What are protoplanetary disks still not telling us?

When: Friday, May 15, 2026, 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Where: G. O. Jones, Room 610, Mile End

Speaker: Álvaro Ribas - Queen Mary University of London

Title:  What are protoplanetary disks still not telling us?

Abstract: 

Our understanding of protoplanetary disks – the cradles of planetary systems – has improved dramatically over the last decade thanks to ALMA, SPHERE, and other facilities. What we once thought were smooth and "simple" systems have become more complex, and rings, gaps, and other structures are now found in the vast majority of protoplanetary disks. We have also compiled large censuses of their masses and sizes, creating a more comprehensive statistical view of planet-forming environments. However, this may still be only part of the story.

In this talk, I will discuss three seemingly unrelated disk studies. I will start with how we used artificial neural networks to model the multiwavelength emission of disks in Taurus – a technique that can be applied in many other fields, and what we learned about their properties this way. I will then present an alternative (and simpler) explanation for some of the azimuthal asymmetries that are commonly found in disks at millimeter wavelengths, and how they can help us better understand their vertical structure. Finally, I will tell the story of "the most boring disk" that turned out not to be so. When put together, these results suggest that disks may still hide crucial information deep in their midplanes.