Project Details
Projekt
From Transition Disks to Debris Disks
Subject Area
Astrophysics and Astronomy
Term
since 2021
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 325594231
Based on our current understanding of the physics of planet formation, several processes seemingly prevent or stall the growth towards larger bodies: (1) collisional growth is inefficient above ∼meter- sizes, (2) fast radial migration removes solids very quickly, (3) large particles need to be accumulated locally to trigger gravoturbulent formation of planetesimals, and (4) radial migration of pebbles renders the growth of planetesimals inefficient. Recent observations of axi-symmetric sub-structure in disks show that there are environments, where all of these issues can be solved: trapping and growth of solids in pressure bumps can provide the overdensities of large enough particles to trigger planetes- imal formation. Additionally, the trapped particles are not drifting away, meaning they can be efficiently accreted onto growing planetesimals. On the other hand, debris disks ( 10 Myr old, gas-poor and optically thin dust disks), are the best laboratories to study how and where planetesimals previously formed in the the younger, dust- and gas-rich environments of protoplanetary disks. It is yet unclear how young stars transition from the planet-forming to the debris disk stage, what role the substructure plays and how disk dispersal gives rise to the origin of debris disks. It is the goal of this proposal to investigate the growth and trapping of solids, planetesimal formation, and the interplay between gas and solids in the annular substructure of planet-forming disks to investigate how planets can form in them and how debris disks are created.
DFG Programme
Research Units
International Connection
China
Co-Investigators
Dr. Sebastian Marino; Dr. Paola Pinilla; Professor Dr. Rainer Spurzem
Cooperation Partner
Professor Dr. Christiaan Wessel Ormel
