Laser guide star adaptive optics imaging polarimetry of Herbig Ae/Be stars.
We have used laser guide star adaptive optics and a near-infrared dual-channel imaging polarimeter to observe light scattered in the circumstellar environment of Herbig Ae/Be stars on scales of 100 to 300 astronomical units. We revealed a strongly polarized, biconical nebula 10 arc seconds (6000 astronomical units) in diameter around the star LkHalpha 198 and also observed a polarized jet-like feature associated with the deeply embedded source LkHalpha 198-IR. The star LkHalpha 233 presents a narrow, unpolarized dark lane consistent with an optically thick circumstellar disk blocking our direct view of the star. These data show that the lower-mass T Tauri and intermediate mass Herbig Ae/Be stars share a common evolutionary sequence.
Astronomy Department, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA. mperrin@astro.berkeley.edu
Marshall D
MD
Perrin
James R
JR
Graham
Paul
P
Kalas
James P
JP
Lloyd
Claire E
CE
Max
Donald T
DT
Gavel
Deanna M
DM
Pennington
Elinor L
EL
Gates