The Role of Disk Winds in the Evolution and Dispersal of Protoplanetary Disks

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent observational and theoretical advances in understanding how disk winds influence the evolution, dispersal, and planet formation processes in protoplanetary disks, integrating empirical data with models.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive synthesis of recent observations and theoretical models of disk winds, highlighting their role in disk evolution and planet formation.

Findings

Disk winds are observed across various disk radii and evolutionary stages.

Theoretical models predict specific signatures of magnetohydrodynamic and photoevaporative winds.

Disk winds significantly impact the dispersal timescales and architecture of planetary systems.

Abstract

The assembly and architecture of planetary systems strongly depend on the physical processes governing the evolution and dispersal of protoplanetary disks. Since Protostars and Planets VI, new observations and theoretical insights favor disk winds as being one of those key processes. This chapter provides a comprehensive review of recent observations probing outflowing gas launched over a range of disk radii for a wide range of evolutionary stages, enabling an empirical understanding of how winds evolve. In parallel, we review theoretical advancements in both magnetohydrodynamic and photoevaporative disk wind models and identify predictions that can be confronted with observations. By linking theory and observations we critically assess the role of disk winds in the evolution and dispersal of protoplanetary disks. Finally, we explore the impact of disk winds on planet formation and evolution and highlight theoretical work, observations, and critical tests for future progress.