Program: GS-2012A-C-3

Title:Observations of Water Ice Distribution in the Disk
PI:Mitsuhiko Honda
Co-I(s): Misato Fukagawa, Akio, K. Inoue, Hiroshi Terada, Naruhisa Takato, Motohide Tamura, Yoshiko, K. Okamoto

Abstract

Icy grains play an important role on planetesimal/planet formation and related matters. Therefore, to reveal ice dust distribution within a protoplanetary disk is an important work for understanding planet formation. However, observations of icy grain IN THE DISK are scarce due to various observational limitations. Here we propose observations to trace the icy grains by making K, H2O ice, and L? imaging photometric observations of disk scattered light to derive H2O ice dust distribution in a disk surface via 3.1 ?m absorption. For the moment, only Gemini/NICI is capable of such observations. We have already demonstrated the effectiveness of such observing method toward Herbig Fe star HD142527. Since some theoretical studies suggest that there are no ice grains at the surface of the disk around A/B stars due to intense UV irradiation, we propose to observe disks around Herbig Be star HD100546. When we fail to detect the ice feature, it supports the theoretical prediction that photodesorption is important. While the ice feature is detected, it requires reconsideration of the theories and provides an important constraint for the disk chemistry.

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