Protoplanetary Disk tagged posts

Researchers have discovered that carbonaceous chondrites, a class of meteorites, incorporated hydrated minerals along with organic material from the protoplanetary disk before the formation of planets. Scientists from the study published in the journal Space Science Reviews note that these meteorites played “an important role in the primordial Earth’s water enrichment” because they facilitated the transportation of volatile elements that were accumulated on the external regions of the so-called protoplanetary disk from which planets were formed more than 4.500 years ago. Earth was formed in an environment close to the Sun, very much reduced due to the relative lack of oxygen.

Carbonaceous chondrites come fro...

This is an artist impression of nanoscale diamonds surrounding a young star in the Milky Way. Recent GBT and ATCA observations have identified the telltale radio signal of diamond dust around 3 such stars, suggesting they are a source of the so-called anomalous microwave emission. Credit: S. Dagnello, NRAO/AUI/NSF

Nanoscale gemstones source of mysterious cosmic microwave light. Some of the tiniest diamonds in the universe – bits of crystalline carbon hundreds of thousands of times smaller than a grain of sand – have been detected swirling around 3 infant star systems in the Milky Way...

Planetary disk around the star known as TW Hydrae. Credit: S. Andrews (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA); B. Saxton (NRAO/AUI/NSF); ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)

The dusty disk surrounding star TW Hydrae exhibits circular features that may signal the formation of protoplanets. An astrophysicist argues, however, that the innermost actually points to the impending dispersal of the disk. When the maps appeared at the end of March, experts were electrified. The images revealed an orange-red disk pitted with circular gaps: a detailed portrait of a protoplanetary disk, made up of gas and dust grains, associated with a young star – the kind of structure out of which planets could be expected to form...

Thermal dust emission from the protoplanetary disk surrounding the young star Elias 2-27 clearly shows a spiral structure. Credit: B. Saxton (NRAO/AUI/NSF); ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO); L. Pérez (MPIfR)

Astronomers have found distinct spiral arms in the disk of gas and dust surrounding the young star Elias 2-27. This is the first time they have been identified within the disk, where planet formation takes place. Structures such as these could either indicate the presence of a newly formed planet, or else create the necessary conditions for a planet to form. As such, the results are a crucial step towards a better understanding how planetary systems like our Solar system came into being...