event
Wednesday 22 Apr 2009: Radiation Thermo-chemical Models of Protoplanetary Disks
Dr Peter Woitke - Royal Observatory Edinburgh
Physics, 4th Floor interaction area 14:00-15:00
With the launch of the HERSCHEL observatory we will be able to study far IR gas emission lines from circumstellar disks, which allows us to derive information about the physical and chemical stucture of the disks independent of the dust. In our GASPS open time key programme, we will observe fine structure lines of CII and OI, as well as rotational lines of CO and H2O that probe the surface, the warm molecular layer and parts of the midplane in the disks, respectively. For a qualified interpretation of these observational data, we need accurate models. In this talk, I will represent concerted efforts of the theory groups in Edinburgh, Groningen, Grenoble and Exeter to calculate a large grid of models that combine frequency-dependent 2D dust continuum radiative transfer, kinetic gas-phase and UV photo-chemistry, ice formation, and detailed non-LTE heating & cooling with the consistent calculation of the hydrostatic disk structure. Our aim is to model SEDs and gas emission lines simultaneously, and to determine gas and dust masses in circumstellar disks to discuss their evolution.
