Modelling photo-evaporation in planet forming discs

TL;DR

This paper reviews numerical models of star-driven disc photoevaporation, discussing their techniques, results, and how observations can test and improve these models for understanding planet formation.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of current numerical models of disc photoevaporation, highlighting their methods, findings, and potential observational constraints.

Findings

Current models vary in complexity and predictivity.

Observational tests are crucial for constraining models.

Understanding photoevaporation is key to planet formation theories.

Abstract

Planets are born from the gas and dust discs surrounding young stars. Energetic radiation from the central star can drive thermal outflows from the discs atmospheres, strongly affecting the evolution of the discs and the nascent planetary system. In this context several numerical models of varying complexity have been developed to study the process of disc photoevaporation from their central stars. We describe the numerical techniques, the results and the predictivity of current models and identify observational tests to constrain them.