Adaptive optics observations of molecular hydrogen toward T Tauri

Andreas Quirrenbach; Hans Zinnecker

doi:10.1117/12.279043

17 October 1997 Adaptive optics observations of molecular hydrogen toward T Tauri

Andreas Quirrenbach, Hans Zinnecker

Proceedings Volume 3126, Adaptive Optics and Applications; (1997) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.279043
Event: Optical Science, Engineering and Instrumentation '97, 1997, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

We present images of the (v= 1 — 0) S(1) transition of molecular hydrogen at 2.121 µm towards T Tauri, observed with the SHARP II camera attached to the ADONIS adaptive optics system at the European Southern Observatory’s 3.6 m telescope on La Silla, Chile. With an image scale of 0"1 per pixel, we could cover a field of 25" in each exposure. Positioning T Tauri successively in the four quadrants of the detector, we obtained a 35" mosaic centered on the star. In the 2.12 µm continuum, the 0"7 binary is easily resolved. In continuum-subtracted images in the emission line, we detect a very complex structure: strong emission at the position of the infrared companion, a very bright knot 2-3" northwest, three thin filaments, strong emission extending 10" south towards Burnham’s nebula, and a faint arc 10" north. While the material north and south of the stars may be associated with an outflow, we argue that the knots and filaments may be shock-excited material in the equatorial plane. They could be either tidal tails caused by the interaction of the two star-disk systems (T Tau N and T Tau S), accretion streams from the inner edge of the circumbinary disk, or spiral shocks in this disk.

Citation Download Citation

Andreas Quirrenbach and Hans Zinnecker "Adaptive optics observations of molecular hydrogen toward T Tauri", Proc. SPIE 3126, Adaptive Optics and Applications, (17 October 1997); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.279043

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