The formation of planetary disks and winds: an ultraviolet view

TL;DR

This paper explores the role of ultraviolet observations in understanding the magnetic and energetic processes in planetary disk formation and winds, focusing on young stellar objects and their evolution.

Contribution

It highlights the importance of UV studies for investigating the magnetic shear layer and the evolution of young stellar systems, proposing new observational approaches.

Findings

UV observations reveal magnetic reconnection regions.

Monitoring and high-resolution imaging are essential for studying young stars.

UV data can improve understanding of disk and wind dynamics.

Abstract

Planetary systems are angular momentum reservoirs generated during star formation. This accretion process produces very powerful engines able to drive the optical jets and the molecular outflows. A fraction of the engine energy is released into heating thus the temperature of the engine ranges from the 3000K of the inner disk material to the 10MK in the areas where magnetic reconnection occurs. There are important unsolved problems concerning the nature of the engine, its evolution and the impact of the engine in the chemical evolution of the inner disk. Of special relevance is the understanding of the shear layer between the stellar photosphere and the disk; this layer controls a significant fraction of the magnetic field building up and the subsequent dissipative processes ougth to be studied in the UV. This contribution focus on describing the connections between 1 Myr old suns and the Sun and the requirements for new UV instrumentation to address their evolution during this period. Two types of observations are shown to be needed: monitoring programmes and high resolution imaging down to, at least, milliarsecond scales.