ANUROOP DASGUPTA

Discovery and Characterization of a New Candidate Near V960 Mon
FUor objects, such as V960 Mon, are young pre-main-sequence stars that experience significant luminosity increases due to episodic accretion events. These dramatic changes in brightness greatly influence the surrounding circumstellar environment, potentially affecting the formation and evolution of nearby celestial bodies. In this study, we present the discovery and initial characterization of a new companion located near V960 Mon, achieved through high-resolution near-infrared observations obtained with the ERIS instrument, complemented by data from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). The identified companion exhibits a contrast of approximately 0.007, suggesting it could be classified as either a substellar companion or a brown dwarf. This companion's position aligns well with the ALMA contours, indicating a potential connection between the companion and the material distribution in the surrounding disk. Our primary objective is to investigate the nature of this companion and assess its influence on the dynamical evolution of the V960 Mon system, particularly regarding how it might interact with the circumstellar disk and the central star. Through this research, we aim to enhance our understanding of the formation mechanisms of protoplanetary systems and the role of substellar companions in shaping their evolution.