Disk evolution -- Oral Presentation
Formation of planets and debris disks in the terrestrial zone
Scott Kenyon, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
Ben Bromley (University of Utah)
The discovery of debris disks surrounding nearby stars has
revolutionized our understanding of planet formation. Ground-based and
satellite images of these systems reveal an interesting variety of large
disks, thick tori, and delicate rings of dust. Analyses of these data
demonstrate that the building blocks for solar systems commonly exist in
disk-like structures around other stars. Theoretical calculations show
how collisions and radiative processes transform a massive disk of gas
and dust into a planetary system and a debris disk. In this review, I
will summarize observations and theory of debris disks in the terrestrial
zone and show how data from our and other solar systems improve our
general picture of planet formation.