Astronomers have made a significant discovery by studying a young star DG Taurus, which appears to have a smooth protoplanetary disk devoid of any signs of planet formation. While astronomers have become adept at identifying indications of planet formation around stars, investigating cases where planet formation has not yet commenced is equally crucial for a comprehensive understanding of the process.
Planets come into existence within gas and dust-filled disks known as protoplanetary disks encircling protostars. Given the slow pace of planet growth, observing the entire evolution is impractical. Therefore, astronomers examine various protostars at slightly distinct stages of planet formation to develop a theoretical framework.
In this latest research, led by Satoshi Ohashi at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), the team employed the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) for high-resolution observations of DG Taurus, a relatively young protostar located 410 light-years away in the Taurus constellation. The findings suggest that DG Taurus has a smooth protoplanetary disk without any discernible rings, typically indicative of planet formation. This leads scientists to believe that DG Taurus is poised to initiate planet formation in the future.
Remarkably, the research reveals that in this pre-planet-formation phase, dust grains within 40 astronomical units (approximately twice the distance from Uranus to the Sun in our solar system) of the central protostar remain small, while beyond this radius, dust grains have started to grow in size, marking the initial stages of planet formation.
This discovery offers surprising insights into dust distribution and conditions at the outset of planet formation, challenging previous theoretical expectations. Further studies of similar cases will continue to enhance our understanding of this fascinating celestial process.
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