Dynamics of young stellar clusters as planet forming environments

TL;DR

This paper reviews how the environment of young stellar clusters influences planet formation, focusing on feedback mechanisms, dynamical interactions, and the importance of large-scale surveys with upcoming telescopes.

Contribution

It synthesizes recent observational and theoretical findings on stellar cluster ecosystems and discusses future prospects with next-generation telescopes.

Findings

Cluster environment impacts protoplanetary disk evolution.

Multiple stellar populations exist within clusters, affecting planet formation timescales.

Upcoming telescopes will enable detailed studies of low-mass stars in distant regions.

Abstract

Most stars and thus most planetary systems do not form in isolation. The larger star-forming environment affects protoplanetary disks in multiple ways: gravitational interactions with other stars truncate disks and alter the architectures of exoplanet systems; external irradiation from nearby high-mass stars truncates disks and shortens their lifetimes; and remaining gas and dust in the environment affects dynamical evolution (if removed by feedback processes) and provides some shielding for disks from external irradiation. The dynamical evolution of the region regulates when and how long various feedback mechanisms impact protoplanetary disks. Density is a key parameter that regulates the intensity and duration of UV irradiation and the frequency of dynamical encounters. The evolution of larger star-forming complexes may also play an important role by mixing populations. Observations suggest that clusters are not a single-age population but multiple populations with small age differences which may be key to resolving several timescale issues (i.e., proplyd lifetimes, enrichment). In this review, we consider stellar clusters as the ecosystems in which most stars and therefore most planets form. We review recent observational and theoretical results and highlight upcoming contributions from facilities expected to begin observations in the next five years. Looking further ahead, we argue that the next frontier is large-scale surveys of low-mass stars in more distant high-mass star-forming regions. The future of ecosystem studies is bright as faint low-mass stars in more distant high-mass star-forming regions will be routinely observable in the era of Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs).