Abstract

Planets form in disks around young stars. The details of the planet forming process, and the composition of the nascent planets depend on the physical-chemical structure of such disks. One set of important structural features are disk condensation fronts, or snow lines, of major volatiles; their locations and shapes are expected to affect grain growth, the bulk composition of forming planets at different disk radii, and the nature of the organic disk chemistry. We have explored the chemical effects of such snowlines through a combination of theory and spatially resolved observations of molecular emission in nearby disks. I will present some of the key findings, including the first chemical image of the CO snowline in a protoplanetary disk using ALMA. I will further discuss the implications of this and related results for planet and planetesimal compositions, including their organic content, in the Solar System and elsewhere.

Presentation

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