Although dust grains dominate the appearance of protoplanetary disks because oftheir high opacity, the key processes for disk evolution and planetesimalformation are driven through the dynamical state of the gas. In contrast to thedust component, we do not have a similar knowledge of the gas component. One ofthe Spitzer breakthroughs was the detection of the Ne II 12.8um line.Glassgold et al. (2007) proposed that this line provides diagnostics for a warmdisk surface layer that is heated and ionized by stellar X-rays. A correlationof the Ne II luminosity with the X-ray luminosity is expected. The statisticalsample so far available is insufficient to test this hypothesis. We aim atsignificantly enlarging the sample, with the goal of confirming or refuting this model.
Instrument
EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN, OM, RGS1, RGS2
Temporal Coverage
2008-06-08T05:14:24Z/2009-03-16T18:40:17Z
Version
17.56_20190403_1200
Mission Description
The European Space Agencys (ESA) X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton) was launched by an Ariane 504 on December 10th 1999. XMM-Newton is ESAs second cornerstone of the Horizon 2000 Science Programme. It carries 3 high throughput X-ray telescopes with an unprecedented effective area, and an optical monitor, the first flown on a X-ray observatory. The large collecting area and ability to make long uninterrupted exposures provide highly sensitive observations. Since Earths atmosphere blocks out all X-rays, only a telescope in space can detect and study celestial X-ray sources. The XMM-Newton mission is helping scientists to solve a number of cosmic mysteries, ranging from the enigmatic black holes to the origins of the Universe itself. Observing time on XMM-Newton is being made available to the scientific community, applying for observational periods on a competitive basis.
European Space Agency, Dr Manuel Guedel, 2010, 'Is NeII a Tracer for X-Rays in Disks around Tauri StarsquestionMark', 17.56_20190403_1200, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-wkzgw12
