Spitzer Space Telescope - General Observer Proposal #80040 YSOVAR II: Mapping YSO Inner Disk Structure in NGC 2264 with Simultaneous Spitzer and CoRoT Time Series Photometry Principal Investigator: John Stauffer Institution: Spitzer Science Center Technical Contact: Luisa Rebull, Spitzer Science Center Co-Investigators: Maria Morales-Calderon, SSC Luisa Rebull, SSC Laura Affer, INAF Sylvia Alencar, UFMG Lori Allen, NOAO David Barrado, CAHA Jerome Bouvier, Grenoble Nuria Calvet, U. Michigan Sean Carey, SSC John Carpenter, Caltech David Ciardi, NExScI Kevin Covey, Cornell Paola D'Alessio, UNAM Catherine Espaillat, CfA Fabio Favata, ESA Ettore Flaccomio, INAF Jan Forbrich, CfA Gabor Furesz, CfA Lee Hartman, U. Michigan William Herbst, Wesleyan Univ. Lynne Hillenbrand, Caltech Jon Holtzman, APO Joe Hora, CfA Franck Marchis, Berkeley Mark McCaughrean, ESA Giusi Micela, INAF Reinhard Mundt, MPIA Peter Plavchan, NExScI Neal Turner, JPL Mike Skrutzkie, UVA Howard Smith, CfA Inseok Song, UGA Andy Szentgyorgi, CfA Susan Terebey, Cal State LA Fred Vrba, USNO-Flagstaff Lawrence Wasserman, Lowell Alan Watson, UNAM Barbara Whitney, SSI Elaine Winston, Exeter Kenny Wood, St. Andrews Science Category: young stellar objects Observing Modes: IRAC Post-Cryo Mapping Hours Approved: 630.0 Abstract: We propose a simultaneous, continuous 30 day observation of the star forming region NGC2264 with Spitzer and CoRoT. NGC2264 is the only nearby, rich star-forming region which can be observed with CoRoT; it is by definition then the only nearby, rich star-forming region where a simultaneous Spitzer/CoRoT campaign is possible. Fortunately, the visibility windows for the two spacecraft overlap, allowing this program to be done in the Nov. 25, 2011 to Jan. 4, 2012 time period. For 10 days, we propose to map the majority of the cluster (a 35'x35' region) to a depth of 48 seconds per point, with each epoch taking 1.7 hours, allowing of order 12 epochs per day. For the other 20 days, we propose to obtaining staring-mode data for two positions in the cluster having a high density of cluster members. We also plan to propose for a variety of other ground and space-based data, most of which would also be simultaneous with the Spitzer and CoRoT observing. These data will allow us to address many astrophysical questions related to the structure and evolution of the disks of young stars and the interaction of those disks with the forming star. The data may also help inform models of planet formation since planets form and migrate through the pre-main sequence disks during the 0.5-5 Myr age range of stars in NGC2264. The data we collect will also provide an archive of the variability properties of young stars that is unmatched in its accuracy, sensitivity, cadence and duration and which therefore could inspire investigation of phenomena which we cannot now imagine. The CoRoT observations have been approved, contingent on approval of a simultaneous Spitzer observing program (this proposal).