Can disk fragmentation leave signatures in spectral energy distributions?

In this article we show that massive and hot fragments forming in protostellar disks can leave characteristic signatures in spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of young stellar objects. This occurs when the fragment evaporates dust in its atmosphere, which results in a sharp drop in opacity and subsequent rise in the surface temperature of the fragment. These hot fragments can produce local maxima in the SEDs at 5–10 μm.