A Mid-IR Study of the Disks & Envelopes of Pre-Main-Sequence, Intermediate-Mass Stars

Telesco， Charles AST 96-18348 Telesco博士将对主序前、中等质量恒星环境的空间和光谱特性进行观测研究。他的研究将利用PI及其同事开发的新型红外成像仪/光谱仪（OSCIR），详细追踪赫比格Ae/Be恒星（那些质量为2到10太阳质量的主序前恒星）周围环境中尘埃的空间分布，以确定有多少物质以星周盘或恒星包层的形式存在。恒星环境中硅酸盐颗粒的光谱学可以提供对尘埃颗粒温度历史的深入了解。通过红外探测这些中等质量恒星的环境，描述尘埃粒子的特性和星周盘出现的频率，特勒斯科博士的工作将有助于了解恒星演化的最早阶段，并有可能了解行星系统的形成。*＊*

Telesco, Charles AST 96-18348 Dr. Telesco will carry out an observational study into the spatial and spectral properties of the environments of pre-main-sequence, intermediate mass stars. His study will utilize a new infrared imager/spectrometer (OSCIR), developed by the PI and colleagues, to trace in detail the spatial distributions of dust throughout the environments of Herbig Ae/Be stars (those pre-main- sequence stars with masses of 2 to 10 solar masses) to determine how much matter is in the form of circumstellar disks or stellar envelopes. Spectroscopy of silicate particles in the stellar environments may provide insight into the temperature history of the dust particles. By probing the environments of these intermediate mass stars in the infrared, and characterizing the properties of dust particles and the frequency of occurrence of circumstellar disks, Dr. Telesco's work will provide insight into the earliest stages of stellar evolution and, potentially, the formation of planetary systems. ***