Related papers: Accretion discs as regulators of stellar angular m…
Photometric detections of dust circumstellar disks around pre-main sequence (PMS) stars, coupled with estimates of stellar ages, provide constraints on the time available for planet formation. Most previous studies on disk longevity,…
In this paper, we address two issues related to primordial disk evolution in three clusters (NGC 1333, IC 348, and Orion A) observed by the INfrared Spectra of Young Nebulous Clusters (IN-SYNC) project. First, in each cluster, averaged over…
We present Spitzer 3.6--24 micron photometry and spectroscopy for stars in the 1--3 Myr-old Coronet Cluster, expanding upon the survey of Sicilia-Aguilar et al. (2008). Using sophisticated radiative transfer models, we analyze these new…
We examine the early angular momentum history of stars in young clusters via 197 photometric periods in the Orion Flanking Fields, 83 photometric periods in NGC 2264, and 256 measurements of v sin i in the ONC. We show that PMS stars, even…
The unusual properties of transition objects (young stars with an optically thin inner disc surrounded by an optically thick outer disc) suggest that significant disc evolution has occured in these systems. We explore the nature of these…
We cannot understand planet formation without understanding disc evolutionary processes. However, there is currently ambiguity about how protoplanetary discs transport angular momentum (e.g. via viscosity or winds) and the relative…
We present an analysis of the rotation of young stars in the associations Cepheus OB3b, NGC 2264, NGC 2362 and the Orion Nebula Cluster (ONC). We discover a correlation between rotation rate and position in a colour-magnitude diagram (CMD)…
Pre-main sequence disk accretion is pivotal in determining the final stellar properties and the early conditions for close-in planets. We aim to establish the impact of internal (stellar mass) and external (radiation field) parameters on…
Growing evidence suggests that protoplanetary discs may be influenced by late stage infall from the interstellar medium (ISM). It remains unclear the degree to which infall shapes disc populations at ages $\gtrsim 1$~Myr. We explore…
The statistical properties of circumstellar disks around young stars are important for constraining theoretical models for the formation and early evolution of planetary systems. In this brief review, I survey the literature related to…
Mass transfer from an evolved donor star to its binary companion is a standard feature of stellar evolution in binaries. In wide binaries, the companion star captures some of the mass ejected in a wind by the primary star. The captured…
Circumstellar discs are the precursors of planetary systems and develop shortly after their host star has formed. In their early stages these discs are immersed in an environment rich in gas and neighbouring stars, which can be hostile for…
We consider the accretion process in a disk with magnetic fields that are dragged in from the interstellar medium by gravitational collapse. Two diffusive processes are at work in the system: (1) "viscous" torques exerted by turbulent and…
We present accretion rates for a large number of solar-type stars in the Cep OB2 region, based on U band observations. Our study comprises 95 members of the ~4 Myr-old cluster Tr 37 (including 20 "transition" objects; TO), as well as the…
Surveys of protoplanetary disks in star-forming regions of similar age revealed significant variations in average disk mass between some regions. For instance, disks in the Orion Nebular Cluster (ONC) and Corona Australis (CrA) are on…
We present a model for the rotational evolution of a young, solar mass star interacting with an accretion disk. The model incorporates a description of the angular momentum transfer between the star and disk due to a magnetic connection,…
In this paper, we compare simple viscous diffusion models for the disc evolution with the results of recent surveys of the properties of young protoplanetary discs. We introduce the useful concept of `disc isochrones' in the accretion rate…
We present the latest development of the disk gravitational instability and fragmentation model, originally introduced by us to explain episodic accretion bursts in the early stages of star formation. Using our numerical hydrodynamics model…
When determining absolute ages of identifiably young stellar populations, results strongly depend on which stars are studied. Cooler (K, M) stars typically yield ages that are systematically younger than warmer (A, F, G) stars by a factor…
This chapter reviews the dynamical processes in young stellar clusters. The accretion of gas by individual stars affects the dynamics of the cluster, and the masses of the stars. Dynamical mass segregation cannot explain the degree of mass…