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Revealing the sub-AU asymmetries of the inner dust rim in the disk around the Herbig Ae star R Coronae Austrinae

Context. Unveiling the structure of the disks around intermediate-mass pre-main-sequence stars (Herbig Ae/Be stars) is essential for our understanding of the star and planet formation process. In particular, models predict that in the innermost AU around the star, the dust disk forms a “puffed-up” inner rim, which should result in a strongly asymmetric brightness distribution for disks seen under intermediate inclination. Aims. Our aim is to constrain the sub-AU geometry of the inner disk around the Herbig Ae star R CrA and search for the predicted asymmetries. Methods. Using the VLTI/AMBER long-baseline interferometer, we obtained 24 near-infrared (H -a ndK-band) spectrointerferometric observations on R CrA. Observing with three telescopes in a linear array configuration, each data set samples three equally spaced points in the visibility function, providing direct information about the radial intensity profile. In addition, the observations cover a wide position angle range (∼97 ◦ ), also probing the position angle dependence of the source brightness distribution. Results. In the derived visibility function, we detect the signatures of an extended (Gaussian FWHM ∼ 25 mas) and a compact component (Gaussian FWHM ∼ 5.8 mas), with the compact component contributing about two-thirds of the total flux (both in H -a nd K-band). The brightness distribution is highly asymmetric, as indicated by the strong closure phases (up to ∼40 ◦ ) and the detected position angle dependence of the visibilities and closure phases. To interpret these asymmetries, we employ various geometric as well as physical models, including a binary model, a skewed ring model, and a puffed-up inner rim model with a vertical or curved rim shape. For the binary and vertical rim model, no acceptable fits could be obtained. On the other hand, the skewed ring model and the curved puffed-up inner rim model allow us to simultaneously reproduce the measured visibilities and closure phases. From these models we derive the location of the dust sublimation radius (∼0.4 AU), the disk inclination angle (∼35 ◦ ), and a north-south disk orientation (PA ∼ 180−190 ◦ ). Our curved puffed-up rim model can reproduce reasonably well the interferometric observables and the