Initial conditions of exoplanet formation in protoplanetary disks
There is now a substantial population of exoplanets with well-determined masses, radii, and orbital parameters in a range of host stellar systems. JWST will bring an increase in exoplanets with atmospheric spectroscopy measurements, moving the field from pure discovery to population synthesis and characterization. Many of the best-studied planetary systems are massive and located within 1AU of their central stars; it is not clear whether all of these planets migrated from farther out in their natal disks to this location or if they could have formed in situ. Both scenarios should produce distinct compositions resulting from multiple strong, time-dependent chemical gradients in their disks due to thermal sublimation and grain processing effects. These effects likely set the bulk chemical composition of the planet’s core and atmosphere, which are accreted from different material in the disk. By determining the physical conditions within 1AU, I will confirm whether they are sufficient to support in situ planet formation.  I will also map the distribution of key planetary building blocks in both the solid phase (dust grains) and gas phase. This will be accomplished by interpreting disks’ flux as a function of wavelength with radiative transfer models including detailed sublimation and condensation physics, and comparing observed spectral features in both the solid and gaseous phases in molecular and atomic form to those predicted by models. This project will provide training through research in numerical methods and exoplanet characterization techniques, which are important in the long term for my career goals to lead a research group in planetary formation. Through development courses, I will improve my marketability for senior research positions and in turn transfer my infrared observing skills and US and European network connections to the host. This project increases the visibility of the host and European exoplanetary astronomy on an international scale.