Issues in Protoplanetary Disk Modeling
First Author:
Nuria Calvet
Email: ncalvet AT umich.edu
University of Michigan
857 Dennison Bld
500 Church St
Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
Abstract
Observations from the Spitzer space telescope have revolutionized the field of protoplanetary disks and planet formation. Analysis of the SEDs provided by Spitzer, together with accretion indicators and images, have provided unprecedented information on the degree of dust growth and settling in these disks. Observations of disks in populations with ages in the range when planets are expected to form show evolutionary effects that are consistent with expectations of dust evolution theories. However, large uncertainties remain in the actual mechanisms and time scales of these processes. I discuss what we have learned from SED studies, what we still need to learn, and possibilities for further progress.
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