Thermochemistry of disc winds and atmospheres

• Applicant: Professorin Barbara Ercolano, Ph.D., since 8/2021
• Subject Area: Astrophysics and Astronomy
• Term: since 2017
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 325594231

One of the key physical processes that plays a role in the evolution of a protoplanetary disk is the mass loss, likely determined by photoevaporative winds driven by the central star or magnetic-driven winds. Both processes could lead to cavities in the disc and finally cause the dispersal of the gaseous disc. Despite the widely recognised importance of this mass loss process, as of today, there are no effective diagnostic methods to determine the properties of the wind from the observations. Of particular relevance are the wind strength and its radial mass loss profile, which depends on density and velocity. The main reason resides in the lack of suitable and complete chemical models of the outflowing material, that take into account the interplay between disk dynamics and chemistry and microphysics.The aim of this project is to determine the thermochemical properties of the wind and its launching region, accounting for the interplay between microphysics, chemistry, and dynamics. Thanks to coupling the state-of-the-art chemical code developed during Phase I (Grassi et al.\ 2020), with the hydrodynamical-radiation models obtained in B1 (Picogna et al.\ 2019) and with the dust distribution characterization from C2 (Franz et al.\ 2020), we will be capable of providing detailed chemical profiles of winds that will be converted into synthetic observations by using radiative transfer codes. This step is paramount to predict and to interpret observable spectral lines that will help understanding the key physical ingredients that characterize these winds, e.g.~mass loss rates, which depend on the density and velocity of the wind, and the wind launching radii. This will allow us to establish the role that (MHD) winds play in the global evolution of the planet making material.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• Subproject of: FOR 2634: Planet Formation Witnesses and Probes: Transition Discs
• International Connection: USA
• Co-Investigators: Professorin Dr. Paola Caselli; Professorin Dr. Ewine F. van Dishoeck; Dr. Oliver Gressel
• Cooperation Partner: Professorin Ilaria Pascucci, Ph.D.
• Ehemaliger Antragsteller: Dr. Tommaso Grassi, until 8/2021