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Register a new userThe chemistry of planet-forming regions is not interstellar
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Added by
Klaus Martin Pontoppidan
Publication date
2014
fields
Physics
and research's language is
English
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Advances in infrared and submillimeter technology have allowed for detailed observations of the molecular content of the planet-forming regions of protoplanetary disks. In particular, disks around solar-type stars now have growing molecular inventories that can be directly compared with both prestellar chemistry and that inferred for the early solar nebula. The data directly address the old question whether the chemistry of planet-forming matter is similar or different and unique relative to the chemistry of dense clouds and protostellar envelopes. The answer to this question may have profound consequences for the structure and composition of planetary systems. The practical challenge is that observations of emission lines from disks do not easily translate into chemical concentrations. Here, we present a two-dimensional radiative transfer model of RNO 90, a classical protoplanetary disk around a solar-mass star, and retrieve the concentrations of dominant molecular carriers of carbon, oxygen and nitrogen in the terrestrial region around 1 AU. We compare our results to the chemical inventory of dense clouds and protostellar envelopes, and argue that inner disk chemistry is, as expected, fundamentally different from prestellar chemistry. We find that the clearest discriminant may be the concentration of CO$_2$, which is extremely low in disks, but one of the most abundant constituents of dense clouds and protostellar envelopes.
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We present a new velocity-resolved survey of 2.9 $mu$m spectra of hot H$_2$O and OH gas emission from protoplanetary disks, obtained with CRIRES at the VLT ($Delta v sim$ 3 km s$^{-1}$). With the addition of archival Spitzer-IRS spectra, this is the most comprehensive spectral dataset of water vapor emission from disks ever assembled. We provide line fluxes at 2.9-33 $mu$m that probe from disk radii of $sim0.05$ au out to the region across the water snow line. With a combined dataset for 55 disks, we find a new correlation between H$_2$O line fluxes and the radius of CO gas emission as measured in velocity-resolved 4.7 $mu$m spectra (R$_{rm co}$), which probes molecular gaps in inner disks. We find that H$_2$O emission disappears from 2.9 $mu$m (hotter water) to 33 $mu$m (colder water) as R$_{rm co}$ increases and expands out to the snow line radius. These results suggest that the infrared water spectrum is a tracer of inside-out water depletion within the snow line. It also helps clarifying an unsolved discrepancy between water observations and models, by finding that disks around stars of M$_{star}>1.5$ M$_odot$ generally have inner gaps with depleted molecular gas content. We measure radial trends in H$_2$O, OH, and CO line fluxes that can be used as benchmarks for models to study the chemical composition and evolution of planet-forming disk regions at 0.05-20 au. We propose that JWST spectroscopy of molecular gas may be used as a probe of inner disk gas depletion, complementary to the larger gaps and holes detected by direct imaging and by ALMA.
(Abridged) Near- to mid-IR observations of protoplanetary disks show that the inner regions (<10AU) are rich in small organic volatiles (e.g., C2H2 and HCN). Trends in the data suggest that disks around cooler stars (~3000K) are potentially more carbon- and molecule-rich than their hotter counterparts. Our aims are to explore the composition of the planet-forming region of disks around stars from M dwarf to Herbig Ae and compare with the observed trends. Models of the disk physical structure are coupled with a gas-grain chemical network to map the abundances in the planet-forming zone. N2 self shielding, X-ray-induced chemistry, and initial abundances, are investigated. The composition in the observable atmosphere is compared with that in the midplane where the planet-building reservoir resides. M dwarf disk atmospheres are relatively more molecule rich than those for T Tauri or Herbig Ae disks. The weak far-UV flux helps retain this complexity which is enhanced by X-ray-induced ion-molecule chemistry. N2 self shielding has only a small effect and does not explain the higher C2H2/HCN ratios observed towards cooler stars. The models underproduce the OH/H2O column density ratios constrained in Herbig Ae disks, despite reproducing the absolute value for OH: H2O self shielding only increases this discrepency. The disk midplane content is sensitive to the initial main elemental reservoirs. The gas in the inner disk is generally more carbon rich than the midplane ices and is most significant for disks around cooler stars. The atmospheric C/O ratio appears larger than it actually is when calculated using observable tracers only because gas-phase O2 is predicted to be a significant oxygen reservoir. The models suggest that the gas in the inner regions of disks around cooler stars is more carbon rich; however, calculations of the molecular emission are necessary to confirm the observed trends.
One of the primary mechanisms for inferring the dynamical history of planets in our Solar System and in exoplanetary systems is through observation of elemental ratios (i.e. C/O). The ability to effectively use these observations relies critically on a robust understanding of the chemistry and evolutionary history of the observed abundances. Significant efforts have been devoted to this area from within astrochemistry circles, and these efforts should be supported going forward by the larger exoplanetary science community. In addition, the construction of a next-generation radio interferometer will be required to test many of these predictive models in situ, while simultaneously providing the resolution necessary to pinpoint the location of planets in formation.
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