InAndOut · Towards a complete understanding of young embedded disks
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2020-09-01 → 2023-08-31
- EU contribution
- €246,669
- Participants
- 2
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Towards a complete understanding of young embedded disks
Existing models of disk formation typically underestimate the possibility of replenishing the mass reservoir of the disk via infall from the larger-scale birth environment. Moreover, the ionization level of the gas differs in different protostellar environments. My project tackles these issues by applying cutting-edge computational tools to investigate the small-scale effects in disks, while consistently accounting for the properties provided by the protostellar environment. I How does the degree of ionization affect the properties of embedded disks and their outflows? II How do dust polarization and Zeeman splitting trace the magnetic field in embedded disks? III What is the probability that gas and dust return to the disk after being ejected by an outflow? IV How does gas and dust (chemically) evolve from infall onto the disk until accretion and/or outflow Conclusion: In summary, I discovered that under otherwise identical conditions, an increase of the ionization level can potentially reduce the disk size around protostars. Therefore, stars in highly ionized regions are likely born smaller on average than in regions of lower ionization. Dust polarization is a good tracer of the magnetic fields beyond the disk scale, while it remains difficult to trace the B-field in disks observationally. There are strong preliminary indications for a return of gas and tiny dust particles that are ejected through an outflow. Considering the evolution of material, my research has shown that stars can be fed with material a substantial amount of material that is initially not bound to the collapsing pre stellar core and thereby star-disk systems can be fed by material from regions of varying chemical compositions.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
Modelling the interplay of infall, accretion, and outflows during the early phases of star and disk formation is the key to understanding the origin of planetary systems. So-called protoplanetary disks form shortly after the birth of a star, and, as ultimately revealed by recent discoveries , disks are the nurseries of planets. My project, 'InAndOut: Towards a complete understanding of young embedded discs', tackles this issue by applying novel computational tools to investigate the small-scale effects in disks, while consistently accounting for the properties provided by the protostellar environment. Adopting ten prestellar cores located in different environments of a parental filamentary Giant Molecular Cloud, I will simulate the formation and evolution of embedded disk state-of-the-art code framework DISPATCH. To account for the observed diversity of cosmic-ray ionisation rates among different prestellar cores, I will vary the cosmic ray ionisation rate in my models. To guarantee a valid comparison of my results with cutting-edge observations, I will produce synthetic observations with the radiative transfer code POLARIS. Synthetic maps of dust polarisation can be used to get a better understanding of the magnetic field structure on scales beyond the disk. Anticipating first ALMA results of circular polarisation due to Zeeman splitting in young disks in the near future, it is timely to provide synthetic maps of circular polarisation, as they can tell us about the magnetic field strength in disks. Following the trajectory of the dust and gas particles in embedded disks from infall, through the disk to outflows will allow me to study, whether dust and gas can return into the disk after being ejected by a wind. Finding an answer to this question has important implications for our understanding of the origin of our solar system. Moreover, I will identify chemical tracers for the kinematics such as infall and outflow involved in the embedded disk phase.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER WISSENSCHAFTEN EV · MUNCHENCoordinatorGermany
- UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA · CharlottesvilleUnited States
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union