2025 Project Description

Detecting Planet Signatures in Embedded Disks

Supervisors

Hsi-Wei Yen
Find out more about supervisors on ASIAA website

Task Description and Goals

Thousands of exoplanets have been discovered, and they form within circumstellar disks around young stars, known as protoplanetary disks. As planets grow and evolve, they perturb the surrounding disk, leaving footprints and signposts. By analyzing these disk features, we can infer the mass and location of forming planets. Recent observations suggest that planet formation may begin at an earlier stage than previously thought while protoplanetary disks are still deeply embedded in molecular clouds. However, obscuration by the surrounding material complicates the search for young forming planets.

In this project, we aim to generate synthetic observational data to test whether fine structures induced by forming planets can still be detected when disks are deeply embedded in molecular clouds. We will make use of ALMA data of protoplanetary disks that exhibit planet-driven perturbations, build models of density and velocity distributions of envelope material around them, perform radiative transfer calculations, and generate synthetic images. This will allow us to assess how well disk features can be recovered under different circumstances of cloud obscuration.

Through this project, students will gain knowledge of star and planet formation, protoplanetary disks, radio observations, and interferometry. They will also develop skills in analyzing ALMA data, constructing kinematic models, performing radiative transfer simulations, generating synthetic observations, and developing techniques to identify forming planets in embedded disks.

Required Background

Basic knowledge of Physics. Experience in Linux/Unix systems and programming is desirable but not required.