Grand challenges in protoplanetary disc modelling

TL;DR

This paper discusses the major challenges and future directions in the multiphysics modelling of protoplanetary discs, emphasizing community collaboration to advance understanding of disc physics.

Contribution

It identifies key open questions and proposes strategic, technical, and collaborative pathways to improve integrated disc modelling.

Findings

Identification of critical challenges in gas and dust dynamics, radiative transfer, and chemistry.

Discussion of potential solutions and collaborative strategies for modelling improvements.

Motivation for community-driven research to advance protoplanetary disc understanding.

Abstract

The Protoplanetary Discussions conference --- held in Edinburgh, UK, from 7th --11th March 2016 --- included several open sessions led by participants. This paper reports on the discussions collectively concerned with the multiphysics modelling of protoplanetary discs, including the self-consistent calculation of gas and dust dynamics, radiative transfer and chemistry. After a short introduction to each of these disciplines in isolation, we identify a series of burning questions and grand challenges associated with their continuing development and integration. We then discuss potential pathways towards solving these challenges, grouped by strategical, technical and collaborative developments. This paper is not intended to be a review, but rather to motivate and direct future research and collaboration across typically distinct fields based on \textit{community driven input}, to encourage further progress in our understanding of circumstellar and protoplanetary discs.