Collaborative Research: Pioneering planet formation chemistry with ALMA

Harvard University, Cambridge MA

Investigators

Abstract

Planets form and are composed of the dust and gas found in disks around young stars. The planet formation process is linked to the chemistry of the materials in the disks: the chemical properties of the disk material shape the outcome of planet formation, and planet formation in the disk is likely to affect its chemistry. The investigators will use the Atacama Large Millimeter and submillimeter Array (ALMA) to map the chemical structures of disks around five young stars. They will also develop theory to use the distribution of chemicals they observe to constrain planet formation models for the five systems. PI Oberg will continue mentoring a Banneker fellow each year, and co-PI Bergin will continue to offer a workshop on recruiting for both diversity and excellence. He will also present the workshop at a conference. Graduate and undergraduate students will be involved in the work. The team's approved ALMA Large Program targets 5 protoplanetary disks in 25+ individual molecular lines, and was designed to elucidate: 1. the interplay between dust and chemical sub-structures. The high angular resolution of the observations will allow them to map out relationships between dust sub-structures and chemical sub-structures. 2. the vertical distributions of molecules in disks. By combining high-angular resolution observations with line excitation analysis the team will constrain the vertical chemical disk structures. 3. the distribution of organic molecules and volatile elements in the planet forming zone. The team will construct a catalogue of disk chemical sub-structures and develop an appropriate taxonomy. They will catalogue rings, spirals, plateaus, non-axisymmetric excesses and depletions, vertical emission layers, and other observed sub-structures across the sample. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.