2024 Project Description

Search for planet-induced spiral arms in ALMA continuum observations of protoplanetary disks?
This project can be carried out remotely.

Supervisors

Ruobing Dong
Find out more about supervisors on ASIAA website

Task Description and Goals

Protoplanetary disks are the birthplaces of planets. When giant planets form in disks, they may drive prominent spiral arms detectable in millimeter continuum emission using ALMA. The detection of such spirals arms may be the key signpost of planet formation in protoplanetary disks. The signatures of spiral arms in ALMA observations have been quantified in Speedie et al. (2022, ApJ, 930, 40), and searched in a small sample of disks (Speedie & Dong, 2022, ApJL, 940, 43). The student will be tasked to broaden the search to a large sample of protoplanetary disks with high quality archival ALMA observations. Ideally the student shall produce a first-author refereed paper at the end of the project.

Required Background

Adequate english communication skills (particularly reading and writing). Familiarity with linux/unix operation systems and command line. Familiarity with at least one programming language (e.g., python, IDL, matlab, etc). Past research experiences in ALMA observations, or protoplanetary disks, are preferred, but not required.