Open AccessFine structure in the inner dust shell of IRC+10216 from lunar occultation observations at 2.2 μ m
Author(s) -
Chandrasekhar T.,
Mondal Soumen
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2001.04162.x
Subject(s) - physics , occultation , astrophysics , shell (structure) , astronomy , circumstellar dust , infrared , carbon star , position angle , cosmic dust , stars , materials science , galaxy , composite material
Lunar occultation observations of the inner dust shell surrounding the carbon‐rich long‐period variable IRC+10216 obtained in the near‐infrared K band have yielded a one‐dimensional scan across the source (at position angle 304°) with a high angular resolution of 1 milliarcsec. Analysis of the occultation light curve shows significant departures from a spherically symmetric uniform disc model, indicating that the dust shell of IRC+10216 is extremely clumpy. Apart from a dominant component A, at least three other components (B, C, D) are seen within the clumpy structure. Comparison with earlier speckle observations confirms that real spatial changes are taking place in the clumpy structure over time‐scales of a few years.