Accretion onto young stars: the key to disk evolution

TL;DR

This paper reviews the role of accretion in the early evolution of young stars, emphasizing its importance in disk evolution and planet formation, while highlighting ongoing uncertainties in the detailed mechanisms.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of accretion processes during pre-Main-Sequence evolution, emphasizing their significance in disk dynamics and planet formation.

Findings

Accretion is crucial for understanding disk evolution.

Current models still lack full understanding of accretion mechanisms.

Accretion impacts planet formation processes.

Abstract

The early stages of the pre-Main-Sequence (PMS) evolution of young stars are characterized by a substantial interaction between the central star and the surrounding disk. Among the processes that take place, the accretion of material from the disk onto the star is a crucial one, as it traces the disk evolution and, in turn, affects how planets are formed and evolve in disks. Even if accretion has been studied for many years, it is still the focus of a large body of work, as we do not fully understand how it happens.