2007/04/13 by Joan Najita, Joan R. Najita, Najita, Joan R. +8
Chemical Engineering · Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Combustion Engine Technologies #Astrophysics (astro-ph) #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #FOS: Physical sciences #Phase Equilibria and Thermodynamics #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.0704.1841
16 pages, 6 figures, a chapter in "Protostars and Planets V"
arxiv created 2007/04/13 · openalex publication_date 2007/04/13 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
As the likely birthplaces of planets and an essential conduit for the buildup of stellar masses, inner disks are of fundamental interest in star and planet formation. Studies of the gaseous component of inner disks are of interest because of their ability to probe the dynamics, physical and chemical structure, and gas content of this region. We review the observational and theoretical developments in this field, highlighting the potential of such studies to, e.g., measure inner disk truncation radii, probe the nature of the disk accretion process, and chart the evolution in the gas content of disks. Measurements of this kind have the potential to provide unique insights on the physical processes governing star and planet formation.