Debris discs around nearby solar analogues

Abstract

An unbiased search for debris discs around nearby Sun-like stars is reported. 13 G-dwarfs at 12-15 parsec distance were searched at 850 μm wavelength, and a disc is confirmed around HD 30495. The estimated dust mass is 0.008 M⊕ with a net limit ≲0.0025 M⊕ for the average disc of the other stars. The results suggest there is not a large missed population of substantial cold discs around Sun-like stars - HD 30495 is a bright rather than unusually cool disc, and may belong to a few hundred Myr old population of greater dust luminosity. The far-infrared and millimetre survey data for Sun-like stars are well fitted by either steady state or stirred models, provided that typical comet belts are comparable in size to that in the Solar system. © 2009 RAS.