The Rise and Fall of Debris Disks: MIPS Observations of h and chi Persei and the Evolution of Mid-IR Emission from Planet Formation

Abstract

We describe Spitzer/MIPS observations of the double cluster, h and $χ$ Persei, covering a $\sim$ 0.6 square-degree area surrounding the cores of both clusters. The data are combined with IRAC and 2MASS data to investigate $\sim$ 616 sources from 1.25-24 $μm$. We use the long-baseline $K_{s}$-[24] color to identify two populations with IR excess indicative of circumstellar material: Be stars with 24 $μm$ excess from optically-thin free free emission and 17 fainter sources (J$\sim$ 14-15) with [24] excess consistent with a circumstellar disk. The frequency of IR excess for the fainter sources increases from 4.5 $μm$ through 24 $μm$. The IR excess is likely due to debris from the planet formation process. The wavelength-dependent behavior is consistent with an inside-out clearing of circumstellar disks. A comparison of the 24 $μm$ excess population in h and $χ$ Per sources with results for other clusters shows that 24 $μm$ emission from debris disks 'rises' from 5 to 10 Myr, peaks at $\sim$ 10-15 Myr, and then 'falls' from $\sim$ 15/20 Myr to 1 Gyr.

48 pages, 15 figures, accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal