Satellites and small bodies with ALMA: Insights into Solar System formation & evolution

TL;DR

This paper reviews how ALMA observations have advanced our understanding of Solar System formation and evolution by detecting molecules, analyzing compositions, and studying small bodies and protoplanetary disks.

Contribution

It highlights recent discoveries made with ALMA that shed light on the formation and chemical evolution of Solar System bodies and protoplanetary disks.

Findings

Detection of new molecules and isotopologues in moons and comets

Constraints on compositions and histories of small bodies

Insights into the structure and chemistry of protoplanetary disks

Abstract

Our understanding of the formation and evolution of planetary systems has made major advances in the past decade. This progress has been driven in large part by the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), which has given us an unprecedented view of Solar System bodies themselves, and of the structure and chemistry of forming exoplanetary systems. Within our own Solar System, ALMA has enabled the detection of new molecules and isotopologues across moons and comets, as well as placing new constraints on the compositions and histories of small bodies through thermal emission observations. In this article, we highlight some key areas where ALMA has contributed to a deeper understanding of our Solar System's formation and evolution, and place these discoveries in the context of our evolving understanding of protoplanetary disks.