Flows of gas through a protoplanetary gap.

Area of Science:

• Astronomy and Astrophysics
• Planetary Science

Background:

• Planet formation models predict gaps in protoplanetary disks.
• The young star HD 142527 exhibits an inner disk, a large gap, and a disrupted outer disk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the gas dynamics within the gap of the HD 142527 protoplanetary disk.
• To determine if gas flow can sustain the observed high stellar accretion rate.

Main Methods:

• Infrared observations to map disk structure.
• Radio observations to analyze molecular gas composition and distribution.
• Analysis of diffuse CO and dense HCO+ gas within the gap.

Main Results:

• Diffuse CO gas detected inside the gap.
• Denser HCO+ gas observed along gap-crossing filaments.
• Estimated gas flow rate of 7x10^-9 to 2x10^-7 solar masses per year.

Conclusions:

• The observed gas flow is sufficient to maintain the star's high accretion rate.
• Protoplanetary bodies likely channel gas from the outer to inner disk.
• This provides evidence for ongoing planet formation influencing stellar activity.