Visualizing the Kinematics of Planet Formation

Understand

A stunning range of substructures in the dust of protoplanetary disks is routinely observed across a range of wavelengths.

• These gaps, rings and spirals are highly indicative of a population of unseen planets, hinting at the possibility of current observational facilities being able to capture planet-formation in action.
• Over the last decade, our understanding of the influence of a young planet on the dynamical structure of its parental disk has progressed significantly, revealing a host of potentially observable features which would betray the presence of a deeply embedded planet.
• In concert, recent observations have shown that subtle perturbations in the kinematic structure of protoplanetary disks are found in multiple sources, potentially the characteristic disturbances associated with embedded planets.