New pathways for studying exoplanet formation

Thanks to the rapidly expanding field of exoplanet detection, our understanding of planet formation and early evolution has expanded greatly in recent decades. However, many important aspects of these processes remain unclear.

In large part, this is due to the fact that classical planet detection methods only allow for detections in mature planetary systems, where the initial conditions at formation are no longer accessible.

With the advent of high-contrast imaging and spectroscopy, it is now starting to become possible to study planets directly, even as they are still forming.

Here, we propose a project to develop techniques for high-contrast and high-resolution spectroscopy, and use them to study the spectral lines of gas in accreting proto-planets.

The strengths and morphologies of the lines will provide information about the formation process to a level of detail that is not approachable by any other means.

This makes it possible to determine whether planets accrete magnetospherically, like stars, or through a different process.

Studying the connection between accretion signatures and circumplanetary disk signatures also helps to determine whether the planets accrete from their own disk or from the surrounding circumstellar disk.

The project supports planet formation theory, but also observational research, by identifying the most promising accretion probes for detecting new accretors in the future.