precession, prevents any firm constraint on the jet launch point, since most of its angular momentum could be stored in magnetic form rather than in rotation of matter.208Scopus© Citations 24