New Light on Young Stars:
Spitzer's View of Circumstellar Disks

Different Organic Chemistry in Disks around Sun-like and Cool Stars

First Author:
Ilaria Pascucci
Email: pascucci AT as.arizona.edu

The Johns Hopkins University
3400 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218 USA

Abstract

It is generally assumed that the organic compounds of the protosolar nebula are representative to all protoplanetary disks implying that planets around different stars will have the same bulk composition. In a large dedicated effort with the Spitzer Space Telescope I will show that the organic compounds in the planet-forming region of cool stars differ from those around sun-like stars. Because over 80% of stars in the galactic disk are cooler than the Sun, our study suggests that the circumstellar organic inventory of the Solar System may be not typical.