Spitzer Space Telescope - General Observer Proposal #50537


Variability in PMS Circumbinary Disks

Principal Investigator: Andrew Boden
           Institution: California Institute of Technology

     Technical Contact: Andrew Boden, California Institute of Technology

Co-Investigators: 
Rachel Akeson, IPAC/Caltech                                           
David Ciardi, IPAC/Caltech                                            
Carl Grillmair, IPAC/Caltech                                          

Science Category: young stellar objects 
 Observing Modes: IrsStare 
  Hours Approved: 5.1 

Abstract:
In the canonical model of star formation, the role of multiplicity remains an
open issue, particularly in the formation and evolution of circumstellar and
circumbinary disks. We propose to use Spitzer/IRS observations to measure
variations in circumbinary disk emission with orbital phase in two pre-main
sequence binaries. Variations in continuum spectral slope and silicate line
strength and shape are expected from changes in the stellar illumination of the
inner disk with orbital phase. These observations will probe the disk structure
and composition, serving as a test of predictions made by dynamical models.