The dispersal of planet-forming discs: theory confronts observations

• Main Authors: Barbara Ercolano, Ilaria Pascucci
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Royal Society 2017-01-01
• Series: Royal Society Open Science
• Subjects: protoplanetary discs; planet formation; photoevaporation
• Online Access: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsos.170114

Discs of gas and dust around million-year-old stars are a by-product of the star formation process and provide the raw material to form planets. Hence, their evolution and dispersal directly impact what type of planets can form and affect the final architecture of planetary systems. Here, we review empirical constraints on disc evolution and dispersal with special emphasis on transition discs, a subset of discs that appear to be caught in the act of clearing out planet-forming material. Along with observations, we summarize theoretical models that build our physical understanding of how discs evolve and disperse and discuss their significance in the context of the formation and evolution of planetary systems. By confronting theoretical predictions with observations, we also identify the most promising areas for future progress.