The Formation and Evolution of Planetary Systems (FEPS): Discovery of an Unusual Debris System Associated with HD 12039

Abstract

We report the discovery of a debris system associated with the $\sim 30$ Myr old G3/5V star HD 12039 using {\it Spitzer Space Telescope} observations from 3.6 -- 160$μ$m. An observed infrared excess (L$_{\rm IR}$/L$_{\ast} = 1\times10^{-4}$) above the expected photosphere for $λ\gtrsim 14μ$m is fit by thermally emitting material with a color temperature of T$\sim 110$ K, warmer than the majority of debris disks identified to date around Sun-like stars. The object is not detected at 70$μ$m with a 3$σ$ upper limit 6 times the expected photospheric flux. The spectrum of the infrared excess can be explained by warm, optically thin material comprised of blackbody-like grains of size $\gtrsim 7 μ$m that reside in a belt orbiting the star at 4--6 AU. An alternate model dominated by smaller grains, near the blow-out size $a\sim 0.5μ$m, located at 30-40AU is also possible, but requires the dust to have been produced recently since such small grains will be expelled from the system by radiation pressure in $\sim$ few $\times 10^{2}$yrs.

31 pages, 6 figures (poor quality bitmaps, but readable), accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal