Title: Evolution of protoplanetary disks from their taxonomy in scattered light: Group I vs. Group II,
Abstract: High-resolution imaging reveals a large morphological variety of
protoplanetary disks. To date, no constraints on their global evolution have
been found from this census. An evolutionary classification of disks was
proposed based on their IR spectral energy distribution, with the Group I
sources showing a prominent cold component ascribed to an earlier stage of
evolution than Group II. Disk evolution can be constrained from the comparison
of disks with different properties. A first attempt of disk taxonomy is now
possible thanks to the increasing number of high-resolution images of Herbig
Ae/Be stars becoming available. Near-IR images of six Group II disks in
scattered light were obtained with VLT/NACO in Polarimetric Differential
Imaging, which is the most efficient technique to image the light scattered by
the disk material close to the stars. We compare the stellar/disk properties of
this sample with those of well-studied Group I sources available from the
literature. Three Group II disks are detected. The brightness distribution in
the disk of HD163296 indicates the presence of a persistent ring-like structure
with a possible connection with the CO snowline. A rather compact (less than
100 AU) disk is detected around HD142666 and AK Sco. A taxonomic analysis of 17
Herbig Ae/Be sources reveals that the difference between Group I and Group II
is due to the presence or absence of a large disk cavity (larger than 5 AU).
There is no evidence supporting the evolution from Group I to Group II. Group
II are not evolved version of the Group I. Within the Group II disks, very
different geometries (both self-shadowed and compact) exist. HD163296 could be
the primordial version of a typical Group I. Other Group II, like AK Sco and
HD142666, could be smaller counterpart of Group I unable to open cavities as
large as those of Group I.