Disk fraction among free-floating planetary-mass objects in Upper Scorpius

Context. Free-floating planetary-mass objects (FFPs) have been detected through direct imaging in several young, nearby star-forming regions. The properties of circumstellar disks around these objects may provide a valuable probe into their origin but are currently limited by the small sample sizes explored. Aims. We aim to perform a statistical study of the occurrence of circumstellar disks down to the planetary-mass regime. Methods. We performed a systematic survey of disks among the population identified in the 5–10 Myr-old Upper Scorpius association, restricted to members outside the younger, embedded Ophiuchus region, and with estimated masses below 105 MJup. We took advantage of unWISE photometry to search for mid-infrared excesses in the WISE (W1–W2) color. We implemented a Bayesian outlier detection method, which models the photospheric sequence and computes excess probabilities for each object, enabling a statistically sound estimation of disk fractions. Results. We explored disk fractions across an unprecedentedly fine mass grid, reaching down to objects as low as ~6 MJup assuming 5 Myr or ~8 MJup assuming 10 Myr, thus extending the previous lower boundary of disk fraction studies. Depending on the age, our sample includes between 17 and 40 FFPs. We confirm that the disk fraction steadily rises with decreasing mass and exceeds 30% near the substellar-to-planetary mass boundary at ~13 MJup. We find hints of a possible flattening in this trend around 25–45 MJup, potentially signaling a transition in the dominant formation processes. This shift in trend should be considered with caution and needs to be confirmed with more sensitive observations. Our results are consistent with the gradual dispersal of disks over time, as disk fractions in Upper Scorpius appear systematically lower than those in younger regions.

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Publication Details

Journal
Springer Link (Chiba Institute of Technology)
Published
2025-12-11
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202556294/pdf
Primary Topic
Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies
Type
article
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article

Disk fraction among free-floating planetary-mass objects in Upper Scorpius

J.-C. Cuillandre, T. Rodrigues, M. Tamura, S. N. Raymond et al.
Springer Link (Chiba Institute of Technology)
Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies
article

Disk fraction among free-floating planetary-mass objects in Upper Scorpius

J.-C. Cuillandre, T. Rodrigues, M. Tamura, S. N. Raymond, E. L. Martín, P. A. B. Galli, H. Bouy, E. Bertin, N. Miret Roig, D. Barrado, J. Olivares, N. Huélamo
article en

Abstract

Context. Free-floating planetary-mass objects (FFPs) have been detected through direct imaging in several young, nearby star-forming regions. The properties of circumstellar disks around these objects may provide a valuable probe into their origin but are currently limited by the small sample sizes explored. Aims. We aim to perform a statistical study of the occurrence of circumstellar disks down to the planetary-mass regime. Methods. We performed a systematic survey of disks among the population identified in the 5–10 Myr-old Upper Scorpius association, restricted to members outside the younger, embedded Ophiuchus region, and with estimated masses below 105 MJup. We took advantage of unWISE photometry to search for mid-infrared excesses in the WISE (W1–W2) color. We implemented a Bayesian outlier detection method, which models the photospheric sequence and computes excess probabilities for each object, enabling a statistically sound estimation of disk fractions. Results. We explored disk fractions across an unprecedentedly fine mass grid, reaching down to objects as low as ~6 MJup assuming 5 Myr or ~8 MJup assuming 10 Myr, thus extending the previous lower boundary of disk fraction studies. Depending on the age, our sample includes between 17 and 40 FFPs. We confirm that the disk fraction steadily rises with decreasing mass and exceeds 30% near the substellar-to-planetary mass boundary at ~13 MJup. We find hints of a possible flattening in this trend around 25–45 MJup, potentially signaling a transition in the dominant formation processes. This shift in trend should be considered with caution and needs to be confirmed with more sensitive observations. Our results are consistent with the gradual dispersal of disks over time, as disk fractions in Upper Scorpius appear systematically lower than those in younger regions.

Springer Link (Chiba Institute of Technology)
Openalex Percentile: Top 32%
Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies
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