Observations of Solids in Protoplanetary Disks

TL;DR

This review summarizes current observational research on solids in protoplanetary disks, covering demographics, structure, and evolution, to aid understanding of planet formation processes for junior scientists.

Contribution

It provides an accessible overview of the field, highlighting key findings and suggesting future research directions in the study of dust in young disks.

Findings

Relationships between disk properties and environment

Spatial distribution of disk material

Indicators of disk evolution and planet formation

Abstract

This review addresses the state of research that employs astronomical (remote sensing) observations of solids ("dust") in young circumstellar disks to learn about planet formation. The intention is for it to serve as an accessible, introductory, pedagogical resource for junior scientists interested in the subject. After some historical background and a basic observational primer, the focus is shifted to the three fundamental topics that broadly define the field: (1) demographics -- the relationships between disk properties and the characteristics of their environments and hosts; (2) structure -- the spatial distribution of disk material and its associated physical conditions and composition; and (3) evolution -- the signposts of key changes in disk properties, including the growth and migration of solids and the impact of dynamical interactions with young planetary systems. Based on the state of the art results in these areas, suggestions are made for potentially fruitful lines of work in the near future.