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The mass accretion rate is a crucial parameter for the study of the evolution of accretion discs around young low-mass stellar and substellar objects (YSOs). We revisit the case of MY Lup, an object where VLT/X-shooter data suggested a negligible mass accretion rate, and show it to be accreting on a level similar to other Class II YSOs in Lupus based on Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations. In our HST-Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (HST-COS) and -Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (HST-STIS) spectra, we find many emission lines, as well as substantial far-ultraviolet (FUV) continuum excess emission, which can be ascribed to active accretion. The total luminosity of the C IVλ1549 Å doublet is 4.1 × 10−4L⊙. Using scalings between accretion luminosity, Lacc, and C IV luminosity from the literature, we derive Lacc ~2 × 10−1L⊙, which is more than an order of magnitude higher than the upper limit estimated from the X-shooter observations. We discuss possible reasons for the X-shooter-HST discrepancy, the most plausible being that the low contrast between the continuum excess emission and the photospheric+chromospheric emission at optical wavelengths in MY Lup hampered detection of excess emission. The luminosity of the FUV continuum and C IV lines, strong H2 fluorescence, and a "1600 A Bump" place MY Lup in the class of accreting objects with gas-rich discs. So far, MY Lup is the only peculiar case in which a significant difference between the HST and X-shooter Ṁacc estimates exists that is not ascribable to variability. The mass accretion rate inferred from the revisited Lacc estimate is Ṁacc ~ 1(−0.5+1.5 $^{+1.5}_{-0.5}$ − 0.5 + 1.5 ) × 10−8M⊙ yr−1. This value is consistent with the typical value derived for accreting YSOs of similar mass in Lupus and points to less clearing of the inner disc than indicated by near- and mid-infrared observations. This is confirmed by Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) data, which show that the gaps and rings seen in the sub-millimetre are relatively shallow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disk warps around classical T Tauri stars (CTTSs) can periodically obscure the central star for some viewing geometries. For these so- called AA Tau-like variables, the obscuring material is located in the inner disk and absorption spectroscopy allows one to characterize its dust and gas content. Since the observed emission from CTTSs consists of several components (photospheric, accretion, jet, and disk emission), which can all vary with time, it is generally challenging to disentangling disk features from emission variability. Multi- epoch, flux-calibrated, broadband spectra provide us with the necessary information to cleanly separate absorption from emission variability. We applied this method to three epochs of VLT/X-shooter spectra of the CTTS V 354 Mon (CSI Mon-660) located in NGC 2264 and find that: (a) the accretion emission remains virtually unchanged between the three epochs; (b) the broadband flux evolution is best described by disk material obscuring part of the star, and (c) the Na and K gas absorption lines show only a minor increase in equivalent width during phases of high dust extinction. The limits on the absorbing gas column densities indicate a low gas-to-dust ratio in the inner disk, less than a tenth of the ISM value. We speculate that the evolutionary state of V 354 Mon, rather old with a low accretion rate, is responsible for the dust excess through an evolution toward a dust dominated disk or through the fragmentation of larger bodies that drifted inward from larger radii in a still gas dominated disk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Classical T Tauri stars (CTTSs) are young, accreting low-mass stars; their X-ray emission differs from that of their mainsequence counterparts in a number of aspects. Aims. We study the specific case of DN Tau, a young M0-type accreting CTTS, to extend the range of young CTTSs studied with high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy at lower masses and to compare its high-energy properties with those of similar objects. Methods. We use a deep XMM-Newton observation of DN Tau to investigate its X-ray properties and X-ray generating mechanisms. Specifically, we examine the presence of X-ray emission from magnetic activity and accretion shocks. We also compare our new X-ray data with UV data taken simultaneously and with X-ray/UV observations performed before. Results. We find that the X-ray emission from DN Tau is dominated by coronal plasma generated via magnetic activity, but also clearly detect a contribution of the accretion shocks to the cool plasma component at <2 MK as consistently inferred from density and temperature analysis. Typical phenomena of active coronae, such as flaring, the presence of very hot plasma at 30 MK, and an abundance pattern showing the inverse FIP effect, are seen on DN Tau. Strong variations in the emission measure of the cooler plasma components between the 2005 and 2010 data point to accretion related changes; in contrast, the hotter coronal plasma component is virtually unchanged. The UV light curve taken simultaneously is in general not related to the X-ray brightness, but exhibits clear counterparts during the observed X-ray flares. Conclusions. The X-ray properties of DN Tau are similar to those of more massive CTTSs, but its low mass and large radius associated with its youth shift the accretion shocks to lower temperatures, reducing their imprint in the X-ray regime. DN Tau's overall X-ray properties are dominated by strong magnetic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most thoroughly studied jets from all young stellar objects is the jet of DG Tau, which we imaged in the far-ultraviolet with the Hubble Space Telescope for the first time. These high spatial resolution images were obtained with long-pass filters and allow us to construct images tracing mainly H2 and C iv emission. We find that the H2 emission appears as a limb-brightened cone with additional emission close to the jet axis. The length of the rims is about 0.''3 or 42 AU before their brightness strongly drops, and the opening angle is about 90°. Comparing our far-ultraviolet data with near-infrared data we find that the fluorescent H2 emission probably traces the outer, cooler part of the disk wind while an origin of the H2 emission in the surface layers (atmosphere) of the (flared) disk is unlikely. Furthermore, the spatial shape of the H2 emission shows little variation over six years which suggests that the outer part of the disk wind is rather stable and probably not associated with the formation of individual knots. The C iv image shows that the emission is concentrated towards the jet axis. We find no indications for additional C iv emission at larger distances, which strengthens the association with the X-ray emission observed to originate within the DG Tau jet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young A and B stars, the so-called Herbig Ae/Be stars (HAeBe), are surrounded by active accretion disks and drive outflows. We study the jet HH 409, which is launched from the HAeBe star HD 163296, using new and archival observations from Chandra and HST/STIS. In X-rays we can show that the central source is not significantly extended. The approaching jet, but not the counterjet, is detected in Lyα. In addition, there is red-shifted Lyα emission extended in the same direction as the jet, which is also absent in the counterjet. We can rule out an accretion or disk-wind origin for this feature. In the optical we find the knots B and B2 in the counterjet. Knot B has been observed previously, so we can derive its proper motion of (0.37 ± 0.01)" yr-1. Its electron density is 3000 cm-3, thus the cooling time scale is only a few months, so the knot needs to be reheated continuously. The shock speed derived from models of Ha and forbidden emission lines decreased from 50 km s-1 in 1999 to 30 km s-1 in 2011 because the shock front loses energy as it travels along the jet. Knot B2 is observed at a similar position in 2011 to where knot B was in 1999, but shows a lower ionization fraction and higher mass loss rate, proving that there are variations in the jet launching conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protostellar jets are tightly connected to the accretion process and regulate the angular momentum balance of accreting star-disk systems. The DG Tau jet is one of the best-studied protostellar jets and contains plasma with temperatures ranging over three orders of magnitude within the innermost 50AU of the jet. We present new Hubble Space Telescope (HST) far-ultraviolet (FUV) long-slit spectra spatially resolving the C IV emission (T ~ 105 K) from the jet for the first time, in addition to quasi-simultaneous HST observations of optical forbidden emission lines ([O I], [N II], [S II], and [O III]) and fluorescent H2 lines. The C iv emission peaks at ≈42AU from the stellar position and has a FWHM of ≈52AU along the jet. Its deprojected velocity of around 200 km s-1 decreases monotonically away from the driving source. In addition, we compare our HST data with the X-ray emission from the DG Tau jet. We investigate the requirements to explain the data by an initially hot jet compared to local heating. Both scenarios indicate a mass loss by the T ~ 105 K jet of ~10-9 M☉ yr-1, i.e., between the values for the lower temperature jet (T ≈ 104 K) and the hotter X-ray emitting part (T ≳ 106 K). However, a simple initially hot wind requires a large launching region (~1AU), and we therefore favor local heating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young stellar objects often drive powerful bipolar outflows, which evolve on timescales of a few years. An increasing number of these outflows has been detected in X-rays implying the existence of million degree plasma almost co-spatial with the lower temperature gas observed in the optical and near-infrared. The details of the heating and cooling processes of the X-ray emitting part of these so-called Herbig-Haro objects are still ambiguous, e.g., whether the cooling is dominated by expansion, radiation, or thermal conduction. We present a second epoch Chandra observation of the first X-ray detected Herbig-Haro object (HH 2) and derive the proper-motion of the X-ray emitting plasma and its cooling history. We argue that the most likely explanation for the constancy of the X-ray luminosity, the alignment with the optical emission and the proper-motion is that the cooling is dominated by radiative losses leading to cooling times exceeding a decade. We explain that a strong shock caused by fast material ramming into slower gas in front of it about ten years ago can explain the X-ray emission while being compatible with the available multi-wavelength data of HH 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]