Characterizing the 2D Properties of Protoplanetary Disks Using Thermo-Chemical Modeling Techniques and High-Resolution Observations

Abstract

Protoplanetary disks harbor the building blocks of planet formation and are the medium in which planets start their journeys. The determination of their mass, temperature, and chemical distribution is critical, as these parameters set the stage for planet formation. Extracting these parameters requires a theoretical understanding of the protoplanetary disk environment, and supporting that theory with the highest quality observations available. In this thesis, I walk through the process of created highly-constrained 2D thermo-chemical models using sub-mm observations from the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA). These models were used to characterize the thermal structure and mass of well-studied disks, and make predictions for future JWST observations. These models also solved a chemical conundrum present in the emission in complex organic molecules, or COMs. The physical solution I present to explain COMs emission leads to a major shift in the way we understand the chemical environment present during late stage planet formation. I also observed 5 FU Ori-type objects that show a varying level of chemical complexity. Masses were determined for the `cloud’ and `disk’ component of each object.