Main-sequence stars with circumstellar solid material - The Vega phenomenon

Abstract

The detection of solid grains with temperatures of 50 to 125 K and fractional bolometric luminosities in the range 10 exp -5 to 10 exp -3 early in the IRAS mission around three nearby A main-sequence stars, Alpha Lyrae (Vega), Alpha Piscis Austrinus (Fomalhaut), and Beta Pictoris, is discussed. Spatial resolution of the emission indicates that: the grains are larger than interstellar grains, the material probably lies in disks in the stellar equatorial planes, the disks extend to distances of 100 to 1000 AU from the stars, and zones a few tens of AU in radius around the central stars are relatively empty. Subsequent surveys of IRAS data reveal more than 100 main-sequence stars of all spectral classes having unresolved excesses with similar temperatures and fractional luminosities to the three prototypes. Some stars with excesses have estimated ages of 1 to 5 Gyr. Thus, main-sequence FIR excesses appear to be widespread and are present in systems old enough to be probably past the stage of active planet formation.