Thesis Supervisor: Bill Dent
Abstract
The central 0.1-100 AU around young stars are of great interest, as it is here that planets are formed. Studying the structure, dynamics and chemical composition of these protoplanetary disks is important if we want to understand what promotes and regulates the formation of planetary systems like our own. We also need to look at simple species such as water, carbon monoxide, as well as the more complex molecules found in the planet-forming environment, as their abundance may affect the composition of the final planets themselves.
We have formed a large team of about 30 astronomers in Europe and the US, which will use the recently-launched Herschel telescope to study the far-infrared lines from such disks (the Open Time key project GASPS). As well as being part of the team reducing and analysing these data, you will be using ground-based infrared facilities like CRIRES on the VLT, and sub-mm facilites such as JCMT and APEX to study these disks, and develop models to compare with the data. During ALMA 'Early Science' starting in late 2010 and, eventually, with the full ALMA array, we expect to be making resolved images of the planet forming regions of such disks. This project may also allow the student to get involved with this exciting early phase of ALMA science.