Placing our Solar System in Context: Latest Results from the FEPS Spitzer Legacy Science Program

Authors:

J. Bouwman, MPIA Heidelberg

& FEPS collaboration:

M.R. Meyer, U. of Arizona, (PI)

D. Backman, NASA-Ames (D.PI.)

L.A. Hillenbrand, Caltech (D.PI.)

S.V.W. Beckwith, STScI

J.M. Carpenter, CalTech

M. Cohen, UC-Berkeley

U. Gorti, NASA-Ames

T. Henning, MPIA heidelberg

D.C. Hines, Space Science Institute

D. Hollenbach, NASA-Ames

S. Kim, Steward

J. Lunine, LPL

R. Malhotra, LPL

E. Mamajek, Steward

A. Moro-Martin, Steward

P. Morris, SSC

J. Najita, NOAO

D. Padgett, SSC

I. Pascucci, Steward

J. Rodmann, MPIA Heidelberg

M.D. Silverstone, Steward

D. Soderblom, STScI

J.R. Stauffer, SSC

E. Stobie, Steward

S. Strom, NOAO

D. Watson, Rochester

S. Weidenschilling, PSI

S. Wolf, MPIA Heidelberg

E. Young, Steward

 

Abstract:

          We present results from the Formation and Evolution of Planetary Systems (FEPS) Spitzer Legacy Science Program. FEPS utilizes Spitzer observations of 336 sun-like stars with ages from 3 Myr to 3 Gyr in order to construct spectral energy distributions (SEDs) from 3-160 microns. The SEDs yield constraints on the geometric distribution and mass of circumstellar dust disks as a function of stellar age. Our main goals are to study the transition from primordial to debris disks at ages < 100 Myr, determine the lifetimes of gas-rich disks in order to constrain theories of Jupiter-mass planet formation, and explore the diversity of planetary architectures through studies of the range of observed debris disk systems. We will report on our latest findings including: 1) the lifetime of inner disks emitting in the IRAC bands from 3-8 microns from 3-30 Myr; 2) SEDs and spectra from IRS observations of a few unusual systems; and 3) physical properties of old, cold debris disk systems detected with the MIPS instrument on Spitzer Space Telescope.