Disk Evolution Study Through Imaging of Nearby Young Stars (DESTINYS): The SPHERE view of the Orion star-forming region^★

¹ Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy (API), University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
e-mail: p.g.valegard@uva.nl
² School of Natural Sciences, Center for Astronomy, University of Galway, Galway, H91 CF50, Ireland
³ INAF, Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri, Largo Enrico Fermi 5, 50125 Firenze, Italy
⁴ Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0HA, UK
⁵ Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
⁶ University of Grenoble Alps, CNRS, IPAG, 38000 Grenoble, France
⁷ University Observatory, Faculty of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Scheinerstr. 1, 81679 Munich, Germany
⁸ Exzellenzcluster ORIGINS, Boltzmannstr. 2, 85748 Garching, Germany
⁹ Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 16, 20133 Milano, Italy
¹⁰ Department of Physics and Astronomy “Galileo Galilei” – University of Padova, Vicolo dell’Osservatorio 3, 35122 Padova, Italy
¹¹ INAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Vicolo dell’Osservatorio 5, 35122 Padova, Italy
¹² Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, Niels Bohrweg 2, 2333 CA Leiden, The Netherlands
¹³ European Southern Observatory, Alonso de Córdova 3107, Casilla 19001, Vitacura, Santiago, Chile
¹⁴ Department of Astronomy, Columbia University, 538 W. 120th Street, Pupin Hall, New York NY 10027, USA
¹⁵ European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 2, 85748 Garching bei München, Germany
¹⁶ Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Königstuhl 17, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
¹⁷ Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Holmbury St Mary, Dorking, Surrey RH5 6NT, UK
¹⁸ Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik, Giessenbachstrasse 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
¹⁹ Department of Physics, American University of Beirut, PO Box 110236, Riad El-Solh, Beirut 11097 2020, Lebanon
²⁰ Instituto de Estudios Astrofísicos, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad Diego Portales, Av. Ejército Libertador 441, Santiago, Chile
²¹ Escuela de Ingeniería Industrial, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad Diego Portales, Av. Ejército Libertador 441, Santiago, Chile

Received: 12 July 2023
Accepted: 8 December 2023

Abstract

Context. Resolved observations at near-infrared (near-IR) and millimeter wavelengths have revealed a diverse population of planet-forming disks. In particular, near-IR scattered light observations usually target close-by, low-mass star-forming regions. However, disk evolution in high-mass star-forming regions is likely affected by the different environment. Orion is the closest high-mass star-forming region, enabling resolved observations to be undertaken in the near-IR.

Aims. We seek to examine planet-forming disks, in scattered light, within the high-mass star-forming region of Orion in order to study the impact of the environment in a higher-mass star-forming region on disk evolution.

Methods. We present SPHERE/IRDIS H-band data for a sample of 23 stars in the Orion star-forming region observed within the DESTINYS (Disk Evolution Study Through Imaging of Nearby Young Stars) program. We used polarization differential imaging in order to detect scattered light from circumstellar dust. From the scattered light observations we characterized the disk orientation, radius, and contrast. We analysed the disks in the context of the stellar parameters and the environment of the Orion star-forming region. We used ancillary X-shooter spectroscopic observations to characterize the central stars in the systems. We furthermore used a combination of new and archival ALMA mm-continuum photometry to characterize the dust masses present in the circumstellar disks.

Results. Within our sample, we detect extended circumstellar disks in ten of 23 systems. Of these, three are exceptionally extended (V351 Ori, V599 Ori, and V1012 Ori) and show scattered light asymmetries that may indicate perturbations by embedded planets or (in the case of V599 Ori) by an outer stellar companion. Our high-resolution imaging observations are also sensitive to close (sub)stellar companions and we detect nine such objects in our sample, of which six were previously unknown. We find in particular a possible substellar companion (either a very low-mass star or a high-mass brown dwarf) 137 au from the star RY Ori. We find a strong anticorrelation between disk detection and multiplicity, with only two of our ten disk detections located in stellar multiple systems. We also find a correlation between scattered light contrast and the millimeter flux. This trend is not captured by previous studies of a more diversified sample and is due to the absence of extended, self-shadowed disks in our Orion sample. Conversely, we do not find significant correlations between the scattered light contrast of the disks and the stellar mass or age. We investigate the radial extent of the disks and compare this to the estimated far-ultraviolet (FUV) field strength at the system location. While we do not find a direct correlation, we notice that no extended disks are detected above an FUV field strength of ~300 G₀.