Astro-seminar by Till Kaeufer: JWST/MIRI spectra of protoplanetary disk - Connecting observed trends to evolutionary processes

The MIRI instrument aboard the James Webb Space Telescope probes the gas content in the inner regions of protoplanetary disks. In this talk, I’ll present the most recent JWST/MIRI observations of protoplanetary disks, highlighting emerging observational trends. The interpretation of these trends is a highly debated topic. I’ll focus on the apparent observed excess cold-water emission in compact discs, explaining interpretations linked to the pebble drift and ice sublimation. To test these scenarios, I present a novel 2D dynamical disk model that finds the time-dependent radial and vertical water distribution through advection, diffusion, chemical processing, and pebble-dust interplay. This model can predict the evolution of key MIRI observables. Using these models, I examine the link between pebble drift and observed cold water mass in disks. Additionally, I’ll show what signs transport processes will leave on JWST/MIRI spectra of disks and how they are distinguishable from signatures of disk chemistry.